impact of new conference on TV broadcast

[Cratter]

Is jayson making a personal attack on calling me a troll??

If its true is it an attack.

[Siouxperfan7]

Just an fyi

Unlike many of u i was born and raised in gf and still make it my home

I have mkdco

Im trying to stcik up for everyone else that is to shy and is getting the shaft with this awesome deal the nchc negotiaed

Dude, you are sounding like a whinny little baby!! Seriously. If you don't like the way the University runs its athletics, go cheer for someone else. Bitching about it is not going to solve anything. Rationally discussing how they can make things better is perfectly fine. Once you sop complaining and blaming people and actually talking like a rational person that doesn't have a chip on their shoulder becuase of decisions made in the past, I will listen yo what you have to say.

[SIOUXTX]

I live in NW North Dakota, we get the Midco feed through our small, local cable company NCC. There are many, many Sioux hockey fans who watch and follow UND hockey. Many of them elderly, they don't have laptops,hdmi cables or even internet. CBSSN isn't offered through NCC cable. I guess once again they get thrown under the technology bus. Sad.

I feel your pain. I moved back to NW ND a couple of months ago. I went with the local provider for cable just to get the Sioux Hockey games. Most of you don't realize this but these local providers don't give you a large selection of channels let alone HD channels. Also, in western ND you have to wait 4-6 weeks just to get cable hooked up. CBSSN isn't an option for my local provider. So, the option is to get direct tv, but then you miss out on midco games. The other thing is that just becasue Midco will broadcast in HD next year doesn't mean we are getting it in HD. Only MIDCO subscribers are guaranteed it in HD. At this point NCC and RTC have said they aren't switching the broadcast to an HD channel for next years games. I would assume other cable companies will be the same way.

[Goon]

Is jayson making a personal attack on calling me a troll??

All's fair in love and war Proud Sioux... Personally, I don't think it's an attack since you said you called Jayson and myself out not all that long ago.

[watchmaker49]

I asked Matt Schill, who oversees all of our multimedia efforts, to give me a nuts-and-bolts response to those of you who are concerned about the quality of our webcasts going forward. Here is what he put together:

We currently stream at a 640x360 pixels with a constant video bit rate of 800 kbps. Meaning if your connection is less than 800 (or you’re using wireless, or have multiple browser windows open using bandwidth), the stream will not be constant. The help desk and the FAQ on our site offers tips to improve the broadcast if you are having trouble: http://www.undsports...DB_OEM_ID=13500

With an HD stream, we’d upload at 1280x720 with a variable 3,000 kbps bit rate. Meaning that stream will adjust to your connection speed. Higher end internet connections can watch in the full HD, or if you’re stuck in a hotel with poor wireless, the stream will optimize for you.

Fans got a taste of it a future UND video portal with the volleyball team played at Texas A&M (http://www.aggieathl...DB_OEM_ID=27300)

Regarding servers, UND’s video and website partner is Neulion, which operates the NHL Game Center, NFL, NBA and many other groups and colleges including Nebraska, Oregon, Duke and North Dakota. Its servers can handle it.

I haven’t heard a ton of negative feedback this year. Neulion handles most of it, but it definitely seems less than previous years. We also aren’t streaming a majority of our sports anymore. Maybe the negative commenters figured it out or stopped trying.

I also can’t speak to “it’s only UND that has problems.” If they have specific examples, we can dig into what happened or is happening. Otherwise the help desk (http://www.undsports...DB_OEM_ID=13500) is the best source. And in many cases, even though a person doesn't want to hear that it must be on their end, it usually is.

Matt

That would be sweet! That is better than the tv signal is now.

[Dustin]

Just for the heck of it, I went to Midcontinent's website and asked this:

Is Midcontinent pursuing to get the Midco Sports Network available on more cable and/or satellite systems throughout the country?

Their response:

Midco Sports Network will be available for cable systems in the region to pick up starting in August 2013. We suggest that you contact your cable or satellite provider and voice your support of Midco Sports Net.

Our website should have updates beginning in August.

[UND Alum Fan]

This means I am going to have to negotiate with my husband for both the laptop and the biggest tv. The amount of marital capital I am going to have to expend is staggering. Sigh.

LOL! I'm with you on this one 802Sioux. I'm already using that marital capital to borrow my husbands laptap everytime I want to watch a hockey game that's not on TV; like the UNO one last weekend. On a more serious not, the best webcast so far this year was Notre Dames and it was free.

Jason, thanks for all your explainations. I'll be watching all those webcasts next year so will be hanging tight to see where this issue issue is in the fall!!!

[ringneck28]

Jayson, are double header Fridays negotiated into the schedule? If they are, what is UND's stance on Sat Sunday series? Is this a way of getting around them. Is the Doubleheader Friday an exclusive for those 4 teams on that Friday? Meaning, the other 4 will have the weekend off? I know lots of questions here, but just trying to wrap my hands around this.

[Redneksioux]

So what if und is playing wisco on a cbssn double header weekend and und isn't in the cbssn schedule. Could wisco not air the game on fsn or big ten?? I know these are both considered regional networks but they are available nationally. Can the nchc contract really force a team from outside the conference to not air these games on tv?

[Siouxhockey1978]

Nope....and I'm guessing next season they won't pick up midco's feed so we can see the games.. They didn't this season because I have to pay them and extra 10.00 per month to get FCS channels... Anything to pi$$ a customer off, they make sure to do it!!

CABLEONE is a Joke

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

So what if und is playing wisco on a cbssn double header weekend and und isn't in the cbssn schedule. Could wisco not air the game on fsn or big ten?? I know these are both considered regional networks but they are available nationally. Can the nchc contract really force a team from outside the conference to not air these games on tv?

I would think CBSSN has no say in what out of conference teams do when they are playing at home (hosting UND).

[watchmaker49]

So what if und is playing wisco on a cbssn double header weekend and und isn't in the cbssn schedule. Could wisco not air the game on fsn or big ten?? I know these are both considered regional networks but they are available nationally. Can the nchc contract really force a team from outside the conference to not air these games on tv?

I wonder though if there would be something about regional coverage that would preclude them from showing it in Midco's market but not elsewhere.

[iluvdebbies]

I wonder though if there would be something about regional coverage that would preclude them from showing it in Midco's market but not elsewhere.

No way!

[watchmaker49]

No way!

Why?

[iluvdebbies]

Jayson will be by later to tell you why i'm right

[nodak651]

Why?

Guessing because Wisc would have it's own contracts... they didn't sign a contract with cbs, so cbs would have no control over of who Wisconsin has air their games? If Wisc had a deal with the big10, to where they couldnt air any games nationally, other than on the big10 network, they couldn't tell us we can't air our home series against them on fcs.

[nodak651]

A large percentage of mandatory student fees go to support the athletic department (I'm guessing that's why he feels they should get it for free, I'm not going to push for one way or the other).

Exactly, and students don't have the disposable cash to shell out on UND Insider. It would also help students follow the non hockey sports, which would help develop the badly needed support for the basketball and football programs.

I would be fine with paying for hockey content, however.

[Cratter]

How many users can sign on at the same time with the same user name? Works for Hulu..

[southpaw]

I would think CBSSN has no say in what out of conference teams do when they are playing at home (hosting UND).

That is correct. A game at Wisconsin could be aired regionally or nationally. However, I'm guessing that if UW were playing at UND and FSN wanted to do the game, they would not be allowed to.

Here's one more update for everyone on the playoff games and Midco's HD signal. In the past, I had believed that the first round playoff games would be in HD however I was incorrect. It will still be in SD, but it will be 16x9 (Widescreen.) Midco will be bringing the HD truck up to Grand Forks for that series, however it is not completely setup to be able to broadcast HD from GF. That will change in the fall.

[southpaw]

Exactly, and students don't have the disposable cash to shell out on UND Insider. It would also help students follow the non hockey sports, which would help develop the badly needed support for the basketball and football programs.

I would be fine with paying for hockey content, however.

How many non-hockey sports are streamed through UND Insider? I'm currently watching UND basketball on bigskytv. I also was able to watch many volleyball games on bigskytv. UND Insider doesn't have a ton of purpose outside of hockey and VOD.

[nodak651]

How many non-hockey sports are streamed through UND Insider? I'm currently watching UND basketball on bigskytv. I also was able to watch many volleyball games on bigskytv. UND Insider doesn't have a ton of purpose outside of hockey and VOD.

Ok, I wasn't sure what was or wasn't available on UND Insider or not. I'm enjoying bigskytv right now as well.. I do believe that you must pay for audio feeds for most sports however. I think there is other video content for those sports as well?

Edit: Just realized that there is a free UND Insider pass for audio. It must have been the phone app that required payment.

[southpaw]

Ok, I wasn't sure what was or wasn't available on UND Insider or not. I'm enjoying bigskytv right now as well.. I do believe that you must pay for audio feeds for most sports however. I think there is other video content for those sports as well?

Audio feeds are also free. You have to register but then you just select the free audio only option.

There is video content for the other sports but it's not restricted. I just opened up UND Insider and looked at the features/interviews section and it's available to everyone regardless of what package you purchase.

[nodak651]

Audio feeds are also free. You have to register but then you just select the free audio only option.

There is video content for the other sports but it's not restricted. I just opened up UND Insider and looked at the features/interviews section and it's available to everyone regardless of what package you purchase.

Wonderful! Thanks for the info.

[watchmaker49]

That is correct. A game at Wisconsin could be aired regionally or nationally. However, I'm guessing that if UW were playing at UND and FSN wanted to do the game, they would not be allowed to.

Here's one more update for everyone on the playoff games and Midco's HD signal. In the past, I had believed that the first round playoff games would be in HD however I was incorrect. It will still be in SD, but it will be 16x9 (Widescreen.) Midco will be bringing the HD truck up to Grand Forks for that series, however it is not completely setup to be able to broadcast HD from GF. That will change in the fall.

Do you know if CBSSP will own regional rights? What I am wondering is you say that CBS can prevent FSN from broadcasting a game from UND. If that is a fact then why can they not extend that to blocking FSN from showing a game in the same area? Jayson said you know what you are talking about. That Is why I am asking you.

[southpaw]

Do you know if CBSSP will own regional rights? What I am wondering is you say that CBS can prevent FSN from broadcasting a game from UND. If that is a fact then why can they not extend that to blocking FSN from showing a game in the same area? Jayson said you know what you are talking about. That Is why I am asking you.

It is unlikely they can force blackouts for a region. The reason they can restrict FSN from coming in is the same reason Midco can't do those games. CBSSN has an agreement with the conference and thus, the schools. They can control what broadcasts come out of the Ralph and other NCHC arenas. They can't control what other channels show if its at a game at UW, BC, etc.