Viewing Games Without Cable or satellite Subscriptions

#26
#26
OK, did a fast and dirty look see. It appears some private channels for a nominal fee, example: USTVNow, let's you into ESPN (WatchESPN????) for a nominal monthly fee.
Can't find the site that blatantly stated WatchESPN for free without having a TV Subscription. Will try again sometime later.
 
#27
#27
I have looked into Apple TV. You can jailbreak them and find live TV content through XBMC. Apparently there is a lot on content available.
 
#30
#30
WoodsmanVol said:
Would appreciate advice about having access to Vols games while cutting my cable umbilical cord. I'm seriously thinking of going with ROKU + TWC Turbo Internet. I explored several private, free, and paid channels, including one the claims to allow local news channels (NoWhereTV).

Anyone has experience with ROKU or advice on it even if you don't? I do know I could access ESPN Watch and I think I saw something about free access to U-verse even if you're not an ATT customer, which I am right now. So Vols games could still be accessible. Not sure about SEC network games but saw a few private channels (free) like Justin.TV and others that imply access to SEC games via live stream.

Was seriously thinking of switching to DISH until they lied to me about one thing so I knew they'd like about other things too. Originally told me I could subscribe for 12 months, no contract. Then when I was proceeding to make the move, was advised I had to sign a 24 month agreement. I stopped right there and started looking elsewhere. So now am seeking to cut myself free of cable/satellite TV.

ROKU seems to be my best bet for now. Had a great talk with Rabbit TV people but they don't seem to be ready nor answer my questions with a straight answer on some topics. ROKU just gave flat to the point answers plus directed me to URLs for further information. And they did this via email thus on written record. This made me feel comfortable with them. But I still prefer to know what fellow Vols fans have to say about them before I take the step. Especially about access to Vols games.
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I am well satisfied with Dish, unless it rains. Then, it's a pain. Otherwise, the service has been very good.
 
#31
#31
TNnative or others, I am considering a switch to Dish TV to get the SEC Network. How bad is the reception problem when it rains? Is your dish on the roof or mounted to a stake in the ground?
 
#32
#32
DunwoodyVol said:
TNnative or others, I am considering a switch to Dish TV to get the SEC Network. How bad is the reception problem when it rains? Is your dish on the roof or mounted to a stake in the ground?
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Despite my vendetta with cable TV providers, DirecTV for me has been more dependable than DISH. Heavy rains and severe storms consistently knocked out DISH and it was often slow in coming back. Could be down for an hour at times. Even when the storm moved on but was still raising 'hail' a few miles away.

DirecTV could be knocked out but flickered and fought to stay up. When it lost the battle, it came back faster than DISH ever did. Often the knockdown was brief, sometimes sporadic. Knocked down, it got back up only to be knocked down again. Of late I've noticed something. Knocked down, I change channels and it shows them. OK, go back to the other channel, still down. Hmm. What if I go yet another channel, it's running. WHY!? Honestly, I have no idea. Doesn't stop me form hating the ever increasing monthly charge, though.
 
#33
#33
WoodsmanVol said:
I know, because you can't use ROKU without having an Internet provider. If you mean having a TV provider, I apologize but you're incorrect. I have roamed the WWW for info and saw right away that ROKU has channels and also someof theprivate channels I mentioned, have access to WatchESPN in their free selections. ROKU users aren't limited to just what is on ROKU's channel selection lists. There are several 'private channels', they claim to be legal, I guess they are to so blatantly reveal themselves on the WWW for all to see. What I really need to know is for Vols fans who are ROKU customers to tell me their experiences and advice.
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I cut the cord about 3 years ago I have an antenna and roku I like roku a lot for the games I can't find on roku I get off the Internet
 
#34
#34
BigOrangeD said:
Don't blame you for wanting to cut the cable cord. I wish we could just boycott all of them but I know that will never work. We need a good free market alternative. Never used ROKU but I do use Xbox Gold at times but it does require a cable provider for ESPN games, Never knew that was not the case for ROKU. A lady called into the EA Show a few weeks ago and said she has gotten every game on vipbox.tv and firstrowsportsus.eu. She said the .eu for first row did not screen out any games. TIFWIW.
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It requires a cable provider on Roku for most content.
 
#35
#35
I have roku and have only watched net flux on it. This makes me want to see what sports channels they offer cause CFB us the ONLY reason I keep dierectv. I do know roku works without cable or satellite, just need WiFi.
 
#36
#36
BigOrangeD said:
I do wonder if there may be a security risk with some of these free on demand sites. What is the incentive? Are they hacking you as you watch or are they just doing some clever data mining to sell to marketers and businesses. The latter, I do not mind since every site is doing this. I guess they do have ads as well.
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I tried the .eu site and Charter Security Suite's Deep Guard (by F-Secure) blocked it as hazardous.
 
#37
#37
joevol33 said:
I have roku and have only watched net flux on it. This makes me want to see what sports channels they offer cause CFB us the ONLY reason I keep dierectv. I do know roku works without cable or satellite, just need WiFi.
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If you are worried about malware from questionable sites, buy a chromebook or chromebox. Seriously.

They have hdmi for TV, work as a laptop, and the OS is very secure-- so secure that with every reboot, it looks for any "app" that has installed and deletes it.
 
#38
#38
Woodie, have you thought about going with a larger satellite system? You'd have to have a place to put it without annoying the neighbors. You pretty much have to have some acreage to set up these big boys.

Anybody have one of the old style satellite big dishes with the new technology that automatically aims to any visible satellite based on channel selection? Those things can mount several receiver heads in the sweet spot. I've heard you can just add the Dish receiving head on these much larger dishes beside the "free channel" heads. Is that true? Does that improve reception in bad weather? What diameter does the dish need to be to get past weather interferences.. 3ft, 4 ft, 6ft? Hundreds of channels for free. Are there really as many sports channels on the open/free satellite channels as some claim? Is it worth the initial investment?
 
#39
#39
I have Cox internet (but no TV service). For years I was able to watch ESPN3 content with just that service, but starting last year it stopped working. It accepts my login but anything worth watching is "not authorized". Same with network TV apps that require login (ABC and FOX especially). I solved my issue by using a relative's Verizon FIOS login instead. Just goes to show that there are alternatives. Personally I would not use the streaming sites unless it was my ONLY option.

I have a ROKU as well, so if you guys discover something interesting on the private channels, post about it here.
 
#40
#40
Orangedogsrule said:
Woodie, have you thought about going with a larger satellite system? You'd have to have a place to put it without annoying the neighbors. You pretty much have to have some acreage to set up these big boys.

Anybody have one of the old style satellite big dishes with the new technology that automatically aims to any visible satellite based on channel selection? Those things can mount several receiver heads in the sweet spot. I've heard you can just add the Dish receiving head on these much larger dishes beside the "free channel" heads. Is that true? Does that improve reception in bad weather? What diameter does the dish need to be to get past weather interferences.. 3ft, 4 ft, 6ft? Hundreds of channels for free. Are there really as many sports channels on the open/free satellite channels as some claim? Is it worth the initial investment?
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Thanks but my intent is to cut the natal cord to TV service due to ever increasing monthly charges. The weather stuff was for the benefit of a poster who asked about reception. Shared my Dish vs, DirecTV experience. I'm pointed toward ROKU as a way to cut the cord now. But thanks for the info all the same.
 
#41
#41
WoodsmanVol said:
Hold on, whoever told you that you don't need a cable provider for ROKU has misled you. You must have a high speed Internet provider. However, you don't need a TV provider in the traditional sense. Maybe that's what you really meant by cable provider? Anyway, the free stream services that I have used on a regular computer in the past while grateful to them, there are some issues. As follows:

1. Despite assurance by an air force guy here last year and his experience contradicting what I say. Make sure you have a STRONG Internet Security Suite. Some sites do, intended or not, harbor malware that will infiltrate your computer. They may be innocent but hackers can hack anybody.

2. Speaking for myself, I don't allow THEIR player on my computer so don't click on the link for it. The down side is popups randomly show up saying you lack the player or driver. Ignore them. In the past, I even saw a few porn ads show up.

3. After each game, I tell Windows to restore to the day before settings. Sure enough I have periodically seen that some program or file I didn't install found its way on my HDD after some games. Despite my Internet Security.

I will assume with ROKU, I'd still have to take these precautions. So my advice is despite anyone's assurance, presume the worse and take action to protect yourself. Now for those who say they've never had a problem, virus etc, bless them!!! But take protective action all the same.
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You are just a cheapskate - pay the money for 4 months then cancel it
 
#42
#42
rbird said:
I have Cox internet (but no TV service). For years I was able to watch ESPN3 content with just that service, but starting last year it stopped working. It accepts my login but anything worth watching is "not authorized". Same with network TV apps that require login (ABC and FOX especially). I solved my issue by using a relative's Verizon FIOS login instead. Just goes to show that there are alternatives. Personally I would not use the streaming sites unless it was my ONLY option.

I have a ROKU as well, so if you guys discover something interesting on the private channels, post about it here.
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Would you be so kind as to share what you like and don't like about ROKU? I'm anxious to know as I have already ordered the TWC Extreme service to facilitate my possible ROKU viewing experience and an amplified indoor antenna for helping capture local stations.

Also my granddaughter is coming to visit soon and is a Netflix, Youtube, and teeny stuff addict. So want to have things up and running before she gets here. I'm bribing her with this (I'm evil, I know) to further obligate her to going to a Vols game with my wife and I this fall. She'd go anyway but I'm strengthening my hand against possible distractions by her girl friends, boyfriend, or other excuses that might appear. In a way, the Vol devil made me do it. But seriously, do share your likes and dislikes about ROKU. I would benefit and I'm sure some others who are thinking of going the route I am to cut gorging monthly TV service fees would benefit as well.
 
#43
#43
I guess the neat thing about ROKU is the variety. You can get your Netflix and Amazon and Hulu (which is what we mainly use it for) but they also have tons of channels with old movies and TV shows, there's a FOX channel (login required). There are even some with newer films (these tend to be the same across all those channels, and usually not blockbusters). If you like old sci-fi and horror films, you'll be entertained pretty much forever. I've barely explored the private channels, but it would be interesting to see if SEC content actually does exist.

What I don't like: I have the 2nd generation ROKU and the Netflix app has not yet updated to the latest version. That's about it. :) I mean, it's free stuff (mostly), you can't really have much to complain about.
 
#44
#44
508mikey said:
You are just a cheapskate - pay the money for 4 months then cancel it
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Pay who? TV service provider? Been paying DirecTV for 4 years. Paid DISH for 10 years before that. Keep seeing my monthly charges jump. Even neighbors who took service below mine say the same. My package was what would be one step above Basic (Choice) but for new subscribers now to get what I have, it would be what DirecTV now calls XTRA. So I can see the greed that wants to bump me up to a higher fee. I have it too good under the old agreement and this doesn't sit well with them. I may be a cheapskate but they're just cheats and greedskates.

Now, if you mean the online streamers, the advice I gave was for users who asked about what to expect.
And how to handle certain undesired experiences. And based on what I've been told, paying these streamers doesn't remove the popups and random porn ads and such. Oddly, I may just give your advice a try just for the 'hail' of it. Don't ride cheap skates, the wheels might come off. And stay away from the brand of skates known as Greed Skates, you'll lose your pocketbook.

So says the weather man, the whether man says.
 
#45
#45
I have owned three generations of the Roku, and my biggest problem was setting up a Roksbox server/client to stream my existing media from my home computer and NAS.
I have since that debacle purchased a WD TV Live box, which streams as much as the Roku and can also have a USB ClearChannel tuner to access cable TV over the internet, AND it streams my existing content from my network.

If you're JUST streaming from the internet, the Roku is robust for that application. If you want to do anything with your existing content, I'd advise either a different steamer or a compact HTPC (like a Zotac ZBox).
 
#46
#46
I think what you're seeing for the "free" WatchESPN is what they also call ESPN3. There's two aspects to WatchESPN

First there is the piece that lets you watch what is currently on Cable (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNNews, ESPNU, ESPNDeportes, etc.). For this you need a CABLE PROVIDER LOGIN

The second piece is what was previously called ESPN3. This is all of the content that is not on one of the cable stations, but is still being broadcast by ESPN. Typically I see a lot of the smaller market College sports, along with some random professional games on here. For this you need a INTERNET PROVIDER LOGIN

Hopefully this clears up some of the confusion. While it would be a free app, you would not be able to stream all of the content without the cable provider login. You would only be able to stream what is labeled with ESPN3.

If you go to Watch Live Sports Events and ESPN Programs Online and on Mobile Applications - WatchESPN and scroll to the bottom, it will show everything that is currently available, with what channel it is on to the right. This can give you an idea of what is available with and without the cable provider login.
 
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#47
#47
keithpowers said:
I have owned three generations of the Roku, and my biggest problem was setting up a Roksbox server/client to stream my existing media from my home computer and NAS.
I have since that debacle purchased a WD TV Live box, which streams as much as the Roku and can also have a USB ClearChannel tuner to access cable TV over the internet, AND it streams my existing content from my network.

If you're JUST streaming from the internet, the Roku is robust for that application. If you want to do anything with your existing content, I'd advise either a different steamer or a compact HTPC (like a Zotac ZBox).
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Thanks, KeithPowers. This is exactly the type of info I need. You too rbird.
 
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#48
#48
WoodsmanVol said:
OK, did a fast and dirty look see. It appears some private channels for a nominal fee, example: USTVNow, let's you into ESPN (WatchESPN????) for a nominal monthly fee.
Can't find the site that blatantly stated WatchESPN for free without having a TV Subscription. Will try again sometime later.
Click to expand...

Rather than risking something using less-than-honest "personal channels" that claim to circumvent the system "legally" (cough cough), might I suggest a more direct route?

Just find someone with a cable subscription (a family member or friend is best) and just ask them for their internet provider login credentials. Most people never even use them and might not even know they have them unless they use the cable provider's email service, whcih I'd never do.

People famously do this with HBO's service, which requires a cable TV subscription of HBO to get the streaming content.

This would be a far safer and less illegal way of accessing WatchESPN.

I have given serious though to cutting the cord, especially in the summer months when there is almost no TV content worth watching. But I need to see what the SEC network ends up doing. My hope is that they provide streaming content of their network for say, 5 dollars a month, which I would gladly pay during the four months of football season. I already pay for MLB.TV to get full access to baseball on-line or through Roku or my PS3.

Also, any tv series I watch is almost always off my DVR at a later date since I have young kids and very rarely if ever watch a TV program "live". The main thing I hate, though is that when using Hulu or Amazon etc you have to suffer through commercials. I have become extremely used to skipping those with my DVR and do not know if I could easily give that up. Being able to watch a 60 minute program in 40 minutes is a very nice thing for my limited time.
 
#49
#49
This isn't exactly what you asked about, but if you think you are going to be "cutting that cable cord" for good, you may want to think again.

Here is the thing I foresee about "cutting the cord" in the future:

People see the internet as the "wild west", where they can go to circumvent the system. Sort of like back in the days of Napster when people got so much music for free, illegally.

But corporations are so much more smart about the internet now, and not only that, they have the money to do something about it.

Just a few example of what IS happening and what COULD happen in the coming years...


1. Cable (the physical cord, not the service provider) is currently the only widely available and fastest way to get high speed internet. Those physical lines are owned by the cable companies that use them and furthermore I use "companies" in the plural very loosely because like with airlines, the two major cable providers are merging with others or buying them up like crazy these days Comcast and Time Warner are trying to merge. ATT just bought Direct TV. so there are fewer an fewer companies that directly control the physical lines on which you get your internet, whether that is through cable lines or phone lines or satellites.

2. Fully vertically integrated "Media Companies" are becoming the future. What i mean by this is that one company will own a broadcast service, the physical distribution of content AND they will produce the actual content itself. For example, Comcast will own the cable lines that provide you with the internet. They will also own the media service providers like Hulu or Netflix and they will also produce the movies, TV, and sports programs that go over those lines by purchasing NBC,CBS, ABC, Disney etc. Companies like ROKU simply make their money by becoming a way in which you watch those services controlled by those media outlet.

3. A while back, cell phone providers figured out that the way to make money was not selling packages based on "cell phone minutes", but rather "data usage". Now a days your contract is based on using a certain amount of data bandwidth and you get "talk time" for free all the time. Cable TV providers will very soon adopt this same model. You can get all the TV you want, but it will be through this digital box and it will all be streamed. You will pay by the gigabyte for whatever you watch. There will no longer be "TV packages". This goes for your TV viewing and your internet browsing since the cable companies know that this is the direction people want to go anyway.

Pretty soon there will be no such thing as "cutting the cable cord" because cutting that cord will mean you lose everything (TV, internet, movies, everything) because it will all be controlled by the same company or couple of companies.
 
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#50
#50
MWAVolfan said:
Rather than risking something using less-than-honest "personal channels" that claim to circumvent the system "legally" (cough cough), might I suggest a more direct route?

I think they are legal. It would take a supreme jackass to place the list of channels on the WWW, boldly colored and wide advertised, with not only the links that take you straight to the channels but the webpage has their contact info and addresses. i think these folks are legit because some even have a subscription to expanded channels that happen to be less than it would be through other sources. AND, ROKU even mentions them. If they were illegal, they'd be begging for their heads to be disassociated from their necks.

Just find someone with a cable subscription (a family member or friend is best) and just ask them for their internet provider login credentials. Most people never even use them and might not even know they have them unless they use the cable provider's email service, whcih I'd never do.

That doesn't solve my determination to cut the umbilical cord of ever increasing cable service.

People famously do this with HBO's service, which requires a cable TV subscription of HBO to get the streaming content.

This would be a far safer and less illegal way of accessing WatchESPN.

Well, like I said, I don't how these people do this. I only know what I saw claimed. And visited some sites to see what was what. Haven't even made my decision yet. Also your recommendation to use family or friends access is and illegal circumvent. But you won't get any whine from me about it. Not after the dirty dealing of cable companies I've seen and from what they themselves said on the phone. Squeeze them back, I say.

I have given serious though to cutting the cord, especially in the summer months when there is almost no TV content worth watching. But I need to see what the SEC network ends up doing. My hope is that they provide streaming content of their network for say, 5 dollars a month, which I would gladly pay during the four months of football season. I already pay for MLB.TV to get full access to baseball on-line or through Roku or my PS3.

I like summer programming because I'd a sy fy freak. This summer, coming back for example: Defiance and Falling Skies plus a few new such shows. Hated to see Eureka go but the writing was becoming a bit silly anyway. They really should have taken the Warehouse 13 connection farther. Well, you my drift.

Also, any tv series I watch is almost always off my DVR at a later date since I have young kids and very rarely if ever watch a TV program "live". The main thing I hate, though is that when using Hulu or Amazon etc you have to suffer through commercials. I have become extremely used to skipping those with my DVR and do not know if I could easily give that up. Being able to watch a 60 minute program in 40 minutes is a very nice thing for my limited time.
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Understand where you're coming from on this. I would test the ROKU thing before giving up DirecTV. Won't switch to DISH now because they basically lied. Told me originally I could subscribe for 12/mos without being forced to agree to a 24/mo contract. Then when I was proceeding subscribe saw the fine print telling me the opposite. Chat? Yeah. "Oh, no you have to agree to 24/mos to get the discount for 12/mos." BYE.
 
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