sprig

And I've not yet seen a web stream that can match first generation feed quality, hence my skepticism. For those that get HD and SD networks ota, you have seen the quality of first generation, beats any SD or HD from directtv, dish, or any cable co. Just can't match it.

Should add that the stream will get an extreme amount of additional use, especially next year, when UND hockey is gone from FCS as well as any other TV availability for many. Will the servers, whoever runs them, handle this significantly increased use. I've seen Sioux fan totally shut down other web streams for road games that aren't available on TV, will UNDInsider handle that level of use. I know past UND web stream services have been quick to refund money when they don't work for someone, but I want them to work, and don't want to have to ask for a refund. Also, have there been any discussions on getting a midcosportsnet ap, on smart tv and the likes of samsung bluray players, to avoid constantly hooking up a PC to the TV.

Thanks, finally, for that response. As long as it will be our only option, and I hope that is not forever, I'll be using the stream.

Jayson, Please address uplinks to satellite and FTA. To date no one has answered that question. I'll be comparing the web stream to the former FTA offering. I'm very skeptical that it will be the same quality.

Absolutely, and add dish's multi sportspak to that list, so no one (me) is left out. Until that happens, many of us will apparently have to stay patient, do without the former FSSN, and hope the deals get done. It doesn't appear to be much different, however, than the Ohio News Network, a regional channel that added all of Miami's home hockey in hopes of expanding their footprint. I don't know that anyone that hasn't lived within their region has ever hear of it, other than FTA'ers, but they are no longer uplinked to satellite, I haven't seen the network available on either directtv or dish, and I assume they are once again just a regional local cable network in the Ohio area. Hope Midco doesn't end up with that level of non success. Edit: Guess it's permanently gone from anywhere now, according to wikpedia Montana football has been FTA for years, and last year went HD FTA, along with the rest of the Big Sky, which were, for the most part, available FTA in HD. I'm guessing that the ROOT sports deal will end that also.

Didn't know the whole story, but the result is the same. While I hope midco sportsnet will become a national sportsnetwork, I'm mostly resigned to the fact that the best it will do is remain a regional cable network, unavailable amongst the major players (including directtv and dish). Wish they would stay FTA while they try to increase their viewership (like the Ohio News Network did when they picked up all Miami home hockey), but I fear the end result will be the same, a regional sports cable network only. Maybe then they'll offer us a pay for smart card to watch the channel. Without any pro sports, midco can't get to that level anyway.

It should be surprising to no one that sports powerhouse fox would be less than cooperative to someone else's sportsnetwork getting any kind of foothold in the sports tv market. I'm surprised that they agreed to show anything from another network trying to make a splash like midco is. Reminds me a bit of a sports network wannabe (was it called victory 1 or similar) trying to make a splash into sports network broadcasting by buying the espn regional hockey tourney sydication out from under the Fox Sports Networks to try to get on cable networks and others. Although the new network offered up the regional broadcast for free, some cable co's didn't point their antennas to get it, so many of us didn't see the Denver's grab and tackle 1-0 win over the Sioux (I could almost thank victory for not having to watch that). At any rate, Victory failed miserably in gaining a foothold in the sports networking market, and was down the tubes within months. While midco is not going away as a cable tv provider, I hope they have better luck invading the national market with their sportsnet but trying to gain a spot amongst the giants Fox Sports, NBC Sports, CBS Sports and ESPN (ABC Sports) doesn't seem too easy to do.

We'll do that, more than likely, but, although a web stream for someone with the bandwidth may compare to the compressed directtv and dish sd feeds, it simply does not compare to first generation uncompressed feeds available fta. If you get local HD ota, you'll have seen the difference in quality. Also, I've seen a legion of Sioux fans actually destroy the bandwidth for streams for road games, and am wondering if the insider servers can withstand a huge increase in users. For some, depending on their location on the internet pipeline, the stream works fine, for others, it rebuffers constantly, making it unwatchable.

All true, it will be uplinked to satellite, but are currently believing the tweet from a midco rep that wrote it will not be available FTA. Don't worry, we'll all be scanning to try and find the feed.

When do single game hockey tickets go on sale this year?

I'm already without this year with no FTA, but I won't have a coronary over it. Angry Sioux fans can only help in midco's negotiations ouside the footprint, as the demand for the sportsnet by lots of fans can only help in midco's negotiations. I just object to being told I should be happy by those who are not without. Here's a suggestion, I'll sit back and hope that UND Sports and the midcosportsnet returns in the future, while you sit back and consider your feelings if you were without UND sports TV for a year or more (TV that was available to all of us in some form for the last 10 years).

You obviously believe midco has much more power outside of their footprint than I do. In the meantime those of us that have watch UND sports on TV for years, will be unable to watch, maybe for a couple years, maybe for several years, maybe forever. I do not doubt they are trying to, and are hopeful to, negotiate deals with other cableco's, as well as satellite TV (whether satellite TV deals will ever happen is the real question). Next year, what the Big Sky deal has done with Root Sports this year, the NCHC deal has done with CBSSports. This is the last year any UND sports will be on FCS, unless midco can make a deal to be a satellite sportsnetwork in itself. satellite TV will be a done deal for UND fans, except for a few hockey games on CBS, and few football games on ROOT. Whether these deals are good for UND in the long run remains to be seen. Some of you believe it is, others of us are skeptical. Good luck to Midco, I hope to see the channel on satellite TV at some time in the future. In the mean time, many of us will have to go without. At any rate, it's much easier to be supportive and optimistic about this new deal, as 82 is, if you get midco sports net by some means, while the rest of us are left to complain and help force a deal with our TV provider.

Where did you come up with this crap. Midco covers portions of 3 states, great for you guys who get it, but how does everyone outside of that footprint watch. You are clueless as to how many Sioux fans are represented outside of that area. How, with the much smaller footprint, do more people watch than watched in the past? Without dish, directv, and any cableco other than midco getting the feed, this is a future loss for UND, big time. Do you have any idea how many UND fans in the TC area alone (I'm not there), have installed FTA, or directtv, to watch, while others traveled to a Sensor's establishment to watch FTA. How long will it take for whatever cableco rules the TC, or directtv, to buy midco sportsnet. You apparently think midco now is powerful enough to force this. For this year, it's lost TV for a huge number of us. If midco becomes Fox powerful and can sell their product to satellite TV and other cableco's in the future, good for Sioux sports. I'm not holding my breath.

We were hoping, but an recent tweet by a midco rep stated that it will not be available. Not a suprise, midco is trying to sell their product, not give it away, and hope pressure from Sioux fans expand their footprint. Until that happens, thousands of us who watched Sioux sports can now either stream, or follow a game thread on this site. That, imo, is a major step backwards. I don't blame midco for going after the deal, I blame the U for taking away so much for so many.

All fine for everyone in the midco area, or in an area whose cable buys the sportsnet, but for thousands of others, including satellite TV, there are no other options, other than FTA, or, if midco chooses to sell FTA users a smart card for the channel. Talk to anyone at midco, they seem totally clueless as to what theralph used to do for us, uplink to satellite, and offer as FTA, if we had a system. I doubt that midco is yet big or important enough (like fox) to sell their product to dish and directtv as part of the respective sports pak. If they could do that, or sell smartcard access, that would solve everyone's problem. It's a bit funny that those that have access to midco are chastising all of us who don't have an option to get Sioux sports. I think the Sioux fans showing up at games all over the country is indicative that the midco footprint falls way short of the fanbase. It doesn't even cover all of North Dakota.

New deal feels much like the 80s, when Prairie Public TV dropped Sioux hockey.

Midco has offered the channel to all cable networks that previously paid to get FSSN. If they pay, they'll get it.

Big Sky would have to create an app for SmartTV to access it. More than likely your only avenue would be to hook up a computer to the TV. Smarttv aps are, however, imo, worth it, access to lots of things (and adding more constantly), not to mention that the top of the line LED TVs the aps are on look really good (I've only seen them in stores, don't have one myself) You can also get a samsung bluray player and get those same aps.

Just let me know when there are so many mallards that the dish can't see the sky.

The REA no longer has anything to do with it, it's up to Midco. Unlikely we'll know until one of us blind scans in a feed for the first televised football game. Doubt that, even if it is FTA, we'll get any information on satellite, transponder, etc, like we used to. Check out the message boards for the first midco football game telecast, then start scanning satellites and check out the message boards to see if somone has found it.

Yes, Jake found a feed last year.

the old big ones are still needed to pick up low frequency channels (known as C band). High frequency (KU band) can be picked up with 80 cm and larger dishes (slightly larger than directtv size), although the directtv size will work.

FSSN no longer exists (nor does UNDSN), it's now the Midco sports net on cable. Midco will uplink to satellite, but no word on whether that will be scrambled or not. All home football games will be done by midco. Any other cable companies will need to buy it from Midco. There's a rumour that directtv's FCS may get the feed for one more year.

Hoping.

I'd just like to get the games. No matter who is calling them. Video and no audio would beat nothing at all.