Fox Sports Go app for Apple TV lets viewers watch four games simultaneously

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV
Fox on Friday released a tvOS version of Fox Sports GO, with a unique interface allowing Apple TV owners to watch up to four games simultaneously -- if they already have authenticated access to the associated channels.

Image Credit: MacRumors
Image Credit: MacRumors


Users can stream Fox Sports 1 and 2, Fox Soccer Plus, Fox Deportes, and Fox College Sports, as well as some other content depending on a person's location and cable/satellite subscriptions. Many leagues are covered, including MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, UEFA, and UFC, though regional and device restrictions may apply.

Authentication options are fairly wide, including not just conventional TV providers like Cox or Time Warner Cable, but some internet-only services like Sling TV and PlayStation Vue.

Fox Sports GO is a free download from the tvOS App Store. The iOS version of the app, by contrast, only supports watching one game at a time, even on iPads.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 18
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,283member
    All ATVs or just the latest?
    Just reread the post. Since it's a download, I doubt it will work with the channel in the ATV3.
    edited August 2016
  • Reply 2 of 18
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    mike1 said:
    All ATVs or just the latest?
    ATV s that run tvOS given it's a tvOS app.  Which as far as I can recall is only the latest one.
  • Reply 3 of 18
    rwesrwes Posts: 200member
    mike1 said:
    All ATVs or just the latest?
    tvOS App Store; 4th gen only.

    I made the jump to Sling and it's been great. With tvOS, much better than when I tried last November. I still like to authenticate the individual providers apps for access to additional content and just emailed Sling support a few day back regarding authentication (currently, seemed like few/none allowed for me to pick Sling).

    App authentication (according to Sling support as of 8/24/2016) Currently limited to: FOX NOW, FXNOW, WatchESPN. Now with FS, even better.
  • Reply 4 of 18
    aeronprometheusaeronprometheus Posts: 151member
    "Watchin' a little TV for a change?"
    SpamSandwich
  • Reply 5 of 18
    bbdroidbbdroid Posts: 13member
    Fantastic!

    Finally multiple channel viewing returns.

    It's always puzzled me how maybe 10-15 years ago, features like Picture-in-Picture and Splitscreen were common on TVs and DVRs, yet now when we've got more technology than ever before and absolutely enormous screens, the features are almost non-existent.

    We should be heading towards the Back to the Future idea, yet we've been going backwards recently.

    Let's hope software innovations like this encourage hardware manufacturers to realise once again that sometimes we do want to watch more than one thing at once.
  • Reply 6 of 18
    bbdroidbbdroid Posts: 13member
    6 channel viewing isn't really that unrealistic anymore either.
    edited August 2016
  • Reply 7 of 18
    aaron sorensonaaron sorenson Posts: 37member
    My grandpa used to pretty much do the same with an old crt zenith tv from the 70-80's and standard cable, the remote had an A,B,C,D buttons. He programmed them to the baseball channels, and like a boss watched all 4 games... think he could even picture in picture and truly only watch 2 games simultaneously but damn close enough. 
    nolamacguy
  • Reply 8 of 18
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,063member
    This is great; can't wait to try it tonight.
  • Reply 9 of 18
    aaron sorensonaaron sorenson Posts: 37member
    eightzero said:
    This is great; can't wait to try it tonight.
    yeah bro, just plug in that old zenith and bam A, B, C, D heaven!
    nolamacguy
  • Reply 10 of 18
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member


    bbdroid said:
    Fantastic!

    Finally multiple channel viewing returns.

    It's always puzzled me how maybe 10-15 years ago, features like Picture-in-Picture and Splitscreen were common on TVs and DVRs, yet now when we've got more technology than ever before and absolutely enormous screens, the features are almost non-existent.

    We should be heading towards the Back to the Future idea, yet we've been going backwards recently.

    Let's hope software innovations like this encourage hardware manufacturers to realise once again that sometimes we do want to watch more than one thing at once.
    macOS has native PIP, try the public beta.
    edited August 2016
  • Reply 11 of 18
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,063member
    aaron sorenson said:
    eightzero said:
    This is great; can't wait to try it tonight.
    yeah bro, just plug in that old zenith and bam A, B, C, D heaven!
    Well...I've been airplaying from my iPad, so this upgrade is worth every penny.
  • Reply 12 of 18
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,212member
    Heck, I'm just glad to get NFL Redzone on Sling so I can see the big plays from every NFL game "live" or within minutes. What started off as barely worthwhile has turned into a pretty good service and a good value
  • Reply 13 of 18
    timbittimbit Posts: 331member
    Can most people's download speed even handle 4 games at once? People have trouble with buffering Netflix and other sporting apps when only 1 thing is running on the network. People will prob blame Apple for it not working
  • Reply 14 of 18
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,063member
    timbit said:
    Can most people's download speed even handle 4 games at once? People have trouble with buffering Netflix and other sporting apps when only 1 thing is running on the network. People will prob blame Apple for it not working
    A good point. The iOS version of Fox Sports Go periodically buffers and struggles. It seems like some recent update have helped, but the time delay is rather variable. I often chat with friends on Messages via my MBA while airplaying the game via iOS. My friends see the game on OTA and cable; and often are 30s or more ahead. Gangs of fun to be watching a "live" game and someone types "HR!!!! WOW!!!".

    I'm actually not sure about how having more games playing at once via the same app technically would be affected by download speed. The app is still pushing the same number of pixels, right? It is just the app is getting them on the other end from multiple sources. Dunno.
  • Reply 15 of 18
    bbdroidbbdroid Posts: 13member
    macOS has native PIP, try the public beta.
    This is another welcome return of the PIP idea.  If it works as well on macOS Sierra as it does on iPad Pro, it could form a compelling reason to upgrade.
  • Reply 16 of 18
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member
    I'd rather watch 4 different views of the same event.
    E.g. watching four specific F1 cars during a race.
  • Reply 17 of 18
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,283member
    eightzero said:
    timbit said:
    Can most people's download speed even handle 4 games at once? People have trouble with buffering Netflix and other sporting apps when only 1 thing is running on the network. People will prob blame Apple for it not working
    A good point. The iOS version of Fox Sports Go periodically buffers and struggles. It seems like some recent update have helped, but the time delay is rather variable. I often chat with friends on Messages via my MBA while airplaying the game via iOS. My friends see the game on OTA and cable; and often are 30s or more ahead. Gangs of fun to be watching a "live" game and someone types "HR!!!! WOW!!!".

    I'm actually not sure about how having more games playing at once via the same app technically would be affected by download speed. The app is still pushing the same number of pixels, right? It is just the app is getting them on the other end from multiple sources. Dunno.
    I use the Fox Sports app on my phone and iPad and have never had a buffering issue that wasn't the fault of lousy wi-fi/cell signal. I just use data on my phone for that now when I travel.
  • Reply 18 of 18
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,063member
    mike1 said:
    eightzero said:
    timbit said:
    Can most people's download speed even handle 4 games at once? People have trouble with buffering Netflix and other sporting apps when only 1 thing is running on the network. People will prob blame Apple for it not working
    A good point. The iOS version of Fox Sports Go periodically buffers and struggles. It seems like some recent update have helped, but the time delay is rather variable. I often chat with friends on Messages via my MBA while airplaying the game via iOS. My friends see the game on OTA and cable; and often are 30s or more ahead. Gangs of fun to be watching a "live" game and someone types "HR!!!! WOW!!!".

    I'm actually not sure about how having more games playing at once via the same app technically would be affected by download speed. The app is still pushing the same number of pixels, right? It is just the app is getting them on the other end from multiple sources. Dunno.
    I use the Fox Sports app on my phone and iPad and have never had a buffering issue that wasn't the fault of lousy wi-fi/cell signal. I just use data on my phone for that now when I travel.
    To be clear, I meant it buffers and struggles when airplaying.
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