YouTube TV has upgraded its live sports viewing experience by allowing users to permanently enable an option that reduces broadcast delays. Initially introduced in December 2023, the “decrease” option was limited to 48 hours, automatically reverting to the default setting afterwards. Now, users can seemingly reduce the broadcast delay permanently through YouTube TV’s playback settings.
This change, recently reflected in Google’s support documents, removes the previous time constraint on the “decrease” option. Unlike before, there’s no message indicating a 48-hour limit, and the setting persists even after closing and reopening the app on Android TV. Importantly, this adjustment applies to all channels, not just the one initially selected.
While the reduced broadcast delay enhances the live viewing experience, users should be aware of potential playback interruptions. By minimizing the delay, factors like internet speeds or interference may lead to temporary freezes or interruptions in the stream.
The setting is still labelled as an “Experiment” in the app, with Google suggesting that the “default” setting is ideal to minimize playback interruptions, while the “decrease” option is suitable for those wanting a low broadcast delay with minimal interruptions.
This enhancement comes ahead of the Super Bowl, which will be streamed on YouTube TV (in 4K) on February 11 via CBS.
