2021 TV

Wonder if they will offer live betting on games, directly from the TV console.

 

OK great news. Next hurdle is getting their app compatible with all of the streaming devices: Roku, Apple TV, Firestick, et al.

Towards the end of last season, I ended up watching most of the games on my work computer and plugged into TV via HDMI. Somehow allowed ESPN+ and the VPN thought I was in many places but not Central Ohio. Would prefer not to do that.

 

That sounds like a really bad idea, actually. Like really, really bad.

 

I knew that tidbit was triple Timongeuse but you're right.

 

Well, I mean, for your own future at your employer, I recommend strongly not doing that.

Maybe I'm extra sensitive to it because of my particular employer and the equipment they provide, and the nature of my job.

Funny thing is, like the older days of similar work, you could probably get away with it if you don't use the company VPN (if that's possible), like if you're in a hotel and have no private device as in the days before widespread modern cell phones - in fact it would be downright insane to do so on the company VPN - but OPSEC considerations plus potential abuse of company assets issues would make it inadvisable. Maximally so.

In the not-terribly-distant past, the only practical way to access private e-mail and personal, off-hours surfing while on travel WAS to use the company-issued laptop, connected directly, rather than through the VPN. Nowadays, it's no longer necessary or practical (and may lead to bad outcomes).

 

I don't visit any website not directly related to my work with my work provided laptop. Just not worth the risk. When they decide to make lists of people to layoff, I don't want to be at the top of any list. Including inappropriate use of work hardware/software.

 

I assume they look at every website I visit - including this one. And would be prepared to justify it versus my timesheet. And I realize it breaks rules and I am objectively in the wrong and as I continue to type people are shuddering at my hubris.

 

I am curious though - does anyone know how long the current TV deal with - now Ballys Sports - is?

It's a real killer with so many cable/satellite providers not carrying those channels.

 

It's not the "visiting whimsical websites from time to time" that's necessarily the dangerous thing. People have been doing that since time immemorial with little risk or consequence.

It's the streaming that is the outstandingly bad idea. That's a much, much, much larger use of limited resources.

 

The other places that cause trouble? Many sites now have automatic videos that run whenever you go to them. Many news sites are guilty of this. Those are a resource killer.

 

You know what can fix those?

 

I do not have options when I am on my work computer.

 

Yes you do. You're just scared to death.

If I have options, so do you.

 

Bally Sports is just the name of the channel, they are still owned by Sinclair and they still don’t have a timetable of when they possibly will spin the channels off as a standalone option.

 

I am not 100% sure of what you are talking about here. For example, I can't run an adblocker as that would require changes to my browser--and I do not have the requisite permissions.

 

Sinclair owns Bally’s sports OH, Great Lakes etc.
Sinclair owns Fox Sports Go app or at least has license to program it.
Sinclair owns a contract with The Crew to broadcast a lot of games for the next so many seasons.
I don’t care what they call the channel as long as they air the games. I’m not expecting big changes immediately.

 

Yes - but - I would like it if they would be available consistently for a provider. I keep getting providers that carry the games, and then those channels get dropped. If they just make the channel itself available for me to purchase a subscription to I don't care what the channel is called - I'll pay for it. But when I got to pay a massive contract cancellation fee with a provider just so I can switch services...

The other downside - shite rural internet service.

Maybe Elon's Skynet - errr - I mean Starlink will save us one day.

 

Streaming a game over something like ESPN+ is much more likely to catch the ire of your IT department. A news site with a low quality video briefly playing is pretty unlikely unless they are really looking for it. I can tell you, we IT guys have much more important things to do than look at your browsing usage. We can, but don't unless asked to or need to reduce usage overall for some reason. We have much better things to do, like posting on BS or keeping an eye on Gamestock and AMC stocks.

 

Yeah, for sure. In my exchanges with Ken, I didn't mean to make it sound like that was that huge of a concern. It's the streaming of long-form, high-quality video that is a bad idea.

Streaming over a company VPN that other people are trying to do work on is very bad form, and can get you in serious trouble. It also leaves you zero defense, since that VPN is 100% controlled by your company, and if they find out you're the reason there's congestion, you're ********ed.

 

I looked this up for CBJ last week, until Bally's has the app working, the only place you can get the stream is on AT&T, $89.99/mo no contract, $69.99/mo if you get the contract. Not ideal.

 

That does get you CBJ, Crew and Reds or Indians if so inclined. In the long run, streaming is going to eventually even out or come close to cable. It sucks, but is reality.

 

I switched to it this month at the $94.99 tier. If you don't care about DVR or pausing live TV it works well. The picture looks better then I got with Spectrum at least.

 

Two big questions from me:

1. What's a "TV Console"?
2. Will Sinclair make their service available to non-traditional service providers (YTTV, Hulu, Pluto, etc)?