Will Video Streaming Services Become What We Hated About Cable?

[Grandzoltar]

Hulu live $44.99
Netflix premium $15.99
Amazon prime $9.92 $119 for the year
Internet $39.99-$79.99 Atlantic broadband
$113.88-$153.89
The only thing I don’t like about Hulu is everything isn’t broadcasted in 5.1 it’s 2019 come on Hulu get with the times. They do have local programming for sporting events and news which is why I don’t use the lower tiered subscription. Those are the 3 services I use. On amazon I subscribed to Hbo for 14.99 but unlike cable it can be canceled intermittently through out the year if need be. Cable does have a lot of junk it’s funny how their selling point is “Over 250 channels”

 

[panteragstk]

I hope not, but I'm afraid it's heading that direction.

We cut the cord about 9 mos ago, and picked up a bundler to ease into it (YoutubeTV+ hi speed+ amazon prime).

I've since started to get collect some of the core streaming stations I watch individually on my Roku....for free. YoutubeTV as it was originally planned was fine...roughly 40 channels, for $40 bucks a mos...more than enough for us. The problem is now they're wanting to expand their channel line up (adding more stuff that we're not going to watch) and they are going up $5 bucks a mo.

I've drawn a line in the sand at $50...if (more like when) it goes up again it will likely cross that line in the sand I've drawn and it will be time to cut them off.

Not sure what all you watch, but Philo is fantastic and is only $17 (I think it's up to $20 now that they did away with the cheaper plan).

I had Philo and YouTube TV and got everything I wanted. YouTube TV ended up being too much since I really only watched sports and Disney Jr for the kids it didn't make sense to keep it.

$17 TV bill is pretty nice.

 

[panteragstk]

Hulu live $44.99
Netflix premium $15.99
Amazon prime $9.92 $119 for the year
Internet $39.99-$79.99 Atlantic broadband
$113.88-$153.89
The only thing I don’t like about Hulu is everything isn’t broadcasted in 5.1 it’s 2019 come on Hulu get with the times. They do have local programming for sporting events and news which is why I don’t use the lower tiered subscription. Those are the 3 services I use. On amazon I subscribed to Hbo for 14.99 but unlike cable it can be canceled intermittently through out the year if need be. Cable does have a lot of junk it’s funny how their selling point is “Over 250 channels”

I tried Hulu TV, but ended up not liking it. That and Hulu is being stupid about their Android TV app.

I've tried almost all of the streaming TV services out there, and almost none of them have DD 5.1 audio. Not sure why, but ATT WatchTV has it on almost everything. I get that one for free because of my phone plan. I get a free premium channel too. Pretty cool.

 

[Grandzoltar]

I tried Hulu TV, but ended up not liking it. That and Hulu is being stupid about their Android TV app.

I've tried almost all of the streaming TV services out there, and almost none of them have DD 5.1 audio. Not sure why, but ATT WatchTV has it on almost everything. I get that one for free because of my phone plan. I get a free premium channel too. Pretty cool.

That android thing makes sense. I was wondering why my vizio has the latest updated version of Hulu and my Sony has the old one. When I play Hulu through the ps4 or the vizio I can get some DD 5.1

 

[Bucknekked]

Congrats on 6 yrs!

As we've gotten older, I've started to hark back on things my parents used to say and one of them was you gotta start watching those cash leaks. I knew what it meant, but never really paid much attention until about 3 yrs ago and since then we've paired down cell phone bills, gym memberships we were no longer using regularly, any kind of bill that repeats month after month.

We finally got around to TV last yr. I literally watched about 8 to 10 channels on a regular basis, and the wife watched even fewer, so having 150+ channels on cable was overkill to the 10th power.

We're happy with our new streaming setup, but I don't need more, more, more. I'm quite okay with a market condition price increase, but if their growth projection is 100+ channels and a price to support it, eventually they will lose us for something more simple.

I think we agree on the cause of many of the issues of increased cost: we keep signing up for more stuff.

I'm at that mostly happy spot of having plenty to watch and not needing "more". I already have too much, but, I'm happy with the value/price tradeoff. At least I'm not dissatisfied enough to quit. We can always trim back our choices. Shoot, we could even go back to playing board games and cards. It worked for a lot of years.

 

[2channel lover]

I think we agree on the cause of many of the issues of increased cost: we keep signing up for more stuff.

I'm at that mostly happy spot of having plenty to watch and not needing "more". I already have too much, but, I'm happy with the value/price tradeoff. At least I'm not dissatisfied enough to quit. We can always trim back our choices. Shoot, we could even go back to playing board games and cards. It worked for a lot of years.

Yeah...I'm gathering that you and I probably grew up with the big 3 TV stations and maybe a 1 or 2 UHF channels....for free...lol.

We've evolved with the times and here were are today with sooo many more options that we'll ever watch...and the price to go along with it. Both my parents have passed now, but I look at my best friend...his mom is 85ish, and she struggles with too many choices and longs for the past...lol

If it hasn't already been done, at some point I think a network will figure out that ala carte option for a base price. Trust me...these cable companies are starting to see the writing on the wall...I've had about 3 conversations with the retention dept management at Comcast, and I tell them the same thing each time. No, you haven't done anything wrong, but I'm just not using your service enough to pay $150 to $200 a month for it. And everytime they offer me their teaser rate to come back...you just don't get it yet do you? No thanks!

 

[2channel lover]

Not sure what all you watch, but Philo is fantastic and is only $17 (I think it's up to $20 now that they did away with the cheaper plan).

I had Philo and YouTube TV and got everything I wanted. YouTube TV ended up being too much since I really only watched sports and Disney Jr for the kids it didn't make sense to keep it.

$17 TV bill is pretty nice.

Thanks Panter,

I watch local news in the morning mostly to check on the weather and traffic....aside from that, I'm a sports fan, PGAT golf and NFL mostly. I watch other sports, but I can take or leave them.

I'm okay with Youtube TV for now, still saving quite a bit over cable + internet + movies, but I do see a day coming when I won't be okay with them. Will look into Philo

 

[baronvonellis]

I tried Hulu TV, but ended up not liking it. That and Hulu is being stupid about their Android TV app.

I've tried almost all of the streaming TV services out there, and almost none of them have DD 5.1 audio. Not sure why, but ATT WatchTV has it on almost everything. I get that one for free because of my phone plan. I get a free premium channel too. Pretty cool.

I know Netflix has 5.1 audio. It might depend on what hardware you are using to stream. I have an older Sony blu ray player and they havn't updated the apps on it in 5 years, although everything still works. It will only play Netflix in 2.0. My Dad has a newer Sony blu ray player and the apps are up to date, and Netflix plays 5.1 audio.

That's the other thing the hardware companies self destruct their hardware by stopping to send you app updates. My blu ray player is perfectly fine, but they cut off my youtube app 4 years ago, and my Netflix and Amazon apps are really out of date now. So now I have to go buy a new blu ray player just to get the "free" apps for things I pay to subscribe too lol.

I finally cut off cable 4 months ago, I never watched it and I don't watch sports. The sports programming is usually half the cable bill, and it had big fees for "Sports Rebroadcasting" as well. I got a HD antenna and I can get 40 channels for free! I never knew I could get so many free channels. Then I pay for Netflix and Amazon, although Amazon mostly for the free shipping, I only watch 1-2 shows on Amazon. Netflix has more programming than I could ever watch so it's plenty for me. Then for certain shows that I really like but aren't on there I usually buy them on blu ray. I don't want to pay for a virtual media collection, you never know when these companies might go out of business or cut off your media access, then all the media you paid for is gone.

The only think that sucks now about Netflix is they don't have many current movies, other than the ones they create. I forget if you can still get DVD's by mail through Netflix if you have a streaming account or if you have to pay extra for that. Or are there other streaming apps to get current movies now?

 

[panteragstk]

I know Netflix has 5.1 audio. It might depend on what hardware you are using to stream. I have an older Sony blu ray player and they havn't updated the apps on it in 5 years, although everything still works. It will only play Netflix in 2.0. My Dad has a newer Sony blu ray player and the apps are up to date, and Netflix plays 5.1 audio.

That's the other thing the hardware companies self destruct their hardware by stopping to send you app updates. My blu ray player is perfectly fine, but they cut off my youtube app 4 years ago, and my Netflix and Amazon apps are really out of date now. So now I have to go buy a new blu ray player just to get the "free" apps for things I pay to subscribe too lol.

I finally cut off cable 4 months ago, I never watched it and I don't watch sports. The sports programming is usually half the cable bill, and it had big fees for "Sports Rebroadcasting" as well. I got a HD antenna and I can get 40 channels for free! I never knew I could get so many free channels. Then I pay for Netflix and Amazon, although Amazon mostly for the free shipping, I only watch 1-2 shows on Amazon. Netflix has more programming than I could ever watch so it's plenty for me. Then for certain shows that I really like but aren't on there I usually buy them on blu ray. I don't want to pay for a virtual media collection, you never know when these companies might go out of business or cut off your media access, then all the media you paid for is gone.

The only think that sucks now about Netflix is they don't have many current movies, other than the ones they create. I forget if you can still get DVD's by mail through Netflix if you have a streaming account or if you have to pay extra for that. Or are there other streaming apps to get current movies now?

I should clarify. When I said streaming TV, I meant the LIVE TV streaming services. Not streaming services in general.