Update on Cord Cutting (Cable TV) 2017 - 2020

[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.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

[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/enter...htPvorRa2xQXWs

[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]

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]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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

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.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsmeow 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]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsmeow 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]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo 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]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack 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.

[explanade]

Any of the services streaming 5.1?

[Osprey]

When we got the email on Hulu live increasing to $54.99 a month, I considered switching back to ATT Directv Now but a wall street journal article yesterday on the Hulu price increase stated that last month ATT announced a Direct Now price increase from $50 to $65 a month making the Hulu increase look reasonable. So gonna stick with Hulu for now.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/hulu-is..._copyURL_share

[Cobra9777]

Quote:

Originally Posted by explanade Any of the services streaming 5.1?

The Streamable has a page with various audio and video specs for each of the major live streaming services. This is what they say about audio:

Quote:

Most of the services have stereo sound on their streaming channels. DIRECTV NOW has added Dolby Digital 5.1 on many live channels and DVR recording on select devices like Apple TV 4K and Fire TV. Other services have some on demand content with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound on select devices (PlayStation Vue, YouTube TV, and Sling TV).

Personally, I've yet to run across an on-demand program with 5.1 surround sound during 2 years of using PS Vue. Same during my recent free trials of YTTV and Hulu.

Most content on Netflix and Amazon Prime includes surround sound.

[Rustic23]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsmeow MSNBC HGTV Food Network.

I just checked my YTTV,

HGTV ski commercials
Food Network skip commercials

Never watch or record MSNBC

I believe CBS is the biggest culprit when it comes to replacing shows with DVR you can not fast forward through. There may be others, but CBS is the worst.

[ncbill]

Since Disney+ is now available (paid ~$140 for 3 years) I'll just cancel Netflix when my "free" year (bought someone else's promo) ends early 2020.

No need to subscribe to all streaming services all at once...with an attic antenna all broadcast networks are free for me, and with my Tivo Roamio all commercials are easily skipped.

Next week I'll sign up for ESPN+ for a game I want to watch...then I'll cancel before the free trial ends.

[RunningBum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rustic23 I believe CBS is the biggest culprit when it comes to replacing shows with DVR you can not fast forward through. There may be others, but CBS is the worst.

Yes, that's what I find. If I start watching CBS from the start while the show is recording, I can FF thru commercials. I think I can still do it even after the show is over as long as I watch that evening. The next day or anything after, I get some commercials that I can't stream through. None of the other networks are like this.

I haven't recorded anything from the other channels asked about.

[Doribe]

I finally took the plunge. The old TV kicked the bucket so we splurged for a new smart TV. I hooked up the antennae and added a dual Tablo ($149 at Best Buy). I live in the Chicago area so I can pull in all the major networks and a lot of other channels that I probably won't watch. I have extra hard drives to use with the Tablo. I haven't recorded since the VHS days since I could get shows with Comcast's On Demand. I might record one or two shows. I pay for Netflix, Amazon Prime, and PBS Passport.

The hold up was DH's wish to watch Comedy Central which he seems to be over. We are still figuring out the sports. The Cubs have gone rogue so I don't know what will happen with them next year. I believe we can get football one way or another. We have a son that seems to always know how to stream football.

Comcast bill starting $199/mo -> ending $100/mo for internet, home security, and taxes.

I was getting scared we were tuning into my FIL who used a dialup and got to the point that he couldn't handle the change.

[mountainsoft]

My mom is in an assisted living that does not provide any cable TV service. Indoor TV antennas could only pull in one or two stations at her location. She signed up with Comcast when she moved in, but it has just gotten more and more expensive over the last couple years. It already irked me that she had to pay a $10 sports fee when she doesn't watch sports, now they moved her favorite Turner Classic Movies to a sports package that costs another $10. The cost is getting up to $125 a month which is ridiculous for someone with a limited income who only watches 5 or 6 channels.

I looked at FuboTV and YouTube TV, both of which carry TCM and the other channels she likes. She has a really hard time with technology so the simpler the better. I liked FuboTV but the picture quality wasn't as good as YouTube TV. Fubo let me rearrange channels but I couldn't hide sports channels completely. I like that I can hide unwanted channels in YouTube TV and rearrange them in the guide. FuboTV was certainly easier to sign up for and configure on her Roku, but YouTubeTV was easier to manage from the mobile app once everything is up and running.

I wish there was a way to hide the "home" screen in YouTubeTV, or at least let the guide be the default screen when the Roku App opens up.

Anyway, I set her up with a month of YouTubeTV to see if she can adapt to it. It would be half the price of what she is paying for cable, but she doesn't like change. I spent yesterday trying to train her and have her practice using it, but I have a feeling she'll say it's too hard to use and go back to her cable service.

[pb4uski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rustic23 I just checked my YTTV, HGTV ski commercials Food Network skip commercials Never watch or record MSNBC I believe CBS is the biggest culprit when it comes to replacing shows with DVR you can not fast forward through. There may be others, but CBS is the worst.

Talk about skipping commercials... when we got to the winter condo and upgraded to a Xfinity DVR for the winter we noticed that it has a neat new feature that it didn't have last year... when watching many (but not all) recorded shows and looking at the recording timeline... the timeline is blue for the show and gold for commercials... when you get to a comercial and hit fast forward (or FF 4 times) it automatically fast forwards to the end of the commercial break and resumes the program... similar to Auto-Hop on our Dish DVR.

[MissMolly]

Tablo upgraded their software earlier this year so now you don't have to fast forward through commercials any longer. They are just automatically filtered out by the software (provided you enable that option). You only have to enable the option once and it then it works for all recorded OTA shows.