Posted on 02/26/2023 8:02:10 AM PST by V_TWIN
Cut the cord and kicked directv to the curb last year and did my research for a streaming service.
After comparing plans, prices and content I settled on fubotv.
While I was happy for a while fubo just forced a regional sports network (RSN) package on my plan that I can't opt out of and used it as an excuse to jack up my monthly fee by $30......that's the end of fubotv as soon as the next billing cycle is up.
I'm leaning towards youtube tv.....anyone have thoughts or suggestions?
There are really two choices:
1. Cable like streaming services (live streaming).
2. Movies and recorded media, movies, content.
#1. Most of the packages that support live streaming can be expensive ~ $50 per month. And of course, you get advertisements which should make them free.
#1. Some networks such as AMC and Paramount offer live streaming of their stations a long with their movies. Typical costs are around $10 per month. The movie selection is not great but not bad either
#1. As you add more main stream cable stations, it gets more and more expensive and approaches the cost of Cable TV. Plus you end up paying for tons of advertisements. The percentage of advertisements on cable/network stations is huge. Massive and getting worse. Why pay $50, $60, $70 per month for crappy advertisements.
#1. Cable TV has trained network stations and customers to accept tons of advertisements. This is a beautiful business model and they are making money like crazy. They don't want to give up this sweet deal. So finding a pseudo cable like streaming service that is cheap is almost impossible. Expect to pay $50 or more per month.
#2. We follow a hit and run approach. We will sign up for a service watch all of the shows that we are interested in, usually takes a month or two, and cancel and replace it with a new one. You usually get some kind of incentive and savings to sign up.
Us right now:
We have Paramount+ and AMC+. We watch free Youtube (free version), Tubi, Pluto, Rumble, Comet, Peacock, Plex, and the local stations which each stream. We also have over the air antennas. We have streamed all of the major movie services. Many of the network TV stations like Fox News have their own Youtube channels.
I use Youtube TV and also have Youtube premium (No ads - ever). I saved $1400 per year since cutting DirecTV. I use Apple TV to sort it all.
Their Sports are pretty complete and Recording features are great. If you like TCM they have an On Demand service and of course you can record just about anything they show for 9 months.
They have even higher tiers but you need to match that to your internet service and hardware. If I upgraded I’d have to upgrade to unlimited, and upgrade my modem and router. Right now I hit over 75% of my total usage.
Roku does provide some local channels for free.
Add Disney+ or only ESPN separately.
Agree.
We canceled cable after the 2020 steal and haven’t looked back or missed it at all.
Have and antenna which gets about 20 channels , and Amazon Prime and Firestick to watch free channels.
Don’t want to spend one cent on people who hate me and my way of life. It feels good to be starving them in my own way.
We use YouTubeTV, but you will find that streaming is as expensive as cable these days although you will get more choices. The money gap closed long ago so make the change for choice rather than saving money.
Roku has several streaming applications that provide many local channels—and it’s free.
Philo is $25 a month for Live TV.
*NOTE* I was referring to news not regular network programming.
Roku is very good, only a one time charge for the device and service, could cost as little as $27. YouTube TV is very good for $64 per month. I found Fubo to be too expensive especially for local sports teams. Owner Dolan and MSG stations are too expensive.
I find that the broadcast channels offer a lot of alternate programming like MeTV and there are several free TV apps like Pluto and Roku that show a variety of reruns, some relatively new, but mostly older.
Just depends on what you like, but there are a lot of options, many of them free, and many with On Demand choices.
If you live in a large metropolitan area, a good antenna will give you dozens of free channels.
We have ROKU and love it.
The best deals are always changing... We are currently using Sling's “Blue Plan” with “Freestream” and the “Total TV Deal” which includes 200 hours of DVR service and even more channels. This comes to $61 a month and has hundreds of channels. There are so many that it is necessary to favorite the ones that you watch the most and then use the favorites guide, otherwise it takes a long, long time to scroll through all the channels.
The plan includes our favorite, Turner Classic Movies with no commercials. TCM and the other premium channels have On Demand Content. Since the service allows streaming to 3 devices at a time, my wife and I share the service with my parents.
We use other streaming services as well, but Sling has been the backbone of our TV watching for quite a while now and it is still by far the best value if you actually do a side by side comparison of features, selection, and the ability to stream to multiple devices at the same time.
Here is a link to Sling's free service which has 210 channels many with on demand content.
https://www.sling.com/freestream
Here are their current offers where you can get Showtime, Starz, and MGM free for a month.
Here is a link to Sling's Blue Plan for half price which is $20 for a month. I would recommend eventually adding on their “Total TV Deal” which is $21 and includes 200 hours of DVR which comes in extremely handy for skipping commercials which have become a nuisance these days. It also comes with some of our favorite channels.
There’s a stream app called Kanopy. You have to sign up with your library card but it offers 10 free movies a month. Some really good ones and many higher brow offerings too.
And it only had a couple of Cable stations that we were interested in. The rest was bloat.
Too bad you cannot just stream the stations that you are interested in for $5 per month per station. Ala carte.
The problem with cable is that you are subsidizing the stations that you and most everyone else doesn't watch. How many Spanish language stations are on cable 20, 30, 40, 50?
Can’t beat Amazon Prime.
Nobody else comes close.
YouTube TV has all the local channels and just about everything except History and A&E. It has unlimited DVR space. Once you select a show for your library, all episodes of that show are recorded and listed in order by season.
Now, if you can local channels through an antenna and want don't need some of the major networks, Sling is cheaper and could be an option. It's $40 a month with 50-hour DVR included.
YouTube TV with Spectrum internet and phone will cost me $175 combined (including taxes). Spectrum basic tier cable, DVR along with internet and phone would be costing me $234 a month.
Very satisfied.
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