Cycling.tv: Could anyone get it to work today?
I tried all three cycling.tv stream options, and could not get any of them to work. After the commercial played, all I got was endless "buffering." No pictures, no sound.
After they had all winter to work out the kinks, it appears to me that cycling.tv is as much of (or more of) a mess than it was before.
Was anyone happy with their c.tv experience today?
6 recs |
102 comments
Comments
The worst part about it not working
is that you have to watch the stupid commercial every time you open the window again, or try a different stream. It isn’t my fault that the stream I wanted to watch isn’t working, and that I have to keep switching streams attempting to get one to work, I shouldn’t have to watch that damn commercial every single time. It sucks even more because the commercial runs fine and then the race stream doesn’t run at all!
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Feb 28, 2009 1:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
what, you guys don't love that dude
who comes on and says, damn, what is it now, here’s a taste of the new cool, isn’t that what he says? Then he comes on again and says something else that’s super-cool too, “you know you like it” or something like that…damn I feel dumb for not remembering, must make me lame
by plinytheelder on Mar 3, 2009 12:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
"the new outrageous", pliny
seared into my brain…
CYCLING TV SUCKS. DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY
Beware - they will bill you automatically unless you cancel recurring payments... Login to PayPal -> select MyAccount -> Profile -> Recurring Payments and cancel Cycling TV. Check your history to confirm that it worked. Then crack open a fine Belgian beer and toast your future happiness.
by Jimbo... on Mar 3, 2009 12:51 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
OH YEAH!
and then doesn’t he say “Just stop it” or something? holy crap that dude’s lame
by plinytheelder on Mar 3, 2009 11:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
During todays race
I finally sent in the “Dear Sirs, F*** you” letter I should have sent long ago. Cancelled my subscription and asked them (not so) not to ask me for money ever again.
To some degree I could have saved myself the bloodpressure-spike today because it was apparently known beforehand that this weekends races are georestricted for Sweden. It just pisses me off no end that they aren’t able to present a readable list of what races I was actually paying for. Before todays race I checked that no other swedish channels were broadcasting and they weren’t so I then assumed that CTVs “worldwide-schtick” included me. Never assume.
So I will perhaps miss out on one or two races but better that than to continue to feed the scumsucking nimrods that run that company. It is blatantly obvious that they have no ambition to provide a serious service to it’s paying customers .Instead they are content with praying on the fact that we are so desperately enthusiastic that we forever cling to the hope that they will eventually deliver something of all that they promise.
I have given up that hope and I have no qualms about urging you all to do the same. Let this pathetic excuse for a company go down in flames and leave the market open for someone who might actually be competent enough to provide the service that they charge money for.
by Jens on Feb 28, 2009 1:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I have to admit
I had once considered subscribing, but after seeing the anguish and frustration of my fellow PdCers in race after race, I decided to take my chances on international webfeeds (such as today’s Wallonian feed). Yeah, it’s pretty dicey, but it doesn’t seem like it’s that much dicier than ctv.
by Le Comte on Feb 28, 2009 1:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Better to not know and be deliriously happy the days you find a feed, than expect to watch CTV and get disappointed.
I say this as someone who would gladly pay a lot of money for a service like CTV. Tell me what I will be paying for and how much; it would have to be a pretty outrageous number for me to say no. I don’t even fileshare/download films and music because I believe that people should get paid for their work so it’s not that I get a kick out of watching for free or anything.
by Jens on Feb 28, 2009 1:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Exactly...
As you know…there are few, if any, races that you can’t watch online…like we did today with RTBS…but I too like to try to remain above board…but when you’re f@#cked around for something you pay for…you have to understand why people pirate/download things. I’ve never encountered a service so brazenly deceitful (i.e. Worldwide) and incompetent….
by bradBordeaux on Feb 28, 2009 1:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm in the course of doing the same....
When I pay for a service, I want to receive that service…and as you said. No mentioned of georestrictions in ‘Worldwide’, I should have known it wouldn’t be available in France. I’m actively searching a consumer watchdog to submit a complaint to. They crossed the line today. We’re suckers for believing.
by bradBordeaux on Feb 28, 2009 1:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
For me everything was fine for 20 minutes or so until
that first time that it seemed to go dead for everyone. The suggestions to refresh never worked for me. Hope to see a replay later although that’s not nearly as much fun as getting a live feed along with all the PdC comments here.
One of the most appalling aspects of the situation, in my opinion, is that there’s never any acknowledgment from anyone at Ctv of any problem. Their own Innertube message board had dozens of complaints this morning but not one response from anyone at Ctv.
But………., I’m not due to renew for a couple of months — guess I’ll wait to make a decision until then.
by Dave.49 on Feb 28, 2009 1:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Look....
I have a subscription to French eurosport………..i’ve never had a problem logging on or anything else with streaming live video…they’re cutting corners to make/take more of our money.
PS. I think Paris-Nice will be available online with France 2….saw an advert today
by bradBordeaux on Feb 28, 2009 2:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Irritated with ctv
Last week, I had few problems logging in and the service was part of their free viewing. This weekend, when I’m paying for it, I spend an hour and a half trying to log in and get nothing but a commercial and solid black screen of buffering. Irritated was an understatment. Instead I read along watching the Frenchish stream and finally gave up and posted along watching only the Frenchish streaming. Even at the innertube people were posting boo’s to ctv and thanking the other streaming. I (sadly) would’ve felt better for even just the audio some had as I like B&A’s commentary, a lot. But I got nothing. I have another month or so left on my subscription and I really don’t think I’m renewing unless this next month is solid. Very few excuses for them when they can open it up and offer the free stuff with out much trouble. I too would pay some big bucks for cycling streaming – that worked and was consistant. Today only brought back bad feelings from early last year.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
by nikki on Feb 28, 2009 2:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
After watching virtually flawless
delivery (weather permitting) of the ToC for free I agonized with the typical CTv bullshit again today. My subscription is due in two weeks and there is no way in hell I will put myself through this again!
by Teel22 on Feb 28, 2009 5:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
These asshats will go away
if everyone just stops paying them. For the past couple of years I’ve listened to nothing but frustration, anguish, and anger directed at this company. I have never once been tempted to give them a nickle. I know we are all desperate for our cycling fix, but these guys are going to continue on with the same old bullshit, year after year, as long as they have fans that are willing to keep paying them. For my part, I refuse to give them a link on my site, and I’m at the point that I’ll also remove a link to any others who accept advertising $$s from them. I will find a alternative live feed, or I simply won’t watch the race. I encourage everyone else to do the same.
by The Team Chef on Feb 28, 2009 2:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
Plus, I’d like to group together all the disgruntled CTV customers and make public a letter outlining CTV and by extension JumpTV’s lack of professionalism and flagrant false advertising. JumpTV has more interests than CTV, maybe they’ll listen to that….but I don’t much care after that…I’m out. Oh, and they’re all responsible, that includes B and A and now M
by bradBordeaux on Feb 28, 2009 2:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
similar experience
I had no trouble logging in – the commercial ran without any difficulty, then nothing. A few seconds of “connecting to media”, then “Ready” with a black screen and no audio. On high, medium, and low, with repeated attempts and even re-logging in. I left it the “Ready” screen on the media player open in case it was actually buffering without telling me and was going to show video in a few minutes, but still nothing.
by guidemd on Feb 28, 2009 2:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
It's just not worth it.
Maybe we should all just ‘rec’ this post so that it stays at the top for the season, seeing that we will be having this discussion after every race…again. I decided not to renew my sub last August when I realized that I’m away at races every weekend in April. Originally I was thinking or subscribing in may, but no longer. It’s just not worth it.
just a thought. If we want to complain to someone, it should probably be ASO and the other race organizers. CTV is/trying to shut down the other feeds to ‘their’ territory, effectively blacking out the race to those ares. I’m sure that if the race organizers catch wind of this, CTV will have a much harder time getting the rights to the races.
To be clear. I have thoroughly enjoyed the commentators on CTV, and have found their voices here (Rebecca & Harold) to be very friendly and seem to genuinely want to help. But once again…it’s just not worth it.
by Hons on Feb 28, 2009 2:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
good point
If CTV could actually deliver on streaming the races they promise live on the internet without all the problems that exist, I could see that they have a right to protect their broadcast rights by requiring others to be geo-restricted (or pulling videos off of YouTube, though that one still seems a bit petty). However, when they consistently can’t deliver, it seems entirely wrong for cycling fans who don’t have the luxury of watching sporza on their home TV service (or Eurosport or whatever home Euro broadcaster is covering the race) and have to rely on CTV, to be shut out from any other opportunities to watch. Thus, I agree with Hons that maybe to complain to the race organizers might get farther than complaining to CTV (which hasn’t ever seemed to accomplish anything) – if the race organizers were aware that cycling fans are being deprived of the ability to watch because of CTV’s incompetence, then maybe online streaming rights might go to someone else (or CTV might improve their service).
(on the other hand, being a Canadian I fear the possibility of Versus getting more rights for the USA, not that I want to deprive you Americans of anything but it tends to mean that everyone assumes Canadians can just watch Versus, which we can’t. Same goes for Universal Sports online – most of their cycling stuff so far seems to have been USA-only online, and we can’t get the TV station).
by guidemd on Feb 28, 2009 3:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
yep, target rightsholders/organizers and advertisers
by Sui Juris on Feb 28, 2009 3:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
psssh What would you know of this kind of stuff?
by Jens on Feb 28, 2009 3:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
nothing, obviously
or I wouldn’t be trying to watch things on CTV!
by Sui Juris on Feb 28, 2009 3:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I have had
many clients in the business of webcasting (video and audio) over the years. It’s never been an easy business (from my view), but the part that CTV keeps screwing up has been the least challenging. It boggles, how CTV has managed to muck this up.
by Sui Juris on Feb 28, 2009 5:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well, they say everything will be better
Dear Mark,
We experienced several technical issues with the stream earlier today. We
apologize for any inconvenience or frustration this may have caused. This
issue should be resolved for tomorrow’s race.
Thank you,
Aric
JumpTV Fan Support
My reaction? I am going on a ride when it is supposed to be cold and snowing tomorrow AM, instead.
by Sui Juris on Feb 28, 2009 3:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
did they at least have the courtesy to change the date from 2007 on that form email?
by Hons on Feb 28, 2009 3:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I am going on a ride when it is supposed to be cold and snowing tomorrow AM, instead.
Great idea …. enjoy!
formerly known as cyclingchallenge
by Willj on Feb 28, 2009 3:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Cycling.tv
Is just my way of gathering empirical evidence that I really like professional cycling. I’m deeply skeptical of first personal reports about valuations, so I need this kind of evidence in order to convince myself of what it is that I really value. Thank you cycling.tv for providing me this valuable service.
by Uncle Ted on Feb 28, 2009 4:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I should say
The fact that I’m willing to suffer through their service is the evidence in question.
by Uncle Ted on Feb 28, 2009 4:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I was going to suggest a CTV FAQ to be written and rec'd, but then
I realized it would be this:
Q: Will CTV ever get any better?
A: No, not if judged by all available evidence.
by Sui Juris on Feb 28, 2009 5:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
That's the tragedy of it all
I, too, would like to pay money to be able to watch cycling live but, at the same time, I feel I’ve got to be reasonably sure I get a reasonable return on the investment. And I don’t consider staring at a black screen with no audio for several hours during Paris-Roubaix to be a reasonable return on any investment I might make, no matter how entertaining the commercial you apparently get at logon might be.
by Le Comte on Feb 28, 2009 6:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The as-live is now posted
and not even that works!
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Feb 28, 2009 6:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
yup... decided to sleep in this morning and catch the as-live...
all i get is a black screen and it says ready
by d rod on Feb 28, 2009 7:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
So, in other words
it literally is “as live”…
by Le Comte on Feb 28, 2009 7:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
finally got as-live on low feed...
i swear i watched that ad 50 times
by d rod on Feb 28, 2009 8:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Can someone post the links to other video feeds?
So we don’t have this problem tomorrow? IMHO ctv has only gotten worse since jump took over. The costs went up and the quality went down. Why offer a data rate of 1800 when you can’t even hook up at 400?
by jaymo on Feb 28, 2009 8:32 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
other video feeds
best best is to check out www.cyclingfans.com, they usually have links to alternate feeds as soon as it becomes obvious who’s covering the race (and isn’t geo-restricted).
by guidemd on Mar 1, 2009 12:05 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
whoa so glad I didn't even attempt to watch today
amazingly bad service – even before it was bought by jumptv
by lyne on Feb 28, 2009 9:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I really want it to work.
But I canceled my subscription at the beginning of last year, and this thread reaffirms my decision. I would pay, if it worked but the frustration is too much for me. I guess I can look forward to another year of proxy servers and foreign language feeds when I can find them.
by TC_ on Feb 28, 2009 9:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I haven't signed up for the CTV experience...
…and last night, I was starting to regret it at first – when y’all had a race happening, and I was starting to think that I wasn’t going to find a feed. But then when the gods smiled upon me (just as I was about to give up and go to bed!), and then all the CTV folks started screaming… well… sometimes I don’t find a feed, but then I’m not gambling with cash here LOL..
Besides, too many races are listed as ‘North America only’ on CTV. And it seems that even those which you are led to believe that you’ll see, are not necessarily going to be shown to you (bradB, Jens – I felt your pain, and took heed).
I’ll continue with my game of ‘feed lottery’, and use the opportunity to keep working on my list of ‘to learn’ languages ;-).
[Mind you, the gods had better smile upon me for De Ronde – I’ve booked in to take leave from work the next day, in anticipation of staying up to 3am watching the race…]
by Lou... on Feb 28, 2009 11:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
What I find even more frustrating is how simple it is to stream a race
the FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tour du Haut Var stream was excellent, run on a simple media player platform, the Vuelta Murcia will be streamed for FREE!!!!!!!!! this week and probably flawless. The Mallorca challenge was streamed FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and worked fine as well, once again ona simple windows media player platform. Yet the streaming we pay for can’t be delivered proparely. I know it can’t be that hard to stream it,as I watch a ton of football(soccer) streaming for free, that always works excellently and with good quality. I’m watching a free stream of a tennis tourny in Mexico right now, once again, it works perfectly with a real good quality. Yet ctv doesn’t work at all, and they have money to pay for their services, fucking unbelievable!
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Feb 28, 2009 11:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I have no idea about the technology but since this point comes up regularily I want to ask those of you who might
Is the issue here the volume of traffic. I mean a stream of Haut Var isn’t going to get a ton of people to logon and watch. Would that stream suffer the same problems if there where as many viewers as there were CTV-customers trying to watch OHN yesterday?
Phil’s footballwatching seems to indicate otherwise because I’ve heard that football is pretty popular………….
by Jens on Mar 1, 2009 2:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Money, basically
If the server can handle the traffic and the pipes are big enough, there should be no problems. I watch pro surfing free feed all the time. Sometimes it’s hard to get on during a Slater heat, but otherwise, no problems. RAI stutters for me some during the peak mountain stages – that’s partly the distance it’s travelling (West coast US) and partly the amount of server engine they’re putting behind the feed.
The big problems with streaming viddy usually come when a bunch of people want to log on at once, not necessarily because a lot of people are logged on. Ie, if everyone logs on to a race throughout the race, the servers may not stutter. If everyone logs on with 10 km to go, there will be problems as the server tries to establish all the connections. Establishing connections requires more system resources than just serving the feed. This happens during the free Giro feed all the time – there will be points in the race when lots of people try to log on all at once. It can be very hard to keep the feed and/or log on during those times. Wait 15 mins and you get on no problem, because the server isn’t as burdened by all the connection requests. This is also why some people have had good luck previously with logging on to cycling.tv the night before. Once you’re on, you’re on. But if you have to get in the queue to establish a connection you may never get through.
No idea, by the way, what the specific issue with cycling.tv is. Never tried to use it. But I’m guessing they aren’t paying for enough server capacity for the number of subscribers who all want to establish connections at the same time.
by gavia on Mar 1, 2009 6:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yes they are offering a product they know they can't deliver on
I don’t have an issue with free streams buffering, but when I pay for them than I expect them to be better quality and be able to handle the load, they kept allowing people to buy so they should have a way to get everyone who bought the ability to watch.
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
by Phil H. on Mar 1, 2009 6:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
we just watched Canadian university volleyball national semis
live streaming on the internet, worked great, no cost, no ads whatsoever (seems like the universities themselves are so far paying for the “Streaming Sports Network”) … why does the (presumably) non-profit do a lot better than the one we pay for?
by guidemd on Mar 1, 2009 12:07 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
i know i'm odd man out, but i basically have no probs with ctv... only lost the vid a couple of times, and got it right back. and "mute" is such a wonderful feature
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
by umwolverine on Mar 1, 2009 6:26 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Can you tell us the detaiuls on how you access it?
Browser, steps, etc. Please?
by ursula on Mar 1, 2009 9:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
IE browser, click on the live feed i want, then log in when the jtv player launches
no probs under vista nor xp
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
by umwolverine on Mar 1, 2009 10:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Same with me. I have not had many problems
It dropped 3 times for Het Volk but I was able to get right back in.
Today for K-B- K, I have not had one problem -it has been flawless.
I remember last year’s Het Volk thread, there was a major CTV implosion for that first race too.
by roadside on Mar 1, 2009 10:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I never got it to work today.
My subscription ends in a month, that’s it for me.
by Bruce Suomi on Mar 1, 2009 10:50 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
ditto
Mine’s up just after Paris-R.
I’m so frustrated. I don’t mind paying money, don’t mind getting up early, but damn it I do expect to get live feed when I’ve paid for it.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
by nikki on Mar 1, 2009 10:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Nope. Nothing.
Well, not nothing. I did get the damn commercial everytime I tried a new resolution.
Then I started thinking maybe it wasn’t in my package. So I went and made sure I could see yesterday on demand. Could, with out issues. So, it’s back on ctv. And if I read once more how it’s all working okay on their end I’m going to be sick.
Today seemed to work way better for more than yesterday but just between here and the innertube, there were a LOT not able to get in. Not acceptable anymore. Just. is. not.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
by nikki on Mar 1, 2009 11:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The player pops up when I click on it and that's worked with out issue before.
Plus the on demand on the same thing worked fine.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
by nikki on Mar 1, 2009 11:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm done, too
Cycling.tv will never screw me out of another dime.
by Tifosa on Mar 1, 2009 11:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Dear Cycling TV
Please die soon. You suck.
Regards,
Jimbo…
P.S. Fuck you.
The Dude will have a White Russian...
by Jimbo... on Mar 1, 2009 11:12 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Very poetic!
You took the words right out of my mouth.
by Teel22 on Mar 1, 2009 11:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
There needs to be another cycling streaming company
that offers all the races ctv does, has good customer service, and provides a viewable product by using technology from the year 2009. If this sort of company were to be created than A) we could have somewhere reliable to watch cycling, without the massive frustration or B) Ctv realizes that it’s losing customers and actually starts trying, and fires the 5 year olds who run it, leading to a reliable product as well.
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Mar 1, 2009 11:37 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Too small market
CTV needs to die first. Only after that will someone else try. I think that is the only way it will happen, anyway.
by Jens on Mar 1, 2009 11:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
But for it to die someone needs to kill it
and unfortunately may people(me included for some idiotic reason) still have hope that ctv will finally be a good product and keep feeding it money, only to be fucked over time and time again. Cycling fans in the US,especially, don’t have anywere else to get their cycling fix that they need. With the free internet streaming appearing for all the big races, ctv will lose me soon, but they will only lose a big majority of their customers if something big appears and lures them away. It is definitely a risk to start a new company in such a small market, but seeing how bad ctv is, it may be a risk that pays off in a ton of customers if they can provide a quality product.
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Mar 1, 2009 11:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well lets hope it dies sooner than later
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
by Phil H. on Mar 1, 2009 12:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
as long as the stream isn’t in flash…
i use ctv more to watch the vod than the live racing… live racing for me is to listen to… too busy working otherwise
you could always get what universal stream does… delayed races
i’ll stick with ctv.. i’d even pay twice the amount… but, that’s me
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
by umwolverine on Mar 1, 2009 12:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
unfortunately, my prediction of this happening to ctv once jumptv bought it, came all too true
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
by umwolverine on Mar 1, 2009 12:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
If your subscription ends soon, BEWARE!
Hi, I’m Koppenberg, and I’m an idiot.
Some of you may not know me, since I’ve been scarce around here of late, but I was an active member of the community for several years.
This morning, I discovered that Cycling.TV has billed my pay pal account for another year’s subscription. Now, I’ve canceled my rebilling subscription before, but apparently in the most recent round of cycling.tv rearrangements, they snuck in another reoccurring charge and I didn’t notice. They are nothing if not devious and persistent.
Anyway, so I logged in to view my account, and I’m informed that I haven’t purchased any subscriptions. (My bank balance gives the lie to that claim.) Not only that, I log into the podiumcafe.com and find that customers who CHOSE to pay and had their subscriptions properly processed STILL were not able to enjoy their purchase.
I can’t believe I find myself in the position of being taken advantage by that awful company yet again, but at least I can serve as a warning to others. If you expect your subscription to lapse, be CERTAIN that you go into your PayPal history and cancel any reoccurring subscriptions. I didn’t get what I paid for LAST year, I’m just shocked that I’m in the position of complaining that I didn’t get what I paid for THIS year as well. Like I say, I’m an idiot. Don’t be like me. Don’t give cycling.tv money. Ever. Take your $100 and buy something nice for your bike.
cheers,
A very stupid and very angry Koppenberg.
Brooklyn Chewing Gum: Vlaanderens Mooiste
by Koppenberg on Mar 1, 2009 12:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I suspect this is what happened
I saved this e-mail from last April
Cycling TV recommends to users that they cancel the auto subscriptions set up on Narrowstep. We then recommend you take the cost saving options of a bunbled package using Cycling TV’s own payments systems. This way we’ll be able to look after you much better because the payments will not be on a third party’s systems.
by Cycling TV on Sun Apr 06, 2008 at 07:34:24 AM EDT
You might be getting charged by Narrowstep the old payment system.
Anyone here should check in on Paypal that way and cancel that automatic renewal.
by roadside on Mar 1, 2009 3:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
This happened to me to
E-mail them and you’ll find out it’s worse than you think: you’ve just paid a fee to the company that USED to own c.tv, NOT to Jump.
The good news: you’ll get your money back.
The bad news: I think all of this is a scam cooked up by the Piranha brothers.
by R Mc on Mar 1, 2009 8:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
How did you get your money back
Did CTV refund it or did narrowstep? This would be helpful information
by roadside on Mar 1, 2009 8:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I disputed the charge through Pay Pal
You have a couple of options, either “I didn’t get the thing I payed for” or “I didn’t request the thing I was charged for”; I chose the former, since I may have clicked through some fine print.
I’m hoping the cash comes back and I’ll keep you all informed on how this is resolved.
In addition, even though I’ve been scarce around here lately, I promise to make 5 times as many cycling content posts as bitching about CTV posts by the end of La Primavera.
cheers,
Kop
Brooklyn Chewing Gum: Vlaanderens Mooiste
by Koppenberg on Mar 1, 2009 10:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
We've missed you
It’s just a shame it took CTV to bring you back ;-)
"I didn't look for him and I didn't see him. If you base your race on another rider, most of the time you lose."
Tom Boonen
by Drew... on Mar 2, 2009 8:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
narrowstep
I think . . .
although . . . now that I recall this more carefully, my wife paid for the subscription (present to me . . .), so I’m not sure whether or not it’s been refunded.
Anyway . . . the contact was with narrowstep.
by R Mc on Mar 2, 2009 2:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Slept through today's live race so I log in thinking I can watch it on CTV. Nope.
Just keeps saying “Connecting to media” on all videos, as live, highlights and all bandwidths.
But the ad plays just fine. Convenient that.
I have a few months left on my subscription. Already canceled the renewal via papal. Won’t be renewing.
by ZoeRochelle on Mar 1, 2009 3:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I slept in this morning too and just now tried and couldn't watch the race on CTV either.
I canceled the auto-subscription on PayPal a while ago, but after yesterday’s mess, I double checked my account to make sure there was nothing from CTV. Nothing showed up. I’ll be furious if they bill me somehow when my subscription comes due in a few weeks. I’m going to make due with finding other live internet feeds from now on.
by Veloki on Mar 1, 2009 7:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Happily there are great alternative live feeds!!
Buh-bye CTV!!
by steph- on Mar 1, 2009 4:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Feel a little like a traitor--
My feeds were all but flawless the last two days. A couple drops here and there in the form of screen freezes that seemed to work themselves out w/out my help.
Nothing fancy here computer-wise—Vista, IE 6.0 (I use Firefox for everything else—CTV never seems to play well with it though) I access the live video page, select the feed, sign in, and BAM.
Does this make me a bad person?
by tshawytcha on Mar 1, 2009 5:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
No, it makes you Jesus
I don't know if you knew this, CTV is run by Bernard Madoff
by Phil H. on Mar 1, 2009 5:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
We talking Micheal Palin
or Mel Gibson here?
by tshawytcha on Mar 1, 2009 6:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Make that Graham Chapman......
Cut’s into the delivery when you get it wrong……..
by tshawytcha on Mar 1, 2009 6:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I've had problems with cycling.tv for many years now, way before it was bought by jump.tv
Their customer service has been abysmal in the past, from rude emails saying that it was my network connection (when it’s not) to often no response. The horrible UI design of their ‘client’ which makes it almost impossible to find information about which races are shown in which country (one did wonder if that was done on purpose).
And then of course, the simple lack of functionality during race time. It’s not rocket science to plan system load – you do capacity testing for that.
It’s a shame because it was a good idea that never delivered on the promise.
by lyne on Mar 2, 2009 10:55 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I no longer wonder
The system is designed to get people to sign up for things they know they don’t have rights to. It would take Chris hours and any halfdecent blogger a day to produce a webpage that presented the relevant info for different countries. If they were an honest company CTV would have done this long ago.
Instead they rely upon haveing their customers run around like rats in a maze and hope that everyone will get too dizzy to realize there is no cheese to be had.
by Jens on Mar 2, 2009 11:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
One note on CTV folks...
I just wanted to drop a note, partly in hopes that Rebecca and Harold will come back and visit, but also to say that making harsh and rude comments about the employees of CTV for the company’s inability to serve us is not fair – unless of course they work for that area of the company. I’ve got loads of ranting still to be done on CTV’s crap from this weekend but I am a little bummed that some here are lumping Rebecca and Harold and even B&A into that group of bashing. I for was was very appreciative last year that they attempted to help us figure out why we were having issues. I know we are all frustrated but I at least felt better having someone acknowldge the problem.
I’m bringing this up as something at work came up and I work for a utility. I don’t work out on the lines and don’t make decisions but I work here and friends often crack jokes about “helping out with bills” or they even call me direct when there are power outages. I would be crushed and it would NOT be fair for them to unleash hell on me when things are not going smoothly. It is not my area but as an employee, and more so as their friend, I try to make some calls to look into issues when they come up. But, I can try to help but it’s seriously out of my hands. I don’t have those kinds of powers, I can only offer to try and make it better. I feel that Rebecca and Harold do that for us. They are not in the IT area (that I’m aware) but they at least listen and can approach the problem for us with trying to find out what is causing it by making some calls directly on their end.
Not sure why this is bugging me so much today but I read many rants and I so have even more of my own for CTV itself to be done but I hope that we all see that a company’s piss poor handling of our issues is not directly upon all those that work there. I’m hoping Rebecca and Harold stop back for a visit. And even more so, I continue to hope, okay, I wish, that CTV would fix the long term on going identified issues. No excuses this year make it any better when the same things happened last year.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
by nikki on Mar 2, 2009 3:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
there's a certain point
at which you realize that your work is perpetuating a scam. I suspect both Rebecca and Harold are smart enough to identify that point.
by Sui Juris on Mar 2, 2009 4:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I see your point Nikki
but when I go back and read the thread and i just don’t find anyone directing their anger at any of the people you mention. I too found it encouraging that they reached out to fix some of the issues last year but I also note that they are conspicuosly absent now. Not just from this forum but they even fail to respond to the folks who direct their questions to their own forum.
I surely welcome both Harold and Rebecca here as they were both obviously cycling fans as we are and I hope they take part in our threads as such. I think it is important to realize though that their presence here was naturally a part of a PR-effort aimed at limiting the badwill that the tech/management side of their company keeps generating. Obviously that strategy has been abandoned for whatever reason.
My guess is that if we ever see them on this forum again it will not be as CTV-ROLD or rebeccactv.
by Jens on Mar 2, 2009 4:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs













