Streaming the Sabres Legally

[That Aud Smell]

This is timely for me as well, as I cut the cord and have no clue how or whether I plan to watch the Sabres next season.

What are the cord-cutting options if you're located within the market? 

My sense is that there are none. Something about cloaking my VPN and getting NHL center ice?

[Eleven]

4 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

This is timely for me as well, as I cut the cord and have no clue how or whether I plan to watch the Sabres next season.

What are the cord-cutting options if you're located within the market? 

My sense is that there are none. Something about cloaking my VPN and getting NHL center ice?

As far as I know, there are none, and that's probably due to a deal between MSG and its carriers.  Hopefully that will change as more and more consumers move to streaming.

[Bisonbreath123]

I cut the cord 3 years ago and use a Firestick 4K to get almost 2000 channels legally and ultra HD for $7 a month on internet TV with an app called Area 51. It has HBO, cinemax, showtime, all of the sports channels both here and in Canada, UK etc... It's not perfect but it's damn good. I recommend getting a 4K TV and paying an extra $20-30 a month for high speed internet. I stream all of the Bills and Sabres games online in Tampa with great picture and sound and RJ calling the games but I'm not giving up the sites as they'll be targeted and shutdown by the no fun police

[MattPie]

On 5/20/2019 at 10:01 AM, That Aud Smell said:

This is timely for me as well, as I cut the cord and have no clue how or whether I plan to watch the Sabres next season.

What are the cord-cutting options if you're located within the market? 

My sense is that there are none. Something about cloaking my VPN and getting NHL center ice?

 

On 5/20/2019 at 2:34 PM, Eleven said:

As far as I know, there are none, and that's probably due to a deal between MSG and its carriers.  Hopefully that will change as more and more consumers move to streaming.

Yep, that's how I understand it too. The carriers pay the big bucks for exclusivity. You have to think in the next 3-5 years that'll change otherwise there's a significant population that's slipping away.

The one thing I'll add to the discussion is I believe Youtube TV carries NBC and its hench-networks on a monthly plan, so getting that for two months should cover the playoffs (as if that's relevant to anyone here). 

 

2 hours ago, Bisonbreath123 said:

I cut the cord 3 years ago and use a Firestick 4K to get almost 2000 channels legally and ultra HD for $7 a month on internet TV with an app called Area 51. It has HBO, cinemax, showtime, all of the sports channels both here and in Canada, UK etc... It's not perfect but it's damn good. I recommend getting a 4K TV and paying an extra $20-30 a month for high speed internet. I stream all of the Bills and Sabres games online in Tampa with great picture and sound and RJ calling the games but I'm not giving up the sites as they'll be targeted and shutdown by the no fun police

Somehow, those two statements don't seem to work together. I could be wrong, but doubt HBO (to pick one) is licensing out its content for a fraction of $7/mo when the HBO Go service is $15/mo.

[Bisonbreath123]

I'd be skeptical too if not for the fact that I have this setup. Check out Area51. I have it on 3 TV's in my house and the app is downloaded on a Firestick plugged it each TV. The main TV in the living room cost $7 a month and the other two TVs added to the account are $4 a month. I stream Sabres and bills games off my laptop in high-def and the picture is great. Been doing it for years and when friends visit from Buffalo they're quite impressed at the quality, but especially the cost. Check it out

https://troypoint.com/area-51-iptv/

[That Aud Smell]

^

I clicked through. The service strongly suggests that you use a VPN that will cloak your identity and disclaims knowledge of whether its content providers have licenses to provide their content.

I’m mystified at how that service can operate in the open.

[That Aud Smell]

Also this:

https://www.comparitech.com/iptv/area-51-iptv/

Hard pass.

[Bisonbreath123]

I'd be skeptical too if not for the fact that I have this setup. Check out Area51. I have it on 3 TV's in my house and the app is downloaded on a Firestick plugged it each TV. The main TV in the living room cost $7 a month and the other two TVs added to the account are $4 a month. I stream Sabres and bills games off my laptop in high-def and the picture is great. Been doing it for years and when friends visit from Buffalo they're quite impressed at the quality, but especially the cost. 

[Stoner]

I'm being left behind.

 

 

[shrader]

2 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

I'm being left behind.

 

 

I can actually hear that image.?

[MattPie]

8 hours ago, Bisonbreath123 said:

I'd be skeptical too if not for the fact that I have this setup. Check out Area51. I have it on 3 TV's in my house and the app is downloaded on a Firestick plugged it each TV. The main TV in the living room cost $7 a month and the other two TVs added to the account are $4 a month. I stream Sabres and bills games off my laptop in high-def and the picture is great. Been doing it for years and when friends visit from Buffalo they're quite impressed at the quality, but especially the cost. 

I don't think we're skeptical that it works, but that it's legal. There's no way Area51 is paying the content providers for what it's providing.

[That Aud Smell]

22 minutes ago, MattPie said:

I don't think we're skeptical that it works, but that it's legal. There's no way Area51 is paying the content providers for what it's providing.

Right. There must be some plausible deniability voodoo they're running. It's been widely reported that it costs a cable company, Sling, etc. $6 per month to provide the various ESPN properties to a subscriber. How can Area51 provide those ESPN channels and hundreds of others for $7 per month? It doesn't wash.

[SDS]

41 minutes ago, MattPie said:

I don't think we're skeptical that it works, but that it's legal. There's no way Area51 is paying the content providers for what it's providing.

 

16 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Right. There must be some plausible deniability voodoo they're running. It's been widely reported that it costs a cable company, Sling, etc. $6 per month to provide the various ESPN properties to a subscriber. How can Area51 provide those ESPN channels and hundreds of others for $7 per month? It doesn't wash.

Guys, you are arguing over whether Mr. Olympia is on steroids. Of course this is illegal streaming. Someone is just gathering the streams and rebroadcasting. Probably out of Russia where a lot of the illegal NFL servers are based. You are only paying the guy doing the restreaming. 

[That Aud Smell]

1 minute ago, SDS said:

Guys, you are arguing over whether Mr. Olympia is on steroids. Of course this is illegal streaming. Someone is just gathering the streams and rebroadcasting. Probably out of Russia where a lot of the illegal NFL servers are based. You are only paying the guy doing the restreaming. 

[darksabre]

I've said before that I think the VPN with NHL.TV is a gray area and I see nothing wrong with going this route. I'm paying the NHL for the product I want.

I know some corporation out there is getting screwed because I'm not watching advertisements on their network. But screw em for holding the product I want hostage.

[Hoss]

A few states away and I've found my stream is pretty weak sometimes. The hues of yellow/gold aren't always right either.

[MattPie]

19 minutes ago, Hoss said:

A few states away and I've found my stream is pretty weak sometimes. The hues of yellow/gold aren't always right either.

Have you consulted a urologist on this?

[MattPie]

1 hour ago, darksabre said:

I've said before that I think the VPN with NHL.TV is a gray area and I see nothing wrong with going this route. I'm paying the NHL for the product I want.

I know some corporation out there is getting screwed because I'm not watching advertisements on their network. But screw em for holding the product I want hostage.

NHL.tv at some point had specific language about VPNs, so it may not be very grey.

[darksabre]

36 minutes ago, MattPie said:

NHL.tv at some point had specific language about VPNs, so it may not be very grey.

I'm sure they do. So they're more than welcome to have me unsubscribe and go back to the illegal streams.

[JujuFish]

3 hours ago, darksabre said:

I've said before that I think the VPN with NHL.TV is a gray area and I see nothing wrong with going this route. I'm paying the NHL for the product I want.

I know some corporation out there is getting screwed because I'm not watching advertisements on their network. But screw em for holding the product I want hostage.

The only good thing about living in New England sports-wise is that I don't have to use a VPN with NHL.tv to get my Sabres fix (except for Boston games, of course).  That said, I always have an active VPN subscription since I keep it going 24/7 on my phone.

[MattPie]

4 hours ago, darksabre said:

I'm sure they do. So they're more than welcome to have me unsubscribe and go back to the illegal streams.

I think the language was something like terminate your account and a $400 early termination fee. I'm not sure they really try to enforce it, of course.

[steveoath]

Yeah IPTV is not legal. It the UK the user can be prosecuted for using "services" like this.

[Winston]

10 hours ago, JujuFish said:

The only good thing about living in New England sports-wise is that I don't have to use a VPN with NHL.tv to get my Sabres fix (except for Boston games, of course).  That said, I always have an active VPN subscription since I keep it going 24/7 on my phone.

I’ve considered doing this.. curious about your rationale and your experience. 

[JujuFish]

On 5/23/2019 at 7:05 AM, EichSnipe said:

I’ve considered doing this.. curious about your rationale and your experience. 

I've had a VPN for a long time because public wi-fi hotspots are incredibly insecure.  I used to only activate it when on public wi-fi, but I keep it on all the time since Senate Joint Resolution 34 passed a couple years ago, which rolled back privacy protections against ISPs.

As for experience, it's no effort at all to turn on/off, but it drains my phone battery significantly more than it would otherwise, which is a notable downside.