Streaming CFL Games

Only what pre season games they show are on TSN2. All regular season, playoff, and GC are on TSN

Your absolutely right they still make big bucks on cable subscriptions. Streaming is the wave of the future. When it gets to the point where there are enough people who do streaming and not cable, TSN will adapt with it

I’ve had to catch some games on TSN2.

You are better off to approach TSN not the board of governors, they have sold the TV rights to TSN.
I was happy just to watch the Video on Demand that was available on TSN up until 2 years ago. When we were in Europe two summers ago I could go to the TSN site and just watch the games on demand, they were tape delay but at least you could watch the whole game without knowing the score. Then last year they stopped the Video on demand for all viewers on their site unless you log in with a TSN subscription.
I see it as a TSN issue not as a CFL issue.

This is also rapidly becoming a CRTC issue. Very soon you will be able to pay for “A la carte” pricing for TV channels you want, and not be subjected to “packages” of several channels simply to get the one you want to watch. For example: I am a Rogers subscriber, so I get all the SportsNet hooplah that I don’t care for on their basic service, but I have to pay a premium to get TSN. In other words, I get all the Blue Jays and Raptors crap that I DON’T want for “free”, and I pay an additional fee in order to watch the CFL, FIFA WWC, Curling, etc. (All our services are with Rogers, cell phones, TV, internet, home phone, security - with all the bundle discounts and length-of-service discounts, no other company can come close to touching our monthly bill, so we take the good with the bad… lol).

wlanders75:

Yup. The only reason I keep cable is to watch the CFL. The rest of it I can do without.
I think CFL games have been streamed from online sites....but not until the live game is over. That's perfectly understandable. However I would certainly be happy to fork over 15 or 20 bucks a month just to have TSN and the CFL.

And while I am on the subject of cable .. I would be remiss if I did not bring up CBC TV. Now that they do not carry the CFL, it really irks me to have a portion of my tax money go to the CBC....then pay for cable TV  to watch CBC TV...and THEN..have to watch all the commercials on CBC TV!  But forgive me....that's off topic.

That said as an option I watch certain sports online via a black box XBMC Andoid TV box when they are not on my Bell dish , haven't tried looking for live CFL stream on a certain app yet will have to try it?!

I stream the TSN channels by logging into my Bell Alliant Fibreop account. Works great and streams very well. It also works on the TSN Go app on my iPad. Would like them to have an app on the game consoles as well.

Not being an internet wizard, I'm just wondering if streaming live tv over the internet must require an unlimited data package with your provider. Wouldn't the increased cost of this be almost as much as cable which provides a better quality picture? If you add in a service like Netflix, this adds to the cost. I would like to dump the cable but need to know that I can watch all of the same programes, including sports, that I do now. Just asking.

No, for most people their existing internet service is adequate. Most providers give a basic 100 Mbps per month, that’s around $60 a month. If you are a gamer or download a lot for a home business then maybe you could step up but the 100 Mbps is more than enough to watch programs on the internet.
The cheapest cable only basic package is around $40 but if you want things like TSN then you have to add $20 to that. A lot of people subscribing to things like Netflix still have their cable/internet package too.
I don’t know anyone that gets cable only with no internet. But I have heard of a lot of people that have dumped cable and using their internet only.

I thought Mbps only measures the download speed of your internet - and is not a usage measurement. From Bell’s website these are their four Bell Fibe Internet packages with pricing, speed and monthly usage. I have no idea how much usage you would need if you were trying to stream all the sports and other programming you watch.

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/1530320_10205095734206269_2569446964575965712_n.jpg?oh=37384027c0c08cdecbafdc8540d79578&oe=55FE596D

Thanks for the info. I have cable, internet, and home phone as a bundle package for around $145/mo. My service tells me I get 15 mbps with a total of 95 GB/month. I recently got a super android tv box which I have used for movies but I haven't tried streaming live sports as yet but with two tvs in the house the wife would go frantic if I mentioned cancelling the cable. I was just interested how it woud affect me, thanks.

This is the Rogers internet and if you want to watch unlimited programs/sports etc then all you need is the 100U package, the 100 is the speed which is more than enough.

http://www.rogers.com/consumer/internet

Curious for those who do stream games to their large 42" or larger TV's. What is the quality of the picture? Is it as good as you get with HD cable? Does the stream often have hiccups like the Ti-Cats stream did the other night where every once in a while the picture would get a little more pixelly (is that a word? - lol) looking or the sound repeated occasionally?

Is it anywhere as near convenient when flipping between games? For example tonight I'll likely be flipping at various time between the Women's World Cup game, the Jays game and Game 6 of the Stanley Cup. Depending on which game is interesting me most I'll likely watch that game and flip to the other two during commercials - and will PVR those other two games - so that if I miss a big play like a goal I can easily rewind to see it.

Once you cut cable are you able to easily do those sort of things using internet streams only? If not - I'm not cutting the chord anytime soon. :slight_smile:

The internet streams for netflix, amazon etc are really clear. I have one of them IP hide accounts so I can watch the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 from the UK and the quality is very good.
The downside about cutting the chord for cable is that you will lose TSN. Like I said above, if you are in the US you can watch all CFL games on ESPNN3 without subscribing to cable or satellite, almost all internet providers carry ESPN3.
But in Canada you can’t watch TSN on the internet without subscribing to cable/satlelite. Last week when they said that the Argo/Bombers game was going to be streamed, I tried to watch it but it asked me for my Rogers/Bell etc account #
If you don’t have TSN then you end up watching one of them “unoffical” internet feeds for TSN, which we are not supposed to talk about one here, and the quality is not good.

Honestly, if you want convenience and quality and you don’t mind paying for it, just stick to TV.

TSN feeds have great image quality but I wouldn’t say they are quite up to par with HDTV. They occasionally buffer and occasionally pixelate and occasionally knock you off (and then you have to watch a few ads before it connects again). ESPN3 is the same. Unofficial streams are inundated with popups, low quality, break often and aren’t always available for CFL games, especially after the NFL season starts.

I suppose you could do all the recording stuff with the right hardware and software but at that point you’ve gone through a lot of trouble and probably have a less reliable setup.

I’m poor and willing go through the hassle to save a buck but if you’re happy to pay your current cable bill for the best experience possible, stick with TV for now.

I have a technology background so know a little about this. Streaming is hit and miss. All depends on your provider and its quality of service. Plus, unless you have unlimited data access, it will cost you. I have neighbours who couldn’t understand why they got extra billed for their Cogeco Internet for two months. Well, two people streaming HD all day will do this.
Internet streaming is no where near as convenient as TV for flipping channels, recording and later viewing especially if you have multiple TV 's and Tivo.
Access to CFL streaming is only available on ESPN3 but you need an account which requires that your a cable, satellite subscriber. I have used a friend’s Comcast account to do this while traveling in the US to watch a Ticat game.
I think all this will change but will be slow to make it as good as we have it with cable. CRTC and the FTC will continue this go slow process.
Remember, nothing is free. Advertising $$ are related viewership numbers and that’s how we get cheap TV. Netflix original series success is the start of the change. One way or the other we’ll pay for our entertainment. I don’t believe it’ll get any cheaper if you like having a variety of channels, on demand, and the other conveniences of cable. Only time will tell.

You're right it all depends on the provider. I live two and half hours from Hamilton in the country and I'm on a commercial sat dish for internet on xplornet the reception for the stream was okay, a little choppy and you have to reload the page just to keep
the connection but I'm sure people in the GTA on fibre would have a much cleaner connection.

I'm still surprised with the broadcast contract that TSN have with the CFL that they wouldn't broadcast all preseason games especially with having five TSN channels, one or two with something interesting on maybe, three with something know-one watches.

Oh well can't wait for the regular season to start!

GO CATS GO!!

bell fibe??? that's new .. but wow internet prices are expensive up there in Canada. High cell phone costs high internet cant remember what i payed for tv probably expensive too..

Here in FL I have internet with 75Mbps down/5Mbps up, no monthly limit, home network: telephone with unlimited long distance; TV with 360 channels including Music Channels, Sports Channels and Movie Channels connected to 5 HD TVs with a monthly rate of $213.