ESPN 4K HDR Badges Appear on Google TV as Users Report Playback Issues
Google TV viewers say ESPN's new 4K HDR streams arrive with choppy playback and HDR that fails to trigger during live events.
ESPN 4K HDR badges have started appearing inside the ESPN app on Google TV devices, according to Android Authority. The change appears to be a quiet expansion of the feature rather than an announced rollout, and Google TV users who have tested it report problems during 4K events.
Reported issues include choppy playback and HDR failing to trigger during 4K broadcasts, which means viewers may see the badge without receiving the higher-quality stream it advertises. The problems match complaints raised on other platforms.
ESPN's 4K HDR lineup covers Monday Night Football, NBA and NHL games, select college football, US Open tennis and Super Bowl LXI.
Earlier rollout
In September, ESPN launched upgraded 4K HDR streams on iOS and Apple TV, saying more connected TV platforms would follow in the fall. At that time, users reported that supported games still did not consistently trigger 4K HDR on Apple TV, while one commenter said ESPN's streams automatically trigger HDR across multiple Roku devices. ESPN Unlimited was also fully integrated into YouTube TV.
Quick answers
Which devices now show ESPN 4K HDR badges?
The badges are appearing inside the ESPN app on Google TV devices, according to Android Authority.
What problems are Google TV users reporting with ESPN 4K HDR?
Reported issues include choppy playback and HDR failing to trigger during 4K events.
Which events are included in ESPN's 4K HDR lineup?
The lineup includes Monday Night Football, NBA and NHL games, select college football, US Open tennis and Super Bowl LXI.