Looking for Trading partner for Universal coverage

[Hooloovoo]

Stupid Comcast no longer carries Universal now that it's a a full channel and I can't get DISH where I live. So I'm desperately seeking someone who'd be willing to trade for the mens/dance coverage that Universal shows. Happy to trade (www.scratchspin.com/video) or pay costs - I just want that footage!

Please PM if you can help.

thanks
-Hoo

[RobinA]

Can't help you with the trade, but I am in the same boat with Comcast.

I am this far from hanging up my figure skating fan skates. It's getting so HARD to be a fan, what with every competition in Spokane, now we can't watch it on TV, and CoP has made for a much less interesting (too me) product.

I've been in it since 1968, but maybe it's time. It's starting to be too hard to care.

[Carolla5501]

I don't think any of the events are on Universal this time are they?

[Lutzcy]

Just wondering -- which competition? Four Continents? Europeans? US Nationals? Worlds?

[Hooloovoo]

Just wondering -- which competition? Four Continents? Europeans? US Nationals? Worlds?

Anything they show.

-Hoo

[numbers123]

I am always a bit about this. I was extremely disappointed when universal got dropped from my cable company line-up, but I have found Ice Network to be awesome and with greater coverage that Universal ever had. For $40.00 a season pass 0 I find it unbeatable.

If you don't have an internet feed at home or whatever, I can understand your disappointment. Ice Network is having more and more coverage of events, including the lower placed skaters and regional competitions. If what was heard yesterday, 4CC and possibly Worlds (I don't have confirmation on that) will be on Ice Network, I can not beat that price anywhere.

Even if I miss a few skaters because of contractual obligations to NBC, I can always see them later on the on demand viewing. YMMV

[pollyanna]

I agree with you to a point, numbers123. I am grateful that there is the icenetwork alternative, but I would prefer to see the competition on my large screen HDTV, with the ability to DVR the program and later burn to a dvd. I have every US Nationals and Worlds on video/dvd from 1985 until NBC got the contracts sometime in the mid 2000s. Now I can no longer preserve the competitions and watch them on HDTV. But at least the internet has given us icenetwork, youtube and FSVids. Better than nothing.

[manhn]

It's not like Hooloovoo is trading a Baby Hoo for Universal Sports coverage. Go Hoo and get all the US dvds you can get your hands on!

[rfisher]

I agree with you to a point, numbers123. I am grateful that there is the icenetwork alternative, but I would prefer to see the competition on my large screen HDTV, with the ability to DVR the program and later burn to a dvd. I have every US Nationals and Worlds on video/dvd from 1985 until NBC got the contracts sometime in the mid 2000s. Now I can no longer preserve the competitions and watch them on HDTV. But at least the internet has given us icenetwork, youtube and FSVids. Better than nothing.

When you upgrade your TV, get one with GoogleTV and you can watch the internet in high def on the big screen. More and more brands have this now. I bought a very nice Sony for a very reasonable price.

[jewel_brite]

I get Universal Sports on SkyAngel. The picture quality from SkyAngel is not the best. On a HDTV it looks like a second generation video tape.

[kwanatic]

I really agree about Ice Network. I don't like sitting in front of the computer, but my laptop has an HDMI outlet, so I can plug it in to my television and get excellent sound and picture. With the networks no longer carrying the big events (aside from nationals), I find that Ice Network is a very good alternative.

[RobinA]

I really agree about Ice Network. I don't like sitting in front of the computer, but my laptop has an HDMI outlet, so I can plug it in to my television and get excellent sound and picture. With the networks no longer carrying the big events (aside from nationals), I find that Ice Network is a very good alternative.

I had Icenetwork about 3-4 years ago and the picture quality was quite poor on my laptop. I mean, really sucky when the picture was full screen. Has this changed? I don't like watching on laptop, but I might consider it if the picture were decent. I don't have an HDMI hook-up, and I'm NOT buying a new TV so I can watch Ice Skating. I subscribed to digital cable so I could get Universal so I could watch figure skating, and now it's not on! Enough is enough.

[Lara]

I had Icenetwork about 3-4 years ago and the picture quality was quite poor on my laptop. I mean, really sucky when the picture was full screen. Has this changed? I don't like watching on laptop, but I might consider it if the picture were decent. I don't have an HDMI hook-up, and I'm NOT buying a new TV so I can watch Ice Skating. I subscribed to digital cable so I could get Universal so I could watch figure skating, and now it's not on! Enough is enough.

Yes, it went higher quality starting last season. That said, it also requires you to have a good internet connection to minimize any buffering or choppiness. If you go to speedtest.net you can check your download speed to get an idea (you probably want at least above 2Mbps).

[waddlercu]

I also plug my computer into my HDTV's HDMI input. In my experience, the Ice Network video feed is much better than it was a few years ago, but the quality is still not comparable to HD cable broadcasting. It's a bit choppy, even with a decent download speed. Universal Sport's online broadcasts tend to have better picture quality for me.

Not that I'm complaining... Ice Network's extensive coverage is wonderful, but it's hard to beat a nice 720p HD cable broadcast. It's almost better than being there in person.

[RobinA]

Yes, it went higher quality starting last season. That said, it also requires you to have a good internet connection to minimize any buffering or choppiness. If you go to speedtest.net you can check your download speed to get an idea (you probably want at least above 2Mbps).

Thank you. I think I have the speed, but I will check it. It they have upgraded I may want to give it another try.

[stjeaskategym]

Ice Network seems to malfunction at least once during many competitions. I don't think it compares to watching a TV broadcast that can be recorded, saved, rewound/fast forwarded, and burned to a DVD with ease. Also with a TV broadcast, there is no fear of the picture being choppy, frozen, buffering, etc. Not to mention the fact that if I am going to watch Ice Network on my TV, that ties up my computer.

A sport that cannot even get its World Championships on TV (even on an obscure channel) is just not in good shape. If skating were not in the Olympics, most people would soon forget it exists. And if skating continues to disappear from TV, it will probably see a substantial decrease in its popularity in the Olympics as well. To make matters worse, US skating fans cannot even get a free live internet stream of skating. While the Ice Network price isn't a bad deal, it certainly is not cheap and at times seems like a ripoff when one sees several other countries streaming these competitions to their viewers for free.

I wish I knew more about why Universal Sports has disappeared and why they aren't showing any Nationals coverage even in the homes that still do have US. It just seems like a bad situation.

[newbatgirl]

I might pay for IceNetwork if I didn't see all these tweets about it cutting out several times during competitions. That would get old real fast.

[numbers123]

I wish I knew more about why Universal Sports has disappeared and why they aren't showing any Nationals coverage even in the homes that still do have US. It just seems like a bad situation.

Universal Sports has been dropped from my cable for at least 6 months now. I suspect that US wanted too much for their services and cable companies say No Way.
You can get US pay per view on Internet streaming, but I find Ice Network to be excellent. Have there been hiccups - yes, but some of those have been explained in one of the US Nationals threads something to do with the arena connections.

But I have to go back to the OP - are you selling copies of any video recordings? It looks like it from your website and if so, is that legal? I thought you could create a recording for personal use, not for sale?

[Lacey]

For me, when IN has gone out this week, it has been only for moments, then right back on.