• Re: Simplest (both install and use) way to get 'sport' on TV?

    From John Hall@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jan 12 11:09:25 2022
    In message <7dn2bi-e0ga.ln1@esprimo.zbmc.eu>, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net>
    writes
    My M-I-L had BT Sport via Plusnet but that has been discontinued.

    She wants to watch (among other things) tennis in the Australian Open,
    this is more of an ongoing want than 'I want it now', it's just that
    the Australian Open has brought the issue up again.
    <snip>

    According to my newspaper, Eurosport has the 2022 live TV rights for the
    UK. It doesn't say anything about BT Sport. (Maybe BT Sport had the
    rights last year but not this?):

    "250 hours of live coverage will be broadcast with Eurosport 1 and
    Eurosport 2 dedicated to showing the very best matches on Rod Laver
    Arena. All courts and all matches will be accessible via discovery+, the Eurosport App and Eurosport.com."

    Eurosport 1 and 2 are also carried by Sky. (But possibly not if you
    don't take their sport package rather than just the basic Sky package?)
    --
    John Hall
    "Home is heaven and orgies are vile,
    But you *need* an orgy, once in a while."
    Ogden Nash (1902-1971)

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  • From Chris Green@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jan 12 10:33:43 2022
    My M-I-L had BT Sport via Plusnet but that has been discontinued.

    She wants to watch (among other things) tennis in the Australian Open,
    this is more of an ongoing want than 'I want it now', it's just that
    the Australian Open has brought the issue up again.


    So, what is the simplest way to get what she wants? That's 'simplest'
    both from the installation point of view and from the use point of
    view. She lives with us so getting WiFi, Internet, whatever sorted
    out isn't too difficult but extra boxes hanging around under the
    television are less welcome.

    I guess she could move from PlusNet to BT but that would increase the
    cost somewhat, I think. How does 'BT Sport' compare with Sky sport
    nowadays? Is there anything else available to provide what she wants?

    ... and as I said 'easy to use' is important, the BT Sport on Plusnet
    was just about as complex as she could manage easily.

    --
    Chris Green
    ·

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  • From Chris Green@21:1/5 to John Hall on Wed Jan 12 11:32:25 2022
    John Hall <john_nospam@jhall.co.uk> wrote:
    In message <7dn2bi-e0ga.ln1@esprimo.zbmc.eu>, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> writes
    My M-I-L had BT Sport via Plusnet but that has been discontinued.

    She wants to watch (among other things) tennis in the Australian Open,
    this is more of an ongoing want than 'I want it now', it's just that
    the Australian Open has brought the issue up again.
    <snip>

    According to my newspaper, Eurosport has the 2022 live TV rights for the
    UK. It doesn't say anything about BT Sport. (Maybe BT Sport had the
    rights last year but not this?):

    "250 hours of live coverage will be broadcast with Eurosport 1 and
    Eurosport 2 dedicated to showing the very best matches on Rod Laver
    Arena. All courts and all matches will be accessible via discovery+, the Eurosport App and Eurosport.com."

    Eurosport 1 and 2 are also carried by Sky. (But possibly not if you
    don't take their sport package rather than just the basic Sky package?)

    Thanks, that's useful.

    We've just discovered/realised that she has a Smart TV (bought quite
    recently), can that access Eurosport?

    --
    Chris Green
    ·

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  • From Mark Undrill@21:1/5 to Chris Green on Wed Jan 12 16:02:48 2022
    On 12/01/2022 11:32, Chris Green wrote:
    John Hall <john_nospam@jhall.co.uk> wrote:
    In message <7dn2bi-e0ga.ln1@esprimo.zbmc.eu>, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net>
    writes
    My M-I-L had BT Sport via Plusnet but that has been discontinued.

    She wants to watch (among other things) tennis in the Australian Open,
    this is more of an ongoing want than 'I want it now', it's just that
    the Australian Open has brought the issue up again.
    <snip>

    According to my newspaper, Eurosport has the 2022 live TV rights for the
    UK. It doesn't say anything about BT Sport. (Maybe BT Sport had the
    rights last year but not this?):

    "250 hours of live coverage will be broadcast with Eurosport 1 and
    Eurosport 2 dedicated to showing the very best matches on Rod Laver
    Arena. All courts and all matches will be accessible via discovery+, the
    Eurosport App and Eurosport.com."

    Eurosport 1 and 2 are also carried by Sky. (But possibly not if you
    don't take their sport package rather than just the basic Sky package?)

    Thanks, that's useful.

    We've just discovered/realised that she has a Smart TV (bought quite recently), can that access Eurosport?

    I believe newer Samsung smart TVs have a Eurosport application. Of
    course you'll have to subscribe to Eurosport. Other smart TVs may have
    it as well.

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  • From Chris Green@21:1/5 to Mark Undrill on Wed Jan 12 16:53:14 2022
    Mark Undrill <spam@invalid.invalid> wrote:
    On 12/01/2022 11:32, Chris Green wrote:
    John Hall <john_nospam@jhall.co.uk> wrote:
    In message <7dn2bi-e0ga.ln1@esprimo.zbmc.eu>, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net>
    writes
    My M-I-L had BT Sport via Plusnet but that has been discontinued.

    She wants to watch (among other things) tennis in the Australian Open, >>> this is more of an ongoing want than 'I want it now', it's just that
    the Australian Open has brought the issue up again.
    <snip>

    According to my newspaper, Eurosport has the 2022 live TV rights for the >> UK. It doesn't say anything about BT Sport. (Maybe BT Sport had the
    rights last year but not this?):

    "250 hours of live coverage will be broadcast with Eurosport 1 and
    Eurosport 2 dedicated to showing the very best matches on Rod Laver
    Arena. All courts and all matches will be accessible via discovery+, the >> Eurosport App and Eurosport.com."

    Eurosport 1 and 2 are also carried by Sky. (But possibly not if you
    don't take their sport package rather than just the basic Sky package?)

    Thanks, that's useful.

    We've just discovered/realised that she has a Smart TV (bought quite recently), can that access Eurosport?

    I believe newer Samsung smart TVs have a Eurosport application. Of
    course you'll have to subscribe to Eurosport. Other smart TVs may have
    it as well.

    It seems to be a bit of a can of worms, or at least a can of random
    wriggly things. Whether any particular TV app will work on any
    particular TV seems to be mostly down to luck/chance and, even if it
    does whether it will work in a few months time is also not very
    certain.

    If a service like Eurosport doesn't have an app that works on one's TV
    what are the alternatives? As I understand it (and I'm not at all
    convinced I do) the possibilities are:-

    Use an app on your phone - more likely to be available as there's
    only Apple and Android to provide apps for. No good for M-I-L,
    she struggles with her Android phone and the screen is too small.

    Can you use a smartphone somehow to display on TV? Again probably
    no good for M-I-L as it's too complicated.

    Can you got to the eurosport.com web site and show pictures in the
    web browser? Better than via 'phone but still a bit messy,
    especially as the SmartTV interface to the web is hardly quick and
    easy to use.

    Same as above but using a computer to go to eurosport.com, much
    easier to use interface, use TV to display output.

    ... and if you subscribe to Eurosport it's odds on they won't have
    tennis next year!

    I have to say I hate the current heavily commercialised and 'popular'
    tennis with a minute of noisy applause after every rally so I'm not
    personally interested, but M-I-L wants it.
    --
    Chris Green
    ·

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  • From Charlie+@21:1/5 to Chris Green on Thu Jan 13 06:57:33 2022
    On Wed, 12 Jan 2022 10:33:43 +0000, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote as underneath :

    My M-I-L had BT Sport via Plusnet but that has been discontinued.

    She wants to watch (among other things) tennis in the Australian Open,
    this is more of an ongoing want than 'I want it now', it's just that
    the Australian Open has brought the issue up again.


    So, what is the simplest way to get what she wants? That's 'simplest'
    both from the installation point of view and from the use point of
    view. She lives with us so getting WiFi, Internet, whatever sorted
    out isn't too difficult but extra boxes hanging around under the
    television are less welcome.

    I guess she could move from PlusNet to BT but that would increase the
    cost somewhat, I think. How does 'BT Sport' compare with Sky sport
    nowadays? Is there anything else available to provide what she wants?

    ... and as I said 'easy to use' is important, the BT Sport on Plusnet
    was just about as complex as she could manage easily.

    "sport" covers a million types, no single combo gets more than a small proportion! Amazon Prime (yearly sub) and a cheap firestick gets her a
    lot of tennis.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Chris Green@21:1/5 to Mark Undrill on Thu Jan 13 10:55:29 2022
    Mark Undrill <spam@invalid.invalid> wrote:
    On 12/01/2022 16:53, Chris Green wrote:

    If a service like Eurosport doesn't have an app that works on one's TV
    what are the alternatives? As I understand it (and I'm not at all convinced I do) the possibilities are:-

    Use an app on your phone - more likely to be available as there's
    only Apple and Android to provide apps for. No good for M-I-L,
    she struggles with her Android phone and the screen is too small.

    Fire stick?

    We're looking into a Fire Stick, it seems as if it may be the easiest
    way to go.



    Can you use a smartphone somehow to display on TV? Again probably
    no good for M-I-L as it's too complicated.

    Yes and yes.

    Can you got to the eurosport.com web site and show pictures in the
    web browser? Better than via 'phone but still a bit messy,
    especially as the SmartTV interface to the web is hardly quick and
    easy to use.

    Unlikely a TV based web browser would be up to it.

    I guess not, they're not Firefox/Chrome/Safari are they!



    Same as above but using a computer to go to eurosport.com, much
    easier to use interface, use TV to display output.

    Most computers these days have an HDMI output. Connect this to the TV.

    That's what I was meaning.



    ... and if you subscribe to Eurosport it's odds on they won't have
    tennis next year!

    You can always unsubscribe.

    Yes, but M-I-L likely won't unless we remind here and we're not all
    that good at keeping up with this sort of thing.


    Thanks for all the comments though, they're helpful.

    --
    Chris Green
    ·

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  • From Chris Green@21:1/5 to Mark Undrill on Thu Jan 13 10:58:52 2022
    Mark Undrill <spam@invalid.invalid> wrote:
    On 13/01/2022 06:57, Charlie+ wrote:
    On Wed, 12 Jan 2022 10:33:43 +0000, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote as underneath :

    My M-I-L had BT Sport via Plusnet but that has been discontinued.

    She wants to watch (among other things) tennis in the Australian Open,
    this is more of an ongoing want than 'I want it now', it's just that
    the Australian Open has brought the issue up again.


    So, what is the simplest way to get what she wants? That's 'simplest'
    both from the installation point of view and from the use point of
    view. She lives with us so getting WiFi, Internet, whatever sorted
    out isn't too difficult but extra boxes hanging around under the
    television are less welcome.

    I guess she could move from PlusNet to BT but that would increase the
    cost somewhat, I think. How does 'BT Sport' compare with Sky sport
    nowadays? Is there anything else available to provide what she wants?

    ... and as I said 'easy to use' is important, the BT Sport on Plusnet
    was just about as complex as she could manage easily.

    "sport" covers a million types, no single combo gets more than a small proportion! Amazon Prime (yearly sub) and a cheap firestick gets her a
    lot of tennis.

    Also, Eurosport is available as an add-on channel to Amazon Prime.

    Does that mean that a TV that can 'see' Amazon Prime can see, via
    that, Eurosport? If so that might well be the best way to get what
    M-I-L wants as it involves no extra hardware at all.

    In addition I'm pretty sure *our* quite old unSmart LG TV can access
    Amazon Prime (via the FreeView box?) so we could access it too. This
    might well be helpful in making us a bit familiar with how it works so
    we can help M-I-L.

    --
    Chris Green
    ·

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Mark Undrill@21:1/5 to Chris Green on Thu Jan 13 10:32:03 2022
    On 12/01/2022 16:53, Chris Green wrote:
    Mark Undrill <spam@invalid.invalid> wrote:
    On 12/01/2022 11:32, Chris Green wrote:
    John Hall <john_nospam@jhall.co.uk> wrote:
    In message <7dn2bi-e0ga.ln1@esprimo.zbmc.eu>, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> >>>> writes
    My M-I-L had BT Sport via Plusnet but that has been discontinued.

    She wants to watch (among other things) tennis in the Australian Open, >>>>> this is more of an ongoing want than 'I want it now', it's just that >>>>> the Australian Open has brought the issue up again.
    <snip>

    According to my newspaper, Eurosport has the 2022 live TV rights for the >>>> UK. It doesn't say anything about BT Sport. (Maybe BT Sport had the
    rights last year but not this?):

    "250 hours of live coverage will be broadcast with Eurosport 1 and
    Eurosport 2 dedicated to showing the very best matches on Rod Laver
    Arena. All courts and all matches will be accessible via discovery+, the >>>> Eurosport App and Eurosport.com."

    Eurosport 1 and 2 are also carried by Sky. (But possibly not if you
    don't take their sport package rather than just the basic Sky package?) >>>
    Thanks, that's useful.

    We've just discovered/realised that she has a Smart TV (bought quite
    recently), can that access Eurosport?

    I believe newer Samsung smart TVs have a Eurosport application. Of
    course you'll have to subscribe to Eurosport. Other smart TVs may have
    it as well.

    It seems to be a bit of a can of worms, or at least a can of random
    wriggly things. Whether any particular TV app will work on any
    particular TV seems to be mostly down to luck/chance and, even if it
    does whether it will work in a few months time is also not very
    certain.

    If a service like Eurosport doesn't have an app that works on one's TV
    what are the alternatives? As I understand it (and I'm not at all
    convinced I do) the possibilities are:-

    Use an app on your phone - more likely to be available as there's
    only Apple and Android to provide apps for. No good for M-I-L,
    she struggles with her Android phone and the screen is too small.

    Fire stick?

    Can you use a smartphone somehow to display on TV? Again probably
    no good for M-I-L as it's too complicated.

    Yes and yes.

    Can you got to the eurosport.com web site and show pictures in the
    web browser? Better than via 'phone but still a bit messy,
    especially as the SmartTV interface to the web is hardly quick and
    easy to use.

    Unlikely a TV based web browser would be up to it.

    Same as above but using a computer to go to eurosport.com, much
    easier to use interface, use TV to display output.

    Most computers these days have an HDMI output. Connect this to the TV.

    ... and if you subscribe to Eurosport it's odds on they won't have
    tennis next year!

    You can always unsubscribe.

    I have to say I hate the current heavily commercialised and 'popular'
    tennis with a minute of noisy applause after every rally so I'm not personally interested, but M-I-L wants it.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Mark Undrill@21:1/5 to All on Thu Jan 13 10:24:33 2022
    On 13/01/2022 06:57, Charlie+ wrote:
    On Wed, 12 Jan 2022 10:33:43 +0000, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote as underneath :

    My M-I-L had BT Sport via Plusnet but that has been discontinued.

    She wants to watch (among other things) tennis in the Australian Open,
    this is more of an ongoing want than 'I want it now', it's just that
    the Australian Open has brought the issue up again.


    So, what is the simplest way to get what she wants? That's 'simplest'
    both from the installation point of view and from the use point of
    view. She lives with us so getting WiFi, Internet, whatever sorted
    out isn't too difficult but extra boxes hanging around under the
    television are less welcome.

    I guess she could move from PlusNet to BT but that would increase the
    cost somewhat, I think. How does 'BT Sport' compare with Sky sport
    nowadays? Is there anything else available to provide what she wants?

    ... and as I said 'easy to use' is important, the BT Sport on Plusnet
    was just about as complex as she could manage easily.

    "sport" covers a million types, no single combo gets more than a small proportion! Amazon Prime (yearly sub) and a cheap firestick gets her a
    lot of tennis.

    Also, Eurosport is available as an add-on channel to Amazon Prime.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JNugent@21:1/5 to Chris Green on Thu Jan 13 12:45:09 2022
    On 13/01/2022 10:58 am, Chris Green wrote:

    Mark Undrill <spam@invalid.invalid> wrote:

    [ ... ]

    Also, Eurosport is available as an add-on channel to Amazon Prime.

    Does that mean that a TV that can 'see' Amazon Prime can see, via
    that, Eurosport? If so that might well be the best way to get what
    M-I-L wants as it involves no extra hardware at all.

    The way that this works is that you get into the Firestick [HDMI]
    channel on the TV and thence into the Amazon Prime app. Prime add-on
    subs are manifested as "channels" within the Prime menu. Britbox is
    another (available within the Prime app). So is iMDB TV, though that one
    is free (powered by ads).

    In addition I'm pretty sure *our* quite old unSmart LG TV can access
    Amazon Prime (via the FreeView box?) so we could access it too. This
    might well be helpful in making us a bit familiar with how it works so
    we can help M-I-L.

    I know there are some Freeview boxes with that feature (we have a Humax
    which uses its internet connection in order to let you go "back in time"
    on the TV guide page. They usually refer to it as "Youview".

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Mark Undrill@21:1/5 to Chris Green on Thu Jan 13 13:29:20 2022
    On 13/01/2022 10:58, Chris Green wrote:
    Mark Undrill <spam@invalid.invalid> wrote:
    On 13/01/2022 06:57, Charlie+ wrote:
    On Wed, 12 Jan 2022 10:33:43 +0000, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote as
    underneath :

    My M-I-L had BT Sport via Plusnet but that has been discontinued.

    She wants to watch (among other things) tennis in the Australian Open, >>>> this is more of an ongoing want than 'I want it now', it's just that
    the Australian Open has brought the issue up again.


    So, what is the simplest way to get what she wants? That's 'simplest' >>>> both from the installation point of view and from the use point of
    view. She lives with us so getting WiFi, Internet, whatever sorted
    out isn't too difficult but extra boxes hanging around under the
    television are less welcome.

    I guess she could move from PlusNet to BT but that would increase the
    cost somewhat, I think. How does 'BT Sport' compare with Sky sport
    nowadays? Is there anything else available to provide what she wants? >>>>
    ... and as I said 'easy to use' is important, the BT Sport on Plusnet
    was just about as complex as she could manage easily.

    "sport" covers a million types, no single combo gets more than a small
    proportion! Amazon Prime (yearly sub) and a cheap firestick gets her a
    lot of tennis.

    Also, Eurosport is available as an add-on channel to Amazon Prime.

    Does that mean that a TV that can 'see' Amazon Prime can see, via
    that, Eurosport? If so that might well be the best way to get what
    M-I-L wants as it involves no extra hardware at all.

    Yes I believe so although I've never actually done it myself. When I
    fire up Amazon Prime I can see the add-on channels I've just never
    wanted any of them (yet). What I'm not sure of is if you need to
    subscribe to Prime before you can subscribe to the add-on channels. If
    you find out please post back as I'd like to know :)

    In addition I'm pretty sure *our* quite old unSmart LG TV can access
    Amazon Prime (via the FreeView box?) so we could access it too. This
    might well be helpful in making us a bit familiar with how it works so
    we can help M-I-L.

    Sounds like win-win ;)

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  • From Chris Green@21:1/5 to JNugent on Thu Jan 13 13:12:16 2022
    JNugent <jennings&co@fastmail.fm> wrote:
    On 13/01/2022 10:58 am, Chris Green wrote:

    Mark Undrill <spam@invalid.invalid> wrote:

    [ ... ]

    Also, Eurosport is available as an add-on channel to Amazon Prime.

    Does that mean that a TV that can 'see' Amazon Prime can see, via
    that, Eurosport? If so that might well be the best way to get what
    M-I-L wants as it involves no extra hardware at all.

    The way that this works is that you get into the Firestick [HDMI]
    channel on the TV and thence into the Amazon Prime app. Prime add-on
    subs are manifested as "channels" within the Prime menu. Britbox is
    another (available within the Prime app). So is iMDB TV, though that one
    is free (powered by ads).

    Yes, thanks. We have an Amazon Fire Stick that hasn't been used for
    ages but I have just resuscitated it and I think I can see how one
    gets access to Eurosport using it. We'll have to set up an Amazon
    account for M-I-L but that's OK. She'll have to learn how to switch
    inputs on the TV but I think that will probably be OK too.


    In addition I'm pretty sure *our* quite old unSmart LG TV can access
    Amazon Prime (via the FreeView box?) so we could access it too. This
    might well be helpful in making us a bit familiar with how it works so
    we can help M-I-L.

    I know there are some Freeview boxes with that feature (we have a Humax
    which uses its internet connection in order to let you go "back in time"
    on the TV guide page. They usually refer to it as "Youview".

    Yes, I think you're right, it's via the YouView box that one can get
    to this. We have only FreeView on our television but M-I-L has a
    YouView box so I'll have a dig around in that to see what I can find.

    Thanks.

    --
    Chris Green
    ·

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  • From Andy Burns@21:1/5 to Chris Green on Sat Jan 15 09:13:28 2022
    Chris Green wrote:


    Does that mean that a TV that can 'see' Amazon Prime can see, via
    that, Eurosport? If so that might well be the best way to get what
    M-I-L wants as it involves no extra hardware at all.

    Not sure about Eurosport itself, but certainly ATP tennis, I have Amazon Prime, it says ...

    "Which tournaments can I watch on Prime Video?

    Prime members in UK & Ireland have exclusive access to WTA (Women's),
    ATP Tour (Men's) and US Open Tennis Championships.

    Do I have to pay extra to watch ATP, WTA and US Open on Prime Video?

    Prime customers in UK and Ireland can watch Tennis matches on Prime
    Video for no additional fees.

    <https://www.amazon.co.uk/b/ref=sxts_spkl_2_2_357d41e5-8c5a-402a-b295-644ac0743098?node=16184708031&pf_rd_p=357d41e5-8c5a-402a-b295-644ac0743098&pf_rd_r=BYNC8F9KJH7XADE3H5QQ&pd_rd_wg=1ixyf&pd_rd_w=qqnQI&qid=1642237539&pd_rd_r=b35cf401-a047-4c75-b687-
    054b6dace230>

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