Watching Spark Sport (including launch and pricing)

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123 posts

Master Geek

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#2292828 9-Aug-2019 11:18

tdgeek:

Sorry, I wasnt querying your post, but it was related. I assume its possibly normal for providers to offer x number of streams to cater for various devices. Rather than one covers everything stream, I;m sure someone here may know

Yes. Spark currently do this for streaming at different bit rates. The server sends a bunch of options it provides and the client can pick the best it supports.

Senecio

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#2292865 9-Aug-2019 12:31

As a person who signed up for the free trial and then cancelled it I still get spammed by Spark Sport asking me to re-subscribe.

I had to chuckle at their latest attempt by advertising the EPL starting this weekend and asking me

“Are you ready for kick off?”

Yes Spark Sport, I’m ready. But you’re clearly not!

Batman

Mad Scientist
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#2292870 9-Aug-2019 12:41

tried to use sparksport on the Edge browser on my xbox one.

i was transported back to the 90s.

only the fine prints were on the webpage.

not sure to blame Edge app or the Spark Sport page. probably both

(no not the windows 10 Edge, that one works, but the Xbox edge is hopeless. I guess if they included a "request desktop" button it might be a different story)

ockel

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#2292876 9-Aug-2019 12:46

I note that we're approaching August 12, which is 5 months since launch date. And the product is still in beta - when the EPL kicks off.

Will Spark Sport still be in beta during the RWC? Will any issues during either the EPL season or the RWC be fobbed off with the convenient "we're still in beta" excuse?

How many months of charging users for a beta product before Spark takes the training wheels off?

Sixth Labour Government - "Vision without Execution is just Hallucination"

richardgnz

64 posts

Master Geek

#2292889 9-Aug-2019 13:13

I intended to watch the Rugby World Cup and the Premier League on Spark Sport.

Using Chrome on my PC I tested a few RWC streams - The picture quality itself was good but the motion of the action on the pitch was choppy or jittery (However you want to describe it). Picture quality and sound matter to me but even my wife complained about the motion and she does not normally care about these things. It was hurting my eyes to watch even a few minutes.

I then tested using Firefox - same problem.

I have a new Sony TV - so I bypassed my computer and used the built in TV android app. Same problem.

I downloaded the android app onto my phone - same problem.

I contact Spark Sport Online Chat - they admitted they reduced the feeds FPS from 60 to 30. I talked for a while but the end result was it might be a problem with your internet connection....

I have a 200mbps Spark Fiber Internet Plan. (Speedtest.net - D:205mbps, Up: 18.72mbps, 7ms Ping)

Are other people seeing this choppy/jittery motion in the image?

Benoire

2798 posts

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#2292890 9-Aug-2019 13:17

richardgnz:

I intended to watch the Rugby World Cup and the Premier League on Spark Sport.

Using Chrome on my PC I tested a few RWC streams - The picture quality itself was good but the motion of the action on the pitch was choppy or jittery (However you want to describe it). Picture quality and sound matter to me but even my wife complained about the motion and she does not normally care about these things. It was hurting my eyes to watch even a few minutes.

I then tested using Firefox - same problem.

I have a new Sony TV - so I bypassed my computer and used the built in TV android app. Same problem.

I downloaded the android app onto my phone - same problem.

I contact Spark Sport Online Chat - they admitted they reduced the feeds FPS from 60 to 30. I talked for a while but the end result was it might be a problem with your internet connection....

I have a 200mbps Spark Fiber Internet Plan. (Speedtest.net - D:205mbps, Up: 18.72mbps, 7ms Ping)

Are other people seeing this choppy/jittery motion in the image?

Yep, been around 10 pages or so discussion on this since it became apparent. Its a deliberate move by Spark for compatability reasons but its causing real issues that I'm not confident they can fix prior to the RWC.

robfish

683 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#2292891 9-Aug-2019 13:20

Obviously us Geekzoners are aware of this issue.

Should we be getting the mainstream media more involved too?

Rob

Equinox IT

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richardgnz

64 posts

Master Geek

#2292892 9-Aug-2019 13:22

Benoire:

richardgnz:

I intended to watch the Rugby World Cup and the Premier League on Spark Sport.

Using Chrome on my PC I tested a few RWC streams - The picture quality itself was good but the motion of the action on the pitch was choppy or jittery (However you want to describe it). Picture quality and sound matter to me but even my wife complained about the motion and she does not normally care about these things. It was hurting my eyes to watch even a few minutes.

I then tested using Firefox - same problem.

I have a new Sony TV - so I bypassed my computer and used the built in TV android app. Same problem.

I downloaded the android app onto my phone - same problem.

I contact Spark Sport Online Chat - they admitted they reduced the feeds FPS from 60 to 30. I talked for a while but the end result was it might be a problem with your internet connection....

I have a 200mbps Spark Fiber Internet Plan. (Speedtest.net - D:205mbps, Up: 18.72mbps, 7ms Ping)

Are other people seeing this choppy/jittery motion in the image?

Yep, been around 10 pages or so discussion on this since it became apparent. Its a deliberate move by Spark for compatability reasons but its causing real issues that I'm not confident they can fix prior to the RWC.

Thanks for that - just had a read. If Spark don't fix this they are in big trouble.....

Batman

Mad Scientist
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#2292894 9-Aug-2019 13:25

richardgnz:

I intended to watch the Rugby World Cup and the Premier League on Spark Sport.

Using Chrome on my PC I tested a few RWC streams - The picture quality itself was good but the motion of the action on the pitch was choppy or jittery (However you want to describe it). Picture quality and sound matter to me but even my wife complained about the motion and she does not normally care about these things. It was hurting my eyes to watch even a few minutes.

I then tested using Firefox - same problem.

I have a new Sony TV - so I bypassed my computer and used the built in TV android app. Same problem.

I downloaded the android app onto my phone - same problem.

I contact Spark Sport Online Chat - they admitted they reduced the feeds FPS from 60 to 30. I talked for a while but the end result was it might be a problem with your internet connection....

I have a 200mbps Spark Fiber Internet Plan. (Speedtest.net - D:205mbps, Up: 18.72mbps, 7ms Ping)

Are other people seeing this choppy/jittery motion in the image?

i think we need a poll for those who watch on TV - watchable or unwatchable or no sure.

i dont' coz my TV got no app.

maybe another poll for non TV

robfish

683 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#2292906 9-Aug-2019 13:47

My guess is that the vast majority of people who want to watch the RWC2019 would expect a similar (TV) watching experience to that we are used to from Sky so any other options (non-TV) are irrelevant I would have thought.

Rob

tdgeek

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#2292952 9-Aug-2019 14:05

robfish:

My guess is that the vast majority of people who want to watch the RWC2019 would expect a similar (TV) watching experience to that we are used to from Sky so any other options (non-TV) are irrelevant I would have thought.

A TV is just a screen, but I know what you mean. Until this motion judder issue arose, I took my ATV4 with remote as same or better than Sky. Visually its better, and scrubbing REW/FFW is better than 2X to 30X. It was a 10/10 and there are other boxes that do remotes. But the judder thing isnt great

kiwifidget

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#2293031 9-Aug-2019 15:38

I have the SparkSport app on my Samsung 4K Q7 TV. I only have the RWC2019 pass.

I have the 100/20 unlimited fibre plan with VF.

I chose the first video to watch, 2015 NZ vs France.

During the intro interview between Scotty and Grant Fox, when they are moving their hands while talking the hands look really weird.

On slow panning movement, like during the national anthems there is frequent judder.

The haka was unwatchable, too much movement in a small space.

Slow motion stuff looks really good.

General play is awful, the ball motion is not fluid, it staggers its way from player to player. Long passes and kicks are particularly affected.

Players frequently seem to micro-teleport their way across the field, it's like watching one of those things where you flick the pages and make a little animation out of drawings in the corner. What are those called?

When everyone is standing still it looks good.

With the score at 3-3 I can't watch it anymore. Did we win??

I suffer from all forms of motion sickness. Watching TV has never brought it on. Until now.

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richardgnz

64 posts

Master Geek

#2293111 9-Aug-2019 17:11

kiwifidget:

I have the SparkSport app on my Samsung 4K Q7 TV. I only have the RWC2019 pass.

I have the 100/20 unlimited fibre plan with VF.

I chose the first video to watch, 2015 NZ vs France.

During the intro interview between Scotty and Grant Fox, when they are moving their hands while talking the hands look really weird.

On slow panning movement, like during the national anthems there is frequent judder.

The haka was unwatchable, too much movement in a small space.

Slow motion stuff looks really good.

General play is awful, the ball motion is not fluid, it staggers its way from player to player. Long passes and kicks are particularly affected.

Players frequently seem to micro-teleport their way across the field, it's like watching one of those things where you flick the pages and make a little animation out of drawings in the corner. What are those called?

When everyone is standing still it looks good.

With the score at 3-3 I can't watch it anymore. Did we win??

I suffer from all forms of motion sickness. Watching TV has never brought it on. Until now.

I will be grabbing my popcorn to watch the reaction of the New Zealand public when they finally get around to setting this up a few days before kick off. The backlash at the quality of the stream is going to be so bad Spark might have to look at another name change.

freitasm

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Geekzone

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#2293126 9-Aug-2019 17:59

Ok, using parents-in-law account to watch NZL vs FRA 2015... Using a DishTV A2 recorder with the Spark Sport Android TV app. Yes, I can see the judder during the game.

That's bad...

MileHighKiwi

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#2293344 10-Aug-2019 06:38

Ok Spark, time to step up, EPL kicks off in 15 minutes. I watched a bit of content last night (Apple TV 4, Fiber 100 Mbps, Panasonic Plasma TV) and the quality was ok but there was an obvious judder when the ball was passed, and overall the picture quality is ok but not as good as Sky. I think many people will not notice or will just think "this is what streaming is supposed to look like" and be content. I rate it 6/10 at this stage with massive room for improvement. It's certainly not terrible or unwatchable. Let's see how they manage a live game.

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