Just got my first 2018 cable bill and it went up another $21. Thinking about cancelling it for a service like YouTube TV any thoughts?!
YouTube Tv
- Thread starter Psualum2007
- Start date
also consider sling tv. friend did it this fall and still got a ton of cfb. you have to check if it gets b10 network
Time for the quarterly “Thinking of cutting the Cord” thread, eh? Go with PlayStation VUE and buy the Play Station 4 for the guide. Same cable channels and interface, $80/mo less.
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Issue that I have with cutting the cord is that the cost for internet is still rather high (Comcast is approx. 75-100 bucks for 100mbps). Add that with Youtube TV (and possibly another option depending on your area to get coverage for all PSU games), and I am at roughly the same price as cable.
I just cut the cord and loving it. I have gigabit fios and a Roku ultra box.
YouTube tv is good. Hulu live has more of the channels I enjoy. Sling tv, ps vue, and direct tv are other good options. Best part is that switching between all the services is painless. Do all the free trials and choose the one you really like.
You won't regret cutting the cord one bit. You will feel empowered because of all the streaming options that you can choose and switch painlessly from.
YouTube tv is good. Hulu live has more of the channels I enjoy. Sling tv, ps vue, and direct tv are other good options. Best part is that switching between all the services is painless. Do all the free trials and choose the one you really like.
You won't regret cutting the cord one bit. You will feel empowered because of all the streaming options that you can choose and switch painlessly from.
Looking at it today, actually. Can get 100MB $39.99. No extended contract. I am looking at Hulu...I like them because they give you ~80 channels (news, ESPN, local sports channel) and several local channels streamed live. (I have a TV on the wall with no cords and don't want to buy an antenna, plus my wife would be driving nuts navigating the inputs 
). For $10/month, you get a DVR in the cloud (no boxes) and are able to zip commercials. Hulu costs $40 and the DVR thingy is an extra $10.
I like it over YouTube because, IIRC, youtube does not offer local TV streaming. this, of course, you can get with an antenna and change the TV input ( ) via remote.
). For $10/month, you get a DVR in the cloud (no boxes) and are able to zip commercials. Hulu costs $40 and the DVR thingy is an extra $10.I like it over YouTube because, IIRC, youtube does not offer local TV streaming. this, of course, you can get with an antenna and change the TV input (
) via remote.
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Unfortunately, Sling TV does not offer the Big Ten Network as an option. I usually am able to find a friend or watch a Penn State football game at my club.
I have youtube.Tv
My bill for three Tivo boxes and 200 mb internet was $140. Now it has increased to $160. Keeping the 200mb and getting local channels through cable box (same price as no cable) =$100
YouTube can be installed on Android tvs or boxes, or use chromecast.
My subscription does have Btn, FS, fs2, espn, espn 2...
Unlimited Dvr is a nice feature.
Thought about vue, but more useful for those that have one TV. Not going to buy a Playstation for every TV.
Whereas a chromecast is relatively cheap, especially generic ones, which so far, work great. Chromecast much easier to move around as well.
I do get some local channels on YouTube, ABC, Fox.
Says NBC and CBS are coming soon. You do get the TV shows on these networks, on demand.
My bill for three Tivo boxes and 200 mb internet was $140. Now it has increased to $160. Keeping the 200mb and getting local channels through cable box (same price as no cable) =$100
YouTube can be installed on Android tvs or boxes, or use chromecast.
My subscription does have Btn, FS, fs2, espn, espn 2...
Unlimited Dvr is a nice feature.
Thought about vue, but more useful for those that have one TV. Not going to buy a Playstation for every TV.
Whereas a chromecast is relatively cheap, especially generic ones, which so far, work great. Chromecast much easier to move around as well.
I do get some local channels on YouTube, ABC, Fox.
Says NBC and CBS are coming soon. You do get the TV shows on these networks, on demand.
You don't need a PlayStation to run Vue. J have it on 4 TV's, don't own a single PlayStation.
Have directv now and I like it. Git a free Apple TV and since I have att I get free HBO and $10 off a month for a total of $25. All local channels in Pittsburgh and I get BIG10 which Armstrong cable didn’t have. YouTube TV is not bad, can have 6 people on one subscription which is nice.
Right, you just need a Fire stick, Apple TV or Roku. The Fire Stick works great with PS Vue and is cheap. The guide is the best, although Roku just upgraded their Vue guide and it looks pretty good. $45 per month and get all the local networks, BTN, SEC Network, ESPN’s, FS1, NBCSN, NFL, MLB, etc. About the only channel not available that I miss is the NHL Network.
I have the same issue. Once you drop cable the internet only price goes up with FIOS. Then add in streaming services and I'm back to $150/month. Considering doing it anyway, but it won't be to save money.
If you have a "smart TV", you don't need anything else. You simply connect your smart TV to the internet and download the app.
Hulu Live TV is probably the best value. BTN plus a bunch of other great channels and the Hulu catalog for about $40/month.
I'm also going to post my rant about Smart TVs. Sorry @Obliviax
Smart TVs in theory make it "easier" to access channels. However Smart TV software is rarely updated and never gets all/most useful apps. Rokus, Chromecasts, etc. are easy to learn too and offer so much more than a Smart TV. They're updated regularly and have a ton of features Smart TVs just don't. My personal recommendation is a Roku streaming stick however I've used Chromecast and Fire Stick--those are great too.
Whatever the choice, make sure you have a good router. Don't cheap out and then wonder why video is choppy and other devices work slowly while streaming. I have the ASUS RT-AC3200 and couldn't be happier. It can and will handle everything you throw at it.
I'm also going to post my rant about Smart TVs. Sorry @Obliviax
Smart TVs in theory make it "easier" to access channels. However Smart TV software is rarely updated and never gets all/most useful apps. Rokus, Chromecasts, etc. are easy to learn too and offer so much more than a Smart TV. They're updated regularly and have a ton of features Smart TVs just don't. My personal recommendation is a Roku streaming stick however I've used Chromecast and Fire Stick--those are great too.
Whatever the choice, make sure you have a good router. Don't cheap out and then wonder why video is choppy and other devices work slowly while streaming. I have the ASUS RT-AC3200 and couldn't be happier. It can and will handle everything you throw at it.
Fair enough. I have three LG models I bought on Black Friday 2017. They all are different sizes but the UI is the same. There is an option to auto update the apps. Sometimes, when I turn on the TV, it tells me it is updating one of the Apps. I also have Apple TV because we film family events and broadcast them on the TV to see.
I don't know if it is LG or newer devices, but I haven't experienced that problem (knocking on wood).
It's any Smart TV--nothing to worry about. For example, my parents have a higher end Vizio Smart TV they bought a couple years ago. Software has been updated once or twice, and it doesn't have BTN, HBO Go, etc. because they're not available on the "Vizio Store"--and therein lies the problem.
Same can be said for my in-laws brand new Samsung--I forget what apps it doesn't have off the top of my head--but when I set it up for them, I scratched my head and explained why the Roku was still needed.
This is true.
Comcast does not let you simply buy internet for the $39 they claim.
You have to buy it within another bundle.
The only real solution is to cut your cable bill to the cheapest possible (around $80) and then add on services. You always end up at $100 a month or more.
Pretty soon, wireless will have 5g which will effectively kill the monopoly.
LdN
My TV has the ability to download apps from an app store. It includes all of the big names (Hulu, amazon, netflix, HBO, Starz, Showtime, ABC/CBS/NBC, HGTV, etc.)
Sure, they all do--as time goes and things update/new things come out, you'll see what I mean. Not trying to be argumentative or dismissive here, and I'm sure they are all good TVs--it's just the way things work.
Plus, if it works for you and your family, that's all that matters.
I have thought about this, and need to do some more digging. I believe my Wife and I are paying around $160/month for Comcast internet and cable as of now.
One question I will ask, does any of the streaming services offer ATTSports (Pittsburgh) for Penguin games?
don't disagree. However, I bought a 42 inch LG for $299. It has, literally dozens of apps available. You may be right...or it may have advanced. Regardless, even if it doesn't, at $299/TV, if you save $20/month on your cable bill your break even point is 15 months. At 15 months, you can go get a new TV and still be even.
Hulu probably does. Many have menus of stations you can get. Bottom line is to separate content providers with High Speed Internet providers. Things are going to change, a lot. For good or for bad? IDK. But my suggestion is to separate the contracts for delivery and content.
Sports are the way Cable is surviving.
That said, I thought Yahoo (Rivals) had some NHL package. Perhaps look into that.
I've had "minimum" cable for years. I have the login of someone's directTV package so I log into ESPN on my XBOX One. For BTN I do similar but have to use a different device (BTN not available on XBOX)
All of those services are slightly delayed however. By 10 to 15 seconds. Makes it interesting watching PSU games and reading the board.
LdN
Not sure. I think it happens sooner than people think.
It's a volume game not a speed game.
Can't imagine wires will be able to hold more volume than air for long.
LdN
This sort of confirms my suspicions .... that to actually save real money by cutting the cord, you pretty much have to "steal" services in order to get what you were paying for (and you still have to make sacrifices in your expectations).
I'll continue paying $ to get the services I want without the hassle I think, at least for a little while longer until there is less compromise.
Agreed about the volume game--something has to give somewhere, and this is where net neutrality (lack thereof) comes into the picture. I've said it before--I think we'll see a return of a fixed number/unit of hours for X dollars per month like AOL had in the 1990s.
The way mobile broadband is currently setup (i.e. data caps and throttling) is what's holding it up. HD streaming uses a ton of bandwidth, so it'd be possible to blow through 10-20GBs in no time.
It will be interesting to see where we are 5 years from now.
Well, let's be serious... most shows do not need to be live streamed. Most shows are paused more than a few times over the 30 minute view time.
There's a ton of memory on most devices.
So, within the context of what you're saying, you throttle 4g but enable 3g to be free.
So to watch a show you begin downloading... 90 seconds later it is ready to begin viewing.
Instead of the near instantaneous method we have now.
LdN
My adult boys buy HS Internet (100MB) and buy zero content. They watch everything for free. They are in chat rooms where people discuss what is funny on YouTube or where someone is realtime posting a game from their iPhone.
Within a couple of years it will be a free for all. You will pay by the drink ($.25 per TV show) or via subscription ($20/month). Subscription may be by channel or via provider. Mi
I am about to cut the chord but those are my quotes as well. $50 (my modem and router; 100mb) $60 for theirs. Then, $40 or $50 for Hulu.
I have no interest in cord cutting because I love all the services I have, but I enjoy reading the "cord cutting" threads. I have a question for those of you that have done it. It's just my wife, my 9 year old son, and myself in my house and we don't don't stream very much in my opinion. We use an average of 90GB of data a month just on our home network alone. What are some of the data usages for those of you that have dumped traditional video services?
Cut the cord last week after Spectrum (previously TimeWarner in my area) raised my bill to $146 from $125 (Internet/TV/phone). I called them and they offered me a plan for $169 when I complained (truly). I started to demo HULU** and felt it would work, but my wife hedged. Called Spectrum again and said I was getting ready to change and they offered me a plan for $157 (truly). So yes, both their counter offers were higher than the bill I just received that went up $21.
I don't need an land line, bought a ByOne 50 mile amplified antenna, a Roku Streaming Stick+, have my own modem/router, and made the move. As someone said, it feels very empowering to do this. I am only on the base HULU plan right now, but will probably add the enhanced DVR option and a no commercial option. If doing that, I will be right at the $125 that I was at before Spectrum increased me. I told them I would not have changed at $125.
We're learning some things of how to use HULU, which ain't easy for us baby boomers, and I'd probably say we've advanced to the 4th grade at this point. Hoping to graduate by Spring though.
** offerings vary by where you live, particularly the region sports offerings so the following won't cover everything
There is a great tool I found to find out what programs TV streamers offer in their packages. We wrote down what channels/networks we wanted and used this to decide which streaming service was best for us. You can enter all your channels at once (just keep searching and adding) and get a table that shows what is offered by each of the providers.
https://www.recode.net/2017/11/20/1...channels-price-cost-you-want-online-streaming
I don't need an land line, bought a ByOne 50 mile amplified antenna, a Roku Streaming Stick+, have my own modem/router, and made the move. As someone said, it feels very empowering to do this. I am only on the base HULU plan right now, but will probably add the enhanced DVR option and a no commercial option. If doing that, I will be right at the $125 that I was at before Spectrum increased me. I told them I would not have changed at $125.
We're learning some things of how to use HULU, which ain't easy for us baby boomers, and I'd probably say we've advanced to the 4th grade at this point. Hoping to graduate by Spring though.
** offerings vary by where you live, particularly the region sports offerings so the following won't cover everything
There is a great tool I found to find out what programs TV streamers offer in their packages. We wrote down what channels/networks we wanted and used this to decide which streaming service was best for us. You can enter all your channels at once (just keep searching and adding) and get a table that shows what is offered by each of the providers.
https://www.recode.net/2017/11/20/1...channels-price-cost-you-want-online-streaming
One question for everyone. I am trying to figure out if any of the options offer AT&T Sports - Pittsburgh. I cannot locate any information on this. Being a huge Penguins fan, I would hate to lose that coverage by cutting the cord.
Also, I believe Comcast is running a special right now on internet only packages, starting at $50/month for 100mbps.
Also, I believe Comcast is running a special right now on internet only packages, starting at $50/month for 100mbps.
I thought I'd chime in with my recent experience. I got a Fire stick for Xmas so that I could try out the various streaming options. In my area (Chicago suburbs) all the streaming services seem to offer the local channels so I don't need an HD antenna. I did my research and decided that YouTube TV was my best option, as it was only $35/month with the channels I wanted. Alas, when I went to try it out last night I discovered that there isn't a YouTube TV app for the Fire Stick. So I gave Hulu a try. It seemed to work well. There was some buffering going on, because my WiFi Router sucks, but it was watchable. I know I need a new/better wifi router, and I also need to put it in a better location in my home. It is part of my plan, but I decided to give it a try with what I have for the heck of it.
As I said, Hulu seemed to work fine. I have to play around more with the search functions to see if I can find shows and programs as easily as I can with my Comcast remote. The one thing I'll miss is the ability to flip between stations/games at the push of a button on the remote. Are there any Hulu users out there who know if that sort of capability exists?
I will be giving Playstation Vue a try also before I make a decision. Of course, my decision may end up being to stay with Comcast, but we'll see.
As I said, Hulu seemed to work fine. I have to play around more with the search functions to see if I can find shows and programs as easily as I can with my Comcast remote. The one thing I'll miss is the ability to flip between stations/games at the push of a button on the remote. Are there any Hulu users out there who know if that sort of capability exists?
I will be giving Playstation Vue a try also before I make a decision. Of course, my decision may end up being to stay with Comcast, but we'll see.
Found this (it doesn't sound like it's available): https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/att-sportsnet-hints-new-cord-cutting-friendly-option/
I'd guess those packages are available to new customers only.
One thing to consider is to get an android cell phone or tablet with what used to be called mirroring, now called quick connect and a TV that is receptive to mirroring/quick connect. I have a Samsung Tablet that works seamlessly with both Samsung and LG TVs. You simply hit mirroring/quick connect, the TV recognizes it, and whatever is on your Android screen is played on your TV. So whatever you can get on the Internet, you can play on your TV.
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