ATV and ESPN

[tawcat]

Kind of a ridiculous set up. Because we only subscribe to ATT U-Verse high speed internet all we can get is ESPN 3.

Anyone figure out how to circumvent this to get ESPN? Only time we really watch sports is college bowl season, super bowl, and world series.

Thanks.

 

[irishv]

Kind of a ridiculous set up. Because we only subscribe to ATT U-Verse high speed internet all we can get is ESPN 3.

Anyone figure out how to circumvent this to get ESPN? Only time we really watch sports is college bowl season, super bowl, and world series.

Thanks.

Pay for basic cable. Or find a friend/relative willing to give you their credentials. Those are the only options for the foreseeable future. ABC/ESPN gets too much money from the cable companies to risk selling WatchESPN access directly.

 

[Michael CM1]

I couldn't get any of it from Dish Network either. Yet I still cut my cord yesterday (Jan. 2). Hulu Plus has almost everything I want to watch, and an antenna will get me a lot of stuff. I figure doing it will be part of making a statement to providers to start offering us channel access via the Internet and for Apple to figure out some reinvention of home TV.

 

[tawcat]

Read where as of Jan 6 ABC shows have gone to proof of provider as well. Sucks!

 

[tawcat]

What am I doing wrong?

My sister gave me her ATT info, however, when I go to the activate watchespn site I put in her username and the activation code as provided on the ATV. I'm then led to a screen to log into ATT, I enter her info, but it won't recognize it. And yes the info is correct.

So is this a stop gap by ATT so folks can't do this?

 

[SuperMatt]

I think this stinks too. Of course, that's why some people (not any of us of course) go to various internet sites and watch streams not necessarily sanctioned by the networks. And the ABC thing is beyond absurd. I watch ABC over-the-air, so why should I need to have a cable subscription to watch it online? Other networks don't do this.

Something I find funny - I can get all the ESPN3 stuff on Apple TV, just not the main networks. In some ways, that can be a lot of the most interesting content, and that's being given away? And don't they want to maximize the most viewers possible so that their advertisers will pay more for commercials? I'm not convinced that the business-folk at the networks are really optimizing their profits with this war on cord-cutting. They should embrace it and find a way to make cash on it. The cat is already out of the bag. Netflix and Amazon are already starting to eat cable's lunch.

 

[tawcat]

Got it working, I was not putting the info correctly.

SuperMatt: Thing that upsets me more is that I can get ESPN En Espanol for free🙁

 

[Michael CM1]

First: I now have no TV service but do have Comcast Internet.

I thought I was SOL watching the BCS Championship Game last night. Then someone I knew said he was able to watch online. I thought ESPN had gone all the way to "Watch ESPN" and forced you to have a participating TV provider to watch anything that wasn't cricket. So I go to espn3.com. I then discovered I was able to watch the video with the Auburn or FSU radio audio, but not the ABC audio.

So as I asked on Facebook, what was the downside? I got Musberger-free audio and even three different video perspectives -- main, coach on sideline, alternate angle. Thankfully I have a Windows notebook I can plug up to my TV, but I could've watched it on my iMac otherwise.

Just wish these providers would realize more and more people are going to ditch big package subscriptions to watch about 15 channels. With Dish Network I wasn't even getting access to Watch ESPN despite paying for the network. I also only had the two-tuner DVR, not the Hopper, so the video in my bedroom was just SD because I didn't want to spend another $7/month.

I'm basically just tired of paying for stuff I don't use. Most of what I watch is available on Hulu Plus for $8/month and just about six hours delayed.

 

[alent1234]

blame disney, viacom, discovery and the other companies who produce the content. not the cable company

First: I now have no TV service but do have Comcast Internet.

I thought I was SOL watching the BCS Championship Game last night. Then someone I knew said he was able to watch online. I thought ESPN had gone all the way to "Watch ESPN" and forced you to have a participating TV provider to watch anything that wasn't cricket. So I go to espn3.com. I then discovered I was able to watch the video with the Auburn or FSU radio audio, but not the ABC audio.

So as I asked on Facebook, what was the downside? I got Musberger-free audio and even three different video perspectives -- main, coach on sideline, alternate angle. Thankfully I have a Windows notebook I can plug up to my TV, but I could've watched it on my iMac otherwise.

Just wish these providers would realize more and more people are going to ditch big package subscriptions to watch about 15 channels. With Dish Network I wasn't even getting access to Watch ESPN despite paying for the network. I also only had the two-tuner DVR, not the Hopper, so the video in my bedroom was just SD because I didn't want to spend another $7/month.

I'm basically just tired of paying for stuff I don't use. Most of what I watch is available on Hulu Plus for $8/month and just about six hours delayed.