Maybe some of you have encountered this issue regarding 4K sports broadcasts on Channels 105 -107.

I have the satellite TV since I am in a rural location and the internet is not the best. While watching college football, I get a message that says the game is available in 4K. When I try to switch to the game in 4K, I get a message that says its "not authorized for this location." Its the national broadcast on Fox or NBC or ESPN. I have contacted DirecTV and their customer service and technical people say that my equipment is authorized for 4K programming, its included with my package, and they have no idea why I am not receiving.

If I am willing to suffer through the buffering thing with my internet, I can watch these same games on the DirecTV app in 4K.

Does anyone have a workaround or a solution? I have the latest/greatest equipment so IDK. It would be nice to watch some games in 4K through the satellite versus the buffered internet solution.

MTIA

Makes me wonder if your equipment is actually compatible. I would have a DTV technician come out and verify. How old is your stuff?

Its the most recent stuff. Just installed early summer

double check your cables and tv port

"For satellite 4K, you typically need an HDMI cable that is version 2.0 or higher and a TV port that supports HDCP 2.2"

Here's what ChatGPT had to say:

What they're running into isn't usually a 4K equipment problem it's more about broadcast rights + how DirecTV maps 4K feeds to regions. Here's what could be happening:



Why it says "not authorized for this location"
1. Regional sports broadcasting rights
Even if it's a national game (FOX, NBC, ESPN), the 4K feed is sometimes restricted by market.
The HD feed is available everywhere, but DirecTV often limits the 4K version to specific regions where the broadcaster has cleared rights.
2. Local vs. national feed mismatch
DirecTV doesn't always show the 4K stream on channels 105107 in every ZIP code.
Sometimes the app has fewer restrictions, which explains why it works there but not via satellite.
3. Authorization quirk
Even if equipment and package are fine, the satellite authorization codes for 4K feeds don't always push correctly to accounts in certain areas. DirecTV support reps often miss this because it's not an equipment issue.



What your friend can try
Check ZIP code eligibility: Ask DirecTV if their market has clearance for 4K broadcasts on those channels. (It varies.)
Force a refresh: On DirecTV, you can log into your account online or use the app to "refresh receiver" sometimes fixes location/authorization mismatches.
Ask for an escalation: Request to be connected with the Advanced Technical Support team, not frontline customer service. They can check if the account provisioning for 4K is properly flagged.
Workaround: If internet is weak but usable, lowering other household internet use and using the DirecTV app (which does authorize 4K nationally) may still be the only option for certain games.



In short:
This is less about their dish or TV and more about DirecTV's rights management for 4K feeds. The reason the app works is because those rights are handled differently than satellite delivery.

I don't believe the 4K channels are broadcast over the satellite link at all, when you switch to those feeds you are switching to a stream over your Internet connection. So when you say the internet is not the best in your area, that could be a contributing factor.

satexas said:

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You are going to eventually realize that you need to switch to Starlink and streaming.

You will get much better Internet, way better flexibility, and better pricing. I can't count the number of friends and family that I have moved to Starlink and streaming that I'll live out in the country on big plots of land and are happier than pigs in **** with zero problems now because of this. And most of them used to have DIRECTV.

It's literally that simple. It's time for Starlink.

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This is the way.