Level 1

11 points

MLB TV Picture Quality

After yesterday's announcement, I excitedly ordered MLB.TV to watch on my AppleTV 2nd Gen.

Picture quality was a disappointment. Watched 2 spring training games. Detail was very poor, even on a game that was widescreen (presumably HD?). Motion is very stuttery, as if the frame rate is low.

My downstream bandwidth exceeds 17Mbps, and Netflix and Apple rentals work fine.

Anyone else tried it yet?

BTW: MLB.TV says it can be cancelled "at any time", but the fine print says you can only get a refund in the first 5 days!

Posted on Mar 10, 2011 6:30 AM

Top-ranking reply

theroys88

Level 1

0 points

Posted on Apr 2, 2011 7:11 PM

The reason the quality of the picture is not comparable to Sat or cable is that those services stream those games with a bitrate ranges from 16-91mpbs/second. MLBTV maximum bitrate which is stated on their website is 3mpbs/second. With those low bit rates you will see a highly compressed signal. I am having similiar video and audio issue with choppy audio and video. This atop the compression artifacts that jump at you with any fast motion. These streams have 5 to 6 times the compression as a sat or cable HD feed. **** a standard dvd has a bit rate of 6-8mpbs. Have called MLBTV and the level 2 tech agreed and told me that the current bit rates were designed for computer streaming and not large screen HDTV sets. Received a email from MLBTV stating they are currently working on raising bit rates for streaming devices. I would encourage everyone who is not happy with the servicce to call MLBTV and complain about the low bit rates. State my numbers to them. I have called several times and no tech has argued that I was wrong. They all agreed and apologized. I can tell you that the audio and video choppyness that I am experiencing is a MLBTV app PS3 issue. I can stream MLBTV through Playon and the stream is clean. Only 480p and still full of compression artifacts but no audio or video stuttering.

View in context

187 replies

Apr 9, 2011 12:42 AM in response to theroys88

so..what are the actual bitrates MLBTV is sending to AppleTV? anyone have any idea?..could be the same situation as PS3 users?! (ie. too low)...how are people's results with MLBTV on Apple TV the last day or so? has it improved a lot/little bit/not at all?
...still on their monthly plan...not until i know they have corrected the issues will i subscribe for the season.

Thanks!

Apr 9, 2011 10:42 AM in response to fatcat585

fatcat585 wrote:

so if your cable company did cut you off for downloading 15mb over the course of 4 hrs, 5 days a week (of legitimate content no less), and there was no advertised cap on your service would you also be as content and accepting of that as you are of MLB.com not being able to provide what they advertise as "HD quality"?

My ISP has a cap:
...98 percent of Charter’s 5.2 million customers will be unaffected by the decision to enforce the caps (Charter actually first included caps in its acceptable usage policy in February 2009). However, demand for broadband is increasing every week as folks use more online applications and consumer video from the web. For example, streaming a movie on Netflix uses about 1 GB per hour, so that equates to about 100 hours of Netflix streaming video each month"

Personally, for a streaming service that gives me access to the content I want (live baseball games) for $100 I'm happy. My beef was when the games wouldn't play...

I'm assuming then you don't buy HD videos from iTunes, because those aren't "cable HD quality" either

Apr 12, 2011 9:54 PM in response to caa100

Well after about 3 successful days (Friday through Sunday), I can officially say that my MLB.tv on ATV2 is still TERRIBLE. Please fix this issue, it's starting to get out of hand seeing as its almost two weeks into the season.

Apr 13, 2011 11:45 AM in response to David Parker2

Samsung is hooked up wired but I'm using PowerLine Ethernet devices to extend my network in that room. ATV2 is wireless N to a Cisco Aironet AP. The LAN b/w in my home network is higher on the Aironet APs than it is on the switch that uses the PowerLine ethernet devices.

So they are not accessing the internet in the exact same way but the ATV2 has the faster connection in my network.

Atavist

Level 1

5 points

Apr 23, 2011 1:55 PM in response to caa100

I've been watching the Dodger/Cubs off and on, mostly on. At the beginning there were freezes which required me to change games, and on returning it improved to just one or two freezes, and finished well.

I was watcing while surfin on my MB, and when I would change games, and ATV menu would appear on my MB but not the MLB menu - one offering Netflix or iTunes. I hit escape and it went way. This via Airport Extreme for both ATV and MB in the same room.

I definitely do not believe that this is an MLB issue not an ATV issue, but it's nonetheless harming the Apple brand rep.

Sep 26, 2011 1:41 PM in response to shaker8888

Things improved slightly over the course of the season, but I haven't watched a game all season from beginning to end that didn't have poor quality or hangs at some point. I will likely not renew my MLB.TV subscription next year.

Atavist

Level 1

5 points

Sep 26, 2011 6:07 PM in response to shaker8888

I've enjoyed watching all season - it's been near flawless - during the season: one or two freezes, but they quickly resumed and perhaps one instance of pixilzaton also quickly removed. Nothing like the problems in April.

I am very pleased with the performance of ATV and MLB. 🙂

jackfahy

Level 1

0 points

Mar 5, 2012 5:24 PM in response to Mark Yamamoto2

The irony for me is that im watching spring training right now in standard Def. and the picture quality is high resolution and reliable, but if i switch over to a game in HD, the resolution drops out. Hasnt somebody at ATV realized this? it is just stupid.

Spartina

Level 1

0 points

Apr 13, 2012 6:39 PM in response to caa100

I just purchased a HDTV and Apple TV and tried watching games on MLBTV. The quality is very "watery" and hard to watch. I señor an email to MLBTV and they said resolution is a product specification and to contact Apple TV support. Is this the resolution I can expect on a 40 inch screen?

Macaby

Level 3

923 points

Apr 15, 2012 12:09 AM in response to Spartina

I think the sharpness of the picture depends on a go download signal. My DSL peaks out at 8-9Mbps and that produces a fairly sharp picture. I think I read somewhere that your download speed should be at least 3 Mbps.

However, you can't beat the price. I'm not sure what Extra Innings on DTV is, but I think it's at least double the mlb.com price AND you can also get it via your iPad or IP for no additional charge.

If there was no blackout of your home team's games, it would be perfect. The good news there is that if you leave the area on a trip, you can suddenly pickup the home team because the GPS reports that you're out of the home team area.

Not perfect, but pretty close IMHO.

Powers_s

Level 1

0 points

Apr 29, 2012 6:52 PM in response to Macaby

My issue seems a little different than others here. What happens with my mlb for ATV for is the picture randomly goes from widescreen to a horizontally shrunken version( making everthing skinny) as if trying to fit an old style tv. Pic quality is fine but this is really annoying to watch. Anyone know about this? Suggestions?

Jays1fan

Level 1

0 points

May 17, 2012 11:06 AM in response to Macaby

I have my apple tv ( 2 gen ) hooked up with ethernet cable and I get a few minutes worth of watching MLB.tv then it cuts off and gives me a HDCP Error. Brand new Dynex 32 in tv , running a hdmi cable.

Just wont play. Any Advice ??????????????????

Sep 18, 2013 9:13 AM in response to caa100

I had problems last year but earlier this season the quality was great. It wasn't until a couple weeks ago when the quality issues started occurring. Not sure when MLB started their late season discount but I doubt it's just coincidence.

Atavist

Level 1

5 points

Sep 18, 2013 9:16 AM in response to ccress23

. . . anyways the moderators keep saying oh restart this, try that. but nothing is working. I think it's just over use with their late season discount they offer. . . .

All of this "non-response" response reminds of the "parable" situation: People standing about, one accidentally drops something, and there are three reactions: Ignore, Pick-up, Notice But Do Nothing. Certainly none of the players (Apple, Cable, MLB) have offered "Picked-Up" - acted positively and helpfully, offering guidance. If they notice they offer generic pablum excuses and vague fixes. None indeed have the integrity, honesty, to serve the need of those in the quandary they perpetuate by their inaction. Too greedy and corporate-chicken to serve their customers and cooperate and render and explanation, solution, or take responsibility.

All of this arises from an absence of real competition, and an overriding "conscious parallelism" of government supported (by legislated antitrust immunity or supervening market regulation) oligopolies, which cooperate in the ancient ritual distraction of "bread and circuses."

Meanwhile, the media advertising juggernaut gains mass and momentum with replay challenges; and, the attending ballpark fans devolve into a "studio audience", a paying "CGI backdrop" for TV, and TV home/mobile-viewer has a new "video game", that thrives on disputatious, metaphysical distinctions of movements that have been blinked for decades, and now passes of "real and true" But, now of course, the gamblers and casinos are secure, and the next generation won't realize much, if any, difference. We are all destined to a digital demise.

"Same as it ever was."

Hadsus

Level 1

0 points

Mar 30, 2011 4:06 PM in response to caa100

Thanks for that info!

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MLB TV Picture Quality