What is MLB.tv anyway?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I got an e-mail from Verizon last week telling me that, along with my Extra Innings package this year, I'll get a free subscription to MLB.tv.

I looked it up but I didn't really understand what this is going to mean to me. Will I be able to watch live games on a mobile device? Does anyone have MLB.tv who can explain how it's useful?

I see that there's a standard and a premium version. Verizon didn't specify which version I'd get, but my guess it will be the standard version.

[TransMonk]

I've had MLB.tv for years. It allows me to watch any (non-national-boadcast) MLB game on my PC, tablet or smart phone. There are also apps for my smart TV, so I can watch them on my regular TV as well, so I have no need for Extra Innings.

I believe the standard version may be for PC only and you will have to pay for the mobile app separately ($15ish, IIRC). But you may want to visit MLB.com for details.

The premium service allows for me to watch home or away broadcasts, the ability to overlay the radio broadcast over the TV image, or to not have any announcers at all and only listen to the ambient ballpark sounds.

Not being in the NYC area, I would be lost without it.

[Guest themetfairy]

Cool - I hope Verizon offers me the same service. I don't have a TV in the room where I keep my PC, so it would be nice to have access to game telecasts in the study.

[Ceetar]

local blackouts still apply of course. It might be the premium version, given that you already have Extra Innings, but who knows.

If you want to watch other teams, it's great.

Also useful, I believe, is that you can watch/download older games. So say you're looking for a clip or highlight or even a Ralph Kiner conversation, you can grab that game and find it.

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

That sounds pretty neat -- especially for a fellow out-of-market fan. I use the MLB at-bat app.

If I may ask, can you tell me how expensive the MLB.tv thing is?

[Ceetar]

premium is $130/yr.

[TransMonk]

The $130/year option gives access to spring games, too.

They also have a $25/month option. If you find it does not hold the value you would like, it's easier to cancel than be stuck with the whole season.

Like I said...if you have a smart TV or Roku or any other internet connected TV box, they usually have an MLB.TV app incorporated to watch the games on your TV too.

I'm a big fan.

[Ceetar]

TransMonk wrote: The $130/year option gives access to spring games, too. They also have a $25/month option. If you find it does not hold the value you would like, it's easier to cancel than be stuck with the whole season. Like I said...if you have a smart TV or Roku or any other internet connected TV box, they usually have an MLB.TV app incorporated to watch the games on your TV too. I'm a big fan.

Playstation as well I believe. I never get it since I'm in market, but I always sorta want it. I use the app and the audio all the time.

[TransMonk]

I love Gary, Keith and Ron...but the ability to turn off the announcers and just let the ballpark audio play is AMAZING.

If only NFL games would offer such an option.

[Guest vtmet]

Ceetar wrote: TransMonk wrote: The $130/year option gives access to spring games, too. They also have a $25/month option. If you find it does not hold the value you would like, it's easier to cancel than be stuck with the whole season. Like I said...if you have a smart TV or Roku or any other internet connected TV box, they usually have an MLB.TV app incorporated to watch the games on your TV too. I'm a big fan. Playstation as well I believe. I never get it since I'm in market, but I always sorta want it. I use the app and the audio all the time.

from my own experience, watching the games thru the Playstation is a much better option than thru the computer...at least if you have a Windows based computer...

When I watched thru my son's Playstation, the picture was crystal clear and no buffering at all (kind of like watching tv)...whereas, I think we've all experienced watching video through a computer, it tends to have moments of buffering, choppiness or video being out of sync with the audio...I did find that mlb.tv did work better through my Linux computer than it did through my Windows computers (which is also part of the reason why the Playstation was smoother, it also uses Linux instead of Windows)...

If you don't live in the SNY broadcast area, mlb.tv is a great option overall...I liked it much better than the "MLB Extra Innings" package because you can watch the game at any time; or start it a few minutes late or pause it when you need to...With MLB Extra innings, you have to be accurate with your timing...I had MLB Extra Innings for 2 years, and then I've had mlb.tv the past 2 seasons...

[Guest vtmet]

TransMonk wrote: The $130/year option gives access to spring games, too. They also have a $25/month option. If you find it does not hold the value you would like, it's easier to cancel than be stuck with the whole season. Like I said...if you have a smart TV or Roku or any other internet connected TV box, they usually have an MLB.TV app incorporated to watch the games on your TV too. I'm a big fan.

Have you tried a Roku? My son just moved out with his Playstation, and I've considered buying a Roku but don't know much about them...

[TransMonk]

I have a Roku that I use in my bedroom for Netflix, Amazon Prime, PBS and MLB.TV. I'm thinking the more of those subscription services you subscribe to the more valuable the Roku is for you.

I like it a lot.

[Guest vtmet]

thanks Monk...

Which model Roku?

[Zvon]

I'm real cheap and I think premium is a great deal.

[TransMonk]

vtmet wrote: thanks Monk... Which model Roku?

Roku 3 Streaming Media Player

[Guest d'Kong76]

Three games on today ... it's ON!!

[metirish]

TransMonk wrote: vtmet wrote: thanks Monk... Which model Roku? Roku 3 Streaming Media Player

I have that model...gotta say it's overpriced, especially now with Smart TV's coming with all of those apps....to me it would be worth spending the $500+ on the TV and doing away with the roku.

The Roku is currently hooked up to an older TV at wife's house while I did purchase a Samsung Smart TV and didn't have use for the Roku...I did buy a chromecast though.....love it...doesn't yet support MLB TV

[TransMonk]

Yeah, we got the Roku when we bought a smart TV for the living room and moved the old dumb TV to the bedroom. YMMV.

[duan]

I use mlb.tv all the time on the iPad and the AppleTV, rarely being in work if there's a game on.
I've no blackouts, cause well, I don't live in any 'franchise area'
There service is excellent, pretty much as good as a TV feed 95% of the time, and now that my house broadband is being bumped to 200mb down I'd say I'm more dependent on the net weather on the MLB side of the pipe then on mine, and there's is *very good*

[Benjamin Grimm]

Thanks everyone. I'll have to see what I think of the free version I get this year, and maybe if I like it I'll pay for it next year in lieu of Extra Innings.

Of course, if it's a two-for-the-price-of-one thing, I might as well stick with getting both.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

What is a chromecast?

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

I've been subscribing to MLB TV since 2005 and last year I started using the MLB At Bat app. I rarely have time to actually watch games but I enjoy listening to games on the smartphone. I'm trying to save money this year and what I'd like is to subscribe to Gameday Audio and listen to it through At Bat. I see a $20 subscription for Gameday Audio and a $20 subscription for At Bat, but I can't figure out from the byzantine MLB web page if they work together.

[TransMonk]

They work together if you pay for both.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

TransMonk wrote: They work together if you pay for both.

Thanks. That's what I thought, but I couldn't find it spelled out on the website.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

We're considering ditching cable altogether and going to the stream full-time.

I realize this means that as a local guy I won't be able to watch home games on TV (or Pat Keirnan read the papers) but would get all away games, right? I do about 50% radio home/away anyway.

Before I do that though I need to get a realistic picture of what will be required to remain entertained not only with baseball but shows/movies/kids stuff etc.

Can anyone help me figure out what services I need to get in order to continue to:

1) watch baseball
2) watch SpongeBob Squarepants + cartoon network stuff for Lunchy
3) watch Survivor, Top Sheff, Walking Dead and Americans -- only "regular TV" we watch anymore

We currently subscribe only to Netflix stream, and have mixed in some on-demand from Amazon. We appear to have access to many of these things thru apps that came with our TV.

Finally, is there a good/comparable speed/price alternative to an Internet signal from TWC in NYC? I may as well break up for good with them.

[Ceetar]

well, can you get Fios?

You can't get any Mets (or Yankees) games on mlb.tv. doesn't matter where they're playing. The idea being that if you're in an area that can get a local broadcast of a team, you can't get it on mlb.tv.

You could get fancy and set up proxy servers and what not, but speed would be hurt unless you found a good one and that's usually a paid service.

I know there are streaming services like Hulu+ and what not, for TV stuff. And someone mentioned Chromecast (or roku) to facilitate that, but I've never used them.

can only offer you sketchy-legality torrent solutions.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Oh eff that. Really, no away games?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

So much for that strategy.

[Benjamin Grimm]

It's true; the only time you'd be able to see the Mets is when they're on a national telecast. (If you get an HD antenna you'd be able to pick up the games on WPIX, but that's probably not enough games to suit you.)

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

That's not gonna work.

I'm glad I brought this up with you guys before I went to Wifey Bucket with this plan.