OT - Streaming

[okeefe4prez]

Does the board have a consensus on the best streaming package that will include access to Hox games? I'm going to go with a Sling blue for the summer, but want to make sure I can get the Iowa games when football season starts. Base cable with the main sports channels is going from $70 to $112 next month. No thanks.

 

[Chickenlounge]

I think the consensus was that PS Vue and YouTubeTV will get you all the Hawk games you can handle. I assume Sling will too, but I'm not familiar with their packages. YouTubeTV added the BTN Overflow channels, but I haven't needed to use them yet so we'll see how well they work come football season. I think there were a couple basketball games I couldn't get, and had to watch them through the FS1 app on Roku, which was fine. Still HD and all.

I think one person had DirecTV Now for their streaming provider, but can't remember for sure...

 

[deanvogs]

I'm not famaliar with the Sling blue package. I do know as a general rule that Sling has the LEAST sports options, unless adding the "blue" package gets you the sports channels.

I don know that PSVue and YoutubeTV get you everything you will need for Hawk games. You get BTN, the ESPN channels, the Fox sports 1 and 2, that pretty much covers the Hawks. You also get NBC sports, Fox midwest, CBS sports, SEC.

I acutally just switched to YoutubeTV and I am liking it better than the PSVue. It is $10 a month cheaper, and layout and usability is nicer for Youtube I think. The DVR function is also better, as with PSVue you can't record certain teams, you have to record all college football games, then sort through them all to find the Hawk game (kind of annoying).

I find both PS Vue and YoutubeTV to be extremely reliable, and both picture qualities are great. I will say that I have done both streaming services with an Apple TV 4K running them. I think the Roku with PSVue sucks, it is slow, load times are longer. If you want the smoothest streaming I'd recommend the Apple, as it just works great, and is super fast.

 

[okeefe4prez]

I'm not famaliar with the Sling blue package. I do know as a general rule that Sling has the LEAST sports options, unless adding the "blue" package gets you the sports channels.

I don know that PSVue and YoutubeTV get you everything you will need for Hawk games. You get BTN, the ESPN channels, the Fox sports 1 and 2, that pretty much covers the Hawks. You also get NBC sports, Fox midwest, CBS sports, SEC.

I acutally just switched to YoutubeTV and I am liking it better than the PSVue. It is $10 a month cheaper, and layout and usability is nicer for Youtube I think. The DVR function is also better, as with PSVue you can't record certain teams, you have to record all college football games, then sort through them all to find the Hawk game (kind of annoying).

I find both PS Vue and YoutubeTV to be extremely reliable, and both picture qualities are great. I will say that I have done both streaming services with an Apple TV 4K running them. I think the Roku with PSVue sucks, it is slow, load times are longer. If you want the smoothest streaming I'd recommend the Apple, as it just works great, and is super fast.

To clarify, I'm just doing sling blue until football season bince I can get CNBC and the channels with NASCAR (FS1 and NBCSN). I watch basically 0 regular season hoops, 0 NBA, 0 NFL, 0 MLB and 0 NHL. They have a $15/month deal for sling blue right now. The sports channels are completely extorting people on pricing and I'm sick of paying for a bunch of crap I don't watch, particularly the college sports channels in the offseason. I'm a total dinosaur on recurring payment stuff, but when my wife told me the base cable was going to $112 a month in mid April, I figured I better start exploring now so I can run some trials and figure out what I am going to go with because I am just philosophically opposed to paying over $100 a month for cable when all I watch is CNBC for 30 minutes in the morning and NASCAR on Sunday.

 

[deanvogs]

To clarify, I'm just doing sling blue until football season bince I can get CNBC and the channels with NASCAR (FS1 and NBCSN). I watch basically 0 regular season hoops, 0 NBA, 0 NFL, 0 MLB and 0 NHL. They have a $15/month deal for sling blue right now. The sports channels are completely extorting people on pricing and I'm sick of paying for a bunch of crap I don't watch, particularly the college sports channels in the offseason. I'm a total dinosaur on recurring payment stuff, but when my wife told me the base cable was going to $112 a month in mid April, I figured I better start exploring now so I can run some trials and figure out what I am going to go with because I am just philosophically opposed to paying over $100 a month for cable when all I watch is CNBC for 30 minutes in the morning and NASCAR on Sunday.

The nice thing about streaming is you can cancel anytime. You could just do sling in the offseason, and then switch to a $40 a month YoutubeTV package when the sports start. Or I'm sure sling has add ons as well that get you BTN, ESPN and Fox sports1. That covers you for Hawk football and BB.

 

[okeefe4prez]

The nice thing about streaming is you can cancel anytime. You could just do sling in the offseason, and then switch to a $40 a month YoutubeTV package when the sports start. Or I'm sure sling has add ons as well that get you BTN, ESPN and Fox sports1. That covers you for Hawk football and BB.

Thx. The problem with Youtube is it seems to be missing the Viacom and Discovery content, which my son watches once a week (Blaze or Paw Patrol) and Food Network, which Ma watches every now and then. In the offseason, I basically just need CNBC, FS1, NBCSN, Nick Jr and Food Network. I guess I could avoid Nick Jr. by buying a few DVDs or buying a season or two of shows off Amazon. My guess is that once those options are gone for a week or two, they are out of mind.

 

[deanvogs]

Thx. The problem with Youtube is it seems to be missing the Viacom and Discovery content, which my son watches once a week (Blaze or Paw Patrol) and Food Network, which Ma watches every now and then. In the offseason, I basically just need CNBC, FS1, NBCSN, Nick Jr and Food Network. I guess I could avoid Nick Jr. by buying a few DVDs or buying a season or two of shows off Amazon. My guess is that once those options are gone for a week or two, they are out of mind.

Yeah, I pay for the Noggin add onto Amazon Prime for now to get those. It is like $7.99 a month and gets Daniel Tiger, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, and a bunch of other shows. Son doesn't watch much of them anymore, so I will probably drop that in the next 2-4 months I'd guess.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Yeah, I pay for the Noggin add onto Amazon Prime for now to get those. It is like $7.99 a month and gets Daniel Tiger, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, and a bunch of other shows. Son doesn't watch much of them anymore, so I will probably drop that in the next 2-4 months I'd guess.

Just looked up Noggin. Looks like it has some Spanish speaking stuff on there, which I ain't got any use for. I'll probably just buy a season of Paw Patrol and Blaze. The boy's Japanese is stellar and I ain't gonna foist any Spanish on him until he gets a little older. The thought of being off cable for 8 months a year and not subsidizing a group of talking heads to pontificate about LeBron's latest tweet on ESPN is making me giddy.

 

[SmokeTownHawk]

I thought it was discussed on another thread that Hulu+ was pretty good for just about everything one needed when cutting the chord. At least some were touting the benefits.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

I just pay for DirecTV premium, nfl Sunday ticket, MLB package and 600's sports package (regionals) and just enjoy life. New subscribers get all kinds of stuff half off or free. Ive had Directv since 1995, just call in and threaten to cancel and they deal. I get the premium package (movie channels incl) which also includes regional sports channels at 1/2 price around $90/month and Sunday ticket free this year. All you have to do is ask for the discount. They DO NOT want you walking away.

 

[deanvogs]

I just pay for DirecTV premium, nfl Sunday ticket, MLB package and 600's sports package (regionals) and just enjoy life. New subscribers get all kinds of stuff half off or free. Ive had Directv since 1995, just call in and threaten to cancel and they deal. I get the premium package (movie channels incl) which also includes regional sports channels at 1/2 price around $90/month and Sunday ticket free this year. All you have to do is ask for the discount. They DO NOT want you walking away.

You are right now getting DirecTV 1st year pricing. When they decide they aren't going to give you that special rate again (it is a matter of when not if), your bill will jump to like $180+ with all those items. When that happens you can't do much about it, because they own you in the 2nd year of their contract. You either pay that rate, or you PAY to get out of the contract. How do I know it is a matter of when, not if Satellite won't keep bumping your special pricing? Welp, it happened to me. Always called in, always got a special rate, and then awhile ago, they didn't. Happened to my cousin recently as well. I'm guessing lots on here could attest to the same thing. You are a loss leader for Satellite. It is a matter of when, not if they bump your rate. Why would they continue to keep you on, even though they are losing money on you as a customer? The second year rates are where they make the money, and as a company they are stupid to keep giving you first year rates year after year and losing money to keep you as a customer.

Satellite is going to die a slow death, much like cable is still dying a slow death when everyone started switching to satellite. Old folks in our generation will still hang onto it, but you aren't going to find the younger gen hanging onto satellite boxes, and outragous fees. Not when they can stream it for 1/2 the price, more conveniently, and to more devices.

 

[Chickenlounge]

I just pay for DirecTV premium, nfl Sunday ticket, MLB package and 600's sports package (regionals) and just enjoy life. New subscribers get all kinds of stuff half off or free. Ive had Directv since 1995, just call in and threaten to cancel and they deal. I get the premium package (movie channels incl) which also includes regional sports channels at 1/2 price around $90/month and Sunday ticket free this year. All you have to do is ask for the discount. They DO NOT want you walking away.

That's the opposite of my experience. When we called into say we were cancelling, they made a very weak attempt to keep us by offering us $10 off per month for 3 months. When I said that wasn't good enough, they basically said "Ok, bye". And I was a customer for 10 years.

Now they call every 2-3 weeks with these great half-price offers and stuff. I tell them the same thing every time: "If you had offered me this when I was still a customer, I never would have left." Then I just hang up.

 

[okeefe4prez]

That's the opposite of my experience. When we called into say we were cancelling, they made a very weak attempt to keep us by offering us $10 off per month for 3 months. When I said that wasn't good enough, they basically said "Ok, bye". And I was a customer for 10 years.

Now they call every 2-3 weeks with these great half-price offers and stuff. I tell them the same thing every time: "If you had offered me this when I was still a customer, I never would have left." Then I just hang up.

I think AT&T is putting all their eggs into the DirectTV basket now. I had Comcast up in Chicago and they had a completely remarkable streaming service. It was a channel guide and you could stream anything other than NFL due to license rights. Comcast had a huge library of on demand stuff on there as well. AT&T told me they had all that when I signed up last year. I get on there, it ain't there. They promised it would be coming when I logged on and was like "WTF?" I got some guy from India who tried to offer me a week of DirectTV streaming and then suggested I sign up for DirectTV.

They are totally trying to goose the subscriber numbers because when they publish their 10-Q and 10-K they want to point to subscriber growth and they don't care if they cannibalize their legacy cable business to do it. I don't think they give two shits about profitability, it's just a mad rush to goose growth numbers to try to appease Wall Street. When your legacy cable business is light years behind Comcast, it has to be more than just corporate incompetence.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Right now we have YouTubeTV and Hulu. All is covered. Hulu's guide sucks, though.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

That's the opposite of my experience. When we called into say we were cancelling, they made a very weak attempt to keep us by offering us $10 off per month for 3 months. When I said that wasn't good enough, they basically said "Ok, bye". And I was a customer for 10 years.

Now they call every 2-3 weeks with these great half-price offers and stuff. I tell them the same thing every time: "If you had offered me this when I was still a customer, I never would have left." Then I just hang up.

Well you got one terrible customer service rep...but HELLO...get over the pride and take the half price....uh....HELLO?!?!?! Pride is one of the deadly sins......think Steve Miller Band.......take the money and run.....

 

[proudhawkfan21]

You are right now getting DirecTV 1st year pricing. When they decide they aren't going to give you that special rate again (it is a matter of when not if), your bill will jump to like $180+ with all those items. When that happens you can't do much about it, because they own you in the 2nd year of their contract. You either pay that rate, or you PAY to get out of the contract. How do I know it is a matter of when, not if Satellite won't keep bumping your special pricing? Welp, it happened to me. Always called in, always got a special rate, and then awhile ago, they didn't. Happened to my cousin recently as well. I'm guessing lots on here could attest to the same thing. You are a loss leader for Satellite. It is a matter of when, not if they bump your rate. Why would they continue to keep you on, even though they are losing money on you as a customer? The second year rates are where they make the money, and as a company they are stupid to keep giving you first year rates year after year and losing money to keep you as a customer.

Satellite is going to die a slow death, much like cable is still dying a slow death when everyone started switching to satellite. Old folks in our generation will still hang onto it, but you aren't going to find the younger gen hanging onto satellite boxes, and outragous fees. Not when they can stream it for 1/2 the price, more conveniently, and to more devices.

As i said, ive been with them since Monica Lewinsky was wearing out her knees in the white house.....i dont WANT to get rid of it. I appreciate everyone going to great lengths...standing on chairs holding metal hangers in the air while their heads are wrapped in tin foil trying to make jerry-rigged alternative options work......but i just enjoy coming home and pushing a button and chilling. Sure I'm going to look for the cheapest way to enjoy the system that i like/have. For me personally i dont need golf carts, fishing gear or hunting expenses...i like hassle-free television freedom and it can come with a price. You arent taking that extra $1/day with you when you are at the pearly gates. Oh, and I don't drink beer on the daily so....you know.....there's $1-$20/day my buddies literally flush down the toilet. All im saying is for all of you turning your lives or tv watching experiences upside down for $1 or $2 a day....god bless ya.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

You are right now getting DirecTV 1st year pricing. When they decide they aren't going to give you that special rate again (it is a matter of when not if), your bill will jump to like $180+ with all those items. When that happens you can't do much about it, because they own you in the 2nd year of their contract. You either pay that rate, or you PAY to get out of the contract. How do I know it is a matter of when, not if Satellite won't keep bumping your special pricing? Welp, it happened to me. Always called in, always got a special rate, and then awhile ago, they didn't. Happened to my cousin recently as well. I'm guessing lots on here could attest to the same thing. You are a loss leader for Satellite. It is a matter of when, not if they bump your rate. Why would they continue to keep you on, even though they are losing money on you as a customer? The second year rates are where they make the money, and as a company they are stupid to keep giving you first year rates year after year and losing money to keep you as a customer.

Satellite is going to die a slow death, much like cable is still dying a slow death when everyone started switching to satellite. Old folks in our generation will still hang onto it, but you aren't going to find the younger gen hanging onto satellite boxes, and outragous fees. Not when they can stream it for 1/2 the price, more conveniently, and to more devices.

My experience has been that i get what I want....if i get guff....i ask for a supervisor...if they dont help i get the supervisor supervisor.....this last time i called in they offered to lower my bill and i didnt even ask. I MUST have NFL sunday ticket. So they will succomb to my crazy at some point because im not losing the ticket. I'd pay $20/week to see my team play (Steelers) and i get to jump around watching my fantasy players and Hawkeye NFL'ers as well! I have the full package and i mean full for about $90/month with free Sunday Ticket this year. A year of bliss. Next year, ill fight the battle again. Im undefeated. If i lose, ill hold a press conference and enter free agency

 

[deanvogs]

As i said, ive been with them since Monica Lewinsky was wearing out her knees in the white house.....i dont WANT to get rid of it. I appreciate everyone going to great lengths...standing on chairs holding metal hangers in the air while their heads are wrapped in tin foil trying to make jerry-rigged alternative options work......but i just enjoy coming home and pushing a button and chilling. Sure I'm going to look for the cheapest way to enjoy the system that i like/have. For me personally i dont need golf carts, fishing gear or hunting expenses...i like hassle-free television freedom and it can come with a price. You arent taking that extra $1/day with you when you are at the pearly gates. Oh, and I don't drink beer on the daily so....you know.....there's $1-$20/day my buddies literally flush down the toilet. All im saying is for all of you turning your lives or tv watching experiences upside down for $1 or $2 a day....god bless ya.

Great lengths? Plug in apple TV, turn it on, done. It aint hard at all.

I agree that I piss away more money on tons of things, that is for sure. What I'm not going to do is get ripped off by a company. Those are two different issues. If company A is selling spam at $5 a can and company B is selling that same spam for $10 a can, you can sure as hell bet I'll be buying from company A. If you want to pay double, and are ok getting ripped off, welp that is your call.

 

[Chickenlounge]

Well you got one terrible customer service rep...but HELLO...get over the pride and take the half price....uh....HELLO?!?!?! Pride is one of the deadly sins......think Steve Miller Band.......take the money and run.....

Even at half-price it's more expensive than YouTubeTV.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

Even at half-price it's more expensive than YouTubeTV.

Im ok with it...too much to take with me...enjoy the comfort and convenience