TSN: TSN Blackouts - Mendes wants your feedback

West Coast Eagles

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Sep 24, 2008
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This is correct. ESPN+ streams all games minus regional and national broadcasts.

I live in Massachusetts so can’t watch the Sens/Bruins without NESN and there are no real national broadcasts of Sens games in the US. The real problem is NHL network. Those games aren’t on ESPN+ and there is a weirdly large number of them.
Yeah this is the real issue for me. I’m in the MSG region so at least those games I understand and I know I have to work around them. The NHL network ones are a real pain the ass because they’re always a surprise. I’m pumped it’s game day, get stonewalled and then sail the seas
 

Golden_Jet

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Sep 21, 2005
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I use an IP service that is an agent of Distributel ; Dristributel is part of Bell and the server is in Toronto - Outside the Sen Viewing area.
The IP Service I use is in the Sen Viewing Area; If I lookup locaton details I confirm this.
I use NordVPN and I connect to a Server in the Sen Viewing Area; If I look up location details I confirm this

I get blacked out by Bell on TSN5

-- I have a couple good work arounds so I can watch.

But this is a Bell issue recognizing I am some how via their server in Toronto and using that to black me out..
Nord only has servers in Canada for Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.
Try the Montreal server,
I also use Nord.
Another reason, could be , sites are using geo locating s/w as well, to prove location.

Should have mentioned in this thread earlier I’ve never had an issue for TSN5, using cable.
 

Cosmix

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Lots of blackouts throughout the year, last time I purchased it. The whole reason I cancelled it and stream the games for free instead. The NHL is literally too incompetent to get paid from a willing customer.
It depends I suppose on where you are located. If you are located in Toronto and subscribe to Center Ice to watch Ottawa Senators games, you might be subject to a blackout because you are in the Toronto Maple Leafs home market area and TML requires blackouts of other teams' games when TML are playing games.

It's part of the monopolization of markets that the NHL allows; it is not incompetence.

Could you give us a coles notes of the thread please?
Qoutations are better than paraphrasing to avoid errors.
 
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Samboni

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Jan 26, 2014
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I live in northern Ontario and get all the TSN channels and games on Expressvu. I don’t have a receiver in the basement so have to stream over the Bell Fibe app (Shaw internet) and Sens games are blacked out. I can stream over the Bell app on my cell phone (TBay tel) and games aren’t blacked out. Weird!
 

Barsky

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Jun 22, 2010
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Help a brother out.......



Yup, had to get tech support at TSN to look into it, TSN was blacking out every game no matter where I pretended I was(I have a VPN, as should anyone who wants to watch NHL games). Just ended up going back to giving Sportsnet my money for the season, $280 🤮
 

Golden_Jet

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Sep 21, 2005
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It depends I suppose on where you are located. If you are located in Toronto and subscribe to Center Ice to watch Ottawa Senators games, you might be subject to a blackout because you are in the Toronto Maple Leafs home market area and TML requires blackouts of other teams' games when TML are playing games.

It's part of the monopolization of markets that the NHL allows; it is not incompetence.


Qoutations are better than paraphrasing to avoid errors.
I don’t see why Toronto would get that monopoly, and don’t think they do.

As when visiting family there, who had centre ice, we would have the leafs game on one TV and the Sens game on another.

Yup, had to get tech support at TSN to look into it, TSN was blacking out every game no matter where I pretended I was(I have a VPN, as should anyone who wants to watch NHL games). Just ended up going back to giving Sportsnet my money for the season, $280 🤮
They use more than just IP address now, they also use geo locating, triangulation , and another one.
 
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Barsky

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Jun 22, 2010
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I don’t see why Toronto would get that monopoly, and don’t think they do.

As when visiting family there, who had centre ice, we would have the leafs game on one TV and the Sens game on another.


They use more than just IP address now, they also use geo locating, and another method, can’t recall off hand the other one.
Ya, that was an extra wrench for the techs as I live in Ottawa territory(Smiths Falls 🤮) but my ISP(Cogeco) is out of Burlington. Either way, Sportsnet Plus isn't that smart or capable and see me as living in the GTA, so none of the games are blacked out at all, kinda negating my need for a VPN for the most part, lol
 

Cosmix

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Yup, had to get tech support at TSN to look into it, TSN was blacking out every game no matter where I pretended I was(I have a VPN, as should anyone who wants to watch NHL games). Just ended up going back to giving Sportsnet my money for the season, $280 🤮
Could TSN black you out based on the simple identification that you are using a VPN?
 
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Barsky

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Jun 22, 2010
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Could TSN black you out based on the simple identification that you are using a VPN?
Maybe? Tbh I didn't even read the final two emails from their tech team, I had already forked over 3 bills to that second rate garbage network Sportsnet and was sour about the whole thing, lol
 

BonHoonLayneCornell

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Oct 16, 2006
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I've been going through reddit threads that are littered with tons of people complaining about this. In the viewing region but for whatever reason, being blacked out by TSN. Often only on 1 of their devices like their smart TV, while it works fine everywhere else. Sometimes it'll work on that device for 1 game, then not the next, according to the claims.

Using a VPN didn't work for me at all and won't play anything on TSN Go, but I read that using a Location changer can work. I've set that up on my phone and will see if it works at game time! Fingers crossed.
 

Big Muddy

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Dec 15, 2019
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I've been going through reddit threads that are littered with tons of people complaining about this. In the viewing region but for whatever reason, being blacked out by TSN. Often only on 1 of their devices like their smart TV, while it works fine everywhere else. Sometimes it'll work on that device for 1 game, then not the next, according to the claims.

Using a VPN didn't work for me at all and won't play anything on TSN Go, but I read that using a Location changer can work. I've set that up on my phone and will see if it works at game time! Fingers crossed.
Rangers/Sens games blacked out on ESPN+ for me, and not available on MSG or NHL Network. Very annoying.
 

Big Muddy

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Dec 15, 2019
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Damn, that's lame. So just unavailable entirely. Such a broken mess this NHL streaming is.
Ya, there’s been maybe 2 games like that per season in the past, but its happened twice so far in only 10 games. It will be available in 2 days on the ESPN+ Replay, but might try some free streaming service and hope for the best. Argghhh
 

BonHoonLayneCornell

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Oct 16, 2006
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Ya, there’s been maybe 2 games like that per season in the past, but its happened twice so far in only 10 games. It will be available in 2 days on the ESPN+ Replay, but might try some free streaming service and hope for the best. Argghhh
I'd definitely be trying to find something free that works if that's the kind of BS you're dealing with.
 

Big Muddy

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Dec 15, 2019
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I'd definitely be trying to find something free that works if that's the kind of BS you're dealing with.
Thankfully it's pretty rare. ESPN + is like Center Ice and has over 1,050 NHL games, and if its a regional NY blackout, I can usually get it on a MSG 1 or 2 (Madison Square Garden) or NHL Network. I can also watch tonights game on Replay on ESPN+ but that would be available in 2 days.
 

L'Aveuglette

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Jan 8, 2007
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I have no faith. Regardless of the party in power, Corporate interests control the government too much in general for me to believe that the publics best interest is the priority.

At this point anyone who doesn't believe higher corporate/financial interests aren't actually in charge is being naive. It's pretty obvious with inflation/cost of life that most governments, at least in the West, don't give much of a shit about us aside from the bare minimum so we don't literally riot lol.

Like you said, this is regardless of party. Unless that is, a true "people's party" came into power and threw the corporations out, which would likely result in NATO invading us. :laugh:
 

BonHoonLayneCornell

Registered User
Oct 16, 2006
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Thankfully it's pretty rare. ESPN + is like Center Ice and has over 1,050 NHL games, and if its a regional NY blackout, I can usually get it on a MSG 1 or 2 (Madison Square Garden) or NHL Network. I can also watch tonights game on Replay on ESPN+ but that would be available in 2 days.
Well that's good at least. A few times a year would still have me running to other options for those ones in particular over just missing them or watching 2 days later.
At this point anyone who doesn't believe higher corporate/financial interests aren't actually in charge is being naive. It's pretty obvious with inflation/cost of life that most governments, at least in the West, don't give much of a shit about us aside from the bare minimum so we don't literally riot lol.

Like you said, this is regardless of party. Unless that is, a true "people's party" came into power and threw the corporations out, which would likely result in NATO invading us. :laugh:
There really is no perfect solution. Maybe this time it'll be the left rioting instead of the band of idiots that thought they could overthrow the government by force down in Murica.
 

Sens of Anarchy

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Jul 9, 2013
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I've been going through reddit threads that are littered with tons of people complaining about this. In the viewing region but for whatever reason, being blacked out by TSN. Often only on 1 of their devices like their smart TV, while it works fine everywhere else. Sometimes it'll work on that device for 1 game, then not the next, according to the claims.

Using a VPN didn't work for me at all and won't play anything on TSN Go, but I read that using a Location changer can work. I've set that up on my phone and will see if it works at game time! Fingers crossed.
phone gps vs wifi ip can provide different geolocations ; which may be pertinent

Using wifi via a router ; your router is assigned a public ip or wan ip address from your ip. In my case that wan ip address is in Toronto even though my physical location is not and it is in the Sens viewing area. So even though I am physically located where I should be able to watch without a hitch ..I get blacked out by Bell/TSN . My TV Provider shows me TSN5 and TSN5 Blackout as 2 channels. In my case TSN5 is blacked out and TSN5 Blackout is not. I can't explain it. I also have the NHL channels .. and never had a blackout there even though they do show TSN5 broadcast on Sens home games .

IP Address Lookup | Geolocation using my wan ip assigned by my ip, this sight shows your geo location according to several different ip location services and in my case I get some giving it as toronto and some giving it as my actual location. These services are sold and/or used by sites wanting to know geolocations. IP Address Location Incorrect describes how to get geo location databases corrected.

I am going to contact my IP provider to see if they can influence my geolocation to something recognized as my actual location. I went through where I last lived .. but they could not help ; still about half the time then is was blacked out and the other half it worked. No idea why.

No idea if Bell/TSN uses an API to one of these services/databases .. but there is a decent chance.

If I set my VPN location to Montreal , which is inside the Sens viewing area which is supposed to include all of Quebec it behaves exactly the same as I had mentioned in my earlier post
 

PlayOn

Registered User
Jun 22, 2010
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I've been going through reddit threads that are littered with tons of people complaining about this. In the viewing region but for whatever reason, being blacked out by TSN. Often only on 1 of their devices like their smart TV, while it works fine everywhere else. Sometimes it'll work on that device for 1 game, then not the next, according to the claims.

Using a VPN didn't work for me at all and won't play anything on TSN Go, but I read that using a Location changer can work. I've set that up on my phone and will see if it works at game time! Fingers crossed.
Yeah this has been happening to me for ages.

It works on my Bell app from my phone, but not on my smart TV or my laptop. I just airplay it from my phone onto my TV so it’s really been only a minor inconvenience but it’s stupid. For me it never works on my tv and I’ve tried a bunch. Hope they get to the bottom of it.
 

Cosmix

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I've been going through reddit threads that are littered with tons of people complaining about this. In the viewing region but for whatever reason, being blacked out by TSN. Often only on 1 of their devices like their smart TV, while it works fine everywhere else. Sometimes it'll work on that device for 1 game, then not the next, according to the claims.

Using a VPN didn't work for me at all and won't play anything on TSN Go, but I read that using a Location changer can work. I've set that up on my phone and will see if it works at game time! Fingers crossed.
I have a Sony Smart TV (Google software) and have never had a problem watching Senators games on either TSN nor Sportnet in Ottawa on Bell FIBE service.

When I travel to Guelph, Ontario and tried to access Senators games via TSN from a motel via the Internet, TSN will not provide the game to me. Bell says I can watch Senators games anytime anywhere as a subscriber. Not me!
 

L'Aveuglette

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Jan 8, 2007
48,371
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Montreal
Would have been nice if they'd just been banned somehow. They'd made a point of going in to basically every thread and turning it into a pissing war.

Going through that old thread game me PTSD.

Those two posters plus some others that shall not be named turned this place into a toxic dump while Melnyk was still owner. In fact I still suspect some of them were related to or hired by Melnyk lol. All they did was go around blaming fans even as the org was falling apart and then they sort of vanished when he died.

Even Adrianopoulos can't even hold a candle to how awful those posters were.:D
 

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