Best, most affordable way to get Houston Rockets games [only]?

League pass is the absolute worst service most expensive bull crap. It's nothing but a cash grab.
Why I hate League Pass let me count the ways.
first of all if the game is on a network like ESPN or TNT that's automatically blacked out. For your Rockets I bet at least 12 to 15 games all the good games are going to be blacked out. Doesn't matter if you pay $120 or not. Too bad so sad.

really the question is are you watching this on your TV or do you mind actually watched it on a computer?
If it's a TV then you might as well just get DirecTV or something like that.
if it's a computer then you got a lot of ways to watch for free that's just as good if not better than league pass.

 

The whole point of the thread is to cord-cut (to include DirectTV).

Also, most Smart TVs, Game console's, etc will stream, or Apple TV type stuff allows easy Casting from phone, ipad, computer. It's pretty ancient advice you gave there.

Read the thread. He doesn't want to be an illegal pirate. There are no free, legal options. I suppose you're now going to tell me pirated streams over Kodi is legal, because you feel once-removed from the pirates under-the-hood of Kodi.

As for paid ways, still no dice ... read thread. There are no legal, paid ways for *cord-cutters* to watch Live Rockets in Houston's black-out area. Houston is being f2cked by ATT Sportsnet not partnering with any legal, virtual-TV services.

Bastids are holding Rockets and Astros fans hostage while trying to attract a highest bidder for streaming.

 

I remember watching American Netflix in Europe through a proxy.

Is that barely legal enough for this thread?

 

I just think it's pointless to cut cords when you want to watch the Rockets games.
League Pass is not the answer.
I'm really not sure how much cutting DirecTV really saves you anymore. When you add up everything you're spending just about as much.
And then when you factory in 4K TV you know it just doesn't make sense to me.
If you're cool with Netflix then cutting the cord is a good move.
But anyway I used to be like Batman Jones wanting to be legal, but honestly league pass doesn't deserve my money.

 

People say you can use an Indian VPN and get Indian league pass for the whole year for just $15 with zero blackouts (because it thinks your in India).

Not exactly 100% legal, but still kind of legal? This could also just be done with another American city I'm guessing. So if you got a friend or family member who lives outside of the blackout zone, perhaps you can sign up with their address and still be able to watch blacked out games via league pass in Houston.

 

NBA League Pass only blacks out the live coverage. Once the game goes to your Archive area, you can watch it. The Archive last for years, too. Meaning you can rewatch your fav moments across seasons. The DVR features are OK. You have to watch out for the timeline at the bottom being a Spoiler for OT games.

Anyhoot, I'd try LP if you are OK with the non-live viewing. this would support all games. And for ESPN, TNT, ABC games you can watch those live with a Virtual TV provider.

Also, I could help you setup the semi-legal VPN method for live games over League Pass, if you want. imo, it is not unethical to pay the NBA legit, then sidestep the local blackout, since your regional network is screwing you. At least you are paying the money stil.

 

with the way ATT Sportnet channel works, I don't think there's a legal way to watch it. If you don't care about that, then your options open up and you can pay $0 to about $20/month for a really reliable stream that include all the channels your tv provider has and more.

 

well, here's another option. SlingTV will get you all the nationally televised games (well, I think almost all of them), which last year was somewhere around 40 Rockets games (yes, half of them!!). Then get LP for the archived three hours later games that are locally broadcast. Someone else mentioned LP would run you somewhere around $150-ish total and Sling is $50/month during the season, you could suspend it in the offseason. Sling is also a better streaming product than LP, @what is right about LP being a crappy, outdated NBA money grab

 

This is just whining though, for ppl who don't live in Houston and want an excuse to Pirate.

The only way for me and you to watch all Rockets games legally in NY and CO is to subscribe to NBA streaming services, or go to Sports Bars, and watch the non-nationally televised Rockets games in a corner of the bar with the sound off. There is no Virtual TV Option that gives you all games.

Quality-wise: LPs stream is fine and doesn't fail enough for me to complain, and the DVR features are OK. Multi-game and PnP viewing is pretty good, although I have no comparison to NFL Pass to offer. I hate being a quarter behind then it stops playing and starts archiving, though. That pisses me off, when I'm running late. But on-demand archive of all games, even previous years, makes up for a lot for the flaws.

Do Cloud DVR features allow you to recall games from previous months/years, for ALL teams? That's a BIG win for me.

My biggest complaint isn't on the Quality front but blackouts....but NFL has same issues. The NBA should stop double dipping on the fans who are watching the contenders get blacked out nationally all the time. There should be a Single Team Option whereby you are credited the games you can't watch....otherwise, they are double-dipping -- getting money both from me watching the live national network commercials, and from me paying LP for a black out.

 

yep, our problem with LP is mostly a sucky-rural-bandwidth-on-20-year-old-dsl related issue

 

When I moved to Austin in 1980, I never dreamed that it would benefit me by letting me watch the Rockets unencumbered by cable/Rockets/ATT bureaucratic money grubbing Bull **** to the Nth degree. I came for the hills and the lakes, the music and the great clubs, the relaxed vibe (yeah, that's been taking a beating lately) and the lower humidity. Oh, and the gorgeous chicks that ride on their bikes or jog around Town Lake in their cute little outfits for my viewing pleasure while I walk the dog. All that pales in comparison to being able to avoid what @Batman is dealing with now. (almost forgot the GoogleFiber!)

 

Wow, I was way off. 40 damn games were blacked out for the rockets games. That, and the fact that lp hasn't upgraded the quality of their stream in about 15 years is all the reason I need to **** on them. They are terrible, and they constantly raise the price but never invest in their product.

 

As heypee said, there are a lot of small spoilers that you don't realize once you start trying to timeshift a live game. The biggest thing for me is that league pass has barely acceptable quality. What they call hd usually is 720p, not even 1080p. The other thing is that I've seen league pass cut a game off that was going into OT (or even before OT if the game runs long). I can't count the times that League Pass cuts off the final play of the game due to the fact (maybe your own internet stream is slow and league pass "cuts" past the last play and you don't get to see it.)

I'm telling you man despite what some people might say, league pass has a lot of issues. The only consistent thing they are undefeated at is raising the prices.

Look at it this way: you are going to pay $120.00 for league pass and then you are going to have to get a service to watch the TNT/ESPN/NBA TV games + dvr, currently on sling this will cost you: $25 (espn, tnt), $5.00 (dvr), $5.00(NBA TV) = $35.00 per month.

This is $55 a month, plus you will need to add internet, whatever that is.

My advice would be to put the squeeze on direct tv and try to get a deal. You might pay 120 a month but you do GET something for it, which is a high quality stream, dvr, and you don't have to worry about all of the issues that league pass has.

It's not too difficult to get a $30 to $50 dollar discount as long as you can leave them.

Also, why not just give up internet at your house to save money and use your phone instead? There are a lot of ways to skin a cat, but my thing is that if you have a big nice 4k tv, you are wasting that if you DONT use a cable or satellite provider for your tv experience.

I've been cord cutting since 2010, and I've had to give up a lot to do it, but I don't really miss it anymore. I have a 4k monitor that I use with a roku and my internet, hulu and youtube, and while I don't get 4k I'm happy with the savings I get. I spend about $60 to $70 a month, depending on if I get Netflix and not just hulu.

***I just checked league pass website. Geuss what, now, even if you spend $120 you don't get a commercial-free game, or access to nba classics, or in-arena streaming. That $120 a year you spend gets you craptv.

Also notice they say watch games in "hd", they won't specify what stream it is, because it's the lowest version out there which is technically 720p. Don't waste your money on this.

 

Reddit Streams. If those ever get shut down then I’m not watching the Rockets. If they offer a la carte then I’ll gladly pay for it.

They’re already getting my money with merchandise and ticket sales. Using my fandom and emotional attachment to a team against me so they can strong arm me into an outdated cable subscription?

**** you.

 

This is what I've been doing the past few years - almost always find a stable HD stream with the Rockets commentators.

 

1.1/ 10

 

Yea, you're options are really slim. I've looked at this every which way for the last few years. Your options are:

A) threaten to cancel: if your bill would be reasonable if it were ~$15 less this is an option. Last month I called and complained that my cable had gone up and they just gave me a $10 discount for the next 6 months to calm me down.
B) bundle: I'm with ATT but so is my
cell phone and home Internet, it makes my cable bill more tolerable. I'm getting -$25 on tv and free hbo from my att cell plan.
C) actually cancel and get another entry deal with another cable provider. Sometimes you have to cycle through your bills to get a better deal. All of these companies make money on the "loyal" customers.
D) "steal" it: I have used hehestreams and ballstreams before that. It's basically league pass but you're getting all the games with no blackouts. You're buying stolen goods not actually stealing them, if that matters to you.

I have usually tried options A,B, and C first but I'm not above D when i think it's necessary. Hell, i know guys in the $300k salary range that go full Kodi so the cable police have a long line before they ever get to me.