Cutting The Cord on Cable/Satellite TV Service?

[The Talented Allen Ripley]

YouTubeTV won't allow you watch NBCSports Boston (Celtics games) with a FL address, and YTTV no longer carries NESN even in New England, so that's not a viable option for you. The only way to watch the Celtics and Red Sox out-of-market legally is through the NBA League Pass and MLBTV, respectively.

You'll be able to watch all the Premier League matches if you subscribe to Peacock (NBC's streaming service). I believe it's only $4.99/mo, you'll have access to any shows/movies/broadcasts under the NBCUniversal umbrella.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

Hulu is 99 cents/month for 12 months (commercials) if you haven't been a member for over a month.

 

[Scott Cooper's Grand Slam]

Is YouTube TV still a viable option for me to be able to consistently watch local Boston teams?

No.

Or was I able to do that only through my cousin's local Boston address?

Yes.

Sounds to me like you need NBA League Pass and NFL Sunday Ticket.

Edit: what Rip said.

 

[Ale Xander]

Hallelujah, prayers have been answered.

Comcast/Xfinity to add ACCN

https://bceagles.com/news/2021/11/30/boston-college-athletics-spns-acc-network-to-launch-in-comcasts-xfinity-markets-in-coming-weeks.aspx

 

[Zomp]

Looks like YouTube TV is back on the roku store. Just got the email.

Wondering about peoples opinions in Apple TV 4K vs Roku Ultra? I need a new streaming device for my family room. I have an Ultra that will be going downstairs in the man cave and have no complaints, but I’ve heard good things about the Apple TV system. Also the remote is supposed to be ace

 

[scottyno]

Looks like YouTube TV is back on the roku store. Just got the email.

Wondering about peoples opinions in Apple TV 4K vs Roku Ultra? I need a new streaming device for my family room. I have an Ultra that will be going downstairs in the man cave and have no complaints, but I’ve heard good things about the Apple TV system. Also the remote is supposed to be ace

I don't have the 4k, but I have the previous gen apple tv and I'm a pretty big fan. Also super easy to airplay content from an iphone or ipad onto an apple tv, not sure how easy it is with a roku.

 

[Scott Cooper's Grand Slam]

I’ve been using the Roku Ultra since its release, and I upgraded to the AppleTV 4K over Thanksgiving. I prefer the AppleTV. The remote is good. It’s most similar to the iPod click wheel, and it’s fun to rewind and fast forward with it.

If you do get the AppleTV I highly, highly recommend stereo HomePods as speakers. They blow away my previous Vizio 2.1 soundbar in all aspects: accurate mixes, clarity of dialogue, bass, and obviously music playback.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

FireTV does the AppleTV thing over an app too.

 

[Oil Can Dan]

I’ve been using the Roku Ultra since its release, and I upgraded to the AppleTV 4K over Thanksgiving. I prefer the AppleTV. The remote is good. It’s most similar to the iPod click wheel, and it’s fun to rewind and fast forward with it.

If you do get the AppleTV I highly, highly recommend stereo HomePods as speakers. They blow away my previous Vizio 2.1 soundbar in all aspects: accurate mixes, clarity of dialogue, bass, and obviously music playback.

Do you know if you're able to do slow-mo with the Apple TV? One thing about Roku that I don't like is that when you pause say an NFL game not only can you not advance it in slow-mo, but the screen greys out and has a menu on it so you can't even really see whatever it is you're looking for.

 

[jayhoz]

I don't have any experience with Apple TV, but I moved to the Chromecast w/ Google TV and prefer it to the Roku Ultra. Rather than simply presenting a list of Apps like the Roku, Google allows you to jump right to things like live TV, suggested shows, movies, YouTube videos, etc. It also has a good voice enabled remote and links into the Google Home items I already have. I can control the TV from any of the speakers in my home, bring up video from my cameras on the TV, etc.

 

[Jim Ed Rice in HOF]

Yet another YTTV spat, this time with Disney. This is a big one. Here’s a listing of channels that would go if an agreement isn’t reached. I mean what the fuck, they really want everyone to just go back to cable don’t they?

Which channels and related VOD content will I lose if the deal with Disney expires?

• Your local ABC channel
• ABC News Live
• Disney Channel
• Disney Junior
• Disney XD
• Freeform
• FX
• FXX
• FXM
• National Geographic
• National Geographic Wild
• ESPN
• ESPN2
• ESPN3 (by authentication to the ESPN app)
• ESPNU
• ESPNEWS
• SEC Network
• ACC Network

 

[Dollar]

As much as it would suck to lose ABC and ESPN, I think I'd be okay with losing them in exchange for $15 off my bill each month.

 

[Sille Skrub]

This truly blows. It would definitely mean the end of YTTV for me. It seems like they try and pick a fight with everyone.

 

[Time to Mo Vaughn]

This truly blows. It would definitely mean the end of YTTV for me. It seems like they try and pick a fight with everyone.

Why all the blame on YTTV and not Disney? Are you okay if they keep the channels but have a $10 price hike because Disney raises the prices on then and they just pass them along directly?

I think the providers are squeezing the streaming companies hard right now by raising rates. Cable providers them a source of customer they wouldn't otherwise have available. Disney sees the YTTV folks as cord cutters already, who if they lose the channels on YTTV will just go pay for the $13/month Disney+/ESPN+/Hulu package, which Disney would see 100% of the revenue from.

 

[Vinho Tinto]

Why all the blame on YTTV and not Disney? Are you okay if they keep the channels but have a $10 price hike because Disney raises the prices on then and they just pass them along directly?

I have no interest in never ending subsidizing of college or pro sports via my television bill. Look at that list of stations. That they lump the ACC Network with carrying local over the air ABC stations is ridiculous.

Buy a digital antenna. At the very least so your television isn’t useless if your local ISP has an outage.

 

[johnmd20]

As much as it would suck to lose ABC and ESPN, I think I'd be okay with losing them in exchange for $15 off my bill each month.

Both sides will figure it out. Like they have during every spat that has occurred over the past 2 years. Even Youtube TV is on Roku again and that was actually a real fight. Spectrum is on Roku. NBC is on Youtube TV. Every channel is on every cable system. Eventually, both sides will agree because if both don't agree, both lose. There is no win for either side if the Disney channels aren't on YTTV.

This is definitely Disney squeezing YTTV more than the other way around.

 

[HoyaSoxa]

Seems most likely to me that Disney wants to drive people to Hulu Live, either by depriving YTTV of the content or by forcing YTTV to raise their prices (apparently Hulu Live is going up to $70 this month, too). Either way, we lose. And the $13 Disney bundle is not an adequate replacement if you want ESPN, because (I believe) ESPN+ won't show you all of the live sports that are on the linear ESPN channels (i.e. the ones most people truly want to watch).

 

[soxhop411]

Annnnnnnd. YouTube just dropped all Disney channels.
In the middle of a Laker game and the bowl season.

 

[SocrManiac]

Cord cutting could have been a consumer’s dream. Now it’s just a nightmare for traditional cable users (requiring additional subs) and for the cutters. Fuck greed.

 

[johnmd20]

Cord cutting could have been a consumer’s dream. Now it’s just a nightmare for traditional cable users (requiring additional subs) and for the cutters. Fuck greed.

Well, what? Traditional cable users have not been impacted in any way by these carrier fights. You basically have *all* the channels, always. You didn't lose your NBC channels a few months ago. You didn't lose ABC or ESPN today. And those additional subs that people might want would be necessary for cable users and cord cutters alike. You want Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV? Everyone has to pay for it. But the options are pretty awesome and the costs, relatively speaking, is very cheap.

One night out at a bar (or a nice dinner) would be like 2 fulls months of subscribing to every service imaginable.

It's the cord cutters who are getting caught in the crossfire. Because cutting the cord used to be too good to be true, in terms of convenience and cost. But if something is too good to be true, it usually is. Rest assured, Youtube and Disney will figure out this fight.

 

[SocrManiac]

Well, what? Traditional cable users have not been impacted in any way by these carrier fights.

Really? NBC used to put every EPL game on traditional channels. Now they’ve paywalled a bunch behind Peacock. ESPN picked up a bunch of soccer rights and proceeded to show the shittiest game of the week on the broadcast channel and out the rest on ESPN Plus. Want to watch new Star Trek? Can’t do that with cable, gotta grab Paramount Plus.

Traditional cable has absolutely lost out because of this shit- you need your Comcast sub AND the broadcaster’a service to get all of the content you previously had.

 

[rymflaherty]

Searching for YouTubeTV alternatives has me more pissed about their negotiations with Disney.
YTTV could raise their rates $5 and they are still the best alternative, by far (at least for me) amongst the options available.
Why they’d choose to cripple their long term viability over a small rate increase, or eating a short term loss until an increase, is beyond me.

I hope that there’s someway something gets done this weekend, so I don’t have to subscribe to a new service on Monday.

 

[Scott Cooper's Grand Slam]

Traditional cable has absolutely lost out because of this shit- you need your Comcast sub AND the broadcaster’a service to get all of the content you previously had.

You're right, but at least streaming gave us quality original programming.

ABC or NBC didn't green light Ted Lasso. Bojack Horseman is better for being on Netflix than Fox (or Comedy Central, where I think it's running in syndication?). I don't know that Big Mouth gets greenlit anywhere. Maybe The Handmaid's Tale exists on SyFy or AMC. The Mandalorian is the best thing done with Star Wars since Knights of the Old Republic.

 

[genoasalami]

Really? NBC used to put every EPL game on traditional channels. Now they’ve paywalled a bunch behind Peacock. ESPN picked up a bunch of soccer rights and proceeded to show the shittiest game of the week on the broadcast channel and out the rest on ESPN Plus. Want to watch new Star Trek? Can’t do that with cable, gotta grab Paramount Plus.

Traditional cable has absolutely lost out because of this shit- you need your Comcast sub AND the broadcaster’a service to get all of the content you previously had.

Exactly. You think traditional cable isn't impacted? They have to deal with the exact same contract negotiations as streaming services. RSN are off many of the traditional cable services.

 

[genoasalami]

For Google, YouTubeTV is literally a lemonade stand when it comes to their financial contribution to the company. Unlike most, they can afford to play hardball because dropping ESPN has literally no meaningful impact on their bottom line. YTTV without ABC/ESPN is not a viable streaming option for many, but life would go on just fine for them and their stockholders.

 

[Bertha]

It sounds like Hulu live or Fubo are best of the remaining choices. I am a sports-only watcher, and my wife watches only a few other channels.
Fubo has the benefit of NESN. Any opinions from users of either about these two?

I began YTTV fairly early. YTTV has a clean and simple interface, record options as simple as every celtics game or every NBA game. No need to know or consider what channel a game is on. I watch every Pats game, and have no clue which channel it is until the promos for their shows appear. As a heavy DVR user, it has been great for me. I live in a remote area; when power and cable go out, no big deal, it records anyway. Watch the game the next day. Back when travelling for work was common, I would get back to the hotel and catch the game from the beginning. I would gladly take a cafeteria plan of much higher price per, for only those channels I need. What I want is a single source for these.

We have Disney+, Prime, and Netflix also, but streaming services allow you to watch anything once it has been released.

 

[rymflaherty]

It sounds like Hulu live or Fubo are best of the remaining choices. I am a sports-only watcher, and my wife watches only a few other channels.
Fubo has the benefit of NESN. Any opinions from users of either about these two?

I began YTTV fairly early. YTTV has a clean and simple interface, record options as simple as every celtics game or every NBA game. No need to know or consider what channel a game is on. I watch every Pats game, and have no clue which channel it is until the promos for their shows appear. As a heavy DVR user, it has been great for me. I live in a remote area; when power and cable go out, no big deal, it records anyway. Watch the game the next day. Back when travelling for work was common, I would get back to the hotel and catch the game from the beginning. I would gladly take a cafeteria plan of much higher price per, for only those channels I need. What I want is a single source for these.

We have Disney+, Prime, and Netflix also, but streaming services allow you to watch anything once it has been released.

I was looking at Fubo, but apparently that is missing TBS and TNT.
That makes it a no go for me, as I’m an AEW wrestling fan and that’s one of the few things I watch Live each week. You’d also lose NBA games on TNT and some other sports.

Hulu looked like the most viable alternative, but I’m not thrilled about having to pay $9.99 more to love from 50 to 200 hours cloud storage space. I enjoyed just adding whatever I wanted to the YTTV library and not worrying about it.
Plus, I only seem to hear negative things regarding their interface and functionality.

From what I’ve seen so far, all options sort of suck, for one reason or another, I’m comparison.

 

[johnmd20]

Traditional cable has absolutely lost out because of this shit- you need your Comcast sub AND the broadcaster’a service to get all of the content you previously had.

You didn't previously have these things. How many EPL games were shown on cable in the 90s or 00s? Zero.

The networks are paying billions for the rights to these properties. It turns out, those networks are interested in trying to make money to produce and show all of these entities. Your right as a consumer is to either pay or not pay.

These complaints are crazy to me. There has never been more entertainment available in the history of television.

edit - seriously, Peacock Premium is 5 dollars a month. That's your breaking point? One treinta Starbucks a month?

 

[Cesar Crespo]

You didn't previously have these things. How many EPL games were shown on cable in the 90s or 00s? Zero.

The networks are paying billions for the rights to these properties. It turns out, those networks are interested in trying to make money to produce and show all of these entities. Your right as a consumer is to either pay or not pay.

These complaints are crazy to me. There has never been more entertainment available in the history of television.

edit - seriously, Peacock Premium is 5 dollars a month. That's your breaking point? One treinta Starbucks a month?

I think some people would prefer considerably less content if it meant having access to everything on one service. I'm guessing the people complaining about it grew up with cable and not Netflix.

 

[Ale Xander]

It's not really the cable customers that are hurt, it's the OTA people. Other than football, some news, syndicated Jeopardy, and a small amount of basketball and baseball, all the premium content is on cable or streaming. There is a minute amount of quality programming on the basic networks, especially non-CBS. I enjoyed CSI Vegas, and will binge Survivor in the coming days, but that's pretty much it.

 

[johnmd20]

I think some people would prefer considerably less content if it meant having access to everything on one service. I'm guessing the people complaining about it grew up with cable and not Netflix.

Maybe. But then all of the complaints are useless because less content in the 90s meant people couldn't see what they can see now.

In the 90s, there was no option to watch the EPL in America., unless you got a Satellite dish.

 

[johnmd20]

I don't think anyone has been "hurt" by the current state of entertainment. Services offer more product by a factor of 10 than they have ever offered in the history of TV. Streaming subscriptions take nothing to sign up for and, more important, they take nothing to cancel. Just a click. The diverse options are unprecedented. You can see things you couldn't even conceive of seeing even 15 years ago.

Seems like the people complaining and unhappy they can't get something for nothing. Books aren't free, movies aren't free, bowling isn't free. A martini at a bar isn't free. Why should the EPL be free?

 

[bosockboy]

Both sides will figure it out. Like they have during every spat that has occurred over the past 2 years. Even Youtube TV is on Roku again and that was actually a real fight. Spectrum is on Roku. NBC is on Youtube TV. Every channel is on every cable system. Eventually, both sides will agree because if both don't agree, both lose. There is no win for either side if the Disney channels aren't on YTTV.

This is definitely Disney squeezing YTTV more than the other way around.

YTTV is two years into a standoff with Fox Sports regional networks. No guarantee they’ll work this out.

 

[CR67dream]

It sounds like Hulu live or Fubo are best of the remaining choices. I am a sports-only watcher, and my wife watches only a few other channels.
Fubo has the benefit of NESN. Any opinions from users of either about these two?

I went with Fubo when NESN (no Sox is not an option for me) was yanked from YTTV, and it's more than fine, lots of sports content with the only issue being no Turners or CNN. Can't say I've missed either, maybe a couple basketball games here and there, but it was a blessing in disguise last Celts/Lakers game. I could lose all cable news and be none the worse for wear. If I want to watch NBA playoff games enough, I'll do a Sling free trial and maybe pay for a month if the match-ups on the Turners are compelling enough.

 

[Vinho Tinto]

In the 90s, there was no option to watch the EPL in America., unless you got a Satellite dish.

And not a DirecTV or Echostar that hangs out on the exterior of the house. It was a giant C-Band satellite dish.

 

[Vinho Tinto]

YTTV is two years into a standoff with Fox Sports regional networks. No guarantee they’ll work this out.

YTTV doesn’t value the RSNs at all. They don’t see them as really moving the needle vs the cost. Can’t say the same about Disney.

 

[Ale Xander]

I don't think anyone has been "hurt" by the current state of entertainment. Services offer more product by a factor of 10 than they have ever offered in the history of TV. Streaming subscriptions take nothing to sign up for and, more important, they take nothing to cancel. Just a click. The diverse options are unprecedented. You can see things you couldn't even conceive of seeing even 15 years ago.

Seems like the people complaining and unhappy they can't get something for nothing. Books aren't free, movies aren't free, bowling isn't free. A martini at a bar isn't free. Why should the EPL be free?

I see you’ve never been in a library

 

[johnmd20]

I see you’ve never been in a library

I know you're not clever enough to understand how that example has nothing to do with how the TV model works. So I understand why you have avowed as such.

 

[Marceline]

I went with Fubo when NESN (no Sox is not an option for me) was yanked from YTTV, and it's more than fine, lots of sports content with the only issue being no Turners or CNN. Can't say I've missed either, maybe a couple basketball games here and there, but it was a blessing in disguise last Celts/Lakers game. I could lose all cable news and be none the worse for wear. If I want to watch NBA playoff games enough, I'll do a Sling free trial and maybe pay for a month if the match-ups on the Turners are compelling enough.

This is another great point about the current model. You can keep fubo (for example) year round but then do a free trial or 1 month of sling or whatever, if you just want to pick up some extra NBA playoff games in May/June. It's so easy to pick up and cancel these things.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

YTTV doesn’t value the RSNs at all. They don’t see them as really moving the needle vs the cost. Can’t say the same about Disney.

If a person doesn't care about RSNs, they'd actually save money with YTTV being $15 cheaper and D+ only being 7.99.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

I see you’ve never been in a library

With Pluto, Roku TV, Peacock, IMDB, several others and OTA, there's no shortage of free content. There is more content now than there has ever been, free or paid, and it's easy to switch back and forth.

If anyone is going to get hurt by this, it's going to be sports fans. The sports bubble has to pop eventually, right?

 

[McBride11]

I have D+ which includes ESPN+, does that not include all the live ESPN games? I thought it did.

But at the end this is two mega corporations squabbling about minor dollars on the bottom line compared to the rest of what they do.

YTTV has an estimated 3m subscribers. It seems the Disney properties are worth 15$ of their 65$ fee.

That is 45 million for Disney. Increase it by 5$ mos - that is 60m. The 15 million delta is pennies for them, as is even the 60m total.

And if Google kept every dollar of YTTV fee, 65 x 3m is 195m. My quick google tells me Google made ~190bn in revenue in 2020. I mean wtf

I appreciate YTTV fighting to increase my rates, but they are both a-holes

Mostly if I can't watch new Always Sunny on Weds, Im gonna be pissed

 

[Oil Can Dan]

So as a YTTV subscriber without cable, what do I need to do to watch whatever NFL game is on ESPN next? Sounds like ESPN+ isn't it. Is there anything other than a whole new service like Hulu Live?

 

[rymflaherty]

So as a YTTV subscriber without cable, what do I need to do to watch whatever NFL game is on ESPN next? Sounds like ESPN+ isn't it. Is there anything other than a whole new service like Hulu Live?

I don’t believe there’s anything (legally).
Edit* can probably try to use someone else’s cable credentials to access live ESPN through the app, not sure how vigilant the cable companies are though when it comes to trying to share like this.

Assuming this continues into next week, I think my plan is going to be to sign up to Sling -Orange Tier. They are offering it for $10 for a month and that’s their tier with ESPN.
Figure that would buy me a month…during that time, hopefully a deal is made, and if not, it will give me time to figure out what the best option is to make a full switch.

 

[Marceline]

I have D+ which includes ESPN+, does that not include all the live ESPN games? I thought it did.

But at the end this is two mega corporations squabbling about minor dollars on the bottom line compared to the rest of what they do.

YTTV has an estimated 3m subscribers. It seems the Disney properties are worth 15$ of their 65$ fee.

That is 45 million for Disney. Increase it by 5$ mos - that is 60m. The 15 million delta is pennies for them, as is even the 60m total.

And if Google kept every dollar of YTTV fee, 65 x 3m is 195m. My quick google tells me Google made ~190bn in revenue in 2020. I mean wtf

I appreciate YTTV fighting to increase my rates, but they are both a-holes

Mostly if I can't watch new Always Sunny on Weds, Im gonna be pissed

YTTV has 4m subscribers currently at $65/month which is $780/yr, or about $3.1 billion in annual subscriber revenue. Your overall point (they are both a-holes) is still valid though.

 

[johnmd20]

Mostly if I can't watch new Always Sunny on Weds, Im gonna be pissed

If you have Hulu, you can watch Always Sunny there. If you don't. . . .I don't have a good answer.

 

[McBride11]

If you have Hulu, you can watch Always Sunny there. If you don't. . . .I don't have a good answer.

Is it live? Next day? Thanks

 

[Ale Xander]

I know you're not clever enough to understand how that example has nothing to do with how the TV model works. So I understand why you have avowed as such.

You said books and movies aren't free.
You're wrong, or worse.

 

[johnmd20]

Is it live? Next day? Thanks

It is the next day. I am not sure what time. It's not live.

 

[DrBlinky]

I have D+ which includes ESPN+, does that not include all the live ESPN games? I thought it did.

I have the D+/Hulu/ESPN+ bundle. It doesn't include streaming access to what is showing on ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPNEWS.

You can view them through the same ESPN app if you have a cable provider login that include those channels. I'm able use to use my FIL's credentials to view those channels when needed. (Previously I viewed them thru the Xfinity app for FireTV )