NHL.TV

[JayPSU]

For those of you have who have had NHL.TV in recent years, how is it? Years ago when it was "Gamecenter," it was terrible. I had a fast internet speed yet the game would skip and jump and keep changing picture quality. Has it improved, or do I need to just subscribe to Dish's NHL Center Ice again even though as a Flyers fan I'll get SD feeds when they play division opponents line the Devils and Rangers.

 

[Cheddar_Head]

For those of you have who have had NHL.TV in recent years, how is it? Years ago when it was "Gamecenter," it was terrible. I had a fast internet speed yet the game would skip and jump and keep changing picture quality. Has it improved, or do I need to just subscribe to Dish's NHL Center Ice again even though as a Flyers fan I'll get SD feeds when they play division opponents line the Devils and Rangers.

Initially NHL.TV was worse than Gamecenter especially overseas because it seems that the NHL cheaped out on the Content Distribution Network (CDN) they opted for, too much latency kept a lot of people from properly logging in and made it unwatchable from places like Australia and Europe. (Yeah, I travel a lot.) It got better as the season went along.

Be aware that NHL.TV is very serious about enforcing local blackouts, something the Gamecenter app was not very serious about. Check your zip code on the site to be sure you will not be blacked out for the games you want to watch. For example all of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and most of the Dakotas are blacked out for Wild games because Fox Sports Midwest carries the Wild games and is available in all those areas.

I have 10meg DSL and have no problem with the HD feeds.

 

[AntiMoz]

NHL.TV has improved greatly since they partnered with MLB.TV to help them produce and deliver their content. I've had Gamecenter/NHL.TV for several years now and have noticed great improvement. As for blackouts the partnership with MLB.TV brought better detection of people trying to get around the blackouts by using VPN services. Much more sophisticated now in that regard.

 

[Cheddar_Head]

NHL.TV has improved greatly since they partnered with MLB.TV to help them produce and deliver their content. I've had Gamecenter/NHL.TV for several years now and have noticed great improvement. As for blackouts the partnership with MLB.TV brought better detection of people trying to get around the blackouts by using VPN services. Much more sophisticated now in that regard.

Not just better detection of VPN usage, GameCenter didn't try to enforce the Regional Sports Network blackout areas whereas NHL.TV has changed to blackout of any games carried by your RSN. They won't admit to the change but never the less in Colorado Springs they only started blacking out Avalanche games with the change to NHL.TV and the same goes to Madison WI being blacked out for Wild games only after the change to NHL.TV. Plus they will blackout any game that is carried by MSNBC/NBC/NHL Network, doesn't matter if you live in an area where the only way to get these channels might be by satellite so sorry blacked out. Last year ~30 of the 82 Blackhawks were blacked out due to "national" telecasts.

IMHO it is a stretch of the old blackout rules to get the in-person attendance up to blacking out the game if the local RSN carries the game or if NHL Network decides to telecast the game.

Another thing is NHL.TV dropped support for any software that was built into your Smart TV including Andriod TV meaning many people had to purchase additional hardware to watch the games, and this happened mid-season catching many users by surprise and NHL.TV refused to refund money for users that got the shaft mid-season.

 

[AntiMoz]

Agree on all points.

 

[JayPSU]

Thanks, guys! I'm not worried about blackouts as I'm a Flyers fan in a Blue Jackets broadcast area so I should be fine. My concern was the quality of the stream. It used to be jerky in fast motion, and the picture quality would keep changing, and there'd be buffering and skipping, etc, all with a fast internet connection. Hopefully it is now like MLB.tv.

 

[dare2be]

IMHO it is a stretch of the old blackout rules to get the in-person attendance up to blacking out the game if the local RSN carries the game or if NHL Network decides to telecast the game.

That isn't the point of most TV blackouts anymore. Usually it is to protect the broadcaster's (as you mention RSN or NHL Network) exclusive rights to broadcast the game. I don't agree with broadcast exclusivity rules (reeks of monopoly and lack of choice), but that's what it is.

 

[Cheddar_Head]

That isn't the point of most TV blackouts anymore. Usually it is to protect the broadcaster's (as you mention RSN or NHL Network) exclusive rights to broadcast the game. I don't agree with broadcast exclusivity rules (reeks of monopoly and lack of choice), but that's what it is.

Yes that is the point of most blackouts today, problem is that when the FCC had black rules (since repealed) it was always to protect the home attendance. Sports leagues/broadcasters have taken those old blackout norms and extended them to sometimes stupid lengths.

NHL Channel "national game" blackouts are especially stupid as the NHL Channel is far from national, owned by the same entity as NHL.TV and can change their schedule with less than a weeks notice.

Sorry for the rant the damn NHL just pisses me off sometimes. Can you tell I love hockey?

 

[dare2be]

MLB is just as bad. When FOX airs their Saturday national/regional game, no other games scheduled during that time can be aired on any other channel due to FOX having exclusive rights. At least that's the way it worked a few years ago, not sure if it's still the case. It is/was ridiculous.

 

[Cheddar_Head]

MLB is just as bad. When FOX airs their Saturday national/regional game, no other games scheduled during that time can be aired on any other channel due to FOX having exclusive rights. At least that's the way it worked a few years ago, not sure if it's still the case. It is/was ridiculous.

Now it is only the Fox Sunday National game that gets blacked out. Makes sense MLB and NHL are similar since MLBAM is the technology provider for both. I just wish the leagues could figure out how to provide the playoffs with the packages, even and extra charge for playoffs would be OK.

 

[rdale]

At least that's the way it worked a few years ago, not sure if it's still the case. It is/was ridiculous.

It is not still the case.