Streaming Services

[Kyle 207]

Who is exhausted of managing myriad streaming services and longing for a single place to access everything on TV? 

[Pablo 494]

you mean like cable tv?

seriously, though, yes, I agree.

 

[TwiceHorn 31434]

I still have premium cable because the various online tv services never quite fit the bill or created a value proposition for me, and with the recent price increases, that is doubly so.  This is primarily because Charter/Spectrum never raised the price on a 10-year old package.

Still, we use Netflix, Amazon Prime, and the various online cable channel counterparts (as sort of on-demand ultra) to supplement cable.  I'm pretty technologically adept, but for the most part, I prefer turning on the cable and selecting something from the onscreen guide to opening up an app or a website, scrolling/searching through the various awkward interfaces and trying to select a gem from among the dreck.  Most of the time, we are inspired to watch something by seeing it halfway through on the cable guide, or from recommendations right here on the surl and we go in search of one specific show.  And it's still kind of a pain in the ass.  

Edited April 12, 2021 by TwiceHorn

[BonzoMontreaux 1036]

26 minutes ago, Pablo said:

you mean like cable tv?

seriously, though, yes, I agree.

 

Or PS Vue?  I think this was the best service out there until Sony shut it down.  I recall it checked all the necessary boxes for me especially for LHN and FSSW.

 

[Pablo 494]

23 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

I still have premium cable because the various online tv services never quite fit the bill or created a value proposition for me, and with the recent price increases, that is doubly so.  This is primarily because Charter/Spectrum never raised the price on a 10-year old package.

Still, we use Netflix, Amazon Prime, and the various online cable channel counterparts (as sort of on-demand ultra) to supplement cable.  I'm pretty technologically adept, but for the most part, I prefer turning on the cable and selecting something from the onscreen guide to opening up an app or a website, scrolling/searching through the various awkward interfaces and trying to select a gem from among the dreck.  Most of the time, we are inspired to watch something by seeing it halfway through on the cable guide, or from recommendations right here on the surl and we go in search of one specific show.  And it's still kind of a pain in the ass.  

I agree with you there and if it weren't for Sportsurge, I'd probably be paying for AT&T streaming package again to get Astros games. 

I've tried:

YouTube TV

Hulu TV

AT&T NOW,

Sling

Philo

Paramount+

Peacock+

I hated Hulu and Sling's TV interfaces, Peacock+ is pretty terrible, too. 

YouTube TV and AT&T seemed to be the most easily usable.

As of now, i'm only subscribed to Peacock+ and HBO Max, and only Max because its included with my AT&T 1000 service.

[TrashMaster G 17536]

I am so torn on this topic... I still have cable (Spectrum) and it's ridiculously expensive.  In addition I am paying for Netflix, Amazon Prime (which I would have anyway), Apple and Disney+.  

I cannot do without local tv/networks and the ESPN and Fox...we, uh Bally Sports channels.  I have a friend who has YouTube TV and the interface/menu setup on her tv is a fucking beating.  Fuck any setup where I cannot just punch in channel numbers and go right to where I want to go.

I need a cheaper solution, but it needs desperately to not suck.

[A-Tex Devil 2446]

I've found the AppleTV app on Apple to be pretty good for aggregating other than Netflix.  Nothing is going to replace channel flipping, though.  

[seven 1367]

No, I don't have any problem with navigating streaming services. What exactly are you having trouble with? 

[NoName 16349]

46 minutes ago, TrashMaster G said:

I am so torn on this topic... I still have cable (Spectrum) and it's ridiculously expensive.  In addition I am paying for Netflix, Amazon Prime (which I would have anyway), Apple and Disney+.  

I cannot do without local tv/networks and the ESPN and Fox...we, uh Bally Sports channels.  I have a friend who has YouTube TV and the interface/menu setup on her tv is a fucking beating.  Fuck any setup where I cannot just punch in channel numbers and go right to where I want to go.

I need a cheaper solution, but it needs desperately to not suck.

that is literally any and all streaming setups since they are app based?

If you have Google TV you just say "play ESPN" and it jumps straight to it.

the setup for YTTV is great if you have a Google TV (exclusive to that i think) but it is fine if you have Roku. the ones that are native to TVs suck almost across the board.

idk how you can say you want something that doesn't suck but then you have Spectrum?

[seven 1367]

6 minutes ago, NoName said:

that is literally any and all streaming setups since they are app based?

If you have Google TV you just say "play ESPN" and it jumps straight to it.

the setup for YTTV is great if you have a Google TV (exclusive to that i think) but it is fine if you have Roku. the ones that are native to TVs suck almost across the board.

idk how you can say you want something that doesn't suck but then you have Spectrum?

Backed by the power of big data yttv already knows what you want to watch anyway. I've never turned it on to watch something specific and it wasn't already in one of the 3 suggested channels. 

[TrashMaster G 17536]

6 minutes ago, NoName said:

that is literally any and all streaming setups since they are app based?

If you have Google TV you just say "play ESPN" and it jumps straight to it.

the setup for YTTV is great if you have a Google TV (exclusive to that i think) but it is fine if you have Roku. the ones that are native to TVs suck almost across the board.

idk how you can say you want something that doesn't suck but then you have Spectrum?

I have a Roku tv.  It's fine for streaming.

I want to have an on-screen guide that shows channel/program/episode info, going out several days minimum.  I want to be able to search for shows and set series to record to my DVR.  Those points are all non-negotiable for me.

[seven 1367]

Yttv does all that (but doesn't have bally sports) 

[NoName 16349]

17 minutes ago, TrashMaster G said:

I have a Roku tv.  It's fine for streaming.

I want to have an on-screen guide that shows channel/program/episode info, going out several days minimum.  I want to be able to search for shows and set series to record to my DVR.  Those points are all non-negotiable for me.

Youtube TV has this exact option. I think you can go up to like a week out?

Their search is about a million times better than any cable/dish search. their "similar shows" is also excellent.

If you want to be able to turn on a TV to channel 12 then good luck, you will never get that with a cord cutting experience. If you want to turn on your device and say "play Top Chef" or "play ESPN2" and have it work, then you can have that experience.

[TrashMaster G 17536]

7 minutes ago, NoName said:

Youtube TV has this exact option. I think you can go up to like a week out?

Their search is about a million times better than any cable/dish search. their "similar shows" is also excellent.

If you want to be able to turn on a TV to channel 12 then good luck, you will never get that with a cord cutting experience. If you want to turn on your device and say "play Top Chef" or "play ESPN2" and have it work, then you can have that experience.

Hmm.  The YouTube tv interface that I have seen was not like this at all.  It's maddening.  Every time I turn on the guide, it's displaying the beginning of the channel list (local stations).  I page down 17 times to get to TNT, TBS, etc and click on a live show to watch - there are no channel numbers for me to punch in a number and quickly advance down the 17 pages in the guide to see that same section of channels, because when I am on TNT and bring the guide back up, I am at the top of the list again, looking at current listings for the networks.

[Dilligas 666]

I’ve had YoutubeTV since I told AT&T and Direct TV to suck it. I know you can go online and rearrange where channels are located but like someone else said my regular watching choices are shown on the Home Screen. I’ve also just recently noticed the channel lineup shows up on my Home Screen for Fire.

[immamac 42832]

If you don't have a google tv or apple tv you are doing it wrong. Chromecast is great if you have all the apps on your phone and don't mind having to have your phone be your remote. I have nvidia shields everywhere and it's awesome. 

[MNLonghornFUKM 8817]

Yttv is close to basically getting cable again and having bally and no sports delay


I’ve steamed since 2016 with vue and direct TV now paying 35 a month. It’s up to 69 now.

[atomheartbevo 89618]

5 hours ago, Kyle said:

Who is exhausted of managing myriad streaming services and longing for a single place to access everything on TV? 

On the one hand, I am.

On the other hand, I'm paying on a monthly basis:

• Netflix - $14 a month 
• Hulu - $2 a month (Paid for by the year)
• Peacock - Free
• Paramount+ - $4 (Paid for by the year)
• HBOMax - $12? (Paid for by 6-month chunks)
• Disney+ - $5? (Paid for by the year)
• Amazon Prime (consider it free, as it is not why we subscribe to Prime)
• YouTube - Free (not premium or anything, but there's always something I will watch on there)

So around $40 a month for a shitload more content, where we used to pay almost $200 for cable TV.

Yeah, not much sports, and no LHN, but when we get closer to CFB season, I'll look at options.

It's not what I wanted 10 or so years ago when we started streaming a lot, when I hoped that there'd be one place for everything, but oh well.

[MC Fresh Breath 4074]

Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney +  and regular/free Youtube covers it for my family.  The occasional rent/buy on itunes for apple.tv.   Add in MLB.tv for me, and we're set.  

 

[atomheartbevo 89618]

Oh and I have AppleTV, but not paying for it, came free with a device.

[Colonel Sanders 1336]

3 hours ago, TrashMaster G said:

Hmm.  The YouTube tv interface that I have seen was not like this at all.  It's maddening.  Every time I turn on the guide, it's displaying the beginning of the channel list (local stations).  I page down 17 times to get to TNT, TBS, etc and click on a live show to watch - there are no channel numbers for me to punch in a number and quickly advance down the 17 pages in the guide to see that same section of channels, because when I am on TNT and bring the guide back up, I am at the top of the list again, looking at current listings for the networks.

You can put the channels in any order you want.  You just have to log into your account on a computer.  That it goes back up to the top instead of the channel you're on while surfing is frustrating though.

[Macklemore 2876]

4 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

I still have premium cable because the various online tv services never quite fit the bill or created a value proposition for me, and with the recent price increases, that is doubly so.  This is primarily because Charter/Spectrum never raised the price on a 10-year old package.

Still, we use Netflix, Amazon Prime, and the various online cable channel counterparts (as sort of on-demand ultra) to supplement cable.  I'm pretty technologically adept, but for the most part, I prefer turning on the cable and selecting something from the onscreen guide to opening up an app or a website, scrolling/searching through the various awkward interfaces and trying to select a gem from among the dreck.  Most of the time, we are inspired to watch something by seeing it halfway through on the cable guide, or from recommendations right here on the surl and we go in search of one specific show.  And it's still kind of a pain in the ass.  

Completely agree. I still have DirecTV with STARZ, HBO, SHO, TMC and Cinemax for $170 a month with 3 receivers. We do the same about starting a movie or show from the beginning that we happen up on the program guide. Get ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu package for free as part of my Verizon mobile unlimited plan. I wouldn’t pay for Hulu separately. Have Netflix and Prime. Use my mom’s Xfinity password to get Peacock without ads. Despite the extra cost, I’m glad I never ditched traditional pay TV. Not having the wife bitch about a patchwork system is worth the extra cost.

[Beantown Express 2.0 6559]

2 hours ago, Macklemore said:

Completely agree. I still have DirecTV with STARZ, HBO, SHO, TMC and Cinemax for $170 a month with 3 receivers. We do the same about starting a movie or show from the beginning that we happen up on the program guide. Get ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu package for free as part of my Verizon mobile unlimited plan. I wouldn’t pay for Hulu separately. Have Netflix and Prime. Use my mom’s Xfinity password to get Peacock without ads. Despite the extra cost, I’m glad I never ditched traditional pay TV. Not having the wife bitch about a patchwork system is worth the extra cost.

So I am going on DirecTV for over 20 plus years now.  I have HBO (which gets me HBO Max) and Stars like you plus I pay for Prime, Netflix, Disney, AppleTV, and I get HULU through my Spotify account (although I never use HULU).  Needed a Firestick on one TV and Roku on the other to get Apple/HBO Max because my OLED LG/ cheap Samsung TVs suck and don’t have those apps built in.  I don’t want to give the ease of all of that up plus I know the channels by heart but would love to give up the wife bitching about the cost every month and telling me we should do like this neighbor or that friend that pays like nothing for YouTube TV or streaming stuff.  The simple solution would be get a divorce and that solves almost all my TV watching problems.

[atomheartbevo 89618]

20 minutes ago, Beantown Express 2.0 said:

The simple solution would be get a divorce and that solves almost all my TV watching problems.

Masturbating to Game of Thrones would be a lot easier with a divorce.

I will say this - going to 100% streaming several years ago (I want to say around 7 years ago) was tough, but the last year or so, with Disney+ and HBOMax, has been a bit of a game changer.  Live sports is the only thing I really miss, and I can usually find an alternative way of viewing those games, and I'm down mainly to Longhorns and some NASCAR and rally stuff.

And when I look at my watchlists on Netflix, Hulu, Prime, HBOMax, etc., there's no way I could knock them out in a year or two if I spent 3-4 hours every night watching stuff just on my watchlists, never mind shit that I'm adding every week.

[mr. sunshine 2824]

Alright most of what I had was through Verizon - mostly Hulu and Max. Also had AppleTV but I guess I've gotta pay more for that now.

So now I'm cut back to Sling and Amazon. Not complaining. I've got a regular 8-5 job now so my days of laying around watching TV are over but I'm not complaining.

My question is if you had to start all over again what's the best bang for the buck? Thanks players