Jump to content

Streaming TV


Guest

Recommended Posts

I have a coworker that has canceled his cable service and streams everything. He uses Netflix, Hulu and a variety of streaming add ons for XBMC/Kodi. I've been able to view his setup and for movies and tv it's solid. However, he doesn't watch sports. I've tried a few streaming sites and even a few sports streaming Kodi add ons, but the video is always jumpy and the quality pretty poor.

Does anybody have a streaming solution for live sports, other than paying for services like NHL Gamecentre, Gameday, etc? I would like to cut the cord, but have hung on to a fairly basic package just for TSN and Sportsnet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well all of the unofficial live sports sites are pirated and because of that they aren't reliable, especially if you're wanting HD streams, and of course the more popular events will have more eyes on them straining the ability of the pirated source to provide smooth playback, it's going to be hit or miss. It doesn't matter quite as much when you want to stream an episode of a tv show, and if you have to switch sources it's no big deal becuase it's not live. The, 'i want to see it live' nature of sports is why sports broadcasting rights are so valued when everything else can be found for free or pvr'd and commercials skipped.

Maybe when the new pick and pay system comes on line maybe you could get only the sports channels, etc, that you can't live without and stream the rest, though it seems some providers are already offering at least a version of it, idk how the cost works out. I have a PC that serves all of my music and video to my TV and home network, and also can be used to stream via kodi, but I rarely use it for that, i would rather pay to get reliable HD quality and not have to worry about which repository is working or buffering video etc. It's not worth the effort, i would rather just pay for it, when i do stream something its a show that I missed when it was on or forgot to record. I really doubt you are going to find a truly reliable high quality sports stream, if it was that good it would probably become too popular and no longer be so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The easiest and cheapest solution is to stop watching sports. You'll be amazed how much free time you have and later look back and realize how little it added to your existence.

Good luck.

That may be good advice. :) I can get free highlights and analysis via the ESPN and NHL apps. Though I think I'll hold on to cable until after the Super Bowl. I never really enjoy the game, but it's a spectacle I think I would miss.

Has anyone tried a digital antenna? A friend of mine says he receives 8-10 channels in perfect HD, with a $30 indoor antenna. There are bigger and better attic and outdoor mounted varieties with much better range as well. I should try to find out what channels are available in my area, 'over the air'. That wouldn't get me any sports channels, but I should be able to get local news and special sports events covered by CTV, CBC and other network channels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That may be good advice. :) I can get free highlights and analysis via the ESPN and NHL apps. Though I think I'll hold on to cable until after the Super Bowl. I never really enjoy the game, but it's a spectacle I think I would miss.

Has anyone tried a digital antenna? A friend of mine says he receives 8-10 channels in perfect HD, with a $30 indoor antenna. There are bigger and better attic and outdoor mounted varieties with much better range as well. I should try to find out what channels are available in my area, 'over the air'. That wouldn't get me any sports channels, but I should be able to get local news and special sports events covered by CTV, CBC and other network channels.

Depending on where you live, over the air reception can provide good service for a one time setup cost. There is a website called TV Fool that will assess what stations you can (theoretically) pick up with what sort of antenna. You need to account for local variations though. Tall buildings, local hills or even trees between you and the transmitter can affect your actual results.

If you try it, let me know how it works.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The easiest and cheapest solution is to stop watching sports. You'll be amazed how much free time you have and later look back and realize how little it added to your existence.

Good luck.

That's hilarious. Cord Cutting is great, as long as you stop watching things you liked before. Don't worry sports sucks anyway. :lol:

If everyone Cord Cuts then there'll be no TV to speak of in the future.

There's a generation coming up that simply refuses to pay for any form of entertainment or information. That'll be reflected by the type of entertainment and information they get.

BTW there's always a thread about Cord Cutting advice.

Edited by Boges
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anybody have a streaming solution for live sports, other than paying for services like NHL Gamecentre, Gameday, etc? I would like to cut the cord, but have hung on to a fairly basic package just for TSN and Sportsnet.

http://firstrowsportes.eu

This is the site I use to watch sports that I don't get through my cable packages. Mostly NFL. The quality is poor and you have to sift through a gauntlet of pop-ups but if you do get a good connection it works aight.

But again, nothing close to HD Quality. Sports is the last media source where you pretty much need to watch it Live.

Edited by Boges
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's a generation coming up that simply refuses to pay for any form of entertainment or information. That'll be reflected by the type of entertainment and information they get.

That problem is a symptom of the ridiculously exorbitant sums of money a few people get for the things they do. That's reflected in the economy we have now.

Ironically it was a handful of overpaid musician hippies who set the tone for ridiculous incomes and now most can't make a dime to save their lives.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

..............

Does anybody have a streaming solution for live sports, other than paying for services like NHL Gamecentre, Gameday, etc? I would like to cut the cord, but have hung on to a fairly basic package just for TSN and Sportsnet.

I have an Amazon Firestick with Kodi installed I got on EBay.. I thought I could cut the cord too, at least for all except basic channels but I find it stutters and freezes a lot. I increased our cable speed knowing I would need it so that is not the issue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has anyone tried a digital antenna? A friend of mine says he receives 8-10 channels in perfect HD, with a $30 indoor antenna. There are bigger and better attic and outdoor mounted varieties with much better range as well. I should try to find out what channels are available in my area, 'over the air'. That wouldn't get me any sports channels, but I should be able to get local news and special sports events covered by CTV, CBC and other network channels.

If you live in a decent area the digital antennas work pretty good. The HD picture from them is usually quite better than most anything you'll get on Rogers/Bell or on Netflix/streaming since it isn't ridiculously compressed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That may be good advice. :) I can get free highlights and analysis via the ESPN and NHL apps. Though I think I'll hold on to cable until after the Super Bowl. I never really enjoy the game, but it's a spectacle I think I would miss.

Has anyone tried a digital antenna? A friend of mine says he receives 8-10 channels in perfect HD, with a $30 indoor antenna. There are bigger and better attic and outdoor mounted varieties with much better range as well. I should try to find out what channels are available in my area, 'over the air'. That wouldn't get me any sports channels, but I should be able to get local news and special sports events covered by CTV, CBC and other network channels.

Problem is that so much content is owned by the cable networks themselves. Jays and the NHL are tied to Sportsnet, for example.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah almost no sports is on OTA TV anymore. You get NFL games and select NHL games mostly.

The Stanley Cup and NBA finals will be on OTA cable too.

But if you want to follow any team somewhat regularly, you need to subscribe to a cable provider.

Edited by Boges
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe in Canada, but NCAA sports are readily available on OTA weekend programming from U.S. broadcasters. Ditto golf, figure skating, fishing, and NASCAR.

Blue Jays baseball and hockey coverage is hard to come by without cable in Canada. Hockey Night In Canada is still available OTA via the CBC, but that's just two games per week. I follow most sports via updates, highlights, stats and standings but I really only watch live hockey, football, a little golf and special events like the Olympics and IIHF hockey tournaments.

An in attic antenna and the NHL Centre Ice package may meet my needs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Depending on where you live, over the air reception can provide good service for a one time setup cost. There is a website called TV Fool that will assess what stations you can (theoretically) pick up with what sort of antenna. You need to account for local variations though. Tall buildings, local hills or even trees between you and the transmitter can affect your actual results.

If you try it, let me know how it works.

Thanks. TV Fool shows that I have the potential for a decent number of channels with an in attic antenna. I think I will give it a try. If I don't like the results I can always box it up and return it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Blue Jays baseball and hockey coverage is hard to come by without cable in Canada. Hockey Night In Canada is still available OTA via the CBC, but that's just two games per week. I follow most sports via updates, highlights, stats and standings but I really only watch live hockey, football, a little golf and special events like the Olympics and IIHF hockey tournaments.

An in attic antenna and the NHL Centre Ice package may meet my needs.

Blue Jays are impossible. Every game is on Sportsnet. One of the playoff games last season was on OTA Fox. Probably the only game available on free TV that year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe in Canada, but NCAA sports are readily available on OTA weekend programming from U.S. broadcasters. Ditto golf, figure skating, fishing, and NASCAR.

Many good NCAA games are on ESPN. Especially during Bowl season. You get a Fox game, and SEC game on CBS and two ABC games. Oh and Notre Dame on NBC for some reason.

Weekend OTA Network programming is mostly sports. I'll give you that, but good luck following a pro team other than a local football team with that coverage.

Edited by Boges
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Blue Jays are impossible. Every game is on Sportsnet. One of the playoff games last season was on OTA Fox. Probably the only game available on free TV that year.

As much as I like baseball pools and stats, I find the game a little too slow to watch live. Without the excitement and immediacy of the playoffs at least. I may be able to get by without watching live Jays games.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As much as I like baseball pools and stats, I find the game a little too slow to watch live. Without the excitement and immediacy of the playoffs at least. I may be able to get by without watching live Jays games.

Unless they win again this year and they're cool to watch. Jays were getting 5 million people watching their games down the stretch last year. Those beat hockey numbers on The CBC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Many good NCAA games are on ESPN. Especially during Bowl season. You get a Fox game, and SEC game on CBS and two ABC games. Oh and Notre Dame on NBC for some reason.

NCAA basketball will dominate weekend OTA sports broadcasting through March Madness on CBS and cable partners. There is no analog in Canada.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

NCAA basketball will dominate weekend OTA sports broadcasting through March Madness on CBS and cable partners. There is no analog in Canada.

You mean when they put games on TBS, TNT and something called TruTV?

At least you only have to subscribe to TSN's full package to get all the games instead of 3 different specialty channels owned by CBS.

Edited by Boges
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You mean when they put games on TBS, TNT and something called TruTV?

At least you only have to subscribe to TSN's full package to get all the games instead of 3 different specialty channels owned by CBS.

We get all the partner March Madness channels as part of basic cable. Plus Fox Sports cable channels (3 more dedicated sports channels) for regional and national sports programming. ESPN and ESPN2 are also part of basic. ABC broadcast has NBA games on weekends and holidays.

There is more than enough free or cheap cable sports programming to keep my DVRs (plural) busy all week.

Radio and streaming audio is also free, fine for old people like me who remember when that was all we had.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks. TV Fool shows that I have the potential for a decent number of channels with an in attic antenna. I think I will give it a try. If I don't like the results I can always box it up and return it.

Lucky you. Due to mountains and lack of local transmission, our coverage on south Vancouver Island is tragic. According to TV Fool, I can get 3 local independent channels and maybe a few more out of Washington if I buy a fancier antenna. Still, I don't watch much TV so I'm contemplating dumping cable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anybody have a streaming solution for live sports, other than paying for services like NHL Gamecentre, Gameday, etc? I would like to cut the cord, but have hung on to a fairly basic package just for TSN and Sportsnet.

It's called OTA and the image, for live sports events on a 1080p screen, is better than cable. With cable, the image is filtered through various computers/systems. With OTA, a live image is direct to you.

I have a coworker that has canceled his cable service and streams everything. He uses Netflix, Hulu and a variety of streaming add ons for XBMC/Kodi.

I am tempted to cancel Netflix and go to Youtube. Netflix offers limited crap in HD. Youtube offers lots and lots of crap in SD.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Tell a friend

    Love Repolitics.com - Political Discussion Forums? Tell a friend!
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      10,712
    • Most Online
      1,403

    Newest Member
    nyralucas
    Joined
  • Recent Achievements

    • Jeary earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Venandi went up a rank
      Apprentice
    • Gaétan earned a badge
      Very Popular
    • Dictatords earned a badge
      First Post
    • babetteteets earned a badge
      One Year In
  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...