Cord Cutters Thread

[Victor Lazlo 1776]

12 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

What’s to keep someone else from using a YTTV login? My GF has been using mine for like a year now with no issues.

Nothing that I know of.

I use my kid’s YTTV when I need to watch March Madness or American League playoffs on the Turner stations, and he uses my FuboTV when he wants to watch an Astros regular season game.

Edit to add: We live in different cities. When logged into his account, I get his local stations and vice versa

Edited September 22, 2022 by Victor Lazlo

[DCLonghorn 244]

On 2/24/2022 at 11:55 AM, Burt said:

They will.

They have in some parts. Two fiber providers are digging/hanging fiber in my inside-the-Beltway burb, which has never had fiber to date due to politisuckitude, and Comcast charges more for way less speed on coax than either of the new providers will charge on newly installed unlimited fiber. And Comcast has a data cap for 2/3rds of the country and soon the rest (my area is the holdout). My family's regular usage will hit the data cap every month and 60% of the usage is streaming. Our regular usage will see our already-high bill double with the cap overages.  And fuck you Comcast for making me analyze all this shit and worry about pausing TV before I leave the room.

[DCLonghorn 244]

11 hours ago, tbone_ said:

What’s to keep someone else from using a YTTV login? My GF has been using mine for like a year now with no issues.

If you are willing to give out your Google password, no issues at all, but there is a LOT of personal data tied to your one GOOG PW... auto fill stuff, settings, history, etc. If they are out of your DMA area, they will not get their local stations, they will get yours.

As mentioned, you can add them to your family group which is easier. 

BUT... if you add a family member from another area, like a parent that is old...you will be incessantly annoyed by them every single time they get a gentle reminder from YTTV they are out of area, which doesn't affect viewing or stations at all. Mom calls in a panic every. single. time. 

No matter how many times I remind her it's just a reminder, and remind her she's still getting Houston local stations, and that the worst case scenario is that she'll see DC stations for a day while I reset, she panics. She is the audience for these warnings. I bet they get few new panic subscribers every month. 

[Skipper 6130]

I signed up for a trial with Sling for LHN last week and sent login info to a friend then it kicked me off.  So at least Sling has it figured out.  For YTTV, I feel like it might not work in different cities as when I'm traveling and login it asks me if I'm temporarily in a different location or something to that effect.

Big news is that shit ass Sinclair (Bally's Sports) is considering selling the regional rights back to the leagues.  Really hope that goes through as I never want to give Sinclair a dime of my $$ but would like to watch Rangers/Stars/Mavs again (and would be happy to pay a reasonable fee).  Alternative is likely Bally's filing Chapter 11 and it all playing out in BK court. Regardless, I can't wait to eventually read an in depth story/case study on Sinclair's absolute disaster of a business plan that simultaneously lost them hundreds of millions (or maybe in biliions) while fucking over fans and massively devaluing regional rights as an asset during their ownership tenure. 

Edited September 22, 2022 by Skipper

[thunderlounge 7815]

1 hour ago, DCLonghorn said:

BUT... if you add a family member from another area, like a parent that is old...you will be incessantly annoyed by them every single time they get a gentle reminder from YTTV they are out of area, which doesn't affect viewing or stations at all. Mom calls in a panic every. single. time. 

 

 

Post-it note on the table where they keep the remote. (Also handy for many other things. Seriously.)

 

[thunderlounge 7815]

Just had a "lovely" chat with Spectrum. Their retention department is not very good at retaining people. Maybe they've just thrown in the towel. All he really tried to do was cut channels to cut the bill, but I told him unless the bill was $150 out the door without losing anything at all, then it wasn't happening. Originally the bill was $117 with full cable, every channel they offered, minus the extra Latino package. So I know they "could" cut it down, but didn't care enough to do so.

A lot of well this and that, but no real effort to actually compete. Guess I'll check my internet options just to see what's out there. Two of my options are "absolutely no fucking way I'll use my phone first" ones (mediacom and centurylink.) But there are two others I can look at.

 

End result is, my cable service is paid for through 10/7. However, if I want it cut off on the last day, I "have to wait and call then", or I can pay for service until then anyway, but cut it off today.

I said something about robbery and shit company policies, and said "you know what, cut the fucker today and I'll run the damn tuning adapter around the corner 2 blocks to the office and give it back." (I have tivo, no box from them)

So I'm going to light off my pit and get it settling in, get my ribs on, then run that fucking thing right back to them.

 

[DCLonghorn 244]

1 hour ago, Skipper said:

I signed up for a trial with Sling for LHN last week and sent login info to a friend then it kicked me off.  So at least Sling has it figured out.  For YTTV, I feel like it might not work in different cities as when I'm traveling and login it asks me if I'm temporarily in a different location or something to that effect.

Sling Orange, which you got for the UTSA game only allows 1 stream...so you got kicked when buddy logged in. Sling Blue allows 3 streams. I also signed up for Sling for the UTSA game...there is a shit ton or really arbitrary shit with Sling between the blue and the orange. including this weird stream limitation.

[justhookit 4191]

39 minutes ago, DCLonghorn said:

Sling Orange, which you got for the UTSA game only allows 1 stream...so you got kicked when buddy logged in. Sling Blue allows 3 streams. I also signed up for Sling for the UTSA game...there is a shit ton or really arbitrary shit with Sling between the blue and the orange. including this weird stream limitation.

This. The first time I tried to turn a game on outside and also have it going on our living room tv I couldn’t figure out what the heck was going on. It’s the only thing I don’t like about Sling. Fortunately I only use Sling for the LHN games so it’s not an issue often.

[DCLonghorn 244]

On 3/16/2022 at 8:37 AM, NoName said:

note that i have a Chromecast with Google TV but i think YTTV has a significantly better UI than Hulu in just about every way

Sling TV v YTTV

tl:dr - YTTY still the winner, but Sling has some really nice features.

I signed up for Sling for UTSA game. Sling is a lot jankier than YTTV for me, but that could be the device app more than the Sling service. I'm on NVIDIA Shield. But it takes a restart pretty regularly, or hangs on start screen, and the slider, at least during live events that are DVRed is not as user friendly and isn't smooth. The preview image doesn't match the image in the stream. At one point, the start screen, which is black with a big Sling logo in the middle...got stuck on Slir...so I think Sling is drunk.

I have only been playing with Sling for a few days, so I am sure I am missing things I haven't noticed yet...but...

The image quality seems similar to me, although I don't have a high end set up.

YTTV lets you record all "texas football games" or all episodes of a show. Sling doesn't seem to have this feature at least for sports.

Sling default (didn't buy add on) DVR limit is ridiculous. YTTV unlimited is outstanding.

Sling guide is OK, but i like YTTV better. Sling does not seem to let you reorder stations, but it does have some nice filters. Sports, News, Movies. They also have two that are probably to go to if I chose to stick with Sling (I'm not). Favorites and Recents.

I don't like that Sling puts the free/no carriage fee crap channels from Roku/Samsung TV/Tubi/Pluto etc on the main guide. That's a lot of crap to scroll through...they do put it at the bottom though.

Sling has a cool ESPN3 link in the guide that takes you to an ESPN-lite app just for E3. I have never seen this before, but it's nice. E+ has so much content, you can get lost. For example, I just discovered on Sling E3 app that I can watch UT volleyball on-demand on E3. The only time I've ever seen LHN content on E+ app is replays on LHN which I generally don't have access to. So I went over to ESPN app to find the same UT vball match on demand. Even searching for it and knowing what I was looking for took a while and it kept pointing me to LHN replay/on-demand. If E3 puts up UT baseball games OD, I don't need LHN beyond the two football games. And yes, I love LHN, fuch the haters...it truly keeps me connected to campus and I watch everything on there, especially all live sports.

Sling also lets you heart/favorite stuff on E3 which then shows up in your main recommendation screen...that's cool. I plan to catch up on UT vball and soccer.

Another win for Sling that I wouldn't have noticed if not side by side. Sling listed the current UT vball match on ESPNU as starting at 12:05p my time. YTTV listed at 12:30p. Turns out YTTV schedule/grid bots got it wrong and started DVRing the match 25 minutes in.

I can't really tell if Sling is a better deal or not. They have a really weird and arbitrary attempt at a-la-carte-ish. It seems that if I had Orange+Blue+Orange Sports+Blue Sports+DVR more it would be about the same price as YTTV, but still with limited DVR and no/few/less local channels depending on market.

And Sling Orange only allowing 1 stream at a time seems like a deal breaker for any family.

YTTV still wins the basics for me...most channels for the price, unlimited DVR, best UI, best app, local channels, easy to share with family. But Sling has some great features I wish YTTV would adopt. In the end, that YTTV DVR though. That makes it the winner. Even if Sling had a product closer to YTTV, I'd still go with YTTV for a simple single price instead of the artificially weird Orange, Blue, Orange+Blue, Orange sports extra, blue sports extra, DVR extra...blah blah crap. And YTTV borrowing from Fubo and adding four screens at once will be awesome.

[MonkeyDoughnut 10231]

Same feels for me, prefer YTTV over Sling but I'm on latest generation Chromecast with GoogleTV and felt like the Sling picture was noticeably better for me, especially during sports - sharper/clearer better colors.  I only used on one TV watching Texas games, but I did flip back and forth to compare.

I'm still going to cancel Sling but might revisit if YTTV bumps their price up again or I start having issues.

[UTCzech III 2907]

On 9/21/2022 at 10:40 PM, tbone_ said:

What’s to keep someone else from using a YTTV login? My GF has been using mine for like a year now with no issues.

You can share your YTTV with up to 5 other "family members".  You just go to family sharing, click "Invite family member" (or friend, whatever) and put in their email, they will get an email with a link to join, you don't have to give them your YTTV login, they will create their own through the link.

[thunderlounge 7815]

Kind of liking the 4k ESPN feed. So far, no commercials during the break, just a wide angle shot of the field from high up, with the stadium mics on. Wondering if halftime is the same, hope so. Better than talking heads.

Bad thing, not much in 4k. Misery @ Auburn? Probably wouldn't have watched otherwise, but figured I'd better try it out while it's still free. (then 12mo for $10/mo, then $20/mo) If there's a game a week that I want to actually watch, plus some other content, and the stream increase, then maybe.

[Lurch 5922]

Reminder to cancel sling before auto-renewal if you just got it for the ULM and UTSA games. Mine was coming due 10/3

[Dr Fear 1268]

NFL RedZone is free on YTTV today fyi

[tbone_ 14113]

Anyone else have issues with audio and video being out of sync on YTTV?

Tried deleting and reinstalling. Also switching tv audio setting from auto to PCM. Neither worked.

Been this way for a while.

[Updawg 2266]

It’s been an issue on one of my TVs with a fire stick and sound bar.

[DCLonghorn 244]

Happens from time to time on various devices for me. Seems to clear up after a while... Not sure if it's something I'm doing to clear it up or on their end.  Sometimes if I just pause and unpause it will straighten out. 

[GottaB 594]

Does DirectTV stream “Choice” package have LHN?
Also read somewhere that DirectTV steam unlimited DVR automatically deletes recordings after 90 days. Is that true?

DIRECTV stream has LHN in the state of Texas. Can confirm.

[Murfdogg21 4412]

On 9/21/2022 at 10:40 PM, tbone_ said:

What’s to keep someone else from using a YTTV login? My GF has been using mine for like a year now with no issues.

My BIL from Boston logged into my tv with his YTTV account a few weeks ago and it still works, even if he and I are both watching on his login at the same time. Only downside for me is local Boston channels and he didn’t log into my iPhone or kids’ iPad 😆 

[dcbc 14465]

14 hours ago, Murfdogg21 said:

My BIL from Boston logged into my tv with his YTTV account a few weeks ago and it still works, even if he and I are both watching on his login at the same time. Only downside for me is local Boston channels and he didn’t log into my iPhone or kids’ iPad 😆 

Eventually, he'll get a message asking him if he's moved.

[DCLonghorn 244]

1 hour ago, dcbc said:

Eventually, he'll get a message asking him if he's moved.

Will It? Sounds like the TV never says where it is...no location data. If he logged in with a phone/tablet/computer, it will. But if only on a smart TV...will it?

When I go to the YTTV location settings on my TV, although I'm using Nvidia Shield, not a smart tv app, it has no ability to change the home area or the current playback area from the device and says that I should go to a mobile device. So I'm wondering if you do exactly what he did above, and you log in on somebody's device that doesn't have location services remotely, he'll just have Boston/home area TV stations permanently?

[tbone_ 14113]

Yea it’ll know where his isp is.

[dcbc 14465]

2 hours ago, DCLonghorn said:

If he logged in with a phone/tablet/computer, it will.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking.  We took a trip over labor day and it asked us constantly if we'd moved.  But we were streaming on a phone.  But after a while, I think it checks based on IP address.  ICBW

Edited September 29, 2022 by dcbc

[Murfdogg21 4412]

In that case I guess I’ll just humble myself and have my wife ask him for one of his five log on addresses 

[Francisco 2.0 32389]

We have used YTTV since March 2019.  It just works.  Last December, when my folks cable jumped up to $125 a month, I told them to cancel, added them as a family member, and they have used YTTV since.

Yes, it might not have the picture quality of Direct TV's streaming effort, and it might not have every channel.  But for us, it's as reliable as an axe, has anything we want to watch, and at $65 a month, is far more palatable than any corded option.

Oh, using Apple TV's for the streaming devices.  

 

 

Also, this. 

 

https://support.google.com/youtubetv/answer/10970168

 

https://thestreamable.com/news/youtube-tv-launches-new-option-to-purchase-add-ons-without-a-base-plan

 

Quote

If you’re looking to use the YouTube TV interface, but you don’t want the full $64.99 a month cable alternative – YouTube TV has a launched a new à la carte plan. While you won’t get live broadcast or cable channels like ABC, ESPN, or CNN, you can now sign-up and access 20+ add-on packages without a base plan. Some of the services include NBA League Pass, HBO Max, and Acorn TV.

 

 

 

Edited September 29, 2022 by Francisco 2.0

[thunderlounge 7815]

On 9/28/2022 at 1:30 AM, Murfdogg21 said:

My BIL from Boston logged into my tv with his YTTV account a few weeks ago and it still works, even if he and I are both watching on his login at the same time. Only downside for me is local Boston channels and he didn’t log into my iPhone or kids’ iPad 😆 

 

 

[Wayne 571]

ESPN off SlingTV this morning

[Longhorn Fever 267]

1 hour ago, Wayne said:

ESPN off SlingTV this morning

Yep, Dish and Disney are in a carriage dispute.

[jeevsie 3733]

Well that throws a wrench in things. Hope for a quick resolution?

[DCLonghorn 244]

*Checks notes for date I need to cancel Sling... 

Carriage disputes happen all the time, but this is unfortunate timing for those of us that just recently signed up for UTSA. Sports Plus on Sling Blue looks super sad now since it's basically focused on ESPN channels. I may have jinxed it... I set the Sling DVR to record Lowell before and after the game tonight. #hatertriggerwarning

P.S. I noted above the slider was janky... Just wanted to update that it was much better on a tablet on a football game fully recorded. Much easier to skip commercials on the tablet verses the TV/Shield app. 

[DCLonghorn 244]

Paramount+ PSA... For Sprint and T-Mo folks, you have one month left to redeem 1 free year of Paramount+ Essential. Just in time for ECL. Try a different browser if it hangs up. 

[DCLonghorn 244]

Sling people: if you start to cancel your subscription, they will offer the $5 credit for your account to due the carriage dispute with the mouse. They also said that you get sling blue for free while the dispute continues. If you're planning to stay this morning, go get your five bucks. 

Edited October 1, 2022 by DCLonghorn
Spel good

[Burt 4080]

The Dish/ESPN pecker fight is over.

[DCLonghorn 244]

9 hours ago, Burt said:

The Dish/ESPN pecker fight is over.

 

Sling is back too (owned by Dish). I was curious if the scheduled DVR shows from over the weekend would now be available. They are not. 

[DCLonghorn 244]

Anyone have FiOS for data only...not for TV or phone? The info online is contradictory...I am trying to figure out if I can use my current Google mesh wifi router as the only router of if I need to use the Verizon provided router (they don't provide a modem apparently) as a bridge to the mesh router? Much of the online confusion is how this set up affect TV...I don't need that...just using it for data/streaming.

[thunderlounge 7815]

They have to provide some type of modem. Most likely they just use the combination modem/router stuff and do not have stand alone modems. In that case you should be able to put their router in bridge mode.

[DCLonghorn 244]

PSA T-Mo people. One week left to claim a free year of Paramount+. 

[DCLonghorn 244]

Not sure how new the feature is, but YTTV fixed my biggest complaint. They now list in the guide description on all sports when it first aired so you know what's live and what's a replay/taped delay. I assumed they'd never fix that in hopes we'd all watch sports a lot more after the fact.

[tbone_ 14113]

The really need to fix the damn audio video lag

[thunderlounge 7815]

Channel?

 

I haven’t noticed any on anything I’ve watched. 

[Dahobbs 17527]

On 10/31/2022 at 6:18 PM, tbone_ said:

The really need to fix the damn audio video lag

 

On 10/31/2022 at 8:39 PM, thunderlounge said:

Channel?

 

I haven’t noticed any on anything I’ve watched. 

Yeah, that seems like a channel/show specific problem. It isn't something I've ever had an issue with. 

[DCLonghorn 244]

6 minutes ago, Dahobbs said:

 

Yeah, that seems like a channel/show specific problem. It isn't something I've ever had an issue with. 

Happens to me occasionally right when I turn it on, but seems to correct itself quickly. A few times it won't fix and I restart the device... Seems to work.

But to be fair, most of my viewing on YTTV is sports and unless the announcers are on air for a hot second, I don't actually know if the sync is perfect or not.

[Updawg 2266]

It’s become pretty bad for me on certain fire sticks. Normally watch sports so I don’t care. But I do have to remove the app and reinstall to fix it.

It used to not be this bad

[tbone_ 14113]

It’s become pretty bad for me on certain fire sticks. Normally watch sports so I don’t care. But I do have to remove the app and reinstall to fix it.

It used to not be this bad

This

[Dahobbs 17527]

45 minutes ago, Updawg said:

It’s become pretty bad for me on certain fire sticks. Normally watch sports so I don’t care. But I do have to remove the app and reinstall to fix it.

It used to not be this bad

 

16 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

This

This seems like a device specific issue then. I do not have this problem on Google's Chromecast with Google TV devices or with the Roku stick I have (don't remember the version). As they add more features, I'm not surprised that older sticks may start to have issues. 

[thunderlounge 7815]

No issue with roku’s here. 
 

Samsung TV and sound bar. 

[Updawg 2266]

It may be more specific to one fire stick which is actually fairly new

I just unplugged the fire stick and using the apps on Sony google tv. Working much better and probably a better interface anyways

[Updawg 2266]

It went back to shit even in this new setup.

How many people hav google fiber as well. And does it seem to reboot every night around 9-12?

[thunderlounge 7815]

 

 

[tbone_ 14113]

I don’t see it on mine