Digityman Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 We decided to get rid of our cable subscription a few years ago. In order to watch NHL games we have the following:Apple TV - Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO, ESPN, NHL with Game Center packageRoku - Netflix, Hulu, CNN, NHL and bunch of othersIPAD - NBC Sports..and when all of those fail, I watch NHL games on the computer via a stream service.Because of my location, I would guess that 10-15 games a year are blacked out thus making me watch streams via the computer. Sitting in front of the computer isn't as good as sitting in front of a 50" TV. Yesterday google announced a new product called ChromeCast. You can read more about it here.There's another potential shortcut to getting the content you want: Google is beta testing a feature that puts any media you can view in a Chrome browser onto your television via ChromecastBasically, you plug this into your TV via the HDMI port. Then pull up a game stream on your computer, tablet or phone using Google Chrome.One click of a button and it's streaming to your TV.So for all of those that sit in front of a computer watching an NHL stream via First Row Sports or similar, for $35 you can now watch it on your big screen TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Ewing Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Sounds nice, though I'm not in the market. When I decided to drop cable years back, I just connected my PC to my computer, and didn't mess with any of those products. They're nice (we have a WD Media Player downstairs for the kids, so they can watch Netflix, youtube, etc) but lacked the all-around functionality of a computer. Plus, I can do all of my PC gaming on the main TV, too.Seems like an endless stream of devices have come out which turn any TV into a Smart TV.JR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaGreatGazoo Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Any idea of the signal quality? 720, 1080, etc...didn't see it in the article. But for $35 bucks..that's almost a must purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digityman Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share Posted July 25, 2013 @DaGreatGazoo I don't see the streaming quality either. I would imagine it's the same as what's being broadcast.I did purchase one and should be here next week. I try it out with something like FRS.eu and give a report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaGreatGazoo Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Cool...sure as hell beats paying for Center Ice, that's for sure!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phlfly Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 I'm still waiting for device that will be more like per view, something like I will be able to add programs I wanted to watch only all the time and one I will use on per view bases. I like I want Russin TV (more my wife), all sport channels, and educationals (Discovery, and ect), Velocity, BBC america, and some local news, plus some FX and kids channels I don't want movies only rent at the RedBox ($1 hard to bid). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDI-Flyer Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Seems like a great idea... If I streamed content from more devices I would seriously consider it but I only really stream from my laptop to the TV so it's just as easy to plug in an HDMI cable to the laptop interface. Certainly one to keep an eye on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goalnut3133 Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Recently got a Panasonic 60 inch plasma Smart TV...was thinking of subscribing to more sports channels like Center Ice so I can see more teams & also other MLB teams....I can watch Netflix, Youtube right off the TV wi-fi....so I should be able to stream hockey from sites I pull up right on my TV, right? Which are the best sites for NHL, MLB? I've mostly followed the 'Nucks so haven't needed to watch streaming.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brelic Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 I cut the cable/satellite service a few years ago as well, and we don't miss it one bit. Cutting that and the home phone was very liberating I use Apple TV to stream NHL games on Gamecenter. I also use a VPN to get US Netflix, Hulu, and if I'm blacked out, I can VPN into a non-blacked out zone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digityman Posted July 26, 2013 Author Share Posted July 26, 2013 Recently got a Panasonic 60 inch plasma Smart TV...was thinking of subscribing to more sports channels like Center Ice so I can see more teams & also other MLB teams....I can watch Netflix, Youtube right off the TV wi-fi....so I should be able to stream hockey from sites I pull up right on my TV, right? Which are the best sites for NHL, MLB? I've mostly followed the 'Nucks so haven't needed to watch streaming....Yep that's right. Go to "My Menu" at the top of the site and go to "Streaming Sites". That will give you the best that we've found. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Ewing Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 I cut the cable/satellite service a few years ago as well, and we don't miss it one bit. Cutting that and the home phone was very liberating I use Apple TV to stream NHL games on Gamecenter. I also use a VPN to get US Netflix, Hulu, and if I'm blacked out, I can VPN into a non-blacked out zone.Pretty much the exact same story here, except I opted to turn my gaming PC into the "TV experience". Pretty much do everything on it now, including about 75% of my web browsing. JR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brelic Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 Pretty much the exact same story here, except I opted to turn my gaming PC into the "TV experience". Pretty much do everything on it now, including about 75% of my web browsing.JR... and the other 25% is porn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Ewing Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 ... and the other 25% is porn Because everybody knows that the only thing better than internet porn is internet porn on a large screen.JR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRH Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 So, I'm slightly confused about the advantages this provides.You own a computer? On this computer you watch games via a steaming website like sportslemon? You prefer to have a stream come through a larger screen like a 50" TV rather than a smaller 22" monitor?If you own a laptop or desktop with an HDMI port you should be able to plug your computer into your TV and use your TV as a second monitor or as its only monitor. Via this method however you may watch your hockey cheaper but you will suffer quality loss as a stream will rarely ever encode beyond 720p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter puck Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 @ How good is the pic when you view a stream on your tv? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRH Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 (edited) <p><p>@ How good is the pic when you view a stream on your tv?Quality is highly dependent on the streamer, but from my Desktop to my LED TV I've managed decent quality(I can see the puck)There are a lot of factors when streaming content that go into the quality of the stream. Team Liquid would explain it pretty well http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=220584However if you're using a official broadcast stream directly, like NHL Center Ice, you should have no trouble viewing the content in a decent quality. I'm not sure how most companies broadcast their hockey games but on cable and digital television providers there aren't meany channels providing 720p quality to the viewers. Edited July 27, 2013 by NarrowRoadHeros Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR Ewing Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 (edited) Here's what I get from Gamecenter at 3000 kbps:This is what I get on my PC, though I can't say what it's like on any media streaming devices. I know that none of thus remotely do the all-around job a computer, now would I opt for one for my primary TV, but I would imagine the streaming quality is the same.... I guess.JR Edited July 27, 2013 by JR Ewing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Google Chromcast ReviewThere is a Chrome extension—a small program that gives your browser added functionality—that you can download on your computer. This extension allows Chrome to stream whatever tab you're viewing to the TV with the Chromecast plugged in. That means you can essentially load up HBO GO's website on your computer with Chrome, then stream it to your TV. Pretty useful, right?The Chrome web browser on a Mac or PC is supported by Chromecast, but the mobile version is not.Chrome's ability to stream content does indeed work, but there are some issues that you must deal with. Videos don't look nearly as good as they do on apps that have native support for Chromecast. Also, you'll have to deal with your laptop or computer mirroring said content—a minor inconvenience, but you shouldn't be paying for any sort of annoyance. Interestingly, the ability to stream via Chrome is listed as "beta," which certainly doesn't excuse its performance—especially since you paid for this device. Don't get me wrong: This is a powerful feature, but plenty of users won't be happy with inferior quality video streams from the likes of HBO GO, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Instant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjfirm Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 (edited) @ How good is the pic when you view a stream on your tv?Its very nice, it's not full HD of course Edited October 30, 2013 by hf101 Removed Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suncitybob64 Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 I want to drop cable as well, but I live in Phoenix AZ and want to watch the Arizona Coytees next year. They along with the Suns and D-Backs are all broadcast on Fox Sports Net Arizona or Fox Sports Net Arizona Plus ( If a Suns game and a Coytee's game are on at the same time,one is on another Fox Channel) If I buy theGoogle Chromecast will I be able to find their stream and send it through the Google Chromecast to my TV? Would that apply to the Suns and D-Backs as well? Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanflyer Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Basically, you plug this into your TV via the HDMI port. Then pull up a game stream on your computer, tablet or phone using Google Chrome.One click of a button and it's streaming to your TV.So for all of those that sit in front of a computer watching an NHL stream via First Row Sports or similar, for $35 you can now watch it on your big screen TV. I do everything you said, but for free. Also, there is another newer technology since you posted this that keeps your lap top / pc free to use outside of streaming. I use a tv box. Not allot of storage, but high processor, 4 USB ports and 1 HDMI. It is 6" x 4" and I just have it sit next to my tv. Also good if you want to watch movies. We do it all the time. Where I am the internet speeds vary, but I find if you can at least get 5mbps, the streaming is pretty decent over the tv via HDMI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris922 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I love the Chromecast. Can't beat it for a one time $35 cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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