[DigitalRocks]

Hey All,

I am currently only subbed to analog cogeco service, looking to go digital with the HD access and also thinking about getting the sports pack for $29.99. Now I'm seeing that they have made some upgrades since last year and now all the sports pack channels are HD. I have a few questions maybe someone can answer that had the sports pack last year during football season.

Do you actually get every single NFL game every week? I see they only have 4 channels reserved for Sunday Ticket in the HD sports pack channels. You'd also get other games (or duplicates?) on the East/West CBS/Fox HD channels in the 700s. I'm wondering how they can manage to show all the games with what I see only 8 channels, and some weeks I see in the NFL season there are 9 games at 1pm on Sunday.

Do they maybe steal some of the other sports channels that are not in use at the time in order to show all games? Im also wondering the exact same thing for hockey.... which we all know Saturday nights there are almost every team playing which would require alot of channels.

Anyone that can shed some light would help me out.
Thanks.

 

[gobisbay]

You will not get every game in HD. Last year during football season, there only existed 2-4 HD SSP channels. Sometimes there were two games on those (in addition to the regular HD games you got in the 700s on CBS/FOX/CTV/Sportsnet).

Cogeco just recently added almost 20 new HD channels for the SSP. I cancel my subscription to the SSP during the summer so I don't know what they've been doing for MLB but I assume based on the channel descriptions that there are only 3-4 channels per sport and they likely won't deviate from that. You can probably expect no more than 4 HD NFL games on the SSP at any given time slot, in addition to the games you get on your regular HD channels in the 700s.

I'm pretty sure Rogers doesn't/won't show every NFL game in HD either. In fact, I'm not even sure DirecTV does that yet with their Superfan add-on for Sunday Ticket.

You will, however, get every NFL game on the SD channels for the SSP (excluding all the screwups made by Rogers/Cogeco, which are plenty; including but not limited to: games not starting when they're supposed to, heavily pixellated images, games on wrong channels, the same game on two channels and one of the games missing, picture/sound getting severely screwed up at 4:00 when the next set of games are starting, games missing entirely).

As I've said on this board many times before, it's the most expensive add-on package that Cogeco sells, yet it has more quality issues than any other. Hopefully this year will be different (although I've said that to myself for a few years now and little has changed; I'm still a glutton for punishment and purchase the package every year because I watch a lot of NFL & NCAA action).

 

[DigitalRocks]

Thanks alot for the info, much appreciated.

How can Cogeco advertise they sell all these 4 sports packages when they don't in fact cover all the channels then? That is a complete sham. In the US, DirecTV has the Sunday Ticket contract and i've seen it myself.... you get every single game in one channel grouping in both SD & HD. With Bell, I believe its similar but can't say for sure... but the NFL definately has all games in HD available on Sunday Ticket.

For Cogeco to advertise the "Sunday Ticket" logo on thier website is so misleading. And whats even worse is that I called and if you want the SSP, they force you to have it for a minimum of 6 months?? What if I'm not impressed with it after a month and want to cancel? Thats horrid.

After all these glitches you've just told me about I'm going to have to seriously consider weather or not to go through with this...

 

[james99]

From the Bell website:

The NFL Sunday Ticket package lets you watch up to 16 Sunday football games a week – 6 of them available in HD – during the 17-week regular NFL season.

It also includes NFL Sunday Ticket Interactive, which lets you track real-time scores, get Red Zone and Scoring alerts, and see game time info on other games – all on one screen while watching your game.

 

[Musashii]

DigitalRocks...

This is the SSP channel lineup for Rogers:

http://www.rogers.com/web/portlets/...UpLightbox.jsp?systemId=1&boxType=1&print=yes

433 NFL Sunday Ticket/ NCAA Basketball
434 NFL Sunday Ticket/ NCAA Basketball
435 NFL Sunday Ticket/ NCAA Basketball
436 NFL Sunday Ticket/ NCAA Basketball
437 NFL Sunday Ticket/ NCAA Basketball
438 NFL Sunday Ticket
439 NFL Sunday Ticket
440 NFL Sunday Ticket
441 NFL Sunday Ticket
442 NFL Sunday Ticket
443 NFL Sunday Ticket
444 NFL Sunday Ticket
445 Super Sports Pak/ Nascar Live Race
446 Super Sports Pak/ Nascar HotPass
447 Super Sports Pak/ Nascar HotPass
448 Super Sports Pak/ Nascar HotPass
449 Super Sports Pak/ Nascar HotPass
450 Super Sports Pak/ Nascar HotPass
451 NHL Centre Ice
452 NHL Centre Ice
453 NHL Centre Ice/ MLB Extra Innings/ OHL Action Pak
454 NHL Centre Ice/ MLB Extra Innings/ OHL Action Pak
455 NHL Centre Ice/ MLB Extra Innings/ OHL Action Pak
456 NHL Centre Ice/ MLB Extra Innings/ OHL Action Pak
457 NHL Centre Ice/ MLB Extra Innings/ OHL Action Pak
458 NHL Centre Ice/ MLB Extra Innings/ OHL Action Pak
459 NHL Centre Ice/ MLB Extra Innings/ OHL Action Pak
460 NHL Centre Ice/ MLB Extra Innings/ OHL Action Pak
461 NHL Centre Ice/ MLB Extra Innings
462 OHL Action Pak
463 OHL Action Pak
464 OHL Action Pak
465 OHL Action Pak
466 OHL Action Pak
467 OHL Action Pak
468 MLB Extra Innings
469 MLB Extra Innings
470 MLB Extra Innings
471 MLB Extra Innings
472 MLB Extra Innings
473 MLB Extra Innings
474 MLB Extra Innings
475 MLB Extra Innings
476 MLB Extra Innings
477 MLB Extra Innings
478 MLB Extra Innings
479 MLB Extra Innings
480 MLB Extra Innings
481 MLB Extra Innings
482 NBA
483 NBA
484 NBA
485 NBA
486 NBA
487 NBA
488 NBA
489 NBA
490 HD NHL/MLB
491 HD NHL/MLB
492 HD NHL/MLB
493 HD NBA/NCAA
494 HD NBA/NCAA
495 HD NBA/NCAA
496 HD NASCAR Hot Pass
497 HD NASCAR Hot Pass
498 HD NFL / NCAA
361 HD NFL Sunday Ticket
362 HD NFL Sunday Ticket
363 HD NASCAR HotPass
364 HD NASCAR HotPass
365 HD NASCAR HotPass
366 HD NASCAR HotPass
367 HD MLB Extra Innings
368 HD MLB Extra Innings
369 HD MLB Extra Innings
370 HD MLB Extra Innings
371 HD MLB Extra Innings
372 HD MLB Extra Innings
373 HD NHL/MLB
374 HD NFL Sunday Ticket
375 HD NFL Sunday Ticket
376 HD NASCAR Hot Pass
377 HD NHL Centre Ice
378 HD NHL Centre Ice
379 HD NCAA
380 HD NCAA
381 HD NBA/NCAA
382 HD NFL Sunday Ticket
383 HD NFL Sunday Ticket
384 HD NFL / NCAA


This is the SSP channel lineup for Cogeco:

https://www.cogeco.ca/wse/channellineup/display.do?civic=556&pc=L7N2S4&submit.x=17&submit.y=8

431 Super Sports Package
432 Super Sports Package
433 Super Sports Package
434 Super Sports Package
435 Super Sports Package
436 Super Sports Package
437 Super Sports Package
438 Super Sports Package
439 Super Sports Package
440 Super Sports Package
441 Super Sports Package
453 Super Sports Package
454 Super Sports Package
455 Super Sports Package
456 Super Sports Package
457 Super Sports Package
458 Super Sports Package
459 Super Sports Package
460 Super Sports Package
461 Super Sports Package
462 Super Sports Package
463 Super Sports Package
464 NHL HD
465 NHL HD
466 NHL HD
467 NHL HD
468 NBA HD
469 NBA HD
470 NBA HD
471 NBA HD
472 MLB HD
473 MLB HD
474 MLB HD
475 MLB HD
476 NFL HD
477 NFL HD
478 NFL HD
479 NFL HD
480 NCAA HD
481 NCAA HD
482 NCAA HD
483 NCAA HD
484 NHP HD
485 NHP HD
486 NHP HD

 

[DigitalRocks]

So based on that list, Rogers doesn't have any NFL in HD ? Looks like they share thier channels depending what is on which is smart...

Cogeco is making progress but i'm still not impressed. They need to be more clear about what you're getting for your money, they are as clear as mud on thier website.

I'm an HD Junkie... sports just doesn't look the same in SD. HD just enhances the overall experience so much. Just can't pickup enough games to satisfy my cravings with the antenna! LOL.

Thanks guys.

 

[Jam]

I have subscribed to the cogeco SSP for the last couple years, and I cannot wait for football season this year!

Up until a couple months ago, we only had 4 HD channels that covered all sports... now we have 4 HD channels for each sport. I'm assuming that on a sunday afternoon we will have every game available in SD, 4 games available on the SSP HD channels, and whatever games are on CBS/Fox etc to choose from in HD

 

[DigitalRocks]

I'm assuming that on a sunday afternoon we will have every game available in SD, 4 games available on the SSP HD channels, and whatever games are on CBS/Fox etc to choose from in HD

I'm just wondering if they are smart enough to make sure there aren't any duplicates between the SSP channels from the CBS/Fox feeds? Did you have any duplicates last year?

 

[Musashii]

DigitalRocks,

Sorry I missed a few HD channels on the Rogers SSP, the list has been updated now

 

[james99]

Off topic but does Rogers supply Cogeco these channels?

I know they do for other channels.

 

[gobisbay]

There may be some duplication due to the fact that Rogers appears to supply Cogeco with these channels (to answer james99's question).

Because of that, it seems as though sometimes Rogers shows the Detroit local HD games on the SSP (because Buffalo are their local channels) so we sometimes got a duplicate game. However, because Detroit is blacked out locally so much, we were actually getting the Lions games in HD that we couldn't get on FOX several times.

With four HD NFL channels now on the SSP, there should be a better variety of games. BTW, I don't think Cogeco ever advertises every game in HD. You will get every game in SD, but a select number in HD. However, if they have 4 games on the SSP at the 1:00 time slot, plus your CBS, FOX, CTV games, you'll proabably get 6-7 HD games. You should also get all the HD 4:00 games each week too, so I think we'll do really well this year.

Believe me though, Cogeco (or Rogers) does screw up the NFL games all the time on the SSP. I don't know why they have so much trouble with that package but it seems way worse than the other sports on the SSP. They know exactly when the games start and yet several weeks each year I'm left wondering at 12:55 whether or not we'll get the start of the games. The CSRs don't exactly tell you the truth either. If you don't get the pre-game shows on those channels, chances are you'll miss the start of some or all of the games. Of course, if you complain they give you a one day credit. I usually bitch and moan because all the games for an entire week are played each Sunday so I can sometimes convince them to give me a week's credit for the SSP. I've probably called Cogeco about the SSP 50 times in the past 3 years, and I could have easily called a hundred more times but wasn't feeling confrontational that day or I wasn't all that interested in the missing/screwed up game.

It's worth the $30/month and a 6 month minimum isn't really a big deal, especially to me because I like the NCAA football & basketball as well. I think Rogers forces an 8-month commitment. When everything is running smoothly, you'll really enjoy having this if you watch a lot of sports. Sometimes though, you'll be pulling your hair out.

 

[DigitalRocks]

Thanks for the Info gobisbay, much much appreciated.

I will definately consider the SSP option.... and now that i'm seeing they have a new Pace STB, thats also peeking my curiosity. I wasn't a fan of the Motorola units. I really wish they had a unit with a UHF remote, i'd split the signal into another room and have a 2 room option.... but i spose that topic is meant for another thread!

DR

 

[sf.]

However, if they have 4 games on the SSP at the 1:00 time slot, plus your CBS, FOX, CTV games, you'll proabably get 6-7 HD games. You should also get all the HD 4:00 games each week too, so I think we'll do really well this year.

TSN2 will also have 1:00 games this season.
"While CTV will customize its NFL broadcast schedule to deliver the best games to each market, TSN2 will broadcast a marquee national game"

 

[FuzzTone]

please pardon my ignorance, but i was reading in the Shaw forum that ALL the NFL Sunday Ticket games would be in HD this year and that you had to have an HD receiver to get the games.. is this not the case with Cogeco??

 

[thenewdc]

It looks like Cogeco is just cherry picking what it wants from Rogers. Can you imagine the setup rogers must have to be able to supply all these games. They must have internal feeds from all the sports networks in North America. Managing it must be a logistical challenge on a good day.

 

[gobisbay]

Cogeco does cherry pick a bit because they don' t have as many channels in place for the SSP as Rogers does.

As for getting the feeds, Rogers probably just gets them from DirecTV and DISH Network.

 

[mt99808]

The Cogeco SSP is a nightmare and is specifically the reason I canceled and moved to Bell even though it will cost me 3x as much for the sports packages I want. Lack of HD and the fact that the guide is never right with games on the wrong channel or not on at all. When you call them they take no responsibility and blame Rogers.

Bell may be more pricey but it's much more reliable and much more HD and 5.0 surround sound compared to the cogeco crap i was fed. I don't know if its just where I live but even the SD feeds on the SSP were compressed so much it often looked like you were watching a VHS tape from 1983.

 

[thenewdc]

That's funny, they blame rogers. If they don't like what Rogers is providing them then maybe they should set up their own system with their own feeds, but no way, they are too cheap to do it, and logistically it's probably quite complex to operate and manage.

 

[gobisbay]

I've called plenty about the SSP and it's actually been pretty rare that they blame Rogers, from my experience. I think they want to avoid advertising the fact that they get it from Rogers, but it's kinda hard to do that considering what the preview crawl looks like.

I agree that there is a lot of macroblocking and generally crappy picture quality on much of the SD broadcasts. Even plenty of NFL games look like that which should be coming from high quality sources. It's actually quite embarrassing on Cogeco's part.

I've said dozens of times that I would gladly take the job of the person (chimp? trained seal?) who's responsible for airing the proper programs on the proper channels at the proper times, if only for my own sanity. It's a daily debacle of the highest order.

All that being said, there's no way I'd ever switch to Bell. Simsubs are much worse than the problems listed above. No HD simsubs in Windsor means a happy gobisbay most of the time.

 

[tfc182]

Everyone seems to talk about the games being listed on the wrong channels, but I've seen this less than 20 times overall which doesnt bother me too much considering I watch almost every night.

The thing that does bother me is that Cogeco added four HD channels for every league, which totals over 15 HD channels which means they could broadcast every single MLB game every night in HD if they realized they dont need NFL channels in the summer!