[ItzMe]

Please help me find the best hardware and streaming service to watch two football games at the same sitting. Currently with my DirecTV and it’s Doubleplay feature I can easily tune in around 1:30 pm and start watching two 1pm games, flipping back and forth between them, skipping all commercials. I want to cut the cord from DTV. Will any streaming services or hardware offer two live buffers like that?

I currently also have a HD Homerun Quattro, Apple TV 4K, and LG C8, a Plex DVR setup, and great OTA reception. I want to add a streaming service with access to Non OTA NFL and ESPN College games as well.

TBH I don’t think the technology for what I want exists... yet. Please prove me wrong.

 

[Dargent0628]

The only thing we've found is the Sunday ticket, which sucks it's expensive and it sometimes buffers like crazy. There are shady web sites that stream but they're awful. Seriously if I were you I'd just stick with direct TV until this season is over. Maybe by next year something better will come along.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

 

[ItzMe]

Right, and even that wouldn’t help with college games. I feel like we should have the technology. My HD Homerun can record 4 channels, and therefor 4 buffers at once. Add TV Everywhere (for all the ESPNs and such), and I Feel like I Should be able to easily switch and FF between 2 live buffers. Does YouTube allow functionality like this, say if record the games and come in after 30mins or so and watch from the beginning? Vue? Channels App and HD Homerun?

 

[DanPackMan]

Does YouTube allow functionality like this, say if record the games and come in after 30mins or so and watch from the beginning?

If you "save" (record) a show or sports event on Youtube TV, you can indeed start from the beginning while the even is still recording, and catch up. You can fast forward through commercials. That's how I typically watch, a big time saver.

 

[ItzMe]

If you "save" (record) a show or sports event on Youtube TV, you can indeed start from the beginning while the even is still recording, and catch up. You can fast forward through commercials. That's how I typically watch, a big time saver.

Can you do that with a 2nd game on another channel, and move back and forth between the 2 games?

 

[DanPackMan]

Can you do that with a 2nd game on another channel, and move back and forth between the 2 games?

I haven't tried a back and forth, but if you select the game from the home screen (one button press ) it gives you and option to start watching from 'last watched' point. Sometimes on my ROKU, on rare occasions, it puts you back earlier in the show and you just fast forward to where you were.



Not quite as simple as my old cable DVR was, but better than I expected and saving many $$$$


A nice feature is that it will automatically record all games for a particular team no matter what channel the game occurs. This worked great last college BB season.

 

[Brian Hampton]

This year I'm going to watch the highlights the next day.

Much faster,... free... and every play is amazing.

I hope the NFL never figures out how much better it is.

 

[ItzMe]

I get that. But I’m still surprised there isn’t anything like Directtv’s Doubleplay (dual live buffers) outside of Directv.

 

[Zookster]

When I had PS Vue, there was a "multiview" mode (2 or 3 screens) on PS4 which could be used to watch multiple games currently airing on linear channels. IIRC, it didn't work with recorded content. For me, it made the individual screens too small (like on RedZone splitscreen) to make it worth watching entire games that way. It was originally exclusive to PS4, then it rolled out to Apple TV; not sure if any other device has gotten it since.

 

[Seilerbird]

I watch two or three MLB games every day on YoutubeTV flipping back and forth and avoiding the commercials. I can record any of them to watch later since it has an unlimited DVR.

 

[ItzMe]

I watch two or three MLB games every day on YoutubeTV flipping back and forth and avoiding the commercials. I can record any of them to watch later since it has an unlimited DVR.

If you're watching two games, do they just automatically buffer? Or do you have to hit record on all of them in advance? I look forward to testing this out.

 

[Seilerbird]

If you're watching two games, do they just automatically buffer? Or do you have to hit record on all of them in advance? I look forward to testing this out.

I can watch them either way. I don't buffer them, but it is always an option to 'record' anything you want.

 

[psuKinger]

Please help me find the best hardware and streaming service to watch two football games at the same sitting. Currently with my DirecTV and it’s Doubleplay feature I can easily tune in around 1:30 pm and start watching two 1pm games, flipping back and forth between them, skipping all commercials. I want to cut the cord from DTV. Will any streaming services or hardware offer two live buffers like that?

I currently also have a HD Homerun Quattro, Apple TV 4K, and LG C8, a Plex DVR setup, and great OTA reception. I want to add a streaming service with access to Non OTA NFL and ESPN College games as well.

TBH I don’t think the technology for what I want exists... yet. Please prove me wrong.

Preface/forward - I have a feeling what I'm about to describe isn't actually what you want or are looking for, but *just in case*, and in part because you mentioned the HDHR Quatro... this topic is near and dear to my heart. If you were to roll waaay back in time to my very earliest posting history on this site, I found this website and started posting for guidance, because I was trying to build a basement system that would let me watch multiple football games at the same time. But I'll avoid the reminiscing and just cut straight to the chase with what I do now and how it works:


1. I use Comcast. Old-fashioned cable tv. I'm the opposite of a cord-cutter. I'm a cord-chugger.

2. I don't rent cable boxes. I rent cablecards (with comcast, the first cablecard is free; the second one costs me about $8 a month I think).

3. I plug these two cable cards into the back of two HDHomeRun Primes, which are little stand-alone boxes that I bought outright several years ago (~$100ish each; no rental fees). Each HDHR Prime can tune 3 channels at the same time off on Cablecard, and then puts that "tuner" on my network to be grabbed via any number of software solutions (I use Plex and HDHomeRun's own "View" app, mostly, but in the past I've run other software like Kodi PVR plug-ins, Windows Media Center, etc etc).

4. I own hardware (no rental fees) like several NVidia Shields, one Google Nexus Player, one AppleTV, a couple Windows PCs, and mobile phones and tablets, that are able to run said software and access these tuners.

5. I have three HDTV's wall-mounted all on one wall in my basement. One 58" plasma on the right, two 40" LCDs to the left one above the other, such that the "middle" of the two LCDs aligns with the midpoint of the Plasma. I have two NVidia Shields and one Win10 Desktop in a rack in another room (other side of the wall) all running software that can grab one of those (buffered/DVR'd) tuners. I put each source through an HDMI splitter so that the video goes straight to the TV and the Audio goes straight to an AVR; and I can therefore change the "audio" for which game is playing with sound by changing the input on the AVR, while the picture for all 3 TVs keeps streaming.

6. I also have a small (26") LCD display on the kitchen counter over next to the fridge, with an NVidia Shield hanging off it. It grabs a tuner too (that's 4 out of 6; leaving two for whatever else someone else in the house might want them for).

With a valid comcast subscription I can then sign in to the Comcast XFinity app, ESPN 3, BTN Network, etc etc etc, if I want to, for an additional game on a tablet or laptop (although I usually don't). Those mobile devices can also run HDHomeRun View if I want to grab a 5th or 6th tuner...


And my monthly cable bill honestly isn't all that bad... I pay for channels (which I get a lot of and put to good use, IMO) and internet speeds (which are very fast), and I have almost zero hardware rental fees because I bought pretty much all my hardware.

I do a lot more "A/V" stuff now, that has nothing to do with the above, but I do it in large part because of things I came across on this website.... but it all started because I was trying to figure out the best way to display multiple football games simultaneously in my basement. And the above is what I came up with...

TIFWIW.

 

[ItzMe]

Impressive! But I just want to watch multiple games (two usually) one at a time on one big screen, and not miss anything or watch any commercials. And I'd love to lean toward cord-cutting as much as possible.

 

[groove93]

I have my OTA Coverage but considered trying out ESPN + to see if it's worth the price. I had planned on subscribing to Disney Plus with the Hulu/ESPN+ bundle in November as well.

On Saturdays, my OTA Reception allows for College Football on NBC (Notre Dame), ABC, Fox, and CBS.
Sunday NFL allows for local teams on Fox and CBS, plus Sunday Night Football on NBC.
ESPN + would just augment my ability to see more games including Monday Night Football.

When I had Youtube TV, I also had Fox Sports One, but since the Fox Network has added more games on the weekends, similar to the ABC Saturday Afternoon/Evening lineup, FS1 may not be a big deal.

I'm not a baseball fan, but I have noticed that Youtube has been airing Live MLB Games from time to time. I don't know whether or not this is a Youtube Premium deal or not, but that is something some of you may consider.

BTW all of this is done on my Nvidia Shield.

I was listening to a "home theater" podcast on my way to work and one of the guys discussed that we may not see a "Streaming Only" option for NFL games until the current contract with Direct TV is expired, which is around 2022.

 

[mrfattbill]

What they need is something like Mega March Madness except for NFL/NCAAF. I love having 4 streams (4 instances of chrome) running on one screen.

Bill

 

[ItzMe]

What they need is something like Mega March Madness except for NFL/NCAAF. I love having 4 streams (4 instances of chrome) running on one screen.

Bill

With football, I never could relax and enjoy the multiple games on one screen. I just want to watch my primary game, and when there’s a commercial skip over to a secondary game.... but not miss a play or watch a single commercial.

 

[groove93]

Welp, I was under the assumption that I could stream live College Football via ESPN Plus, but when the service took me to a "Subscriber Link" for services such as Direct TV, Youtube TV, Sling, etc etc. I thought wrong. Unsubscribed.

 

[maxfli]

What they need is something like Mega March Madness except for NFL/NCAAF. I love having 4 streams (4 instances of chrome) running on one screen.

Bill

My set up is a Projector screen with 2 TVs on the sides, so 3 games at once. I can do multi-screen in projector if I want, but rarely do so. I originally was going to add TVs below the 2 for 5 total, but glad I didn't. It is difficult to follow all 3, so mostly focus on the middle. Picture below is old and projector image washed out by camera flash. Current projector is as bright if not brighter than the TVs.

As for service for Football, I would definitely go with PS vue and the Elite package (currently $65/month) that I have. That package includes CBS, ABC, CBS Sports Network, Fox, FS1, FS2, Big 10, ACC, and SEC networks. This past Saturday, I had 12 different games in the 11 - 3 pm EDT frame, 8 games from 3 to 7 pm, and 7 games from 7 pm to 11 pm to choose from.

NFL will always be a challenge with the limits they place on TV games. But we still get 6 out of the 16 games usually each week. I don't mind going out to a sports bar if my team is not broadcast here, which is usually 6 or 7 weeks. Paying $20-30 for food and drink those weeks is still cheaper than NFL Sunday ticket.

 

[mrfattbill]

My set up is a Projector screen with 2 TVs on the sides, so 3 games at once. I can do multi-screen in projector if I want, but rarely do so. I originally was going to add TVs below the 2 for 5 total, but glad I didn't. It is difficult to follow all 3, so mostly focus on the middle. Picture below is old and projector image washed out by camera flash. Current projector is as brighter if not brighter than the TVs.

As for service for Football, I would definitely go with PS view and the Elite package (currently $65/month) that I have. That package includes CBS, ABC, CBS Sports Network, Fox, FS1, FS2, Big 10, ACC, and SEC networks. This past Saturday, I had 12 different games in the 11 - 3 pm EDT frame, 8 games from 3 to 7 pm, and 7 games from 7 pm to 11 pm to choose from.

NFL will always be a challenge with the limits they place on TV games. But we still get 6 out of the 16 games usually each week. I don't mind going out to a sports bar if my team is not broadcast here, which is usually 6 or 7 weeks. Paying $20-30 for food and drink those weeks is still cheaper than NFL Sunday ticket.

Nice, we used to do the same thing with 2 tv's and 3 DirecTv boxes until they rolled out being able to stream all the games at once. They still don't allow 4 in one window so I just use Chrome in borderless and adblock along with editing some of the attributes within the page to eliminate a bunch of extra crap on the screen and make the games fill the windows properly, works really well.

Bill