Who has totally left major tv providers?

IcEWoLF

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Dec 31, 2006
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Lastly PSVue is much more expensive than Directv now, if I pay that much might as well go with my local cable provider, but their dvrs are total crap...
 

Bruce

Bender and Chloe, the real Members of the Year
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Nov 29, 2003
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Directv now doesn't have a single local for me... don't feel like getting an OTA for it either...cord cutting takes a bit more effort, also missed Sunday night football since directv now doesn't have it and can't use the app to stream it.

I tested Ps Vue, the delay times now are minimal compared to what use to be, 15-20 seconds, that works for me, but navigating is a PiTA with the Apple TV.

Get a Roku, the Roku Stick Plus will be selling for $48 during Black Friday week or (what I have) the Roku Ultra.

I tried the Apple TV at Best Buy and I really hate the remote, so easy to jump past what I want to click on.
 

Bruce

Bender and Chloe, the real Members of the Year
Supporting Founder
Lifetime Supporter
Nov 29, 2003
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Lastly PSVue is much more expensive than Directv now, if I pay that much might as well go with my local cable provider, but their dvrs are total crap...

What package?

I have Core and it is only $44.99 a month for new customers, to get the same channels on DirecTV Now it was their $50 package.
 

IcEWoLF

SatelliteGuys Master
Lifetime Supporter
Dec 31, 2006
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What package?

I have Core and it is only $44.99 a month for new customers, to get the same channels on DirecTV Now it was their $50 package.
The one I have is go big which is valued at a $60 but with the $25 discount is $45...
The PS Vue $45 package doesn't offer everything I want, it seems one misses the other for channels which I feel is annoying.
 

spencer7779

SatelliteGuys Pro
Oct 20, 2015
237
62
central florida
Lastly PSVue is much more expensive than Directv now, if I pay that much might as well go with my local cable provider, but their dvrs are total crap...

Depends what you want. For me Vue is $45 and Now is $60 to get the same sports channels and Niw has no Dvr. Can't see how cable can be cheaper mine charges $30 in fees and taxes.

Just saw you post you get a $25 discount. I am an AT&T 5 plan wireless customer. It would have cost me $25 to go up to unlimited choice compared to my 18gb plan now, so the discount wouldn't have made a difference.
 

Zookster

SatelliteGuys Pro
Dec 19, 2004
4,298
1,059
Here and Now
As has been said many times in our "Cord Cutters Club," cutting the cord isn't for everyone. If the channels you need, along with DVR and other conveniences, are only available via cable or satellite, and it's worth north of $100 for you, then stick with that.

My dad has been a Dish customer since their first DVR was released, and I don't see that ever changing, especially now that he loves his new toy: the Hopper 3.
 

stmcld

SatelliteGuys Master
Apr 24, 2008
7,092
2,392
Henderson KY
A 3-4 minute delay sounds like a bit of an exaggeration based on my experience with PlayStation Vue since June of 2016. I often watch football games on the antenna in one room and on PS Vue in another, and at most it's a 60 second time difference. I just ran a test with this morning's college football game on Fox comparing OTA to PS Vue on PS4 and Roku. There was a 36 second delay on PS4 and a 48 second delay on Roku.

For sports, it constantly seems to be about 30 seconds behind.
 

andy_horton

SatelliteGuys Pro
Dec 28, 2010
901
158
Northwest Georgia
As has been said many times in our "Cord Cutters Club," cutting the cord isn't for everyone. If the channels you need, along with DVR and other conveniences, are only available via cable or satellite, and it's worth north of $100 for you, then stick with that.

My dad has been a Dish customer since their first DVR was released, and I don't see that ever changing, especially now that he loves his new toy: the Hopper 3.
Had DISH for 13 yrs. Loved it. Always got promos for loyalty. Before Hopper, had a 721 DVR. Loved it. Heard amazing things about Hopper 3. I have DirectvNow and use apps for most shows I miss for "on demand." To each their own
 

SpaethCo

Pub Member / Supporter
Pub Member / Supporter
Nov 7, 2005
875
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Minneapolis, MN
As has been said many times in our "Cord Cutters Club," cutting the cord isn't for everyone.
Every streaming service is missing "something," and that "something" might be a key feature to you.

Sling is 30fps at a lower bitrate than most of the services.
Vue has the DVR, great bitrate, but is missing A&E/History/Lifetime, missing Viacom, doesn't get FOX Sports alternate channels in most markets, doesn't have NHL network
DTVN has almost all the channels, great bitrate, but currently has no DVR, limited functionality on-demand, and still suffers from occasional stability problems
HuluTV is still stuck at 30fps for most channels
YoutubeTV is starting to get 60fps for the FOX / ESPN channels, still 30fps for NBCSN
Fubo has 60fps for FOX, ESPN, but 30fps for NBCSN. DVR functionality is abysmal. (only works on mobile apps, not on TV devices)

The best thing from exploring that route is I ended up with a Tivo Roamio (service included) and antenna for 4 tuners of OTA recording, and I get the benefit of Tivo's 1-button commercial skip for all the network shows we record.

We mainly only watch NHL hockey, so the main channels we needed were NHL Network, NBC Sports Network (and other NBC channels for playoffs), and Center Ice.
Other channels for me: History (Curse of Oak Island), Comedy Central (Daily Show)
Channels for her: A&E (Live PD), Lifetime (Project Runway)
Combined for us: HGTV, NatGeo

After NBCSN got moved down to the Entertainment pack earlier this year, we ended up "moving" with DirecTV instead of cutting the cord. Since the Atlanta Thrashers (NHL) were relocated to Winnipeg, it's now in a blackout free zone for Center Ice. Atlanta doesn't have a tax on the main programming charges, only the equipment fees, so our net cost after the "move" and the ATT Unlimited $25 service discount is $70/mo total for 2 receivers. Center Ice gets us NHL Network + every other game in the league, including our real home broadcasts.

It's a bit screwy, but not really worse than trying to piece together everything from the streaming services. The upside is no issues with buffering or streaming rights restrictions.
 

DetFan

Pub Member / Supporter
Pub Member / Supporter
Feb 27, 2006
2,029
121
Livonia, Michigan
Tried, but got tired of missing a few channels here and a few on the other service. Directv Now is really the best for us channel wise, the no DVR thing just kills it for me.

Love Vue, but again missing too much for us personally.

Still looking for that service that checks all of the boxes for us.
 

navychop

Reunite Pangea! Stop overfishing Panthalassa!
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Jul 20, 2005
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Had DISH for 13 yrs. Loved it. Always got promos for loyalty. Before Hopper, had a 721 DVR. Loved it. Heard amazing things about Hopper 3. I have DirectvNow and use apps for most shows I miss for "on demand." To each their own

I gather you had other STBs between the 721 and Hopper. I went from the 721 to ViP622 to Vip722 and then HWS

But heh, that 721 USB keyboard was the cat's pajamas, no? Oh, WAIT!....
;)
 
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andy_horton

SatelliteGuys Pro
Dec 28, 2010
901
158
Northwest Georgia
I gather you had other STBs between the 721 and Hopper. I went from the 721 to ViP622 to Vip722 and then HWS

But heh, that 721 USB keyboard was the cat's pajamas, no? Oh, WAIT!....
;)
I gather you had other STBs between the 721 and Hopper. I went from the 721 to ViP622 to Vip722 and then HWS

But heh, that 721 USB keyboard was the cat's pajamas, no? Oh, WAIT!....
;)
I think I had the 721 forever!! Loved that thing!! Where I lived they had to come out like 3 seperate times to change dishes out. Started with one 18" dish, then had to have a wing dish, then removed those teo and went to superdish. Finally moved to a single dish that could see just the edge of 2 sats when they realigned for locals, then AGAIN for HD locals!! Signals for locals were always like 30-40% tops...SE Ohio. I think I looked 1 time and my "footprint" from sat that gave me locals I believe I was on the fringe.
 

hemway

SatelliteGuys Pro
Sep 8, 2003
293
2
Arizona
Dropped Dish at the beginning of January but prior to dropping it, I tested PS Vue, Sling TV, Directv Now, & Hulu TV. We tested each service with both Roku and Fire TV devices and decided to go the PS Vue route using Fire TV (we liked the interface better). Primarily use it so we can DVR shows that aren't available OTA and to watch a few news channels.

We also have two HD HomeRun units (dual-tuner) that I use with my Plex server to record my OTA video which my wife really loves because it removes the commercials from the shows before it saves it.

All three of the TV's we have a Fire TV devices hooked to them so in addition to being able to watch PS Vue and Plex, we can also watch video from Amazon and a host of other cable channels that are available for streaming.

Took my wife about a month to get used to the new way of watching shows, but as long as she has access to her favorite shows and can now watch her soaps (now commercial free), she's a happy camper.
 
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Ronnie-

Member of the Year
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Aug 28, 2007
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Through a glitch maybe, getting to try YouTube TV.

So far I'm very pleased with the service.

(it showed me in the major metro of our state when i checked, and I'm not. Still let me sign up and get that areas locals at home)
 
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xfoneguy

SatelliteGuys Pro
Sep 25, 2008
1,293
365
Duvall, WA
I feel like a permanent "beta tester" for Dish, with all the issues I've had with their equipment.... add to that the $150 (give or take) that it's costing me a month, and I am seriously considering going this route, I'm trying the YouTube Live TV thing right now, and I like it. It helps that I discovered that the app for it was already installed on my Samsung TV. Using it is almost as convenient as "regular TV" (Dish)..... The DirecTV has more of the channels i want, but I can't imagine NOT having some kind of DVR.. So far, "YouTube's" service and cloud seems to work quite well. I hope that DTV will make DVR capability a priority. I'm suspect that I'm not the only one who considers this a "deal-breaker" for now.
 
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Phil T

SatelliteGuys Pro
Sep 8, 2003
306
113
Littleton, Colorado
Dropped DirecTv in November and went with Comcast/Xfinity and TIVO Bolt VOX and 2 minis. Saving around $80.00 a month by bundling with my internet. May not last after my 1 year promo expires but can use the TIVO set up I have for OTA if need be.
 

Shicks4

SatelliteGuys Pro
Aug 29, 2015
476
260
Kansas
I feel like a permanent "beta tester" for Dish, with all the issues I've had with their equipment.... add to that the $150 (give or take) that it's costing me a month, and I am seriously considering going this route, I'm trying the YouTube Live TV thing right now, and I like it. It helps that I discovered that the app for it was already installed on my Samsung TV. Using it is almost as convenient as "regular TV" (Dish)..... The DirecTV has more of the channels i want, but I can't imagine NOT having some kind of DVR.. So far, "YouTube's" service and cloud seems to work quite well. I hope that DTV will make DVR capability a priority. I'm suspect that I'm not the only one who considers this a "deal-breaker" for now.
I cut directv last September and replaced it with FTA satellite, OTA antenna and streaming (netflix, amazon prime, hulu, and sling tv) and really the only thing I miss is Discovery channel. I was paying well over 200 bucks a month because we had "everything" plus netflix and amazon. But I dont really count the cost of amazon prime since I have it for my business. Now instead of over 200 per month we pay just under 80 bucks a month. A significant savings. if anything I like it better, since most of the stuff I do watch is on demand.
 

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