So CBC streams their playoff games online...

[porp]

Free cable promo I have with Shaw is about to run out. The only thing I watch from that are hockey games. I don't want to pay them $50 just for Canucks playoff games.

I remember that CBC streams all of the games that they broadcast over the 'net. Anyone have extensive experience with this service from last year - how is the quality/reliability? I'd be viewing this on a 1920x1200 (HD, 1080p) monitor. Was it anywhere near the CTV (?) stream for the Vancouver Olympics? That was a freaking treat. Unexpected high quality and high-end PVR functionality like "live" rewind and slow mo.

I'd be seeing a bunch of the games at friends' places, or bars, or maybe at the stadium, but I'm wondering whether the CBC internet stream is serviceable.

[darren]

I'm guessing this should have gone into the general discussion forum.

Doesn't the CBC broadcast over the air in Vancouver? You should be able to get HD broadcasts for free.

[dbr]

I'm the same as you porp, only thing I ever used cable for was to catch Canucks games.

Darren is right, you can get CBC broadcast over the air in Vancouver. On a 720p television it looks just fine, I think cable HDTV is all 720p so I wouldn't guess you'd notice any difference on 1080p if it looks fine on the smaller format.

As for the online content it's fine now - in fact CBC broadcasts all their HNIC content online (I'm watching tonight's game right now), its not spectacular but it's pretty good. I couldn't say whether my rural-ish internet connection is at play though, perhaps it's better in town.

It hasn't always been as good as it is now, a couple of years ago I thought I'd watch the playoffs online and by the end of the second period of round 1, game 1 I was on the phone with Shaw. Good news is if nothing free is up to your standards you can probably have Shaw service up and running by game 2 or 3.

[Arachnid]

Why not use the built in HSTC tuner in your flat screen. Pick-up a 15 dollar flat HDTV antenae and you get a free uncompressed 720p. Uncompressed, meaning people pay big bucks for a satellite or cable when the free version is better. I know some guys set-ups use the free over-the-air feed despite having cable too for their favourite channels and shows.

[porp]

Yeah, I guess it should have gone into general discussion, sorry guys, but thanks for the infos.

I actually don't have a TV, per se, I have a SD converter for one of my computer flatscreen monitors and I've been piping cable through that. I guess I could try over-the-air HD through the coax convertor unless I can find an antenna with RCA/HDMI/DVI out.

[Arachnid]

Yeah, I guess it should have gone into general discussion, sorry guys, but thanks for the infos.

I actually don't have a TV, per se, I have a SD converter for one of my computer flatscreen monitors and I've been piping cable through that. I guess I could try over-the-air HD through the coax convertor unless I can find an antenna with RCA/HDMI/DVI out.

All you need is this, http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/mainmen ... t1.en.html

A lot of people are streaming right into their computer/monitors so they can PVR or TiVo it.

[porp]

Thanks Spidey! I ended up getting something similar in the Hauppauge WINTV-HVR-950Q from NCIX for less than half the price of the EyeTV. Can't wait to pick it up and see how it performs for CBC HD =D nor wait for the Shaw peeps to disconnect my cable.

[Arachnid]

Thanks Spidey! I ended up getting something similar in the Hauppauge WINTV-HVR-950Q from NCIX for less than half the price of the EyeTV. Can't wait to pick it up and see how it performs for CBC HD =D nor wait for the Shaw peeps to disconnect my cable.

Cool, I'ma Mac geek so all my recommendations tend to lean that way....and I have experience with it. That said, let us know how it goes...

[darren]

Yep, I'm a big fan of over-the-air broadcasts. The limiting factor is having decent line of sight (or a good bounce) to the transmitter, but if you have that sorted out you're golden. CBC Vancouver broadcasts from the North Shore mountains if I'm not mistaken (Grouse?), so if you can see the mountains from your house you should be good. (Having a tall building in the way can be unfortunate). Here in Toronto they broadcast from the CN tower of course (in fact that's why the tower was built).

Some people get very fancy outdoor antennas, but I'm doing fine with a $2.99 indoor antenna I picked up at the discount store. Digital broadcasts either work perfectly or not at all.

The picture quality is superb. Here at least, CBC used to broadcast in 1080i, which was eye-popping. They've scaled it back to 720p, but it's still pretty great. Over-the-air broadcasts, being uncompressed, are noticeably better than cable. I had cable and Centre Ice for a while (they build a building right next to me that blocked my view of the tower), but once I moved I was quite happy to get rid of cable generally. I might try the Game Centre package to get my Canucks fix during the regular season. Of course, during the playoffs you get everything you need from CBC. (for now... if TSN wins the rights next time we'll have to go back to cable).

[Knucklehead]

I'm also getting my Canucks fix OTA and CBC comes in quite well over here on the Island, (Brentwood Bay on the Peninsula).

I think I get a good bounce off the Malahat as I have no line of sight to the lower mainland.

[tantalum]

And here I just get crappy SD feed for most canuck games on Center Ice.

Provided there's no storm knocking out my dish.

[Cornuck]

And here I just get crappy SD feed for most canuck games on Center Ice.

Provided there's no storm knocking out my dish.

After trying Center Ice last year for the playoffs, I didn't renew this year. Any games the Canucks had were SD, plus most of their games were on Versus (NBC Sports), so I had to find a feed for almost every game until the finals.

They should include NBC Sports, NHL Network (which they do) with the Center Ice package. I have Dish, does DirecTV do it different?

[porp]

Awesome. Thanks again, Arachnid.

Here in Kits with LOS to Grouse, I pick up CBC (CBUT-DT) in HD, CTV, CTV2, and a French channel with the dinky little antenna that came with it. Since its digital, its all or nothing, so the picture quality is brilliant but it skips out a occasionally and I thought that there'd be a ton of lag but it actually plays about five seconds faster/earlier than my cable feed despite buffer lag. Probably end up jury rigging a giant ugly ghetto antenna for it, though.

(boo, can't have a fullscreen game running in the other monitor while the TV application is fullscreen on the other, fullscreen video's fine. oh well)

[dhabums]

Awesome. Thanks again, Arachnid.

Here in Kits with LOS to Grouse, I pick up CBC (CBUT-DT) in HD, CTV, CTV2, and a French channel with the dinky little antenna that came with it. Since its digital, its all or nothing, so the picture quality is brilliant but it skips out a occasionally and I thought that there'd be a ton of lag but it actually plays about five seconds faster/earlier than my cable feed despite buffer lag. Probably end up jury rigging a giant ugly ghetto antenna for it, though.

(boo, can't have a fullscreen game running in the other monitor while the TV application is fullscreen on the other, fullscreen video's fine. oh well)

Watched a few games at a friends last playoffs on Telus, you could hear fans cheering 3+ seconds before we saw the goal.

[Arachnid]

Awesome. Thanks again, Arachnid.

Here in Kits with LOS to Grouse, I pick up CBC (CBUT-DT) in HD, CTV, CTV2, and a French channel with the dinky little antenna that came with it. Since its digital, its all or nothing, so the picture quality is brilliant but it skips out a occasionally and I thought that there'd be a ton of lag but it actually plays about five seconds faster/earlier than my cable feed despite buffer lag. Probably end up jury rigging a giant ugly ghetto antenna for it, though.

(boo, can't have a fullscreen game running in the other monitor while the TV application is fullscreen on the other, fullscreen video's fine. oh well)

Koolio, it's worth getting a better antennae for a better signal. A one bay antennae should be fine for LOS but if you want to cover all your angles you can usually pick up a 2-bay for 30 bucks or less in chinatowns(assuming they all look alike) . You can also get signal booster if you want the strongest signal. There are all kinds of tweaks that the O.T.A. geeks are coming up with including a do-it-yersef antennae which is supposed to be kick-ass.

You might need 2 video cards if you wanna surf an watch or an iPad