Apps
Watch the NFL Preseason Live on your iPad for $20
The 2012 NFL Preseason is off to a great start, and football fans are in for a treat. For just $20 the NFL Preseason Live app for the iPad streams almost every 2012 preseason game.
The NFL Preaseson Live app is a free download with a two-minute full feature demo. After the two minutes is up you’ll need a subscription to watch the games.
The $19.99 subscription is available as an in-app purchase or online at NFL.com. Just to be safe I purchased the subscription on NFL.com so that I can also watch on my computer, with up to four games on the screen at once.
NFL Preseason Live for iPad Review
The NFL still blacks out some games, but I was able to tune into five of six Thursday night preseason games. Switching between games is fast and easy. Games load fast and the picture quality was great on my home Internet connection.
Because it’s impossible to watch every game live, the app also offers replays in HD of all the NFL Preseason 2012 games. For users who don’t have two hours to watch a game, there are condensed versions. These versions trim the games down to the important plays, cutting the time to watch a full game to about 30 minutes. The condensed version isn’t available until late morning the day after the game, and is a bit disjointed to watch. It’s still a handy way to catch up on a NFL Preseason game.
DVR Style Controls
While watching a game in the NFL Preseason iPad app, users can control the game much like on a DVR with controls to pause the action and to jump 10 seconds forward or 10 seconds back.
There are no commercials in the app, even in the full game mode. The game feeds include audio commentary, likely the same as on local TV feeds.
AirPlay Support
The app allows users to output the video to a HDTV over AirPlay, and presumably with one of the HDTV adapters sold for the iPad. AirPlay is a wireless video streaming service on the iPad which can put video from teh tablet on an HDTV by connecting to na Apple TV over WiFi.
The experience looks great on the big screen as well, and the audio benefits from the jump to better speakers.
There is no iPhone app for mobile viewing, but the subscription offers viewing on a computer or on an Android tablet too, but not at the same time. The Android app is not as stable as the iPad version.
Recommendation
The NFL Preseason Live app works very well on the iPad, in fact it’s everything I wish the NFL offered during the preseason. I can watch my favorite team, the Miami Dolphins, even though I’m in Ohio, and I can AirPlay the video to my HDTV in full HD with an Apple TV.
I don’t need to sign a contract with a satellite TV company just to watch my favorite team, I pay the NFL directly and I can watch my team from anywhere i have an Internet connection. if this sounds like the future, it’s because it’s how the NFL should sell mobile access to the full NFL season.
The NFL Preseason Live app and service are highly recommended for any football fan with an iPad or a computer.
Nancy Feldman
08/11/2012 at 5:26 pm
Had issues. Ordered & paid thru iTunes for pre season nfl. I have DTV for reg season. Preview didn’t work, but ordered anyway & paid the $20.00 for my iPad. Worked okay, some moments very clear, some not. Was going thru my wifi & switched to 3G & used most of what I don’t even use up in a month for some reason. Everything else, iPhone, iMac & all other apps on pad fine with strong wifi. Cost me $15.00 that I had just paid a few days before, & again, the 3G is almost never used.
1:55 left with Jax taking the lead by 1, & screen started to say, no video available. Tried many times & even checked other games, nothing!
So, I spent 3 or so hours watching my Giants to not see The end of the game, & again, your app switching numerous times to 3G when wifi was available.
I’d like a refund. Please inform me. Checked with Apple & was told this was an app issue. You also owe me for the AT&T charge, since it just refreshed & was not used.
Thank you,
Nancy Feldman
Is this the right place? If not, can you tell me who & how I get my money back from
matt
08/13/2012 at 9:55 am
Since I already have Dish, I just turn on my free Dish Remote Access app to watch. It works on Android AND iOS (unlike the DTV app) and doesn’t require any extra payment. I love having the Dish lineup, and with this free app it’s incredibly easy. A Dish coworker got me hooked on this app, and wherever I am, as long as I can connect to 3G, 4G or WiFi, it’s as easy as watching at home. Granted, I’d rather be watching at home on the big screen, but with my crazy schedule it’s nice to have my TV wherever I go.