After 45 minutes on the phone with customer service and over an hour clicking around on my own:
-there was previously a banner that allowed you to immediately log on and authenticate Root Sports with your cable provider to watch the live "blacked out" game. MLB has gotten rid of the banner and replaced it with advertisements.

Solution:
Log into MLB.com. Go to the Astros Webpage. Under the banner for "Video", Look to the drop down and on the right side is an option "watch live in market". It will then let you authenticate with your (or your neighbor's) cable provider. Do it this way. There is no other option.

I will return to lurking. Go 'Stros!

Update:
How to access on Android
Go to mlb.com, log in. Go to Astros. In the menu bar, directly underneath the Astro logo, click on the arrow icon . The drop down menu has the "Video" option. Click on the ">>" icon, Under the "IN THIS SECTION" pull down is the "Watch Live In-Market" tab.

Any news on how to do this on a firestick?

Does this work on XBONE MLB.TV app?

pretty sure you can't do this with Comcast

I just bookmarked http://m.mlb.com/hou/root/activate# and go straight here every time on a PC. Not sure if it works on mobile.

cdowl38 said:

---

Any news on how to do this on a firestick?

---

Do you have cable and access to ROOT sports? If you are a cord cutter, there is a workaround.

First, get a SmartDNS service for your home network. I use Overplay.net. They have easy to follow instructions on how to set it up. It'll cost you about $5/month. It used to work for Fire Stick, but apparently doesn't anymore. It still works with Roku. You have to manually configure your router. It takes about 5 minutes.

Next, download the MLB.tv app and get the subscription for the Astros. It may be discounted at this point. I have the full package. I like it.

did the att sports switch break this?

Still works on my phone, but on my computer I'm getting "User Not Authorized" error. Anybody else?

Used to work great on my computer

I get the user not authorized error on my phone

Bump for this week's day games

Lt. Joe Bookman said:

---

How ridiculous is it that this has to be done in 2017 to watch a professional sports team?

---

10-15 years ago piracy was done mainly by people "because they could".

Nowadays I'd say the majority of piracy is done because media right holders make it so damn hard to get what you already (or are willing to) pay for.