DIRECTV NOW is Shipping Their New Streaming Players to Select Subscribers

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No integrated Guide, no OTA integration, no DVR off the top of my head.
I dont see why it would not have those things (besides OTA) when any other OTT provider offers them in their apps.

I mean the device is essentially android tv, and the interface would be an app, so its basically the same as any other app on any other player, its just Directv is baking it into the OS more than a typical app.
 
Could the reason they did their own box is they can better DRM control with a box than with an APP? I was thinking it would be neat to expand their DTV over IP APP to all smart devices.
 
It may seem unimportant to some cord-cutters but there are a lot of traditional cable/sat TV subscribers who want to be supplied with a box and remote that are designed specifically for use with their pay TV service, where their live channels and DVR are automatically there when they turn the box on, not hidden away inside a separate app. These are people like my parents for whom channel-based TV is "real TV" and Netflix, Hulu, etc. are little add-ons on the side. For those people, it makes sense for AT&T to offer a box like this.

Whether or not this box will be offered for use with the less expensive DirecTV Now service (which is what it's currently being beta-tested with), I don't know. But I'm sure this box will be used with a forthcoming streaming version of "full DirecTV" (which will actually use the same back-end servers, etc. that DirecTV Now uses, which is why the box can be beta tested with DirecTV Now).

While the review points out that apps for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video aren't available on the box now, I'm sure that they will be by the time AT&T actually rolls it out as a final product next year. AT&T's CEO has mentioned both being available. It's just that both apps require special permission to be put on an Android TV box, they aren't just freely available in the Google Play Store for any device.
 
Sounds like another way to get those rental junk fees per TV. Will they charge a rental fee for the first TV? I’d rather use my own streaming box if I had the choice.

I find it interesting that they’re willing to ship you this box allowing you to set it up yourself, but they won’t ship you a client to set up yourself on your existing satellite set up.
 
It may seem unimportant to some cord-cutters but there are a lot of traditional cable/sat TV subscribers who want to be supplied with a box and remote that are designed specifically for use with their pay TV service, where their live channels and DVR are automatically there when they turn the box on, not hidden away inside a separate app. These are people like my parents for whom channel-based TV is "real TV" and Netflix, Hulu, etc. are little add-ons on the side. For those people, it makes sense for AT&T to offer a box like this.

Whether or not this box will be offered for use with the less expensive DirecTV Now service (which is what it's currently being beta-tested with), I don't know. But I'm sure this box will be used with a forthcoming streaming version of "full DirecTV" (which will actually use the same back-end servers, etc. that DirecTV Now uses, which is why the box can be beta tested with DirecTV Now).

While the review points out that apps for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video aren't available on the box now, I'm sure that they will be by the time AT&T actually rolls it out as a final product next year. AT&T's CEO has mentioned both being available. It's just that both apps require special permission to be put on an Android TV box, they aren't just freely available in the Google Play Store for any device.
The Slingtv way is a much smarter way to do it

Sent from my SM-G950U using the SatelliteGuys app!
 
Sounds like another way to get those rental junk fees per TV. Will they charge a rental fee for the first TV? I’d rather use my own streaming box if I had the choice.

I find it interesting that they’re willing to ship you this box allowing you to set it up yourself, but they won’t ship you a client to set up yourself on your existing satellite set up.

People are fixated on the concept of paying rental fees for each box but what you're really paying for is TV service per screen. With any of these new live cable TV streaming services, like DirecTV Now, Sling TV, etc., you're limited to watching on a certain number of screens at the same time (and, of course, you're supplying your own streaming device such as a Roku, etc.). Some of them let you watch on additional screens for an extra charge. I don't really see what's so different when you're using a dedicated box supplied by the TV provider. Yes, you may be paying a fee "per box" but what you're really paying for is how many TVs you can simultaneously access the service on. There's a bit of a charge to cover the cost of the hardware you're using but it's really not that much. For instance, Comcast charges something like $10 extra per TV you have service to but they only refund you $2.50 back if you use your own device (e.g. TiVo or Roku) on that additional TV as opposed to using a Comcast-supplied box.
 
People are fixated on the concept of paying rental fees for each box but what you're really paying for is TV service per screen. With any of these new live cable TV streaming services, like DirecTV Now, Sling TV, etc., you're limited to watching on a certain number of screens at the same time (and, of course, you're supplying your own streaming device such as a Roku, etc.). Some of them let you watch on additional screens for an extra charge. I don't really see what's so different when you're using a dedicated box supplied by the TV provider. Yes, you may be paying a fee "per box" but what you're really paying for is how many TVs you can simultaneously access the service on. There's a bit of a charge to cover the cost of the hardware you're using but it's really not that much. For instance, Comcast charges something like $10 extra per TV you have service to but they only refund you $2.50 back if you use your own device (e.g. TiVo or Roku) on that additional TV as opposed to using a Comcast-supplied box.
I wonder if it will be the same $7 a month per stream and if it will be the same 7 HD and 2 4k streams that DTV has over SatelliteTV? Or would you be able to buy the boxes and not have to pay the $7 a month?
 
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