No Way to Watch The 2021 AFL Grand Final Unless You Have a TV Antenna with FTA Channels

Mortgagetightass on 20/09/2021 - 16:16
Last edited 20/09/2021 - 16:31

Hi All,

As most are aware, the 2021 AFL GF is on this weekend. The AFL has advised the only way to watch it is live on 7 in 720p "HD"

You can't watch it on Kayo
You can't stream it on the 7app
You can't watch via 7mate
You can't watch it via the AFL website
You can't watch it on 'free to air online via a m3u playlist'
You can't chromecast it via Freeview app
You can't watch it on Foxtel

Pretty steep considering a lot don't actually have an antenna and just use their smart TV for anything/everything, seems backwards

Does anyone have an idea or way around this?

On reddit this seems to be a problem most are facing

Cheers in advance

EDIT: for everyone linking, they said the same thing about the brownlow to stream, it didnt work.

Entertainment Australian Football

Comments

  • johnno07 on 21/09/2021 - 09:47
    +1

    Just go to the pub?

    • GG57 on 21/09/2021 - 10:38
      +15

      How very Qld-not-locked-down of you.

      • johnno07 on 21/09/2021 - 12:50
        +6

        Yeah oof that was a bit tone-deaf of me. Sorry, non-Queenslanders! <3

        • sjj89 on 21/09/2021 - 13:51
          +7

          and non-Tasmanian, non-South Australian, non-Western Australian, Non-Northern Territorian.

  • Maglia Nera on 21/09/2021 - 09:48
    +2

    But hey we still have a public holiday on Friday lolz

  • Zapwap on 21/09/2021 - 09:58

    Any indoor tv antenna would resolve your problem.

  • beatit99 on 21/09/2021 - 10:04
    -2

    The audacity to call 720 'HD'….

    I still have an antenna but rarely use it. Quite likely people will stop repairing them when they inevitably fail.

    Also indoor antennas have never worked for me with DTV, even the boosted ones.

    • Chandler on 21/09/2021 - 10:29
      +16

      But 720p is HD.

      It's not full HD, but it is HD.

      • apple2016 on 21/09/2021 - 11:45
        -1

        in the age of 4k, advertising as 720p HD is…

        • smartazz104 on 21/09/2021 - 11:58
          +12

          Accurate, unlike using the moniker "4K" when they should be calling it 2160p.

        • Chandler on 21/09/2021 - 12:49
          +6

          If you mean "in the age of 4k", why are they broadcasting in 720p: I agree with you.

          If you mean "in the age of 4k", why are they calling 720p "HD": I reiterate: 720p is HD by definition; not full HD, but HD nonetheless.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/720p
          https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/what-is-hd,5745.html

          • sjj89 on 21/09/2021 - 13:53
            -4

            @Chandler: 720p is "HD" as a marketing term, or in reference to 15 year old broadcast standards.

            "High Definition" is subjective, and relative to the highest definitions available to the market at the time.

            • Chandler on 21/09/2021 - 14:24
              +6

              @sjj89: I wouldn't call it a marketing term, although it is in reference to 15yo broadcast standards:

              While there is no standardized meaning for high-definition, generally any video image with considerably more than 480 vertical scan lines (North America) or 576 vertical lines (Europe) is considered high-definition.

              Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-definition_video

              And I wouldn't personally call it subjective. As per my other comments, 720p is generally accepted technically (as in, by technical people) as HD.

              Having said that, if you said "HD" most lay-people would likely assume 1080p, as that is what most devices advertised as "HD" are/were. The "full" ("FHD") was sometimes dropped or ignored.

              But technically, 720p is HD.

              • Skinnerr on 22/09/2021 - 13:12

                @Chandler: But I don't like it!

              • SteveBuscemi on 22/09/2021 - 21:57
                +1

                @Chandler: All of this 720p commentary is nice and all but kinda moot since all FTA HD channels in Australia including 7 and 7mate are 1920x1080i.

                No commercial broadcaster in Australia has ever broadcast 720p (although 7 had the insult years from 2001-2007 where they tried to claim 576p was HD, as did SBS for a time). SBS switched from 720p to 1080i a decade ago. And ABC switched from 720p to 1080i 5 years ago when they relaunched ABC HD.

                The broadcasters can't do high bitrate 1080p or 4K OTA without a Government-lead move to DVB-T2 and spectrum (most of which is being sold to telcos) running alongside the existing DVB-T for compatibility. And that's not going to happen when we haven’t even shut off 576i SD yet. Look at the struggle just to get HD to evolve from MPEG-2 to H.264.

                It would not surprise me if Australian TV remains a backwater forever until they go all-in on streaming.

        • spaceflight on 23/09/2021 - 16:49

          Correct.

          HD is a standard, so 720p is HD

      • beatit99 on 22/09/2021 - 11:51

        Yeah correct … I was being facetious.

        I know technically by the original HDTV standard it is 'HD', but subjectively would anyone look at that on anything over a 32" TV and say 'hmm nice high definition picture'?

        • Chandler on 22/09/2021 - 11:57

          Of course. I was being pedantic.

          Like I said in my later comment, most people would assume 1080p if you said "HD", as that is what the term became ubiquitous with.

          And yes, even 1080p starts looking bad on a 27" monitor (maybe even sooner)

  • THICKnSLOW on 21/09/2021 - 10:09
    +18

    You know it's 2021 when someone complains about needing to have an antenna to receive FTA broadcasts…

    • bdl on 21/09/2021 - 11:40
      +1

      Plus you know it's Australia when licensing agreements mean no internet streaming option for content :)

  • cheeseburger on 21/09/2021 - 10:40
    +2

    https://www.bunnings.com.au/antsig-14-x-26cm-black-indoor-di…

    This costs less than one month of the streaming services you listed. I use something similar and haven’t had a problem.

  • cashless on 21/09/2021 - 10:42
    -2

    Don't worry, you'll get over it

  • Pootie Tang on 21/09/2021 - 10:49
    +1

    Kodi & IPTV add on. Streams the channel from the source, not the app.

  • meteoraman2 on 21/09/2021 - 10:56
    +4

    I live in a new house built in 2018. No antenna here. I feel your pain. The lack of an antenna has never been an issue for me aside for GF days. Having said that I don't watch a lot of AFL. I figure a way around on the day, last year I got a stream from England. But it seems weird that I have to do that to get something that's actually happening in Aus.

    Last year I was a bit blindsided as Kayo had all the pregame stuff so I had that on thinking it was going to have the game, then it suddenly cut out. Meant I was scrambling to find something and missed the first 5 minutes. I'll be better prepared this year.

  • chicken8 on 21/09/2021 - 11:58
    +2

    One of my TVs is in a room that does not have an antenna plug. But i've found that getting a 2m coaxial cable plugged into the tv and then just left on the ground picks up all the channels

    the trick is to not allow the coaxial cable to touch any other power or usb cables and you might want to try a couple of different configurations for the cable such as getting it jumbled in a pile or lying straight on the ground

  • DarkOz on 21/09/2021 - 12:22
    +2

    You posted on Monday and you have 5 full days to get an antenna. You just want to whinne about something that’s all.

    • Angryman123 on 21/09/2021 - 12:55
      +2

      Yeah because you can just walk-in to your local bunnings and get anything you want……..

      • DarkOz on 21/09/2021 - 14:29
        +3

        Not sure if you are being sarcastic but Bunnings literally does same day c&c the last time I ordered on Friday.

        • Wallyt99 on 22/09/2021 - 11:11

          Not everywhere. Mine takes 3-5 days.

        • taoz on 22/09/2021 - 11:31
          +1

          They certainly don't in Melbourne, many days wait

      • GG57 on 22/09/2021 - 11:16

        I had to get an antennae replaced; called the local guy and he replaced it within four hours of my call. I didn't have to go to Bunnings.

  • OzHunterNSW on 21/09/2021 - 13:05

    I don't think people buy expensive TVs without connecting to terrestrial free to air.

    Why would you not?

    Race out and buy a cheap indoor antenna

    • T3J on 21/09/2021 - 19:12
      +2

      I'm in that boat, nice brand new 4k set but no FTA antenna connected at all.

      Why? Cos its used for 4k gaming consoles, 4k UHD playback and streaming media, that's what it was bought for.

      We do have FTA on 1 small TV in the kitchen but we get it delivered via the VAST free satellite service as we don't have capable terrestrial reception and have no real interest in watching FTA TV that warrants it on more than 1 TV for occasional viewing.

      My kids have grown up with whatever we have on Disk, hard drive or streamed, FTA and its adverts are something they certainly haven't experienced.

      I know we're not the norm and in the minority here, happy with what we have and no complaints.. Just wanted to voice we exist :)

      • GG57 on 22/09/2021 - 10:40
        +1

        Good explanation of your situation. Your profile doesn't show your location, so just out of interest, are you bothered that you won't be able to watch the AFL final?

        • T3J on 22/09/2021 - 19:15
          +1

          I'm in Gippsland in Victoria, just in a hole of terrestrial reception.

          As for as the AFL final, no, I'm not at all fussed at all I probably won't watch it even though if its on FTA we would get it via VAST.. I just wanted to weigh into the conversation about people that don't have an antenna connected. I guess technically we do but its via satellite not the local transmitter.

          I am more disgusted that in 2021 they call 720p HD (I know technically that it is HD) and spruik it as great. The FTA shafting of Australian consumers continues when they could at the very least offer a decent 1080p broadcast or go all out and offer it at 4k but of course they won't.

    • [Deactivated] on 21/09/2021 - 21:51
      +2

      I've owned 4k TVs for almost 4 years. Never had an antenna hooked up to either one of them.

      I didn't even have an antenna hooked up to my 1080p TVs prior to that for years either.

      Australian FTA channels have been horribly behind the rest of the world for years and I'd rather not subject myself to garbage 720p content.

      4k and 1080p consoles, discs, and digital media are all connected. I have zero need for FTA.

      The OP shows just how behind Australia is, even in 2021.

    • cloudbox on 22/09/2021 - 11:51

      Bought an expensive TV with no FTA connected.
      FTA content is pretty bad and not worth buying an antenna. Don't wanna watch ads too.

  • PerthMan96 on 21/09/2021 - 13:38
    +4

    HOW DO WE NOT HAVE FREE TO AIR 4K SPORT- IN AUSTRALIA " The HomE Of SpoRt" 720 P is utter crap on the new big screens.

  • the Unforgiven on 21/09/2021 - 13:47
    -4

    Just get an Android Box, any Android Box & plug it into any TV & you will get all FTA channels plus 7+, 9now, ABC iView & 10play - easy. Also, you can fill it full of apps.

    If you don't know which one to get, how about an Amazon Firestick (I hate them)
    Don't get the nVidea TV, you will get too much hassle
    Jaycar doesn't have one, I rang up. Who here knows where to get an Android TV box from a retailer, so they can tell everyone? Or,

    Why don't you just use your computer to watch the Grand Final?
    Just go to https://7plus.com.au/ to sign up & get your sign-in details
    The main coverage starts at 6:15pm AEST & ends around 11pm

    • the Unforgiven on 25/09/2021 - 21:04

      I don't know why I got negged, I am watching the final on TV, been watching it since noon

  • 2025 on 21/09/2021 - 15:01

    I’m not bothered. I mean I’m not really into watching a bunch of buff guys chase each other and the fight for a piece of inflated leather

  • dono2 on 21/09/2021 - 15:16
    +1

    who cares not missing much

  • richmond12 on 21/09/2021 - 15:51
    +3

    why aren't Australian FTA 1080p?

  • PaPaGeorGeo on 21/09/2021 - 16:10

    Things you need FTA for

    AFL / NRL Grand Final
    Ashes in England

    • sss333 on 21/09/2021 - 17:18
      +1

      NRL Grand Final (and the Ashes?) you can stream on 9Now.

      • st1ng on 22/09/2021 - 19:46
        +1

        All NRL games on Nine (including the grand final) can be streamed on 9now, as was the 2019 Ashes series played in the UK. The 2020/21 Ashes will be blacked out on 7plus entirely, as Foxtel have the exclusive online rights for domestic internationals.

  • moo on 21/09/2021 - 17:40
    +1

    Who is playing in this year's grand final? Storm?

    • ribze1 on 21/09/2021 - 21:57

      He's referring to football, not league.

  • richmond12 on 21/09/2021 - 19:15
    +3

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CUE4AjMllM_/?utm_medium=copy_lin…

    Looks like 7 heard you.

    • OpayuOnam on 22/09/2021 - 13:13

      I love how the comment at the top on the Instagram post is:

      why stream it if it’s on free to air, lol

  • Cynicaloflife on 21/09/2021 - 23:01
    +2

    I am going to watch it on my plasma VT 60 :)

    • colin5000 on 22/09/2021 - 08:06
      +2

      Yes! Mine’s still going strong too!

      • 2025 on 22/09/2021 - 13:51
        +1

        Booo my V10 went pop a few months ago. Sooo sad.
        Until I got a C1… Oh My… I'm not missing a single thing from the old Panny. Except maybe the bonus room heating incorporated into the panel, and its lightning quick menu…

        • colin5000 on 22/09/2021 - 17:03

          Nice! What happened to your Panasonic? I can’t justify an upgrade until it breaks and the old girl is not showing any signs of weakness!

  • Dreamcast on 21/09/2021 - 23:13
    +1

    1 in 5 don't have an antenna and 4 in 5 don't watch sport.

    • idonotknowwhy on 22/09/2021 - 11:12

      Proudly in the intersection of this venn diagram

  • KaTst3R on 22/09/2021 - 01:31

    You dont even need an antenna installed. All you need to do is get a coaxial cable, plug into your tv and the wire itself acts as an antenna. That is what im doing to watch FTA right now. One end of my coaxial cable is not plugged into anything and I can receive all digital channels.

  • PleasureMe on 22/09/2021 - 01:55
    +1

    I'm really surprised that so many people don't have an antenna. I have Amazon Fire TV and Google TV connected to all the TVs in my house, but I find that if I just want to surf the FTA channels to see what is on, then its incredibly slow to individually open the app for each FTA channel. It's much faster to just press the channel up bottom on my remote control

  • benbarren on 22/09/2021 - 08:06

    back in the day people for higher definition used to pay for and vpn into the international coverage - $40 tho https://www.watchafl.com.au/subscribe/?productGroupId=549&ch… (just saw the 7plus insta post so looks like ur all good :))

  • Homr on 22/09/2021 - 08:16
    +1

    WOW AFL final already? boy this year has gone fast

  • sachz on 22/09/2021 - 09:01
    +1

    KODI. plug-in.

    enough said.

  • Wonderstache on 22/09/2021 - 10:12

    Crap, I was planning to watch this outside using Chromecast. :( We don't have an antenna hooked up to any TV so this is quite frustrating.

  • kator on 22/09/2021 - 11:00

    This is a very interesting post.

    I never had a house without FTA.

    The FTA was always through the internet for me (no roof antenna). There were antenna plugs on the walls but they were connecting to the internet node in the garage instead of the roof antenna. The FTA was working without payed TV subscription. I admit these houses had NBN or other optical internet connection. Houses with no fibre always had a roof antenna.

  • N15 on 22/09/2021 - 12:04

    FTW app on xbox?
    If you can't bother to get a cheap antenna just go to the pub

  • diddy50 on 22/09/2021 - 12:52

    Man…….
    Antennas are pretty standard, if you don't have one or removed it. That's not Ch7 fault.

    I dunno.

  • treeman on 22/09/2021 - 14:12
    -1

    They announced that this has been fixed this morning I think.

    So there will be no issues and you'll be able to stream on 7plus.

  • chicane on 22/09/2021 - 18:56

    The Grand Final 2021 will be broadcast on 7HD (1080p) and 7 (720p).
    https://www.yourtv.com.au/guide/sat/

    Foxtel will also be broadcasting it on Fox Footy 504.
    https://www.foxtel.com.au/tv-guide/grid/2021/09/25/1854

    • st1ng on 22/09/2021 - 19:51

      Foxtel won't be broadcasting it live on Fox Footy. If it's like previous years, they'll have a still screen with a scorecard and elevator music playing. They will have live coverage at half time and full time.

    • SteveBuscemi on 22/09/2021 - 22:02
      +1

      7HD is 1080i.
      7 is 576i.

  • enzso on 23/09/2021 - 09:32
    +2

    I have an antenna but no intention of watching the Grand Final. Does that help anyone?

  • DemocracyManifest on 23/09/2021 - 10:19

    Get a set of rabbit ears and a kingray amplifier off eBay, sorted. For some reason that works better then every shitty ‘powered’ amplifier you can get

  • missmelb on 23/09/2021 - 13:38

    I'm confused, can I watch Channel 7 through Foxtel?

  • Retchey on 23/09/2021 - 15:32

    Rupert would be raging.

  • caitsith01 on 23/09/2021 - 15:39

    Had the same issue last year, only 5 minutes before the bounce did I realise that Kayo wasn't going to stream the grand final. 1990s thinking, absolutely ridiculous - moved house last year and have had no reason to hook up an antenna before that.

  • Viper8 on 24/09/2021 - 10:09

    720p? I thought all FTA HD channels used 1080i?
    It's like 1080p but for each frame only every second row of pixels is updated, halving the amount of bandwidth required whilst still displaying fluid movement (albeit with 2 images visible at once for fast moving objects like ball sports).

  • Cral42 on 22/09/2022 - 22:04

    Is this the same this year? 2022?

    Will Google TV be able to stream it via chromecast?

  • the Unforgiven on 23/09/2022 - 14:34

    https://7plus.com.au/where-to-watch-the-afl-grand-final

    Where to watch the AFL Grand Final 2022
    Get ahead of the game and find out how to watch the AFL Grand Final on 7plus. If you're planning to stream the Grand Final live, here's what you need to know.

    The AFL Grand Final will be made available on 7plus for select connected TV, set-top-box and gaming console devices, and in 1080p HD! In addition to this, you can watch the AFL Grand Final live on Seven’s free-to-air broadcast on Channel 7 and 7HD.
    On what devices can I watch the AFL Grand Final?

    You can watch the AFL Grand Final on the following devices:

    Telstra TV
    Samsung Tizen (2016 and later)
    Fetch TV
    Apple TV
    PlayStation 4 and 5
    Android TV / Google TV / Amazon Firestick
    LG TV
    *Android TV refers to the TV/Set Top Box version of the Android Operating System, which is available on select Smart TV's and devices such as the nVidia Shield and Foxtel Now Box. For more information on Android TV, click here.

    Can I watch the AFL Grand Final on my mobile phone, tablet or computer?

    7plus is streaming the AFL Grand Final on the connected TVs and devices listed above. The AFL Live Official App will have a mobile stream available to users in Australia from 1.30pm AEST.

    Can I Chromecast or AirPlay the AFL Grand Final?

    No, the 7plus coverage of the 2022 AFL Grand Final is not available for Chromecast or AirPlay.

    Is the Grand Final coverage on 7plus available in HD?

    Yes! Seven's coverage of the AFL Grand Final on 7plus will be available in up to 1080p HD, depending on the speed of your internet connection.

    What time does the coverage start?

    Seven's coverage of the 2022 AFL Grand Final will kick off at 7.00am AEST with the Weekend Sunrise AFL Grand Final Day Special and continuing non-stop until the Grand Final post-match presentations and celebrations wind up at about 7.00pm AEST.

    Following Weekend Sunrise this Saturday, Seven’s Grand Final Day coverage will feature:

    • Seven’s pre-game coverage from 9.00am AEST will take fans into the annual Grand Final Brunch.

    • The 2022 AFL Grand Final Countdown kicks off from 10.30am AEST, where hosts Luke Darcy, Jude Bolton, Jobe Watson and Darcy Moore take viewers inside the Grand Final build-up at the MCG, while football’s leading experts and news-breakers will have all the pre-game analysis and breaking developments covered.

    • Kicking off from midday AEST, Seven will take viewers to every moment live at the MCG for the Grand Final Pre-Game Show. Before the premiership decider, fans will enjoy pre-match entertainment headlined by Robbie Williams, while Mike Brady will perform Up There Cazaly. Abbey Gelmi will sit down for a one-on-one interview with Robbie Williams and the last Geelong Premiership Captain, Cameron Ling, chats with Cats skipper Joel Selwood in the lead-up to the big game.

    • At halftime, fans will be treated to an array of Australian music performers including G Flip, The Temper Trap featuring Budjerah and Ngaiire, and Goanna with Christine Anu, Emma Donovan, Tasman Keith and William Barton.

    • The first-ever AFLW match on AFL Grand Final Day will kick off on 7mate and 7plus from 11.00am AEST, when Richmond take on the Brisbane Lions at Punt Road Oval for AFLW Round Five.

    • 2022 AFL Grand Final from 2.00pm AEST. Seven’s unrivalled footy coverage continues on the biggest and best day of the year, bringing viewers every moment live from the MCG.

    • Following the game, Seven will deliver every unmissable moment from the Post- Match Presentations at 5.00pm AEST, when the Norm Smith Medallist will be revealed and the winning team receives the 2022 AFL Premiership Cup.

    • Seven’s post-game coverage from 6.00pm AEST will be hosted by football’s #1 commentary team, live from the ground at the MCG with the 2022 Premiers for must- see interviews with all the Grand Final’s central figures.

    Can I watch a replay of the Grand Final on 7plus?

    No, unfortunately at this time we do not have the necessary content rights to put AFL Replays on 7plus.

    For more information on how to watch or eligible devices, visit our Support Portal.

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