New/Updated review of the big 6 OTT options

[harshness]

I'd suggest using the term "channels" rather than "apps". It corresponds better to the corded model.

Apps makes it sound like you need to use a dedicated application and "authentication" to access the content. Instead, you're using one app (be it Vue, SlingTV, DIRECTV Now, etc) and freely moving from channel to channel within that app. Of course if the service requires you to make significant use of apps to access available content, that should be prominently noted (and perhaps points deducted).

 

[Yespage]

So NBC Sports App is good with SlingTV now. Great!

 

[harshness]

After reading the linked material, I see that the post pertained mostly to the third party apps. I think these are a pretty lame substitute coming from what was ostensibly marketed as a single point of access provider comparable to the incumbent services.

 

[spencer7779]

I suggest using the term APPS since you get them from an APP STORE on most devices. You can't download the Espn 2 channel , you can only view it through the watch Espn APP.

 

[Ronnie-]

I suggest using the term APPS since you get them from an APP STORE on most devices. You can't download the Espn 2 channel , you can only view it through the watch Espn APP.

Or vue, or yttv, or D Now, or.....

 

[spencer7779]

Or vue, or yttv, or D Now, or.....

There is a Big advantage to having Individual network app access. Like getting FXM without subscribing to a higher package, Extra Espn content (might have changed with Espn +. Dtv now with no Dvr and poor on demand.

 

[Zookster]

After reading the linked material, I see that the post pertained mostly to the third party apps. I think these are a pretty lame substitute coming from what was ostensibly marketed as a single point of access provider comparable to the incumbent services.

The TV Everywhere apps aren't meant as a substitute for the OTT live TV services for which the website attempts to provide a complete profile. The new post was just alerting us to this new section that provides a comprehensive listing of which TV Everywhere apps are available with each of the major services. This is actually quite a worthwhile and unique contribution to the OTT live TV service comparison data landscape. Usually you have to scour Reddit and other user-generated comments to come up with such listings for any given OTT live TV service, especially the newer ones like YouTube TV. If anything, the TV Everywhere app availability makes live OTT live TV services more comparable to the incumbent services, which generally provide complete access to TV Everywhere apps pertaining to channels in their packages.

 

[harshness]

The TV Everywhere apps aren't meant as a substitute for the OTT live TV services for which the website attempts to provide a complete profile.

I'd rather compare them as available channels (or suites of channels) with the knowledge that I have to jump through significant hoops to actually view them.

Channels that are uniquely available via a proprietary app are a third class.

1. Channels that the service's app offers (presumably with guide data)
   
2. Channels that require authentication through the service but are available as part of class 1 on other services
   
3. Channels only available with authentication

I'd pay some good money to not have to app-hop to watch my TV. I'm fairly annoyed when I have to jump between Netflix and Prime on my Roku and they both cover quite a bit of ground. There's also the issue of probably not being able to record authenticated content (assuming the service offers recording) that may be highly valued in comparisons.

 

[Zookster]

I'd rather compare them as available channels (or suites of channels) with the knowledge that I have to jump through significant hoops to actually view them.

I've had OTT live TV services for almost two years now (first PS Vue, now YouTube TV), and I haven't had to app-hop or jump through significant hoops to watch the same content that I would on any cable or satellite TV system. TV Everywhere apps are just icing on the cake if your live TV system (whether it's cable/SAT or OTT) entitle you to login credentials for them. The apps mainly offer extra content, previous episodes on demand, featurettes, and archived shows, while enhancing the mobility of that channel's content. In the case of some of the sports TV Everywhere apps, you get access to live games and sporting events not airing on any of the main networks or cable channels.

Other than YouTube TV (my current live TV service), Netflix, and Amazon Prime, I'm not much of an app-hopper myself. I mostly forget about extra content available on the TV Everywhere apps, unless that's the only place my college team's games are available.

Almost all the live TV OTT services do offer some sort of DVR functionality, but they are getting much more restrictive in allowing you to fast-forward commercials on certain channels. I just found out PS Vue no longer lets you fast-forward on Fox, FX, FXX. And YouTube TV has closed its window of opportunity to fast-forward recorded shows on many channels. (Sling already doesn't allow recording of Disney-owned channels, and Hulu Live TV charges $15/mo extra to fastforward anything.) This, IMO, is the greatest drawback of these services if someone is looking for a true cable/sat-like replacement.

 

[navychop]

And that’s one of the reasons OTT will not take over as many expect. Could be cable and sat will become the premium option for viewing, and avoiding commercials.

 

[harshness]

The hows of obtaining named channels is useful even for comparing the OTT services head-to-head. Knowing specifically what channels you have to jump through hoops to get makes a difference. If you were forced to use an app to access fallback content like Comedy Central or FS2, that would suck pretty much regardless of what delivery methodology you were familiar with.

 

[spencer7779]

I think the ability to have an unlimited dvr. Not having to worry about running out of storage or tuners in use, is a huge advantage for OTT.

 

[Yespage]

I'd rather compare them as available channels (or suites of channels) with the knowledge that I have to jump through significant hoops to actually view them.

Channels that are uniquely available via a proprietary app are a third class.

1. Channels that the service's app offers (presumably with guide data)
   
2. Channels that require authentication through the service but are available as part of class 1 on other services
   
3. Channels only available with authentication

I'd pay some good money to not have to app-hop to watch my TV. I'm fairly annoyed when I have to jump between Netflix and Prime on my Roku and they both cover quite a bit of ground. There's also the issue of probably not being able to record authenticated content (assuming the service offers recording) that may be highly valued in comparisons.

First world problems.

Many of the apps provide access to additional programming, like NBC Sports. That matters.

 

[Yespage]

The hows of obtaining named channels is useful even for comparing the OTT services head-to-head. Knowing specifically what channels you have to jump through hoops to get makes a difference. If you were forced to use an app to access fallback content like Comedy Central or FS2, that would suck pretty much regardless of what delivery methodology you were familiar with.

But if you have OTT, you are already wired to get that content. So the trouble isn’t all that large. The only thing I dislike is the repeated reauthorizations.

 

[navychop]

You don’t mind being forced to watch commercials? Often no FF or skip ahead.

 

[spencer7779]

You don’t mind being forced to watch commercials? Often no FF or skip ahead.

Often, actually it's rarley. I've only seen no FF on Fox

 

[harshness]

Often, actually it's rarley. I've only seen no FF on Fox

Keep watching. It will only get worse.

 

[spencer7779]

Keep watching. It will only get worse.

Proof?

 

[harshness]

Proof?

Follow the historical progression of DISH's Autohop feature.

 

[spencer7779]

Follow the historical progression of DISH's Autohop feature.

Explain, I dropped Dish 6 years ago. You can't skip commercials?