Update on Cord Cutting (Cable TV) 2017 - 2020

[someguy]

Trying SlingTV Blue + Cloud DVR on Amazon FireTV devices. The interface is good and pretty snappy. The fast forwarding is better than Sony PS Vue. But watching DVR'ed sports is pretty bad -- choppiness with fast panning and fast motion. Plenty of bandwidth & everything hard wired. PS Vue has a setting for exactly this in sports but I don't see any such thing in Sling. No such problems with PS Vue, even watching the same game via PS Vue DVR at the same time. Also have no issue with two simultaneous 20-25mbps 4K streams via Netflix or Prime TV.

Any advice? Is YouTube TV DVR better?

 

[RunningBum]

They had issues. Supposedly fixed by this morning. Hope this doesn't become a trend.

https://digistatement.com/youtube-tv-outage-down-not-working-channels-disappearing-for-many-users/

I had been having issues with it timing out a lot since the weekend. Thought it might be my internet but maybe not.

 

[someguy]

Trying SlingTV Blue + Cloud DVR on Amazon FireTV devices. The interface is good and pretty snappy. The fast forwarding is better than Sony PS Vue. But watching DVR'ed sports is pretty bad -- choppiness with fast panning and fast motion. Plenty of bandwidth & everything hard wired. PS Vue has a setting for exactly this in sports but I don't see any such thing in Sling. No such problems with PS Vue, even watching the same game via PS Vue DVR at the same time. Also have no issue with two simultaneous 20-25mbps 4K streams via Netflix or Prime TV.

Any advice? Is YouTube TV DVR better?

I've done some research on this issue and it appears PS Vue shows most sports channels in 60fps while SlingTV is 30fps. It appears YouTubeTV and DirecTV Now (AT&T TVNow) support 60fps where the channel does, so it looks like I'll need to try one or both of those. I'm curious if anyone can comment in this context? They are both $50/mo while SlingTV blue was $30/mo. Bummer!

 

[RunningBum]

I've found all sports on YTTV to be 60fps. I think I tried all the channels that show college football in my trial run and they were all good. Most of it was live, but I've watched a couple of DVR'd games and they were fine.

Can't speak to the others except I watched some on Hulu a couple months ago when visiting a relative, and a couple games were 30fps. I don't recall which channel but I don't think it was an obscure one.

 

[Midpack]

After over 20 happy months with PS Vue, with PSVs imminent demise, we switched to Hulu Live a few days ago. I’m pleasantly surprised so far, and thrilled with the huge on demand library, even better than expected. The standard 50 hour DVR was a concern, but that should be manageable - we just need to transition to using on demand some instead of relying entirely on DVR. However, we see no difference whatsoever in picture quality/resolution between Hulu and Vue as some have claimed. But I think we’ll be happy with Hulu Live, and we save a couple more $ a month as well, and way less than cable/satellite.

 

[Cobra9777]

After over 20 happy months with PS Vue, with PSVs imminent demise, we switched to Hulu Live a few days ago. I’m pleasantly surprised so far, and thrilled with the huge on demand library, even better than expected. The standard 50 hour DVR was a concern, but that should be manageable - we just need to transition to using on demand some instead of relying entirely on DVR. However, we see no difference whatsoever in picture quality/resolution between Hulu and Vue as some have claimed. But I think we’ll be happy with Hulu Live, and we save a couple more $ a month as well, and way less than cable/satellite.

Midpack, just curious what you think of the Hulu interface? IIRC from our trial, it was slow and difficult to navigate with dozens of menu choices that we would never use. Maybe for some people, it might help find/discover content, but I just found it to be unnecessarily cluttered. And slow.

Also, IIRC, the channel guide only had what's on now and what's coming up next. Nothing else. Is that still the case?

Also curious if you trialed YouTube TV?

We're still on PS Vue and leaning toward YTTV. But the lower price and on-demand library from Hulu is definitely a plus. Plus I like that Hulu has History and A&E.

 

[REWahoo]

Hulu now has a two week channel guide, a great improvement in navigating the site.

As mentioned, the Hulu library and $5 savings is what sold me on it rather than YTTV after trying both.

 

[RunningBum]

A while back Hulu had a special deal, 99cents/month for a year or six months, to access something. Not the live streaming. Is this the Hulu library people are talking about? I watched a few old sitcoms on it, maybe found a couple old movies IIRC, and it would be a nice bonus, but not enough to make me switch from YTTV.

 

[Cobra9777]

A while back Hulu had a special deal, 99cents/month for a year or six months, to access something. Not the live streaming. Is this the Hulu library people are talking about? I watched a few old sitcoms on it, maybe found a couple old movies IIRC, and it would be a nice bonus, but not enough to make me switch from YTTV.

No, we're talking about Hulu + Live TV for $45/mo. It's now the largest TV streaming service, according to this story on cordcuttersnews. Plus it includes the Hulu on-demand library, which you are referring to. Sling is #2 and YTTV is #3. I trialed both Hulu and YTTV as an alternative to PS Vue, which is going away. There are pros and cons but I'm leaning toward YTTV. Although it sounds like Hulu has made some recent improvements to address some of the cons.

 

[Cobra9777]

Hulu now has a two week channel guide, a great improvement in navigating the site.

As mentioned, the Hulu library and $5 savings is what sold me on it rather than YTTV after trying both.

Thanks, that's helpful. I also recall from our trial that the Hulu guide was not customizable (hide channels, reorder channels, etc). I wonder if that has changed as well?

 

[Midpack]

I’ve found the Hulu Live interface just as fast as Vue, and I was admittedly a Vue fanboy. And while the Hulu UI has more options, you just use what you want. No downside to me. Proof? DW, who prefers less change, has already found her way after 2 days without my help - setting favorites, DVR record and playback, on demand library, search, grid guides, etc.

Hulu Live has several traditional grid guides (two weeks of programming):

• All (all channels in alphabetical order)
• Recent (handy)
• My Channels (I'm guessing we'll use this most often, all the channels we've chosen as favorites)

The latter is the equivalent of PS Vue favorite channels IMO, which appear at the top of the Vue grid guide.

There are four other Hulu guides - Sports, News, Movies, Kids , but they’re the Netflix icon style.

 

[Cobra9777]

Hulu Live has several traditional grid guides (two weeks of programming):

• All (all channels in alphabetical order)
• Recent (handy)
• My Channels (we may use this most often)

The latter is the equivalent of PS Vue favorite channels IMO, they appeared at the top of the Vue grid guide.

There are four other Hulu guides - Sports, News, Movies, Kids , but they’re the Netflix icon style...

Very helpful info. Thanks. Sounds like all my issues with the Hulu guide have been recently resolved.

Aside from the guide, what are your thoughts on the interface in general? ...speed, ease of navigation, usefulness of menu choices?

ETA: never mind, I see you edited your post above.

 

[Midpack]

Dammit!!! Three days after we subscribed...

However, we were already paying $54.99/mo for Vue, so I guess I shouldn't complain. And I guess I should've expected at least $5 since YTTV is already at $50/mo (and DTVNow is more?), but I'm not switching to YTTV if I can avoid it. YMMV

[FONT=&quot]Hulu + Live TV[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Price Change. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]We’re reaching out to let you know that the price of your Hulu + Live TV plan will increase from $44.99/month to $54.99/month on Wednesday, December 18, 2019.[/FONT][FONT=&quot] This price change allows us to continue delivering the best live and on-demand TV experience for you. In addition to ongoing product enhancements, Hulu + Live TV will continue to include the largest streaming library with more than 85,000 episodes of TV, movies, and award-winning Hulu Originals.[/FONT]

 

[Cobra9777]

Wow, I would not have guessed $10/mo increase all at once. I'm now leaning even stronger toward YTTV.

Although I have to keep reminding myself that this includes the Hulu on-demand library at a standalone cost of $6/mo. So the live TV streaming is theoretically $49/mo, essentially same as YTTV.

But how much value will we actually derive from the on-demand library? We didn't subscribe previously. So probably not much.

Bad timing too... right when half a million PSV subscribers are weighing their options.

With PBS coming to YTTV (a pretty big deal for us), plus the now lower price, plus a faster/simpler interface, no DVR storage limits... looks like YTTV will be the choice for us.

 

[kgtest]

I liked YTTV it worked well for streaming the MLB playoffs. No way in hell I would ever pay $50 a month tho. I dont really watch tv much at all but I liked the little trial I had. I try to minimize our subscription costs as much as possible. We subscribe to Costco Amazon Prime and Netlfix. Thats it for us not even a AAA membership.

So for under $250 a year we get to stream on AMZN and NFLX. Still seems like we are getting robbed. My trash bill is like $20 a month and they come to my house with a massive dump truck every...single...week. Thats right trash collection is cheaper than streaming and although not complaining its kind of ridiculous at the same time.

 

[someguy]

In a similar boat to you. Sling Blue was attractive at $30/mo but the sports and movie video is jerky (due to 30fps I believe). Trying YTTV now -- IMO the DVR interface and the easy of finding and recording related items is far superior to PS Vue.

Looking at Hulu TV, it looks like you have to pay for enhanced DVR if you want to be able to fast forward commercials. It looks like that might be $10/mo additional.

Wow, I would not have guessed $10/mo increase all at once. I'm now leaning even stronger toward YTTV.

Although I have to keep reminding myself that this includes the Hulu on-demand library at a standalone cost of $6/mo. So the live TV streaming is theoretically $49/mo, essentially same as YTTV.

But how much value will we actually derive from the on-demand library? We didn't subscribe previously. So probably not much.

Bad timing too... right when half a million PSV subscribers are weighing their options.

With PBS coming to YTTV (a pretty big deal for us), plus the now lower price, plus a faster/simpler interface, no DVR storage limits... looks like YTTV will be the choice for us.

 

[timo2]

So I threw in the cord cutting towel for now. I'm going to wait out the big streaming competition coming over the next two years to see how it plays out (I will keep my netflix for now). I signed up with Dish 120+ for $69/mo ($99 for me with hopper, and other add ons) for two years (with free redzone this year). Dish 120+ is sports friendly, and I've been having trouble finding an appropriate sports streaming service. I liked FUBO the best, and almost signed up with that, but it was missing a specific channel that DW says is a deal breaker. It's been a long time since I actually had a contract, but it saved almost $40/month for the same package without a contract.

This USA Today article matches my feelings. "Too much: Why the streaming wars between Apple, Disney, HBO and more are ruining TV".."Television is no longer easy entertainment delivered directly to our living rooms. Instead, it's become one more thing we have to “keep up with.”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/ente...deh2t6a1mpewIiH0IRUSwx0qT2dn8WzhtPvorRa2xQXWs

 

[Ronstar]

I just finished phase I of my cord cutting - eliminated one cable box by swapping my exercise room tv box for a fire stick. Easy decision - it works out to be a 1.5 month payback.

But my next phase is turning out to not be cost effective. I pay $6.99 a month extra for my workshop tv. So far, the best solution I have to cut that cord is Moca and fire stick that will cost me around $180. That works out to be a payback of more than 25 months. And I'm not sure whether the tv reception would be that great. So I'm going to stay as is on this phase.

 

[Katsmeow]

YTTV v. Hulu Live

PS Vue user here and considering YTTV v. Hulu Live. YTTV is less money although the in demand library on Hulu LIve is attractive. But, Hulu Live is expensive if you add in being able to stream more than 2 devices at once (we have 3 people in the house right now) and if get the $10 DVR add on per month so you can fast forward commercials.

My big issue is on being able to Fast Forward through commercials on DVR'ed materials. I have 2 questions for current users:

1. YTTV says that if the channel provides on demand content that will replace your DVR'd content and you won't be able to fast forward through commercial. That is an issue for me. The main channels that I would DVR would be:

MSNBC
HGTV
Food Network.

Does YTTV replace DVR content on those channels with on demand content? If so, can you opt to use the DVR content instead? If no, and you have to use the on demand content can you FF through commercials.

2. Hulu Live says you can't FF through commercials with the free DVR but if you spend $10 a month for the enhanced DVR content you can. If you spend that $10 can you fast forward through everything that you DVR or do you have the same problem with on demand content replacing the DVR where you can't fast forward?

 

[REWahoo]

Dammit!!! Three days after we subscribed...

However, we were already paying $54.99/mo for Vue, so I guess I shouldn't complain. And I guess I should've expected at least $5 since YTTV is already at $50/mo (and DTVNow is more?), but I'm not switching to YTTV if I can avoid it. YMMV

Looks like those of us enjoying the flexible, contract-free, low cost benefits of streaming will soon have to kiss low cost goodbye.

I won't be paying the increase as my last Hulu+ payment will be at the end of this month. I was planning on dropping Hulu+Live the end of December, using a month of Sling Orange to stream the final bowl games of the season. I can get programming via an antenna and have a DVR to record OTA shows. In January we will probably sign up for Philo to go along with our one year subscriptions to Acorn and Prime.

When football season rolls around next Sept I'll take a look at what streaming service offers the best option. I expect a lot of changes/price increases between now and then.

 

[someguy]

I, too, am very interested in this question. Back in the day, PS Vue was the only one with "true" DVR where you could choose the DVR or the on-demand version and you could FF through any part of any DVR recording.

PS Vue user here and considering YTTV v. Hulu Live. YTTV is less money although the in demand library on Hulu LIve is attractive. But, Hulu Live is expensive if you add in being able to stream more than 2 devices at once (we have 3 people in the house right now) and if get the $10 DVR add on per month so you can fast forward commercials.

My big issue is on being able to Fast Forward through commercials on DVR'ed materials. I have 2 questions for current users:

1. YTTV says that if the channel provides on demand content that will replace your DVR'd content and you won't be able to fast forward through commercial. That is an issue for me. The main channels that I would DVR would be:

MSNBC
HGTV
Food Network.

Does YTTV replace DVR content on those channels with on demand content? If so, can you opt to use the DVR content instead? If no, and you have to use the on demand content can you FF through commercials.

2. Hulu Live says you can't FF through commercials with the free DVR but if you spend $10 a month for the enhanced DVR content you can. If you spend that $10 can you fast forward through everything that you DVR or do you have the same problem with on demand content replacing the DVR where you can't fast forward?

 

[Midpack]

2. Hulu Live says you can't FF through commercials with the free DVR but if you spend $10 a month for the enhanced DVR content you can. If you spend that $10 can you fast forward through everything that you DVR or do you have the same problem with on demand content replacing the DVR where you can't fast forward?

FWIW we only have 3 days experience with Hulu Live and standard 50 hour DVR, but we’ve DVR’d several programs and we were able to FF at will thru program content and commercials. Permits X2, X4, X16 or X32 and even shows frames so you know when commercials are over to resume play. I’ve read the same things that led me to believe we wouldn’t be able to FF without paying for the enhanced DVR?

Of course we can’t FF at all with Hulu on-demand content BUT many on-demand programs have far fewer ads than live, 1/2 to 2/3rds less than the original live versions.

 

[statsman]

When football season rolls around next Sept I'll take a look at what streaming service offers the best option. I expect a lot of changes/price increases between now and then.

With the changes we kept hearing about, like PS Vue disappearing, we decided to bite the bullet and re-up for another year of AT&T U-verse (U300 package - pretty much every non-premium station they offer and my wife wants).

Wangled for $75/mo (plus taxes) for U300 TV service, 350-400 hrs HD DVR, and two rooms. Opting for this package saves us $10/mo on our 1 GB Internet service. Not sure we'll have this type of deal with AT&T next year.

As you said, maybe by next year we'll have some idea which direction the streaming services are going.

 

[MissMolly]

FWIW we only have 3 days experience with Hulu Live and standard 50 hour DVR, but we’ve DVR’d several programs and we were able to FF at will thru program content and commercials. Permits X2, X4, X16 or X32 and even shows frames so you know when commercials are over to resume play. I’ve read the same things that led me to believe we wouldn’t be able to FF without paying for the enhanced DVR?

Of course we can’t FF at all with Hulu on-demand content BUT many on-demand programs have far fewer ads than live, 1/2 to 2/3rds less than the original live versions.

I don't have Hulu+ Live. I have just the Hulu on-demand and I fast forward through it all the time.

 

[pb4uski]

Our HOA has another year left in their cable TV contract... its actualy a pretty good deal... $36/month for basic cable in HD... but since I'm ony here to use it for 6 months for us it is more like $72/month. So I'm hoping that we let the contract expire and let owners go it alone.

Even if streaming is $60/month at least I can turn it off when I'm not here so I'll still come out a little ahead.