Good things are happening in the over-the-top sporting video realm this week.
Boxee and the NHL have launched a port of the GameCenter Live computer-based video streaming service. Like MLB.TV, a subscription ($20/mo or $80/yr) is required and grants you access to all of the (out of market) hockey – games, live or archived. Of course, this will be significantly more meaningful when the actual Boxee Box launches, allowing us to leave the PC entirely out of the equation.
Roku’s also got something new up their sleeve via a relationship with the NBA. While Game Time is a more conservative offering, all that’s needed is their $99 box and an Internet connection to access real-time basketball playoff scoring summaries and video highlights.
All of which makes me wonder, why is Apple TV still a hobby? (And will the NFL ever play ball.)
Mari, who snapped the pics, says the video quality isn’t very good. I was able to confirm with Roku that the NBA clips are only in SD now, but HD is coming.
The Boxee Box just became more compelling for me (goodbye DirecTV Center Ice package at $160). Of course, I still run the Popcornhour and I just got a WD TV Live HD for the road. I think I just need more HDMI ports…
The SD quality of the NBA video clips isn’t too bad, however, definitely glad to hear that HD is coming. As Roku continues to add channels (including at least three options for local streaming) it gets more and more compelling. Both Boxee (any release date?) and Popbox (I just pre-ordered one; disappointed in the delayed release) need to come out soon and strong or risk being DOA.
Y’all should know that the $79.99 rate is the mid-season discount rate they always do…I’m pretty sure the full-year online version of GameCenter is the same $160 that the cable or satellite versions are. (Which is totally a missed opportunity, but at the same time an option for those people who want the hockey package but don’t want to have a TV content service to do it.)
Why isn’t the “One-Box” in on the MLB, NHL and NBA goodness?
I’m a little disappointed at the lack of content, when I tuned in I was expecting something similar to MLB.TV, but this definitely was not the case, big downer, but its free can’t complain. Hope in the near future NBA will stream live games and have previous full length games not just recaps with better quality video.
The NFL will start playing along after it gets through the lockout of 2011. The NFL Sunday Ticket deal runs out after this season, and a bunch of other TV & media deals also end in the next two years. We’re going to see a massive media overhaul by the NFL very soon.
I’d also like to know is when FoxSoccer.tv will jump on this. They’ve got all manner of live streaming rights now, and they would be a great fit for Roku & Boxee, not to mention the iPad.
The NFL Sunday Ticket deal doesn’t run out until after the 2014 season (it was extended last year). However, DirecTV is required to setup an online streaming service by 2012 as part of the latest deal. The had a PC based streaming service for the 2009 season for non-DirecTV subscribers, but it was only for residents of Manhattan.