OT: Who has the best cable/stream TV deal?
I guess it is that time of the year. Just got a notice that Youtube TV is increasing the price to $73/month.
At this point, it is costing more than my old XFinity cable monthly cost. I would go back to the good ol' cable, but because I am outside of B1G footprint, B1G Network is not carried at all (no sports option, nothing).
What is the streaming/cable TV of choice if you are a Michigan fan outside of the B1G footprint right now?
I just wish B1G had a direct streaming option. If I have that and ESPN streaming subscription, it would cover 99% of the TV programs I watch. I just can't stand all this bundling when 95% of the channels are not something I would ever watch. Even if B1G and ESPN cost $25/month each, it would still save me a bundle.
Yeah, the YTV increase is a bummer but not exactly a surprise. Inflation strikes again.
No idea who would be better, I'm planning to just suck it up and eat the extra hundred bucks a year.
March 17th, 2023 at 10:46 AM ^
I pay $50/month and I get everything. All the sports channels, all the movie channels, prono's, pay per view, locals, more content than I can image trying to watch and you can take it anywhere there's a wifi signal. If your interested I can get you in touch with my salesman.
The consumer / personal finance guy I like, Clark Howard, has a streaming guide tool where you input the most important channels you want and it's supposed to help identify the lowest cost option. Your mileage may vary on whether it's helpful or not, but worth a run
https://clark.com/streaming-tv/live-tv-streaming-channel-tool/
Neat site. But the bad news is that just the combo of ESPN, ESPN2, and BTN results in nothing cheaper than $65. At that rate, I'll just stick with YoutubeTV since I know it works.
At one point I was paying $35 (maybe even 30?) for YouTubeTV. This was probably like 2017-2018. It didn't have the same number of channels back then, but it had basically everything I wanted for sports, so it was perfect, and an amazing deal.
I still like that I can pause it ~April-Aug with no trouble, but it's definitely not much of a deal anymore.
I also figured out a way to watch Lions games in Texas with it, so that has been another plus.
How do you watch Lions games in Texas with it?
Slightly convoluted. I have found VPN does not work. They detect it. But on my Android phone, I can fake my GPS and watch it and then cast it to my TV. Actually I can watch any game I want by picking my location and I'm not dependent on the VPN having a server there.
Really? I'm from SF and when I watch my Youtube TV in a different state, I still only get LA local channels to watch. Is there a setting in YT TV that changes your local channels based on where you are?
Edit: Well nevermind, the GPS thing worked! Thanks!
I use Hulu Live but mainly because my AmEx gives me $20 monthly statement credit. Hulu Live makes more sense if you also intend to pay for the Hulu regular library.
It's fine. Like all the rest. Becoming overpriced. But the credit + library keeps me there for now.
Same. Makes more sense over YTTV especially if you also have Disney+.
I'll tell you this; it isn't fucking comcast.
Their customer service was so bad yrs ago that I got into it with them over the phone and I told the lady I would never come back, even if it was the least expensive option around, and I vow to keep my word on that.
Same. Them and at&t. I dropped directv as soon as I heard they were bought by them.
Same here. ATT is horrible and I was highly disappointed when they bought DTV. However, DTV is the best option when tailgating or at the cabin. I pay $150 per month for 5 boxes and no premium channels. I am stuck.
Our DIrecttv jumped back from $60 to $110 again. The NBA Season pass has been what comes up when you turn the tv on for an entire month so that tells you what live tv we watch. Outside of UM basketball and football I couldnt care less. We are currently paying $110 a month to watch DVR's episodes of The Office.
Yeah, same here. $73/mo sucks, but it's not 12 months a year, so you are saving over cable right there. Not to mention you don't have to psych yourself up to call and argue them down to the introductory price every 12 months.
Hulu live works for me in Indy.
For amount of content, price, reliability and support, I’ve never felt a reason to go away from Xfinity. If I didn’t have three kids of different ages who all like different things, on different TVs, I could see cutting corners with it. But for better or worse, we use TV a lot, and I don’t mind paying a premium in order for it to not be irritating.
I was paying around $200/month for Xfinity cable and internet back in Michigan
Now in Florida we have Spectrum TV & Internet that is part of our HOA and for $6/month I can add on the sports package with BTN during football season
I'm in an HOA in Florida too and ours is through Xfinity. Just doing a basic estimate looking at the available plans I'd be paying 150-175 for our TV and Internet if I wasn't doing it through the HOA. Before I used to have YTTV and not in an HOA, so I'd be paying for just internet which is super expensive on it's own since they want you to bundle. It really is cheaper now to stay with cable.
Del Boca Vista?
Phase 2
March 17th, 2023 at 12:00 PM ^
Collect underpants?
Matt, give Reddog his pen back already!
That's where all the big names are. Youtube TV, Fubo, Hulu are all at that ~70 area. Just looking at where you can get the Big 10 it seems like Sling Blue at 40$ a month plug the sports package with big 10 for 11 a month brings it to 51. However, that doesn't even have espn, which you'd need to get the "Sling Orange + Blue" for 55, and add the 11 for Big 10 gets you to 66. Which is basically the same.
You can get a VPN for under 10 a month though.
I have Fubo TV - for September through December. Pause the subscription the rest of the year (no need for it outside CFB season). So really it comes down to about $300 a year which I can live with.
YTTV decreased the 4K add-on package to $10 month. It was previously $20/month.
Thanks MGA best news I've heard today and went to fact check and it got even better...They are offering 4K Plus for $5 a month for 12 months, then goes up to $10 thereafter.
Yeah but for what they show it's not worth the Xtra expense, unless you have multiple users, which I don't
When I gave up DirecTV a few years ago my bill was $225/mo. I will gladly fork out $73 for YTTV for now, the unlimited DVR is a clincher.
I guess you could say, high speed internet could be factored into it, but I would be paying for that anyway.
KODI is $0 just sayin.
This is the year I install an antenna on my roof and get my sports the old fashioned way--at least the ones I can.
I am hoping there is a day that HBO or Netflix go out and get some major sports.
Would BTN on HBO ever makes sense? I feel like it would be a sweet spot for the cheaper streaming services to snipe sports packages. If it was more of subscription model, maybe we could significantly cut down on the commercials too.
I would like that, but I feel like BTN's whole business model is forcing TV providers to have it part of their base package in as many markets as possible, so I doubt they ever move to a subscription model
March 16th, 2023 at 10:22 PM ^
HBO started recently doing the US women's national soccer team. They would kill it with the USMNT or maybe even something like the Tour de France. Two sports that have never really found consistent homes.
If they can start that way, by going slow and dipping their toes in the sports market with "big following" sports that aren't league specific. Eventually I have hope we could end up there with college football once the business case is made.
Sling Blue + Sports extra is $51 - when the Big Ten officially ditches ESPN, you should get all your Michigan needs there - except CBS.
Personally I'm sticking with YTTV . Telemundo is important in my house and not on Sling. YTTV is easier to share (legally within a local area) than Hulu, has a better interface, has "key plays," and costs about the same, but Hulu gives you ESPN+. ESPN+ isn't as important to me as regular ESPN is. FuboTV may be worth checking out, as it costs about the same now and also has RSN for Tigers fans
Anybody tried directv stream yet? Might do the free trial after I pause YouTube TV after the tournament
The fact that YTTV has no contract means I’ll always stick with it even if it’s just a bit more expensive than any cable or dish network. Sure, I can save like 5 bucks a month if I get Xfinity or something but then I have to deal with a 2 year contract, outages, and bullshit fees & price increases that aren’t transparent.
Just did some research on this in my area. Besides streaming, there’s a couple cable options, spectrum and the local one. Local one is outrageous at like 120 a month not including DVR and not including installation which is also ridiculous. It really sucks because I have their internet and it’s by far the best and not expensive.
Spectrum is the other one. 60 a month BUT some bullshit monthly broadcast fee takes it to 82. Guess I’m sticking with YTTV for now.
I have Hulu live, but I'm canceling it after the Tournament, since I have the MLB package and other streaming services up the ass for content. I'll pick it up again in September.
All the streamer packages are basically between $65 and $72 a month -- except Sling, which offers smaller bundles for about $40 a month. Almost feels like...collusion.
But, really, there's very little different between YTT, Hulu, Fubo, DTV. NFL programming being the main difference.
I just pick one and use it for CFB season, then cancel it and keep only a handful of individual stramers. It's surprising to me that people still watch network television, which is 99 percent garbage.
YTTV is still better than anything else. I'd pay $100.
March 16th, 2023 at 10:19 PM ^
If you are risk tolerant you could dive into the IPTV market. You will get 1000s of channels for third of the price. I do not partake but I am tempted.
Got a friend doing it. He gets his iptv service from a Canadian provider. He says no risk to the end user, and besides its pseudo-legal in Canada. I too am tempted.
March 17th, 2023 at 10:58 AM ^
My parents have one and it’s extremely popular among many immigrants who want TV channels from their home country without dishing out $100+ on top of your cable/streaming plan. I’m on the move far too often and need to be able to watch from my phone & computer so it’s a no go for me but a viable option if you’re mostly at home.
March 16th, 2023 at 10:32 PM ^
I actually really liked Comcast except for all the extra fees and taxes. I figure I'm saving $60/month with Hulu Live and Metronet fiber.
It is annoying not being able to quickly go back and forth between channels, especially on days like today, but it's not $60/month in random corporate/governmental dirty tricks annoying.
March 16th, 2023 at 10:52 PM ^
TLDR; - pay for it.
I spend so much time creating fake accounts and forgetting to cancel stuff that I've pretty much given up on doing the dance (though I'm on a phony email to FUBO the NIT/NCAA/MichMinn games this weekend.... if I forget to cancel - my life is not good for a month or two as I get an ear full...)
MGA has been a lifesaver multiple times - all praise to the Archive master.
The wife and I agree to keep our streaming to under $20 a month - currently Hulu and PBS - so I don't get any sports budget. When I get frustrated, I hit the streets of our fair city and order beer flights. There are worse things in life. But I do appreciate heading out on the town for sports. Now that I am fully remote - it saves on taking Vitamin D pills.
Speaking of tldr
YTTV is still the best because you can split it with a friend or family in your area and it becomes 50% off.