ot: one more time - streaming TV service

[Bradford]

I switched to Directv Now from Directv a year ago and am happy with the decision. Overall, considering the cost difference, it is all we need. We use Apple TV 4 for the interface, which they gave me for free when I signed up. It is good, better than good enough, but not great like satellite was.

The pros are: Price, a better channel line up for what I watch, and easy access to missed programing. For example, last week I got to the tv 30 minutes after a program started and I was able to start it from the beginning and watch it even thought I was halfway through the time slot and hadn't selected to record. I also love that I can watch tv on my computers and ipads, so it is easy to watch a game in the garage while working on my bikes or the news in the kitchen while cleaning dishes. When the kids are loud downstairs, I can just pop up to the office and watch on my computer, or when I'm in a hotel room I can watch my news back home. In addition, the virtual DVR works well enough.

The cons are: slow to start up and change channels, picture quality is less than satellite and can fade in and out (between great and good enough). When we started last year, our internet speed topped out at 10 Mbps and it was fine most of the time, annoying too much of the time, and useless when my wife was uploading photos. Now my speed is 20 Mbps max and things are fine 95 or 98% of the time. Not always perfect, but mostly fine. That being said, it is still less reliable than cable or satellite.

We committed to a 6 month trial but haven't considered going back. We are also at a point in our lives where we are not heavy tv users.

[eddief]

unlike youtube tv, it appears directnow lets you fast forward through commercials on all recordings.

Originally Posted by Bradford

I switched to Directv Now from Directv a year ago and am happy with the decision. Overall, considering the cost difference, it is all we need. We use Apple TV 4 for the interface, which they gave me for free when I signed up. It is good, better than good enough, but not great like satellite was.

The pros are: Price, a better channel line up for what I watch, and easy access to missed programing. For example, last week I got to the tv 30 minutes after a program started and I was able to start it from the beginning and watch it even thought I was halfway through the time slot and hadn't selected to record. I also love that I can watch tv on my computers and ipads, so it is easy to watch a game in the garage while working on my bikes or the news in the kitchen while cleaning dishes. When the kids are loud downstairs, I can just pop up to the office and watch on my computer, or when I'm in a hotel room I can watch my news back home. In addition, the virtual DVR works well enough.

The cons are: slow to start up and change channels, picture quality is less than satellite and can fade in and out (between great and good enough). When we started last year, our internet speed topped out at 10 Mbps and it was fine most of the time, annoying too much of the time, and useless when my wife was uploading photos. Now my speed is 20 Mbps max and things are fine 95 or 98% of the time. Not always perfect, but mostly fine. That being said, it is still less reliable than cable or satellite.

We committed to a 6 month trial but haven't considered going back. We are also at a point in our lives where we are not heavy tv users.

[zap]

We looked extensively before continuing with att uverse tv package. Unfortunately there are still a few channel combos I want......ESPN for F1 races and local sports for NHL games. Had to sacrifice NBC Olympic channel though so fewer bicycle races.

[morrisericd]

This post had me on the phone with Comcast for almost an hour yesterday trying to whittle my $260/month Triple Play package down. My biggest issue is high speed internet. We need it and anything over 100 Mbps is over $100 - just for the internet. Get rid of the phone and limit your channels to the most basic (except HBO - my kids would kill me if we couldn't watch Game of Thrones in April) and you're at $212 (plus or minus). The best I could do was $241 which included 1G internet plus every channel known to man and Netflix included (previously paying for Netflix separately). It's less, but I'm still not happy. They have us over a barrel here - Comcast is our only local high speed option.

I want to cut the cable but any streaming service is $40. We kind of still want the phone (older parents). Add those up with $100 internet and you can get to $241 pretty quickly!

One question - has anyone bought their own 1G EMTA (we need the phone jack, I was told) modem and gotten rid of the $13/month rental fees Comcast charges? Internet searches turn up lots of options but this forum always steers me in the right direction.

[unterhausen]

can't help with internet phone, but our land line is now a cellphone. I think it went down to $24 a month including the box.

Verizon put fiber on the big road down the street. Their website says their internet is available at our address, but they don't have fiber in the ground, so not really. The really attractive thing about that is they don't offer TV in our area. We just got an offer from Comcast for triple play for $150, which is probably cheaper than what we are paying now. I assume they are worried about cable cutters.

[huck*this]

We have not had cable for over 5 years. Although we don't watch much TV we found that Philo for $16mo suites our needs just fine. Fantastic service. Give them a look.

[paredown]

We went internet only about a year and a half ago. I took the time to hook up a mini powered Leaf antenna from Amazon for OTA--and I think we have used it once.

We stream Amazon (we have Prime) and Netflix (had that forever). We picked up a Roku-enabled TV that has built in menu for other services for the guest room and occasionally I will use one of the free news services. In the living room, we have a Chromecast dongle plugged in, and a mini PC with a DvD player so we can stream lots of stuff on the big flat screen.

We still have a "land line" for my wife's business--and I picked up a cheap Obihai IP device (same as Google voice) and we pay $5.95/mo to an aftermarket phone service that works better than the FIOS service (and I can maintain my own blocked numbers list to screen out the junk callers).

We have missed nothing about network television--except maybe Rachel Maddow...

[oldpotatoe]

We cut the cable about 4 years ago and don't miss it at all. I have a 'leaf' antenna and get 3-4 'broadcast' stations so I can watch the news(NBC)..Netflix, Hulu, Britbox, Acorn, Amazon, some others..I use Apple TV..with internet only

I DO go in to Xfinity every 2 years or so and get the latest 'deal' that includes a landline but we never use it..Cellie only.

It's only a matter of time before all 'TV' is via internet..

[commonguy001]

Currently pay 55 a month for 60 meg internet and as of today use Hulu Live or whatever they call it which is around 43 bucks a month. So far I like it but I've only been on it a month.

We cut the cord in 2012 and I don't miss satellite at all. Even back then the bill had crept to 155 a month just for TV without any premium channels.

For streaming services I've used the following in order of when I've tried them.

Sling TV - I was on it right after they started it and it wasn't great. Really glitchy and poor picture quality. I would guess since that was years ago that they've gotten much better.

PSVue TV - The Sony package was great, loved the guide and DVR function but they kept cutting channels and then raised the price 10 or 15 bucks. As we rarely watch TV when it's nice out we cancelled it after the price went up which was maybe a year and a half in if I remember.

DirecTV now - They had a deal where if you paid 4 months in advance they'd give you a free Apple TV 4k so for a bit less than an ATV4K retail I got the Apple TV and months of service. Overall I really liked it even without a DVR when I first started. To be honest I rarely used the DVR when it was available as it only held 20 hours and seemed like you were always deleting shows to keep under the limit. Overall I liked it but cancelled after maybe a year because spring came and we were gone a lot.

Hulu - I'm new to the Hulu streaming but I like it so far. Picture is great (they all seem to be now) and the interface is good once you get used to it. I like the recent channel feature which is almost like a back button. Saying that, I'll probably cancel it as soon as it gets warm out as I have a lot going on this year and will likely not use it.


I think my favorite overall was Sony but Hulu and then DirecTV Now are close.

[Tony T]

Originally Posted by commonguy001

Hulu - I'm new to the Hulu streaming but I like it so far. Picture is great (they all seem to be now) and the interface is good once you get used to it. I like the recent channel feature which is almost like a back button. Saying that, I'll probably cancel it as soon as it gets warm out as I have a lot going on this year and will likely not use it.
I think my favorite overall was Sony but Hulu and then DirecTV Now are close.

Hulu has a "Suspend" feature that allows you so suspend service for up to 12 weeks. Not sure if its any better or worse than cancelling, but its there.
Might be better to cancel, as when you return there may be some on-line returning customer coupons available

[commonguy001]

Originally Posted by Tony T

Hulu has a "Suspend" feature that allows you so suspend service for up to 12 weeks. Not sure if its any better or worse than cancelling, but its there.
Might be better to cancel, as when you return there may be some on-line returning customer coupons available

Interesting, good to have another option!

[reuben]

I won't be much help. I don't have Comcast/Verizon/DirectTV or anything like that.

I have a Roku box, but use it mostly for local channels with a Mohu antenna. But Roku does have a lot of free stuff, and you can subscribe to Netflix, Disney, ESPN, and whatnot. I've streamed a couple of documentaries with no problem.

I don't think my TV has been on since the Super Bowl.

[saab2000]

I’m not really OK with this increase either. It may go away as I rarely use the service anyway.

[DeBike]

I bought and moved into my home in 2016. I lived in a small, upstairs apartment in a private home, separate entrance, for almost 3 years. That rent included all utilities. It started with DSL for tv and landline, and then the owner switched to cable.

When I moved into my home, I decided I did not want to pay the amount of the monthly payment for cable or satellite. I have been without tv reception since, but I did start paying for cable internet about 2.5 years ago. That price has crept up, and my service slows considerably by the last 10 days of the month or so. I am seriously considering doing away with the internet and going back to connecting at the library, Starbucks, etc. Library is 5 miles and Starbucks is just over 2 miles away. I do some banking on-line and shopping, but mostly just bike related sites. I have a tablet, so even at the library I do not have to use their machines.

The tv I absolutely do not miss. I have gone back to reading a lot and the internet. I would miss having the internet at home, but it was not a big deal before when I did not have it. I would adjust. I have fallen into spending way too much time on sites such as the Paceline and competition sites.

I also fall into the trap of buying things I really do not need, but convince myself, " It's a really good price, get it." Then comes the buyers regret and the bill. Maybe better for me to just get rid of the easy temptation and access.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by morrisericd

One question - has anyone bought their own 1G EMTA (we need the phone jack, I was told) modem and gotten rid of the $13/month rental fees Comcast charges? Internet searches turn up lots of options but this forum always steers me in the right direction.

I got an Arris TM822G DOCSIS 3.0 8x4 a few years ago, which I use with a voice and internet Comcast Triple Play package. I think it cost about $120 at the time, and it has more than paid for itself now. When I switched out the previous modem, I got it activated with a phone call to Comcast tech support, and it has operated reliably since. This model was new when I got it a few years ago, and there are likely updated models now.

While many people use combined modem/routers with Comcast, I purposely chose to use separate modem and router units. The TM822G is a modem only, with no router functionality.