Options to consider for streaming

[AVSJason]

   I imagine that I am not alone in my frustration with cable providers. While it’s pretty convenient to come home, press the power button on your remote and start watching your favorite shows or movies, is it really worth the exorbitant cost to avoid taking one or two more steps for the same viewing? In my opinion, it’s not. New options such as Netflix, Hulu, Sling TV and Playstation are offering alternatives to the typical Time Warner or DirecTV contract. Streaming services are becoming very popular, and a big reason for that is the content to price ratio. Who hasn't had cable at one time or another and questioned why they are paying for over 200 channels when there are only a handful that they like to watch? This is where the streaming services have a step up on the cable companies. Netflix, Hulu and HBO type streaming services offer wide variety, library-style plans that allow the viewer the option to start and stop programs as they desire. Sling TV and Playstation Vue offer a more conventional cable approach while still adhering to the streaming platform, but without a contract.
 
   Steaming services are offered on a month to month basis and only require an internet connection, a display and a streaming device (e.g. Apple TV, Amazon Fire stick, Chromecast). The lowest cost option, Sling TV, offers two program packages which can be found on their website at www.slingtv.com. Keep in mind that while their cost is the lowest, they also have the least amount of channels to choose from. However, the new Playstation Vue, in my opinion, is the better choice; they have a much larger channel selection at considerably lower pricing than its cable competitors, with streaming packages that range from $25 to $65 a month which can be seen at playstationvue.com. There is one big drawback to the Plastation Vue, however, it is not available on many different platforms. You must have a Playstation 3, 4 or any Amazon Fire TV device in order to stream their programming. From what I have read, they are working on improving that list with additional options. Most, if not all, of these services offer free trials, giving you the opportunity to decide which package best suits your viewing needs.
 
While all of these streaming options provide an alternative to cable or satellite TV, they all still require an internet connection. So if you, like me, would like to get away from the chokehold of big corporations relating to viewing choices, we aren’t quite there yet, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.
 

[claw]

I will continue to be captive to cable/satellite until there is a sports streaming network/package that would include the ESPN channels, your Regional Sports Network, and The Golf Channel.   I don't see that happening any time soon.   

[kokishin]

IMHO, TV over IP is the future. 

PS Vue seems like a good start.
http://www.cutcabletoday.com/what-is-playstation-vue/

My Japanese Mother-in-law has had Hikari TV in Tokyo since 2009.
https://www.hikaritv.net/english/

[NBPk402]

We dumped Cable TV 3 years ago, and have never regretted it. We get our TV channels OTA, and have 3 SD HDHomeRun dual tuners for watching/recording our shows. We now have 250Mbps download for the Internet with unlimited data (Slows down after 2T), and we stream HD movies from a few websites, when we are not using our NAS.

[ShadeRF]

I still have DirecTV simply to get NFL Sunday Ticket (it's the only way to watch my Dolphins in Atlanta!) but otherwise I use Amazon's Prime service for most of my streaming. I have it really for the shipping so the streaming is an added bonus. I subscribe to Netflix on and off when there's something specific they have I really want to watch (Stranger Things!)

[NBPk402]

I still have DirecTV simply to get NFL Sunday Ticket (it's the only way to watch my Dolphins in Atlanta!) but otherwise I use Amazon's Prime service for most of my streaming. I have it really for the shipping so the streaming is an added bonus. I subscribe to Netflix on and off when there's something specific they have I really want to watch (Stranger Things!)

Interesting... I would have thought it would be available by streaming on the Internet too.

[ShadeRF]

Interesting... I would have thought it would be available by streaming on the Internet too.

I believe you can get it if DirecTV determines you can't get satellite service at your home. Otherwise no such luck for now.

[SparHeel]

I took a significant step yesterday on the road to ditching DISH.  And that was to order a Roamio OTA B-stock (love the B-stocks!) on a Thanksgiving/Blk Fri sale for $199.  I believe the reg price on a new Roamio OTA is ~$350...and I had been considering that, so I Jumped on the T-Day sale.

While most cord-cutting talk centers on streaming, I don't think I could easily let go of the locals/bdcst nets.  There's basically nothing in non-PBS prime time I watch, but I record Charlie, Norah, and Gayle every morning on CBS.  Then there's the local news and evening newscasts.  Always DVR'd but only occasionally watched.  And my DISH DVR is set to record all of the late night shows.  I might not watch any.  Or I might watch a selected interview.  Or a Colbert opener.  Or watch none for a week and binge on the best of late night for an hour on any given night. 

As the name suggests, the OTA isn't for streaming - but doesn't need to be.  The $199 includes lifetime guides (lifetime of the device?  lifetime of TIVO?) so no monthly/annual fee.  I plan to set it up with an attic antenna, combine it with my Amazon Fire & chromecast & BDs...but keep DISH around for a while as I see how it drives.

Pretty sure the deal is still on in case anyone's interested.  TIVO.com natch.

Plus...I'm interested in the Sling and Sony options mentioned above, but am concerned about Picture Quality.  Guess I'll find out soon enough...will certainly have to try them out.   Anyone tried either of these?

[richlife69]

So did this thread die shortly after being started?  Any other discussion threads in another topic?

[AVSCraig]

So did this thread die shortly after being started?  Any other discussion threads in another topic?

There is the other thread directly below this one. 

[Paul Heroy]

The other thread, at least in terms of title, is hardware oriented, while this one seems to be more service oriented. Obviously, there's some overlap but I think it's not bad to have a thread more about streaming services themselves than the boxes used (which are many times used more with local content anyway, not streaming).

2016 when this thread was started was really different in choices vs now. The landscape keeps evolving and rapidly as everyone has now realized it's the future for TV. One of the issues for me is exactly what I expected - they all have different interfaces and features so it can be a serious pain to do the same thing in Netflix vs say Paramount+. I didn't pick Paramount+ randomly in that example either - they don't seem to have a way to subscribe to a show, so it can be a challenge to try a show and then find it again if you forgot the name. 

The great thing about cable/sat was a standard interface. Even if it wasn't ideal at least you had one set of issues and workarounds to deal with. Now it's all over the freaking place. I rotate these services like I used to do with the premium cable channels, which makes it harder to get accustomed to.

[richlife69]

There is the other thread directly below this one.
 

Ok, you're making me feel stupid.  "Below this one"?  I found this in a Search.  What is below?

Paul Heroy refers to it as hardware related which is what I'm interested in.  Still no pointer to the thread.

[Paul Heroy]

Ok, you're making me feel stupid.  "Below this one"?  I found this in a Search.  What is below?

Paul Heroy refers to it as hardware related which is what I'm interested in.  Still no pointer to the thread.

If you look at this from the forum hierarchy (look at the top of the page where it says "AVS Discussions / Video Source Devices / Streaming Devices"), you can click in that to see the Streaming Devices sub-forum, and a page showing a list of topics. On that page, below this topic, is what Craig is referring to:

Apple TV 4K vs Amazon Fire TV Cube Gen2 vs nVidia Shield TV 2019 vs Roku Ultra