Ads for YouTube tv at $35 a month
- Thread starter billanole
- Start date
There’s a thread called, Anyone cut the cord that will provide you with some good information on these types of TV services. I’m on my phone, so I can’t link it. But I’ll bump it for you.
Having said all that, the major downfall for YouTube TV for me right now is that it does not have a dedicated app on Fire TV. I don’t know about other platforms, but this is a deal breaker for me.
YouTube TV is a pretty good value, especially for sports fans. Only thing missing for me is Time Warner channels. No TNT/TBS/Tru TV is a problem come NCAA Tournament time.
I've had it for the last few months since it came to our area. Really like the ease of there DVR feature and how it works across various platforms seamlessly.
Downsides are that you can't watch nfl games from a mobile device and there's no fire or Roku app. Roku app is coming imminently though.
Downsides are that you can't watch nfl games from a mobile device and there's no fire or Roku app. Roku app is coming imminently though.
I like YoutubeTV quite a bit, now that they have apps. I did the trial. I was ready to switch, except for one poison pill.
For some reason, when you use it to activate WatchESPN, the activation only holds for 1 to 24 hours, and then you have to reauthorize it. That's just not going to work...I use WatchESPN a lot, sometimes all day, and I'm not about reauthorizing every couple hours.
I've found threads showing this has been an issue for months, and if they haven't fixed it yet (can't be all that complicated a fix in the scheme of things) I'm guessing it's not going to get fixed anytime soon. Very frustrating, because I like the design a lot.
I have Hulu TV, and frankly the interface sucks and DVR sucks, I almost never use it to watch/surf live tv. I use it to activate the apps and use those, and watch on demand content. Would love to just pay like $20 simply to be able to activate the individual apps for everything.
Still thinking about Vue, but it's $45 to get ESPNU and the Fox Sports regional, and I pay like $43 for Hulu and that includes regular Hulu, which does have some original content and other stuff we enjoy, which is commercial free. I'll need to talk myself into dumping Hulu completely if I want to switch to Vue. YoutubeTV was a perfect spot at $35, but that WatchESPN authorization bug killed it for me.
For some reason, when you use it to activate WatchESPN, the activation only holds for 1 to 24 hours, and then you have to reauthorize it. That's just not going to work...I use WatchESPN a lot, sometimes all day, and I'm not about reauthorizing every couple hours.
I've found threads showing this has been an issue for months, and if they haven't fixed it yet (can't be all that complicated a fix in the scheme of things) I'm guessing it's not going to get fixed anytime soon. Very frustrating, because I like the design a lot.
I have Hulu TV, and frankly the interface sucks and DVR sucks, I almost never use it to watch/surf live tv. I use it to activate the apps and use those, and watch on demand content. Would love to just pay like $20 simply to be able to activate the individual apps for everything.
Still thinking about Vue, but it's $45 to get ESPNU and the Fox Sports regional, and I pay like $43 for Hulu and that includes regular Hulu, which does have some original content and other stuff we enjoy, which is commercial free. I'll need to talk myself into dumping Hulu completely if I want to switch to Vue. YoutubeTV was a perfect spot at $35, but that WatchESPN authorization bug killed it for me.
Never heard of it until now. Looks really interesting. I'm curious though as to how affordable it is. You'll still need some type of internet and to me that's where the real expense comes in for me.
So to really make the best of this, you'd need high speed internet, a roku (Or like device) on every tv?
So to really make the best of this, you'd need high speed internet, a roku (Or like device) on every tv?
You would need high speed internet, yes. As for Roku, Youtube has just recently started releasing apps for the TVs and boxes, not sure if Roku is out yet. The main way it's been accessed is through casting to a Chromecast, which may not be everyone's liking. My TV is an android TV, and they released an app for that, and it seemed pretty slick.
Thanks Nole Lou. Yeah, Chromecast won't work for my wife as of yet. I need to find a set top box that has everything we need all in one place (Netflix, Amazon Prime, ESPN 3, and then whatever program we go to) before she would be on board.
Is Roku pretty much the best standard for that? I know Google, Apple, and Amazon all tend to be playing games with one another over streaming services so going a third party who doesn't also have their own content seems to potentially be the way to go?
Despite the confident recommendation above me, the FireTV still plays some games like you're talking about. It doesn't have Google Play Movies and probably won't get YoutubeTV, but it might since Amazon doesn't compete with that directly. Earlier this month Google pulled Youtube off the FireTV boxes as part of a fued.
That said, I liked the FireTV and used the first generation for a long time. But I wouldn't buy that unless I didn't care about any Google-related products, because Amazon and Google are frequently feuding.
Roku is probably the most agnostic, like you're talking about. It's supposed to have a YoutubeTV app in early 2018. It's not perfect...sometimes the Roku version of a given app is not the best version out there, but it's probably the "safest" to avoid the kind of conflicts you're talking about.
I recently picked up the Apple TV 4K, my first Apple product ever, and believe me that hurt a bit. What hurt more was it being 2-3 times more expensive than the alternatives.
But I've got to say...it's a hell of a device. It's still adding some key apps, as it's relatively new...they just added Amazon Prime Video for example. But as someone who has had FireTV, Roku and Android TV...it's pretty next level. The apps run pretty much rock solid, and seem to be the most robust versions available in many cases. The WatchESPN app has a cool multi-cast where you can have up to four games on at once, which is awesome. If you have a 4K HDR TV, the iTunes library and pricing is the best in class.
They're not totally free from conflict obviously, as their Youtube app, while it exists, is not quite the latest and greatest and might not be. But they are rumored to get a Youtube TV app in 2018 along with the Roku.
I'm not really recommending the Apple TV, mainly because of the high price for what most people are looking for, but it's got a lot to recommend it.
But I've got to say...it's a hell of a device. It's still adding some key apps, as it's relatively new...they just added Amazon Prime Video for example. But as someone who has had FireTV, Roku and Android TV...it's pretty next level. The apps run pretty much rock solid, and seem to be the most robust versions available in many cases. The WatchESPN app has a cool multi-cast where you can have up to four games on at once, which is awesome. If you have a 4K HDR TV, the iTunes library and pricing is the best in class.
They're not totally free from conflict obviously, as their Youtube app, while it exists, is not quite the latest and greatest and might not be. But they are rumored to get a Youtube TV app in 2018 along with the Roku.
I'm not really recommending the Apple TV, mainly because of the high price for what most people are looking for, but it's got a lot to recommend it.
Thanks. The FireTv has been concerning to me due to their feuding with Google although youtube and Google movies is something I need far less than Amazon Prime and Netflix.
Maybe I'll just wait and see where Youtube TV lands as I still don't see a perfect service to make it worth the hassle of training my wife how to use the new system.
How are you set up for multiple TVs? I assume being allowed in the locker room, you don't live in a 1 bed apartment, or even worse an open studio hipster set up. Ugh. So how do you push signal to multiple tvs on multiple floors? To date, I have stayed away from smart tvs.
Maybe I'll just wait and see where Youtube TV lands as I still don't see a perfect service to make it worth the hassle of training my wife how to use the new system.
...to be a fly on the wall while kc mansplains the new remote...
Thanks. The FireTv has been concerning to me due to their feuding with Google although youtube and Google movies is something I need far less than Amazon Prime and Netflix.
Maybe I'll just wait and see where Youtube TV lands as I still don't see a perfect service to make it worth the hassle of training my wife how to use the new system.
The Fire TV recently launched browsers for their system. I can watch YouTube flawlessly on Firefox on my Fire TV now. I’ve yet to try YouTube TV, but I did begin registration and got all the way to the credit card information screen. My CC needed to be updated so I abandoned ship and never got back to it.
Thinking about this further. I don't really see how these streaming services are any different than traditional cable except they lack some of the fees/contracts and allow you to watch on any device.
What I and so many people really want is an a la carte service where I can pick exactly the channels I'm interested in watching. I wonder how far out we are from a program like that. In the end it may wind up being far more expensive to get tv that way as the Hallmark channel isn't getting subsidized by me as a subscriber and so channels will want more per subscriber?
I guess it would be an interesting game to figure out exactly which channels I would want, and determine what an expected price would be for them in that type of service to make it work.
What I and so many people really want is an a la carte service where I can pick exactly the channels I'm interested in watching. I wonder how far out we are from a program like that. In the end it may wind up being far more expensive to get tv that way as the Hallmark channel isn't getting subsidized by me as a subscriber and so channels will want more per subscriber?
I guess it would be an interesting game to figure out exactly which channels I would want, and determine what an expected price would be for them in that type of service to make it work.
The truth is, we aren't a big TV house besides me. We've got the main "nice" TV in the family room, which currently has connected to it a Apple TV, a Roku Streaming Stick+, a UHD Blu Ray player, and an OTA Tivo with lifetime service I picked up cheap from a neighbor. The TV itself is an Android operating system, so that's like a fifth "device" itself. About 18 months ago I had worked myself down to a single device, a Fire TV, that covered everything I needed streaming wise, which was wonderful, but then 4K HDR came along, which is scattered among a bunch of devices and services right now, so it's built back up.
We have a second TV in the family room with an Xbox One, which my son uses for video games, Netflix, Hulu, etc. We actually have a temporary third TV, a 30" deal I put next to my main TV to double up football games during the season, and that's just got a Chromecast on it.
If you've got multiple TVs, all I would do is put a Roku Streaming Stick (~$30) or Fire TV (~$50) on each one. If you're going with a streaming cable service, just make sure it's on all the devices...I think Vue and Sling are on pretty most devices (Vue is not on Xbox though), while DirectTV Now and Youtube TV are not on everything yet. As long as you have a good wifi signal throughout the house you should be pretty good.
I'm giving a try to DirectTV Now for a few months. $35/mo, and if you prepay 4 months, they send you a free Apple TV 4K, which I'll sell to make me feel better about the Apple TV 4K I bought. DirectTV doesn't have a DVR yet, although it's on the way. I found I wasn't really using the DVR on my Hulu TV plan anyway. But it's got pretty much the best $35 channel lineup as far as popular channels, although not ESPNU. Picture quality is way better than Hulu TV, and they're talking 4K HDR in 2018. So going to give it a try.
All this is possible because my wife doesn't really watch TV. She'll watch something I put on, but if I died I'm not sure she'd even have a TV.
Yeah, the only thing that 35/month package seems to be missing that I watch from time to time is ESPN U and the SEC Network (Which I can get through Watch ESPN), Fox Sports 2 (Which is only really useful for US Soccer from time to time), Unimas (Again only for their MLS soccer match's, and Travel Channel.
I could probably live with that if it works well. I assume they have locals? And are you limited in what you can stream and where or can I watch these anywhere that I am (In the US at least)? You say it doesn't have a DVR, but do they have ondemand for all of the shows including live sports? That's where I use DVR the most, On Demand would be fine for everything else as long as it shows up pretty quickly.
They aren't much different at all. The problem with true a la carte is exactly what you're talking about...picking and paying for individual channels, instead of sharing the cost, you could easily end up paying $25-30 for six channels, which doesn't make a lot of sense when you can pay $40 and get 60+ channels. Ultimately, bundling works for consumers. There are a handful of people that literally watch 1-2 channels that could really benefit from true a la carte, but most people who claim "I only watch three channels!" aren't factoring in wife, kids, things they watch occasionally, etc. Bundling isn't going away in my opinion, because the consumer would ultimately reject it.
I love it when people say "Why am I paying for 200 channels? I only need 8 channels...just my locals, ESPN, ESPN2, Fox News, Disney, Nickelodeon, TNT, NFL Network and History Channel!" not realizing that those 8 channels make up probably 75% of their bill already.
The lowest entry point for the satellite and some cable packages isn't much less than some of the streaming options...Vue and DirectTV Now have packages that run to $60+. The difference is that when you call in to Comcast or Uverse to get that $55/month teaser rate for two years...then you find out...$10 for HD...$10 box rental each for 2nd, 3rd, 4th TV...$10 DVR fee...plus taxes and fees. You get right up to $90+ a month in no time.
The benefit of streaming is that you buy one $30 device per TV and you're done. Many run on the game systems already on the TV, or the TV's smart interface. You can quit any time. You don't wait on an install.
The downside is that you need to have the technical expertise to get a network up and running and a Roku connected and manage the inputs. When something goes wrong you need to figure it out yourself...there's no cable company to call and say "it's not working". You have to do the research to understand devices vs services vs prices vs available channels and make sure it's all figured out. You need to learn new style remotes from what you're used to. You need to learn how to navigate the apps. You need to deal with glitches and unreliability. And you need to explain it to your spouse and kids.
For many people, none of that is a problem. But it's never going to be for everyone, especially people who aren't particularly interested in the technology and offerings and advancements, and want TV to be like a faucet they just turn on. Hell, my father was still in his 50's when I couldn't explain or interest him in the concept and advantages of a DVR.
I literally just cranked it up last night, so I don't know how well the on demand etc works. I'm probably not a heavy enough TV user to really put it through the paces. ESPNU is potentially going to be an issue, as well as some of the other sports channels, during next football season, so I will probably need to switch by then, or just make a deal for someone else's ESPN login (ESPNU won't be on WatchESPN with the DirectTV authorization). I might even go back to Hulu TV...the sports lineup was really top notch at $35, but they still haven't gone to 60fps and the interface is so sucky I pretty much avoided it and just used the associated apps.
We're moving in May, so my setup might change too...I probably wouldn't totally rule out going back to cable/dish.
Thanks Lou,
The biggest thing I keep reading is just how buggy many of these services are and how terrible their app interfaces are. I assume that will all come together in a few years, but it still feels a bit bleeding edge right now. I'm certain that will all improve over the next year, but you're right, convincing my wife to put up with bleeding edge bugs just so I can play around with it and save maybe 50 bucks isn't going to go very far.
Oh, and I do think from my limited research that DirectTV Now is about the best as far as letting you watch from anywhere. I think Vue is a little more restrictive about what you can watch outside your home network, but I think DirectTV Now is supposed to be more flexible.
Oh, and another thing you have to keep in mind...they all have different rules about how many simultaneous streams you can run. DirectTV Now is only two simultaneous I believe.
DirectTV Now also let's you add HBO for just $5 which sames people $5-10 if that's something they need.
Yep, that's what nobody really wants to talk about. Most of the people writing about these services and devices on the web are tech people. Reading about them from CNet or Gizmodo isn't really giving you the full picture. There are so many different devices, each with their own app versions, there are tons of bugs. Just look at the reddit pages dedicated to each one...tons of issues with some channels not working, some features not working on some devices, crashes, etc.
From all my reading, Vue is the most mature and cable like. Even then...here are topics on the front pages of the Vue reddit:
ESPN glitchy
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The tricky thing is, there is a vast difference between experiences...what can be rock solid for one person could be glitchy as hell for another, because of the difference in ISPs and devices and viewing habits.
Thanks Lou. I appreciate your willingness to dive into this deeply for those of us without the time to do so.
I would expect to see Internet Providers to give priority to streaming through their preferred content systems while slowing others.
For example, DirectTV and Centurylink seem to be connected through AT&T. I'd expect that DirectTVNow would get higher Quality of Service on their network and anything from Comcast, Youtube, etc.. to be run at slower speeds for example.
