Let's Talk About MLBTV

Cumberland Blues

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Sep 9, 2001
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So is it as simple as registering specific devices? My extremely limited understanding of internet technology doesn't fully understand Crow's response.
You don't even really register the device - you just use your login on whatever device you want to use. They may bark if too many devices are logged in simultaneously - but that has never happened to me.
 

UFSox

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Oct 31, 2013
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Jacksonville, FL
Just got an email this morning (as I imagine other subscribers did) with the proposed class settlement notice in the MLB.tv case. The bottom line:
  • MLB will lower the price of MLB.TV to $109.99 for 2016 (from the 2015 price of $129.99). MLB will be prohibited from increasing the price by more than 3% (or the federal Cost of Living Adjustment ("COLA"), if higher) per year through 2020.
  • For the 2016 and 2017 MLB seasons, Comcast and DIRECTV will provide the full season MLB Extra Innings product at a 12.5% discount from the 2015 price.
  • Single-Team Packages: MLB will offer packages of single teams' out-of-market games through MLB.TV for $84.99 for a full season in 2016, with MLB allowed to raise the price by no more than 3% (or COLA, if higher) for each of the next four years. MLB has also agreed to make this option available to Comcast and DIRECTV so that they may offer seasonal packages of single team games for each and every MLB Club available through MLB Extra Innings, although Comcast and DIRECTV are not obligated to offer such packages.
There are some additional details, such as in-market streaming and a "Follow Your Team" option for people with subscriptions to both MLB.tv and certain cable companies. SB Nation has a writeup with all the details and the proposed settlement notice here.
 

h8mfy

New Member
Jul 15, 2005
336
Orange County, CA
I got the package for my Dad as a gift at Xmas - no mail, yet, so I'm wondering if the reduction is retroactive. He might be interested in the follow one team option, as he constantly complains that in Raleigh he is blacked out of Red Sox games.
 

LogansDad

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Nov 15, 2006
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Here's a question.... I'm going to call customer service, but I want to go back to the Extra Innings package. I liked the MLB.tv package, but (and I don't know if it was my ISP, or what... but I have a really nice modem and router) the games had a lot of lag and stuttering last year for me. Has anyone had any luck rolling their MLB.tv package into an EI package, or do I just need to cancel and then become a new subscriber again?
 

derekson

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Jun 26, 2010
6,221
The follow one team package seems like a crappy deal compared to the full package. $110 vs $85 means you're only paying $25 extra for the option to watch random games if you feel like it. Just being able to tune in and watch the Yankees lose from time to time is easily worth that over a full year.
 

Flunky

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I got the package for my Dad as a gift at Xmas - no mail, yet, so I'm wondering if the reduction is retroactive. He might be interested in the follow one team option, as he constantly complains that in Raleigh he is blacked out of Red Sox games.
Raleigh, NC? That shouldn't be. At all.
 

Captaincoop

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Jul 16, 2005
13,487
Santa Monica, CA
Raleigh, NC? That shouldn't be. At all.
I've had all kinds of weird blackout issues over the years. If you are getting a strange blackout like that, call customer service, they helped me get around it last year when MLB.tv was blacking out my feed of a Sox - Tampa game in Sacramento, CA.
 

Flunky

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yep - be sure to use their site tools. This one tells you what zip code their geolocation software thinks you're in

http://www.mlb.com/mlb/subscriptions/blackout.jsp

If it's incorrect - as in, you're in Raleigh, NC and it says somewhere in Red Sox blackout territory, call customer service. They can put a manual zip, usually based off your billing zip, in place on your account. They are quite helpful too, it's not some call to India. The only issue you'd have after that is if your ISP gave you a new IP address, you'll probably have to call again.
 

soxhop411

news aggravator
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Dec 4, 2009
46,200
I love how absurd that blackout map is. Las Vegas has 4 lines over it with 2 of the lines representing 2 teams. 6 blackouts in one market. Thanks a lot MLB!

Isn't it the networks who set broadcast territories and not MLB?
 

trekfan55

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I wouldn't be surprised if the the intermittent blackouts had something to do with your billing address. Is that in NE?
The internet blackouts are based on where you are. I travel a lot, and the mlb App tests where I am in order to determine eligibility to watch games.

As a non US resident that pretty much means I get to watch all games (including FOX Saturdays and postseason).
 

8slim

has trust issues
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Nov 6, 2001
24,758
Unreal America
Isn't it the networks who set broadcast territories and not MLB?
MLB typically uses the designated market areas as set by Nielsen, so that, along with zip codes, are what governs what is blacked out. But it's MLB that decides which teams get to claim those various DMAs. It's ridiculous that they let multiple teams claim a market.

FWIW, years ago I had NESN in Fairfield, CT and the games weren't blacked out. Then the USPS changed my town's zip code and soon NESN was blacked out. Apparently my old zip was part of the zips in CT that were Sox territory (060xx-067xx). My new zip was part of the zips in CT that were Yankees/Mets territory (068xx-069xx). I called MLB and pleaded my case that since my town didn't move perhaps they could make my new zip part of Sox territory again. But they were not convinced.
 

koufax32

He'll cry if he wants to...
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Dec 8, 2006
9,083
Duval
Comcast vs. AT&T, who's your ISP and how does mlbtv perform on it? I'm considering switching to at&t for cost reasons.
 

geoduck no quahog

not particularly consistent
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I love how absurd that blackout map is. Las Vegas has 4 lines over it with 2 of the lines representing 2 teams. 6 blackouts in one market. Thanks a lot MLB!
Yep. Looks like SF, OAK, LAA, LAD, SD and ARI are your home teams in Las Vegas.

Iowa: KC, STL, CHWS, CHC, MIL, MN - but who gives a shit about Iowa anyway

Strangest one is the Brewers bleeding over into Minnesota and Michigan
 

trekfan55

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I have looked everywhere but cannot find the answer. This is the first time I use MLBTV on a FireTV (have been a subscriber for ages). I have browsed the ST listings and do not see any highlights/condensed games/per inning options on games that are already done. Is this a Spring Training thing?
 

finnVT

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Jul 12, 2002
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I see links to highlights for games that were on mlb.tv on the web schedule, but have no idea about firetv. you should actually be able to browse back to last regular season and check, as i see replay/highlights/condensed all available for those.

edit: i don't see condensed games for ST, but do for last season's, so I'm guessing that part is just a ST thing.
 

nvalvo

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Jul 16, 2005
21,446
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you mean for the new Apple TV, right? I might have to get it.
Yes! It's a very nice piece of hardware, too. I gather it's received some criticism, but I love the new remote.

Voice control seems like a stupid feature for a television, but there are some wonderful applications for it. You look up at the game just as something exciting happens, tell Siri "Go back fifteen seconds" (or however long) and it happens very quickly. It's easy to jump between half innings. You can watch more than one game at once.

Just in general, it's caught up with the feature set of the web version, but it works much more smoothly without wonky crash-prone browser plugins. Of course, the downside is that it's much harder to trick it about my location, but I don't live in New England anymore, so it's not a big issue.
 

CarolinaBeerGuy

Don't know him from Adam
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Mar 14, 2006
9,389
Kernersville, NC
I'm probably the only person still using an original iPad, but I thought I'd check to see if anyone else still uses one. The only thing I've used it for is the MLB At Bat app which has worked in past years despite the iPad only running iOS 5. Mine is in storage now, so I haven't checked, but I thought I read that it's no longer compatible. Can anyone confirm this? I will have to look for another device if that's the case. I usually watch the iPad while my wife watches other things, so using the PS4/Roku/etc. won't work for me. Thanks for any input.
 

Flunky

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you'll definitely need iOS 8 to run the MLB At-Bat app. And an original Ipad can't run iOS past version 5. :(
 

canderson

Mr. Brightside
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Jul 16, 2005
39,306
Harrisburg, Pa.
I can't seem to get my EI package to hook up with my MLB.tv account.... has anyone had experience with this?
I had this hiccup last year with DirecTV. If I remember correctly I had to wait until the season started to connect them since the EI doesn't cover preseason.
 

finnVT

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Jul 12, 2002
2,150
Does anyone use the mlb.tv desktop app (i.e., the downloadable one, not in a web browser)? Specifically, the mac version?

I can't seem to turn of closed captioning. There are two buttons I see for it, one in the settings menu, one the CC button on the onscreen display, but neither of them seem to do anything. Any ideas?
 

trekfan55

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Damn. I've been able to use it every year until now.
I think that when you download MLB At Bat, it downloads the previous version that is compatible with your IOS. Don't know if that works this season, but that may do the trick, although you may not have some new features the new version of the App has.
 

daveuk

¡el ticos son estúpidos!
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Jul 15, 2005
219
Jolly ol' England
Bumped as according to MLBTV, all remaining spring training games are streaming free and no blackouts. Including the Sox in Montreal.

It's the grand finale as Spring Training goes, and any remaining exhibition games that are streamed live on MLB.TV will be free for anyone to watch from anywhere.
The free preview today and Saturday features a combined 16 games. That includes 11 exhibitions that will be played at nine Major League ballparks, as many clubs give their home fans a first look at their 2016 teams in person.
 

Back Bay

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Dec 9, 2008
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I can confirm that it works. Just visit that link or mlb.com/tmobile via your phone data (wifi will not work) and sign in with your MLB.com account.com

It might tell you to put in a redemption code, which I never got. I think it might be for new mlb.com accounts, I have an account for years now. Didn't need to enter the redemption code. But I want them to send it just in case.
 

cjdmadcow

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Jul 16, 2005
1,477
St Albans, UK
As I'm in a slightly better financial position this year compared to last, I just paid the yearly MLB.tv subscription of $109.99 but I also had an additional £22.00 tax to pay as well.

Given that I'm an international viewer in the UK, does anyone have any idea what this tax charge actually is and have I been incorrectly charged for something?
 

themactavish

New Member
Aug 4, 2010
75
St. Cloud, MN

daveuk

¡el ticos son estúpidos!
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Jul 15, 2005
219
Jolly ol' England
As I'm in a slightly better financial position this year compared to last, I just paid the yearly MLB.tv subscription of $109.99 but I also had an additional £22.00 tax to pay as well.

Given that I'm an international viewer in the UK, does anyone have any idea what this tax charge actually is and have I been incorrectly charged for something?
Me too. The response I got was that MLB had to collect the sales tax relevant regardless of the purchasers location. In our case that would be 20% VAT. How they then pass that on to the UK tax office, I have no idea. We may well be getting screwed.

Here's the response from MLB.

Thank you for contacting MLB.com.Here's the tax information that is posted on the site.
For certain purchases made via the MLBAM Properties, MLBAM is required to collect sales tax. In states or regions that impose sales or use tax, a purchase is subject to tax unless specifically exempt. Purchases from the MLBAM Properties are not exempt from sales or use taxes simply because they are made from the Internet or because MLBAM is not required to collect sales or use tax by any particular state or region. Whether any sales tax will be collected on a given purchase and the amount of tax charged depends on a number of factors including whether the seller is subject to tax in a given jurisdiction.The purchaser is responsible for any applicable taxes not collected by MLBAM and certain states require purchasers to file a sales/use tax return annually reporting taxable purchases that were not taxed and to pay such tax. For details, see the website of, or otherwise contact, the applicable taxing authority. If any sales tax will be collected directly by MLBAM in connection with a purchase, that amount will be shown either prior to the completion of any purchase or reflected in the final confirmation of that purchase.

Regards.
MLB.com Customer Support
 

cjdmadcow

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St Albans, UK
I see why you've quoted the wording from the website but I'm not convinced that it relates to non-US locations - only US states and associated regions - otherwise they would need to collect sales taxes for a couple of hundred locations around the world ad then distribute those payments to the individual tax authorities and I really can't see MLB doing that.

Also, I've bought many an item from the US - online services & physical items - and never had to pay any sort of sales tax. I've paid import duties when actual goods have come into the UK but nothing at the point of sale.

My conclusion is the same as yours - we're getting screwed an additional 20%
 

daveuk

¡el ticos son estúpidos!
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Jul 15, 2005
219
Jolly ol' England
I see why you've quoted the wording from the website but I'm not convinced that it relates to non-US locations - only US states and associated regions - otherwise they would need to collect sales taxes for a couple of hundred locations around the world ad then distribute those payments to the individual tax authorities and I really can't see MLB doing that.

Also, I've bought many an item from the US - online services & physical items - and never had to pay any sort of sales tax. I've paid import duties when actual goods have come into the UK but nothing at the point of sale.

My conclusion is the same as yours - we're getting screwed an additional 20%
I call it my "never blacked out fee" and I feel slightly better about it. But only slightly better.
 

derekson

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Jun 26, 2010
6,221
I wouldn't be surprised if MLB is having to pay those taxes now, especially with the EU cracking down on corporate tax from large companies like MSFT and Apple and Google.
 

CarolinaBeerGuy

Don't know him from Adam
SoSH Member
Mar 14, 2006
9,389
Kernersville, NC
MLB At Bat finally stopped working on my first gen iPad. This despite their website saying it would work with version 6.4.1 running on iOS 5. Guess it's time to find a new device.
 

Rice4HOF

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Jan 21, 2002
1,882
Calgary, Canada
Maybe I should post this in the tech forum, but since it's related to MLB.TV, thought i'd try here first. I have a subscription. Works fine on my phone and laptop. Used to work fine on my LG smart TV. Now, I get no sound when watching games. It's not a problem with the tv settings, because the sound works fine when I choose the audio only option, or when I use a different app (Netflix etc.). Any ideas why I'm getting no sound when I watch the game? It worked fine last year.
 

geoduck no quahog

not particularly consistent
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Nov 8, 2002
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Every half inning, MLB.TV reverts back to the start of game. Need to manually slide things to live feed (live click doesn't work).

Minor pain in the ass.