Best way for a Brewer fan living out of state to catch every game in HD?

[Mass Haas]

 

I love being able to DVR via the Extra Innings TV package, I love Brian and Bill but it's also nice to get the opposing announcer perspective, as you will for 50% of that package.

 

Where do you get the 50% number? The only time I have to watch another feed is when the Brewers play the Dbacks and I have to watch FSN-AZ, although now that Mark Grace (4 months jail for DUI) and Darren Sutton are gone, it might be tolerable.

 

Wow, good for you. Comcast in New England provides each game (minus Red Sox, naturally), with one early evening East Coast game and one West Coast game in HD (never a game with a Central start time). On a full night's schedule, only one feed for each game is available, usually the home team. On days when there is a limited schedule, or several matinee games (like Thursdays), both home and road feeds may be available.

[joepepsi]

Had MLB.TV in the past, recently switched to DirecTV. A lot easier and less expensive if you're only interested in the Brewers + some other Fox teams. Sports pack that has all of the FSN regional networks is only $8/mo.

This is true, BUT all games outside of you market area will be blacked out if you only have the Sports Pack.

[lcbj68c]

Had MLB.TV in the past, recently switched to DirecTV. A lot easier and less expensive if you're only interested in the Brewers + some other Fox teams. Sports pack that has all of the FSN regional networks is only $8/mo.

 

I have DirecTV has well for the last 12 years. Having the FSN sports pack doesn't do you any good when it comes to watching Brewers games. They will be blacked out on your FSN-WI channel or other FSN channel at start time. The only way to watch them is to have Extra Innings.

 

Don't get me wrong, the sports pack is great for Wisconsin sports coverage, just not live MLB games.

[pitchleague]

Had MLB.TV in the past, recently switched to DirecTV. A lot easier and less expensive if you're only interested in the Brewers + some other Fox teams. Sports pack that has all of the FSN regional networks is only $8/mo.

 

I have DirecTV has well for the last 12 years. Having the FSN sports pack doesn't do you any good when it comes to watching Brewers games. They will be blacked out on your FSN-WI channel or other FSN channel at start time. The only way to watch them is to have Extra Innings.

 

Don't get me wrong, the sports pack is great for Wisconsin sports coverage, just not live MLB games.

 

 

This is untrue. I live in AZ and we watch all the Brewers game on channel 669-1, pre- and post-game as well. The only FSN-WI games that get blacked out, for us, are MIL-ARZ games because we can watch them on our "normal" home market channel of FSN-AZ. We never (well, almost never) watch the Brewers on a 700 channel.

 

Of course, perhaps the rules are different for other parts of the country. I don't know. So perhaps for you, lcbj68c, this does occur. But for someone in Texas, like the OP, I'd guess that he'd have little trouble getting every Brewer game on 669-1 as well.

[lcbj68c]

This is untrue. I live in AZ and we watch all the Brewers game on channel 669-1, pre- and post-game as well. The only FSN-WI games that get blacked out, for us, are MIL-ARZ games because we can watch them on our "normal" home market channel of FSN-AZ. We never (well, almost never) watch the Brewers on a 700 channel.

 

Of course, perhaps the rules are different for other parts of the country. I don't know. So perhaps for you, lcbj68c, this does occur. But for someone in Texas, like the OP, I'd guess that he'd have little trouble getting every Brewer game on 669-1 as well.

 

 

WTH? I can watch them on 669-1 IF I have the Extra Innings of course. But I can't watch the 152 Brewers games produced by FS-WI simply by paying $8 a month of the Sports Pack. If you are telling me this is true, I'm rioting!

[pitchleague]

I've got Extra Innings as well. I just re-read my post and realize that I forgot to put that in there, although I thought that I had.

 

My apologies.

[lcbj68c]

Phew, you scared me pitch! I didn't want the fellar who just got Directv to think he could get Brewer games with the Sports Pack for $8/mo. Because that's a nasty lesson to learn on the monday after the first week of the season (when the EI free preview always runs out for folks).

[The stache]

Ok, I'm confused now. I'm in the Dallas area. I'm blacked out for the Rangers and Astros. The Brewers play the Rangers in Milwaukee two games in May, the Astros three games in Houston in June, and two games at Texas in August during interleague play. I should be able to see the rest of the games, no?

[1992casey]

Reconciling the confusion between lcbj68c and pitchleague, on DirecTV, if you have access to a particular broadcast, it'll pop up on any channel number that's showing it without regard to package. As an example, Extra Innings doesn't entitle me to Brewers broadcasts. However, since I get the broadcast anyway, I can watch it on the Extra Innings channel number if I want.

 

The 'stache, if your provider doesn't give you the Astros, Extra Innings or MLB.TV won't help because the Astros are still in-market. You'd get every other team via the out-of-market packages, though. You might have another option for picking up the Astros, though.

[twofistedslopper]

Stache - All Rangers and Astros games as well as any nationally broadcast game (ESPN, Fox).

 

Check out the blackout restrictions on this page. It's a pretty lengthy list to go through.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/subscriptions/index.jsp#restrictions

 

MLB.TV is still worth it though, especially if you have cable as well. The Rangers games should be on FS-SW in the Dallas area. Not sure about the Astros games though.

[twofistedslopper]

Stache - All Rangers and Astros games as well as any nationally broadcast game (ESPN, Fox).

 

Sorry, I just reread that. Weekend National broadcasts (ie, Fox Saturday and ESPN Sunday Night).

[mothershipconnection]

Ok, I'm confused now. I'm in the Dallas area. I'm blacked out for the Rangers and Astros. The Brewers play the Rangers in Milwaukee two games in May, the Astros three games in Houston in June, and two games at Texas in August during interleague play. I should be able to see the rest of the games, no?

 

Correct. I can watch every* Brewers game here through mlb.tv except those against the Astros and Rangers. Of course, we get the Rangers games locally (and that only matters every few years during interleague), but I don't get Astros games on my Dish package, which sucked but is obviously a far smaller problem now with realignment. Last year, there were a bunch of days where I was all jazzed to watch a game, then realized is was vs. Houston and I'd be blacked out.

 

*During national blackouts on Sat and Sun, every game is blacked out because Fox/ESPN have exclusive rights to air MLB games during a certain window (X:00-Y:00 PM). The good news is, few other games are scheduled during this window so it's no big deal.

[BeerBrewer79]

MLB.tv I couldn't imagine not having it now.

[dhoffman19]

I think DirecTV Extra Innings is the best. You get all games in HD, and you have your choice of home or away broadcasts.

 

MLBTV has its benefits but I've had issues with connection speeds and hooking it up to my TV. If you've got that figured out, maybe that's the better option.

[RobDeer 45]

I think DirecTV Extra Innings is the best. You get all games in HD, and you have your choice of home or away broadcasts.

 

MLBTV has its benefits but I've had issues with connection speeds and hooking it up to my TV. If you've got that figured out, maybe that's the better option.

 

I agree, you have to make sure your internet speed is good enough. My question is, does Directv have an app where you can watch your stations on an tablet or phone? If so can you watch outside of your house?

 

I just love that I can pull up the games on the road and really like that I can pull up the audio anywhere too. I would use that all the time in the car to pull up the games (if you don't live in WI).

[lcbj68c]

I think DirecTV Extra Innings is the best. You get all games in HD, and you have your choice of home or away broadcasts.

 

MLBTV has its benefits but I've had issues with connection speeds and hooking it up to my TV. If you've got that figured out, maybe that's the better option.

 

I agree, you have to make sure your internet speed is good enough. My question is, does Directv have an app where you can watch your stations on an tablet or phone? If so can you watch outside of your house?

 

I just love that I can pull up the games on the road and really like that I can pull up the audio anywhere too. I would use that all the time in the car to pull up the games (if you don't live in WI).

 

Yes, Directv does have a mobile ap. It's called DIRECTV Everywhere. I use it to watch my NFL Sunday Ticket package while travelling all the time. However, I want to say that Extra Innings streams to a mobile device requires that your mobile device be connected to the same IP that you receiver is.

 

That said, I'll reitirate what I said earlier that still seems to be in confusion...you need the Extra Innings package to watch out-of-market, non-National Market, s MLB games on Directv. Purchasing the Sports Pak alone (7/mo) will not allow you to watch Brewers games on FSN-WI out of the Milwaukee market.

[dhoffman19]

That said, I'll reitirate what I said earlier that still seems to be in confusion...you need the Extra Innings package to watch out-of-market, non-National Market, s MLB games on Directv. Purchasing the Sports Pak alone (7/mo) will not allow you to watch Brewers games on FSN-WI out of the Milwaukee market.

 

This is correct, you need to buy the Extra Innings package, which is maybe $150/season. It's much cheaper than the football package. I actually don't understand what getting the Sports Pak gets you with respect to Brewer games. For example, I live in Boston and when a game starts on Fox Sports Wisconsin, it's blacked out.

[1992casey]

I actually don't understand what getting the Sports Pak gets you with respect to Brewer games.

 

The Sports package will help you if you live in an area with multiple home teams and your home team isn't included with your basic subscription.

 

Iowa's a good example because the entire state is home territory for six teams (Cardinals, Royals, Cubs, White Sox, Twins, Brewers). Let's say that based on where you live, DirecTV gives you Cardinals games. The Sports package would give you the other five home teams.

[PrinceFielderx1]

I actually don't understand what getting the Sports Pak gets you with respect to Brewer games.

 

The Sports package will help you if you live in an area with multiple home teams and your home team isn't included with your basic subscription.

 

Iowa's a good example because the entire state is home territory for six teams (Cardinals, Royals, Cubs, White Sox, Twins, Brewers). Let's say that based on where you live, DirecTV gives you Cardinals games. The Sports package would give you the other five home teams.

 

This is correct. I get the sports pack (direct tv) and I'm located in Ohio (Reds, Indians), and this allows me to see some additional Reds and Pirates games.

[mothershipconnection]

Am I reading it correctly in that you now must have mlb.tv premium to watch on anything other than a computer? Before, you needed it to get the app to watch on tablets, but it appears that you now need premium for PS3, 360, Roku, and the like.

[The stache]

The Roku requires MLB.tv premium, which I'm fine with. The added features are worth the $20 or so. Having the option to watch the home or away feed, as well as overlay Bob Uecker's calls over the TV, makes it a no brainer.

 

I got the Roku on Thursday, hooked it all up, and have been watching HBO Go. The picture is spectacular. I've got some better HDMI and ethernet cables coming in from monoprice.com, so I'll be ready to go when I buy MLB.tv. I can't wait for the season to start.

[RobDeer 45]

Does anyone know about At Bat 2013 and possibly charging a monthly fee? Is that only if you don't buy mlb.tv or is it along with that purchase? Also, if you have an iPad and iPhone, do you only need to purchase it once?

[mothershipconnection]

If you don't have mlb.tv premium, the app costs money ($15 last year) and will only be Gameday and audio feeds: no video except when they do a free preview game. Last year, they let you pay something like $3 a month instead of $15 for the season. You were also able to pay once and download to multiple devices.

 

If you buy mlb.tv premium, you get At-Bat for free. You simply download the free version of the app and then unlock paid-app features by using your mlb.tv login.

[ecjimg]

Watching on Apple TV - picture blurs for 5 or 10 seconds every couple of minutes. I lived somewhere else last year and had the same issue. Does this happen to anyone else?

[The stache]

I'm watching on the Roku 2 XS right now, full 1080p with no delays. The picture quality takes 4 or 5 seconds once the game starts to get to full 1080p, but I'm having no issues whatsoever with the picture now. Watching on a 32 inch Sony Bravia TV in my bedroom.

 

I average about 55-60 Mbps download speed with Verizon FIOS.

 

ecjimg, are you on wireless? I'm running an ethernet cable directly from my router into the Roku, and an HDMI cable into the TV. I specifically got the best Roku available (right before the Roku 3 came out) because I could hard wire it.