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TVG in Saratoga Springs area?
Anyone know if TVG is available somehow through Time Warner? The OTB network isnt cutting it anymore (with the exception of the Mormino show and occasional commentary by Linny).
Let me add that money is no issue. I already pay close to $200 a month for cabel with my Baseball Package. |
Dont you just love it when you are just about to get a glimpse of the horse you are betting $200 to win on (#15) and OTB cuts out to a harness race?
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Gander, there's always the mute button for those who you don't like. |
Dont be so cheap Hickory (you must be a blast at kid's parties). Money is well worth it and my mute button doesnt work anymore and Da Hoss knows why.
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What cable company services Saratoga Springs?
By and large, Comcast carries TVG anywhere that TVG serves as an account wagering hub. Ie, we carry it in Chicago and Portland, OR -- but we do not carry it in Michigan because you can't use TVG here. Do you guys get Comcast up there, or just Time Warner? |
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I sound like a company crony :D I guess my working here doesn't change the fact that it's a good product, I just feel like a stooge talking about it! |
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You can use Youbet here though |
dish network tvg/hrtv..never left out in the cold..
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You could also see if you are one of the lucky few that can get FIOS TV:
http://www22.verizon.com/fiosforhome...ilability.aspx |
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I look at it this way, I do my own handicapping...the on-air personalities give thiers, but you can ignore thiers if you want. It doesn't matter to me who they like. As for the will pays and post parades, TVG doesn't completely show them either...and thier exacta payouts are based on ten dollar payouts. |
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In Michigan, Comcast will never carry that channel -- gauranteed, because there is nothing at all in it for them. |
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I've been following the "a la carte" legislation that has been floating around in Congress. My humble opinion is that it will only hurt the customer. Of course, for the person who only wants ESPN and two basic channels, it would lower their bill. For anyone who wanted to have any sort of comprehensive package, going "a la carte" would kill their bill -- it would absolutely explode because it would knock franchise and signal fees through the roof in many areas and for many channels. So what I'm saying is that cable rates have, yes, exploded at unprecedented rates - and yes I wish there was a way to bring them down -- but the current attempts are terrible and will only hurt the customer. Not that you asked :D |
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Croc Tears
I am crying big croc tears that Gander can't get TVG in Saratoga Springs. That's like saying that you can't bag the centerfolds at a Playboy Party, just the ones on page 10.
HAHA:D |
If you want the post parade and want to see races in full why not over the computer? There's plenty of sites where you can do that and if money is no object get a nice 20" - 26" flat screen monitor. I don't see how you can watch most of these shows anyway. The ones I've seen are terrible.
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Comparing TVG to OTB is like "apples to oranges" thier basicly the same. The on-track info is scattered on both programs and they give people thier race opinions. The biggest difference is... one comes with basic cable, the other you need a dish. Just do your own handicapping...watch the races and then collect! There is an old saying; Quityerbitchin' or don't watch.
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I have watched both networks (OTB and TVG) and there is no comparison.
OTB for some reason caters to harness racing and just is very incompetent when it comes to showing paddock coverage and will pays, etc. You have guys like Pricci who say the same thing over and over and act as if people actually would bet based off of their opinions, egggad :eek: Last night immediately after the live showing of the Santa Anita race #8, they cut to a harness race without even telling you who ran 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Now this would have taken the announcer all of 5 seconds to distribute that info? |
Thanks Hoff.
The fact is that OTB and TVG/HRTV are quite different in that OTB operates under different regulations. NYS Racing law requires us to use in state product (NYRA/F'Lakes) live. Our agreement w/NYRA demands that Capital air the paddock and post parade as well. COTB makes every effort to air NYRA's "will-pays" and as much of their feed as possible. As for the secondary tracks, due to the time commitment to NYRA, fitting in more than a replay is usually impossible. At this time of year, when the raceday is compressed and tracks are running races every 20-25 minutes, it's harder still. If there is a DQ or an inquiry at NYRA, or a hold up at the gate it's even more time taken from secondary products. The contract with Time Warner requires that CAP.OTB air 3 commercial breaks per hour. It doesn't seem like much time out of an hour but look at it like this: Between 2 and 3 pm today we'll have 10 races to air, from 4 tracks. Allowing for 2 minutes per actual race (loading/gallop out + airing the result) that takes 20 minutes of the hour. Add to that the requirement of pretty much staying with the NYRA feed from 13 or so MTP per race and that's another 26 minutes, give or take. Remember too that at "2 MTP" many times you know the race won't start in 2 minutes. Now you've used 46 of your 60 minute hour. Add to that about 10 minutes of commentary/promotion of OTB events per hour and that allows 4 minutes for commercials. We try to do commentary over the will-pays if possible to "kill two birds" (as it were) but it doesn't always work that way. We are dealing with a bottle neck, trying to feed out 4 signals. Just when it looks like you're about to get caught up, a gate delay, late scratch, loose horse throws off the rhythm. I understand that sometimes mistakes are made. Things get missed and the wrong button gets pushed. I have no influence as far as policy. I take orders. Trust me, there are times I wish things were different but as in any workplace, you take the bad with the good. Is the product perfect, no. But on balance I think that COTB does a pretty good job of getting racing out. This is a case of the perfect being the enemy of the good but TVG ain't perfect either. |
Great post Linny. Well said.
I understand the sacrifice you have to make regarding secondary tracks during 12:30 to 4:30 (NYRA time) and dont expect much more than a replay. To me thats good enough. But when NYRA is done their race day shouldnt we expect more from say Santa Anita? Your agreement with NYRA demands that you show paddock and post parades, yet there have been multiple times in the last few weeks where Jan's commentary has been skipped and sometimes when it is shown it gets cut off for a replay from Laurel or Tampa Bay. If you want my opinion, focusing more on NYRA would be a better thing since thats what most capital fans care about and bet on. |
I'm really not all that fond of HRTV because of the awful camera feed...it looks as if you're watching program back from the early 80's. Unfortunately since they have all the rights to Gulfstream & Santa Anita I have to grin and bear it.
As a whole though, the biggest 'fault' of both HRTV & TVG is their focus is on the California tracks so they will be showing you $8,000 claimers at Golden Gate instead of the horses prior to the Hal's Hope. I'd wish companies could or would recognize which races are really waiting for. |
Why don't you guys watch the races on your computer.
HRTV and TVG are ok. I am with Sightseek, the total focus on the So Cal tracks is ridiculous. Once Hollywood started on TVG they would stay with that track from the post parade until the end of the race. You wouldnt get to see another race until 20 minutes after the race was official. I know that HRTV and TVG are based out west, but it is ridiculous. Also, HRTV's feed in extremely poor. It is blurry and the color is horrible. However, it is better than nothing. |
I agree, I'd like to see SA treated as we do NYRA during the day. The problem is that we also have an agreement w/the harness industry that was signed as part of the ability to take nighttime TB racing. We have certain requirements re: what we must show. Taking NYRA + 3 others is hectic. Taking 2 TB + 3 harness tracks is almost beyond belief. The harness tracks run about every 15-20 minutes. The races take longer so each hour is eaten up by far more "actual racing." At some times there are 15 harness races per hour! That 30+ minutes of racing before you get to post parades and TB racing.
There are times (day and night) when there will be 3 races on tape, lined up ready to replay and we just can't find a seam. Suddenly we realize it 4 MTP at a track where we haven't shown the prior race. As for NYRA post parades and paddock, our contract doesn't require airing it but we make every attempt as a courtesy to viewers and NYRA. When I say post parade I refer not to the entire time from paddock to gate but the portion of the program when they show the horses 1 by 1 with the graphics showing names/#'s etc. Often we break away after the parade to air a replay. If we didn't, the replays would be lined up around the production center. On the whole, we try. It's worth noting that TVG uses about 15 people operating some pretty nifty controls to put on one show. Most of our equipment is quite dated and our show involves 1 host, 1 director and one sound man. The director and sound guy also have to tape all the races from non NYRA tracks and line them up for airing. |
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