Cord Cutters Feedback Wanted for watching Hawkeye Football Games

[FCAS]

No. Just get BTN2Go (free) and you should be fine

But I thought 2Go only worked if you had one of the providers (Dish, DirecTV,...)

 

[InGoodCo]

Not roasting you. I'm agreeing with you. DirecTV has been providing inferior service for years, charging "hidden" fees, using deceptive methods to get people to add channels they didn't actually want, etc. Hell, if you're up for robbing their corporate offices, I'd be good--at a minimum--for getaway driver!

haha - that made me laugh pretty good. I didn't mean you were roasting me specifically - just in general and Deano. I know its wrong ... i just don't care. I have provided an entertainment service for the last 22 years of my life. I have watched people sneak into shows, steal our content, share our music files and it's never bothered me 1 single bit. It hasn't ever felt like stealing from me, I was still glad they got to listen. I'm gonna try it out, if I feel dirty - I'll let you guys know.

 

[okeefe4prez]

I would never ever twist the words of a fellow anonymous website poster!

I guess I just don't get it. You were paying out the nose BEFORE, but now that companies are actually offering cheap entertainment options you feel the need to begin stealing from them? Think about it, you want to steal from the companies who are actually making it possible and viable to get away from the overpriced company that was gouging you for years? I just can't follow that logic. I'm happy that entertainment has gotten cheap, and easier access.

Bruh, if he has paid $200 a month for 15 years he has paid $36,000 for media content, 98% of which he didn't even consume. You can buy a helluva car for $36k. Fvck those companies. From a purely moral standpoint, he deserves 15 years of free content for all the episodes of House Hunters and Pawn Stars he has financed.

 

[deanvogs]

Bruh, if he has paid $200 a month for 15 years he has paid $36,000 for media content, 98% of which he didn't even consume. You can buy a helluva car for $36k. Fvck those companies. From a purely moral standpoint, he deserves 15 years of free content for all the episodes of House Hunters and Pawn Stars he has financed.

It aint all going into the pockets of the satellite companies, it is being sprinkled all around Hollywood keep those elite liberals bathed in money, so they can then talk down to us "ordinary folk".

 

[okeefe4prez]

It aint all going into the pockets of the satellite companies, it is being sprinkled all around Hollywood keep those elite liberals bathed in money, so they can then talk down to us "ordinary folk".

Yeah, I know. The cable and satellite companies might actually be the good guys in the fight. I mean, both groups are assholes and everyone hates Comcast and AT&T, but they might actually be the smaller assholes for standing up to the likes of Disney and Viacom when they try to jack the hell out of prices.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Yep, so everyone else has to pay more, because companies build into their pricing the fact that some are gonna steal.

Unfortunately most likely. But, I'm paying fair and square!

 

[MelroseHawkins]

One could argue DirecTV has been "stealing" for quite the while...

Exactly.

 

[InGoodCo]

see.... I'm just trying to stick it to The Man for a change. Everything is coming up InGoodCo!

 

[NCHawker]

The OTA channels in each area have broadcast monopolies that the networks grant. So as a hypothetical if you own the Channel X CBS affiliate in Paducah, KY you have some area around there where the parent CBS company out of NY has granted you an exclusive broadcast license for all the national content. The cable companies have worked all these license issues out over decades, but YouTube is doing it real time. They basically have to negotiate with every local channel for broadcast rights and that is why there are area restrictions and the rollout is taking so long.

Thanks for the reply. I was referring to Youtube TV in general, not OTA

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I get what you're saying - and they do charge a lot for things people are getting for free by stealing it. But, I chose to pay for their service. I like having everything. I am willing to pay for everything as I have done it for years and years. I pay extra for Netflix, Hulu, - I get all the movie channels cause I like the original programming on almost all of em. I pay the sports packages, I buy the BTN stream for hoops. I spend a lot of money because it's just money - I make plenty of it and if I wasn't watching TV I would be out spending more of it. I am just gonna see how this works. I am gonna check it out. If I feel dirty, I might chose not to do it. If I feel like I am a bad person I won't. I've struggled with getting myself to do it for years now as I watch tons of acquaintances get it for free. I am gonna try it out. Roast me if you may.

My gawd, at your prime, what were you spending a month for everything, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[thedukeofearl]

There is almost always a lag with streaming. A stream has to undergo some extra video transcoding steps and then go out over the Internet, so there will always be a delay.

https://venturebeat.com/2017/05/22/...agging-behind-real-time-sports-tv-broadcasts/

https://www.boxcast.com/blog/this-is-why-your-live-stream-lags

It doesn't really both me that much, as I tend to stay off social media when watching games anyway. And most of the time I DVR them and start watching about 30 minutes in so I can fast-forward through commercials.

That is exactly how I do it. Makes the game more enjoyable and makes one feel like a Time and Space Lord

 

[InGoodCo]

My gawd, at your prime, what were you spending a month for everything, if you don't mind me asking?

probably around $250 a month I would say. Again, we got everything DTV offered. Whole home DVR for 4 TV's - I like all the original shows on HBO, MAX and STARS so we got em all. I got the NFL ticket - I got all the college sports tiers - I had Hulu, Netflix - we used to do the 2 blu rays in and out deal too .... I'm a home body when I am not doing the music thang. I've always justified it by saying, at least I am not out at the bar, or out shopping or out spending it another way. I stay in. But, yeah, it ridiculous and honestly, I'm at the point where I don't care if I steal it for a while. I have serious serious doubts tho that it's even gonna work up to my standards and honestly, now Dean has me questioning it. I don't like to feel bad about things.

 

[NCHawker]

I am thinking of cutting the cord for cable television and using a streaming service like youtube or hulu to watch the Hawkeyes on the ESPN and Big Ten Network. Can someone out there with experience watching Hawkeye football games on streaming services let me know what they think of the service? Like, how reliable the stream is during a game or any problems not being able to stream a game and so forth?

Also with said streaming like youtube, do I have to pay extra for the Big Ten Network or does it come with the base fee?

Back to the original question. I have Roku devices and subscribe to Hulu (sounds like a strange language)

The reliability of the stream is ok...but in my home the ROKU unit downstairs next to the router is faster and more responsive than the older Roku upstairs. I just did a factory reset on the old one upstairs and that seems to have helped.


I'll know more tomorrow as I've had Hulu for just a few months. There are no channel numbers with streaming services...just a menu that you go through and select.. My menu has BigTen Network and I hope tomorrow it has 2 BigTen networks on the menu for both games that are on at 3:30


You can watch Hulu on any device - not just TV



Here is how it looks on the PC (just the top)




click on live TV and the menu appears on the left (this is the sports channels)

 

[InGoodCo]

I'm interested in how all these things work, my biggest concern is live sports. I'm still gonna let you know how my methed out Fire Stick works!

 

[MelroseHawkins]

So, Iowa is pegged for an overflow channel and not the main? I still have PSVue and Youtube TV. I think Vue may have the overflow.

 

[thedukeofearl]

I’m interested as well. We live outside of the B1G “footprint” and the greedy assholes at Xfinity (sorry, X, you’re still the same old Comcrap to me) dropped the BTN from our lineup months ago. We’re in AZ and get the Pac-12 and mysteriously the SEC channels.

Yeah, Tweeter, change now. I do believe Youtube has the BTN no matter where you live. You can try it free for one week. Do it now and see it you can get the game tomorrow for free, and you will have your current system as a backup.....
I have had Youtube for about a year and have never looked back. Their unlimited DVR capability is very nice. I DVR the first episode of Better Call Saul and it automatically records them all. When the season is over I can binge watch or watch one at a time, fast forwarding thru the commercials......

Here is the Youtube programming and BTN is included.....

https://tv.youtube.com/welcome/

 

[thedukeofearl]

what about Fox sports? I am just too scared to cut the chord and I have all these services you guys mention already. What would happen if my Saturday was ruined by not having the game?

You get all the Fox sports with Youtube. You will get all the Iowa games on BTN also.....

https://tv.youtube.com/welcome/

 

[thedukeofearl]

Up your internet speed, sign on to YouTube TV (because get every local station) and get some Roku sticks for your TV's and be done with it. The best decision I made and I am now 3 months into it. One of those deals where I thought "Why the hell did I not do this sooner!". Best thing is getting rid of ALL the Hardware and cords that took up my closet space. I don't drop my network like I did with DirecTV as well.

It is cheaper and much more slick. Just seems much more simple. Love it. There is another very loooong thread on cable cutting so I recommend reading that over. Playstation Vue is going to up their rates in Sept. to $45 a month I think which is too much when don't offer local stations. The only advantage with Vue is they have Discovery and HGTV which I like. Not sure wifey will want to do away with HGTV. I currently still have both YouTube and Vue and is still cheaper than cable. Once YouTube gets Discover and or HGTV I will kick them to the curve.

Also, I really like the Roku channel for streaming movies and shows. I actually watch that more than I thought I would.

Oh, I don't drop programming, have any latency issues or anything like that. It's pretty solid but you will want to make sure your internet download speeds are good. Still cheaper than cable after upgraded that.

Roku does have very good movies with limited commercials. I watched Mud with Matthew McConaughey, one of the best movies I have seen in a while.....

 

[thedukeofearl]

I'm buying a fire stick today and having my friend crack it. According to him, that means I'll get netflix, hulu, redbox, movies in the theater - all live sport streams - hbo, max, amc - you name it for free for the cost of the Firestick. I have my doubts, but if what he says is true (he's used his for close to 2 years and is always bragging about being able to watch anything) it will be worth it and THEN I will cut the chord.

Lotta people do that. Costs anywhere from $50 to $100 to convert. Not certain if it is legal or not. GRIN.

Eventually, Amazon will have to means to counter that and it might destroy your Firestick, but they are rather cheap anyway.....

 

[thedukeofearl]

I never had good luck with Kodi. I use Terrarium TV. 100 times better than Kodi for movies and tv shows in my opinion.

People who are getting free TV using the Terrarium TV App are complaining about bothersome ads.....

Damn