Golden Skaters, I present to you the FIGURE SKATING CHANNEL

R.D. · Oct 6, 2005

Well, well. USFS and MediaZone have teamed up to bring this broadcast. Check this one out:

http://www.mediazone.com/channel/fi...p;jsessionid=9B96F5EB193E0B7176E2EA3E65759D5E

It looks like a work in progress- now real (US) skating fans can see the smaller competitions live (or almost live) on their computer! It's a subscription thing though- it's about $100/year or $5/event. I wonder how this will go...

Doggygirl · Oct 6, 2005

Hmmm.... anyone else thinking about trying this for a year to see how it goes? I'm considering taking the plunge. I still wish coverage would be available closer to the events - but I suppose a 1 week delay (which appears to be the norm on the current schedule) isn't too bad, and it sure covers events I would never, ever see otherwise.

I guess nothing like this can ever get off the ground unless there is a core of financial support for it...

DG

nubka · Oct 6, 2005

Live Feed...

I tried something similar to this for the gymnastics event during the last olympics. It was a Russian feed, and it was lousy, to say the least. However (there's alway an however,) others folks who were using it, had no problems, so maybe it has a lot to do with your computer and what kind of hook-up you have...

R.D. · Oct 6, 2005

(I posted this at the thread I started at FSU since that thread is going strong but I'd also like to post it here.)

Well- the quality of the stream, they say, will be 350Kbps. That's about your typical broadband stream quality, so I wouldn't expect anything great in terms of video quality.
Also, the final download quality is 700Kbps. Not shabby, but I make videos that have a much higher bitrate than that. I wonder what format they'll use- that will also tell a lot. If they are going to offer the videos in H.264 or DivX, then that's really good quality. Any other format=blah.

What you're really paying for IMO is the privilege to see competitions and skaters skate that you otherwise wouldn't see unless you shelled out hundreds of dollars to actually go to the event.

Also, I wonder- will there be any commentators? Or will it just be a stream of the actual event, commercial free, with no interruptions? I'd really like someone's feedback of the service once the competitions start. Is it worth the $5 bucks to pay for one event? Or the $100 for the whole enchilada?

Joesitz (RIP) · Oct 6, 2005

Red Dog said:
(I posted this at the thread I started at FSU since that thread is going strong but I'd also like to post it here.)

Well- the quality of the stream, they say, will be 350Kbps. That's about your typical broadband stream quality, so I wouldn't expect anything great in terms of video quality.
Also, the final download quality is 700Kbps. Not shabby, but I make videos that have a much higher bitrate than that. I wonder what format they'll use- that will also tell a lot. If they are going to offer the videos in H.264 or DivX, then that's really good quality. Any other format=blah.

What you're really paying for IMO is the privilege to see competitions and skaters skate that you otherwise wouldn't see unless you shelled out hundreds of dollars to actually go to the event.

Also, I wonder- will there be any commentators? Or will it just be a stream of the actual event, commercial free, with no interruptions? I'd really like someone's feedback of the service once the competitions start. Is it worth the $5 bucks to pay for one event? Or the $100 for the whole enchilada?

Red Dog - Thank you so much for this information

Doggygirl - I think I'll do it too. Sit in an easy chair with 2 cases of Bass Ale for the Mens and Pairs and then a case of good chiante for the Ladies and dance. I think you will enjoy the other skaters particularly next to last skate and wonder why one or two of them were not in the last group to skate. and there will be one top tier skater in the next to next to last group who had a bad hair day in the SP.

I think you like figure skating as much as I do and want more than just the leading skates in the last 6 to skate.

Joe

Joesitz (RIP) · Oct 6, 2005

Whoa - I just clicked on the link and it is limited. No Euros or Olys listed, but there is the the midwestern sectional. the Men's division has Rohene, Jahnke, Brauniger, and a few other wannabes in the US Nats. It should be a humdinger.

Joe

Doggygirl · Oct 6, 2005

Joesitz said:
Red Dog - Thank you so much for this information

Doggygirl - I think I'll do it too. Sit in an easy chair with 2 cases of Bass Ale for the Mens and Pairs and then a case of good chiante for the Ladies and dance. I think you will enjoy the other skaters particularly next to last skate and wonder why one or two of them were not in the last group to skate. and there will be one top tier skater in the next to next to last group who had a bad hair day in the SP.

I think you like figure skating as much as I do and want more than just the leading skates in the last 6 to skate.

Joe

I took the "plunge."

Red Dog, I will definately post about what I think of the service. At what equates to $8.33 per month to see my favorite sport more often and more comprehensively, I'm willing to tolerate any number of problems they may have to get this service up and going. I'd rather see a less than stellar quality on-line video than bare bones top 6 coverage, which is what we all get today in the US on TV. And I'd even question the video quality after that dizzying "sky cam" last year.

Joe, you are right. I am very interested in seeing more of the Regional/Sectional/Novice/Junior competitions in addition to (hopefully!!) broader coverage of the senior events.

LOL - I hadn't even thought of the side benefit of being able to play the Dick Button Drinking Game more frequently from the comfort and safety of my own living room (or office as the case may be, where my computer is!)

Bass Ale and Chiante for you, Chardonnay for me.

For all who have wanted an ice skating channel, I hope you will at least give this a try either with the annual package, or the single event "try it out" package. It won't continue if it doesn't make financial sense for the USFSA and MediaZone.

DG

emma · Oct 6, 2005

I haven't had a chance to check this out yet, but a quick question for those that have: when you subscribe, do you watch events a pre-arranged times like tv, or is it more like on demand, you can down load at your convience within a set of dates?

Joesitz (RIP) · Oct 6, 2005

Doggy girl - Pinot Griggio is light and tasty and powerful and it will definitely go well with Senior Ladies Long Program. for the SP may I suggest an Asti Spumante from Piedmonte, Italy. :party2:

R.D. · Oct 6, 2005

Red Dog, I will definately post about what I think of the service. At what equates to $8.33 per month to see my favorite sport more often and more comprehensively, I'm willing to tolerate any number of problems they may have to get this service up and going. I'd rather see a less than stellar quality on-line video than bare bones top 6 coverage, which is what we all get today in the US on TV. And I'd even question the video quality after that dizzying "sky cam" last year.

I really appreciate your offer of feedback for this service. I'd really like to know because I might sneak in there and take an event or two if they have anything interesting...

You have every right to question the video quality since this is your hard-earned money going towards this. The product better be worth it!

I was probably the 1 in 1000 people here who actually liked the idea of the skycam. I just believe that the film crew didn't really know how to make use of it. If they used it for the right shots, it would be an excellent addition to figure skating coverage.

Ptichka · Oct 6, 2005

Joesitz said:
Doggy girl - Pinot Griggio is light and tasty and powerful and it will definitely go well with Senior Ladies Long Program. for the SP may I suggest an Asti Spumante from Piedmonte, Italy.

Ah, Joe, why do you assume that only something sweet and bubbly can go with ladies' skating! (Just Kidding)

Doggygirl · Oct 6, 2005

emma said:
I haven't had a chance to check this out yet, but a quick question for those that have: when you subscribe, do you watch events a pre-arranged times like tv, or is it more like on demand, you can down load at your convience within a set of dates?

Hi Emma. They way I read the info, for the 1 year subscription (the $99.99 one) it sounds like you can watch / download any time once the videos are up on the site (looks like 1 week generally after competition). I read about the "per event" option, and that looks to me like you have 7 days from the time the video goes up to watch it. I could be wrong here - that was just my own quick take on it.

Joe - I like your Pinot suggestion. Much lighter for a long evening of Dick Button. But HEY!!! We might not have to listen to Dick Button!!! I actually hope the commentary on this new on-line thing is very VERY limited.

Just think of the many benefits including less severe hang overs than when Dick is on the air!!

DG

nicole_l · Oct 6, 2005

All they'll get me for is the $5 to watch Men's Free at Mids, because it'll probably be even better than what they'll show for Nationals. Plus, if Ryan Bradley & Jahnke don't qualify or don't make it to the broadcast in January, man will I be mad if I don't get to see them all season.

R.D. · Oct 7, 2005

Official Announcement from USFS

Here's the OFFICIAL announcement from USFS:

http://www.usfsa.org/event_story.asp?id=30998

nubka · Oct 7, 2005

I wasn't clear...

I don't think I was clear enough in my previous post. What was "lousy" wasn't the fact that the picture wasn't great, the problem is that the "feed" wouldn't come through at all...I paid my money (which was refunded later) went to the web site at the right time (many, many times) and there was nothing. It would act like it was trying to connect, but it never did, so I literally got nothing...

I hope you all have much better luck than I did.

Arsenette · Oct 7, 2005

Wish I had broadband :no:

Doggygirl · Oct 7, 2005

nubka said:
I don't think I was clear enough in my previous post. What was "lousy" wasn't the fact that the picture wasn't great, the problem is that the "feed" wouldn't come through at all...I paid my money (which was refunded later) went to the web site at the right time (many, many times) and there was nothing. It would act like it was trying to connect, but it never did, so I literally got nothing...

I hope you all have much better luck than I did.

Hi Nubka. I'm glad you were able to get your $$ back since you never got what you paid for. I didn't try any internet feeds during gymnastics season, but I did get the Russian feed via www.russiantvonline.com during FS Worlds. I did take quite a bit of technical effort to get it working. I did get the feed though, and was happy to see anything live, and many skaters not shown via US TV coverage. So I was happy with the $9.99 I spent for that one month of service.

The whole concept of internet sports coverage in the "main stream" is still pretty new, and I think past attempts to provide this service for $$ have been hit and miss. I'm crossing my fingers that this concept is finally entering the main stream as a way to get sports coverage that is otherwise not available.

Trust me, I will report my honest opinion of the service starting 10/18.

DG

nubka · Oct 7, 2005

...

I'm glad to hear that it worked for you...I wonder what I was doing wrong ?? I'd gladly pay, if only it worked. Let us know how you like it...

R.D. · Oct 7, 2005

A good folk over at FSU posted a short Q and A session that he/she had with one of the reps of MediaZone over at the skating channel thread there. I thought this might also be of interest to people here at Golden Skate, so I include a link to it here.

http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showpost.php?p=635163&postcount=45

Jhar55 · Oct 7, 2005

Leaves me out I only have dial up. The $99 price seem fair but I'd rather buy a pay-pre view if it was advilable. I know that means a cable box on my tv.

Golden Skaters, I present to you the FIGURE SKATING CHANNEL

R.D.

Doggygirl

nubka

R.D.

Joesitz (RIP)

Joesitz (RIP)

Doggygirl

emma

Joesitz (RIP)

R.D.

Ptichka

Forum translator

Doggygirl

nicole_l

R.D.

nubka

Arsenette

Doggygirl

nubka

R.D.

Jhar55

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