Living in 2 locations with different cable companies for the past year made me realize it's time to pare it all back to basic internet then figure out what services to start adding. Certainly seems to be much more streaming available these days. I'm sure we'll be wishing we did it long before now after realizing we'll get far more content for far less $ this way.
I watch sports. I like MLB, NFL, NHL. I sometimes watch college basketball. I'm also Knick fan even though I rarely watch them. I was once a golf nut (before I got married) and I do follow the PGA.
I congratulate the OP for cutting the cord and saving $180,what I consider a lot of money to be paying just for entertainment. I had cut my Spectrum bill down to $50 after they bought out Time Warner Cable and told me my $68 bill I was paying at the time to get channels that aired Breaking Bad, Mr.Robot and The Walking Dead suddenly jumped to $99. I'm now at Basic Limited which just went up $3 to $53. I recently asked what it would cost under Spectrum's new tier system channel packaging just to get the FX channel which shows Mr. Robot and they said my bill would jump to $70. That's $20 a month just to watch Mr. Robot. I turned it down. I just can't cut the cord and view content through my computer through AT&T's internet connection. And a free air antenna doesn't work where I live.
Recurring buffering issues drove me from Sling to YouTubeTV. So far the picture quality is better on average and buffering issues are few and far between.
What's stopping me from all of this is that I'm hooked on the Tivo interface. It just works, and it's simply annoying to watch television shows with commercials, like we do on Hulu because we're not willing to pay extra to avoid them. Most of the stuff on regular cable channels I can schedule recording with the Tivo and watch whenever I want without commercials. Is there anyway to do that with the output of a Roku, etc?
It's now about a month since I cut the cord and I'm happy I did. I still get Sports from the regular channels (right now all replays). There's a lot of stuff I don't get but I watch PBS and I have a movie channel (sort of) and I stream from the Public Library (my wife thought of that one). Reception is very good but I have noticed that if I move the antenna I can get a channel it wasn't giving me originally. I'm still using the cable company for internet, which is $50.00 a month. Better than $180.00! I read there are 22 million that have cut the cord and I'm looking forward to what's next!
I bought a TCL Roku TV and ditched the roku box I've had for years. It works better than the box ever did, no buffering, no dropped signal. I'm watching Youtube more than any other channel these days. The content seems endless. I've almost got my wife talked into dropping Netflix, I just don't like what it ha s become and the content is mostly junk, Amazon is quite a bit better.
After years with Spectrum, the promotion we had expired and they had nothing to offer besides a middling "pick 10" package of 10 basic cable channels for around $60. I canceled their TV service and just kept their internet, which has always been very good. I went with YouTube TV, $50 for 70+ basic cable channels and unlimited DVR (until it fills up). I should have done this years ago. It's almost like Spectrum wants people to cut the cord with their lousy offerings. YouTube TV works excellently by the way, I'm using it on an Apple TV device. You can also add up to 5 additional users on to your plan at no extra cost. A great deal.
Well, Mr Robot is over of course. But USA is included in YouTube TV's channel lineup, basically it's everything from 1-77.
I wish YouTube TV's guide was easier to use. I'd like a simple button push that would show the content/description without stopping the broadcast and another to exit it. My other issue is the tv and soundbar. My Samsung tv is connected via optical cable to a bose soundbar. I cannot get the tv remote to control the volume on the soundbar. There is no brand/model menu for digital optical service. Haven't had any luck googling or talking directly with Samsung. Overall, pretty happy since I cut the DirecTV service. I have Roku, YouTube TV, Netflix and Prime. We pay for YouTube and share it with our Daughter, who shares Netflix and Prime with us.
Yeah, getting around YouTube TV’s menu interface can be annoying at times. Luckily I mostly just watch the same stuff and don’t channel surf much, so it all pops right up. In regards to the soundbar issue, what are you using to access YT TV? Does your Samsung TV have an HDMI ARC connection?
Biggest understatement, yet! Just hope the screen grab posted below of the ad popping up just when I stopped the video to read the notations doesn't happen. But from the other fella' having trouble just setting up a streaming service on Amazon in another thread, I'm not looking forward to finding out how "ARC" will work. But thanks for the heads up on the ARC HDMI cable technology which I might look into seeing if it works with my 32in. Samsung HDtv I bought in 2013. Freakin' pop-up YouTube ads cover up notations...AAARGH! Not looking forward to an even more cluttered interface design on my Samsung if it's working like this on my computer.
No, it has digital optical and audio coaxial connections. I'd really like to buy a decent universal remote control, with easier to find buttons, to operate the tv and soundbar.
This ia a timely thread for me. Thinking about Youtube TV. Concern 1 is privacy seeing as how this is a Google operation. Thoughts? Concern 2 is that I want to run it on multiple Tv's (I understand the three device limit), but how do I stream to my multiple "dumb" Tv's? Do I get a Roku stick for each? Concern 3 is can I control all the Tv's with a phone app? Thanks in advance.
I’ve had YouTube TV since about last November, when Playstation Vue went belly up. I like it a lot. Its interface is not as intuitive as cable TV, but you get used to it quickly. DVR is included in the base monthly price, and no equipment rental make it a no brainer compared to cable, for me. Concern 1: Google. Well, that’s up to you. I have an android phone, so Google already knows a lot about me. I honestly don’t care if Google knows what I watch on TV. If it wasn’t Google, it would be whatever other company I bought TV service from, including the cable company. Concern 2: Yes. you need a Roku or something similar for each TV. I have 3 TVs and 3 Rokus. They work flawlessly and can be used for many, many other things in addition to YouTube TV. Concern 3: A quick bit of googling says you can use your phone as a remote by linking your phone to your TV, but I’ve never done it, so don’t know the details. I just use the remotes that came with the Rokus.
There are more hours of sports on OTA and (free) YouTube than anyone would need to watch. My alma mater is 3000 miles away, and I saw at least a dozen of their football/basketball games last year live OTA. All of the other games were on (free) YouTube the following day, either as 10 minutes of highlights, or sometimes the full game. ESPN and Fox Sports yackfests show up on YouTube minutes after they are broadcast live. 90 percent of OTA is garbage, so it is essential to have a DVR to record stuff. You can probably get a TIVO with a lifetime guide on eBay for about what a couple of months of cable costs, and that gives you a DVR, channel guide, YouTube and Prime Video (YouTube is free, and many folks already have Prime). Netflix and Hulu are on TIVO as well, but have monthly fees. This gives you all the viewing you really need with one remote.
At my beach house, I use Hulu+Live for local news and tons of shows, Amazon Prime, and ESPN+. Apple TV is a little bit better than Roku if you use Apple products.
We have never had the cable hooked up at our house (34 years). I would like to have more sports but don't want to pay the freight. With a $40 amplified indoor antenna bought several years ago, the new digital sub-channels now broadcast usually give us enough entertainment options. That's especially true now that I have re-ignited my stereo enthusiasm. The Saturday night concerts on the Grand Ole Opry channel (The Circle) are great. I have my TV hooked to a preamp Aux input and can run the shows through my system for better sound. Our son has Roku at his house, and our other son wants us to get it. Drives me crazy with searching for available channels, buffering, etc. Too Windows-ey for me. Yeah, I'm a Troglodyte...
