March Madness is here and Dish customers who own a 4K TV and a compatible Dish receiver will be able to watch up to 13 of the NCAA Championship games in glorious 4K.
So far, Dish announced eight of these games, starting with the First Four on Tuesday, March 19, and continuing through the Elite Eight. To watch, you need a 4K TV, and a Hopper 3 DVR. You will find the games on Dish channel 540:
First Four
- March 19, at 6:40 p.m. E.T.: F. Dickinson vs. Prairie View
- March 19, at the conclusion of Game 1: Belmont vs. Temple
- March 20, at 6:40 p.m. E.T.: N. Dakota St. vs. NC Central
- March 20, at the conclusion of Game 3: Arizona St. vs. St. John’s
First Round
- March 22, 1:20 p.m. E.T.: Texas Tech vs. Northern Kentucky
- March 22, 3:50 p.m. E.T.: Buffalo vs. TBD
- March 22, 7:15 p.m. E.T.: Houston vs. Georgia St.
- March 22, 9:45 p.m. E.T.: Iowa State vs. Ohio State
Perhaps more importantly, given that these are going to be fast-paced games, the 4K broadcasts will also be in 60 frames per second, ensuring a much smoother, lifelike experience. If you value portability over resolution, Dish Anywhere lets you watch any of the games in HD, from a laptop, or mobile device (again, if you have a Hopper 3, or a Sling-connected Dish receiver).
Dish isn’t the only way to watch March Madness in 4K. DirecTV customers can reportedly watch some games in 4K and HDR, though we have yet to confirm that HDR is truly an option. FuboTV offered a select number of Big East and Big Ten Tournament games in 4K earlier this month.
There are also tons of options for watching the tournament online, as well as on the go. We pulled together a comprehensive list of the various ways you can stay on top of all the action. If you have a subscription to YouTube TV, Hulu Live, Sling TV, or PlayStation Vue, you should have access to most of the games.
If you’ve been waiting for March Madness to start before splurging on a new 4K TV, your timing couldn’t be better. Many manufacturers choose this time of year to offer deep discounts on their older models as they make room for the new ones. Given that there are only small differences between a 2018 4K TV and an equivalent 2019 model, you can confidently buy now, knowing you’re going to get a great deal. We rounded up some of the best prices right here.
Updated on March 20, 2019: Corrected a previous report that stated FuboTV would be streaming March Madness games in 4K.
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