Live or DVR

[Broken Ankles]

Just curious.  Where do you stand on watching the Sabres?   I’ve seen comments under the Game day thread alluding to being late for a game and catching only the last period.  Why not record and watch the game in it’s entirety?   As a left coaster for about half my life I rely on recording eastern time zone games and watching after work.   I know not everyone has traditional cable, and streaming has limitations but if you do have a DVR option, do you use it? 

[SwampD]

I love this topic.

I hate starting late and do everything in my power to catch up to live.

That said, I often watch games “dvred” and can get into them just as much. It doesn’t happen as often though.

[Weave]

I'm a luddite when it comes to DVR.  Never sprung for the service when I had cable, and don't use any type of record/playback device as a cord cutter.  If I miss stuff, I miss stuff.

[triumph_communes]

Had to basically uninstall a bunch of apps that spoil no matter what settings I select (looking at you Athletic), but I can usually DVR as long as that doesn’t happen. 
 

 

[SabresBaltimore]

Personally I always start the game 1h after puck drop and skip all the commercials and intermissions. Although with the 50th anniversary stuff, I tend to watch some of the intermissions this year. Typically I end the game within about 5 minutes of the actual ending.

 

I just avoid the internet until after the game ends.

 

82 games/year is a lot. Saving 82 hours/season really adds up.

[Ogre]

There’s no sense trying to record and watch later. It’s too difficult to maintain the bubble until I can watch it. Some damn sob or another has to pop it. 

[mjd1001]

I often times would intentionally start the game 30-45 minutes later and DVR it.  A 7:05 faceoff I would do work, yard work, chores, etc until 7:30 or 7:45.....then I'd start the game on DVR, fast forward through commercials and sometimes intermissions, and end up cathing up 'live' by the middle of the third period usually.

[Neo]

I wrote earlier this year about cutting cable, streaming and saving money.  I can still DVR, but don’t.  My NHL pass lets me watch any game, in progress or from the beginning, when I log in.  Unexpected gift ...

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Not to completely derail a good discussion that I know nothing about, but if I new what DVR was and how to use it, for the past few games I would have to vote neither.

(insert that NS, he is such a smart ass, thingie here)

(winkie - winkie)

[Stoner]

Always live for me unless unavoidable. I love the rhythm of it all, as much as I dislike that of an NFL game. Three periods, the old tripartite structure. The seventeen-minute (18?) breaks are enough time to decompress a little, get some things done. When I was young, that was good, solid homework time. Then during the action, the commercial placements are predictable and reasonable — 90 seconds long. To me, it's perfect.

When I have to record, it never works out. I just can't watch it the same way I watch a live game.

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

I often times would intentionally start the game 30-45 minutes later and DVR it.  A 7:05 faceoff I would do work, yard work, chores, etc until 7:30 or 7:45.....then I'd start the game on DVR, fast forward through commercials and sometimes intermissions, and end up cathing up 'live' by the middle of the third period usually.

That's still the preference.  Start watching the pregame show about 35 minutes after that begins and watch everything but commercials.  Gets through the game roughly when it ends realtime.

For Bills games, about 45 minutes works.

[Broken Ankles]

45 minutes ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

This.  I always start an hour late and end on time.  It's like time travel.  I see the whole game but don't have to watch the commercials or intermission BS.  Plus when you have an 0-4 1st period I reserve the right to watch it in fast forward to see if anything changes.  When it does not, I waste less time on a horrible hockey game.

+1.  Especially baseball games, which are taking 4 hours these days making them almost unwatchable.   

[PerreaultForever]

On Monday I set every game I want to see (all the Sabres games) to record and then if I'm late, have something to do, etc. I still catch the full game. Also, when I do this, I skip over the intros, the anthems, the commercial breaks, intermissions, video revues or any other delays. If it's a crap game sometimes even the time between face offs. Way better way to watch and enjoy a game.

Just remember, if you do that, to stay off your phone notifications until you are back to real time. 

[Radar]

Never DVR. Don't even have one anymore. For some reason watching a sporting event that's already been played doesn't seem the same.

[msw2112]

Great topic.  It is my life!  I live in Arizona now, so I'm usually at work when Sabres games start.  I also have family responsibilities when I get home from work until the kids go to bed, so I often don't get to sit down and watch a game until 8 or 9 PM Arizona time, which can be 10 or 11 in Buffalo.  The game is long over.  I have to live in the bubble and not look at my phone or someone will ruin it for me.  Even thought I have turned off all "alerts," my friends like to text when a Buffalo team does something good or bad.  Same goes for football.  Bills games start at 10 or 11 am (no Daylight Savings Time here, so it varies by an hour).  It's often difficult to have all of the Saturday or Sunday morning responsibilities out of the way and be ready to go by that early start time, so the DVR comes through for me.  I do prefer to watch live, but with fast-forwarding, I usually catch up to live sometime in the 3rd quarter.  It allows me to zip through the first half commercials and halftime.

I also very much agree with the earlier post about MLB games.  The DVR allows you to fast forward until the point where the game becomes interesting.  I just can't spare (nor do I want to spare) 4+ hours for a baseball game, but the late innings of a close World Series game are entertaining. 

The DVR also (as someone else mentioned) sometimes spares some agony.  I was able to fast forward through most of the Sabres-Caps game the other night.  It saved me a lot of time watching a putrid game.  If, during my fast forwarding, it looked like the Sabres were going to get back in the game, I could have switched back to regular speed and enjoyed it.  Unfortunately there was no need.

Edited November 4, 2019 by msw2112

[triumph_communes]

Intermissions are when dishes get cleaned, clothes get washed, drinks are refilled.  None of that happens without those 17 minutes.

 

Going to be a dirty house this week with no games in 5 days

Edited November 4, 2019 by triumph_communes

[Hawerchuk]

I'm on the West Coast as well. I start the game on time (4pm Pacific) and stream it thru REDDIT NHL STREAMS. Watch the first period on my computer, listen to the second period on that horrible Radio.com (formerly WGR app) during the car ride home. Get home and log in on my desktop computer for the third period (Reddit as well). Works out pretty well for me, plus its free using Reddit streams! 

[dudacek]

17 hours ago, Neo said:

I wrote earlier this year about cutting cable, streaming and saving money.  I can still DVR, but don’t.  My NHL pass lets me watch any game, in progress or from the beginning, when I log in.  Unexpected gift ...

This is me. 

16 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Always live for me unless unavoidable. I love the rhythm of it all, as much as I dislike that of an NFL game. Three periods, the old tripartite structure. The seventeen-minute (18?) breaks are enough time to decompress a little, get some things done. When I was young, that was good, solid homework time. Then during the action, the commercial placements are predictable and reasonable — 90 seconds long. To me, it's perfect.

And this.

[North Buffalo]

I need to watch live on NHL app to choose whether to keep watching or sleep before my nite shift... If game looks good I suffer... if not I catch highlights at work... or watch the game where I left off if not too tired.  Sleep is important any time I can get it. 

One advantage of chemo was all the time off and sleeping I did during the day had me wide awake at 7p for games... Now back to the grind...

Edited November 4, 2019 by North Buffalo

[Doohicksie]

19 hours ago, Broken Ankles said:

Just curious.  Where do you stand on watching the Sabres?   I’ve seen comments under the Game day thread alluding to being late for a game and catching only the last period.  Why not record and watch the game in it’s entirety?   As a left coaster for about half my life I rely on recording eastern time zone games and watching after work.   I know not everyone has traditional cable, and streaming has limitations but if you do have a DVR option, do you use it? 

It depends on the situation for me.

I live in the Central time zone.  I usually try to watch the games live.  Sometimes I'm running late; depending on how late I am, I may choose to watch the game from the beginning or jump in live.  If I don't know the score I'm more likely to watch the entire game.  But I watch on NHL.tv through my Roku and if I haven't set up the option to hide the score I will see what it is... if the Sabres are already behind I won't go back and watch the whole thing.  If, on the other hand, I can get into the game without seeing the score, and I think I can catch up by fast-forwarding through commercials and intermission, I'm more likely to watch the entire game.

But watching on NHL.tv means you don't have to record, since you can Watch Live, Watch from the Beginning, or Resume where you left off.

1 minute ago, North Buffalo said:

Now back to the grind...

Good to hear you're grinding again.

Edited November 4, 2019 by Doohickie

[North Buffalo]

Not fully but close still have to pace myself but gained 10lbs back out of 40 lost and endurance getting better.  TY

[Broken Ankles]

5 hours ago, msw2112 said:

Great topic.  It is my life!  I live in Arizona now, so I'm usually at work when Sabres games start.  I also have family responsibilities when I get home from work until the kids go to bed, so I often don't get to sit down and watch a game until 8 or 9 PM Arizona time, which can be 10 or 11 in Buffalo.  The game is long over.  I have to live in the bubble and not look at my phone or someone will ruin it for me.  Even thought I have turned off all "alerts," my friends like to text when a Buffalo team does something good or bad.  Same goes for football.  Bills games start at 10 or 11 am (no Daylight Savings Time here, so it varies by an hour).  It's often difficult to have all of the Saturday or Sunday morning responsibilities out of the way and be ready to go by that early start time, so the DVR comes through for me.  I do prefer to watch live, but with fast-forwarding, I usually catch up to live sometime in the 3rd quarter.  It allows me to zip through the first half commercials and halftime.

I also very much agree with the earlier post about MLB games.  The DVR allows you to fast forward until the point where the game becomes interesting.  I just can't spare (nor do I want to spare) 4+ hours for a baseball game, but the late innings of a close World Series game are entertaining. 

The DVR also (as someone else mentioned) sometimes spares some agony.  I was able to fast forward through most of the Sabres-Caps game the other night.  It saved me a lot of time watching a putrid game.  If, during my fast forwarding, it looked like the Sabres were going to get back in the game, I could have switched back to regular speed and enjoyed it.  Unfortunately there was no need.

My 80 year old father often texts....(too often in the last few years)..."Did you watch the Sabres game yet?   Don't bother".    As you might guess, he is Live Only for all sporting events.  He will acquiesce when visiting his West Coast family, but it destroys him inside.  

[msw2112]

My father (in his 70's) always does this.  I was mid-sentence telling him "The Sabres are playing tonight and I recorded it and can't wait to watch it later," but after the word "tonight" he proceeded to interject into the conversation to tell me that they won.  After I get frustrated, he always tries to backtrack and say "well, I don't really know what happened" but it's too late.  The horse has left the barn.  I have other friends that text frequently during games to talk about them, no matter how often I remind them I live in the West and to please not do this.  The only way to do it is to not answer or look at your phone for a few hours.  One time, I went phones down and my neighbor was calling to tell me there was a fire at her house.  I ignored the call and was quite startled when fire trucks showed up shortly thereafter!  Thankfully, it was a very small fire and nobody got hurt and little to no property damage.  (It pains me to tell this story, as I sound like a real a-hole - but really, I'm not.  I just like to enjoy my sports.???)

Edited November 4, 2019 by msw2112

[miles]

I usually start the game on nhl.tv about 15 minutes late. This way I can skip the in between time and commercials 

[#freejame]

I’m always live since I follow the GDT on my phone whether I’m watching or not. It’s much harder for me to get excited during recordings too.