NBC and its Peacock streaming service will present both the 2026 Winter Olympics and Super Bowl LX live in 4K HDR, but at least some of it will be upscaled from 1080p.
The Super Bowl has been transmitted in 4K for years, but it has been firmly established that it is upscaled from a 1080p feed before transmission, and we have heard nothing to suggest changes this year.
The Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games are actually shot and produced in native 4K by the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), but it is unclear whether NBC is taking in the 4K or 1080p feed.
HDR, on the other hand, should deliver a nice upgrade for viewers at home, presenting more vivid images with an expanded dynamic range of luminance and color.
"4K all-day" and Multi-View
NBCUniversal's 4K HDR transmissions will be broadcast on the NBC broadcast network in the US and on the Peacock streaming service.
- "Feb. 8 begins with live Winter Olympics coverage starting at 7 a.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, followed by Super Bowl pregame coverage at noon ET, game coverage at 6:30 p.m. ET and finishes with Primetime in Milan beginning at approximately 10:45 p.m. ET – providing fans with 17 hours of 4K HDR coverage on the biggest day in sports," the company said in a press release.
Peacock said that its Multiview feature will also extend to mobile devices, showing up to four feeds at once during the 2026 Winter Games.
Peacock will offer its Multi-View feature during the 2026 Winter Olympics. Photo: NBCUniversalBig year for Peacock
At CES 2026 last month, Peacock announced plans to become the first streaming service to offer content in Dolby Vision 2 this year.
With no Dolby Vision 2-compatible TVs in existence yet, it is too early for that, but 2026 nevertheless stands to be a big year for live video advancements on Peacock – hopefully other streamers will follow.
- “When you’re about to present the biggest month in U.S. sports media history, you want to make sure you’re giving fans the best experience possible – so that’s exactly what we have planned on NBC and Peacock for Super Bowl LX, the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, and NBA All-Star Weekend,” said Rick Cordella, President, NBC Sports.
