Player commentary issues...
Hello
I read a few comments on here about a random time delay appearing on the commentary, for some as severe as half an hour! There is also the ongoing issue of persistent drop outs that I am aware of. I'm going to contact the company to see if they have any suggestions/information about these things can be improved or if they are even aware these things are even happening. It's very hard to keep tabs on these at the game, as all I have to go on is a couple of lights on the box that let me know if we are connected.
Can you let me know on here if there any other technical issues that you are experiencing and I'll make sure these are raised too.
Cheers
Phil
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I've experienced drop-outs/delays occasionally on my laptop but nothing too serious in recent weeks. Did amuse myself during the penalty shoot out on Tuesday as I had the Wall on and, it being several seconds ahead of commentary, I impressed my wife (I think!) by predicting who would take each penalty and whether they would score. Great scenes.
It seems to be working OK at the moment for me on the iOS app version of player.
Sometimes I do get a bit of a time lag (maybe caused by my internet being funny) but if I close the app and open it again that fixes it.
Commentary for me is always a good couple of minutes behind my son's twitter updates, so he regularly ruins everything for me.
The swine. Bet he does it just to annoy you.
As I've said on FB page, I struggle a bit with volume - mainly because I use the laptop and tend to be on the move quite a bit.
@micra is your wife easily impressed? Any attempt to impress my wife with such antics are usually met with raised eyebrows and a tut!
Back to the original point. My only mumble is the same as most on here, the long delay, where you have found out what's going on via other media channels well before the commentary comes through. The only way to stop that "surprise" element being spoiled is to turn all other media channels off, but sometimes the suspense is too much!
Saturday was much better for drop outs, only a couple and only for a couple of seconds. The time lag differs from week to week. Saturday it felt like we were right on time with the Twitter updates, but sometimes it's several minutes off. None of it's your fault @bluntphil, you do a great job...
Agree re @bluntphil.
@EwanHoosaami: she definitely isn't.
Cheers @floyd and everyone for the information/feedback. It's also nice to hear that @micra is able to use the time delay to impress his wife! Even in adversity it's always possible to find a positive!
There has been several replies on the Facebook page also, so I will collate these and get them sent over to Player company via Matt Cecil. I suspect there maybe some info worth sharing on best practice in overcoming some of the issues too, will post this up later if it's worth sharing.
Ditto on @micra with the low volume @bluntphil otherwise a quality service that I look forward to week in and week out. What are the chances of getting to watch the match or is this too costly to warrant it?
Thanks Phil. I've noticed some severe delays, but have worked out that these occur when using Player iPhone app. If I pause the app and then come back to it, its starts again from where i left it rather than at the current time.
Keep up the great work on the commentary. It's by far, my favourite option to follow the games that I can't get to.
Hi Phil - I've noticed the same as @brownbob . When listening to the Blackpool game in my car through the iOS app driving home from work, the commentary paused as I disconnected from the bluetooth when I got home. Once I'd got inside & restarted the commentary about 10 mins later, it picked up from where it left off. Is it possible the iOS app is caching the stream when you pause it? If so I think closing the app completely (double-clicking the home button on iOS and swiping the application up) and restarting it might fix it although I haven't tried this myself.
Usually when I'm listening via the web page (which I do rarely as I attend most games) the delay seems to be only a couple of minutes which I guess you'd expect with an online stream.
I'd also like to complain that telling my girlfriend that Anthony Stewart was going to score, about five minutes before he did, did not impress her in the slightest. Anything you can do about this Phil?
You should dump her and find a more easily impressed parter.
@CarrotPeeler The usual response in I.T terms is - 'have you tried turning her off and on again?' I'm not sure in this instance that this approach is entirely appropriate.
I'd love to have the Player commentary over the video highlights. Is that possible? I seem to remember doing it with Ballroom Bill a few years ago.
@ Micra - How did you bluff your way through the "I think he's going to save it, but I have the feeling he'll then fumble it into his own net" prediction?
@CarrotPeeler You're absolutely right, when pausing the app is caching the stream in the background on the off chance that you'll want to start again in the same place.
The stream definitely drops out more regularly during matches at Adams Park than it does for away games, and seems to manage to do it at the most inopportune moments too - like just as a shot comes in.
@floyd I second that motion. We're absolutely spoiled with the quality of the commentary we get from @bluntphil and Bill, always entertaining even when the match isn't.
@drcongo, this would be, I suppose, quite a handy "live-pause" feature in most streaming circumstances, but less so when you are also following a match via twitter or other sources and like to maintain the element of surprise! Do you think closing the app completely as I suggested would wipe the cache and allow the stream to pick up as-live?
I'll come clean now. The whole scenario was a fabrication on my part. But, as events unfolded, i did relay them to the adjoining armchair. I also pressed the recline button (on mine!) to facilitate a little arthritic leap as Aimron (?) aimed wrong.
I'd also like to echo the words of appreciation above regarding the excellence of the commentaries from that top pairing - Phil Catchpole and Matt Cecil.
Big fan of the commentary always good and is my only way of "being" there when I'm actually several thousand miles away. Drops have been better in recent weeks but as mentioned a while ago I had to listen to 3cr traffic reports etc and rejoined the game for the start of second half 20 mins into the half so listened to it "live" but got spoils by a BBC update to my phone when we got the winner.
Overall though, top stuff keep it going!
Yes, it does. Well, live-ish (10 to 30 seconds behind, rather than minutes)
I have to echo the comments on here about the quality of Blunt Phil's commentary. Given the away game banning order, I've come to be a big fan and was utterly delighted to read about what the White Hart Lane draw meant to him. Just reward in my view. Thanks, Phil.
Many thanks to everyone for the information and feedback, all useful stuff. Also, thanks for the kind words on the commentary too, I will think of these at Mansfield later when I lose the feeling in my toes.
The Time Delay - There will always be a slight time delay with the Player commentary, but it shouldn't be any longer than thirty seconds. If you pause the commentary, when you hit play again it will play it from the moment you paused, so this makes the delay even bigger. Simply solution is not to pause it or if the pause is caused by a drop out in internet/buffering then make sure you refresh the page and it should take you back to real time. @Micra - hopefully thirty seconds still leaves you with enough to impress the wife...
Drop Outs & Volume - I've looked for a pattern in the drop outs and with all the feedback I've had, I can't find one. Matt Cecil kindly contacted Stream, the company that provide the service and they said that they have not noticed any problems at their end. However, they have asked that if you are suffering from drop outs then you should email them immediately so that they can investigate them. Here is their address... [email protected]
The DJ in me suspected that peaks in volume may cause the commentary to dropout, so I try and avoid the hitting the red lights on the volume. My efforts with this may be the cause of low volume for some and will try and boost it a bit. It's not easy though, as you have to leave somewhere to go for when something wonderful happens... AKIN-FEN-WAAAAAAAH! for example.
I hope this is helpful and goes some way to improving the service. It the drop outs persist then please do contact Stream as they are the best placed to be able to work out what is going on.
@Micra - hopefully thirty seconds still leaves you with enough to impress the wife...
As long as that! "Sigh", still longer than my memory!
Appreciate the comment but I did subsequently admit that very little seems to impress 'er indoors these days and that the bit about "predicting" penalty takers and whether they would score was a figment of my overactive imagination.
30 seconds is perfectly acceptable. Looking forward to tonight's commentary and of course Saturday's. Would love to have gone to WHL but health issues make it too risky.
The only pattern I've noticed is that it mostly seems to drop just as something decisive is about to happen. Like "Something's happened in the penalty area, what's the ref going to give here? [silence]" or "Drops to Kashket! [silence]"
And I'm not even counting that time that either you or Bill kicked the ISDN line out in excitement at a goal.
Mansfield commentary.
No drop outs. Very little delay - BBC alerts are after the goal on the commentary.
Can we have that type of link/service at Adams Park please. If it's the same set up in both stadium it shows that there's something wrong at home.
And excellent commentary again from @bluntphil
Thanks Phil, great commentary and it seemed as if the volume has been raised a hack or two. Ta muchly!
Thanks for a great commentary again phil no drop outs too stuff COYB ..