The End of ChannelSurfing.net?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/440581-House_to_Hear_Testimony_on_Live_Sports_Piracy.php


Executives from ESPN, Major League Baseball and the Ultimate Fighting Championship are scheduled to testify at a House Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington Dec. 16 about the pirating of live sports broadcasts.

According to prepared testimony, from UFC Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta, piracy "kills jobs" and "threatens the expansion of U.S.-based companies.

Both Fertitta and ESPN Executive VP Ed Durso pointed to Justin.TV, among others, as sites that enable the theft of their live sports video.

This was probably inevitable. Worth following, since many many people use these services to watch their FCS football during the year.

[DFW HOYA]

Short of banning Slingbox, this is going to be tilting at windmills.

One should simply not trust ESPN or Nike to do anything in other than their own interest.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Short of banning Slingbox, this is going to be tilting at windmills.

One should simply not trust ESPN or Nike to do anything in other than their own interest.

Another quixotic metaphor? Proof positive that the Hoyas truly belong in the PL. xrolleyesx Please don't go . . . .

[DFW HOYA]

Not much of a metaphor there--ESPN is fighting this to expand its emerging monopoly of sports programming.

[Bogus Megapardus]

emerging monopoly

Some might opine that it is emerged.

[Dignan]

This would suck for me. Living overseas, channelsurfing is often the only way I can watch sporting events. ESPN360 is not even an option for me, and even if I were to get satellite TV almost all of the English language channels are British or the typical CNN-type news channels.

For the NFL, I've definitely considered buying the GamePass or whatever it's called that allows HD viewing over the Internet for those living outside North America. The problem though is that it's quite expensive and to pay for a season subscription when half of the games are played while I'm asleep just doesn't appeal to me.

[Torgo]

Understandable from a US perspective, but from an overseas prospective that has often been the only option for watching a given sporting event...that burns. I'll be back stateside before this would happen, but I'm still pulling for them somehow winning this thing.

[odubum]

Here are two other sites I check for various sporting events.

www.atdhe.net
www.myp2p.eu

They are hit or miss but usually pretty good. Myp2p may be tougher for them to regulate as it is based overseas.

[Grrrrriz]

If they can't shut down P2P file sharing, torrents, megaupload, rapidshare or any of those they certainly aren't going to have any luck with live streaming broadcasts, which I would imagine are even harder since its not a stationary file. If they want a good model that does actually prevent this sort of thing, maybe they should do something like HULU. It works, and people use it rather than pirating programs. As well, I don't understand the big deal with live streaming sporting events, you still have to sit through the ads which I would imagine are their biggest revenue streams.

[Torgo]

Here are two other sites I check for various sporting events.

www.atdhe.net
www.myp2p.eu

They are hit or miss but usually pretty good. Myp2p may be tougher for them to regulate as it is based overseas.

Unfortunately those programs really don't help those of us with Macs unless its a Justin.tv link...and I haven't watched a game on there that hasn't been shut down within the first half in a year now.


I'm just hoping more schools choose to do what Montana already does. All of their games are available to watch through B2Networks.com, aside from the nationally telecast ones (I had to spring for ESPN360 Online for the playoffs, which would have been useless to me before) from anywhere in the world. Its rare to find places that offer those services that don't have a regional lockout. I've been able to see almost every Griz game this season from Denmark, and that's pretty remarkable. I know a lot of schools also do this too, which is great, but there still needs to be more.

[Bogus Megapardus]

As well, I don't understand the big deal with live streaming sporting events, you still have to sit through the ads which I would imagine are their biggest revenue streams.

Because cable & satellite providers pay a per-subscriber fee for the "privilege" of carrying ESPN, NFL Network, etc. If justin.tv is permitted to stream content, even with advertisements, the cable/satellite providers will scream bloody hell. Also, the cable/satellite providers must provide the advertisers with subscriber/viewer feedback, as part of the deal, which is very valuable to all those bad, eee-vil corporation-y corporations. So, if you're not under their thumb, you can't see it.

The solution, of course, is open-source FCS broadcasts. Each college and/or league produces its own game feed, which fed into a central non-profit clearinghouse and distributed to all. Each college pays a fee that support the whole thing. I volunteer to run it . . . . xnodx

[JMU Newbill]

Having to pay for services? There is a novel concept.

[bodoyle]

I use the four mentioned sites almost daily. I watch all CCU hoops and football games on there instead of shelling over the $30 per season, or the $80 for the yearly subscription. It will suck if they go away.

Stupid question: How are the games streamed on the site? Do people sign up and then stream them from their tv to their pc and then to the site?

[Bogus Megapardus]

Stupid question: How are the games streamed on the site? Do people sign up and then stream them from their tv to their pc and then to the site?

I'll never tell . . . . .

Seriously, its very, very easy. All you need is a capture card and freely-available VLC software.

[bodoyle]

I'll never tell . . . . .

Seriously, its very, very easy. All you need is a capture card and freely-available VLC software.

VLC? Video LAN Card?

[Bogus Megapardus]

VLC? Video LAN Card?


VLC (http://www.videolan.org/vlc/)

[ElonPride]

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/440581-House_to_Hear_Testimony_on_Live_Sports_Piracy.php



This was probably inevitable. Worth following, since many many people use these services to watch their FCS football during the year.

In all honesty, they were retransmitting material protected by copyright, and they're site also looks like one for profit (from all the pop ups and ads). They were taking streams in which you have to pay subscrptions, and posting the live streams. Big no no.

If you scroll to the bottom, you see direct links to CBS, CW, NBC, etc. That's ok.

Sorry here fellas, but I've worked in TV coming up on 15 years now in various different positions, and it kills me when I see sites like channelsurfing. Over these years, I've seen so many jobs lost for various reasons, sites like this being one of them.

[TexasTerror]

CS.net is based overseas too...

I asked some people that work at CSTV schools regarding CS.net and they told me they were well aware of it and they were informed that it was overseas based.

[UNH Fanboi]

As well, I don't understand the big deal with live streaming sporting events, you still have to sit through the ads which I would imagine are their biggest revenue streams.

Also, in the case of the UFC, which gets most of its money from PPV sales, streaming is a HUGE problem for them.

[Grrrrriz]

In all honesty, they were retransmitting material protected by copyright, and they're site also looks like one for profit (from all the pop ups and ads). They were taking streams in which you have to pay subscrptions, and posting the live streams. Big no no.

If you scroll to the bottom, you see direct links to CBS, CW, NBC, etc. That's ok.

Sorry here fellas, but I've worked in TV coming up on 15 years now in various different positions, and it kills me when I see sites like channelsurfing. Over these years, I've seen so many jobs lost for various reasons, sites like this being one of them.

Job loss is unfortunate, but its almost 2010..things like this aren't going away. Cable providers and networks need to find a way to make it work for them...maybe something like HULU? (http://www.hulu.com/) The way they are doing it now isn't really working. Just ask the RIAA, MPAA, etc.

[Bogus Megapardus]

In all honesty, they were retransmitting material protected by copyright, and they're site also looks like one for profit (from all the pop ups and ads). They were taking streams in which you have to pay subscrptions, and posting the live streams. Big no no.

If you scroll to the bottom, you see direct links to CBS, CW, NBC, etc. That's ok.

Sorry here fellas, but I've worked in TV coming up on 15 years now in various different positions, and it kills me when I see sites like channelsurfing. Over these years, I've seen so many jobs lost for various reasons, sites like this being one of them.

Correct, of course. But I have an antenna and a DTV converter box that Uncle Same gave me free. I get more than 30 perfect, high-definition air-streamed digital channels - better quality than satellite - and I don't pay a cent to anyone. Should I feel guilty? Am I doing something wrong?

[ElonPride]

Job loss is unfortunate, but its almost 2010..things like this aren't going away. Cable providers and networks need to find a way to make it work for them...maybe something like HULU? (http://www.hulu.com/) The way they are doing it now isn't really working. Just ask the RIAA, MPAA, etc.

Broadcast TV is behind, but the main revenue generator is still over air. HULU is actually owned by Disney and NBC Universal (now Comcast pending approval). So some networks apparently are doing it right.

[UNH Fanboi]

Correct, of course. But I have an antenna and a DTV converter box that Uncle Same gave me free. I get more than 30 perfect, high-definition air-streamed digital channels - better quality than satellite - and I don't pay a cent to anyone. Should I feel guilty? Am I doing something wrong?

Do you really not see the difference between taking something with a "free" sign on it and taking something with a "for sale" sign on it?

[ElonPride]

Correct, of course. But I have an antenna and a DTV converter box that Uncle Same gave me free. I get more than 30 perfect, high-definition air-streamed digital channels - better quality than satellite - and I don't pay a cent to anyone. Should I feel guilty? Am I doing something wrong?

That's totally different logic!

[Zangzigger]

Channelsurfing has been one of my most visited sites since I found out about it a few years ago. I'd even be willing to pay money for it.

[onbison09]

Also, in the case of the UFC, which gets most of its money from PPV sales, streaming is a HUGE problem for them.

Yep but you can't stop the internet. They shut those sites down, different ones will pop up.

[MaximumBobcat]

Bring down Justin.tv...another will pop up in it's place.

Bring down channelsurfing.net...another will pop up in it's place.

ESPN, CSTV, etc need to figure out how provide a service that gives an incentive to pay for the service instead of just complaining.

[catbob]

I would pay for many sporting events. I will NOT pay a subscription for a month or x amount of time just so I can watch one or two games, however. If they had more PPV events are reasonable rates, I would be all over it. But ESPN Gameplan is a lot of money for a guy like me, especially since I wouldn't even watch nearly enough games to warrant the high price.

I'd love to watch a live stream of a marquee FCS matchup, but too many times there either A) Isn't a stream period, or B) A subscription fee required to view just the one game.

Channelsurfing and myp2p.eu have been my friends for years.

[MplsBison]

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/440581-House_to_Hear_Testimony_on_Live_Sports_Piracy.php



This was probably inevitable. Worth following, since many many people use these services to watch their FCS football during the year.

They would have to go to some sort of scorched earth protocol in order to stop people from sharing streams of data that are recognizable as cable TV channels.

[MplsBison]

I would pay for many sporting events. I will NOT pay a subscription for a month or x amount of time just so I can watch one or two games, however. If they had more PPV events are reasonable rates, I would be all over it. But ESPN Gameplan is a lot of money for a guy like me, especially since I wouldn't even watch nearly enough games to warrant the high price.

I'd love to watch a live stream of a marquee FCS matchup, but too many times there either A) Isn't a stream period, or B) A subscription fee required to view just the one game.

Channelsurfing and myp2p.eu have been my friends for years.

No, that is not as profitable for them.

They want people locked in at $X / month for all of the programming.

[catbob]

No, that is not as profitable for them.

They want people locked in at $X / month for all of the programming.

It would be more profitable than driving frugal consumers like myself to piracy.

[McNeese72]

The New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboy fans in SW Louisiana who don't have satellite TV are not showing much love for the NFL network right now. ;)


Doc

[zymergy]

I can understand the PPV guys being upset their event is being streamed live since they are actually losing money. Why should I pay for a show/game that is being broadcast free somewhere else is the cry you will always hear from those who watch the free web sites? Besides the NFL screwed themselves by only allowing Directv to have the full football package. They cut off a big chunk cable and now Fios customers who would gladly buy that package. The likes of ESPN and the schools themselves should try and provide the feed for a "per event" price that would not send most to the free sites. As someone else said I don't want to pay for a yearly subscription, I prefer a one time cheap feed say $5 or less. People won't mind spending a few bucks to watch a game, but most will not spend more than that and will head for the sites like Channelsurfing.net to get it free even if it is choppy and loses sound. Until the TV Execs figure out how to provide content at a really reasonable price they will be fighting sites like Channelsurfing.net all the time. People are tired of paying more and getting less when it comes to cable/sat. Stop giving me stupid channels nobody wants or watches and spend your money on the things the people really want.

[bluehenbillk]

Thsi would suck, I just started watching things on channelsurfing.net.

[GOKATS]

Unfortunately those programs really don't help those of us with Macs unless its a Justin.tv link...and I haven't watched a game on there that hasn't been shut down within the first half in a year now.


I'm just hoping more schools choose to do what Montana already does. All of their games are available to watch through B2Networks.com, aside from the nationally telecast ones (I had to spring for ESPN360 Online for the playoffs, which would have been useless to me before) from anywhere in the world. Its rare to find places that offer those services that don't have a regional lockout. I've been able to see almost every Griz game this season from Denmark, and that's pretty remarkable. I know a lot of schools also do this too, which is great, but there still needs to be more.

Just to clarify, B2Networks.com (BigSkyTV) is not because of Montana, it's a function of the Big Sky Conference and applies to all BSC schools. They also don't cover all griz games, they only cover conference members home games; i.e., Montana @ Cal Poly would not be available on BigSkyTV.

[Sonic98]

It doesn't really matter. There is and will be other ways to watch games online. They shouldn't make it so hard for you to see games you wanna see out of area. I personally watch NFL games in markets I don't live in all the time online

[bluehenbillk]

It doesn't really matter. There is and will be other ways to watch games online. They shouldn't make it so hard for you to see games you wanna see out of area. I personally watch NFL games in markets I don't live in all the time online

If you don't mind, what site do you goto & is it free?

[GATA]

How about you all just stop stealing broadcasts?

[Dignan]

How about you all just stop stealing broadcasts?

Sure thing, I'll just content myself by watching Spanish reality shows.

[UNHWildCats]

How about you all just stop stealing broadcasts?
Is it really stealing when a large percentage of the broadcasts are available over free airwaves? If an NFL game is available for free on CBS why cant I watch the broadcast online for free if someone is offering it?

[Grizzaholic]

I only have used Channelsurfing.net a couple of times. Both times it worked great! If it goes, eeehhhh. No biggie. I am sure there will be many many others to take its place.