Update on Cord Cutting (Cable TV) - 2021 version

[statsman]

I need some advice from Sling TV subscribers using a Roku device. I rarely watch TV, and I haven't been using their cloud DVR. DW is the opposite. She watches quite a bit of TV, and nearly all of her shows are recorded on the DVR.

Occasionally, she is watching a recording and will say something like "you should watch this." She will then skip forward in the recording using the fast-forward button. Nearly every time she does this, when she stops the fast-forwarding, she could be anywhere. Near the end of the commercials she is trying to skip. Part way into the next segment. Part way into the *previous* segment. It is maddening to watch her skip around recordings like this.

Isn't there a 30-second skip forward and maybe a 15-second skip backward feature with the Sling DVR using the Roku remote? This may have nothing to do with the Sling DVR and everything to do with how to use the Roku remote.

There is little information on this I could find in my searches, other than a single YouTube video (that has been released on at least three different YT channels) showing that you can hit the pause button, and from there you tap the forward button once to skip forward 30 seconds. The video shows a thumbnail skip. Is that still how it works?

 

[YB88]

My wife and I moved recently and neighbors had told me that TV reception isn't very good here, and indeed I wasn't seeing external TV antennas on any of the houses. I had been using Tivo OTA happily at my previous house, but just couldn't figure out any reasonable way to get coax from the attic (or roof) down to where our TV sits in the new place --- no reasonable way to move around in the attic in this house. The Tivo OTA (Roamio) requires a direct coax connection with the antenna.

I had an old directional antenna so I tested to see what I could receive by just setting it in the rafters in the attic and temporarily ran coax through the attic access down to my TV. Not a lot of channels received, but enough so I bought a Tablo DVR and set it just below the attic entrance, running coax down to an upper shelf in the closet where my attic access is.

I had tried Tablo some years ago and had enough issues that I returned it. Since then, a different company bought out Tablo and changed things; I still find the interface and functionality inferior to Tivo, but it was pretty inexpensive and works well enough now that I'll keep this one.

We will probably have to replace our roof(ing) in the next couple of years, so at that point I'll maybe work with the roofer to install an exterior antenna. A couple of the channels I'm getting here are weak enough that I wonder how well they'll work when wind is moving trees and heavy rain is falling, and/or if a neighbor ends up doing running some piece of equipment that causes temporary interference --- hopefully a roof mounted antenna will help there, and I'll probably go for a non-directional antenna for that and probably pick up some more channels.

For our use, a DVR is still very relevant --- we mostly watch local or non-local news, some other local content including maybe a football game occasionally. But it's primarily about getting a local news channel, so paying Youtube TV something like $80 per month just for that feels kind of ridiculous. I like time shifting and being able to fast forward through commercials. Unfortunately the Tablo only shows thumbnail images when fast forwarding through a completed recording, not one that's still being recorded. But at least it does show them, so I think we'll be content with this.

 

[pb4uski]

We have a similar setup at our house in Vermont. An antenna and Fire TV Recast OTA DVR in the attic and then the Recast in the attic "broadcasts" audio and video to our 4 tvs that are each equipped with Firesticks via our home wifi network. No need to run coax anywhere at all... a 6' lenght of coax from the attic antenna to the Fire TV Recast in the attic does the trick. (Luckily, we had a power outlet in the attic).

The other thing is that all 4 tvs have only one remote and all can watch either live TV or recorded content from the Recast and importantly, NO input or source switching is required.

DW can be watching a show in the living room, pause it, turn off that tv and walk to her she-cave and turn on the tv there and resume what she was watching.

 

[GenXguy]

Peacock Premium channels tip:

If you are using the Peacock live channels, use a Roku rather than a Fire HD, Xfinity Flex box, Android app, or computer browser.

With Roku, you can restart a Peacock show/movie on a channel to start from the beginning.

With Fire HD, Xfinity Flex, the Android app, or computer browser, there is no restart option for live channels, so you need to be there right on schedule to catch the beginning to not miss anything.

So, for example, if you are using a Roku, and you find a Hallmark movie is being shown on one of the Hallmark channels, but it's already part over, you can click the up button and choose to restart, so you can watch it from the beginning. With Fire HD or Flex, you are SOL. It works on other channels also.

Sometime since the holidays, you can now restart the content on these Peacock live channels using the Fire stick, Xfinity Flex box, and PC browser, just as I was only able to do with the Roku device when using Peacock back then.

 

[MichaelB]

BritBox is on sale right now, 3 months for $9. Sale ends 2/18

 

[swakyaby]

I feel fortunate that our home came prewired with coax cable going to the family room, 2 bedrooms, and the office. The coax ran to the outside, so we mounted a small outdoor antenna to the eve. Very happy with the OTA signal. We also have an Amazon Recast DVR that can be viewed on every TV that has a Firestick dongle.

 

[MBSC]

Effective March 30, MAX Basic with ads ($9.99) will no longer include CNN or TNT/TBS/TruTV sports (aka Bleacher Report sports). No change to the higher tiers.

According to a Reddit post, TBS has the March Madness elite 8 games on the 29th and CBS has the 30th. I can confirm the Final Four and national championship are on CBS.

Max To Keep Live Sports And News Within Standard And Premium Subscription Tiers At No Additional Cost To Consumers

Today, Max announced that the premiere sports and news content within the streaming platform, coupled with a best-in-class live viewing experience, will

press.wbd.com

 

[JoeWras]

Effective March 30, MAX Basic with ads ($9.99) will no longer include CNN or TNT/TBS/TruTV sports (aka Bleacher Report sports). No change to the higher tiers.

According to a Reddit post, TBS has the March Madness elite 8 games on the 29th and CBS has the 30th. I can confirm the Final Four and national championship are on CBS.

Max To Keep Live Sports And News Within Standard And Premium Subscription Tiers At No Additional Cost To Consumers

Today, Max announced that the premiere sports and news content within the streaming platform, coupled with a best-in-class live viewing experience, will

press.wbd.com

Uh oh. I have grandfathered Max included with AT&T fiber. I don't know what my plan tier is. I use the sports for various hockey games.

If my plan drops the sports, then it is time to potentially change internet providers. Google Fiber is cheaper. I'm fortunate to have a choice.

 

[pb4uski]

My sister recently bought a Tablo and was having issues with it and asked me to help. While it was slightly better than the Tablo that I bought and returned last summer that had to continually be reset, it wasn't much better. Horribly slow... 3-5 seconds between channels. IMO not yet ready for prime time and not near as good as Fire TV Recast.

The only mystery for me is why my two experiences with the Tablo over the last 6 months or so have been dismal and why others seem to have had good luck with it. In both cases we have fast internet connections so that's not the problem.

 

[JoeWras]

Yeah, can't help you. I've got the previous generation and it is an entirely different device. I'm happy with it. You are not alone in having issues with the latest generation.

 

[MissMolly]

I had a legacy Tablo for years and absolutely loved it. Until it conked out a few months. Now I have Gen4 Tablo and my only complaint is that occasionally the Closed Captioning doesn't work. But if I back out of the station and then reload it will start working. I just wish they had remote access on the Gen4 like they did on the legacy Tablo. They say they are working on it....

 

[Jerry1]

My sister recently bought a Tablo and was having issues with it and asked me to help. While it was slightly better than the Tablo that I bought and returned last summer that had to continually be reset, it wasn't much better. Horribly slow... 3-5 seconds between channels. IMO not yet ready for prime time and not near as good as Fire TV Recast.

The only mystery for me is why my two experiences with the Tablo over the last 6 months or so have been dismal and why others seem to have had good luck with it. In both cases we have fast internet connections so that's not the problem.

Part of issue may be your perspective. You have recast which is working very well for you. Tablo is a bit buggy, but I find it tolerable (not a glowing recommendation) but at least I have something that gives me the main thing I want from the antenna and that's to watch local news and time shift so I can watch it whenever I want.

I will say, it's a tad better lately. One of the worst things it has done is record with the video and the sound out of sync. It hasn't done that for quite awhile. Still, it is definitely slow as you navigate between channels.

 

[statsman]

Uh oh. I have grandfathered Max included with AT&T fiber. I don't know what my plan tier is. I use the sports for various hockey games.

I believe it is the ad-free plan w/o 4K (so, 1080p). I think those channels should remain there.

 

[HFWR]

I mostly watch youtube on my slightly smart tv. I do pay them $15/mo to avoid seeing four ads in a ten minute video. I do also have an antenna for OTA.

 

[MichaelB]

Our HOA subscribes to Comcast cable and internet, and that includes Max (originally HBO). Logging into Max always required accessing it through the Comcast account.

Last night I got kicked out of Max and could not get back in. Today I could, but Max required a separate user id and account, specific to Max and unrelated to Comcast.

I suspect this is the first step in separating the cable and streaming options and preparing to charge for each like other cable networks, such as Peacock and Paramount.

I sense a disturbance in the force.

 

[audreyh1]

Our HOA subscribes to Comcast cable and internet, and that includes Max (originally HBO). Logging into Max always required accessing it through the Comcast account.

Last night I got kicked out of Max and could not get back in. Today I could, but Max required a separate user id and account, specific to Max and unrelated to Comcast.

I suspect this is the first step in separating the cable and streaming options and preparing to charge for each like other cable networks, such as Peacock and Paramount.

I sense a disturbance in the force.

Oh boy!

I gave up on Max a while back as when they became Max and required new login credentials, they kept thinking we were not in the US. I was almost done with the subscription so dropped them and related streams.

 

[statsman]

We have Max on a grandfathered fiber Internet service (1GB+) with AT&T. Funny thing, they now charge $10/mo more for the grandfathered plan than if a neighbor signs up for the same fiber Internet service w/o Max.

Yeah, I call that a freebie!