NBC Sports Gold figure skating pass - feedback, troubleshooting, pros/cons, etc.

[Sylvia]

Just wondering... for those who have subscribed, how has your viewing experience been so far?

 

[oleada]

Once I got it running, it was fine. But I took me several tries to login - it didn’t recognize my email - and then when I tried to open the video, asked me to log in multiple times, saying that I didn’t have a subscription though I do.

 

[Catherine M]

No problem once I put in my correct email and password. Thought the quality was fine too on my TV.

FWIW, I'm streaming it via a chromebook to my TV using the latest version of chromecast.

 

[rfisher]

The quality was excellent. I had to go through multiple I'm not a robot thingys because I couldn't remember my password. I changed it and then had no more issues.

 

[Skittl1321]

Yesterday it was great, though I had to do "i'm not a robot" 3 times. Today I can't get the replay section to work at all.

 

[PDilemma]

I'm wondering if it would work for my visually impaired mother. It would help feel her time and watching video on her computer works for her (but only on her very large desktop monitor--not on the iPad and definitely no a phone screen). Some sites are not easy to navigate for her. So if you've used it online on a laptop or desktop:

How accessible do you think it is? Are the fields for entering username and password bolded or grey on white? Does it allow you to save log in info easily or remain logged in? Are tabs easy to find or are there a lot of drop downs to navigate? Are titles bolded and easy to spot? Are replays easy to find in terms of all of the above?

I know those are weird questions. They are questions that I wish web developers would think about when they design sites, though (yes, social security dot gov, I'm talking to you!).

 

[Aceon6]

@PDilemma Consider a Fire Stick for her tv. She could use voice controls for the majority of her viewing. The username is saved to the stick. Only the password would be entered.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

How accessible do you think it is? Are the fields for entering username and password bolded or grey on white? Does it allow you to save log in info easily or remain logged in? Are tabs easy to find or are there a lot of drop downs to navigate? Are titles bolded and easy to spot? Are replays easy to find in terms of all of the above?

I've stayed logged in for a couple of weeks, and they email me alerts before the live stream starts. The events page is pretty bare bones and easy to navigate. There are only a few tabs - Live Events, Replays, Highlights. There's a clear drop down menu that let's you choose to only see the figure skating options. Most of the text is black on white. If you go to the NBC Gold homepage you can see the colors and layout for yourself.

 

[PDilemma]

@PDilemma Consider a Fire Stick for her tv. She could use voice controls for the majority of her viewing. The username is saved to the stick. Only the password would be entered.

Not compatible with her television and a new one is not in the cards, since she needs a fairly large one to see it well, it is more expensive.

She can use her computer, some sites are just not user friendly for people who are partially sighted. The Social Security site is exhibit A--log in is a white page with light gray writing and outline of the spaces for username and passwords. Passwords cannot be saved nor can you remain logged in. Fonts throughout the site are very small even when on her large desktop monitor (27 inch Mac) with the page size increased....It is ridiculous considering that the majority of people in this country with low vision are senior citizens.

I would hate to have her pay for the pass and find it to hard to use.

@Barbara Manatee --Thanks. I didn't know how much was free to see without a subscription.

 

[missing]

I've had no problem watching NBCSportsGold on my computer, but I can't get it to work on my smart TV.

I can get to it fine, but when I get the little hand onto the sign in part nothing happens. The same is true when I get the little hand to the ice skating icon. Sometimes the screen turns white and sometimes it turns black, but beyond that, nothing happens. The little line on the top of the screen gets about 3/4 of the way and then it just quits.

I had no trouble getting IceNetwork to run on my TV, so I know my TV can handle that sort of thing. And I don't have (nor do I want) Roku or any more gadgets, especially since I've already paid for NBCSportsGold.

I'm more than willing to believe I'm doing something wrong and I'm eager for an easy fix, even if it involves my saying, "Oh what a fool am I." I say that often enough anyway, once more won't kill me.

 

[skipaway]

I've had no problem watching NBCSportsGold on my computer, but I can't get it to work on my smart TV.

.

I have an LG smart TV and when I looked at the requirements on NBCsports troubleshooting guide it said it would work on a Samsung smart tv. So I'm assuming my LG won't support NBCsports. I've spent over an hour trying to get the stream on my LG. I'll chrome cast to the tv with my laptop. Better than nothing, but very choppy stream at times.

 

[Skittl1321]

Chromecast I now very choppy and the Android app won't work for me.


I couldn't get either website or app to work earlier.
Guess this isn't any better

 

[Aceon6]

I’m using Roku and everything has been fine

 

[skipaway]

What is the use to have all this tech when it doesn't work?

 

[DobrinFan]

I’m using Roku and everything has been fine

Ditto.

 

[Skittl1321]

36 minutes and I've gotten the app to work. I've uninstalled and reinstalled four times.

I see they are Zamboni ing now. Great timing

 

[maureenfarone]

I'm watching on my Vizio using Roku with no problem.

 

[mattiecat13]

So how do you watch on a smart TV? I looked at the list of sports apps available on a Samsung and NBC gold wasn’t one of them.

 

[meggonzo]

I installed the NBC Sports Gold app through my Amazon Fire stick and have had no problems.

 

[clairecloutier]

I’ve been watching both on my computer and on my TV using Roku (great). Everything’s been great so far with the live coverage. I remember the problems we had the last couple years trying to watch U.S. Classic on IceNetwork—this is so much better.

I did have some problems trying to watch an archived stream of the pairs SP. It started up fine, but stopped playing several times. Each time, I exited out and restarted. Finally, it played all the way through.

 

[Theoreticalgirl]

Have been running the app from my phone and casting to my TV. It's been working great for me—I'm able to watch skating on my way to/from work. I have the Roku app on my TV but I've yet to try it since this is working out so well.

 

[Aceon6]

So how do you watch on a smart TV? I looked at the list of sports apps available on a Samsung and NBC gold wasn’t one of them.

Have you tried just using the browser?

 

[mattiecat13]

I will try that tonight. On my iPad when I tried to sign on with nbcsports.com it would let me sign in to the Gold section but When I would touch the little skate icon to go to the skating section, the page came up to buy the pass though I’m already signed in. It was only when I used the app that I could gain access.

 

[Skittl1321]

I can't get the app to work at all again. Uninstalled and reinstalled twice tonight (after four times yesterday!). Then gave up. So ridiculous.

But it did work on the computer.

 

[missing]

I emailed NBCSportsGold last night and heard from them tonight:

Ned (NBC Gold)
Sep 15, 2:59 PM EDT
Hi,

Thanks for reaching out to us.

The NBC Sports Gold is not available on Smart TVs.

The NBC Sports Gold Pass is available on the following devices:

Apple iOS, Android, Apple TV (Gen 4), Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast and online at NBCSportsGold.com.

In order to watch on your TV you would need to use a connected device such as Apple TV or Roku.

Sorry for any confusion.

Thanks,

Ned

 

[SkateSand]

I've been watching online from my desktop computer. I have had no problems logging in or staying logged in, and the feed has been excellent. I've watched live and also events from earlier that I didn't watch live because I wasn't home. I'm very happy - and with no commentary, too! It's soooo nice to just watch the skating without the chatter and blather.

 

[mattiecat13]

I emailed NBCSportsGold last night and heard from them tonight:

Ned (NBC Gold)
Sep 15, 2:59 PM EDT
Hi,

Thanks for reaching out to us.

The NBC Sports Gold is not available on Smart TVs.

The NBC Sports Gold Pass is available on the following devices:

Apple iOS, Android, Apple TV (Gen 4), Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast and online at NBCSportsGold.com.

In order to watch on your TV you would need to use a connected device such as Apple TV or Roku.

Sorry for any confusion.

Thanks,

Ned

Thank you, @missing!

 

[Daisycat]

Once I got it running, it was fine. But I took me several tries to login - it didn’t recognize my email - and then when I tried to open the video, asked me to log in multiple times, saying that I didn’t have a subscription though I do.

Yeah, same thing happened to me. I haven't managed to get in yet....sigh.

 

[aliona22]

I am loving NBC Gold so far. I was able to log in easily on my computer and stream, also installed the app for Roku and it works very well. Easy to authenticate, stream is fast and navigable, I'm happy. This is like a blessing after so many years of misery with IceNetwork. I have a friend who can't get the stream to open in Safari on her Mac, but no problems with Chrome.

 

[momnatur]

I will try that tonight. On my iPad when I tried to sign on with nbcsports.com it would let me sign in to the Gold section but When I would touch the little skate icon to go to the skating section, the page came up to buy the pass though I’m already signed in. It was only when I used the app that I could gain access.

MattieCat, I think that even if you are logged in on one device eg. smart phone, you would still have to log in on a different device, say Roku. I could be wrong on that.

But I would definitely try to contact them by email. They should be able to help you out. You could also get an answer to the multiple device login issue.