MLB.TV or Extra Innings?

[BRob51]

Hey guys, I'm trying to decide whether I want MLB.TV or MLB Extra Innings. I'd be interested in what you guys think about these to, any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Orioles West]

I'm an Extra Innings guy, but I love as many HD games as I can get.

I did actually try both last season, and got more out of Extra Innings.

MLB.TV, I had some download issues, picture quality problems and a few weird blackouts that were on MLB Extra Innings instead. That said, I've heard they addressed some of those issues.

-Don

[RShack]

I prefer MLB-EI. This is because I'm usually at home and I prefer HD.

AFAIK, apart from how the prices compare, the only good reason for preferring MLB.TV is if you travel a lot and therefore need mobility in how you get the games. Internet PQ, including smoothness and resistance to interrupts, is still inferior via the inter-tubes compared to TV.

On the other hand, if you get it over the net, you can use proxies to get around the dang black-out rules. Where I live, I'm blacked out on all the Rays games, and the only way I can see the O's when they play them is in a small window on DirecTV's Game Mix channel.

[TyCobb]

I am using Extra innings now. I have used MLB.TV the past few years. I rather watch the O's game on a 32 inch HD tv than my computer screen. I hear that with direct TV you get more HD games than on FIOS or the other cable providers.

You get some streaming issues with MLB.TV sometimes. You can get around blackout issues with MLB.tV but finding a good proxy server can get annoying. You can now DVR on MLB.tV in the past you couldn't so I can't say it is a plus for Extra Innings.

I picked Extra Innings because it is the first time I am not away from school. I wish that I could get a bunch more HD channels but I am not a fan of MLB.TV buffering issues that occur.

[RShack]

I hear that with direct TV you get more HD games than on FIOS or the other cable providers.

You get however many are available. With cable, you run into what they're willing to show.

Plus, on DirecTV you get to choose from both teams' feeds. I think cable versions of MLB-EI only give you one, so about half the time you have to listen to the Bad Guys' announcers.

[BRob51]

Are there more HD games per night on EI than MLB.TV? If there are more HD for MLB.TV, I'm thinking about just setting up my laptop with an s-video cable to my TV, but that may or may not work. Again, thanks for all the responses.

[RShack]

Are there more HD games per night on EI than MLB.TV? If there are more HD for MLB.TV, I'm thinking about just setting up my laptop with an s-video cable to my TV, but that may or may not work. Again, thanks for all the responses.

What is the rez of whatever they call HD on MLB.TV?

(This is not a trick question. I am curious...)

AFAIK, whatever HD games are put up by the various RSN's are all available via MLB-EI... which is different than how many of those a local cable provider will make available to customers on their local system. DirecTV makes them all available.

[TyCobb]

You get however many are available. With cable, you run into what they're willing to show.

Plus, on DirecTV you get to choose from both teams' feeds. I think cable versions of MLB-EI only give you one, so about half the time you have to listen to the Bad Guys' announcers.

Nope. I only get about 2 games a day (after Hockey season). I only have 1 channel for Extra Innings HD and 13 channels for SD. They give you one game at 7pm and one for the later games.

I get to choose between different team feeds with FIOS. Not for every game but most.

I heard with NHL Center Ice that Direct TV gets a lot more HD channels because they get their feed directly from the feeds broadcast. Cable networks get their from the In Demand broadcast which only shows a limited amount of HD games. I assume it is the same with Extra Innings.

[TyCobb]

Are there more HD games per night on EI than MLB.TV? If there are more HD for MLB.TV, I'm thinking about just setting up my laptop with an s-video cable to my TV, but that may or may not work. Again, thanks for all the responses.

I never heard of HD MLB.TV before. I don't think that quality will go over well with a standard internet connection. I would think lots of buffering will be needed for that.

[RShack]

Nope. I only get about 2 games a day (after Hockey season). I only have 1 channel for Extra Innings HD and 13 channels for SD. They give you one game at 7pm and one for the later games.

I get to choose between different team feeds with FIOS. Not for every game but most.

I heard with NHL Center Ice that Direct TV gets a lot more HD channels because they get their feed directly from the feeds broadcast. Cable networks get their from the In Demand broadcast which only shows a limited amount of HD games. I assume it is the same with Extra Innings.

On DirecTV there are 28 channels for MLB games, plus 2 mix channels (1 SD and 1 HD).

Of the 28 game channels, each one is available in both SD and HD versions *if* the team has an HD version available. So, I guess that means as many as 56 in total. While this might sound as if they are 2 (or 4) channels short, they're not really, since they can double up east and west coast games on a channel when all 30 teams are playing.

The thing that annoys me is that the dang online guide won't tell you which feed is which, so you have to either try them both or look at their web site to see which feed is which. If they would just add 2 more channels, then they could just give each team a channel so you wouldn't have to guess. As it is, there is no way to set autorecord without risking getting the wrong team's feed.

Re: HD, for Friday 4/10, the only feeds that were *not* available in HD were:

• Rays @ O's (both team's feeds)
• Cubs @ Brewers (both team's feeds)
• Mets @ Marlins (Marlin's feed; there was a Mets HD feed)
• Pirates @ Reds (Reds' feed; there was a Pirates HD feed)
• Nationals @ Braves (Braves' feed; there was a Nat's HD feed)
• Astros @ Cards (Astro's feed; there was a Cards' HD feed)
• Giants @ Padres (I don't understand why, but there is only one feed, SF's feed I think, which is odd)

So, as you can see, having HD on DirecTV is the norm and not having it is the exception. The only games you couldn't in HD somehow were Rays at O's, Cubs @ Brewers, and Giants @ Padres.

[OrangeJerseys]

What is the rez of whatever they call HD on MLB.TV?

(This is not a trick question. I am curious...)

AFAIK, whatever HD games are put up by the various RSN's are all available via MLB-EI... which is different than how many of those a local cable provider will make available to customers on their local system. DirecTV makes them all available.

I was trying to decide this this year. I had EI a few years ago and was disappointed with the lack of games. Not blackout issues mind you, just the O's wouldn't be listed. It happened maybe 5 or 10 times that year.

I've had mlb.tv for several years now. It's certainly less expensive and I've never had any complaints. Yes it's from the interwebs so it freezes occasionally, and it's a bit behind so you have to be careful in the game thread or you'll spoil it for yourself.

I'm confident I could hook it up to a HDTV if I had one. So it's MLB.tv for me, for now.

[RShack]

I was trying to decide this this year. I had EI a few years ago and was disappointed with the lack of games. Not blackout issues mind you, just the O's wouldn't be listed. It happened maybe 5 or 10 times that year.

The only time I found O's games missing was sometimes when they were in TOR. Don't know why. Plus, during the time blocks reserved for FOX and ESPN when no games are available. Other than that, all their games are there.

I've had mlb.tv for several years now. It's certainly less expensive and I've never had any complaints. Yes it's from the interwebs so it freezes occasionally, and it's a bit behind so you have to be careful in the game thread or you'll spoil it for yourself.

I'm confident I could hook it up to a HDTV if I had one. So it's MLB.tv for me, for now.

That's fine. You're the only one who knows whether it suits you best. I'm not trying to suggest otherwise.

The reason I asked about the resolution is that I don't think you're getting PQ that would look decent on a HDTV. However, it sounds like that's not something that matters in your situation.

[OrangeJerseys]

The only time I found O's games missing was sometimes when they were in TOR. Don't know why. Plus, during the time blocks reserved for FOX and ESPN when no games are available. Other than that, all their games are there.

That's fine. You're the only one who knows whether it suits you best. I'm not trying to suggest otherwise.

The reason I asked about the resolution is that I don't think you're getting PQ that would look decent on a HDTV. However, it sounds like that's not something that matters in your situation.

I soon realized it was games in the National time slot, I was still disappointed I couldn't watch my team after I'd paid to see them.

I wasn't sure about my MacBook's resoultion either, but after a little research I've found that it is 1080p? if that's the size of your display. So for my 15" Macbook it's the 700p or so size resolution. Looks like HD to me. I'm not sure how that would transfer through a s-cable to a HDTV would look .

[Trace21230]

I bought MLB.TV this year and I'm running it on Verizon DSL. It is simply phenomenal and I am wasting waaaay too much time watching baseball.

The premium package is amazing.