Hawaiian Telcom rolling out HTSportsNet.com

[Quark]

It's another season of UH Athletics and Hawaiian Telcom is rolling out HTSportsNet.com (http://www.htsportsnet.com) on a brand new platform. We offered live streaming videos of UH games last year but it didn't live up to expectations. This year will hopefully be different.

We will be webcasting the first game for free tonight (8/24) at 7pm of the Wahine Volleyball game against Michigan. Go to HTSportsNet.com (http://www.htsportsnet.com) and click on the banner for the free game. You will need Windows Media Player.

If you watch the game on HTSportsnet.com give me the brutal feedback on the service. I'd like to know what worked and what didn't work so we can fix it before the big Football game on Sept. 1st.

Mahalos,
Burt

[Palolo Joe]

And since he didn't point it out, but alludes to it in the post (and admits it in another thread):

This guy works for Hawaiian Telcom. That's why he's shilling for the new website.

More selling than announcing going on here, IMO.

[Konaguy]

And since he didn't point it out, but alludes to it in the post (and admits it in another thread):

This guy works for Hawaiian Telcom. That's why he's shilling for the new website.

More selling than announcing going on here, IMO.

And what is the problem with that ? Who made you the HT traffic cop ?

[Quark]

Well, I asked for brutal honesty and I guess I'm gonna get it.

[Palolo Joe]

And what is the problem with that ? Who made you the HT traffic cop ?

Pointing out a self-serving post makes me the traffic cop? Kiss my okole.

Go read HT's rules. I'm just pointing out to those too ignorant to figure it out on their own -- the OP was made by someone with a financial interest in what he was posting about.

I don't like it when people try to shill for something/someone without disclosing their involvement. It's shady.

You don't care about it? Fine. But I'm going to say something whether you like it or not.

[Konaguy]

Pointing out a self-serving post makes me the traffic cop? Kiss my okole.

Go read HT's rules. I'm just pointing out to those too ignorant to figure it out on their own -- the OP was made by someone with a financial interest in what he was posting about.

I don't like it when people try to shill for something/someone without disclosing their involvement. It's shady.

You don't care about it? Fine. But I'm going to say something whether you like it or not.

How can someone have financial interest if they simply just work there ? It's not like he is a stockholder of the Carlyle Group.

That being said, I know Quark works for HT.Thus it seems you have stick up where the sun don't shine. Man I thought I was big complainer ?

[Palolo Joe]

How can someone have financial interest if they simply just work there? It's not like he is a stockholder of the Carlyle Group.

That being said, I know Quark works for HT.Thus it seems you have stick up where the sun don't shine. Man I thought I was big complainer ?

Keep running your mouth, little girl. You talk real big while hiding behind a keyboard.

You knew he worked for HawTel. That doesn't mean everyone else does.

[Konaguy]

Keep running your mouth, little girl. You talk real big while hiding behind a keyboard.

You knew he worked for HawTel. That doesn't mean everyone else does.


Whoa don't get your panties in bunch. You don't know jack about me or what I stand for. I call it like I see it, jerk.
I'm just so scared, what you going to fly to Kona and beat me up...oooooh I stay so scared........:D

[Palolo Joe]

Whoa don't get your panties in bunch. You don't know jack about me or what I stand for. I call it like I see it, jerk.
I'm just so scared, what you going to fly to Kona and beat me up...oooooh I stay so scared........
Just like you know know jack about me, either. And I'll post what I want, regardless of what you think.

Never said I would fly to Kona. Don't need to. I already know you're a little female dog.

Keep running your mouth. This is entertaining.

[Konaguy]

Just like you know know jack about me, either. And I'll post what I want, regardless of what you think.

Never said I would fly to Kona. Don't need to. I already know you're a little female dog.

Keep running your mouth. This is entertaining.

No worries brah, I already know you stay one bisexual mutt... sorry you ain't my type...:p

[admin]

Grow up, both of you. There will be no second warning. Further off topic, unhelpful, or smartass replies will be deleted without notice or comment.

[mel]

It's another season of UH Athletics and Hawaiian Telcom is rolling out HTSportsNet.com (http://www.htsportsnet.com) on a brand new platform.

If you watch the game on HTSportsnet.com give me the brutal feedback

Oh so I checked out the website long after the volleyball game was over. I clicked on the video, it forced me to download a small WM file to my Mac. I clicked on it and nothing happened.

So first question is games are not archived? Just wanted to look at this to see if it worked.

2nd, I hoped this would allow me to watch the UH football games for free, live from home. But what wasn't said in your post and I found out after poking around on the site is that this is a pay to play service. :(

I guess I won't be using this.

I was wondering how you guys are getting around the live KFVE sportscasts. Now I know... pay to play.

It's a good thing that with UH's high profile season that ESPN will be broadcasting several of their games live.... hopefully they all sell out Aloha Stadium so none are blacked out. That's a good thing about having a star QB on the team... he may insure good returns at the box office... and hopefully the Rainbow Warriors (yes, I still call them Rainbows) have a great season this year.

But in the end, I guess this service is geared for UH fans living out of the local broadcast market, and for this purpose I think it should work.

[Quark]

But in the end, I guess this service is geared for UH fans living out of the local broadcast market, and for this purpose I think it should work.

Mel, at least you tried to check it out. It is geared to the UH fan living outside of the broadcast area. Last night was just a free night to kick off the season. The model is pay per view. I think you can view the archives but you have to be a member. I'm not trying to sell subscriptions or anything. (Yes, I do work there.) But I am interested in the business model and understanding what works and what doesn't. Content is king. I forget who said that.

Anyway Mel, if you want to check it out maybe I can get a promo account set up. I'll let you know.

[mel]

You know what you may want to do is put like a 1 or 2 minute preview clip in the WM format to let people test it out to see if it works. Then if it works they may feel more assured about buying the service. At least for those who want the game live from out of state/country. Be sure to market this to our Hawaii based troops in Iraq and elsewhere. They would like that... or give them a price break.

[GeckoGeek]

I think my biggest concern with TV over computer is how it looks. Will it be choppy? Small screen? A preview would be a good idea. Personally I'd have issues about paying for TV content on a computer. Mostly because most computer content is small and low-fi (think YouTube). If I'm paying for it, I want to to be at least SD broadcast TV.

[Quark]

I think my biggest concern with TV over computer is how it looks. Will it be choppy? Small screen? A preview would be a good idea. Personally I'd have issues about paying for TV content on a computer. Mostly because most computer content is small and low-fi (think YouTube). If I'm paying for it, I want to to be at least SD broadcast TV.

That's a good suggestion. I will see if we can post a sample. Right now we are streaming the program at about 300Kbps. It's okay but a little hard to follow the ball. If we pump it up to 500Kbps we might get better resolution but it will cost more for packet throughput.

[GeckoGeek]

I'm suspecting that one issue of TV on computer is the image size. That the computer screens are so small, but because computers screens are high-res. Even DVDs look small on my laptop unless I put it into full screen mode.

Not sure what you are using for a viewer that might allow that.

Another idea is there are IPTV set-top boxes out there. Have you thought about teaming up with such a service such that you can add this as a channel on their service? That may relieve you of some of the bandwidth issues, and it puts the picture on a TV instead of a computer where it will be compared to normal TV instead of computer graphics.

[Konaguy]

Another idea is there are IPTV set-top boxes out there. Have you thought about teaming up with such a service such that you can add this as a channel on their service? That may relieve you of some of the bandwidth issues, and it puts the picture on a TV instead of a computer where it will be compared to normal TV instead of computer graphics.

Ostensibly I would figure when HawTels converts their network architecture to MPLS and rolls out IPTV service in the near future, teaming up with a third party IPTV service will be not necessary.

[GeckoGeek]

Ostensibly I would figure when HawTels converts their network architecture to MPLS and rolls out IPTV service in the near future, teaming up with a third party IPTV service will be not necessary.

For in-state viewers, yes. But they indicated their target is for this service is out-of-state people.

[Konaguy]

For in-state viewers, yes. But they indicated their target is for this service is out-of-state people.

Whoops, yeah that might be a good idea then.