Online viewing 2012/2013

[AnnikinSolo]

Does anyone know if the Russian CnopT network, which had last season's GP events will have them this coming season. From what I gather, Universal sports is going towards an authentication model which would require you to prove you are a cable or satellite subscriber, instead of simply charging a separate fee to view sports events like they do now,and they intend to debut the system during the Summer Olympics. IceNetwork's prices are too exorbitant.

I can get CnopT using a VPN, so it would be great if they had the GP events again. I use one VPN service now that is only $10 a month

[Tonichelle]

most networks won't give out that info until late summer/early fall.

[AnnikinSolo]

And here is even more bad news. Universal Sports has become exclusive to Dish Network subscribers, so Universal will not be an option for watching the Grand Prix. I have heard stories of people having all kinds of problems with IceNetwork, and using a VPN to get Cnopt2 is frustrating, because the VPN gets overloaded and disconnects. It seems a lot of people are also using the VPN for P2P and BittTorrent file sharing, because of Russia's lax copyright laws, compared to those of Western countries. I about went nuts last season, when I had to use that VPN to watch SA and the VPN connection kept dying on me.

[merrywidow]

I have DirectTV & get Universal Sports.

[skateluvr]

my cable provider doesn't have it either. the russian feeds worked sometimes for me las year, but streaming is an issue...to get IN or not when it freezes too. Well, the top few get on youtube but that's not like seeing the competition. Wish ESPN would cover skating again, such a loss to the sport to be so marginalized in coverage.

[Tonichelle]

I have DirectTV & get Universal Sports.

yup but you have to buy a special sports package... so stupid as we already have the channels offered with it... but it's still 13 bucks a month to add it!

[dorispulaski]

IN does put up the event archived. If I'm having trouble with their streaming live, I watch on archived replay later.

[Tonichelle]

I just can't justify the cost of them charging me 3-4 times for the service and not being customer service friendly about fixing it.

[AnnikinSolo]

IN does put up the event archived. If I'm having trouble with their streaming live, I watch on archived replay later.

Read the fine print on IN coverage, and you will find that all GP evnets, other than SA, this season, will only be avaialable in on demand form, one week after the competition is competed, so only those who are tech-saavy enough to know how to use a VPN, and get it from a foreign broadcast will be able to get it live, if they are in the USA. Unless, by some miracle, NTV picks it up again, and we can get it on WebTV, most of us in the USA are pretty much out of luck for watching it live, other than SA.

As far as Universal's decision to only allow Dish network subscribers to access their online content, I sent them a nasty, and I mean nasty, Email, venting my displeasure over their desicion, and using the F-word quite heavily. I did not mince my words, when I vented my displeasure over their decision and let them know just how I am over what they have done.

[dorispulaski]

Yes, I know that. But generally, if using IN, I watch on demand anyway.

Last year I had US, but with the Comcast debacle, I no longer have it, and I changed to TVCC and told Comcast why.

[Tonichelle]

As far as Universal's decision to only allow Dish network subscribers to access their online content, I sent them a nasty, and I mean nasty, Email, venting my displeasure over their desicion, and using the F-word quite heavily. I did not mince my words, when I vented my displeasure over their decision and let them know just how I am over what they have done.

Honestly I think all you did by "using the F-word" is get them to throw your email out. When I worked in customer service I was less likely to "understand" the "other side" when they were using vulgar language. There's a better way to get the point across. (You know, flies with honey vs vinegar thing)

[A.H.Black]

Read the fine print on IN coverage, and you will find that all GP evnets, other than SA, this season, will only be avaialable in on demand form, one week after the competition is competed, so only those who are tech-saavy enough to know how to use a VPN, and get it from a foreign broadcast will be able to get it live, if they are in the USA. Unless, by some miracle, NTV picks it up again, and we can get it on WebTV, most of us in the USA are pretty much out of luck for watching it live, other than SA.

As far as Universal's decision to only allow Dish network subscribers to access their online content, I sent them a nasty, and I mean nasty, Email, venting my displeasure over their desicion, and using the F-word quite heavily. I did not mince my words, when I vented my displeasure over their decision and let them know just how I am over what they have done.

Actually the online content is not exclusive to DISH. It is exclusive to anyone who has Universal Sports as part of their TV viewing package. Both Directv and Dish have Universal Sports as part of a sports package. Dish had a free preview for a while but it is not permanent and you will have to have the sports package in order to see Universal Sports.

It's pretty much the same as NBC requiring a cable or satellite account registration in order to see their live streaming for the Olympics. It's too bad Comcast still can't find a way to provide Universal Sports. I'm not sure if this gamble will pay off for Universal Sports. I hope most people will complain to Comcast at least as much as to Universal Sports.

I wonder if it would be an idea for Universal to offer programming as part of Netflix or some other online platform.

[AnnikinSolo]

I'm not sure if this gamble will pay off for Universal Sports. I hope most people will complain to Comcast at least as much as to Universal Sports.

I wonder if it would be an idea for Universal to offer programming as part of Netflix or some other online platform.

I would not be surprised if more people sent angry profanity-laced Emails to Universal, their decision is that stupid and moronic.

As for Netflix, how much would they want to pay to get Universal. The deal-breaker with Starz was they they wanted Netflix to charge their customers even more to get Starz, and Netflix was not about to do that, because one other price increase cost them too many customers, and they did not want to lose anymore of them.

[AnnikinSolo]

Honestly I think all you did by "using the F-word" is get them to throw your email out. When I worked in customer service I was less likely to "understand" the "other side" when they were using vulgar language. There's a better way to get the point across. (You know, flies with honey vs vinegar thing)

Their decision is so stupid and moronic, that they only thing that will get their attention is more people started sending them profanity laced Emails to vent their displeasure over what they have done. If enough people do that, it will get their attention.

[Buttercup]

Their decision is so stupid and moronic, that they only thing that will get their attention is more people started sending them profanity laced Emails to vent their displeasure over what they have done. If enough people do that, it will get their attention.

I think one can express displeasure in a very clear and attention-getting way without resorting to profanity, and I say that as someone who has no problem with using profanity in conversation - but there is a time and place for everything. My experience with companies and service providers is that you have to be clear about your displeasure and to really mean it, and there are many ways to accomplish that.