Semi OT: Cutting Cable's Cord and Still Watching UConn? Advice Needed

[zonetrapper]

To make sure I understand, if you subscribe to Cable Internet Service Only (NO TV) you're still authorized/allowed to receive ESPN3 Streaming Service

Exactly. You will still get some live coverage that way, but much more will be replays.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

vis a vis the issue of paying for what you get, I currently watch only about 10% of the channels
that I pay for in "packages". If someone could figure out how to make an "a la carte" cable
company work I would sign up in an instant (as would many others, I suspect).

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

vis a vis the issue of paying for what you get, I currently watch only about 10% of the channels
that I pay for in "packages". If someone could figure out how to make an "a la carte" cable
company work I would sign up in an instant (as would many others, I suspect).

Do you want SNY to go belly up?

 

[Sargassoc]

Do you want SNY to go belly up?

Why would SNY go belly up?

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Do you want SNY to go belly up?

I assume you are saying that SNY would not be viable in an "a la carte" world (along with a
great many other channels) - which is why I included the qualifier "if someone could figure
out how to make (it) work".

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

I'm out.

 

[Sargassoc]

I'd assume anything could be viable in an a la carte cable menu. The only people who don't want that are the cable companies.

 

[Sargassoc]

I would not assume that. The cable companies have the ability-- just not the desire.

 

[Biff]

I would not assume that. The cable companies have the ability-- just not the desire.

Actually I've seen several opinions that argue strongly that a la carte will increase the cost of cable in general to subscribers. Here's one article as an example of the type of argument. If you do a search I'm sure you can find many more.

I don't know the answer but the argument presented for keeping the bundling approach has vs a la carte is believable to me.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

. . . I don't know the answer but the argument presented for keeping the bundling approach has vs a la carte is believable to me.

The 282 comments to the article you linked find the article less believable (but they don't know the
answer either). One commenter said "I believe paying more for what we want makes more sense
in the long run than dishing out more for what we don't" - which strikes the right emotional
chord even if it may not be correct.

If it were possible to do, I'd like to see the cable companies ( or a cable company) offer an a la carte
menu as an option while keeping the bundling option for those who prefer it. Then let the marketplace
decide which works best.

 

[Hongster]

I love watching Uconn WB, but I had to cut cable TV, I can't stand cable TV company, I have tried to call them about the charges and never had gotten a straight answer, the bill keeps getting bigger and bigger every month, after 35 years I finally cut cable TV and very happy.
The advertisers pay the network to advertise their commercial and therefore the network should pay me to watch the advertisers's commercials.
I should be paid to watch commercial not the other way around

 

[ndmb]

To make sure I understand, if you subscribe to Cable Internet Service Only (NO TV) you're still authorized/allowed to receive ESPN3 Streaming Service

Allow me to clarify. Most people with internet can watch programs that are just on espn3 (and not on TV) and replays of programs which aired on TV. To get live streaming of programs that are currently being aired, you need the login information of someone who does have an approved TV subscription.

 

[Sargassoc]

I love watching Uconn WB, but I had to cut cable TV, I can't stand cable TV company, I have tried to call them about the charges and never had gotten a straight answer, the bill keeps getting bigger and bigger every month, after 35 years I finally cut cable TV and very happy.
The advertisers pay the network to advertise their commercial and therefore the network should pay me to watch the advertisers's commercials.
I should be paid to watch commercial not the other way around

Hongster-- if you've cut the cords, what's your current UConn WBB experience?

 

[Zorro]

There is a site available on the net called ILive (there are some other similar ones as well but I am not familiar with them), over which you can watch dozens, maybe hundreds, of channels, including a lot of both US and international sports channels, espn 1& 2 (but not 3) included. In order to avail yourself of this service, you are obliged to put up with a LOT of advertising, including some blatantly fraudulent ads ("your flash drive is out of date; in order to continue watching you must update", and, if you do, you open your computer to various trojans, most notably the notorious ("Angel something; I forget the exact name, but it is the one that fills your screen with half-naked Rockettes). I found out the hard way that if you just x out each of these "warnings" as it appears, you can watch the program content without problems (except that here in Guatemala the program often stalls or goes strobe). We actually DID get to watch most of the playoff games; the second half of the NC game was of pretty poor quality, but better than gametracker.

I don't know how ILive works in the US or if there are similar but better alternatives, but you might do some investigating along those lines. We are about to get a new tv package that is supposed to include espn3, so may not be using ILive any more, but would be interested to hear what, if anything, your experience is with it. (Quite probably there are other posters who know much more about this than I, a tech cretin, do.)

 

[DaddyChoc]

I hear there's a few streaming boxes available to get every channel as long as you have internet service (and wifi) I think. I believe the boxes cost 200.00 - 400.00 apiece and would be needed for each tv. boxes come programmed with every channel is what Im being told.

I'll look into soon

 

[Sargassoc]

I hear there's a few streaming boxes available to get every channel as long as you have internet service (and wifi) I think. I believe the boxes cost 200.00 - 400.00 apiece and would be needed for each tv. boxes come programmed with every channel is what Im being told.

I'll look into soon

My Apple TV already allows me to stream (on my television its connected to) any streaming site from my computer. What's the difference between that, Daddy, and what you're talking about?

 

[DaddyChoc]

My Apple TV already allows me to stream (on my television its connected to) any streaming site from my computer. What's the difference between that, Daddy, and what you're talking about?

so why not cut the cable if Apple TV works... or is it that Apple TV doesnt show SNY/UConn games? I hear the box that Im talking about gets every channel (not sure, but will be looking into soon)

 

[Sargassoc]

I think it's that my internet connection doesn't allow me to get LIVE SNY games. Also-- Yankees.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I know someone that has an electronic store that sells boxes... I need him to show me how it works, and which channels are available.

 

[whaler11]

I give up...where I live in CT ATT UVERSE is at my door monthly, trying to see me cable TV and internet. I am seriously missing something here, so I'll bow out and wait to be enlightened.

You are missing that it's non sports fans that actually subsidize you watching sports.

To your original question there is no legal way to watch without being a YES and ESPN subscriber via cable or satellite.

 

[whaler11]

I'd assume anything could be viable in an a la carte cable menu. The only people who don't want that are the cable companies.

It's actually more important to the networks themselves.

 

[Hongster]

Hongster-- if you've cut the cords, what's your current UConn WBB experience?

It has been like hunter and gatherer with live streams available on the net. But, it makes the game that much sweeter whenever I can watch it..

 

[Adesmar123]

First of all, I hope I have adequately understood your post...

I hope you have no solution...many people are employed as a result of fees paid to watch games. That is the way it works in our economy as I see it...no offense intended, but I just don't see why you should be entitled to free access off the backs of compensated employees. I have always expected to get paid for my work, and to a pay others for services provided.

Yes I too have a soft spot in my heart for those large corporations such as Exxon, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs. I always remind myself of those poor people working for those businesses and only wish them the best in corporate profits.

 

[JRRRJ]

Hi all,

Recently I have become more and more disillusioned by my cable service. (Unlike many others, I have not had a terrible experience with cable.) I would have no trouble canceling cable altogether. There are fewer and fewer things I feel compelled to watch (or watch live) and already have Netflix and Apple TV and Amazon Prime to give me nearly everything I want.

BUT what about watching the UConn Women? The Yankees?

So my questions are two-fold:

1a. If you have cut your ties to cable (or dish network), how are you able to watch UConn Women's basketball in-season? 1b. Has that been a satisfactory solution? Why or why not?

2. As a native New Yorker, I also am a Yankees fan; I already get audio broadcasts on the mlb.com app on my iPad and iPhone, but cannot ever watch Yankees games on that app. (because I'm in the in-market viewing area -- and that's against MLB rules. Grr.) Has anyone found a no-cable, no-dish solution to this issue? (I do know that there are some illegal ways to watch MLB, but they are not only illegal, but a hassle) I also know I could mess with my Location Services and.or IP address to fool MLB.com. Do any of you do that?

Thanks for any solutions you can offer.

If you're willing to wait until after the UConn games end -- from a half-hour to a few hours -- the games are available for streaming on espn3.go.com/espn3/index, unless they're broadcast on a non-espn channel originally.

And for those who are horrified at non-paid content, the subscription model is just one of many ways that content providers make money. You can host ads for pay, host ads for click-thru revenue, sell related paraphenalia, gather name/address/email info and sell that to other advertisers, use it as a teaser for subscription or pay content, &c., &c.

 

[tjhusky]

For a few years I streamed espn3 an hour after uconn men's and women's games. I was interested in paying for a live espn streaming package but espn and the cable companies have no desire to take away the only real reason left to pay cable companies big bucks and that is live sports.
It is not a question of not being willing to pay for entertainment, espn doesn't want to go to a netflix/hulu model at this time.
SNY had streaming rights for Uconn women's games under the old BE contract and sold a streaming package that worked on computers (not iPad or other TV streaming devices) but their new AAC contract only espn has the streaming rights.