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We've cut the cable (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Addai's Adidas
- Start date
pollardsvision
Footballguy
Oooh, that'd be interesting. I think I'd trade ESPN for FX alone (not to mention the multistream capability, which doesn't matter a whole lot to me).
Politician Spock
Footballguy
I added it, and now my cost per month is $45... but on looking on my app, a lot of the channels are showing up twice. As I look more at this it looks like for $20 a month you can get all non-ABC owned channels and non-FOX channels with either package. So you basically choose whether you want ESPN/Disney/Freeform or you want /FOX Sports/FX/National Geographic with all the other channels for $20. If you want BOTH ESPN and Fox Sports stuff, you have to pay for both subscriptions.
pollardsvision
Footballguy
And if it is "either/or", the timing could be great for people. Get the "Fox version" during baseball season, then switch to the ESPN version during football season. Maybe with some overlap, but a lot of people could get most of what they want just paying $20 most every month.
Politician Spock
Footballguy
Yes, right now I've got both, plus the sports add on for $45.... looks like I'm going to drop the ESPN stuff until college football/basketball returns, and then drop Fox Sports until baseball season returns. Works for me.
pollardsvision
Footballguy
AMC is on both right?
ETA: Nevermind. Just switched. I really wish they'd have done this before I bought the OJ show, but I don't care. This is fantastic.
ETA: Nevermind. Just switched. I really wish they'd have done this before I bought the OJ show, but I don't care. This is fantastic.
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Brady Marino
Footballguy
I was excited and tried the trial and got ready to watch some St. Louis Cardinals...
"This program is subject to blackout".
SUCK my #### MLB
"This program is subject to blackout".
SUCK my #### MLB
pollardsvision
Footballguy
That doesn't make any sense. It should stream just as FS Midwest would on your cable box. I'd contact Sling. It must be some kind of error.
Brady Marino
Footballguy
I don't live in St. Louis, obviously. Maybe I'm just being punished because I live in some ####ed up donut that says "you're too far from St. Louis, but not far enough".
Note: FS Midwest Alternate 1 lets me watch the Cubs, but can't watch the Royals on FS Midwest Alternate 2.
Guess I'll just keep pirating.
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JoeSteeler
Footballguy
Just got off the phone with a TWC rep. Apparently they are raising their internet speeds and not raising prices. According to the rep, my 20mbs service with be 100mbs by the end of summer still for $45/mo.
Moe.
Footballguy
I live in KC and have Vue. The local Fox Sports channel is part of the package but Royals games are still blacked out. I'm not sure if the Sling thing is any different but I would bet it works the same way. They really really want you to have cable.
Edit: just read that link, looks like the sling thing is different. If that service becomes available in KC and the Royals games are there I'm switching.
Edit: just read that link, looks like the sling thing is different. If that service becomes available in KC and the Royals games are there I'm switching.
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More streaming services adding locals and different packages to compete against each other.
Cable companies upping bandwidth without raising prices (Comcast did this in my area last year).
What a great time to be a cable cutter. Pretty much the exact opposite of the cable tv monopoly we all used to be stuck with.
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pollardsvision
Footballguy
I wonder if Sling will do anything to dissuade daily flip-flopping between the packages?
I really only care about ESPN for Sunday Night Baseball at the moment (which I assume gets blacked out on MLB.tv, but can't remember because I've always just had access to ESPN). I might just switch over to the ESPN version Sundays and then switch back. I don't imagine many will do that though, as it's a small hassle. With the way they prorate it and make switching instant, it looks like you can pretty much have all the access you want to both for the $20/mo.
I do really like the Sling set-up, as odd as it seems to have two separate base packages. It looks like they are really working hard to stick to that $20 price point. Vue sounds like a better more, more comprehensive service, but when you start getting into that many channels and $30-50 price points, it feels like you are getting back into cable territories.
I assume ESPN does not like this at all. They finally start embracing this ala carte-ish system, and FOX basically just undercut them on a major streaming service.
I really only care about ESPN for Sunday Night Baseball at the moment (which I assume gets blacked out on MLB.tv, but can't remember because I've always just had access to ESPN). I might just switch over to the ESPN version Sundays and then switch back. I don't imagine many will do that though, as it's a small hassle. With the way they prorate it and make switching instant, it looks like you can pretty much have all the access you want to both for the $20/mo.
I do really like the Sling set-up, as odd as it seems to have two separate base packages. It looks like they are really working hard to stick to that $20 price point. Vue sounds like a better more, more comprehensive service, but when you start getting into that many channels and $30-50 price points, it feels like you are getting back into cable territories.
I assume ESPN does not like this at all. They finally start embracing this ala carte-ish system, and FOX basically just undercut them on a major streaming service.
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JoeSteeler
Footballguy
any good laptops for streaming for around $150-200? what about a chromebook?
matttyl
Footballguy
Sling on their recent beta announcement...
"We see this as just the beginning—as we evolve the multi-stream service, we plan to incorporate your feedback, add more channels and include features that will make Sling TV even better. "
Just as big (for me) about yesterday's Fox alternative, is the multi-stream capability. That was a big "con" for me in thinking about Sling.
"We see this as just the beginning—as we evolve the multi-stream service, we plan to incorporate your feedback, add more channels and include features that will make Sling TV even better. "
Just as big (for me) about yesterday's Fox alternative, is the multi-stream capability. That was a big "con" for me in thinking about Sling.
Just googling around I don't think so. Sling requires HTML and Flash which the raspberry pi doesn't support with it's ARM processors. It's also loaded with DRM that keeps it from playing on even some of the android boxes that aren't firetv.
matttyl
Footballguy
That's what I've found as well. Looks like I'll still have the Kodi device (raspberry pi 2 for me) as well as something else for sling for the time being. I know the Amazon sticks can do both, but I don't have any.
matttyl
Footballguy
Does it do Netflix/Amazon Video/Kodi? I doubt it. I'm still looking for the "one box to rule them all."
matttyl
Footballguy
Honestly, probably the closest - but doesn't do Kodi, and would have a monthly fee. Does it have a coax input if I could get locals?
lumpy19
Footballguy
HTPC running windows with remote hot buttons for each of the apps. I like the idea of integrating OTA with one of the live streaming services so that all live tv is in one place (inside one app with a single tv guide). But I'd guess that locals get included with the services before hardware solves the problem though since they are starting to become available already.matttyl said:
matttyl
Footballguy
But I'd likely still be tied to a cable package subscription. I'm trying to avoid that from the start. Sling or VUE/antenna for locals/ Netflix/ Amazon Video/ Kodi - one box, semi-inexpensive. I can do it all (just not very well) with a HTPC, but it's not wife friendly at all.
Also, recently found out that you can't do 1080p netflix streaming with a HTPC. Who knew?
lumpy19
Footballguy
There's no cable package subscription with the Roamio OTA
An HTPC is not wife friendly and will need constant attention. I'm sure there are people out there with great HTPC's that never malfunction but I definitely could not build that, I'd be putting out fires constantly.
The key in making a HTPC wife friendly is in the remote control. If you get a programmable remote with hot buttons for each of your apps it really can't be any simpler. Or a mouse pad assuming she knows how to use a PC.
Price wise I spent about the exact same amount building my HTPC as a Romio plus a lifetime subscription would cost.
Never used Tivo so I can't speak against them, but, there are a couple advantages a HTPC has: A) Up-gradable and future proof and B) can do everything a PC can and it's connected to your home network; stream, share, download, surf, print, whatever.
Price wise I spent about the exact same amount building my HTPC as a Romio plus a lifetime subscription would cost.
Never used Tivo so I can't speak against them, but, there are a couple advantages a HTPC has: A) Up-gradable and future proof and B) can do everything a PC can and it's connected to your home network; stream, share, download, surf, print, whatever.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
As far as I can tell, Playstation Vue includes the locals (both OTA* and regional sports) for 7 cities but I don't know which ones.
If that is true, I am sure more cities will continue to get added.
*I think they might be missing PBS for locals though which is a wife must for me. I feel like we are getting close to getting a one box solution for my family.
New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco and Miami for Vue.
Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte N.C., Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Gainesville, Fla., Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pa., Phoenix, San Francisco, Tampa, Fla. and Washington D.C for Sling TV FOX affiliates.
Agree, more and more to be added hopefully as this gains traction.
Just noticed ABC available as Sling extra $5 in Chicago, Fresno-Visalia, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham, and San Francisco.
Politician Spock
Footballguy
I have a lifetime subscription on a Tivo Roamio as well as an older Tivo Premier. Other than Sling TV, I don't have a cable or satellite package. The Tivo's are just hooked up to an antenna and record free OTA programming.
The Sling antenna thing has no appeal to me, because it's not a DVR. In fact, really the only thing about Sling that appeals to me is the sports and on demand viewing of Better Call Saul. Sling is essentially a broadcast service. Instead of broadcasting over an over the air signal, a cable line, or a satellite signal, it's broadcasts over the internet. But broadcasting shows is a dying delivery method. People are moving to wanting on demand shows, not broadcast shows. The only thing that will need broadcasted in the future is sports and breaking news.
mquinnjr
Footballguy
So this was incredibly easy to setup on the TP Link Archer C7 router w/L2TP. I have Comcast Blast! and my speed did go down, but still running buffer free and smoothly, about 70Mbps down. Took about a total of 5 minutes to sign up at ExpressVPN and follow the attached instructions to get L2TP going, no OpenVPN BS or potentially bricking the router: https://www.expressvpn.com/support/vpn-setup/manual-config-for-tp-link-router-with-l2tp/
FYI, L2TP tunnels your activity twice, so it slows it down more but you're absolutely golden in terms of Comcast not being able to throttle your activity, which is exactly what they did with my paid sports sub service until I turned this on via my router. Anything on my network now VPN covered from the head end since the router has the horsepower to handle the VPN work.
:finger: Comcast!
Craig_MiamiFL
Footballguy
I'd hate to see Sling's subscription # changes this quarter. Just seems like company was good for what it was at this point (getting to the market first). The local thing caters to such a small market (and eventually both Sony & DTV will offer those as well if you can't use antenna). They can't compete with Sony at all and Directv is gonna enter later this year. 20 channels for multi stream for $20 isn't a bad deal with Sling........but you get 55+ channels multi stream with Sony for $10 more.
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JoeSteeler
Footballguy
pollardsvision
Footballguy
Obviously, added competition is going to hurt, but I think they'll be able to compete just fine. Sure, Vue is "only" $10 more, but that's not insignificant. It's still 50% more (100% if you live in a market where Vue carries locals). An extra $120/year can be important for a group of people likely cutting cable to save money.
Sling is already responding by improving it's offering by adding the FOX options and multistream while still sticking to the $20 price point. Sling is also available on a lot more devices which is important. Roku makes up somewhere around 25-30% of the streaming device market, and obviously, Android is a huge market. Vue has cut them out.
Going into a battle for market share, being cheaper and more widely available is a good position to start from.
Also, Sling is working on something called AirTV, which would merge free OTA signals into the Sling app. Not sure if they'll pull it off or exactly how it would work. It could be huge if they could pull it off. I like that sort of thinking compared to VUE, that wants to charge you $10 a month to access free OTA channels (not even offering the lower option in those areas). Charging to access free content, making you get 55+ channels of mostly stuff you'll never watch without smaller bundles, that starts to sound a bit like cable TV.
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Andrew74
Footballguy
I have an Asus RT-N56U. It's solid, has great range (I get coverage everywhere in 4800 sqft house) and it looks cool.
Politician Spock
Footballguy
I really don't care who I'm using a year or two from now. I just like the new sports options available to cord cutters. It will only get better, regardless of who wins and loses on the provider side.
Bears_Man2
Footballguy
Just switched from Sling to Vue. Huge upgrade in interface + TV guide + ability to record + extra (good) channels. Definitely worth the $10 difference and then some. Comparable package with local TV company to Vue's lowest tier is $70+ after taxes. Have no need for the whole AirTV or whatever they're doing with Sling.
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I switched to Vue instead of Sling too, but, the one thing Sling has going for it is the number of devices it's available on. Vue not available on PC at all and only on Apple mobile devices (provided you sign up on a PS or Fire first)? That doesn't' make any sense and eliminates a lot of potential cord cutters and/or people willing to leave Sling.
Brady Marino
Footballguy
Despite the blackout thing with Fox Sports Midwest (I just live in hell if I want to watch St. Louis sports the legal way), I may keep Sling for the simple fact that I get a Roku 2 if I pay for three months, along with its availability on so many devices. I actually have been wanting a Roku 2 for my old CRT TV in my spare bedroom and it's got the RCA hookups.
Brady Marino
Footballguy
Pro: Channel selection trumps Sling, stream is quality when it isn't buffering (I hear buffering issues have gotten better since the first weekend it became nationally available)
Cons: Limited devices (Playstation and Amazon Fire products basically...not even PC)
MattFancy
Footballguy
Brady Marino
Footballguy
MattFancy
Footballguy
What about local channels? I'm a little too far away for an antenna to be a reliable option.
Brady Marino
Footballguy
Depends on the market. Some markets have locals, others get ABC/CBS/Fox on-demand instead.
Warsteinner
Footballguy
A guy I know gave me a sales pitch for something in this arena and I"m intrigued. I'm sure it's shady, but I am the anti-Frostillicus, so please spare any holier than thou lectures for someone that might listen.
$150 gets me a stick that I can use to watch anything including PPVs. How much is this marked up and how easy would it be to just do myself?
$150 gets me a stick that I can use to watch anything including PPVs. How much is this marked up and how easy would it be to just do myself?
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