NHL Center Ice

[shoeshine boy]

I had Gamecenter last year (along with CenterIce on Directv) and really thought that it wasn't that great. most of the Gamecenter games I watched were on an Ipad and I really wasn't very impressed with the feed. if Directv is an option for you go that route. Directv not only has every game but they (usually) have both feeds of every game AND both feeds in HD. exceptions are when Canadian teams play each other for some weird reason.

[thepittman]

The feed is much better on PC than it is on a mobile app. None of the apps can do hd like the the web browser version.

[DelPen]

Looked just fine on Roku and AppleTV last year although we were 30 seconds to 5 minutes behind in some cases.

[Senka]

the directtv version is not an option. my area only offers comcast -- so it pretty much has the market cornered here. Ill do my research.

[TheHammer24]

I have DirecTV, and I couldn't be happier with the product. Every U.S. Team's homefeed is broadcast in HD. Most the Canadian teams' home feeds are, but if the Canadian team is on CBC (or something) it's not carried. In short, then, I get every Penguin game feed in HD with the exception of those NHL network (I get) and NBC Sports Network (I don't). But I can order and cancel NBC Sports in 24 hours and pay the one-day prorated rate of like $0.50.

[Digitalgypsy66]

Man, I loved DirectTV's Center Ice. I had it the Cup year and it was phenomenal. Some issues with the Canadian regional networks and HD, and the MSG teams of course, but really HD everywhere else.

That service is the only thing I miss about not having cable/satellite. I can live without everything else, but no live NHL makes me sad.

[champeen]

I've had Center Ice via DirecTV for 12 or 13 years now and it has been fantastic. If watching games in HD is important to you (of course it is), I don't think any other option comes close. Being able to choose home and away feeds is the icing on the cake for those of you who can't get enough Rick Jeanneret.

[relantel]

I've had Center Ice via DirecTV for 12 or 13 years now and it has been fantastic. If watching games in HD is important to you (of course it is), I don't think any other option comes close. Being able to choose home and away feeds is the icing on the cake for those of you who can't get enough Rick Jeanneret.

We too have had DirecTV based CI since the 00-01 season, after we had a partial season ticket plan in 99-00 and could not renew - wedding costs had sapped the hockey budget.

Being able to choose the feed was a great improvement. Before that, it was a case of you never knew which feed you would be stuck with.

And this year, they'ved moved the former Versus from 603 to 220 on the dial. Can't tell you about HD - haven't bit the bullet to upgrade our Series 2 TiVos to the new HD Tivo boxes. SD on a 1080p TV, pixelated up close but if you are sitting in the back of the room, it's not bad. We've got so much backlogged on the current receivers that has slowed us some too, as had the HD requiring a new dish.

[shoeshine boy]

the directtv version is not an option. my area only offers comcast -- so it pretty much has the market cornered here. Ill do my research.

your area only "offers" comcast? are you completely covered in trees because I thought Directv (and Dish) was available everywhere you had line of site to the satellites?
I have a friend who has a lot of trees around him and he can get Directv but he can't pull in the HD feeds so he's stuck with that AT&T tv service. we obviously don't watch games at his house.

[Digitalgypsy66]

the directtv version is not an option. my area only offers comcast -- so it pretty much has the market cornered here. Ill do my research.

your area only "offers" comcast? are you completely covered in trees because I thought Directv (and Dish) was available everywhere you had line of site to the satellites?
I have a friend who has a lot of trees around him and he can get Directv but he can't pull in the HD feeds so he's stuck with that AT&T tv service. we obviously don't watch games at his house.

They may live in a condo/apartment/housing development that won't allow satellite dishes. Been there, done that.

[stinky]

I had GameCenter on Roku last year:

Pros:
Pick your feed
HD (if you have a decent cable speeds)
Good picture quality (although there was slight "jitter" when panning)
Ability to get any game of the season in archives AND past select games from the NHL archive

Cons:
The jitter issue, picture isnt perfect like Directtv HD, but it is more than decent HD quality
Lag if your trying to sync to radio

The biggest CON of them all by far for me was the blackout of national games, the Pens had over 40 games on national tv or the NHL network and I could not watch any of those games. If angered me to no end that the NHL blacked out games on Gamecenter if they were on the NHL network.

I am not sure of the Pens national TV shcedule, but I am not sure I will spend the bucks to watch only half the games. Would a VPN service work for National games?

[pittsoccer33]

Would a VPN service work for National games?

No. They are blacked out across the board. Since nationally available networks paid alot of money to show them, they don't want the NHL cutting in on their ratings. With the NHL Network it is partially owned by Comcast, who also really wants to 1) get more people subscribing to it and 2) wants to collect the ad revenue.

[ffemtreed]

They may live in a condo/apartment/housing development that won't allow satellite dishes. Been there, done that.

That is technically illegal in most cases. Do a google search on OTARD.

[Slick, Arnold]

For what it's worth, the PS3 app was horrible

[DelPen]

I had GameCenter on Roku last year:

Pros:
Pick your feed
HD (if you have a decent cable speeds)
Good picture quality (although there was slight "jitter" when panning)
Ability to get any game of the season in archives AND past select games from the NHL archive

Cons:
The jitter issue, picture isnt perfect like Directtv HD, but it is more than decent HD quality
Lag if your trying to sync to radio

The biggest CON of them all by far for me was the blackout of national games, the Pens had over 40 games on national tv or the NHL network and I could not watch any of those games. If angered me to no end that the NHL blacked out games on Gamecenter if they were on the NHL network.

I am not sure of the Pens national TV shcedule, but I am not sure I will spend the bucks to watch only half the games. Would a VPN service work for National games?

CenterIce would black games out too if they were on NHL Network, which Comcast/NBC owns, or on NBCS. The NHL has no control over the channel.

[Penspal]

Something to consider. Gamecentre Live is the online product for watching NHL games. There has been a lot of media attention at suggestions by fans (and media) that Gamecenter Live be made free for a while to entice fans back to watch the NHL (and as a way of saying sorry for being dickheads). Stay tuned for announcements on this, as it may save you some $$$$. Even if its just in Canada, you can get an DNS shifter for $5 month and appear to be from Canada and get it for free $5/month.

[ulf]

They may live in a condo/apartment/housing development that won't allow satellite dishes. Been there, done that. :thumbdown:

That is technically illegal in most cases. Do a google search on OTARD.

Yeah, was gonna say it's illegal. However if you're on one side of a complex and your dish needs to point the other way, you're out of luck.

[columbia]

Property owners get around that by making it a line item in leases....I just signed one like that a few months ago.

[Digitalgypsy66]

I've read a couple of compelling arguments (from fans and previous Gamecenter subscribers) that they hope it won't be free or reduced price because the stream quality drops significantly during the past trial periods.

I get that, but I hope it's free.