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Midpack · 03-19-2018, 06:42 PM

We’ve been very pleased with the cloud DVR we have with PS Vue. It hasn’t missed a single show over the past 8+ weeks...until last night CBS was on a 37 minute delay and the “My Show” we wanted recorded from 9:00-10:00pm while the show was actually 9:37-10:37pm. BUT our prehistoric satellite Dish Network DVR would have done the same thing, so it’s our own fault. We just need to add the program after to My Shows on Sun and delete it after we’ve watched a few days after. Live and (re)learn...

MissMolly · 03-19-2018, 07:23 PM

We had the same type of problem with the recording on our Tablo last night. Fortunately Tablo's most recent upgrade now allows
us to extend recordings for between 15 minutes to 3 hours. So i set it today to extend the stop time 2 hours beyond the scheduled time for all future recordings of that show.

Carpediem · 03-20-2018, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissMolly

We had the same type of problem with the recording on our Tablo last night.

We missed one day of all of our scheduled recordings on Tablo after I allowed the 30 day trial of the 'guide' to expire. I decided to pay for a year for the 'guide' ($50) since we've been very happy with Tablo so far.

Sojourner · 03-20-2018, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cobra9777

Quote:

Additionally, according to the FAQ on PSV's website:

Most airings saved to My Shows will have no restrictions on fast forwarding. You will not be able to fast forward through commercials within Catch-up or while watching On Demand programming. Please note that programs saved to My Shows from FOX, FX, and FXX will not allow fast forwarding.

Hmmm... that's very interesting. So do you think this means that no Fox and FX shows—regardless of whether recorded via DVR or watched on-demand—can be fast forwarded? And since this is something dictated by the network, would FF be disallowed on Fox shows for every streaming service?

Midpack · 03-20-2018, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sojourner

Hmmm... that's very interesting. So do you think this means that no Fox and FX shows—regardless of whether recorded via DVR or watched on-demand—can be fast forwarded? And since this is something dictated by the network, would FF be disallowed on Fox shows for every streaming service?

I guess there may be some, but we haven’t run into a single show we couldn’t FF through from the PS Vue cloud DVR including Fox.

However, we can FF thru some On Demand shows and not others. Which network isn’t even a perfect guide, some networks disable FF on some shows and not others. We’ve seen three conditions 1) no restriction, 2) no FF period, and 3) in between - meaning you can FF but have to watch some ads but not others. You can see the latter in the timeline bar at the bottom.

So IMO the key is the make sure you cloud DVR anything you want to FF and avoid the On Demand FF uncertainty.

bUU · 03-20-2018, 10:52 AM

BGR: The future of cord-cutting looks grim right now. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwi56HwTo

Cobra9777 · 03-20-2018, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sojourner

...So do you think this means that no Fox and FX shows—regardless of whether recorded via DVR or watched on-demand—can be fast forwarded?...

That's certainly what it would seem to indicate. I just tested a FOX show that DW records called "The Resident." For this program, PSV asks if you want to watch On Demand or Cloud DVR. When I select On Demand, I cannot FFW. But on the Cloud DVR version, it does allow FFW even though this is a FOX program, which seems to be contrary to what's written in the PSV FAQ.

Unlike Midpack, I have never been able to FFW through any On Demand program on PSV. But... just put any show that you might want to watch in My Shows and you should be able to FFW through the commercials. Like Midcap, I've never had a problem with Cloud DVR. But the show I just tested is the only FOX program on either DW's or my profile. So certainly not a complete test.

Chuckanut · 03-20-2018, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bUU

BGR: The future of cord-cutting looks grim right now. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwi56HwTo

If the price of various streaming services keeps going up while our choices are more limited maybe somebody will figure out a way to rent DVDs cheaply by mail.

CaptTom · 03-20-2018, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bUU

BGR: The future of cord-cutting looks grim right now. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwi56HwTo

I guess it's all in your perspective. The future looks pretty bright to me.

Cable is on the way out. Big deal, I haven't had it for years. People will have to pay big bucks for top-line movie and sports channels. Big deal, they do that now. And I don't watch those anyway.

There will be a competitive marketplace where people get to decide what it's worth to them to watch any particular service. That's good.

My own cable company finally stopped sending me 1-2 flyers a week trying to get me to buy into a bundle. Last week I got their promotion for a new service offering a menu of streaming options - no cable box needed.

Seems they're starting down the path toward the future.

Most people happily pay huge sums for entertainment. That won't change. Large profits will still be made. But maybe there will be more options for those who don't enjoy spending that much on it. That would be a good thing.

Midpack · 03-20-2018, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bUU

BGR: The future of cord-cutting looks grim right now. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwi56HwTo

May be. I figure I might was well strike while the iron is hot, and save $500-$600/yr vs cable/satellite now. Waiting might result in getting the worst (value) of both worlds...

We’re not missing anything with our current all streaming setup. If networks decide to take all their content in house available only thru their streaming app, we’ll have to decide what we really want. I doubt we’ll opt for all of them, and we may rely on OTA for more. But many people may subscribe to all the apps, just as they’re fine paying $200+/mo for cable satellite now.

Though it would be a PITA to deal with 6 apps vs a consolidated “guide” - that might be an opportunity for the hardware folks like Roku, Apple TV, etc.

Cable/satellite thought they’d always have us all over a barrel, that model appears is clearly eroding. And if the above linked scenadio comes to pass, likely it won’t last forever either.

explanade · 03-20-2018, 12:04 PM

They really need a second broadband pipe into the home nationwide.

That would weaken the grip that cable has and boost streaming services.

5G is suppose to be this competition for home broadband.

We should know by 2020 if it's a contender or pretender.

bloom2708 · 03-20-2018, 12:13 PM

I'm sure the cable companies will figure out new and fun ways to charge people more.

2 years on Playstation Vue. Great DVR and On Demand functionality from day 1.

Some facts:

1. 10mb internet might work, but it will not be the best. 25mb and up is recommended
2. Your router matters. Think about an upgrade and ways to improve signal strength
3. The Box version will always perform better than the Stick version. Expect a Stick to work but be slower. Amazon Fire TV boxes are zippy fast. The Stick works fine, but there is more lag and buffer time.
4. Expect internet to keep going up. If you have 2 or more competitors, expect to bounce around trying to capture new customer discounts.
5. See how many simultaneous streams you need. Playstation Vue is 5. Others are 1-4. Don't be surprised if you can't stream on 3 or 4 TVs with some of the solutions.
6. All are "no contract" which is part of the cord cutting. Be able to fire your provider at any time for any reason.
7. The hardware (Roku, FireTV, Apple TV, etc) will continue to get better and faster, but that means upgrading every 2 years or so to capture the increases. This isn't free, but is nowhere near cable box fees.

jim584672 · 03-20-2018, 12:21 PM

Between the telco and cableco they both have special pricing for 1 year. To get the best deal bounce between the two and always be on the "special" rate. Yesterday I went to the telco and will go back to the cableco in a year.

MissMolly · 03-20-2018, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bUU

BGR: The future of cord-cutting looks grim right now. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwi56HwTo

In our case we went with OTA and Amazon Prime (which we had anyway for shipping) and share our son's Netflix. No streaming service like Sling or PS Vue at all. We are perfectly happy. And saving more than $100/month over cable.

RunningBum · 03-20-2018, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloom2708

I'm sure the cable companies will figure out new and fun ways to charge people more.

2 years on Playstation Vue. Great DVR and On Demand functionality from day 1.

Some facts:

1. 10mb internet might work, but it will not be the best. 25mb and up is recommended
2. Your router matters. Think about an upgrade and ways to improve signal strength
3. The Box version will always perform better than the Stick version. Expect a Stick to work but be slower. Amazon Fire TV boxes are zippy fast. The Stick works fine, but there is more lag and buffer time.
4. Expect internet to keep going up. If you have 2 or more competitors, expect to bounce around trying to capture new customer discounts.
5. See how many simultaneous streams you need. Playstation Vue is 5. Others are 1-4. Don't be surprised if you can't stream on 3 or 4 TVs with some of the solutions.
6. All are "no contract" which is part of the cord cutting. Be able to fire your provider at any time for any reason.
7. The hardware (Roku, FireTV, Apple TV, etc) will continue to get better and faster, but that means upgrading every 2 years or so to capture the increases. This isn't free, but is nowhere near cable box fees.

All good points, though PS Vue recommends 10mb or more. Not 25mb or more. Firestick recommends 5mb for HD streaming. It's a real bait and switch to have 10mb, then you try it and be told, Oh, you really need at least 25mb. This is one of the problems I have with these cord cutting ideas, everyone tells you how easy it is, then you find out it's not quite so easy.

It looks like I could bump my internet speed from 10mb to 25mb, but it's another $30. Pay for a better streaming box. Get a newer router. Right now cutting the cord looks more expensive than keeping it. I'm in a rural mountain area (same county as where The Waltons TV show was set), so most people are probably better off than me for internet speed, price, and options.

O2Bfree · 03-20-2018, 01:24 PM

Our library now has a free, streaming service called Kanopy. It doesn't seem to offer the latest or most popular movies, but there are lots of documentaries, indie films, and older classics available.

Midpack · 03-20-2018, 02:10 PM

Just a couple adds.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloom2708

I'm sure the cable companies will figure out new and fun ways to charge people more.

2 years on Playstation Vue. Great DVR and On Demand functionality from day 1.

Some facts:

1. 10mb internet might work, but it will not be the best. 25mb and up is recommended. 10 mbps for one stream in HD, plus 5 mbps for each additional stream - but I'd agree at least 25 mpbs is best for more than one stream. 4K/UHD will require a lot more. And make sure you check your data cap too, not just speed. DW and I using 500-600GB per month, but our cap is 1TB. We'll use less in Spring, Summer and Fall (Winter sucks).
2. Your router matters. Think about an upgrade and ways to improve signal strength
3. The Box version will always perform better than the Stick version. Expect a Stick to work but be slower. Amazon Fire TV boxes are zippy fast. The Stick works fine, but there is more lag and buffer time.
4. Expect internet to keep going up. If you have 2 or more competitors, expect to bounce around trying to capture new customer discounts.
5. See how many simultaneous streams you need. Playstation Vue is 5 (yes but unless there's been a recent change (could be), only 3 simultaneous TV's at a time with PS Vue, plus mobile devices for the other 2). Others are 1-4. Don't be surprised if you can't stream on 3 or 4 TVs with some of the solutions.
6. All are "no contract" which is part of the cord cutting. Be able to fire your provider at any time for any reason.

7. The hardware (Roku, FireTV, Apple TV, etc) will continue to get better and faster, but that means upgrading every 2 years or so to capture the increases. This isn't free, but is nowhere near cable box fees. Agreed, I know the difference between the early 2017 and early 2018 Roku model lineups was very significant - much better performance and remotes.

parhur · 03-21-2018, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOHNNIE36

This thread really interests me. I've always wanted to "cut the cord" and will be doing something along those lines in the near future when we move. No sense messing with it now. I have to admit, I don't know much about the alternatives. My wife is a TV fanatic. One of our big costs is the number of TV's we are running (5) which requires additional set top boxes and digital adapters. We're at $194/mo for TV, internet and phone. Plus we have Netflix and Amazon which puts the monthly bill at about $212. Will probably eliminate phone when we establish new residency. Wish I knew more about Roku, etc. Keep talking folks--I'm listening.

Roku is the greatest thing since slice bread. I cut the cable cord 6 yrs ago because of the customer service and cost of cable tv. I have more stuff to watch on roku than I will ever watch. Love watching the BBC channel

Midpack · 03-21-2018, 12:56 PM

It wouldn't be enough for me, or especially DW - but as others have mentioned earlier you could get a lot of TV for free

using OTA for local major channel networks and
it's surprising how much is on Pluto TV as well.

For now PS Vue + PBS Passport is the least we can accept. We're happy saving $500-$600/yr, but we could save another $600/yr with the two sources above...