YouTube Is Now Live Streaming in 4K
YouTube officially added support for 4K live streams Wednesday, allowing YouTubers and media partners to stream regular and 360-degree videos in ultra-high definition.
“The image quality is just mind-blowing on screens that support it, and in 360 degrees … the clarity can truly transport you,” wrote YouTube senior product manager Kurt Wilms in a blog post Wednesday.
Broadcasters big and small can stream 4K live content with up to 60 fps. Users can watch 4K live streams via YouTube’s apps for smart TVs, desktop PCs and dedicated 4K streaming devices like Google’s Chromecast Ultra.
The Google-owned video service is set to debut 4K live streams with the broadcast of the Game Awards this coming Thursday. The video game awards show will feature a live performance of iconic hip-hop duo Run the Jewels as well as premieres of a number of video games, including “Mass Effect: Andromeda” and “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.”
YouTube first added support for 4K videos in 2010. Earlier this year, the video service added support for live 360-degree video broadcasts, and VR is one of the areas that could immediately benefit from the added resolution.
“With 360 4K live streams, the sky is (literally) the limit,” Wilms wrote. “Get ready for 360 concert and event streams that look sharper, cleaner, and brighter than ever before.”
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