Comments on: Shame On MLB.com http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2006/05/01/shame-on-mlbcom/ because technology is just another ecosystem Sun, 13 May 2012 00:23:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: howard http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2006/05/01/shame-on-mlbcom/comment-page-1/#comment-499475 howard Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:18:34 +0000 http://redmonk.com/sogrady/wp/?p=827#comment-499475 well, i guess it should b fine using http://us.zaptiger.com with linux. video streams for all the matches are linked. well, i guess it should b fine using http://us.zaptiger.com with linux.
video streams for all the matches are linked.

]]> By: Sports Scatter http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2006/05/01/shame-on-mlbcom/comment-page-1/#comment-429786 Sports Scatter Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:36:39 +0000 http://redmonk.com/sogrady/wp/?p=827#comment-429786 What bugs me is 1) I used to be able to listen to just about any game I wanted to on the Web over a variety of formats before MLB.com started charging people; 2) MLB always uses a different format as a teaser in spring training that works on everything from konqueror to nameyourbrowser here, then after you've decided its finally going to work this year and paid for the subscription they switch the format to start the season to something that is even difficult to get firefox or opera to play on Windows itself; 3) The technology gets more proprietary every year as you used to simply be able to use windows media player, real player, realalternative, or anything else that could run their codecs..the move to the horrendously proprietary macromedia (now adobe) products disabled half my stuff and forced me to put that bruteware back on my windows machine; 4) Instead of becoming more responsive to user needs they are threatening to go to silverlight which is the most proprietary piece of mediaplaying trash ever to hit the market; 5) MLB is going completely away from lowbandwidth streams, especially with their tv package which makes it impossible for someone living in the country on a metered internet connection to watch games; 6) MLB blacks out teams based on zip code instead of proximity so I'm blacked out for a team that is a 5 hour drive one direction and allowed to watch a team that is a 5 hour drive in the other direction...but I don't live any close than that to any stadiums. I don't even have local TV stations that carry baseball, so why exactly should I be blacked out? So I'll drive 280miles for a nightcap? The whole ship is going the wrong way and MLB doesn't care...if they did they'd just turn things back ten years and fix the stupid zip codes thing that the stupid commissioner told a complaining fan at the All-star game he was looking into about 5 years ago and nothing has changed. What bugs me is 1) I used to be able to listen to just about any game I wanted to on the Web over a variety of formats before MLB.com started charging people; 2) MLB always uses a different format as a teaser in spring training that works on everything from konqueror to nameyourbrowser here, then after you’ve decided its finally going to work this year and paid for the subscription they switch the format to start the season to something that is even difficult to get firefox or opera to play on Windows itself; 3) The technology gets more proprietary every year as you used to simply be able to use windows media player, real player, realalternative, or anything else that could run their codecs..the move to the horrendously proprietary macromedia (now adobe) products disabled half my stuff and forced me to put that bruteware back on my windows machine; 4) Instead of becoming more responsive to user needs they are threatening to go to silverlight which is the most proprietary piece of mediaplaying trash ever to hit the market; 5) MLB is going completely away from lowbandwidth streams, especially with their tv package which makes it impossible for someone living in the country on a metered internet connection to watch games; 6) MLB blacks out teams based on zip code instead of proximity so I’m blacked out for a team that is a 5 hour drive one direction and allowed to watch a team that is a 5 hour drive in the other direction…but I don’t live any close than that to any stadiums. I don’t even have local TV stations that carry baseball, so why exactly should I be blacked out? So I’ll drive 280miles for a nightcap? The whole ship is going the wrong way and MLB doesn’t care…if they did they’d just turn things back ten years and fix the stupid zip codes thing that the stupid commissioner told a complaining fan at the All-star game he was looking into about 5 years ago and nothing has changed.

]]> By: jon http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2006/05/01/shame-on-mlbcom/comment-page-1/#comment-106658 jon Mon, 18 Jun 2007 20:42:29 +0000 http://redmonk.com/sogrady/wp/?p=827#comment-106658 I've also used the MediaPlayerConnectivity solution, on XP and Ubuntu, I like VLC way better than the MS crap— plus you can easily get full screen and all that jazz. I’ve also used the MediaPlayerConnectivity solution, on XP and Ubuntu, I like VLC way better than the MS crap— plus you can easily get full screen and all that jazz.

]]> By: Matt Bryant http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2006/05/01/shame-on-mlbcom/comment-page-1/#comment-104557 Matt Bryant Fri, 15 Jun 2007 02:03:45 +0000 http://redmonk.com/sogrady/wp/?p=827#comment-104557 I got this to work using the MediaPlayerConnectivity plugin for firefox on Linux. Essentially, the plugin grabs the stream information from the MLB.com media player page, then launches an external program (VLC,mplayer) to play the stream. Check it out ... https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/446 Works great on Ubuntu with VLC. I got this to work using the MediaPlayerConnectivity plugin for firefox on Linux.

Essentially, the plugin grabs the stream information from the MLB.com media player page, then launches an external program (VLC,mplayer) to play the stream.

Check it out …

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/446

Works great on Ubuntu with VLC.

]]> By: Charlie http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2006/05/01/shame-on-mlbcom/comment-page-1/#comment-1941 Charlie Fri, 14 Jul 2006 07:07:05 +0000 http://redmonk.com/sogrady/wp/?p=827#comment-1941 You guys still trying to get the live games to play on Mplayer? You guys still trying to get the live games to play on Mplayer?

]]> By: Justin Shaffer http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2006/05/01/shame-on-mlbcom/comment-page-1/#comment-1940 Justin Shaffer Mon, 05 Jun 2006 16:07:37 +0000 http://redmonk.com/sogrady/wp/?p=827#comment-1940 Hi Guys, I appreciate the dialogue and am looking forward to joining. Regarding that CS response, we're already addressing it. Regarding the platform issue, unfortunately we're in an interesting position, in that scale has somewhat dictated our direction to date. Due to the concurrency requirements for our live games, until alternative methods of distribution are more feasible, we're somewhat forced to go with who can support volume over time for live streaming - which today is windows media with our current cdn partner. While it may appear to you at the moment as neglect, our charter is to serve baseball fans - regardless of their platform choice - and we are actively pursuing options that will make this more accessible. Its become quite clear we can't trust that software vendors who make this stuff will get it right - so it becomes our responsibility. I was unaware that MPlayer isn't working, as our streams are fairly vanilla windows media 9 w/o drm - there shouldnt be any reason you can't get it going. Personally, I'm on a mac at the moment and have been less than impressed with msfts decision to stop developing years ago and now stop supporting their mac client. Flip4mac doesn't get me quite where I'd like to be functionality wise either. We've had a tremendous amount of feedback from our mac user base and are pursuing alternatives for them. I'm happy to address questions/comments etc. - feel free to get in touch. Hi Guys,

I appreciate the dialogue and am looking forward to joining. Regarding that CS response, we’re already addressing it.

Regarding the platform issue, unfortunately we’re in an interesting position, in that scale has somewhat dictated our direction to date. Due to the concurrency requirements for our live games, until alternative methods of distribution are more feasible, we’re somewhat forced to go with who can support volume over time for live streaming – which today is windows media with our current cdn partner. While it may appear to you at the moment as neglect, our charter is to serve baseball fans – regardless of their platform choice – and we are actively pursuing options that will make this more accessible. Its become quite clear we can’t trust that software vendors who make this stuff will get it right – so it becomes our responsibility.

I was unaware that MPlayer isn’t working, as our streams are fairly vanilla windows media 9 w/o drm – there shouldnt be any reason you can’t get it going. Personally, I’m on a mac at the moment and have been less than impressed with msfts decision to stop developing years ago and now stop supporting their mac client. Flip4mac doesn’t get me quite where I’d like to be functionality wise either. We’ve had a tremendous amount of feedback from our mac user base and are pursuing alternatives for them.

I’m happy to address questions/comments etc. – feel free to get in touch.

]]> By: Justin Shaffer http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2006/05/01/shame-on-mlbcom/comment-page-1/#comment-1939 Justin Shaffer Mon, 05 Jun 2006 16:07:10 +0000 http://redmonk.com/sogrady/wp/?p=827#comment-1939 Hi Guys, I appreciate the dialogue and am looking forward to joining. Regarding that CS response, we're already addressing it. Regarding the platform issue, unfortunately we're in an interesting position, in that scale has somewhat dictated our direction to date. Due to the concurrency requirements for our live games, until alternative methods of distribution are more feasible, we're somewhat forced to go with who can support volume over time for live streaming - which today is windows media with our current cdn partner. While it may appear to you at the moment as neglect, our charter is to serve baseball fans - regardless of their platform choice - and we are actively pursuing options that will make this more accessible. Its become quite clear we can't trust that software vendors who make this stuff will get it right - so it becomes our responsibility. I was unaware that MPlayer isn't working, as our streams are fairly vanilla windows media 9 w/o drm - there shouldnt be any reason you can't get it going. Personally, I'm on a mac at the moment and have been less than impressed with msfts decision to stop developing years ago and now stop supporting their mac client. Flip4mac doesn't get me quite where I'd like to be functionality wise either. We've had a tremendous amount of feedback from our mac user base and are pursuing alternatives for them. Hi Guys,

I appreciate the dialogue and am looking forward to joining. Regarding that CS response, we’re already addressing it.

Regarding the platform issue, unfortunately we’re in an interesting position, in that scale has somewhat dictated our direction to date. Due to the concurrency requirements for our live games, until alternative methods of distribution are more feasible, we’re somewhat forced to go with who can support volume over time for live streaming – which today is windows media with our current cdn partner. While it may appear to you at the moment as neglect, our charter is to serve baseball fans – regardless of their platform choice – and we are actively pursuing options that will make this more accessible. Its become quite clear we can’t trust that software vendors who make this stuff will get it right – so it becomes our responsibility.

I was unaware that MPlayer isn’t working, as our streams are fairly vanilla windows media 9 w/o drm – there shouldnt be any reason you can’t get it going. Personally, I’m on a mac at the moment and have been less than impressed with msfts decision to stop developing years ago and now stop supporting their mac client. Flip4mac doesn’t get me quite where I’d like to be functionality wise either. We’ve had a tremendous amount of feedback from our mac user base and are pursuing alternatives for them.

]]> By: Chris http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2006/05/01/shame-on-mlbcom/comment-page-1/#comment-1938 Chris Tue, 30 May 2006 18:32:44 +0000 http://redmonk.com/sogrady/wp/?p=827#comment-1938 Here is the response I got from MLB.com (complete with misspellings and using "u" for "you") on 5/29/2006: Dear christopher, We are just using windows medid player right now there no way u can use linux. We really appreciate your feedback and comments and have forwarded your email to the appropriate person. Thank you again for taking the time to write! Regards, dd, MLB.com Support **** Just another way to screw over people by MLB, it isn't enough that they hold cities hostage to pay for stadiums I guess. Here is the response I got from MLB.com (complete with misspellings and using “u” for “you”) on 5/29/2006:

Dear christopher,

We are just using windows medid player right now there no way u can use
linux. We really appreciate your feedback and comments and have
forwarded your email to the appropriate person.

Thank you again for taking the time to write!

Regards,

dd, MLB.com Support

****
Just another way to screw over people by MLB, it isn’t enough that they hold cities hostage to pay for stadiums I guess.

]]> By: Craig http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2006/05/01/shame-on-mlbcom/comment-page-1/#comment-1937 Craig Wed, 17 May 2006 15:23:32 +0000 http://redmonk.com/sogrady/wp/?p=827#comment-1937 I share your ire at mlb.com :P Last year, their media player worked fine in linux, but this year seems to be windows only, even with MPlayer plugin working perfectly with just about every other format. This is incredibly annoying, since I work nights and can only keep up with most games by watching the clips on mlb.com. Like you, I have to boot windows just to do this, and it's annoying as hell. If you find out who to complain to about this, let me know. Or if you find a workaround with VLC or anything else. Craig I share your ire at mlb.com :P Last year, their media player worked fine in linux, but this year seems to be windows only, even with MPlayer plugin working perfectly with just about every other format. This is incredibly annoying, since I work nights and can only keep up with most games by watching the clips on mlb.com. Like you, I have to boot windows just to do this, and it’s annoying as hell. If you find out who to complain to about this, let me know. Or if you find a workaround with VLC or anything else.

Craig

]]> By: Jaime Cardoso http://redmonk.com/sogrady/2006/05/01/shame-on-mlbcom/comment-page-1/#comment-1936 Jaime Cardoso Tue, 02 May 2006 10:53:16 +0000 http://redmonk.com/sogrady/wp/?p=827#comment-1936 I'm guessing that everyone, not simply the folks at Sun feels bad about such things. I, for example, feel bad because I'm denied content and because it's yet another example of incompetence, stupidity and general lack of vision. It was Tim Berners-Lee who said "Anyone who slaps a 'this page is best viewed with Browser X' label on a Web page appears to be yearning for the bad old days, before the Web, when you had very little chance of reading a document written on another computer, another word processor, or another network." I’m guessing that everyone, not simply the folks at Sun feels bad about such things. I, for example, feel bad because I’m denied content and because it’s yet another example of incompetence, stupidity and general lack of vision.
It was Tim Berners-Lee who said “Anyone who slaps a ‘this page is best viewed with Browser X’ label on a Web page appears to be yearning for the bad old days, before the Web, when you had very little chance of reading a document written on another computer, another word processor, or another network.”

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