2006-7 All-Access

[Al DeFlorio]

Just noticed a "temporary authorization" for $1.01 against my credit card placed by "College Sports Network - Carlsbad."  I suspect this is an automatic renewal of the Cornell All-Access package.  Anyone else experienced this?  Anyone seen any information about the upcoming year?  Planned event coverage?  Cost?  

Just sent an email to Jeremy Hartigan asking "whazzup?"

[Al DeFlorio]

Just was told an announcement should be made today--not Monday, as originally was planned.

By the way, the Sun starts publishing on Monday.

[Al DeFlorio]

Strange doings.  First, a second "temporary authorization" appeared on my card, and now both have been removed but no charge has been posted.  And no announcement yet for the upcoming year.  Stay tuned.

[billhoward]

Merchants sometimes make and remove a trial charge to see if the credit card is still valid.

Problem is, that's also a tool of scammers, making small chargers before ordering the plasma TV by mail-order.

Visa saw that and other oddball charge and decided to suspend card access altogether.

[Rita]

In my "junk mailbox" this letter arrived:
"CSTV Networks has spent this past summer improving Cornell's All-Access platform. As a valued customer, we know the NEW All-Access will provide an unparalleled user experience.

Your username from last year's product will not change, however, because of security improvements we have changed your password. As of Thursday, August 17, 2006 your subscription to Cornell's All-Access product will require a new password to access any content from this audio/video subscription product."

YOU NEED TO BE A WINDOWS USER. THAT JUST SUCKS (and more than Harvard does!). I have a 4 year old ibook that I probably cannot convert to be windows xp friendly.  AAUGGHH. :-(. Not my vision of an "improved platform".

From the FAQ page: http://www.cstv.com/ot/faq

8. Can I access All-Access audio or video on a Macintosh?
Though we understand that there are passionate college sports fans within the Mac users community, we are currently unable to support Macintosh computers or OS X. Though there are currently no solutions for viewing All Access in OS X, Apple has been working to create a solution that will allow Macintosh users to install Windows XP on their Intel based Macintosh computers. This solution currently referred to as Boot Camp is now in Public Beta testing. Apple will include this technology in their soon to be released OS X, Leopard. This software can currently be downloaded through this link provided by Apple.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/

Here's what you will need to install Boot Camp on your Intel based Macintosh:

Mac OS X Tiger v10.4.6 (check Software Update)
The latest Firmware update (check Support Downloads)
10GB free hard disk space
An Intel-based Mac
A blank recordable CD
A printer for the instructions
A bona fide installation disc for Microsoft Windows XP, Service Pack 2, Home or Professional (No multi-disc, upgrade or Media Center versions.)

Once you have installed Boot Camp and installed Windows XP, Service Pack 2 you will be able to view All Access content on a Macintosh if you are using the Windows XP platform.

9. Can I use AOL as my browser when accessing my All-Access subscription?
You will not be able to use AOL as your browser. Please refer to System Requirements.

[billhoward]

I have made a good living the last bunch of years explaining how to make PCs and PC notebooks work. If this Mac thing - ease of use, stuff like that - gets out of hand and starts reaching more of the market, I'll have to look for legitimate work. Fortunately, Apple stays sub-5% of the market even as its products get better.

Stuff like All-Access [sic] not reaching out to Mac users is nice for me. Kind of sucks for you, Rita. Sorry.

Actually, I'm almost thinking of getting a Mac as a Photoshop machine. OTOH, for nearly the same money, I can take an existing AMD-64 system that is pretty peppy and put on a 30-inch Dell monitor. If you think 21" is nice, 30" is beyond incredible. You can never have enough room for Photoshop tearoffs or more thumbnails.

[billhoward]

[q]ALL-ACCESS >>> Dear xxxx

CSTV Networks has spent this past summer improving Cornell's All-Access platform. As a valued customer, we know the NEW All-Access will provide an unparalleled user experience.

Your username from last year's product will not change, however, because of security improvements we have changed your password. As of Thursday, August 17, 2006 your subscription to Cornell's All-Access product will require a new password to access any content from this audio/video subscription product.

Your new password is:
billxxx[/Q]

Call me a cynic, but when I get email like this, I think of two possibilities:

1. All-Access cares about my well being and security.
2. The dolts trashed their password file and couldn't recover it.

What's your vote ... ?

Note also they call in an unparalleled user experience. Not "unparalleled better" ...

[Chris '03]

After receiving this email, I went to check out the "new and improved" platform to find a slew of broken links and no All Access page. In reviewing the FAQ's I noticed that the service will now cost $15/mo or $99/yr! That a far cry from the $40 I remember paying last year for crummy service.

Maybe the new security still allows users to be logged in on multiple machines at once... who wants to split the subscription with me and 97 other folks?

[Al DeFlorio]

Jeremy Hartigan is jh295@cornell.edu if you'd like him to know of your happiness with the All-Access program.

There is a vague disclaimer regarding the annual fee to the effect that college packages may differ in cost.  But, not only didn't they give us an option as to whether to renew in the email, they didn't tell us what the cost would be.

[DeltaOne81]

[Q]Maybe the new security still allows users to be logged in on multiple machines at once... who wants to split the subscription with me and 97 other folks?[/Q]

I'm honestly totally in. What BS. Just the fact they don't support my Mac anymore. That's ridiculous. I can still watch on my gf's PC, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna pay full price when they can't get their shit together enough to support me, and then double the price as well.

I'll be emailing CSTV and athletics as well... grrr, I just want to smack them.

Small edit: I don't know if I completely believe them on the Mac thing. The requirements says you just need Windows Media Player 9 or 10. 9 runs fine on a Mac still... just like last year. They *could* be full of shit too. Especially for audio.

[Al DeFlorio]

Just heard from Jeremy.  He hasn't heard anything from CSTV, either, regarding costs, etc.  Sounded as frustrated as we are.

[DeltaOne81]

[quote Al DeFlorio]Just heard from Jeremy.  He hasn't heard anything from CSTV, either, regarding costs, etc.  Sounded as frustrated as we are.[/quote]

Thanks, Al. I'll avoid spamming him. Although I'll probably send feedback to the generic athletics webpage. Just to have power in numbers. Did you mention the Mac issue too (I don't recall your platform preference)?

[Al DeFlorio]

[quote DeltaOne81][quote Al DeFlorio]Just heard from Jeremy.  He hasn't heard anything from CSTV, either, regarding costs, etc.  Sounded as frustrated as we are.[/quote]

Thanks, Al. I'll avoid spamming him. Although I'll probably send feedback to the generic athletics webpage. Just to have power in numbers. Did you mention the Mac issue too (I don't recall your platform preference)?[/quote]
As a Windows user, I didn't notice the Mac problem, so I didn't mention it in my first email.  But I did in my response to Jeremy of 60 seconds ago.

[DeltaOne81]

[quote Al DeFlorio][quote DeltaOne81][quote Al DeFlorio]Just heard from Jeremy.  He hasn't heard anything from CSTV, either, regarding costs, etc.  Sounded as frustrated as we are.[/quote]

Thanks, Al. I'll avoid spamming him. Although I'll probably send feedback to the generic athletics webpage. Just to have power in numbers. Did you mention the Mac issue too (I don't recall your platform preference)?[/quote]
As a Windows user, I didn't notice the Mac problem, so I didn't mention it in my first email.  But I did in my response to Jeremy of 60 seconds ago.[/quote]

Great, thanks. Keep us informed

[Rita]

[quote DeltaOne81][quote Al DeFlorio][quote DeltaOne81][quote Al DeFlorio]Just heard from Jeremy.  He hasn't heard anything from CSTV, either, regarding costs, etc.  Sounded as frustrated as we are.[/quote]

Thanks, Al. I'll avoid spamming him. Although I'll probably send feedback to the generic athletics webpage. Just to have power in numbers. Did you mention the Mac issue too (I don't recall your platform preference)?[/quote]
As a Windows user, I didn't notice the Mac problem, so I didn't mention it in my first email.  But I did in my response to Jeremy of 60 seconds ago.[/quote]

Great, thanks. Keep us informed [/quote]

Thanks Al for posting the email address. I just sent a letter to Jeremy addressing the lack of Mac access, the technical difficulties from last year and asking if they have been resolved and how much we will have to pay.

I'll send off a letter to CSTV later tonight.

The lack of Mac access has me ticked off. When I moved, I got the high speed internet access and an apartment with a fireplace. I had visions of me spending Friday and Saturday nights by the fire with a glass of wine watching Cornell hockey and whatever games are on the Direct TV sports pack.  Someday I'll learn.