MLB continues to be information technology idiots.

[geschinger]

I've been using a chromecast which let's you play stuff from your phone or laptop on your tv. For $35 it's a sweet deal. If you don't want to wire up a roku to your tv this is a cheap rash alternative.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Unless there was a chromecast MLB app so your phone is only required to initiate the stream and not mirror the content to the TV the $50 Roku Stick maybe the better alternative if one doesn't want to deal with wiring up cables.

If there is an MLB app for Chromecast released, agreed that would be a nice alternative.

[Redskins Rick]

Good read here:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57619907-221/roku-streaming-stick-vs-google-chromecast-how-do-they-stack-up/

[AdamK]

I've been using a chromecast which let's you play stuff from your phone or laptop on your tv. For $35 it's a sweet deal. If you don't want to wire up a roku to your tv this is a cheap rash alternative.

Just to be clear to anyone who may be thinking Chromecast will provide you with MLB.TV - it does not. I wish it did. But at the moment it doesn't.

That said, I love my chromecast. Just bought a second one and between that dongle and a PS3 both on one of the TVs I can achieve everything I need. Throw in an HD antenna and you finally have the appropriate amont of options for very little money.

Chromecast gives me GooglePlay (movies, music), YouTube (comes in handy with little ones more than you might think), Netflix, Hulu+, HBOgo (and a flood of more apps will be incorporated in 2014). The PS3 gives me MLB.TV, blueray dvd capabilities, games, and other apps I have yet to utilize (AmazonPrime, RedBox Instant, Hulu+, Netflix).

I needed GooglePlay services since the AdamK's have aligned ourselves with google services. I, for one, welcome our Google overlords when the day finally comes.

[srock]

Good read here:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57619907-221/roku-streaming-stick-vs-google-chromecast-how-do-they-stack-up/

Thats a good read. I didn't realize Roku had such a device.

I have NOT tried casting a chrome tab to the TV when the tab is streaming MLBTV. Theoretically it should work, but as the article notes, it doesn't always work.

This is all pretty new tech, so I imagine if your primarily interested in MLB.tV go with a traditional Roku box, Playstation, or Xbox.

I'm using my Playstation for discs, Netflix, Amazon, etc and trying the Chromecast for Pandora, video on my phone/harddrives.

[Redskins Rick]

Thats a good read. I didn't realize Roku had such a device.

I have NOT tried casting a chrome tab to the TV when the tab is streaming MLBTV. Theoretically it should work, but as the article notes, it doesn't always work.

This is all pretty new tech, so I imagine if your primarily interested in MLB.tV go with a traditional Roku box, Playstation, or Xbox.

I'm using my Playstation for discs, Netflix, Amazon, etc and trying the Chromecast for Pandora, video on my phone/harddrives.

To me, when I first read this, it remind me a bit of the old beta vs vhs battle, each their own set of pros and of course cons.

Eventually like XM radio, one of them will win over and merge into one.

[AdamK]

Unless there was a chromecast MLB app so your phone is only required to initiate the stream and not mirror the content to the TV the $50 Roku Stick maybe the better alternative if one doesn't want to deal with wiring up cables.

If there is an MLB app for Chromecast released, agreed that would be a nice alternative.

Hoping MLB will hear those suggestions...(HBO did)

Reddit page: http://www.reddit.com/r/Chromecast/comments/1xucmz/go_to_the_mlbtv_forums_and_add_your_request_for/

MLB forum: http://www.forums.mlb.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ml-help01&tid=22412

[crowmst3k!]

Last year I was getting MLB.TV streamed to my apartment in Baltimore through a proxy based in eastern Europe somewhere. I had nary an issue. Full frame rate, crisp picture.

I'm not sure what issues they've been having, but I encountered almost none last season.

[LookitsPuck]

Another reason why MLB.TV > anything NFL, NBA, etc. put out?

No vendor lock when it comes to devices or services. I mean, it's available if you have:

A web browser

Xbox 360

Xbox One

PS3

PS4

WDTV

Roku

Various kinds of smart TV's (Panasonic, Samsung, LG)

Some BLu-Ray players (Sony)

AppleTV

Tivo

iPad, iPhone

Android

Windows Phone

Even BlackBerry for crying out loud

The NFL can't even sniff that. Their solution is just utter crap. Coupled with terrible vendor lock in and much higher prices for less games. Black out rules exist, but there are a million ways around them (proxies, anyone?).

[Austin]

Just to be clear to anyone who may be thinking Chromecast will provide you with MLB.TV - it does not. I wish it did. But at the moment it doesn't.

You can cast Chrome tabs to your TV, have you tried casting an MLB.tv tab? I've casted streaming videos through other websites that way before.

[thatbearflies]

I'm going on my second year with the service and I thought it has been fantastic. The biggest annoyance I had was the change in interface on the PS3 app. I liked the blue background, the easy access to boxscore and even the sound effects. When they changed it to the current one, the picture frequently hiccuped and it just wasn't aesthetically pleasing on the UI. However, many of my complaints were in my head because changing something most of the time leaves people disappointed, at least for awhile. I haven't watched but one spring game and I had no picture hiccups then, so even that may just be in the past.

On the PC, I have never really had an issue streaming, with or without nextdef. Obviously, because of the different types of internet, I have had the picture freeze for a minute or, the most common, I lose HD and drop down in picture quality. Even then, I'd say 80% of the time I have consistent HD and more importantly, I get to see the games. My biggest annoyance is that I live in Central, PA, almost dead center of the state, and I get blacked out anytime they play the Yankees, Mets, Phillies or Pirates. Despite being listed in all of those markets, I actually only get ROOT TV to watch Pittsburgh sports, despite being closer to Philadelphia. Anyways, I am not close to NY, so the fact that I am considered in the NY market is sort of absurd. Needless to say, I have to resort to illegal means to watch those games, but it's not too big a problem.

With that said, I love the service and if anyone knows of a great site that can help me watch Orioles vs Yankees games, please message me. I typically end up hopping on twitter and having to search for an illegal site that actually works. Not proud of it, but damn it I don't want to miss those games!

[johndeerebird]

This will be my 5th year using MLB.tv, and I think it's been great. I've used it in New York and Boston, and now in Florida. There are ALWAYS minor glitches for the first week or two of the season. This goes with the territory (the alternative is that they never upgrade the software), since there's really no good way to simulate the scale of the in-season usage of the program in a test environment.

I've found that the service works well on my computer, on my iPad, and on my Android phone. In years past, I've mostly pulled up the game on my computer, and then displayed it on my TV (I have a video card with two monitor outs, so one I just send to the TV via HDMI). This year, I'm hoping that it will work with my TiVo Premiere, which it is supposed to, so I can cut the computer out (and use the TiVo remote to pause, rewind, etc.).

I probably watch parts of around 120 games each season... so for me, at around $1/game, it's well worth it. Compare that to the cost of renting a 3-hour movie each night on Amazon or a similar service.

[AdamK]

You can cast Chrome tabs to your TV, have you tried casting an MLB.tv tab? I've casted streaming videos through other websites that way before.

Casting browser sessions is not ideal and since I have a tablet, phone or laptop handy in the same room typically - it wouldn't be my first or even third choice with how well it works on those other devices.

I also would be shocked if the chromecast would even allow it since it is "smart" enough with a lot of videos to restrict access.

That said, I still absolutely love the dongle and that I can waltz into anyone's home who has one and access it from my phone.

Really comes in handy.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[AdamK]

I probably watch parts of around 120 games each season... so for me, at around $1/game, it's well worth it. Compare that to the cost of renting a 3-hour movie each night on Amazon or a similar service.

Same here. Last year was my first first foray into mlb.tv and the cost seemed exorbitant. After all the enjoyment it brought me the cost is so minimal when compared to how much it is used and across so many devices.

Needless to say, it auto renewed here without a moment's pause.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Rambo420]

Had problems last year with my low end Android. Upgraded a few months ago and now no problems at all with the MLB At Bat App. Even use it when I'm at the game in Sarasota so I have multiple angles. Loving it!

[Austin]

I also would be shocked if the chromecast would even allow it since it is "smart" enough with a lot of videos to restrict access.

Yeah, maybe so. I haven't encountered that yet but I also haven't tried casting an MLB.tv tab. I haven't had any issues casting from the HGTV website, though. (My girlfriend likes to watch House Hunters... not me, I swear! Okay, maybe a little bit.)