Watching Spark Sport (including launch and pricing)

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#2274296 10-Jul-2019 20:14

Haven’t seen any posts in recent pages about usability of the app. Don’t get me wrong from the events I streamed during the free trial and a couple of times since I purchased the RWC pass, the quality of the streams has been great.

I just think from a usability of the app from a searching and finding the content point of view. It seems there is no real categorising of the videos apart from each sport.

For example, I see there is now a football option with the premier league logo (also bit weird how the logo is there but the main heading is “football” if you get what I mean), anyway back to my initial point upon clicking on football there is only one category which is recently added, there’s about 9 classic matches in there. I just think they should have a category call Classic matches and these videos should be visible under recently added and the classic matches category.

Another example that may be more clear is the RWC videos, where there are 4 videos under recently added but are not under any of the “from the vault” “player specials” or “rugby World Cup moments” categories.

Also looking at the number of On-demand Wimbledon videos not all matches are available on demand? I feel like there could be more sub categories under the on demand section ie have one link for each day which would list each video from that day.

Also no search function available?

Overall I will probably end up subscribing for the premier league season, also with MUTV thought Spark Sport may be promoting the Manchester United Preseason games which begin on Saturday night (I’m heading over to Perth tomorrow to watch) another query related specifically to MUTV is there any on-demand? Also I subscribe to MUTV through their app, so I assume Spark don’t have the exclusive rights to MUTV?

Benoire

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#2274427 11-Jul-2019 08:40

niallm90:

Benoire:

How hard seriously is it for a provider to purchase ALL the units and test? There are only a few official Android TV units on the market and testing it against these wouldn't be hard, no different to all the different android mobile handsets that spark sport have to test against.

How do you know they haven't done this and found issues?

Maybe they have, I would have expected them to then state that they do not support it as that would be easier. I also find it surprising that TVNZ on demand is support on the shield yet spark sport or lightbox are not... Surely Spark are not coding oddly to not meet Android TV basic requirements... Bearing in mind that all the officially approved boxes have to comply with Android TV to be certified.

arnies

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#2274433 11-Jul-2019 09:09

JarrodM: Haven’t seen any posts in recent pages about usability of the app. Don’t get me wrong from the events I streamed during the free trial and a couple of times since I purchased the RWC pass, the quality of the streams has been great.

I just think from a usability of the app from a searching and finding the content point of view. It seems there is no real categorising of the videos apart from each sport.

For example, I see there is now a football option with the premier league logo (also bit weird how the logo is there but the main heading is “football” if you get what I mean), anyway back to my initial point upon clicking on football there is only one category which is recently added, there’s about 9 classic matches in there. I just think they should have a category call Classic matches and these videos should be visible under recently added and the classic matches category.

Another example that may be more clear is the RWC videos, where there are 4 videos under recently added but are not under any of the “from the vault” “player specials” or “rugby World Cup moments” categories.

Also looking at the number of On-demand Wimbledon videos not all matches are available on demand? I feel like there could be more sub categories under the on demand section ie have one link for each day which would list each video from that day.

Also no search function available?

Overall I will probably end up subscribing for the premier league season, also with MUTV thought Spark Sport may be promoting the Manchester United Preseason games which begin on Saturday night (I’m heading over to Perth tomorrow to watch) another query related specifically to MUTV is there any on-demand? Also I subscribe to MUTV through their app, so I assume Spark don’t have the exclusive rights to MUTV?

I agree. With F1, it's unclear if they don't show all the old races from the 2019 season because of licensing, or if it's just a UI bug where they limit the number of videos shown.

They need a UI update and rollout the apps to non-samsung TVs. A lot of work to do, not a lot of time (in software development terms).

freitasm

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#2274445 11-Jul-2019 09:32

It seems Sony and Panasonic Android TVs will have something in the next few weeks.

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#2274549 11-Jul-2019 11:33

Just in case anyone has missed it - press release below:

From today, Spark Sport is available as an app on selected Apple TVs. Customers with a new or existing Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD will be able to download Spark Sport from the App Store to start streaming Spark Sport direct to their TVs.

Jeff Latch, Head of Spark Sport says, “The addition of Apple TV as a device that supports Spark Sport means more New Zealanders now have easy access to quality sports content.”

“People already using Apple TV can get started today, while others might opt to buy one as a great way to watch Rugby World Cup 2019™ on an existing TV.”

“Spark Sport is increasing the accessibility of live sport to New Zealand homes. We know that people want the option to find the content they love across a range of different devices and that’s what we’re aiming to deliver to.”

The launch of the Spark Sport app on Apple TV means sports fans can now access the app on iPhone, iPad and Android devices, Google Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV and Apple TV. Spark Sport will launch on a range of further devices in the coming weeks, including Android TV devices, and more Smart TVs.

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#2274651 11-Jul-2019 15:00

Benoire:

Maybe they have, I would have expected them to then state that they do not support it as that would be easier. .

how? stating what they support is easier than listing a tonne of different items that they dont.

IMO i think you just need to let it go. it doesnt look like you are going to get an app for your device in the short term but there is a way to get it on your device

so just do that and be happy you can do that.

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#2276370 14-Jul-2019 16:11

Haven't seen it mentioned here yet. Spark Sport is now showing gaming content :D

I had no idea this was coming, getting away from the weird things twitch servers sometimes do... might just be worth it.

Edit: updated with an offsite hosted image since geekzone upload refused to even load the page... @freitasm pls fix.

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freitasm

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#2276550 14-Jul-2019 21:53

@hio77

1. Uploading your image worked just fine for me.

2. Why do people save images in PNG (1.1 MB) instead of JPG (224 KB)?

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#2276571 14-Jul-2019 22:54

freitasm:

@hio77

2. Why do people save images in PNG (1.1 MB) instead of JPG (224 KB)?

because they can. storage is cheap, so is data.

the initial image wouldnt load and the page just stalled, couldnt even see the quick reply box.

couple of force refreshes and it came right.

Hemi88

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#2276576 14-Jul-2019 23:30

Is any one else having a stutter with f1 on Apple TV I noticed it yesterday just watched the Porsche race it seems to be doing it to the nba and edge channels seem fine 🤷‍♂️

freitasm

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#2276585 15-Jul-2019 00:41

Jase2985:

freitasm:

@hio77

2. Why do people save images in PNG (1.1 MB) instead of JPG (224 KB)?

because they can. storage is cheap, so is data.

the initial image wouldnt load and the page just stalled, couldnt even see the quick reply box.

couple of force refreshes and it came right.

The initial wasn't "uploaded" to Geekzone. It was copied and paste into the reply box - so it turned into a base 64 PNG. This is bad because instead of using something that can be cached by CDNs it is part of the page, so probably it was causing problems because of size - there's an upload button but it seems hio77 did not use it.

Then the second attempt was imgur, which is ok to use.

I then uploaded the image as JPG and updaded the post. Just to show that 1. it can be used and 2. JPG is about 20% of the size of PNG.

Either way, imgur or Geekzone, JPG or PNG, it works. That's my point. Just keep using whatever. I can't understand why people make a point of complaining of something that works.

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#2276590 15-Jul-2019 01:12

@freitasm:

hio77

1. Uploading your image worked just fine for me.

2. Why do people save images in PNG (1.1 MB) instead of JPG (224 KB)?

1. it was the first copy that killed things, as others have described.

2. i do PNG by default as often I'm after crisp detail and it's not really that much bigger..

Normally the target medium converts it anyway.

Given i have a poor upload speed here, i do take a hit for doing so.

I'd also have hated for someone to look at a jpeg and judge quality of a stream.

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hio77

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#2276591 15-Jul-2019 01:14

freitasm:

The initial wasn't "uploaded" to Geekzone. It was copied and paste into the reply box - so it turned into a base 64 PNG. This is bad because instead of using something that can be cached by CDNs it is part of the page, so probably it was causing problems because of size - there's an upload button but it seems hio77 did not use it.

Then the second attempt was imgur, which is ok to use.

I then uploaded the image as JPG and updaded the post. Just to show that 1. it can be used and 2. JPG is about 20% of the size of PNG.

Either way, imgur or Geekzone, JPG or PNG, it works. That's my point. Just keep using whatever. I can't understand why people make a point of complaining of something that works.

Disallow base64 in that case and i'll just hop back to using external hosting.

I've said it in the other thread and i'll say it again, the upload an image thing is dated. it's annoying to use and slow.

Back on topic, after watching the full stream, i didn't see any issues.

Gaming is a hard market.. While the normal sports fans are ok with 1080i.. Consumers of Gaming content are often a little more particular.

I'm keen to see what more in the gaming world Spark Sport, If they can get more content up i might just look to switch from my usual Source. Being served directly from akamai has its perks.. Particularly over alternatives that often suffer under heavy load.

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freitasm

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#2276592 15-Jul-2019 01:16

1. Yes, I know. Read my reply. Every edit version is kept and I saw them.

2. You have poor upload speeds and instead of using the smaller format you go for the five times larger one? If your software saves JPG it should have an option for quality - 85% usually is pretty good. That's what I use and can't seriously fault it.

This is off topic now.

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#2276605 15-Jul-2019 04:14

freitasm:
It seems Sony and Panasonic Android TVs will have something in the next few weeks.

.... and LG, hopefully and apparently.

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