Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch, App Review
DirecTV NFL Mobile: The most expensive free app in the world
DirecTV, which I love dearly and which supplies signal to eight screens in my house, has just announced the NFL Mobile app [iTunes link] which doesn't go live until September 13th (although you can download it now). Once working, the app will let you watch live streams of all NFL Sunday Ticket football games, including the Red Zone channel. The Red Zone channel changes from game to game as the ball gets inside an opponent's 20 yard line while a narrator explains just what's going on.
The app also will display scores, statistics for players and teams, as well as video clips and highlights from each game. So far there has been no word as to whether video streaming will be available on 3G as well as Wi-Fi, but we'll know soon enough.
This is wonderful news for football fans who are already jonesing during pre-season, but it's not all hearts and flowers. For the privilege of using this free app, you need to plunk down $379.95 for programming. The NFL Season Ticket will run you $299.95 but that's not good enough to run the app. Additionally you'll need to toss in another $80 to buy the SuperFan package which gives you games in high-definition, stats and the Red Zone Channel, making the NFL Mobile app the most expensive free app in the world.
As I haven't seen the streaming yet, I can't comment on how good it might be, but I'm very encouraged due to the amazing implementation of the DirecTV Scheduling app [iTunes link], that Mel Martin covered upon its release.
I really love this app. It's much easier to use than the often arcane DirecTV web site for scheduling programs. Searching for programs is a snap. Just type in a few letters and all matches come right up. From there you can decide which receiver you would like to have record the show, set the recording, and even record a season pass which grabs every instance of the show according to rules you set up. Rules include recording only new shows, new and repeats, etc. It can also be set to 'record if possible' meaning that if shows are already set at that time they have precedence over your request, or to 'definitely record' which gives your newly searched show precedence over your record queue.
The only glitch I found isn't in the app, but most likely in the DirecTV system itself. If you have a DirecTV box running the TiVo OS, you cannot record season passes. My DirecTV 10-250 is one of these, but it's getting long in the tooth and doesn't record hi-definition shows from the MPEG-4 transponder in any event. More modern DirecTV OS machines like my DirecTV 20-700 will record season passes and anything else you can throw at it.
If you have DirecTV and an iPhone or iPod touch, you need to go and download the DirecTV app. With all the added functionality, you'll feel much better about paying your monthly bill.
Here are some pictures of both apps.
Gallery: DirecTV
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Charlie Griefer said 8:35PM on 9-03-2009
Well, it's free for those of us who have (and have had in the past) the Sunday Ticket and Superfan package. Been looking forward to this app.
It's not as if other paid services (e.g. Sirius) don't offer free iphone app *to current subscribers*.
Don't know that I'd knock it by calling it the most expensive free app.
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Andy said 8:45PM on 9-03-2009
Eight screens? Are you on a reality TV series? "Dave Plus Eight"?
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Victor Agreda Jr said 9:12PM on 9-03-2009
Andy, you must have missed David's "office"
http://www.tuaw.com/photos/tuaw-blogger-desks/2173775/
kona2010 said 9:32PM on 9-03-2009
Does the word recession mean anything to these fools. America, I just don't get it.
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L3 said 11:56PM on 9-03-2009
It's not MY recession. You can have it.
Charlie Griefer said 4:20AM on 9-04-2009
Seems a bit silly to judge people by what they spend their money on. Different people value different things.
For me, I watch one sport. Football (American football, to be exact). I'm currently on the opposite side of the country than the team I grew up watching. So for me, it's worth paying the $240 so that I can watch my team play 16 games. It's cheaper than going out to a sports bar and watching every game (tried it one year... beer's expensive).
By your logic, nobody should spend any money unnecessarily. Why do we have cell phones? Why do we have computers? OMG why do we spend more on Apple products? Don't we know there's a recession?
Just because a particular purchase doesn't make sense to you doesn't make it wrong or unjustified. It's not as if my kids have to skip meals so that I can buy my Sunday Ticket (well OK... i did size down their portions a little... ) :)
7egend said 9:46PM on 9-03-2009
I don't see anybody in their right mind paying for something like that. It's the people who actually pay for that kind of stuff that justify the astronomical amount that athletes are paid.
Donate to a charity or something, quit supporting the people who are already loaded.
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murph said 10:00PM on 9-03-2009
no way they let this run on 3G. it will take down the entire ATT network within a 2 mile range of every football stadium on Sundays.
i have DirecTV and the Sunday ticket. my renewal rate is $229. superfan is still an extra $100, but a call to customer service threatening to cancel service usually can get you the package for free. that reminds me...i need to call them ;)
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Sean said 11:15PM on 9-03-2009
Just returned from another Bengals game. Not even sold out and my iPhone cannot make or receive a call. Or get voicemails, send or receive texts or get a data connection at all. I am going to have to buy another phone for when the sitter needs to get ahold of us as my wife has an iPhone as well.
I had better luck with my black and white sidekick on it's GPRS network.
L3 said 12:09AM on 9-04-2009
Thank goodness for Mile High WiFi!!!
But I'll wait for the 922 Sling...
Josh said 4:01PM on 9-04-2009
I tend to disagree - they currently let MLB stream games - and the Directv website calls out clearly that either a wifi or 3g connection is needed to stream games - i.e. everything but edge.
Plus do the math - Directv only has 25 million customers - only a fraction of those have sunday ticket. only a fraction of those have superfan. only a fraction of those have iphones, only a fraction of those have 3g capable iphones, and only a fraction of those know about this app, and only a fraction of those will be download, and only a fraction of those will actually use it at any given time... You buy sunday ticket to watch it on your big tv - not your phone... this will not bring down at&t's network which is why its available on 3g.
Josh said 4:04PM on 9-04-2009
System Requirements
Compatible Phones:
•iPhone or iPod touch with software v3.0 or higher
•Windows Mobile HTC - Tilt*
•Windows Mobile Samsung - Saga*
•Windows Mobile Samsung - Omnia*
•Windows Mobile Samsung - Blackjack II*
•Windows Mobile Motorola - Q9C*
•Windows Mobile LG - Incite*
•Windows Mobile HTC - Fuze*
•Windows Mobile HTC - Touch Pro*
•Palm Pre
*Additional software restrictions: Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.1 and Microsoft Compact Framework 3.5 is required.
******Requires a strong Wi-Fi or 3G network connection for streaming******
murph said 11:22PM on 9-03-2009
interestingly enough...there is a warning screen about "data intensive app" and "you should have an unlimited plan". that might just be DirecTV being hopeful/covering their butts.
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Josh said 4:06PM on 9-04-2009
No - this app is available via 3G - i don't care what TUAW says... some one didn't do their research. While the iTunes description doesn't call out which connection is needed - Directv's website clearly states that either WIFI or 3G will suffice; hence the data intensive app call out... check out the sys reqs... you'll see:
System Requirements
Compatible Phones:
•iPhone or iPod touch with software v3.0 or higher
•Windows Mobile HTC - Tilt*
•Windows Mobile Samsung - Saga*
•Windows Mobile Samsung - Omnia*
•Windows Mobile Samsung - Blackjack II*
•Windows Mobile Motorola - Q9C*
•Windows Mobile LG - Incite*
•Windows Mobile HTC - Fuze*
•Windows Mobile HTC - Touch Pro*
•Palm Pre
*Additional software restrictions: Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.1 and Microsoft Compact Framework 3.5 is required.
*****Requires a strong Wi-Fi or 3G network connection for streaming*****
Dan82 said 11:28PM on 9-03-2009
Most importantly the question is will I be able to use the Component cable to get the Stream on my TV right from the phone. This would really be THE feature - It's just a pain in the ass that the MLB app doesn't support this - I did by the MLB TV package coz I expected to be able to connect my iPhone to the TV - but there is just no picture.
I really don't care about 3G access - this will suck anyways coz AT&T just can't deliver enough bandwith anyways!
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Byrdman said 10:16AM on 9-04-2009
Why would you need to connect this to your TV? If you have this package from them, you already have access to these channels from your receiver, so hooking this up to your TV is pointless.
Hal said 1:51AM on 9-04-2009
They should allow for individual game purchases like MLB just instituted. There in NO way in hell I'm going to pay that kind of money to watch football when I can see more than enough games for FREE on TV. But if they had it where I could pay to buy an occasional game I'd go for that and I think WAY more people would buy that over paying an astronomical amount of $$$ for their package deal.
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Rego said 3:57AM on 9-04-2009
I agree with Hal.
Didn't I read that MLB will charge 99 cents per game?
If NFL was in the same price range per game, I would buy an occasional game to supplement free TV games.
At the prices listed in the article I wouldn't come close to considering it.
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nsfw said 8:58AM on 9-04-2009
Not only does MLB iphone let you pay $.99 for an out of market game, but they also have a couple of free games a night for free.
The NFL is also allowing residents of Manhattan to stream games live over the internet using an Adobe Air app this year. You don't have to have Directv service to get it. All for the amazing low price of $350+NY State Tax. I called Directv and said can I just try one game? Can I just get one month? They didn't even know the program existed so of course they said no. I've been a subscriber of mlb.tv and nhl streaming for several years and some years they just are in over their heads and it doesn't work well. Other years it works really well. The iphone app for mlb.tv for example works amazingly well. I'm nearly a daily user. There is no way I'm plunking down $385 for the whole season without getting a sample.
Also, I did the math and it worked out like this. There are 3-4 week a season where I just have other things to do. There are 2-3 weeks a year my team is on Prime Time. There are 2-3 weeks a year my team is shown in a national or regional game in my area. Basically, I would be paying $380 for 8 games or so. I can think of a better way to spend $48 on sunday. I hear many teams are not selling out this season and game day tickets can be had for $10. I think the NFL needs to get a little more in line with the digital pricing models we are used to. Also, just a few years ago NFL sunday ticket was $150 or so and the HD was thrown in for free. I bailed as soon as they started the "super fan" Now five years later we are up to nearly $400 for sunday ticket. Good luck NFL.
Patrick said 5:46AM on 9-04-2009
This is a great app and the NFL thing is about the only reasonable sports on DirecTV, but not for the obvious reason. It's reasonable because only those people who want it pay for it. If you don't want it, you don't have to pay.
Compare to ESPN and some of the other sports channels. They're not free: they merely bury and hide their cost in everyone's subscription. You pay for it whether you want it or not, whether you like it or not. You are forced to pay. Everyone pays.
I cheer for the day when I can pick and choose and pay ONLY for the DirecTV channels I actually want and watch and choose to have in my home.
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