RTN...YES!

[price]

NEWS FLASH - 3/5/08

RTN's lineup now includes NYRA tracks.

Effective March 5, 2008, RTN is pleased to announce the addition of the three NYRA tracks to its growing list of track partners.

Within the last 12 months, RTN has added Churchill Downs, Hoosier Park, Ellis Park, Arlington Park, Presque Isle Downs, Will Rogers Downs, Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga. We have also re-acquired the rights to Prairie Meadows and Fair Grounds.

Look for additional improvements to the service in the near future.

----------------------

Love it!

[Murph]

for the video feed, plus equipment and installation. I wouldn't let someone else install my satellite dish.

http://www.rtn.tv/

[Premier Turf Club]

This package was news to me until recently. We have a number of very high volume clients that have this installed at home. Virtually a must for professional and semi-professional horseplayers. Never have to deal with bandwidth issues and video delays again.

[rrbauer]

for the video feed, plus equipment and installation. I wouldn't let someone else install my satellite dish.

http://www.rtn.tv/


They have had special promo's from time to time that provided the equipment for free. If you're in the market for this service be firm about getting the equipment for no charge (tuner & dish).

[cj]

I love the discount for purchasing a full year:

The cost of the programming is $99.99 per month (credit card only), or $1199.88 per year (credit card or check accepted).

Oh wait, that is exactly the same. :confused:

[DeanT]

I love the discount for purchasing a full year:



Oh wait, that is exactly the same. :confused:

:D Nice catch Ceege!

An enterprising ADW might be smart to do some cross promo with this outfit :)

A friend of mine has this package and is very happy with it.

[price]

I have had TRN/RTN for about 10 years now. If memory serves it was 6 channels to begin with....then 8...and so on. I think the original price was 29 bucks a month and of course now its 99. For me it's always been worth it. When it went dark in between the TRN and RTN era I didnt play the races at all. I have seen pirate stuff on how to get RTN without paying for it...but I so love the service that I want to pay in order to keep it going.

No...I dont work for RTN or anything. Not a shill...just a very happy customer.

[garyoz]

Had it several years ago (late 90's) and there were alot of technological problems. Kept losing the signal (had no problem with DirectTV at the same time). Used a large dish (4 ft diameter?) so it was clunky. The Dish was recycled from the early days of Direct Broadcast Satellites--back when they had so called "medium power" satellites.

Had several techs work on the installation and they had trouble pointing it because of the transponder it used. After having the tech out several times, he said there "was terrestrial interference"---I think they just tired of trying to make it work.

It is an excellent service--they probably solved some of the technology problems--but it was constantly down for me--including solar interference.

With streaming video getting so much better, I wonder about the price point.

[Lasix67]

I have had RTN for almost a year now and absolutely love it. Don't have to listen to all that nonsense if I don't want to, just the in house feed, equals less distraction. I installed myself with a cheap signal finder and it was actually quite easy if you have installed other dishes for your home in the past. Hoping they will add a couple of others I personally like but all and all it is pleasure to have if you play the ponies any significant amount. I also pay for 1 year and get 12th month free. I have had very few signal problems at all and considering the local OTB seems to have problems all the time I feel good about my situation.

[JimG]

With streaming video getting so much better, I wonder about the price point.

Speaking of which, I was playing as normal with TwinSpires and noticed the video at LRL was running at 1000k. It was nearly television quality at full screen. The rest of the tracks were the normal 300k. Did anyone else notice this? I'm keeping my fingers crossed that TwinSpires was testing a better video and that could become the norm down the road.

Jim

Update: Right now Bay Meadows is at 1000k as well. Unfortunately, Santa Anita is being streamed at 300k

[DJofSD]

Any service capable of HD broadcast yet?

[Hosshead]

Sounds good for the tracks it carries.
However no DMR, HOL, FG, CRC, TP, TuP (but that's a boycott track anyway so who cares) Ellis, Kee, PID etc.,.. but some day. :ThmbUp:

[rrbauer]

Any service capable of HD broadcast yet?

Wouldn't matter if they were. Racetrack video equipment that provides most of the video feeds is not HD capable. My HD projector upscales to 1080p and while it's not as pure as it would be with HD camera equipment, TVG looks pretty good.

[firstofftheclaim]

hahahah $100 a month? What a joke.

[JustRalph]

I just went to a 42 inch LCD monitor, and I can't believe how good the video is I am getting from Twin spires

[DJofSD]

the video is I am getting from Twin spires

??? -- are you referring to the video feed via the internet site?

[BIG49010]

I was at a friends house who has RTN, I was wondering if RTN's picture is worse than TVG's? I have TVG at home and the picture seems good, in fact better than HRTV.

I would appreciate comments.

Thanks

[ezrabrooks]

Quote:
The cost of the programming is $99.99 per month (credit card only), or $1199.88 per year (credit card or check accepted).

I don't think they were discounting anything...monthly by CC, but if you want to pay by check...then it is a yearly subscription.

[Lasix67]

I have RTN and I will say that some tracks come in as good if not better than both HRTV and TVG, but some tracks don't, usually the smaller tracks. It is not HD quality, but is as good as any regular cable channel and much, much, much better quality thank on the internet. I would like to say that it is worth it, but only if you play the ponies or dogs often and not every now and then. I think I paid for the year and got 12 months for the price of 11 with a credit/debit card.

[Dave Schwartz]

Okay... try not to laugh but with RTN I actually miss the talking heads sometimes.

RTN is just a fantastic service. I highly recommend it.

[DeanT]

Okay... try not to laugh but with RTN I actually miss the talking heads sometimes.

RTN is just a fantastic service. I highly recommend it.

Funny Dave, I think the same thing. I watch several tracks on dedicated channels on my service, but I feel like I am alone at times with just the track feed. Weird, huh?

[Dave Schwartz]

Dean,

Exactly!

I wish that the T-Heads would change their approach just a little. I'd like to see them moving towards "useful and descriptive commentary" rather than being such wise-asses.

I think most people enjoy hearing their picks - especially the less sophisticated players - and that is good for the game. But let them contract with a few real experts to throw in some good live picks. Frankly, what better way to advertise your pick services than to go on TV with your picks?

Actually, I have some serious ideas for improving all those shows. One of these days I will get the ear of someone important and share it with them... or build a product that they can use to better accomplish what they are doing. I simply do not have the horse power (pun intended) to do it myself today.


Dave
Who seems to be responding
to every thread this morning.

[ddog]

dumb question, if i wanted to hook up 5-8 19inch tv to watch different tracks how many receivers would I need?

5 to 8 ?

what size dish are those of you using that are happy with the result?

[InsideThePylons-MW]

dumb question, if i wanted to hook up 5-8 19inch tv to watch different tracks how many receivers would I need?

5 to 8 ?

what size dish are those of you using that are happy with the result?

1 box for each TV/feed.

[Lasix67]

well I think they only have one size dish, and the one I have is the large oval shaped dish that I believe was used for primestar some time ago, and they use an old model dishnetwork reciever with a card. To see different channels on each of your tv's, you will need a different reciever for each. Contact customer service and see if they have some alternative way of doing just what you are saying, but I believe that is the only way. They also offer HRTV as one of there channels for those who can't get that with there satellite or cable provider.
I must say I like the direct feed and the fact the talking heads are not there, as they become a distraction. If I feel I want to listen to them than I just change over to their channel. I really like both networks early/pre-races scedule like Morning Line and Raceday America. I also really enjoy HRTV's "Inside Information". Like I said before, the cost is expensive, but if you watch alot of horseracing or frequent the OTB often and your a player or even more so a horseman, than it is worth every penny.

[Hosshead]

I was at a friends house who has RTN, I was wondering if RTN's picture is worse than TVG's? I have TVG at home and the picture seems good, in fact better than HRTV.
I would appreciate comments.

ThanksFor a while, my cable had both TVG and HRTV.
In switching back and forth between the two, there was no comparison.
HRTV was much worse (fuzzier). In fact the resolution seemed as if the signal had gone through an extra "generation". Kind of like shooting a video of another T.V. I mean you don't get the extra horizontal lines as you would in that scenerio, and maybe that's not a good analogy. But HRTV definitely has (by far) the worst picture .

[DeanT]

Dean,

Exactly!

I wish that the T-Heads would change their approach just a little. I'd like to see them moving towards "useful and descriptive commentary" rather than being such wise-asses.

I think most people enjoy hearing their picks - especially the less sophisticated players - and that is good for the game. But let them contract with a few real experts to throw in some good live picks. Frankly, what better way to advertise your pick services than to go on TV with your picks?

Actually, I have some serious ideas for improving all those shows. One of these days I will get the ear of someone important and share it with them... or build a product that they can use to better accomplish what they are doing. I simply do not have the horse power (pun intended) to do it myself today.


Dave
Who seems to be responding
to every thread this morning.

No doubt that can be improved, but I too like hearing good commentary.

I use Jeff's program, and like yours much of it is about hidden positives. I find the form screws me up, so I have tailored his program so it shows me the things I want, and I won't need pp's. But often I find myself wondering about some things and download it. On the Mountaineer show for example, I dont need to do that as I never need information - Mark supplies it for me there with his thoughful commentary. He goes thru each horse, speaks of the connections and how they have done lately, speaks of the bias the time the horse raced last and many other gems that keep me interested and informed.

I watch the Mountain show with full volume whenever I play, and it is a joy to see such worthwhile information and interaction.

OK, enough responding for me too, I must get back to getting my ass kicked at Belmont.

[BIG49010]

Dave and Dean T what kind of TV do you have hooked to it?

Thanks

I am thinking my buddy's TV is the problem.

[Dave Schwartz]

dumb question, if i wanted to hook up 5-8 19inch tv to watch different tracks how many receivers would I need?

5 to 8 ?

what size dish are those of you using that are happy with the result?

One satellite dish can (apparently) handle 5 receivers. The dish must be the one they provide (or so they tell me). It is an older Dishnet satellite - about a 30-inch oval.

So, for 5 screens you need:

1 satellite dish
5 receivers

The basic package (dish + receiver) is free if you mention the "Dish special." Other receivers are $199 each.

Now, a further complication is that all the receiver remotes are on the same code. As such you need a special IR remote - Logitech has a good one for about $450.

The regular subscription is for non-commercial use. They will not charge you anything extra for reception of up to 5 channels. If this is a commercial install, which they define as "not at a residence," you will pay an extra $99 per receiver (i.e. unique channel).


(Other question - about what kind of TV - I have it hooked to a 19" wide. Not a good idea as a couple of tracks don't display properly in wide mode. I will remedy the problem this week.)

Dave

[trigger]

Speaking of which, I was playing as normal with TwinSpires and noticed the video at LRL was running at 1000k. It was nearly television quality at full screen. The rest of the tracks were the normal 300k. Did anyone else notice this? I'm keeping my fingers crossed that TwinSpires was testing a better video and that could become the norm down the road.

Jim

Update: Right now Bay Meadows is at 1000k as well. Unfortunately, Santa Anita is being streamed at 300k

If I remember correctly, Evans has referred to a upcoming better video feed in a couple of the previous Churchill quarterly conference calls.

[DeanT]

Dave and Dean T what kind of TV do you have hooked to it?

Thanks

I am thinking my buddy's TV is the problem.

Sorry Big for not being clear. I am on another system up here (not RTN) that allows for full track feeds over my cable system. It is something like $40 a month for 5 channels (one revolving like TVG and three other full track feeds and one odds channel).

[richrosa]

If I remember correctly, Evans has referred to a upcoming better video feed in a couple of the previous Churchill quarterly conference calls.


I absolutely guarantee that TwinSpires WILL NOT be the company that brings forth video feed innovation.

[BIG49010]

I found this on another site, I guess RTN needs to do a little upgrade, and they get $99 dollars a month.


"I can only say that I think the RTN quality is lousy. Video is fuzzy and poor. That's only to be expected, though. The symbol rate of the mux is 20000 symbols per second for 20 channels ( that's an average of SR=1000 ) . Not very much digital bandwidth.

A typical low bandwidth SD channel is about 4000 Symbols per second, which gives acceptable definition."

[ezrabrooks]

I absolutely guarantee that TwinSpires WILL NOT be the company that brings forth video feed innovation.

You are going to have to work on your timing.. Absolutely guarantee...?

[richrosa]

You are going to have to work on your timing.. Absolutely guarantee...?

This has been worked over in the TwinSpires thread. I don't think this is as innovative as it looked in first blink. Its a minor upgrade, and nowhere near approaches what other sports have and what you and I deserve as supporters of this game.

I am surprised by the complacency of horseplayers to accept mediocrity. I just have higher standards.

[ddog]

One satellite dish can (apparently) handle 5 receivers. The dish must be the one they provide (or so they tell me). It is an older Dishnet satellite - about a 30-inch oval.

So, for 5 screens you need:

1 satellite dish
5 receivers

The basic package (dish + receiver) is free if you mention the "Dish special." Other receivers are $199 each.

Now, a further complication is that all the receiver remotes are on the same code. As such you need a special IR remote - Logitech has a good one for about $450.

The regular subscription is for non-commercial use. They will not charge you anything extra for reception of up to 5 channels. If this is a commercial install, which they define as "not at a residence," you will pay an extra $99 per receiver (i.e. unique channel).


(Other question - about what kind of TV - I have it hooked to a 19" wide. Not a good idea as a couple of tracks don't display properly in wide mode. I will remedy the problem this week.)

Dave

missed this until just now for some reason.
thx!
:ThmbUp: