Just a quick blog post with some positive news about getting a HD picture via the Foxtel Now app.
Previously, I thought that I could get the best picture for sports on Foxtel Now by Chromecasting it from the app on my iPad. My previous testing with a computer resulted in a pixtellated, dark picture with lots of latency.
However, I recently tested the picture again on my gaming PC, and I'm really pleased to say the picture is much improved. I still think it's only about 720p HD, and not the full 1080p or better, but it definitely is better than what I was seeing via the app, especially for Fox Footy (which is what it's all about really!!).
There are one or two other issues such as picture degradation around players when they're running, and some ghosting/flickering of the ball as it moves through the air, but I'm relatively confident I can fix these by adjusting some of the smoothing options on the TV itself, rather than it being a problem with the quality of the signal.
I don't mind running it through the gaming PC, although there may be some loss in functionality as I need to use the mouse instead of having the iPad, which is good for when you are lying on the couch and want to use it like a remote control. But there are other benefits as well - the PC version of Foxtel Now has much better channel information, such as showing what's coming up next, and I can also go back up to 30 minutes on the active channel, which you couldn't do on the app and still cast to the television.
So this is a very pleasing development to discover only a few weeks out from the AFL season! I think it starts in only 37 days or something....
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Participant Observations 7/2/18 - Foxtel and the $39 a month HD Sports Pack
I think this is a great initiative from Foxtel, and I think is true recognition that the sports fan demands a different set of criteria than other consumers.
Firstly, it's in HD!! Clearly HD is significant to the sports watcher.
$39 a month for only sports is a pretty good deal, especially as Fox Sports have announced their going hard after sports rights (i.e., cricket) in the near future.
This possibly mimics the strategy of News corp more broadly, who are selling down their non-news and non-sport assets to focus primarily on those two areas, and they must see it as central to their business model going forward in some respects.
No lock-in contract is good. No equipment fee is good.
But here's the rub...
After the first 12 months, the price reverts to $65 a month!!
Details: https://www.foxtel.com.au/shop/packages/sports.html (Note: offer ends 28th March)
It's still not enough to drive me back to getting a satellite subscription, given I get all the other channels for $65 a month anyway, and also given that I'm now paying more for my internet - why would I want to pay more money for Foxtel when I get everything I need through the internet?
Nice work Foxtel - now if you could just deliver your OTT service in 1080p HD instead of 720p I would really be a happy sports fan.
Firstly, it's in HD!! Clearly HD is significant to the sports watcher.
$39 a month for only sports is a pretty good deal, especially as Fox Sports have announced their going hard after sports rights (i.e., cricket) in the near future.
This possibly mimics the strategy of News corp more broadly, who are selling down their non-news and non-sport assets to focus primarily on those two areas, and they must see it as central to their business model going forward in some respects.
No lock-in contract is good. No equipment fee is good.
But here's the rub...
After the first 12 months, the price reverts to $65 a month!!
Details: https://www.foxtel.com.au/shop/packages/sports.html (Note: offer ends 28th March)
It's still not enough to drive me back to getting a satellite subscription, given I get all the other channels for $65 a month anyway, and also given that I'm now paying more for my internet - why would I want to pay more money for Foxtel when I get everything I need through the internet?
Nice work Foxtel - now if you could just deliver your OTT service in 1080p HD instead of 720p I would really be a happy sports fan.
Participant Observations 7/2/18 - AFL Evolution
A few weeks ago, before the AFLW started, and before AFLX had debuted, I decided I needed to get my AFL fix on.
With little else to turn to, and now that gaming has become a regular part of my entertainment, I decided to get the only recently available AFL game, AFL Evolution.
Firstly, the game is NOT cheap. It was US$50, so about $70 Australian.
The game obviously lacks the polish of many sports sims made in the US or Europe, such as NBA 2K, F1, FIFA, golf, rally, etc. The music soundtrack is VERY limited, and the menus are not as slick as other games. The commentary is sub-par, and the graphics are ok without being wildly exceptional.
But...
I fucking love it. I admit, the game-play has some quirks. It's really hard to mark, playing on can be a problem, as can getting the right camera angles. But as I texted to my friend when I told him about it, I still shout at the TV when I'm controlling Buddy Franklin and he dobs one on the run from outside 50!!
I haven't tried the online options yet - mostly I've just played single games against shitty opponents while I get used to the controls. But I've found that if you set the camera to end-to-end, and get a knack for stringing together handballs and kicking to leads, it's really good fun.
One other feature I've explored for the first time last night as the career mode. So I created a player vicariously in my image in the game that I control:
It's hilarious. My first game, I was best on ground with 22 disposals and a goal, but I then was suspended for 2 games after I cleaned up an opponent in the game, and my appeal against the suspension was unsuccessful...
And of course I embellished my players characteristics. He's a rover, like me, but he's the maximum size (215cms) and built like a truck.
I guess, during all of this, the process reminded me of a question I had from someone at the CSAA Fan Studies Conference in Wollongong late last year. After my presentation, they asked me what fans do during the off-season - do they create fan fiction, or anything similar. At the time I spoke about how the AFL attempts to stretch the season out over 12 months to cater for these fans, but I think this is more in line with the type of questions she was asking.
This game is more for the hard-core fans - the lack of polish and difficulty in playing the game will not attract the casual fan - in fact, while researching the game, many reviews said much the same thing - that the game will only appeal to the rusted-on fans because of the flaws.
But I really like the game.
With little else to turn to, and now that gaming has become a regular part of my entertainment, I decided to get the only recently available AFL game, AFL Evolution.
Firstly, the game is NOT cheap. It was US$50, so about $70 Australian.
The game obviously lacks the polish of many sports sims made in the US or Europe, such as NBA 2K, F1, FIFA, golf, rally, etc. The music soundtrack is VERY limited, and the menus are not as slick as other games. The commentary is sub-par, and the graphics are ok without being wildly exceptional.
But...
I fucking love it. I admit, the game-play has some quirks. It's really hard to mark, playing on can be a problem, as can getting the right camera angles. But as I texted to my friend when I told him about it, I still shout at the TV when I'm controlling Buddy Franklin and he dobs one on the run from outside 50!!
I haven't tried the online options yet - mostly I've just played single games against shitty opponents while I get used to the controls. But I've found that if you set the camera to end-to-end, and get a knack for stringing together handballs and kicking to leads, it's really good fun.
One other feature I've explored for the first time last night as the career mode. So I created a player vicariously in my image in the game that I control:
It's hilarious. My first game, I was best on ground with 22 disposals and a goal, but I then was suspended for 2 games after I cleaned up an opponent in the game, and my appeal against the suspension was unsuccessful...
And of course I embellished my players characteristics. He's a rover, like me, but he's the maximum size (215cms) and built like a truck.
I guess, during all of this, the process reminded me of a question I had from someone at the CSAA Fan Studies Conference in Wollongong late last year. After my presentation, they asked me what fans do during the off-season - do they create fan fiction, or anything similar. At the time I spoke about how the AFL attempts to stretch the season out over 12 months to cater for these fans, but I think this is more in line with the type of questions she was asking.
This game is more for the hard-core fans - the lack of polish and difficulty in playing the game will not attract the casual fan - in fact, while researching the game, many reviews said much the same thing - that the game will only appeal to the rusted-on fans because of the flaws.
But I really like the game.
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