Update on Cord Cutting (Cable TV) 2017 - 2020

[bobandsherry]

Looks like consolidation in the industry starting to happen. I'd place a big wager there will be more than within the next year.

Honestly, Sony did this to themselves, should have called their service Sony Vue, PlayStation Vue just confused people.

https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/why-did-playstation-vue-fail-we-take-a-look/

 

[Midpack]

Looks like consolidation in the industry starting to happen. I'd place a big wager there will be more than within the next year.

Honestly, Sony did this to themselves, should have called their service Sony Vue, PlayStation Vue just confused people.

https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/why-did-playstation-vue-fail-we-take-a-look/

http://www.early-retirement.org/for...d-cutting-cable-tv-87375-125.html#post2314818 Yesterday’s news.

I see that PlayStation Vue is up for sale: https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/playstation-vue-is-reportedly-up-for-sale/

Disappointed but not surprised. We’ve been happy with PS Vue, but the misunderstood name killed them. We’ll just go to Hulu Live if Vue goes away...

 

[Retiree_Having_Fun]

We are using an older SiliconDust Digital HomeRun encoder and a WNC (Windows Media Center)

After rescanning, lost our NBC and Fox which traditionally had been strong channels.

Rescanned via WMC --> tasks --> tv signal multiple times to no avail.

Then connected directly to the HomeRun with the SiliconDust and rescanned and found Fox and NBC coming in BUT at only 720P

Then looked at the support site and it suggested updating the firmware of the HomeRun and showed a lot of fixes/patches that may be related to signal issues. Did that and a rescan and now was getting NBC and Fox in 1080P and it was working via WMC.

Setup is Antenna--> SiliconDust Encoder ---> Windows Media Center

The firmware was updated by a version that was 2 years newer but my device is obsolete and the last update was 2 years ago.

You might want to be sure your TV also has the latest firmware.

 

[RonBoyd]

Speaking of devices -- and I don't mean grow lights -- I have a question about something.

What I want is something like this:..

Hey, this cord cutting is getting complicated.

I am having difficulty picturing what you are looking for. I may be lost because all of my Home Theater devices are routed via HDMI through a Yamaha AVR (RX-A3080) before outputting to the TV.

I do, however, have 10 SiliconDust tuners between the Antenna and the devices (which may or may not be needed for your desired setup) In any event, I have a Tablo Quad that does nothing but act as a DVR for local OTA broadcasts (it can be used for "live" viewing but I don't). This may be what you are looking for. https://www.tablotv.com/products/tablo-quad-ota-dvr/

I, also, have a AirTV "Dual-tuner local channel streamer" that can only display "Sling." However, the AirTV Player may be what you are looking for. https://www.airtv.net/products/airtv_player/ (Yeah, currently out-of-stock)

This is the setup guide:

1. Plug the AirTV Player power adapter into the back of the player and an electrical outlet

2. Plug the AirTV Player into the TV using the HDMI cable

3. Pair the AirTV remote to the AirTV Player

4. Select your preferred language from the drop down list

5. Connect your AirTV Player to the Internet
How to Connect Your AirTV to a Wireless Network
How to Connect Your AirTV via Ethernet

6. Follow the on screen prompts for logging in to your Google account

7. Follow the on screen prompts to setup accessibility options

8. Next, the AirTV Player will scan for connected devices and walk you through the steps to setup additional devices

9. To complete the process, sign into Sling with your account credentials or via Guest Sign Up

Also:

While AirTV Player is optimized for Sling, you don't need a Sling subscription to use it. If [however] you do decide to try Sling, you can sign up for a 7-day free trial at any time through the AirTV Player interface.

AirTV Player will work with all HDTVs through an HDMI cable.

Anyway, as I said, I may be way off base.

 

[Cobra9777]

Disappointed but not surprised. We’ve been happy with PS Vue, but the misunderstood name killed them. We’ll just go to Hulu Live if Vue goes away...

+1

We've been happy with PS Vue as well. Definitely one of the better services. We especially like the deep integration with the Fire TV platform.

But I don't think the name was as big a factor as some would suggest. Anyone who spends more than 5 minutes researching streaming options will not be confused.

A much bigger factor in their decline... I think it was about a year ago, they lost all Sinclair local broadcast stations, which affected something like 25 major markets and alienated lots of customers. That was a critical time in the highly competitive streaming market and IIRC it took several months to get them back. Then came the price increases. Today, they are the most expensive of all the streaming services and they keep pushing quality content, like the Science Channel, to more expensive packages, which is another form of price increase.

We are strongly leaning toward YouTube TV over Hulu as an alternative to PS Vue, but they both seem like OK options with various pros and cons I've talked about earlier.

 

[camfused]

Need more Brit stuff!

Britbox or Acorn?

We like Acorn better, again because of the Oz/Nz stuff.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

We like Acorn better, again because of the Oz/Nz stuff.

Haven't tried Britbox but we like Acorn a lot. In fact, it's the channel we watch the most. However, we're getting a bit saturated on crime dramas which seems to be the majority of their programming. I can't give it up though, until after Doc Martin finishes in a couple of weeks.

 

[JoeWras]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will give these a look.

 

[JoeWras]

Question about YouTube TV. I hear people are a bit cranky that sometimes they are forced to watch ads on shows they recorded.

This apparently happens if a show is also "on demand." I guess the way YTTV works is sometimes your "recording" is really just a pointer to a canned show, and if that show has an on-demand copy that you get pointed to, then you are basically playing by on-demand rules.

Thing is this doesn't always happen.

So, my question is: Do you run into this much?

 

[MichaelB]

In the news this morning. This probably explains the recent price hike. This downward spiral will be tough to break - reminiscent of the land line business decline.

AT&T lost more than 1.3 million TV customers in Q3 2019 as its nosedive in both the traditional pay-TV and online-streaming markets continued.

AT&T today reported a net loss of 1,163,000 customers in the premium TV category, which includes DirecTV satellite and U-verse wireline TV services. That number is slightly worse than the customer loss that AT&T warned investors was coming last month. AT&T today also reported a net loss of 195,000 customers of AT&T TV Now, the online streaming video service formerly known as DirecTV Now.

https://arstechnica.com/information...n-tv-customers-as-directv-freefall-continues/

 

[Midpack]

In the news this morning. This probably explains the recent price hike. This downward spiral will be tough to break - reminiscent of the land line business decline.
https://arstechnica.com/information...n-tv-customers-as-directv-freefall-continues/

Their TV strategy has been baffling lately, such that I'd never consider them for TV service. We expect to lose PS Vue soon, but AT&T won't be the replacement we select (probably Hulu Live).

We moved and switched from Comcast to AT&T internet a few months ago, and internet service is way inferior to Comcast. I'd always assumed AT&T was a top notch provider, but that impression has been quelled for me.

I'd considered changing our mobile service from Verizon to AT&T, but there's no way now.

 

[REWahoo]

I'd considered changing our mobile service from Verizon to AT&T, but there's no way now.

I wouldn't use their TV and internet performance to judge their mobile service. While I agree with your other laments about AT&T, I've found their cellular network to be very good. We've used them (Cricket) for a number of years and only once had an issue with their service.

 

[bloom2708]

Question about YouTube TV. I hear people are a bit cranky that sometimes they are forced to watch ads on shows they recorded.

This apparently happens if a show is also "on demand." I guess the way YTTV works is sometimes your "recording" is really just a pointer to a canned show, and if that show has an on-demand copy that you get pointed to, then you are basically playing by on-demand rules.

Thing is this doesn't always happen.

So, my question is: Do you run into this much?

It depends on the shows you watch. CBS has different rules. You get the commercials.

AMC (Walking Dead) I can skip forward on YTTV.

If you start recording a show that has 4 episodes out there already, you may have to watch commercials for the 4 and the 5th and onward are DVRd and you then can skip.

Each channel has its rules that the providers follow. This same thing happened on PS Vue with DVR/On Demand.

YTTV is far superior to Hulu Live. Hulu Live is a web browser interface moved to a TV. Navigation is terrible.

YTTV is so simple that is works brilliantly. Hit the back button and you have 3 options. Library, Home, Live. Your channel keeps playing and you can go back at the top of the screen.

I liked PS Vue for 3.5 years, but once YTTV was available in our area (took forever) it was a pretty easy switch. My wife who rarely used PS Vue (she used the apps for the stations she watched) has now switched to YTTV for all her viewing. It is fast and the picture quality is great.

We have Fire TV Cubes and Fire TV boxes (gen2 and up). Give the 5 day trial a shot and add your shows to the DVR/Library.

 

[RonBoyd]

Their TV strategy has been baffling lately, such that I'd never consider them for TV service.

I have more of a dilemma. We are grandfathered in to their "Live a Little" package. That's 65 networks, including HBO -- most of which we don't ever watch but some that are available nowhere else (in particular, Animal Planet). I do subscribe to Sling Blue to supplement -- NFL and Fox Sports 2 (FS2). We also subscribe to HULU, CBS All Access. Netflix, ACORN and BritBox.

My dilemma is that ATT TV NOW is currently $25 a month. Even if it is increased by the (expected) $15 a month, I still would have to (cost-wise) stay with them. If it goes higher (and it may well do so), I will have to go somewhere else. I have been comparing for a month now and find I will have great difficulty if it comes to that.

Now, having said that, another consideration is that the ATT Picture Quality is far and away better than any of the other subscriptions.

FWIW, it may seem a large number of subscriptions (and it is) but it only costs around $80 a month. (Most of the subscriptions are early-arrival discounts.) Yeah, $80 is $80 but what else can I spend it on? <chuckle>

 

[RonBoyd]

I wouldn't use their TV and internet performance to judge their mobile service. While I agree with your other laments about AT&T, I've found their cellular network to be very good. We've used them (Cricket) for a number of years and only once had an issue with their service.

I agree. We gave up on Verizon about five years ago and went to AT&T. We have not had a single issue with AT&T in all that time no matter where we were. (Well, there are places (Nevada & Wyoming for instance) where there is "No Service" but that is rare.

 

[Livefree]

It depends on the shows you watch. CBS has different rules. You get the commercials.

AMC (Walking Dead) I can skip forward on YTTV.

If you start recording a show that has 4 episodes out there already, you may have to watch commercials for the 4 and the 5th and onward are DVRd and you then can skip.

Each channel has its rules that the providers follow. This same thing happened on PS Vue with DVR/On Demand.

YTTV is far superior to Hulu Live. Hulu Live is a web browser interface moved to a TV. Navigation is terrible.

YTTV is so simple that is works brilliantly. Hit the back button and you have 3 options. Library, Home, Live. Your channel keeps playing and you can go back at the top of the screen.

I liked PS Vue for 3.5 years, but once YTTV was available in our area (took forever) it was a pretty easy switch. My wife who rarely used PS Vue (she used the apps for the stations she watched) has now switched to YTTV for all her viewing. It is fast and the picture quality is great.

We have Fire TV Cubes and Fire TV boxes (gen2 and up). Give the 5 day trial a shot and add your shows to the DVR/Library.

Does YTTV now work with the Fire Stick? I thought you needed something else like a Roku?

 

[RunningBum]

Does YTTV now work with the Fire Stick? I thought you needed something else like a Roku?

Within the last month or so it became available on Fire Stick.

 

[Livefree]

It depends on the shows you watch. CBS has different rules. You get the commercials.

AMC (Walking Dead) I can skip forward on YTTV.

If you start recording a show that has 4 episodes out there already, you may have to watch commercials for the 4 and the 5th and onward are DVRd and you then can skip.

Each channel has its rules that the providers follow. This same thing happened on PS Vue with DVR/On Demand.

YTTV is far superior to Hulu Live. Hulu Live is a web browser interface moved to a TV. Navigation is terrible.

YTTV is so simple that is works brilliantly. Hit the back button and you have 3 options. Library, Home, Live. Your channel keeps playing and you can go back at the top of the screen.

I liked PS Vue for 3.5 years, but once YTTV was available in our area (took forever) it was a pretty easy switch. My wife who rarely used PS Vue (she used the apps for the stations she watched) has now switched to YTTV for all her viewing. It is fast and the picture quality is great.

We have Fire TV Cubes and Fire TV boxes (gen2 and up). Give the 5 day trial a shot and add your shows to the DVR/Library.

Within the last month or so it became available on Fire Stick.

Good to know. My town has it's own service provider, and it's going away in December.


I will probably do trials of PS VUE and YTTV to see which is better for us.

 

[camfused]

I wouldn't use their TV and internet performance to judge their mobile service. While I agree with your other laments about AT&T, I've found their cellular network to be very good. We've used them (Cricket) for a number of years and only once had an issue with their service.

+1. We have been on Cricket for years. Works great. Still milking the 4 lines, unlimited everything, for $100 total.

 

[bloom2708]

Within the last month or so it became available on Fire Stick.

Just check your versions of Fire Stick and Fire TV Box.

The first gen stick and box are not compatible. We had one first gen Fire TV Box in the stable. YTTV was not available to install in the app list.

I updated that one to the new Fire TV Cube. Man is it fast.

The Gen1 and Gen2 Cube can control your TV power and SoundBar.

I say, "Alexa, turn on the soundbar". Now lights in the rooms and TV/soundbar are all "Alex-able".

 

[Midpack]

Good to know. My town has it's own service provider, and it's going away in December.


I will probably do trials of PS VUE and YTTV to see which is better for us.

We love PS Vue, but it just went up for sale, so I wouldn't even try it even though it's no contract. Even I wouldn't recommend it for a new user now.

We'll go to Hulu Live if/when Vue goes away, but only because YTTV is Google, and I avoid anything Google as much as possible due to their ever more aggressive privacy/data mining practices.

 

[Scrapr]

I have more of a dilemma. We are grandfathered in to their "Live a Little" package. That's 65 networks, including HBO -- most of which we don't ever watch but some that are available nowhere else (in particular, Animal Planet). I do subscribe to Sling Blue to supplement -- NFL and Fox Sports 2 (FS2). We also subscribe to HULU, CBS All Access. Netflix, ACORN and BritBox.

You get Fox sports on Sling On my feed it was dropped right before the MLB playoffs. I think I have Sling Orange with Sports Extra package. $35 or $40/mo

 

[bobandsherry]

We love PS Vue, but it just went up for sale, so I wouldn't even try it even though it's no contract. Even I wouldn't recommend it for a new user now.

We'll go to Hulu Live if/when Vue goes away, but only because YTTV is Google, and I avoid anything Google as much as possible due to their ever more aggressive privacy/data mining practices.

Sony no longer looking to sell, just plans now to shut service down.

https://blog.us.playstation.com/201...e-entertainment-to-shut-down-playstation-vue/

 

[Carpediem]

PS Vue user here so I'll be looking to switch. Does Amazon Fire TV/stick work with Youtube TV yet?

 

[REWahoo]

PS Vue user here so I'll be looking to switch. Does Amazon Fire TV/stick work with Youtube TV yet?

Does YTTV now work with the Fire Stick? I thought you needed something else like a Roku?

Within the last month or so it became available on Fire Stick.

Just check your versions of Fire Stick and Fire TV Box.

The first gen stick and box are not compatible. We had one first gen Fire TV Box in the stable. YTTV was not available to install in the app list.

...