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How can I watch football/ESPN?

post #1 of 11
1/23/13 at 7:57am
Thread Starter 
Ok, so want to cut the Cable/Dish cord. I can get local stations for news and most football games and can pay 8 bucks a month and stream netflix additional tv shows and movies, as well as use blu rays for higher quality movies. Currently using a Samsung blu-ray player for the streaming. Wife and I are entirely happy with this concept and will save us 75 bucks a month. BUT- at least a couple games a year for our favorite team are televised on ESPN and NOT our local station. What are my options to watch these games? Not opposed to getting a different streaming device, not opposed to paying a LITTLE extra, but can't cut the cord unless we can watch every game. Please help!
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post #2 of 11
1/23/13 at 9:35am
The only thing I can think of that you could do is get the most basic cable tier that has ESPN and use an iPad or other device (Xbox etc.) that can use the Watch ESPN app. Hopefully you have a display with HDMI so you can connect the two and watch that way. Don't think you can get ESPN any other way other than cable. I know the Roku boxes can't get it. Some cable providers will let you access the app if you only have Internet through them (like XFinity) but that way you only get ESPN3 and not the other stations. But I think that ESPN has since blacked out games on ESPN3 that they carry on the other stations here is a link that helps explain it all:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/14/3643700/live-sports-tv-streaming-online-espn-war-for-tv
Edited by subavision212 - 1/23/13 at 9:53am
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post #3 of 11
1/23/13 at 9:56am
Thread Starter 
Yeah- but after the first 12 months- you're still looking at over 50 bucks a month for even the most basic packages... not paying over 600 bucks a year to watch 2 football games. (read "wife won't let me pay 600 bucks a year to watch 2 football games") Thanks for the reply, at this point may need to just go to the bar for those 2 games.. but still hopeful.
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post #4 of 11
1/23/13 at 10:29am
If you are using an ISP that has signed an agreement with ESPN (i.e. Charter, ATT, Comcast) then you could view many games on ESPN 3. Just check their website to view all of the available games. You may not get all of the games and some of them in my experience have been low quality and blocky resolution.

I have the application called PlayOn.tv (I paid the one-time fee for lifetime updates) which runs on my computer and allows me to stream ESPN 3 to any DLNA capable device (Smart TV, video streamers, game consoles, etc).

There are typically two or three NCAA football games per year for my team that are only available on ESPN 3 which is why I went this route.

Cheers,
FTL
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post #5 of 11
1/24/13 at 5:51am
CMonMan, Do you have a family member who's ISP allows access? If they are willing to give you their ESPN3 ID/PW for the ISP account (which usually first must be set up on their local network) then you could "test" the remote connection for them......

Also, some folks don't realize that ESPN3 will often "black out" a game in an area if they have it on ESPN. So even if you have access, you might not get that particular game. If it is ESPN3 "exclusive" then I believe there is no black out. I believe they use your connecting IP address to determine which area you are in, but it might be based on the home address of the ID/PW owner.

Nothing is easy.....
Edited by DanPackMan - 1/24/13 at 5:56am
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post #6 of 11
1/24/13 at 9:10am
Thread Starter 
I've thought about that, but I was told that they are taking NFL games off ESPN 3, mainly for that reason.. they show them on the main ESPN station instead.. Am I wrong here?
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post #7 of 11
1/24/13 at 9:15am
In our area, when the Jets or Giants are on ESPN- it's also simulcast on one of the local OTA stations (which is also carried unencrypted by the local cable co).
Check to see if your team gets the same treatment. If you can't get the local channel they simulcast on with an antenna- in most areas you can get "basic/lifeline" cable service for $13.95/month- that will get you all the local OTA stations.
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post #8 of 11
1/24/13 at 10:25am
I cancelled DirecTV cost me $350 dollars early termination fee, which was cheaper than to continue paying $75 + tax a month. I also cancelled my ATT cell phone after 17 years of service because their service suck in my area cost me $250 early termination for that. eek.gif Got Verizon now. Expensive but it works.

So now, to watch the football games, I bought a $10 dollars bunny ear antenna and magic. HD picture quality just like DirecTV, and it is free. I am going to buy an external bigger antenna and install it outside to get more OTA channels. Thinking about getting a Silicondust 3 tuner digital recorder to record OTA TV Shows and stream them through out the house.
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post #9 of 11
1/24/13 at 10:51am
...
Edited by PobjoySpecial - 5/16/13 at 2:16pm
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post #10 of 11
1/26/13 at 5:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CMonMan View Post

I've thought about that, but I was told that they are taking NFL games off ESPN 3, mainly for that reason.. they show them on the main ESPN station instead.. Am I wrong here?

I don't know about NFL games. College games do get blacked out regionally if they are on ESPN. I'd be surprised to get NFL games on ESPN3 at all since there are so many contractual conflicts (Sunday ticket, NFL channel, local stations, etc)
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post #11 of 11
1/26/13 at 7:24am
In my experience when a game is blacked out on ESPN3, it's being broadcasted on a local station which you could use an OTA for. I assumed you were wanting college sports or maybe soccer. NFL is a whole other beast. If you want to guarantee that you get all of your teams NFL games and not go through a TV provider you could pay for the Sunday Ticket and stream it. I believe they started a streaming only plan this year.

Regards,
Jason
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