MLS Direct Kick and MLS Live 2012 and 13

No they are basing it on the percentage of the market that is on ICS. As discussed earlier that is not an accurate metric for support.

 

The protocol they are using is only part of the ICS update.

 

And yet I can watch it on my original droid with third party browsers.

 

Protocol for an app. I'm sure the explanation is in this thread somewhere. Although not optimized for mobile browsers, of course Android phones can use Flash and play matches on MLS Live. I do. People want the simplicity of an app... and to complain.

 

I just want the app. I would prefer to not have to complain. The fact is they could have created an app that worked across the board on Android. They choose not too by embracing a different protocol. That is fine. But I don't like hiding behind the 2% argument because it was their choice in the offseason.

 

I do have a question for folks:

In the past, at least here in Houston, MDL was blacked out for National games (obviously) but was not blacked out for games with only local coverage. This year that seems to have changed. I have tried to watch two road games that were blacked out due to local coverage. My question; is this true for other markets as well or was that a Houston decision this year? It kinda kills MDL as a viable product for me as everyone of our road games is broadcast locally. Which is great if I am at home, not so good when I am at the office. Either way, it makes the subscription rather useless other than watching other teams which I only do with time.

 

A quick question for the Android debate. When referring to visitors with Android devices capable of using the streaming technology, are these visitors defined as those who visit the MLS website? I know the ICS point was made, but if they're looking at visitors solely to the website, they're even more mistaken in their methodology. The first time I've visited mlssoccer.com on my Galaxy SII was just now to see how it worked. MLS offers the official app and it works great. There's no need to visit the site if you have the app.

 

They Dynamo have always technically had a TV territory but I only think after they signed the KPRC 2 deal this year that they have enforced the blackout (or not lifted it). This is the first year the Dynamo games get blacked out on Direct Kick for the Houston market. I think the same rules apply to MDL. The company that does the DK transmissions puts out a schedule with the blackouts for each game and this year the Dynamo games are getting blacked out for the most part (the San Jose game was not).

I thought it had mostly to do with whether or not the team got a rights fee for their games or not but I guess that isn't the case. As you know, in the past the Dynamo have been on many hard to get channels so they probably didn't want to limit availability of their games.

 

It's true for all markets. But the exact blackouts vary by market and team. Some teams don't seem to black out local games even if there's local coverage. Others black out every single locally covered game. The blackouts are published weekly, and the blackouts were described when you purchased MDL.

There are also local blackouts on DK.

 

I just found out that I gave the wrong info earlier. It turns out MLS live is only supported on Panasonic TVs, not on Panasonic bluray or DVD players. Panasonic includes the app on their bluray player, but it can only play archived games and highlights; it cannot play live games. I wondered why the news never updates on it.

I blame MLS for my confusion, because on their MLS live page at live.mlssoccer.com, it says "One subscription access on Computer, iPhone, iPad, roku and Panasonic". I never read the system requirements in the fine print, where it specifically says Internet connected Panasonic TVs. darn. :-(

So I can only watch live games but not archived games on the ipad, and I can only watch archived but not live games on the Panasonic bluray. Isn't there a term (other than screwed) in Philosophical logic for that kind of relationship?

 

I've watched via my Panasonic blu-ray.

 

I am familiar with the blackouts and corresponding rules. There is optionality in the local markets and I was curious how many local markets seem to black out all home games. The rules and the weekly publishing does little good at the beginning of the season when you buy MDL (or DK) if a team changes from their previous policy of not blacking out local broadcast games (as Houston did this year).

 

Yes. Everything is listed by the league (although, there are times when one can't trust the listings).

The SJvCUSA match was on Galavision on 5/13, and there was the following blackout listed:

Blackout: USA​

However, I was able to view the CSN Bay Area (SJ) coverage live via MLSLive.

 

Question: What protocol should they have used? Is there a protocol for streaming video that works as well on iOS as HTTP Live Streaming, and also works on older Android models? I have a feeling that they were faced with three crummy choices:

1. Develop two different streaming apps using two different protocols, requiring almost double the programming resources.
2. Use something other than HTTPLS, some protocol that works on both iOS and older Android versions, which runs the risk of a sub-par experience on iOS.
3. Wait for Android to catch up.

Choice #3 presumably presented the least risk.

------RM

 

Flash is obviously out due to Apple although Adobe Flash Server supports HLS so a two prong stream would not have been out of the question. RTMP is another option. Since they are providing their own app (essentially a player) they could have gone with a bevvy of protocols that were supported by the app similar to Netflix's approach (who use third party); or even proprietary like Amazon's. They could have maintained their formatting from last year (H.264 format is the basis for Silverlight, Flash and HLS) and dynamically re-wrap in MPEG-2; holding the option to broadcast both streams. Oddly, the one they choose isn't even a standard format yet. I get why they choose HLS, among other things it is essentially free and supported by iOS, but too say it was too much work or that the market wasn't there for Android I think is a marketing cop-out.

 

is anyone with Time Warner getting this Houston v Portland game in HD?

 

why the ******** is my TWC guy telling me that they are not carrying MLS Direct Kick in HD? wtf is this shit?

 

Last night was the worst night I've had watching on the Roku. Constant rebuffering. Maybe it was my connection, but this seldom ever happens with MLS Live (unlike MLB.tv). Gave up on the match at the 75 minute mark.

 

Obviously Roku and your Internet connection were doing you a favor. I didn't experience any problems online or via Panasonic.

 

I'd guess that it was the connection. The picture looked great on my Roku. The game on the other hand...

 

Yeah, my internet must have had some issues last night. Tonight was flawless.

 

Not that it's a huge deal, but none of the 2010 games work for me anymore. All the NBA/NHL playoff action made me wanna revisit the 2010 madness, at which point I realized that I wasn't able to do so

 

Looks like they are still selectable from the schedule. I bet it's a temporary thing.

 

New version of MLS Live available for IOS now in the app store (Version 3.2)

Some new items including condensed games available shortly after game is over with no restrictions