CBS Sports to shoot in 8K and AR at the Super Bowl

US cable providers still do not even support live 4K broadcasts, but CBS Sports is going to try out its 8K cameras at the Super Bowl anyways. Even those that are not cord cutters may still consider streaming online to get better quality.

As CES 2019 is coming to a close, this year has been marked by a sea of display technologies, automotive presence, and the usual inclusion of products that leave everyone confused about why they might need internet capabilities on inanimate objects. 8K TVs are the one major item that will be arriving in store and online for sale this year.

In just a few weeks, the NFL's 53rd Super Bowl will take place on February 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. CBS Sports will be broadcasting from no less than 115 cameras to show plenty of angles.

Out of all those cameras, 16 standard cameras are 4K-capable. An additional nine Sony 4800 slo-mo cameras will also be able to capture live 4K footage as well as provide the opportunity for replays. At this point, 4K is kind of old news and something that everyone can afford.

Enter the 8K cameras. During live broadcast of the Super Bowl, CBS Sports will be making use of several 8K cameras positioned in each end zone on the field. The 2016 Rio Olympics were the first time 8K cameras were used for a major event, and their use was very limited. This is the first publicized use of 8K for live TV within the United States.

If anyone is truly interested in watching the Super Bowl in the best possible resolution, streaming it online will be the way to go. The vast majority of cable providers still do not support 4K broadcasts, let alone 8K content.

In addition to 8K, there will be heavy use of augmented reality graphics. At least 52 cameras will be in use to accurately track and display on-field indicators such as the first down line. What is normally a standard feature of any broadcast is being turned into a complex process with extreme accuracy.