Stream Confusion

[Mister B]

I have been researching the possibility of streaming DirecTV. I had the satellite service several years ago. I have tried several of the "cable like" streaming services and as a senior citizen do not like all of the extra button pushing just to bring up a guide and worse yet record a single show. I have heard that DirecTV streaming is the most "cable like" of the bunch.
I can not imagine why they have two separate approaches to their product (stream.directv and DirecTV via stream). So far I have been able to gather that the former does not require a contact and has less "filler" channels (I suppose shopping and religion). I would want a box either way that when I turn it on it is on the last channel watched and the guide is one button away. I want to be able to record one single episode of a show. Just because I see a favorite episode of Star Trek TNG, I do not want it to put every episode that comes out on every channel in some kind of "library".
I would appreciate any guidance on this matter. I could always go back to the satellite dish but everyone says it is a dying proposition and I have had my roof fixed since then and would rather not have any more holes in it or wires down the side of my home. Thanks to all!

 

[raoul5788]

I have been researching the possibility of streaming DirecTV. I had the satellite service several years ago. I have tried several of the "cable like" streaming services and as a senior citizen do not like all of the extra button pushing just to bring up a guide and worse yet record a single show. I have heard that DirecTV streaming is the most "cable like" of the bunch.
I can not imagine why they have two separate approaches to their product (stream.directv and DirecTV via stream). So far I have been able to gather that the former does not require a contact and has less "filler" channels (I suppose shopping and religion). I would want a box either way that when I turn it on it is on the last channel watched and the guide is one button away. I want to be able to record one single episode of a show. Just because I see a favorite episode of Star Trek TNG, I do not want it to put every episode that comes out on every channel in some kind of "library".
I would appreciate any guidance on this matter. I could always go back to the satellite dish but everyone says it is a dying proposition and I have had my roof fixed since then and would rather not have any more holes in it or wires down the side of my home. Thanks to all!

You want Directv Stream with a Gemini Air.

 

[Mister B]

That is good to know. I just have to wait and see what happens with the internet situation here. It has been free for about two years in this low income and rural area. I never asked for it but kept getting mailings from Spectrum that all I had to do is go pick up the equipment. I understand that this program is now over but am not sure what the options will be in the future.

 

[Mister B]

I signed up for DirecTV Stream yesterday. As mentioned above, I was concerned whether I would be needing to look for internet alternatives as the government funded help with connectivity ends. It appears that Spectrum is going to continue to offer a lower cost tier of service that has actually been increased to 50 mb/s in our neighborhood.
Rather than buy a streaming device from DirecTV (which I never saw offered during the sign-up process) I went with the Roku Ultra. I thought it would be more valuable for other services, especially if I were to change TV providers in the future.
I would say the user interface for D* Stream is much easier to manage than some other "cable like" services I took for the free trial. The Roku is very fast to make changes on the screen. I believe the secret to simplicity is to have a very short "favorites list". I can always switch to the "all channels" list if need be. I do wish they had the option of a second favorites list as I recall the satellite service has.
I was very pleased that indeed there is an option by default to record only one episode of a series. At least three other services that I tried would only put every episode both recorded and "on demand" in a list.
Best of all, there are no new holes in my roof or wall. I did not have to wait for an installer to arrive and have to deal with a mess of wires running to the TV.
Yes, the price is a bit more than I would wish, but then so is everything.

 

[raoul5788]

I signed up for DirecTV Stream yesterday. As mentioned above, I was concerned whether I would be needing to look for internet alternatives as the government funded help with connectivity ends. It appears that Spectrum is going to continue to offer a lower cost tier of service that has actually been increased to 50 mb/s in our neighborhood.
Rather than buy a streaming device from DirecTV (which I never saw offered during the sign-up process) I went with the Roku Ultra. I thought it would be more valuable for other services, especially if I were to change TV providers in the future.
I would say the user interface for D* Stream is much easier to manage than some other "cable like" services I took for the free trial. The Roku is very fast to make changes on the screen. I believe the secret to simplicity is to have a very short "favorites list". I can always switch to the "all channels" list if need be. I do wish they had the option of a second favorites list as I recall the satellite service has.
I was very pleased that indeed there is an option by default to record only one episode of a series. At least three other services that I tried would only put every episode both recorded and "on demand" in a list.
Best of all, there are no new holes in my roof or wall. I did not have to wait for an installer to arrive and have to deal with a mess of wires running to the TV.
Yes, the price is a bit more than I would wish, but then so is everything.

A very good summation of Directv streaming! I decided after a few months to add a Gemini Air to make navigation a bit easier.

 

[Mister B]

Titantv.com has an option for setting up a new channel line-up to choose DirecTV Stream. I made it to match the favorites list I have on the TV. I like to scan through the listings for the day and see what I might like to record. Using Titan on a computer is much easier than clicking the Roku remote.

 

[KyL416]

You're better off logging in to stream.directv.com/guide on your computer's browser and setting recordings directly from there. Your favorites will also carry over across devices.

Unfortunately TitanTV is powered by FYI/Red Bee who is the worst out of the 3 major listings providers, so it has the wrong listings for many channels and hasn't been kept up to date on lineup changes. Like at quick glance their stream lineup is missing NFL Red Zone, MLB Net alternate, Merit Street, Grio, CNN International, Recipe.tv, AMC+, Outdoor Channel, Next Level Sports, Willow Cricket, Willow Xtra, MLB Strike Zone, NBA League Pass, NBABet and the out of market RSNs. Most markets are missing their recent CW/MyNet/Ind additions and aren't using the correct hyperlocal listing for their in market RSNs. They're not using the streaming feed listings for Freeform and H&I. They only have generic listings for the 4K channels, Tastemade, AccuWeather, the FAST channels in the 4000s, and most of the international channels in the 400s and 2000s, while some of the ones they do have listings for are showing the schedule for their domestic feeds instead of their US/International feeds.

 

[Mister B]

Thanks so much, KyL416! I actually have had trouble with Titan in the past for just my local antenna channels. Sometimes it will freeze and will not go forward in time. I gave up on trying to keep the -02, -03 type channels correct. They would be off by one to three hours. Sometimes they would fix it just to have them go back to incorrect after a few weeks.

 

[Mister B]

I came into a little extra money and went ahead and bought the Gemini Air off of eBay after returning the Roku to the local big-box store.
The Gemini does fulfill my desire for a more simplistic interface, especially the dedicated guide button and the ability punch in channel numbers. I also stumbled across the option to have it come on to the last channel watched (like all TVs used to) rather than the Home Screen.
My only dissatisfaction so far is that while on the "all channel" guide I was trying to see what comes on channel 4 tonight and twice the remote froze up at about 2 PM (as I moved right across the guide) and then did a complete restart. It moved through the whole day's guide while on the shorter "favorites" guide. I think the Gemini just does not have enough memory to go through the whole day's guide for all the channels. I wish there was an option to jump to prime-time in the guide.

 

[Mr Tony]

I have two Gemini air units and do not see that issue. I scroll through the guide no issues from morning to tomorrow and it works great.

 

[Mister B]

The problem with the guide freezing and restarting seems to have cleared up. It was probably just because it was so new. I remember that with the satellite service it took a while for the guide to be fully populated.