Update on Cord Cutting (Cable TV) - 2021 version

[PaunchyPirate]

Recently, Sling TV changed their DVR Plus add-on from 200 hours to unlimited hours. We were figuring it was about time compared to other live TV streaming services.

My DW just noticed that this wasn't the only change to the DVR Plus add-on. Seems the recordings, which used to stick around indefinitely (unless you ran out of DVR space), are now kept for eight months.

For most people, this isn't a huge problem and probably worth the trade-off for the extra space. For DW, who has several concerts recorded from AXS-TV and a few movies that haven't appeared for quite some time, this is annoying.

For Sling TV subscribers with recordings older than eight months, those recording we believe were given a 14 day window before they disappear. Right now, DW has over 10 recordings that will be deleted by Sling in six days.

Does rewatching them restart the clock? or allow you to answer "do you still wish to keep this?" after watching it again.

 

[DayDreaming]

Sooo, got my new Samsung and it has its own 'network'... I am really surprised that I can stream a LOT of content, including local stations...

I do not see how I can record them, but hope that is an option as I would get rid of DISH...

I had a Samsung TV for a couple of years before I discovered it's own "TV Plus" lineup and now I watch it quite a bit. It's great for watching the news, cooking shows, and I never get tired of watching the This Old House channel..

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

Sooo, got my new Samsung and it has its own 'network'... I am really surprised that I can stream a LOT of content, including local stations...

I do not see how I can record them, but hope that is an option as I would get rid of DISH...

I think pretty much all smart TV's brands now come with their own live streaming channels and some include on demand as well. I have Roku TV's and on some channels I get the option to restart the show if I'm jumping in halfway through which is a really nice feature. When you say local stations I'm assuming you don't mean the networks unless you have an antenna attached? I do and they are all integrated in the TV guide which is great. There is so much free content out there I haven't paid for cable or satellite TV since 2013

 

[statsman]

Does rewatching them restart the clock? or allow you to answer "do you still wish to keep this?" after watching it again.

It doesn't. I am unable to find a way to extend those recordings. They will be deleted in five days, as of this morning. DW can try and find the next time they are broadcast again, but as it is, she hasn't seen them in the schedule for well over a year. It's the reason she has kept them in the DVR.

 

[MichaelB]

My 2 months trial of Paramount Plus ended so I logged in to cancel. They offered me a one month extension for free, so I accepted, mostly because we have snowbird visitors who might be interested. I’ll cancel before the term is up, not really much on Paramount that interests us.

I think the single channel broadcast streamers are doomed and won’t be around much longer in their present format.

 

[Texas Proud]

I think pretty much all smart TV's brands now come with their own live streaming channels and some include on demand as well. I have Roku TV's and on some channels I get the option to restart the show if I'm jumping in halfway through which is a really nice feature. When you say local stations I'm assuming you don't mean the networks unless you have an antenna attached? I do and they are all integrated in the TV guide which is great. There is so much free content out there I haven't paid for cable or satellite TV since 2013

My Samsung has my local TV stations without an antenna... I think when you sign up they know where you live and stream them on your account..

 

[Jerry1]

My Samsung has my local TV stations without an antenna... I think when you sign up they know where you live and stream them on your account..

I find this hard to believe. Are you sure? Are they local network stations live broadcast? Both my TV's are Samsung and I do appreciate their streaming services, but I do not see the ability to view live local stations. Now they do have network channels, but they are not the same as what we get with an antenna. They tend to be things like an ABC news or weather channel.

 

[foxcreek9]

I find this hard to believe. Are you sure? Are they local network stations live broadcast? Both my TV's are Samsung and I do appreciate their streaming services, but I do not see the ability to view live local stations. Now they do have network channels, but they are not the same as what we get with an antenna. They tend to be things like an ABC news or weather channel.

Local News live broadcast

https://www.samsungtvplus.com/assets/STVP_Channel-List.pdf

 

[Jerry1]

Local News live broadcast

https://www.samsungtvplus.com/assets/STVP_Channel-List.pdf

Yes. But those channels are not the same as the live broadcast station. They are the live local news, which is a good deal, but not the other airings.

 

[m3bs]

My listings do not include the “local” channels 1120-1129.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

My Samsung has my local TV stations without an antenna... I think when you sign up they know where you live and stream them on your account..

So last question on this, I promise. Do you get the TV network shows as well as the network news? Using ABC7 Los Angeles as an example I get all the local news channels in the morning 4 5 and 6 am on my Antenna and also on the Roku streaming channel 4106 then they replay them for 3 hours while my antenna is bringing in Good Morning America, Live With Kelly And Mark and then The View. At 11.00 am both the streaming channel and the antenna channel have the 11.00am news. Antenna then plays GMA3, Tamron Hall and General Hospital while the Digital streaming channel 4106 reruns the earlier news shows. That's the difference between the two versions of ABC as I understand it so I'm curious what you actually get with the Samsung TV.

 

[Texas Proud]

I cannot say for sure as I do not look at them on the Samsung app... I use my Dish...

But from what I see, yes... it is the same channel that is OTA so you see everything...

I just do not know if you can record any of the shows... or stream them later if you miss them... I hardly watch anything live anymore... even sports... you can start a football game an hour late and still see the end live..

 

[Momcpa]

A question about TV PLUS on Roku. When I add the app, it wants me to register, and that's okay with me BUT the registration screen is in Spanish. That doesn't work for me. Is there a way to change the language to sign in?

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

I just downloaded it as well and same thing. I seem to recall seeing somewhere that the Samsung app is no longer available. I'm deleting the 2 apps that I just downloaded.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

Try PlutoTV, Tubi TV and Roku LiveTV. they're all about the same. They all have live streaming channels and you'll get your local network news channels live and then replayed throughout the day. If you try hooking up an antenna you may be able to get the networks over the air depending on your location. I added a cheap flat inside antenna to each TV and I get 50 channels including most of the Los Angeles networks. A local guy in town rebroadcasts these over the TV translator tower.

 

[GenXguy]

Try PlutoTV, Tubi TV and Roku LiveTV. they're all about the same. They all have live streaming channels and you'll get your local network news channels live and then replayed throughout the day. If you try hooking up an antenna you may be able to get the networks over the air depending on your location. I added a cheap flat inside antenna to each TV and I get 50 channels including most of the Los Angeles networks. A local guy in town rebroadcasts these over the TV translator tower.

I also like that some of those streaming channels allow you to restart a program from the beginning. One thing I like about Sling Freestream is that it even allows me to restart news channels, which I can't do with Pluto. Plus it has a limited free DVR service. But I prefer the overall channels selection of Pluto.

I have an antenna in the attic myself for the main broadcast networks, which I first did just prior to cutting the Comcast cord many years back. I had to more recently change from a VHF to UHF antennas when the two broadcasters serving those networks changed to UHF just weeks apart.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

I keep forgetting about Sling Freestream, I need to download and try it. I'm not sure I'd use it but the free limited DVR service is a definite bonus to anyone that would use it.

 

[JoeWras]

Superbowl is on Tubi, free. Looks pretty good. My OTA glitches a bit so this is a good alternative .

 

[GenXguy]

I'm time shifting with my home theater PC DVR from antenna. No commercials or half time for me.

 

[JoeWras]

So we shouldn't tell you about the <censored >?

 

[AudiDudi]

Free on FOX OTA - works for me. Team XXX needs to get in gear

 

[JoeWras]

Team XXX stripped the gears and threw a rod or two.

Tubi was surprisingly reliable.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Team XXX stripped the gears and threw a rod or two.

Tubi was surprisingly reliable.

Tubi was streamed in 4K HDR and was maybe one second behind Fox's broadcast on Xfinity Cable. It was fantastic.

 

[wmc1000]

I had a Samsung TV for a couple of years before I discovered it's own "TV Plus" lineup and now I watch it quite a bit. It's great for watching the news, cooking shows, and I never get tired of watching the This Old House channel..

If you don't have a Samsung tv nut do have a Samsung phone you can get the app on the phone and stream to the tv if it has the google tv interface

 

[JoeWras]

Tubi was streamed in 4K HDR and was maybe one second behind Fox's broadcast on Xfinity Cable. It was fantastic.

What is so interesting is that Tubi is available free to everyone, and they handled the big event just fine.

Netflix failed their paid subscriber base during November's boxing fiasco.

Which is surprising, because Netflix was the gold standard of chaos testing. Back when I w*rked, we held up their "chaos monkey" method in high regard.