New KHL Webcast Subscriptions

hansomreiste

Registered User
Sep 23, 2015
1,625
237
Ankara
That is more complicated than that. It depends on where the server is, routing to your location, packet loss, your provider and so on. For example I have 100 Mbit/s, and can watch 3-4 1080p twitch streams simultaneously, but sometimes youtube will buffer every 5 seconds on a 360p video. And sometimes 4K/60 fps will work flawlessly. Go to the options (gearbox on the right side of the screen) and increase the buffer size from 20 to 60 seconds. Maybe it will help.

Yes, I know that, I just went with the "p" thing to keep things simple. However, the only player that has been causing problems for me is KHL's one. Yeah, Youtube sometimes goes crazy but then I know it's something temporary and "wrong". Unfortunately, heavy stutter & lag seems to be the norm for KHL because I tried watching over 20 games at least (last season, I had a play-off subscription. I played almost each game, only to revert back to laola1.tv or illegal streams after a few mins since it was unbearable) and it was all same, even with a better connection than 10mbit/mbps or whatever.

For example, now I run a HD stream on Sopcast perfectly (though it has its own problems related to the content itself). I'll watch Loko-Sibir on laola1.tv on HQ and I'm %100 sure I will not get a single piece of lag. This is sad. I really want to support the league by having subscription. Before all, I want to be able to watch Amur & Traktor as they're not covered by laola1.tv. So it's like I am more than ready to give my money but KHL doesn't want it.
 

ult

Registered User
Sep 21, 2009
2,067
230
Yes, I know that, I just went with the "p" thing to keep things simple. However, the only player that has been causing problems for me is KHL's one. Yeah, Youtube sometimes goes crazy but then I know it's something temporary and "wrong". Unfortunately, heavy stutter & lag seems to be the norm for KHL because I tried watching over 20 games at least (last season, I had a play-off subscription. I played almost each game, only to revert back to laola1.tv or illegal streams after a few mins since it was unbearable) and it was all same, even with a better connection than 10mbit/mbps or whatever.

For example, now I run a HD stream on Sopcast perfectly (though it has its own problems related to the content itself). I'll watch Loko-Sibir on laola1.tv on HQ and I'm %100 sure I will not get a single piece of lag. This is sad. I really want to support the league by having subscription. Before all, I want to be able to watch Amur & Traktor as they're not covered by laola1.tv. So it's like I am more than ready to give my money but KHL doesn't want it.

You are having troubles with KHL's streams because obviously KHL's and whoever hosts their streaming service infrastructure is an order of magnitude weaker than that of youtube. And my guess it's not even aimed at Turkey, so all servers are far far away from it. Let's be honest, how many people are watching KHL there? No offense, but it's like that joke "There are dozens of us! DOZENS!"

Sopcast is using peer-to-peer connection, so it is another case altogether.

I have a theory that watching a stream by using a very good Russian proxy server would fix your lags, but I can't test it. :D
 

Exarz

Registered User
Jan 1, 2014
2,415
339
Helsinki
Wait, what streams are you talking about? The paid ones? Why would they be region blocked?

All other KHL games from their website are region blocked in both Sweden and Finland due to Viasat having the broadcasting rights in both countries. I used a VPN to buy a KHL subscription so I could watch all the games. Viasat is only streaming 1-2 games per week in Sweden.

Oh, and the KHL has also region blocked their Youtube videos :laugh:
 

ult

Registered User
Sep 21, 2009
2,067
230
All other KHL games from their website are region blocked in both Sweden and Finland due to Viasat having the broadcasting rights in both countries. I used a VPN to buy a KHL subscription so I could watch all the games. Viasat is only streaming 1-2 games per week in Sweden.

Oh, and the KHL has also region blocked their Youtube videos :laugh:

Damn, is that Viasat deal so strict and wide? Okay, they have tv rights, digital rights, but official subscription service goes even beyond that. :shakehead
 

hansomreiste

Registered User
Sep 23, 2015
1,625
237
Ankara
You are having troubles with KHL's streams because obviously KHL's and whoever hosts their streaming service infrastructure is an order of magnitude weaker than that of youtube. And my guess it's not even aimed at Turkey, so all servers are far far away from it. Let's be honest, how many people are watching KHL there? No offense, but it's like that joke "There are dozens of us! DOZENS!"

Sopcast is using peer-to-peer connection, so it is another case altogether.

I have a theory that watching a stream by using a very good Russian proxy server would fix your lags, but I can't test it. :D

Of course I'm sure it's not aimed at Turkey, no problem with that. Having such a belief would be overly paranoid. However, I think the fact that not many people watch KHL in Turkey is not an excuse for KHL - it's their job to provide people with what they paid for. And I'm not asking this with a potato computer and a bad connection - if I was not sure about potency of my internet connection, I'd never complain about the service, since I'd know it's my fault. Using a Russian proxy server is a good idea though, thank you. I'll try that.

I really wish for KHL to make their TV service more available around the world. For example, a few years ago, my father bought a subscription from our Turkish provider (or whatever this TV thing is called) for documentaries and it came with many USA channels - endless NHL fun. So, basically, it was possible to watch NHL on TV for very cheap prices. Why doesn't KHL do stuff like that? I mean, selling games to channels that are accessible around the world? I'm sure NHL did not want to "enter Turkish market" on purpose, since the interest in ice hockey in Turkey is totally negligible.

By the way, another question about TV: did RTR stream RSL games at around 2005 or so? I remember watching a few ice hockey games on a Russian channel I found on TV 8 to 10 years ago (maybe even more), I clearly remember that but not the channel. For example, those channels are still easily accessible here. Most TV's have them. With a cheap subscription or simple adjustments, you can have. Why wouldn't RTR buy the rights for KHL, for example, so that it could have a much wider audience around the world? Do they not care simply because "other people" are insignificant? Because there are just dozens of us? :laugh:
 

ult

Registered User
Sep 21, 2009
2,067
230
Of course I'm sure it's not aimed at Turkey, no problem with that. Having such a belief would be overly paranoid. However, I think the fact that not many people watch KHL in Turkey is not an excuse for KHL - it's their job to provide people with what they paid for. And I'm not asking this with a potato computer and a bad connection - if I was not sure about potency of my internet connection, I'd never complain about the service, since I'd know it's my fault. Using a Russian proxy server is a good idea though, thank you. I'll try that.

I really wish for KHL to make their TV service more available around the world. For example, a few years ago, my father bought a subscription from our Turkish provider (or whatever this TV thing is called) for documentaries and it came with many USA channels - endless NHL fun. So, basically, it was possible to watch NHL on TV for very cheap prices. Why doesn't KHL do stuff like that? I mean, selling games to channels that are accessible around the world? I'm sure NHL did not want to "enter Turkish market" on purpose, since the interest in ice hockey in Turkey is totally negligible.

By the way, another question about TV: did RTR stream RSL games at around 2005 or so? I remember watching a few ice hockey games on a Russian channel I found on TV 8 to 10 years ago (maybe even more), I clearly remember that but not the channel. For example, those channels are still easily accessible here. Most TV's have them. With a cheap subscription or simple adjustments, you can have. Why wouldn't RTR buy the rights for KHL, for example, so that it could have a much wider audience around the world? Do they not care simply because "other people" are insignificant? Because there are just dozens of us? :laugh:

I don't even remember. :D The Russian RTR is no more. It's successor, VGTRK is a part owner of Match TV, who owns the rights to show KHL, but have little time to do so. And they will show a whopping two KHL games this week. http://matchtv.ru/tvguide
It's all about KHL TV and KHL TV HD if you want to watch some hockey.
 

malkinfan

Registered User
Aug 20, 2006
4,315
33
Canada
I watched DYM AVG yesterday in HD, there was some glitches. When I switched down to 480p it was flawless. For $1.85 CDN Im not about to complain about anything, just happy I don't have to rely on the pirated streams. I'd imagine over time the glitches will get ironed out.
 

Wentworth9W

Registered User
Dec 13, 2016
47
0
I am pretty much positive that this has certainly been addressed in this thread, however it is so long I wouldn't even know where to start.

Is there an official site for watching KHL games that I can access in English? I read the first few pages of this thread and it seems there used to be an option to purchase a subscription just to watch one team and I would be very interested in that but I can't make sense of the KHL TV page, and neither can google translate apparently.

Thank you, and apologies since I'm sure this is addressed somewhere.

Jeff.
 

Rigafan

Registered User
Jul 28, 2016
902
195
Europe
I am pretty much positive that this has certainly been addressed in this thread, however it is so long I wouldn't even know where to start.

Is there an official site for watching KHL games that I can access in English? I read the first few pages of this thread and it seems there used to be an option to purchase a subscription just to watch one team and I would be very interested in that but I can't make sense of the KHL TV page, and neither can google translate apparently.

Thank you, and apologies since I'm sure this is addressed somewhere.

Jeff.

If you right click with Google chrome browser it should give an option to translate. I use Yandex browser (russian) so it auto translates for me.. anyway

https://video.khl.ru/main

That is the page. You need to be on. Click the game you want, and you can pay with paypal (right green box) or - https://video.khl.ru/page/agreement you can make your KHL account and buy a full sub team/all teams.

I actually emailed about it being in English and they said its something they wish to work on!
 

kometa

@pucksport
Oct 6, 2011
74
6
Markranstaedt, Saxony
For that you can use the calendar site of the webcast section: https://video.khl.ru/calendar

Just be sure, that scores are turned off (скрыть счет). If you move the mouse cursor over the games boxes of finished games, you can read "Архив" (full game - need to subscripe), "condensed game" and "Хайлайтс" (highlights).

Condensed games (ca. 15-20 mins.) and highlights (ca. 5 mins.) are free, you don't even need an account. But be aware, that the highlights do show the score after clicking. So the condensed games are the most efficient way to get some pictures from the games without spoilers. Of course you can go to older games by using the calendar at the top of the page.
 

Faterson

Delayed Live forever
Sep 18, 2012
3,651
1,472
Bratislava
Yeah, KHL.ru has a "Hide Scores" option, but its implementation is pretty bad. It's also bad in the NHL app, but it's even worse on KHL.ru.

By the way, it's sad KHL still doesn't have a dedicated mobile app (for tablets and phones) where you could watch the game streams, but you need to use the desktop interface even on an iPad or mobile phone. :shakehead

The specific problem with spoilers is that when you join a game in progress (Slovan's game has just started in Beijing, which is noon-time in Slovakia, but I'll only be able to watch later on), although you can manually rewind to the beginning of the broadcast, the current score is prominently displayed on the page! :help: Even if you have activated the "Hide Scores" option. Why do they do that? :rant: It's really, really tough to rewind to the beginning of a game already in progress, without noticing the current score. I need to do some crazy tricks and bodily contortions every time, like closing my left eye and half-blindly tapping with my right finger to rewind to game start.

A dead give-away, both on KHL.ru and in the NHL app, is the progress bar. If you happen to notice the progress bar and your position in it, it typically allows you to guess whether a game went into overtime or not. It's particularly bad in play-off times – you can instantly see if a game was decided in regulation time or not. The progress bar should be completely hidden, both on KHL.ru and in the NHL apps, to avoid all potential spoilers as to game duration.

Otherwise, I've been happy with my all-games subscription at KHL.ru this year; it seems to me that now all games (at least by Slovan) are webcast, unlike in previous seasons. Sometimes, unfortunately, the stream just stops mid-game (both in live games and in games streamed from the archive) and needs to be restarted, so the quality and reliability are not 100% (I'd put them at around 80%), but overall, it's been OK for the price, which for me was €58.37 this season. I usually watch KHL games in the Chrome browser on an iPad.
 

Faterson

Delayed Live forever
Sep 18, 2012
3,651
1,472
Bratislava
It must have escaped my attention earlier on, and for this I apologize to the KHL, but I've now discovered that it now is possible to watch full-game streams from within the KHL app for iOS. :handclap: So, that's great.

But: there's a major flaw associated with that option – the KHL app lacks a "Hide Spoilers/Scores" feature! :shakehead If you try very hard, you can launch a stream without noticing the score (you must use your hand to skillfully obstruct the view of certain sections of the iPad screen – multiple screens, in fact), but we shouldn't be forced to perform such bodily contortions every time we wish to watch a hockey game on demand. :help:

So, the KHL app should follow the example of the NHL app, and implement a "Hide Scores" feature. I have now sent them an email asking them to implement this. (Although there still remains the problem with the potentially visible progress bar, particularly annoying now at playoff time, because it might inadvertently tell you whether a play-off game went into overtime or not – and how long that overtime was...)
 

Faterson

Delayed Live forever
Sep 18, 2012
3,651
1,472
Bratislava
Well... the new 2017/18 season starts in 6 days, this Sunday, and there's still no option to buy the webcast subscription for the upcoming season. :help:

Are we waiting for the first puck-drop...? And will there be no discount for existing subscribers this year?

Last year, I purchased the "all games, all season" subscription on 9th August. It still isn't possible today (15th). Only streams for individual games are being sold right now :amazed:
 
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Rigafan

Registered User
Jul 28, 2016
902
195
Europe
Well... the new 2017/18 season starts in 6 days, this Sunday, and there's still no option to buy the webcast subscription for the upcoming season. :help:

Are we waiting for the first puck-drop...? And will there be no discount for existing subscribers this year?

Last year, I purchased the "all games, all season" subscription on 9th August. It still isn't possible today (15th). Only streams for individual games are being sold right now :amazed:

I was looking too the other day. Shame as I'D like to purchase it already!
 

hansomreiste

Registered User
Sep 23, 2015
1,625
237
Ankara
You know that season is about to begin when Faterson is looking for his subscription. :laugh: I lost my faith in this thing years ago - they have no intention to improve the experience so I prefer other channels to get my daily fix of hockey.

is Laola gonna broadcats the new season?

Not %100 sure but it is highly likely considering the fact that they have broadcast many pre-season games already. It's only fair to assume they will keep doing it come regular season time.
 

Faterson

Delayed Live forever
Sep 18, 2012
3,651
1,472
Bratislava
I'm not that pessimistic, Hansomreiste. (And I certainly hope you're not in Pyongyang!) I can see KHL's webcasts improving over the years. Slowly but yes, improving. I think fewer webcasts were missing from the menu last season compared to previous years, and the quality is improving, too. Buffering was no longer an issue for me last season.

My main beef last season were all the spoilers – both on the website and in the mobile app. Yes, even after you select "Hide Spoilers" on the website (no such option in the app!), you're presented with spoilers, particularly when you wish to start watching a game from start that is already in progress. (I described that earlier in this thread.)

The NHL app on Apple TV does this perfectly: depending on which button you press on the remote control, you can either join a game in progress live, or if you push a different button, you can start watching it from the beginning (delayed live). This also only works for NHL on Apple TV, as far as I'm aware, not in the NHL's mobile apps, where you likewise need to avoid spoilers manually, with much struggling, if you wish to watch, from the start, a game that's already in progress.

(Now, what I am pessimistic about for the upcoming season – off-topic here – is Slovan's performances: they'll be last year's Riga this season, I'm afraid, likely dead-last in the entire KHL.)
 

Rigafan

Registered User
Jul 28, 2016
902
195
Europe
I'm not that pessimistic, Hansomreiste. (And I certainly hope you're not in Pyongyang!) I can see KHL's webcasts improving over the years. Slowly but yes, improving. I think fewer webcasts were missing from the menu last season compared to previous years, and the quality is improving, too. Buffering was no longer an issue for me last season.

My main beef last season were all the spoilers – both on the website and in the mobile app. Yes, even after you select "Hide Spoilers" on the website (no such option in the app!), you're presented with spoilers, particularly when you wish to start watching a game from start that is already in progress. (I described that earlier in this thread.)

The NHL app on Apple TV does this perfectly: depending on which button you press on the remote control, you can either join a game in progress live, or if you push a different button, you can start watching it from the beginning (delayed live). This also only works for NHL on Apple TV, as far as I'm aware, not in the NHL's mobile apps, where you likewise need to avoid spoilers manually, with much struggling, if you wish to watch, from the start, a game that's already in progress.

(Now, what I am pessimistic about for the upcoming season – off-topic here – is Slovan's performances: they'll be last year's Riga this season, I'm afraid, likely dead-last in the entire KHL.)

I watch most of my games on Latvian TV or Loala1 but I sub to the KHL package just to support their efforts really. It's got better each year, I agree. Hopefully its taking them time as they have a new improved product for us this time!
 

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