Viewing options for Flames broadcasts

[StrykerSteve]

Currently use Telus Optik TV to catch all of the Flames games. Paying too much, other than AMC + hockey, don't watch TV anymore.

It was my understanding that all Canadian TV providers were now forced to provide a la carte options, meaning, you can subscribe to only the channels you want. I've looked everywhere on their site and even spoken to their customer service, and I don't see that as an available option. Checked Shaw's site as well, no dice.

If I could subscribe to AMC + Sportsnet West, Now and 360, I'd be golden.

So there's Gamecenter, which blacks out all local broadcasts, meaning, no Flames games in Calgary.

Or Center Ice, which again, blacks out everything locally, so no Flames games in Calgary.

So, what are we left with? Paying for on over-priced cable TV plan that forces us to subscribe to things we don't use, just so we can watch Flames games.

Are there any other legal options out there that others here have discovered or explored?

[jayswin]

I thought they didn't have to comply with the new regulations until December?

[StrykerSteve]

Originally Posted by jayswin

I thought they didn't have to comply with the new regulations until December?

December 2016

[LTH]

I saw a la carte option on Bell's website. Bell also has TSN 4k.
I've been told about paid IPTV services (something you'd have to research a bit). I think you'd need a media streaming box and running Kodi.
There are less legal options that are kind of a pain and less reliable.

I'm looking for something that'll give me good quality and be reliable myself. have zero interest in signing up for some cable package though.

update: I think Bells option is you buy a basic package then you can add a la carte channels or addons (chan packages) This kind of sucks beucase you can get TSN1,2,3,4 for like $15 or $20, but if you want sportsnet it's another $15-$20. The only one I saw available a la carte is sportsnet 360.

[Samonadreau]

I do sportsnet now and netflix for about 35 bucks a month. Sportsnet now is a rip off but I get my sports/hockey fix so I deal with it.

[J79]

I can watch all NHL regular season, and all NHL playoff games for € 125 / ~ 190 CAD a year with NHL TV (was NHL Gamecenter Live)

Not sure how it works, but if you can manage to sign up as a Dutch/European user you won't have to worry about missing any games.
(I think blackouts apply to GB and Scandinavian users)

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

I do sportsnet now and netflix for about 35 bucks a month. Sportsnet now is a rip off but I get my sports/hockey fix so I deal with it.

Does Sportsnet Now carry every Flames game though?

[StrykerSteve]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

I do sportsnet now and netflix for about 35 bucks a month. Sportsnet now is a rip off but I get my sports/hockey fix so I deal with it.

I get Sportsnet Now for free with my cable package, how much is separately? I'm assuming that blackouts don't apply on it?

[GoJetsGo]

I'm in the same boat and will need to make a decision about getting access to Flames games come October.

I have been with Shaw and was paying around 165 a month for cable / internet. I really don't watch TV other than hockey so when the season ended I snapped and called Shaw to tell them that even though that might be a competitive rate for TV/Internet in this day and age, I still feel it's grossly expensive for the amount of time I actually spend watching TV. So I told them I was dropping cable right there on the spot, and said if they helped me with that without trying to upsell me on staying, I'd keep my internet with them. If they made it a difficult process with customer loyalty attempts I'd switch my internet to Telus. They were very helpful after that and now I pay a promo rate for internet 150 that's brought my bill down to 65 a month.

Now I have to figure out how to best set myself up to watch all Flames games without subscribing to a needless expensive cable package.

Sounds like more and more people are cutting the cord, so hopefully there will be some more reliable legal options soon.

The difficult part for me in figuring something out is I need to have something that archives the games like my PVR did. Simply being able to watch games live isn't enough for me as I often have events and appointments in the evening.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

I get Sportsnet Now for free with my cable package, how much is separately? I'm assuming that blackouts don't apply on it?

http://www.sportsnet.ca/NOW/

$24.99 a month plus tax...

But next to NHL there's an asterix and then at the bottom it says:

*Regional restrictions apply. Content availability subject to change. Visit Sportsnet.ca/NOW for full details.


Edit:

I do see it says:

"24 Hour Look-Back
Missed the game? No problem. Rewind up to 24 hours on our schedule page on desktop to watch anything you may have missed."

So that might solve it issue of being able to watch the game later if you're tied up during the live airing?

Just unsure of the regional restrictions and if it would have access to every Flames game or not.

[StrykerSteve]

If Sportsnet Now doesn't blackout local broadcasts, it would work from a mobile perspective, but then I'm left with trying to figure out how to get it on my TV when I'm home... shame there's no app for the PS4.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

If Sportsnet Now doesn't blackout local broadcasts, it would work from a mobile perspective, but then I'm left with trying to figure out how to get it on my TV when I'm home... shame there's no app for the PS4.

There's a few options but it looks like PS4 isn't one of them (though it says it will be in the future.

Sportsnet NOW is now available on 4th generation Apple TV boxes, Xbox One and Google Chromecast, for Android devices.

Download the Sportsnet app from the app store and click on the “SN Now” tab to sign in with your credentials.

For customers subscribing to Sportsnet with a supported TV provider you can also logon and stream live Sportsnet channels on your 4th gen Apple TV or Xbox.

PlayStation 4 is not available at this time, but is expected to be rolled out in the future. Make sure to check back on this page or keep your eye out for product updates.



Does the Sportsnet NOW iOS app support Apple AirPlay?
Yes, Airplay is fully supported.

You can access the AirPlay button in two different ways when connected to a wifi network with an AirPlay device on it.

1. Via the video player window AirPlay icon
2. Via the iOS control center (accessed by swiping your finger from the bottom to the top of the screen)

[robaur]

PM Sent for what I think is your best solution. Don't know whether mods would allow a way to bypass blackouts to be posted here.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

If Sportsnet Now doesn't blackout local broadcasts, it would work from a mobile perspective, but then I'm left with trying to figure out how to get it on my TV when I'm home... shame there's no app for the PS4.

The blackouts are the same as sportsnet through cable or satellite so you can watch all flames games if you are in Alberta (opposite of game center blackouts). I just stream from my iPad to Apple tv or if you have an android phone you can use chromecast.

Netflix has all AMC shows, you just have to wait 6 months after or so to watch them.

Its about $25 for SN now and $10 or $12 for Netflix. Best way Ive found to 'cut the cable' legally.

[GoJetsGo]

I didn't see this initially, but this looks as though if you are in the Calgary area you'd have access to every game on Sportsnet Now:


Sportsnet NOW is held to the same blackout rules as the Sportsnet channels on television. As a result, blackouts apply to Sportsnet’s regional games of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks.

For these regional games, you must be in a team’s broadcast territory in order to watch their regional games in Sportsnet NOW. For example: if you are in British Columbia, you are in the Vancouver Canucks territory and can watch all 46 regional games that the Canucks play on Sportsnet Pacific, in addition to every national game the Canucks play, totaling all 82 games of their season.

[StrykerSteve]

Sportsnet Now definitely seems like a solution. Sounds like I'd need to pick up an Apple TV or something as well. My Onkyo receiver only supports airplay of audio, not video.

Gamecenter with a VPN to bypass blackouts sounds doable as well. Though I'm always leery of VPNs...

[kermitology]

I found out that using OpenDNS as my router DNS made NHL.tv think I was in Vancouver, so Flames games were visible. Unless is was versus the Canucks.

Nothing illegitimate about it. It's just a different DNS server. I initially used it because I didn't like the IPv6 resolution more than the default one from Telus. Happy accident.

[fastpuck]

I have streamed
NHL centre Ice Flames edition in the past, but it sucks to not get to watch playoff games. Now Montana is part of Vegas territory, so am really not sure what will happen.

[IgiTang]

But what has happened with the ala carte subscription services that were supposed to be available to consumers from shaw and Telus? This is something I still don't understand how it's not available since it's regulated by the crtc now.. isn't it?

[dissentowner]

The only thing I like about being out of market in Ontario. I get GCL for free as part of my Rogers package.