Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

DirecTV to deliver on-demand 4K video by the year’s end

directv live streaming
Image used with permission by copyright holder
It looks like there’s finally some light at the end of the 4K content tunnel. DirecTV is set to offer 4K resolution on-demand video by the end of the year, as well as live 4K streaming next year or by early 2016. The company’s president and CEO Mike White delivered the news via a second-quarter earnings call Thursday. The satellite service provider has been working on integrating the Ultra HD resolution into its repertoire for quite some time, with plans to upgrade to the higher resolution dating as far back as early 2012.

White also announced that the company will launch two new satellites over the next 18 months as a means to expand DirecTV’s capacity to offer more services, according to a report from Multichannel News. White emphasized the fact that DirecTV should be able to begin offering 4K VOD before the satellites are in place, indicating that the two new orbiters could potentially be intended to help enable DirecTV to follow through with the live 4K streaming end of its commitment.

Recommended Videos

Specifics aside, yesterday’s announcement almost comes off as a bit understated when you consider that up to now, any news about 4K, or Ultra HD resolution TVs and other hardware was overshadowed by the utter lack of a substantial source for 4K resolution content to actually watch on these sparkling new creations. However, an increasingly rapid rate of 4K content has been rolled out this year, and the trend seems to be continuing to pick up steam.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The label “Ultra HD” was barely on the average customer’s radar just a few years ago, and it’s really just now penetrating the public’s consciousness, with exposure on a massive level from events such as Sony’s 4K showcase of the World Cup earlier this summer. A DirecTV spokesman was quoted in February 2013 as saying “4K is something we’re thinking about, but we’re only in the exploratory stages. The technology is many years away at this point.” Here we are just 17 months later and not only is the technology here to stay, but DirecTV is mere months away being able to offer up 4K content whenever a customer calls for it.

Of course, just how much 4K content DirecTV will offer is still unknown. But today’s news is a shot in the arm for the industry on both sides of the equation. As UHD/4K TVs continue to drop in price, the availability of things to actually, you know, watch will set the stage for just how fast the hardware ends up in living rooms. And DirecTV appears to have a nice headstart on its rivals as the 4K provider of choice.

Available at: DirecTV

Alex Tretbar
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Alex Tretbar, audio/video intern, is a writer, editor, musician, gamer and sci-fi nerd raised on EverQuest and Magic: The…
What is Apple TV+? Price, devices, features, how to get it, and more
The Apple TV+ home screen with an image from Invasion.

Apple TV+ may not be one of the oldest streaming services out there, but since its arrival in 2019, it's gone head-to-head with streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu since day one. It prioritizes exclusive content, so you won't find a library of shows and movies you already know and love. Instead this streamer has been pushing out amazing new shows like Ted Lasso, For All Mankind, Silo, and Foundation. There's even access to Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer for sports fans.

With no ads, Apple TV+ has cemented itself as one of the best streaming services out there, and has amassed an estimated 25 million subscribers over the last five years. It's estimated, because the company has a penchant for offering free promotional subscriptions to those who buy a new Apple device like an iPhone or MacBook.

Read more
Should you upgrade to tvOS 18 right away?
The rear of Apple TV 4K.

Another year has come and gone, and that means we’re getting new major versions of Apple’s operating systems. Enter: tvOS 18. It’s probably not what you’d consider to be a huge update. I’ve been using it in its various beta forms for a while now, and you’re not going to see it and feel out of place or anything. But there are some new features.

But that brings up a good question, which is something worth asking anytime there’s a major update: Should up go ahead and update to tvOS 18? There are two camps on this sort of thing.
The case against updating
There are some folks who exercise a good deal of patience when it comes to updates. They hold off and see what other folks experience first. They’re not in a hurry for the latest and greatest features. They don’t see a software update and feel compelled by some invisible hand to click that install button just as quickly as possible.

Read more
8K TV: everything you need to know about television’s future
A Samsung 85-inch 8K hangs on a living room wall.

You've undoubtedly heard of 8K TV. It's been around for a while, but when it first appeared to consumers it was billed as the next mind-blowing resolution that makes 4K look like child's play. Well, it still is, but as it continues making its way to more widespread use, you still might have some questions about it.

8K TVs pack a whopping amount of pixels (more than 30 million!), much more than regular HD TVs and the best 4K TVs on the market. Major brands like Samsung, LG, Sony, and TCL continue to roll out 8K TV models that feature backlighting tech like mini-LED for insane brightness and contrast. Prices are finally becoming affordable, too, with some 65-inch 8K TVs coming in at under $2,000.

Read more