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Dobiegant
08-09-2013, 10:29 AM
Having ordered Google's chromecast, I'm seriously thinking about ditching cable. My concern, of course, is missing Duke games. Does anyone know of a pay service that streams all of the games live? Does goduke.com do this or are the games only available later? Any experience with switching to all-online watching?

ricks68
08-09-2013, 11:03 AM
Having ordered Google's chromecast, I'm seriously thinking about ditching cable. My concern, of course, is missing Duke games. Does anyone know of a pay service that streams all of the games live? Does goduke.com do this or are the games only available later? Any experience with switching to all-online watching?

Ditto that question, and one other: What's the lowdown on Direct TV in North Carolina? Since I will be moving to the woods in north Asheville in a few months, I will only be able to get satellite TV or over the net. Right now I get all the games over Comcast except for the few Raycom games. I watch those on my computer, which is often choppy and out of focus. A little help here would also be appreciated.

ricks

jimrowe0
08-09-2013, 11:17 AM
Having ordered Google's chromecast, I'm seriously thinking about ditching cable. My concern, of course, is missing Duke games. Does anyone know of a pay service that streams all of the games live? Does goduke.com do this or are the games only available later? Any experience with switching to all-online watching?

Goduke.com has some games after they are played, but only the early season games mostly I believe. I haven't been able to find a way around not getting cable for basketball season. I ditch cable in non-basketball months (hulu & netflicks) and get basic cable again during basketball season.

I wish they would make espn online available for a fee without having to be cable customers.

flyingdutchdevil
08-09-2013, 11:31 AM
Goduke.com has some games after they are played, but only the early season games mostly I believe. I haven't been able to find a way around not getting cable for basketball season. I ditch cable in non-basketball months (hulu & netflicks) and get basic cable again during basketball season.

I wish they would make espn online available for a fee without having to be cable customers.

Agreed, but unbundling the bundle would bring down Comcast and co. ESPN is by far the most lucrative for cable. However, it's definitely coming (at least a few years away, though).

jimrowe0
08-09-2013, 11:39 AM
Ditto that question, and one other: What's the lowdown on Direct TV in North Carolina? Since I will be moving to the woods in north Asheville in a few months, I will only be able to get satellite TV or over the net. Right now I get all the games over Comcast except for the few Raycom games. I watch those on my computer, which is often choppy and out of focus. A little help here would also be appreciated.

ricks

DirectTV works fine in NC. I am still deciding on whether to get cable, dish, or direct.

Dish is 20 a month, direct is 25 a month, and cable (basic) is 30 or 35.

Just not sure if I want a dish on my roof.

mattman91
08-09-2013, 11:48 AM
Ditto that question, and one other: What's the lowdown on Direct TV in North Carolina? Since I will be moving to the woods in north Asheville in a few months, I will only be able to get satellite TV or over the net. Right now I get all the games over Comcast except for the few Raycom games. I watch those on my computer, which is often choppy and out of focus. A little help here would also be appreciated.

ricks

Moving to Asheville huh? We could use some extra Duke fans here!

DevilFalcon
08-09-2013, 12:21 PM
I've had DirecTV and cound't stand that it went out every time a thick cloud moved over my house (exaggeration, but really a decent storm knocks it out with no concern for whether or not Duke is on T.V.) I've since moved to TWC and have enjoyed it. It probably helps that I have an incredibly good deal. They will come calling if you switch from them to another company and give you a great rate to get you back.

I don't know of any 'pay' online resource for games, oh how I wish there was. Obviously ESPN, and therefore Watch ESPN, carry a lot of Duke games, but you can't watch that without cable.... There are a ton of websites that offer sometimes good sometimes horrible streams of all sorts of games that can be found with a quick google, although I'm not sure of their legality. Most are based in the EU and focus on soccer.

There is a trend toward being able to purchase only the channels and services you want, saving a lot of money and fluff in your TV guide, but that specific service has not come to NC yet. It's just in the big markets at this point.

awhom111
08-09-2013, 04:57 PM
Having ordered Google's chromecast, I'm seriously thinking about ditching cable. My concern, of course, is missing Duke games. Does anyone know of a pay service that streams all of the games live? Does goduke.com do this or are the games only available later? Any experience with switching to all-online watching?

ESPN controls all TV and Internet rights to ACC games.

A PSA for those who only get ESPN3 courtesy of their internet provider and not the full WatchESPN functionality from their TV provider. ESPN started further restricting the number of events on their television channels that they are simulcasting on ESPN3 just this week, so pay TV is continuing to become the only way of following most Duke games.


Ditto that question, and one other: What's the lowdown on Direct TV in North Carolina? Since I will be moving to the woods in north Asheville in a few months, I will only be able to get satellite TV or over the net. Right now I get all the games over Comcast except for the few Raycom games. I watch those on my computer, which is often choppy and out of focus. A little help here would also be appreciated.

ricks

Satellite should get you all of the Duke games including those Raycom and other syndicated games.

Orange&BlackSheep
08-09-2013, 05:55 PM
A PSA for those who only get ESPN3 courtesy of their internet provider and not the full WatchESPN functionality from their TV provider. ESPN started further restricting the number of events on their television channels that they are simulcasting on ESPN3 just this week, so pay TV is continuing to become the only way of following most Duke games.


If you can keep yourself in the dark, all Duke games are on ESPN3 2 hours after the game ends. At least that was how it was last year. With small kids, there is no way that I can watch live so this was a Godsend.

O&BSheep

awhom111
08-09-2013, 09:04 PM
If you can keep yourself in the dark, all Duke games are on ESPN3 2 hours after the game ends. At least that was how it was last year. With small kids, there is no way that I can watch live so this was a Godsend.

O&BSheep

Looks like replays are still listed on ESPN3 from this week's events that were not available live, so it still appears to be an option. Who knows with ESPN's ever increasing fight for a bigger slice of the pie.

mgtr
08-09-2013, 09:10 PM
I live in SC, 10 miles from the NC border. I have had Directv since 1999, and would never go back to cable. Rain fade? Maybe once a month or less, doesn't last too long (longer on HD than SD). If you have more rain fade problems than that, you dish may not be properly aligned. I have had difficulty getting a dish aligned properly with a new installation. I just kept calling (well, 2 or 3 times) and a supervsior came out and fixed it properly. No problems since.
As an aside, I don't know anybody who ends up paying anywhere near the come-on rate after, say, a year.

ncexnyc
08-09-2013, 09:27 PM
The TWC vs. CBS/Showtime spat was the straw that finally broke the camels back. I went down to the Century Link office and signed up for Direct TV. I'm locked in for two years and I'll be paying a lot less than I was with cable. I'll also be getting all the NFL games as well.

msdukie
08-09-2013, 10:32 PM
GoDuke archives every men's and women's game and every football game several hours after they finish. It only live broadcasts exhibition men's games and most non-televised women's home games. The men's archives are the ESPN broadcasts.

Additionally, don't forget that we will probably be on CBS some this year as CBS has a weekend sublicense now from ESPN for 1 or 2 weekend in-conference ACC games.

ricks68
08-10-2013, 07:28 PM
Thanks to everyone for the info. I guess it will be Direct TV for me. I've had The Dish Network in the past, and have Comcast now. I didn't like having to constantly reset the dish all the time and switched years ago. Cable prices have gone through the roof, and since I won't have cable access anyway, I will just give Direct TV a try.

ricks

TruBlu
08-11-2013, 07:26 AM
Thanks to everyone for the info. I guess it will be Direct TV for me. I've had The Dish Network in the past, and have Comcast now. I didn't like having to constantly reset the dish all the time and switched years ago. Cable prices have gone through the roof, and since I won't have cable access anyway, I will just give Direct TV a try.

ricks

Just a word of caution:

For my vacation/weekend lake house, I purchased a hi-def 52" TV before checking with Dish or Direct TV (no cable in the area due to remote location). Due to the hills and trees, neither Dish nor Direct could get a "line of sight" at their hi-def satellite. Only Dish could give me even the standard. It would have cost me bunches of thousands to have the trees cleared, so I am stuck with standard on a hi-def TV, at least until cable reaches my area, or I figure out this Streaming stuff.

The good news about this setup is that the interviews with ugly UNC coaches and players has the effect of a "soft focus" lens. The downside is that it has the same effect on cheerleaders and Fox News blondes.

And yes, a dark cloud will interfere with reception. (Dark clouds have been known to follow me around.)

Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
08-11-2013, 08:55 AM
Thanks to everyone for the info. I guess it will be Direct TV for me. I've had The Dish Network in the past, and have Comcast now. I didn't like having to constantly reset the dish all the time and switched years ago. Cable prices have gone through the roof, and since I won't have cable access anyway, I will just give Direct TV a try.

ricks

My (ugh) UNC neighbor here in Asheville has Direct TV and it allows him to watch almost single ACC game, one way or another. At least, all the ones that matter.

Yeah, I was sitting on his floor for the Austin Rivers shot. To his credit, he sat there silent and then said after about 90 seconds of me celebrating in his living room... "I think you should probably leave now..."

ricks68
08-11-2013, 12:12 PM
Just a word of caution:

For my vacation/weekend lake house, I purchased a hi-def 52" TV before checking with Dish or Direct TV (no cable in the area due to remote location). Due to the hills and trees, neither Dish nor Direct could get a "line of sight" at their hi-def satellite. Only Dish could give me even the standard. It would have cost me bunches of thousands to have the trees cleared, so I am stuck with standard on a hi-def TV, at least until cable reaches my area, or I figure out this Streaming stuff.

The good news about this setup is that the interviews with ugly UNC coaches and players has the effect of a "soft focus" lens. The downside is that it has the same effect on cheerleaders and Fox News blondes.

And yes, a dark cloud will interfere with reception. (Dark clouds have been known to follow me around.)

This is what I am aware of, and afraid of. My house in up in the air with tall trees around it. I think I have an open area in the right direction for the satellites to the south, but my neighbor tried the Dish and had trouble and discontinued it. They watch a lot of Netflix movies over the net. Unfortunately, cable will not be coming to my area in the near future-------and there won't be Uverse, either. :(

ricks

ricks68
08-11-2013, 12:18 PM
My (ugh) UNC neighbor here in Asheville has Direct TV and it allows him to watch almost single ACC game, one way or another. At least, all the ones that matter.

Yeah, I was sitting on his floor for the Austin Rivers shot. To his credit, he sat there silent and then said after about 90 seconds of me celebrating in his living room... "I think you should probably leave now..."

We can watch our next win together somewhere else-----like at the bar in Carmel's with Mattman91.

ricks

Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
08-11-2013, 01:48 PM
We can watch our next win together somewhere else-----like at the bar in Carmel's with Mattman91.

ricks

Sounds like a plan. Though, there is something very sweet about watching a Heels fan's heart break in real time.

Dev11
08-12-2013, 10:39 AM
ESPN controls all TV and Internet rights to ACC games.

A PSA for those who only get ESPN3 courtesy of their internet provider and not the full WatchESPN functionality from their TV provider. ESPN started further restricting the number of events on their television channels that they are simulcasting on ESPN3 just this week, so pay TV is continuing to become the only way of following most Duke games.

Where did you see this announcement? I need to know how many Duke games will not come to me from my parents' Comcast account.

UrinalCake
08-12-2013, 11:25 AM
You can get many games at firstrowsports.eu. It's not the most honest way to watch games. And beware of the myriad of popups that can lead to viruses - I run it in a virtual machine as I have known several people who have gotten viruses from using this site. So again, beware. I use this site as my last resort, but desperate times call for desperate measures when you don't have cable.

Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
08-12-2013, 01:01 PM
You can get many games at firstrowsports.eu. It's not the most honest way to watch games. And beware of the myriad of popups that can lead to viruses - I run it in a virtual machine as I have known several people who have gotten viruses from using this site. So again, beware. I use this site as my last resort, but desperate times call for desperate measures when you don't have cable.

I've also had some pretty good luck with this. I'm stubborn and I refuse to pay for cable. That site is an excellent way to catch pretty much any sporting event.

But yeah, update all your virus hoohahs.

Highlander
08-12-2013, 03:25 PM
Have had DirecTV for 6+ years with no issues in NC. Only time we lose service is in a torrential downpour, and then it is usually the HD signal only. DVR still works. Our house is out in the open with little tree cover close by, FWIW. My parents ran into the issue with the trees blocking their signal; essentially you need 3-5 satellites to get an HD signal, and some are lower on the horizon so high trees can block your view. You need to look to the south west and determine how clear your line of sight is. I usually get 99% of Duke's games, only missing some preseason and Christmas games typically. We also get the GoDuke audio feed and pipe Bob Harris through the sound system while we watch the feed whenever possible.

superdave
08-12-2013, 03:42 PM
I have had DISH in DC for the last three years. I lost connectivity maybe 4-5 times total. I was happy with the service although it was pricey ($140 or so per month for the big package -multiple movie channels and the extra sport package). I think I had trouble getting two games last season, where either a UVA or Maryland game on Jefferson Pilot or another channel was on instead of the Duke game. I think I wound up borrowing someone's TWC account and watching on Espn3 though.

I am moving and trying to figure out if it makes sense to get Dish again or a Verizon internet/DirecTV bundle, or <gasp> Comcast.

DirecTV and Dish could merge in the near future....

awhom111
08-12-2013, 04:33 PM
Where did you see this announcement? I need to know how many Duke games will not come to me from my parents' Comcast account.

From their latest FAQ:
http://espn.go.com/watchespn/faq

I would test some events out right now to see if you can get them live. You should still be able to watch replays.

NSDukeFan
08-12-2013, 07:28 PM
You can get many games at firstrowsports.eu. It's not the most honest way to watch games. And beware of the myriad of popups that can lead to viruses - I run it in a virtual machine as I have known several people who have gotten viruses from using this site. So again, beware. I use this site as my last resort, but desperate times call for desperate measures when you don't have cable.

I was so excited to not have to use this site for awhile when I was allowed to pay for ESPN player for a few months last year. Unfortunately, since I do not live in the US, ESPN won't take my money anymore and so, firstrowsports it is.