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At The Races
@AtTheRacesHi Glenn – at the moment we’re unable to broadcast Stateside past 11pm, but this is due to change in the very near future. We appreciate your patience.
I would take what customer service people say (especially at Virgin) with the biggest pinch of salt you could possible get – my bet would be that there is a pricing issue over the channel going on between the two of them (happens quite a lot) and that eventually they will kiss and make up and it will be sorted out.
Have to say I do like the super slo-mo camera technology SSR have on the winning line and it worked very well for the 3:15 at Chepstow today, which even in the fading light you could see that Doc Carver had just held on.
For me SSR are majorly on the back foot with the content (racecourses) they can provide and this HD issue should have been sorted ahead of time – I also think their graphics package for runners/rider/betting prices could be better and a little bigger on screen and their sets seem a little bland.
For me SSR are majorly on the back foot with the content (racecourses) they can provide and this HD issue should have been sorted ahead of time – I also think their graphics package for runners/rider/betting prices could be better and a little bigger on screen and their sets seem a little bland.
I have always liked their graphics better than RUKs, not sure about size etc. but it’s more informative.
Twitter: Jackh1092
Hindsight is 20/20 so make the most of it!Disappointing really.
No SSR HD pics for VM customers like myself, which was a big element of looking forward to Sky taking over from ATR in the first place. So no change there.
Despite having a fast connection and good laptop, I only ever get slightly grainy and dull SD pics for 31 euro a month on Racing TV online.
Another 26 euro a month if I want Racing TV on my television.
Typical racing. Think I’ll **** the whole thing off and go back to watching the races on Betfair.
Cav, you have RTV online, but it’ll cost to get it on the TV?
Twitter: Jackh1092
Hindsight is 20/20 so make the most of it!Hi Jack, yes thats correct. I called their help center and they confirmed if I want Racing TV on my television, I’d have to contact Virgin Media and have them activate it separately on my box, at the standard charge of 26 euro a month. 57 euro a month in total. They can whistle for it.
I’m really pizzed with Racing TV charging 31 euro a month for an online product that is SD only. Their main channel should be HD online, whatever about all that “Extra” stuff. Its an absolute anachronism in this day and age of online sports coverage, but thats “Racing” for you I suppose.
Fed up with the lot of them, my RTV sub runs out on Jan 24th, then back to Betfair for me.
Why are you with Virgin if they’re very in-compatible compared to other platforms, is it a geographical thing?
Overall I’m very happy with VM Kev, well the Irish version anyway. Wired internet speed is 350mb plus and reliable. I’ve found their customer support fast and helpful the few times I’ve needed them. Their Champions and Europa League coverage is superb. No rusting dish strapped onto the side of the house either. Recently switched over to them for mobile as well, pleased with that too so far.
Cav,
“Fed up with the lot of them, my RTV subs run out on Jan 24th, then back to Betfair for me.”
In total agreement with Cav, ditched them a couple of months ago, would have done the same with SSR if it didn’t come with the Virgin package, would not be paying any extra to view it. Racing is full of pigs at the trough, also cancelled the Racing Post after the last extortionate price increase.
You soon find other things to do with your time, don’t think I’ve seen a single Irish race since the switchover and couldn’t tell you any of the results, same for the likes of Ayr and Bangor today. You can catch most racing online if needs, especially the big summer meetings.
Incidentally check out the race titles of the 1.30 and the big race, the 2.35 at Newcastle last Saturday
If I was a Racecourse, on recent chances and Skysports ability to reach people there is no doubt that I would choose SSR.
For the price per month, Racing TV is not good value. The graphics on Racing TV look lazy and aren’t informative enough. The presenters with them from the days of Racing UK are generally boring, dull and speak in a monotone. They generally spend far to much time reviewing the previous race than switiching attention to the next race more quickly.
For a premium price per month I would expect more specialist programmes outside Racing time. Atr did a great job with this, the Monday view, on the line, ask the handicapper, the Irish angle, Friday focus, the Sunday forum etc. These are the type of programmes I would expect a specialist premium pay per view channel to provide. But once Racing finishes any evening all we get is replays over and over. Racing TV should be full of interesting features and series. If this was the case then I’d have no problem paying an increased price for it. But they make no effort in this regard, with the exception of Luck on Sunday.Fair enough Cav, sounds like racing is letting you down in a big way with regards it’s VM coverage!
Have you discussed with VM why they are not getting HD? The pictures being received should be the same ones being given to Sky customers etc.
Bangor & Chester move over to SSR in March.
To play devils advocate for RTV (i pay £10 a month, deal i got around Grand National time) they do have The Verdict, Extensive preview build-up prior to racing most/all days and Luck On Sunday is the best racing programme on the planet by miles. This Racing Life is good most months also, taking you behind the scenes etc. Most of the non-live shows are free on the app anyway, or at least it was before i subscribed.
I think SSR may also have done away with the Sunday Forum & Monday View? Not on the ATR player anyway for this week.
For a premium price per month I would expect more specialist programmes outside Racing time. Atr did a great job with this, the Monday view, on the line, ask the handicapper, the Irish angle, Friday focus, the Sunday forum etc. These are the type of programmes I would expect a specialist premium pay per view channel to provide. But once Racing finishes any evening all we get is replays over and over. Racing TV should be full of interesting features and series. If this was the case then I’d have no problem paying an increased price for it. But they make no effort in this regard, with the exception of Luck on Sunday.
Was thinking this the other day. Hopefully they do a few specialist shows on Irish Racing too. Could do with starting to add things like this, for example, they don’t yet have club days for Ireland.
I do think they need more shows, even last night i put on SSR and the fella from Timeform was on discussing some of the big races- he isn’t fantastic, but at least they are doing it. I think Monday Night Racing is perhaps replacing Monday View Kev could be wrong!?
Both broadcasters clearly are tweaking things and hopefully in the next month or so we will benefit massively. If not, they’ll be hearing about it haha
Twitter: Jackh1092
Hindsight is 20/20 so make the most of it!Well, SSR duly appeared on NOW TV this morning so I checked out glorified dog races before and after the proper action on RTV! Overall it looks a lot better than did ATR the last time I saw it.
Crystal clear picture, slightly better than the RTV one I get on my smart TV (RTV picture is better online for some reason). Adverts weren’t too intrusive, I thought the graphics looked fine and a bit more informative than RTV’s, and impressive to have a presenter at Pau, bilingual no less. And it’s true that SSR have many more specialist programmes than RTV (although I only watch live racing generally).
Which presenters, pundits and commentators one likes best is a matter of personal choice (Rachel Casey – swoon!) but it looks like SSR will be a fine complement to RTV. Notwithstanding the capture of Ascot that’s all it can be for me currently, however, the heavily unequal division of (quality) Jumps racing is matched by what I am paying for each channel respectively at the moment.
To me, SSR is upwardly mobile whereas RTV is essentially defending possession of its present tracks. If it wants to hold onto them it desperately needs a second TV channel per the issues previously discussed, especially from the perspective of Irish viewers.
Now to see how this plays out over the course of time…
Looks like it has components of MV on that programme Jack, thanks mate. Liked how they had a dedicated 45 mins for it previously, this seems like it’s muddled up with the AW coverage that’s was on at Wolverhampton.
Suppose i may be a minority with this, being someone who wants to watch the programme back on video rather than live.
Properly watched SSR for the first time last night and the picture quality and change of definition looks great. Had seen the slow mo on Twitter on my phone but on a large TV it looks incredible.
Although I receive Racing TV via virginmedia I can’t access the various features on their website such as race replays so I emailed to query why this is. This was their reply
Thank you for your email.
Virgin Media do not allow third party broadcasters on their platform, instead they buy the broadcast rights and provide the service and charge their customers themselves, this is why the cost of Racing TV is inclusive with the Virgin Media bill rather than a separate charge. On the other platforms the service is provided directly to the members by us at Racing TV, as such when they create an account the login details for this allow full access to the website. As your account is with Virgin Media then login details you have with them will give you access to any additional benefits that they offer as part of your Virgin Media package rather than access to the Racing TV online services.
Should you wish to have full access to the services that Racing TV offer directly then you can join the Racing TV Anywhere service via ourselves, this allows viewing across multiple viewing platforms and includes the online content, however, this service will not allow viewing on Virgin Media as per the explanation above.
Wednesday observations: 3 of the 5 minutes immediately before races at Doncaster was taken up by adverts, the remaining 2 by factually incorrect drivel from Harvey on SSR. Were these races worth watching when they cut into the extended build up to contests at Taunton on RTV by the excellent Neesom and Fitzgerald.
Thursday: on RTV the races from 3 meetings were evenly spread, however, I’m surprised there was no one at Clonmel. Chris Dixon is fine in the studio and Donn was on the phone with a pre-racing preview of the meeting but not one of RTV’s highly publicised five-person team of experts was present at the track.
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