Apple TV Gets NHL GameCenter - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Russic · 10-12-2011, 12:48 PM

So excited to see NHL GameCenter make its way to the Apple TV. For those wondering, GameCenter is Center Ice but for computers and mobile devices. It's a little cheaper but obviously lacks in quality.

General info:
- Cost of GC is $160
- If the game is available on TV (Sportsnet, TSN or CBC) it is NOT available
- Let's you watch live games in addition to 5 minute game recaps or 10 minute condensed games

Fantastic news for the out-of-region flames fan or anybody with an interest in other teams.

silentsim · 10-12-2011, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russic

- Let's you watch live games in addition to 5 minute game recaps or 10 minute condensed games
.

Also on NHL.com it lets you watch FULL archive games....

sclitheroe · 10-12-2011, 01:14 PM

This is superb!

Regarding the quality, we'll have to reserve judgement until we see it - I think on a laptop the high bandwidth streams at 1280x800 are pretty darn good. Maybe its not quite as smooth as broadcast, but its certainly better than SD.

nickerjones · 10-12-2011, 01:18 PM

I dont think its lacking in quality . My CI package through my cable company only showed one game a day in HD. Most of the GC feeds I have seen this season have been much better quality than the Standard Def versions my cable company was broadcasting.

Bill Bumface · 10-12-2011, 01:27 PM

Why can't I pay and get all Flames games? I don't care if it costs me $300 a year, I would still rather do that and cancel my freaking cable.

fundmark19 · 10-12-2011, 01:35 PM

You could use usvideo.org and pretend you are american that should fix it

sclitheroe · 10-12-2011, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fundmark19

You could use usvideo.org and pretend you are american that should fix it

It's not as simple as that for something like the AppleTV. You'd need a VPN connection with the endpoint at the router (or maybe another machine on the network sharing its wifi, that then runs a VPN connection over ethernet). But its definitely doable.

One interesting aspect of NHL Gamecenter Live, is that once it checks your location on signin, you can actually disconnect the VPN and run without it as long as the app/web page is open and connected. So you could start and stop the VPN services as needed when games are on. This is how I get Flames games on Gamecenter Live from Calgary - I hop onto a VPN that terminates in Hamilton, launch GCL, sign in and start the stream, then disconnect from the VPN.

silentsim · 10-12-2011, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

It's not as simple as that for something like the AppleTV. You'd need a VPN connection with the endpoint at the router (or maybe another machine on the network sharing its wifi, that then runs a VPN connection over ethernet). But its definitely doable.

One interesting aspect of NHL Gamecenter Live, is that once it checks your location on signin, you can actually disconnect the VPN and run without it as long as the app/web page is open and connected. So you could start and stop the VPN services as needed when games are on. This is how I get Flames games on Gamecenter Live from Calgary - I hop onto a VPN that terminates in Hamilton, launch GCL, sign in and start the stream, then disconnect from the VPN.

Actually USVideo should work. It works for Netflix, Mac, iPad and all other iOS devices for NHL GCL. I'll know for sure tonight. Maybe I'm wrong.

sclitheroe · 10-12-2011, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silentsim

Actually USVideo should work. It works for Netflix, Mac, iPad and all other iOS devices for NHL GCL. I'll know for sure tonight. Maybe I'm wrong.

Is it a VPN? I was under the impression its basically a web proxy service, but I haven't used it before - I just inferred this from the idea that they provide you an alternate link to the content you want. How would you plug that alternate URL into GCL on the AppleTV or iOS apps?

Edit: I see it uses DNS, that explains it - very likely it would work.

silentsim · 10-12-2011, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Is it a VPN? I was under the impression its basically a web proxy service, but I haven't used it before - I just inferred this from the idea that they provide you an alternate link to the content you want. How would you plug that alternate URL into GCL on the AppleTV or iOS apps?

It is a DNS service (?). You change your DNS servers to theirs, and it thinks you are in Atlanta. So on Mac/iPad/ATV you just set to manual DNS and then your set to go.

There's a free one week trial (no cc needed). Give it a whirl if your interested.
I use it to access US netflix.

Their alternate links are for places that block access to a specific URL. (Like work+Facebook?)

Russic · 10-13-2011, 09:01 AM

Just checked it out briefly last night and was very pleased with the quality. My wife was ecstatic that she doesn't need to get it started on a very buggy iPad app and then stream it to the tv.

Quote:

Originally Posted by silentsim

It is a DNS service (?). You change your DNS servers to theirs, and it thinks you are in Atlanta. So on Mac/iPad/ATV you just set to manual DNS and then your set to go.

There's a free one week trial (no cc needed). Give it a whirl if your interested.
I use it to access US netflix.

Their alternate links are for places that block access to a specific URL. (Like work+Facebook?)

I know we've been through this before, but how do you pay for US Netflix? Do you need a special credit card? That's always been the reason I don't go for usvideo.org. NHL on the other hand seems easier, might give it a go.

Arsenal14 · 10-13-2011, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russic

I know we've been through this before, but how do you pay for US Netflix? Do you need a special credit card? That's always been the reason I don't go for usvideo.org. NHL on the other hand seems easier, might give it a go.

I've been using Entropay (www.entropay.com) to pay for my US Netflix. Basically it's a virtual credit card that you load money onto and then use for paying Netflix. There are additional fees (something like 5% charge when you load it) but it's been working great for me.

sclitheroe · 10-13-2011, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russic

Just checked it out briefly last night and was very pleased with the quality. My wife was ecstatic that she doesn't need to get it started on a very buggy iPad app and then stream it to the tv.

Not to mention the quality going that route is miserable (at least on an iPad1, maybe its better on something with more horsepower)

GCL on the AppleTV is very good for a 1.0 product. I'm actually astounded that the NHL was able to get their act together and have something working, but credit where credit is due I suppose.

Russic · 10-13-2011, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Not to mention the quality going that route is miserable (at least on an iPad1, maybe its better on something with more horsepower)

GCL on the AppleTV is very good for a 1.0 product. I'm actually astounded that the NHL was able to get their act together and have something working, but credit where credit is due I suppose.

The quality of the iPad stream was mediocre at best. At worst the audio was wayyy off and unusable. The app is so buggy I was a little concerned about the ATV version, but it seems pretty solid.

Fozzie_DeBear · 10-13-2011, 02:11 PM

This is great...but can someone really provide a step by step process for less technical folks to get local games on the ATV?

I know you guys have mentioned many of the key steps already...just wanting to know how to tie them altogether

fundmark19 · 10-13-2011, 02:29 PM

usvideo.org it is really easy all you do is sign up and change the dns settings in your router and voila you are good to go.

Russic · 11-02-2011, 10:14 PM

So not to raise any flags here, but has anybody noticed anything curiously awesome about the blacked out games on Apple TV Gamecentre?

In that they aren't blacked out at all?

Inferno · 11-03-2011, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russic

For those wondering, GameCenter is Center Ice but for computers and mobile devices.

And for PS3s. Though the app is buggy and will randomly rewind back a certain amount of seconds throughout the game. I'm really hoping it eventually comes out on the 360. The Netflix app works much better on the 360 and I imagine it would be the same for GameCenter.

sclitheroe · 11-03-2011, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russic

So not to raise any flags here, but has anybody noticed anything curiously awesome about the blacked out games on Apple TV Gamecentre?

In that they aren't blacked out at all?

Interrrresting..good find, thanks for posting that.

Russic · 11-18-2011, 10:22 AM

Sadly, it's been fixed. Booooooo.