Spark Sport

Hooroo

@Kirwan said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:

@Machpants said in [Poll] Will you use Spark to watch RWC?:

Not much use to those of us that don't have TVNZ

But reasonable for them as a provider. Confident that it will get better, and pool games are where you want them to find the issues.

I disagree. I purchased (unwittingly) the rugby WC package. Not the quarter finals packages. (Semi and final are free to air)

As a paying customer it should be sorted before it starts not during the time when the package represents the investment.

I don’t go to to a new restaurant, having a degustation with the expectation that if the dessert is ok and the entrees, secondi and main are below standard, that the whole experience is value for money.

Kirwan

@Hooroo it worked for the vast majority of users, which is no consolation for the people it didn’t for.

But being in tech I was expecting teething issues. Also expect them to sort it out quickly.

Bovidae

There will be improvements today as most of us will watch on Duke, so the load will be lower.

Spark Sport will lose millions on this, not to mention a lot of goodwill.

nzzp

@Bovidae said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:

Spark Sport will lose millions on this, not to mention a lot of goodwill.

Not sure about that. They had 130,000 streams at peak. At $75 typical per user, that covers their buyin - and there'd be a heap of people not logged in who were out/at mates places (like me).

now throw in the sponsorship dollars, money from TVNZ, and the pubs/clubs costings, and it'll stack up just fine.

The reputation, on the other hand... (noting I'm loving streaming compared to satellite. On demand is grea, and the quality is fantastic)

Machpants

Yeah streaming been fine on everything but the ABs game for me. And they're saying the problem is their overseas partner. Bollocks I say, just not up to the load

canefan

The upside is all pool games free to air on Duke

nzzp

@canefan said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:

The upside is all pool games free to air on Duke

Wins all round. They get their money, everyone gets free to air, people still try and get streaming going

Bovidae

@nzzp Spark have been very coy about the uptake of their RWC package. Maybe for commercial reasons but I'd suggest not as many have subscribed as they have hoped. It will be interesting to see how many take up their offer of a refund.

Machpants

I certainly applied for the 15% back

Kirwan

@Machpants said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:

I certainly applied for the 15% back

Thanks for the heads up, made me read the Spark email properly

Bovidae

@Machpants said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:

I certainly applied for the 15% back

I will too.

BTW, what surround sound format is everyone getting with their streams? Only stereo 2.0 ch?

No Quarter

I far prefer the streaming and on-demand coverage than bloody Sky, so I'm willing to cut Spark a bit of slack for taking a risk but at the same time moving NZ forward away from dinosaurs like Sky.

booboo

Question any Aussie Farmers watching on Fox.

Are you getting ghosting on your tele?

Am getting the old fashioned extra image/shadow on the game coverage. Weird. Very 1980s analog...

Snowy

@booboo said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:

Aussie Farmers

That auto correct got you again?

Garces / faeces is good though. That shit will stick.

Unite

@booboo

I’m watching on Fox and are not seeing any ghosting, I am getting a sync (picture/audio) issue on the 4K RWC channel only but it is only slightly out but noticeable.

Crucial

Well so far I haven't paid Spark and haven't needed to. I'm in the 'wait until I see if I need it' camp and so far haven't needed it.
Had to go out on Saturday so the delayed coverage was fine for me. Had some of the earlier games running on VPN to ITV with smooth stream, then as many predicted Spark fell over and yesterday was free for everyone.
I'm not being tight or smug, just practical. I was tempted to sign up late last week and thought I would test how prepared they were with a simple question to the help line (not covered by FAQs) on whether I could cast from iOS device via AirPlay to a non Gen4 Apple TV. They had no idea and wanted me to sign up and test it myself. Seemed like a pretty basic test for them to have run so they could advise owners of older ATVs but no.

Snowy

@Crucial said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:

whether I could cast from iOS device via AirPlay to a non Gen4 Apple TV

They really should know that - and that they have an Apple TB app so that you don't have to cast anyway.

Hooroo

@Crucial said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:

Well so far I haven't paid Spark and haven't needed to. I'm in the 'wait until I see if I need it' camp and so far haven't needed it.
Had to go out on Saturday so the delayed coverage was fine for me. Had some of the earlier games running on VPN to ITV with smooth stream, then as many predicted Spark fell over and yesterday was free for everyone.
I'm not being tight or smug, just practical. I was tempted to sign up late last week and thought I would test how prepared they were with a simple question to the help line (not covered by FAQs) on whether I could cast from iOS device via AirPlay to a non Gen4 Apple TV. They had no idea and wanted me to sign up and test it myself. Seemed like a pretty basic test for them to have run so they could advise owners of older ATVs but no.

That was my attitude too until I got home on Friday night and true-love had gone and purchased it for me.

While I am grateful she has been so thoughtful I wanted to boycott Spark and this way of televising it

Crucial

@Snowy said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:

@Crucial said in And the winner of the RWC broadcasting rights is...:

whether I could cast from iOS device via AirPlay to a non Gen4 Apple TV

They really should know that - and that they have an Apple TB app so that you don't have to cast anyway.

ATV app is only for Gen4 onwards ATVs.
In theory though older ATVs should still be able to function like a Chromecast using AirPlay. Considering the numbers of older ATV units still around you would think the answer as to whether it will work should be in the CRM notes for agents to respond to questions.
My main annoyance is the expectation that people will be happy to purchase another piece of kit if they don't have the ones Spark have chosen to focus on.
I already have an ATV and a firestick and don't want a chromecast or a new TV just for them.

dogmeat

I had no issues at all - better picture than I get on Sky. I do get very good download speeds though

I see Sparks market valuation has dropped $144M this morning

The Silver Fern

Spark Sport