Watching Olympics without cable?

Koralai · Jan 13, 2018

Hey everyone -- I'm struggling to figure out what my options are for watching the Olympics in the US without cable, and I thought you all would have some good advice. I'm willing to pay money, but I'd really like to give my $$ to someone besides Ice Network because their website is so shoddy and it was so difficult to disentangle myself from their auto-renewal process the last time I subscribed. I think I saw mention somewhere of a paid option through YouTube - is that true? That would be ideal for me because I can stream YouTube on my Roku TV; however, I'm having trouble finding any more details on that.

For those of you who live in the US and don't have cable, what are you planning to do?

(Also, the mission and meaning of the Olympics would be so much better served by a universal, publicly-funded broadcast, but that's a topic for another day...:disapp

Manitou · Jan 13, 2018

Olympic Channel supposedly should be available not only via a cable provider, but also via a video streaming provider. YouTube TV is such a service. Here is a helpful link. It addresses watching alpine ski racing, but applies to figure skating too.

https://www.skiracing.com/premium/how-i-subscribed-to-the-olympic-channel

ks777 · Jan 13, 2018

I don't have cable either but have HD indoor antenna instead. I can watch ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX and few other channels. I also have Sony Playstation Vue.
I pay $39 for internet(60mbps) and $39 for playstation vue a month. It's little over $80/month. I used to pay comcast over $120/month for the same things!

To get Playstation vue, you would need a Roku, Amazon fire or playstation... You can just go with Youtube tv. They have NBC, NBCSN, Olympic channels and it's only $35/month. You can just cancel the service after the Olympics are over.

ice coverage · Jan 13, 2018

Agree that it is worth considering YouTube TV as an option.

I have found it easy to use.

Koralai said:
Hey everyone -- I'm struggling to figure out what my options are for watching the Olympics in the US without cable, and I thought you all would have some good advice. I'm willing to pay money, but I'd really like to give my $$ to someone besides Ice Network because their website is so shoddy and it was so difficult to disentangle myself from their auto-renewal process the last time I subscribed. ...

BTW:

Just want to be clear that IceNetwork does not have rights to Olympic figure skating anyway.

Even if someone were willing to pay for an IN subscription, it would not give access to Olympic figure skating.

Koralai · Jan 13, 2018

Thanks everyone for your responses! YouTube TV must have been what I'd heard of earlier; I think I may give that a try. :thank:

Haha, I'd just assumed Ice Network would be showing the Olympic figure skating, but I guess even they couldn't cut a deal with NBC. Good to know!!

Manitou · Jan 13, 2018

I have just learned that YouTube TV delayed release of their app on Apple TV to Q1 2018. Hopefully before the Olympics, but no promise. Which sucks for me, as I have cable TV only in the living room, but everywhere in the house I have Apple TV on Xfinity internet.

YouTube has delayed its YouTube TV apps for Apple TV and Roku devices until the first quarter of 2018, a company representative told CNET today. The over-the-top service's Apple TV app was initially planned for a launch before the end of 2017, so with less than two weeks left in the year the company has officially pushed back the app's launch to next year.
Around the same Q1 2018 window, YouTube will also debut apps for older models of Samsung's smart TVs, as well as Sony TVs using Linux-based operating systems. YouTube TV launched earlier this year on the web, iOS, and Android in five U.S. cities. The app eventually expanded to Chromecast, Xbox One, Android TV, and newer Samsung and LG smart TVs across more than 80 cities.

The $35/month service offers subscribers the ability to stream cable network television shows on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, CW, Disney, ESPN, FX, USA, and dozens of other major channels. YouTube TV is a competitor to similar services like Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV, DirecTV Now, and Playstation Vue, all of which can be viewed on the fourth and fifth generation Apple TV models. In addition to streaming live TV, YouTube TV includes content from the $9.99/month YouTube Red service.

Link to original news: https://www.macrumors.com/2017/12/19/youtube-tv-delays-apple-tv-app/

draqq · Jan 13, 2018

Worse case scenario, there might be live streams of the Olympic channels available in the darker side of the web.

moonvine · Jan 18, 2018

I have cable, but sometimes prefer the BBC or CBC coverage. You should be able to get that on your computer with a vpn. I also got it on my phone last winter olympics. You have to have a VPN and sign out of your app store account and come in through the vpn and download either BBC or CBC's app. There's a free vpn on the opera browser and several cheap options for your phone.

VegMom · Jan 18, 2018

We watched the Olympics last time just streaming free from theNBC website. No need to find illegal streams, it was just readily available. News reports lately indicate it will be the same this time.

ice coverage · Jan 18, 2018

VegMom said:
We watched the Olympics last time just streaming free from theNBC website. No need to find illegal streams, it was just readily available. ...

AFAIK, readily available only to those who were able to verify (with an ID # or password or the like) that they were paying for a subscription to cable or satellite TV or something similar.

If you were able to bypass the requirement for verification, I hope that you will be willing to share how you did it.

Manitou · Jan 18, 2018

ice coverage said:
If you were able to bypass the requirement for verification, I hope that you will be willing to share how you did it.

I wanted to ask the same question...
Probably VegMom meant that once you authorized your id on your computer or mobile device all next connections are seamless. They appear to come free, but in fact they are not.

Moxiejan · Jan 18, 2018

ice coverage said:
If you were able to bypass the requirement for verification, I hope that you will be willing to share how you did it.

Ask a friend/relative for the email & password they use on their cable account.

shiroKJ · Jan 18, 2018

Moxiejan said:
Ask a friend/relative for the email & password they use on their cable account.

Lol I don't know anyone who still has a cable account :roll9:

Moxiejan · Jan 18, 2018

Duplicate

Watching Olympics without cable?

Koralai

Manitou

ks777

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605

Koralai

Manitou

draqq

FigureSkatingPhenom

moonvine

All Hail Queen Gracie

VegMom

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605

Manitou

Moxiejan

shiroKJ

Back to the forest you go.

Moxiejan

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