MLB At Bat 11 on Epic

[JihadJoe]

Guys,
Just so you know - the MLB At Bat app DOES NOT support video streaming on the Epic. Back on February 28th, I sent their customer service an email asking what devices are supported. Their response was:

There is a list of supported Android phones capable of live streaming
video of the games. We are adding new phones to be supported through out
the Spring Training. The list is as follows:

Droid
Droid 2
Droid X
HTC Evo
Samsung Epic
HTC Hero
Samsung Galaxy

I downloaded the app today, paid my 15 bucks, and the Help section no longer lists the Epic. I sent them an email, and all I got was some instructions on how I might be able to get a refund. What gives???

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

Guys,
Just so you know - the MLB At Bat app DOES NOT support video streaming on the Epic. Back on February 28th, I sent their customer service an email asking what devices are supported. Their response was:

There is a list of supported Android phones capable of live streaming
video of the games. We are adding new phones to be supported through out
the Spring Training. The list is as follows:

Droid
Droid 2
Droid X
HTC Evo
Samsung Epic
HTC Hero
Samsung Galaxy

I downloaded the app today, paid my 15 bucks, and the Help section no longer lists the Epic. I sent them an email, and all I got was some instructions on how I might be able to get a refund. What gives???

...Thank you for saving me $15. I was going to get the program since I pay for MLB.TV

 

[footysr]

You would think they'd toss in the Android app for free with our paid MLB subscription.

That said, some of the advertisements over at the site sure did leave the impression that the app would have streaming.

 

[Oneshortsleeve]

can I just confirm that "live streaming" does not include video highlights?

I am on the fence about getting this for my G2. If I can't view highlights the way I did on my blackberry then it's definitely a no go for me.

 

[adlebo]

You can view in game highlights and post game highlights. But I'm very very upset and I can't understand why the epic isnt supported for live streaming games. The only android sprint phone they support is the evo. Why? Isnt the epic good enough for their techical requirements. I spoke and wrote to mlb but they're all clueless. Its crazy. Whose fault is it? Sprints? Samsung or mlb? What can we do about this?

 

[ShoelessDave]

I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get MLB TV. However, I have a question. Are radio broadcasts blacked out for local teams. I'd really like to be able to pick up the local broadcast through my phone.

 

[kevincwelch]

I don't think radio broadcasts are blacked out. I've never listened to them, however. I have to assume that if you can't get MLB TV due to a local market restriction on your PC, then you probably can't get it on your mobile device. I wonder if they would do this by IP address, phone number or by location services...

Anyway, I watch it off my PC on my LCD with Boxee. This year it seems to be much better. Would love to get it on my Epic.

 

[JihadJoe]

I emailed their support back to ask what the deal was. I was told that I might be able to get a refund for the app through the Market. Of course, it just so happens that MLB at Bat 11 is ineligible for a refund.

In the email, I was given the number (866)306-5311 for their mobile app support. I called, and the lady I spoke with told that there was nothing they could do for me. They even had my emails on record, and she admitted what they had told me previously was "misinformation" (I referred to it as "lying"). She refused to reimburse me the $15, basically telling me I was screwed. I mentioned to the lady that I would be contacting my bank today to dispute the charge on my debit card. She said that was a good idea.

By the way - I also asked if the Epic would be supported sometime later perhaps, and she said that it wouldn't happen this year at all.

 

[lafountain]

Glad I saw this thread before I dropped the $15 on the app. I paid for the full season of MLBTV, and was going to get the app for the occassional time I am working during an A's game. It is really disappointing that we can't get the streaming of live games on the Epic.

 

[adlebo]

There gotta be a way how we can get it working. I'm not a developer, but can anyone think of something or an app that can make the epic emulate an evo or a nexus s phone which are supported? Something like a phone id spoofer?

 

[scottmc129]

couldnt you just goto mlb.com and stream from their? i have no problem watching live look ins on Gameday and on 4g or Wifi the video is watchable.

I also have the mlb 11 app and radio streaming works really well and I am in SF and was able to listen to the Giants on the road. waiting to see if they block home games.

Scott

 

[adlebo]

The least we can do now is bombard them with emails and phone calls demanding that the epic support live games.

 

[JihadJoe]

I've tied streaming straight from MLB's website, and all I get is a "Not Optimized for Mobile" warning in the player window.

BTW - saw this on Gizmodo today...
Gizmodo, the Gadget Guide

 

[lafountain]

MLB.com lists the following devices as compatible with Live video.

Sprint HTC Evo, Verizon HTC Droid Incredible, Verizon Motorola Droid X, Verizon Motorola Droid, Verizon Motorola Droid 2, Verizon Motorola Droid Pro, Verizon HTC Thunderbolt, Samsung Galaxy Tab, HTC Nexus One, T-Mobile Samsung Nexus S, T-Mobile HTC Glacier (myTouch 4G).

Some of these are older, some are newer. I just want to know what makes them "better" or why they were chosen and the Epic and other Galaxy S phones weren't. The Galaxy series sold well on all 4 carriers (as far as I know) so what makes them not special enough to get streaming video?

 

[JihadJoe]

WTF??? Today, I started the app, and now it's streaming live games!

That's right - the Epic, even though the developer said it wouldn't work, is now streaming full live games through my MLB.TV package. I'm now given the video option in addition to the audio. The video icon was not there a couple of days ago.

The video quality isn't all that bad either - around standard definiton youtube quality - and being on wifi/4g/3g does not seem to make a difference in it.

 

[jrmitchell72]

Weird, it is working for the Epic! It didn't even require an update.

 

[adlebo]

Horray! Mlb.tv is working on the epic. Maybe my hundred emails to mlb helped! Play ball!!

 

[lafountain]

This is really good news to hear.

 

[bdiddy1724]

Working for me also! hopefully its stays like this the whole season

 

[JihadJoe]

I am watching a game on it right now. On 3g, but the video quality is acceptable (it is a live game on phone, after all).

Does streaming games eat anyone's battery like it does mine? I don't think it could last an entire game on a full charge.