26 replies to this topic

[yanksdevs]

Hey guys, i'm new to this site. I was wondering if someone can help me. I will be going to school in Buffalo in a couple of weeks and would like to know what the best way is to watch Devils games. I am aware of Slingbox and Center Ice but I don't really know much about either. Which one do you think is better? Are there any other options available?

[bostondevil11]

I have never used a slingbox so I really cant help you there. By center ice do you mena the cable package or the internet version? I have had the cable version since 2002 and it is fantastic (other than comcast not offering HD games). The only problem is you would have to pay a cable bill every month. This year will be my first year getting the internet package cuz I am done with cable.

[yanksdevs]

Yea I was talking about the internet version because I will be staying in a dorm. I'm leaning towards the slingbox but I'd only be using it for msg and msg+ which kinda seems like a waste to me. I don't know how good the picture quality is on Center Ice and I heard they have a lot of "Blackouts" in the Buffalo area, I have no idea what that means, but it sounds bad.

[Bullshockey247]

I have NHL game center online for my dorm in Boston. It's great if you're going to watch other games besides just the Devils (I do during intermissions and the west coast games)... the downside is that you can't pick the feed you're watching and usually its not the Devils' and they don't show pre/post game shows or intermission reports.

[bostondevil11]

I have NHL game center online for my dorm in Boston. It's great if you're going to watch other games besides just the Devils (I do during intermissions and the west coast games)... the downside is that you can't pick the feed you're watching and usually its not the Devils' and they don't show pre/post game shows or intermission reports.

Do they still black out Bruins games? SOmeone was telling me they don't do that anymore but I don't really believe them/

[CRASHER]

Slingbox is amazing if you can get someone back home to watch what you want to watch on it, I have one and i love it... but I'd say you're better off with the CI deal personally

[Bullshockey247]

Do they still black out Bruins games? SOmeone was telling me they don't do that anymore but I don't really believe them/

Yea I'm pretty sure they're still blacked out

[mmajeski06]

Center Ice is good...but the blackouts get annoying. My buddy got the internet package to watch Pens games, but they were blacked out online even though we are in the Cleveland area and the Pens aren't even on tv. Now he just sticks to the "illegal" streams.

[yanksdevs]

Yea I did that last year to watch the flyer games but the quality was horrible. I dont think I can watch the Devils games like that. However it is A LOT cheaper. I'm assuming the picture quality would be much better on slingbox or gamecenter, but I'll see how it goes.

[RSC]

Anybody know when Gamecenter goes on sale?

[Devilsfan118]

Well if you're cheap like me, you can typically find the games being streamed online for free. I mean, it's a gamble obviously, sometimes the feeds won't load, lag like hell, etc.

But I'm at Rutgers, so I only used the streams for games that were on MSG++ or VS, maybe 15 games max. Only had problems with 2-3 games tops. I could send you the sites I used if you're interested.

DISCLAIMER: I don't know the legal issues involved when watching a streamed game. So, watch at your own risk I guess

[jagknife]

Yea I was talking about the internet version because I will be staying in a dorm. I'm leaning towards the slingbox but I'd only be using it for msg and msg+ which kinda seems like a waste to me. I don't know how good the picture quality is on Center Ice and I heard they have a lot of "Blackouts" in the Buffalo area, I have no idea what that means, but it sounds bad.

i had center ice for the past 2 years when i lived in buffalo, never lose a devils game unless it was on versus, NHL network or they were playing the sabres.

where are you going to college in buffalo, UB?

[nyrsuck26]

Coincidently, I just ordered a slingbox last week so that I could watch the Devs, Yanks, and Giants while I'm out at school (Penn St.). What sold me to slingbox is the fact that there is no type of subscription. It costs $300 for the equipment for the HD slingbox (I think it was something like $180 for standard def.) and that's it. (Well, if you want to watch on your smartphone (works on most OS's) the app costs another $30, but of course that is optional.)

Something that you definitely need to research if you want the slingbox is how much upload bandwidth you have at your house, and how much download bandwidth you will be allowed at school, because slingbox does use a lot of bandwidth and if you don't have a good amount, the internet at your house will run slow while you use it. And you can easily run over your bandwidth limits (assuming your school has bandwidth limits) by over using the slingbox.

I'll let you know how well it actually works when it comes in next week.

Edited by nyrsuck26, 11 August 2010 - 03:46 PM.

[Devilsfan118]

Something that you definitely need to research if you want the slingbox is how much upload bandwidth you have at your house, and how much download bandwidth you will be allowed at school, because slingbox does use a lot of bandwidth and if you don't have a good amount, the internet at your house will run slow while you use it. And you can easily run over your bandwidth limits (assuming your school has bandwidth limits) by over using the slingbox.

This is a great point. Depends on the university obviously, but, for me personally, slingbox was outa the question with a pretty low bandwidth limit. Definitely look into it

[PattyElias26]

aren't most of the games on versus or nhl network?

[Martyisth3b3st]

aren't most of the games on versus or nhl network?

If by "most" you mean 4, then yes, most of our games are on versus and the nhl network.

[PattyElias26]

If by "most" you mean 4, then yes, most of our games are on versus and the nhl network.

I just moved to VA, I used to just watch them online at school. so where are most of the games aired and when I get them down here you think?

[RSC]

I just moved to VA, I used to just watch them online at school. so where are most of the games aired and when I get them down here you think?

They aren't. Most games for teams are shown in their local areas, so the Devils, Rangers, and Islanders are shown only in NJ/NY/CT for 99% of their games, unless you have a slingbox or Center Ice. Assuming you don't get either, you'll only be able to watch the Devils when they play the Caps or when they're on NHL Network or Versus.

[PattyElias26]

They aren't. Most games for teams are shown in their local areas, so the Devils, Rangers, and Islanders are shown only in NJ/NY/CT for 99% of their games, unless you have a slingbox or Center Ice. Assuming you don't get either, you'll only be able to watch the Devils when they play the Caps or when they're on NHL Network or Versus.

Damn, ive heard bad things about gamecenter too. And I dont like how they renew your subscription unless you call, or that's atleast what they used to do.

[DevilNurn]

CAREFUL. That's all I'll say. I go to school in Syracuse, NY and it's on the overlap of NJ and Buffalo on MSG+, and Buffalo takes precedence. In other words, if only Buffalo is playing, it's on, if only NJ is playing, it's on, and if both NJ and Buffalo are playing, only Buffalo is on (all on MSG+, I got MSG ok). Therefore, I am technically in both markets and am blacked out of both NJ and Buffalo (not to mention NYR and NYI) territories on Gamecenter Live. I called Gamecenter to see if I could resolve the problem somehow and they basically gave me the old "call your cable or satellite provider," which was useless because I used the school's cable. Not to mention Gamecenter auto-renews your membership and charges your credit card, and it's opt-out only, so it automatically happens unless you cancel it. And they charge you for their full-season package regardless of what you paid for it. Gamecenter was good to me in general, but only for watching out-of-market games.

After all that hullaballoo I ended up just using online streams that other people put up. Quality was just as good as Gamecenter.

One of my friends has Slingbox and he likes it a lot, but I can't speak to the quality of the video and such and how well it works. And Center Ice I never went near because it's so expensive.

Hope this helps.

Edited by DevilNurn, 11 August 2010 - 05:09 PM.