OT: Cutting the Cord-Playstation Vue

Submitted by DCGrad on

Hi all,

This topic has popped up on the MGoBoard periodically over my time here so I wanted to share my experience with cord cutting. I want to start by saying I don't work for any of the companies mentioned nor do I get anything from them if you switch.

I was a Comcast subscriber for years (first during my time in AA then when I first moved out to DC) and I thought the service was good but the price was too high. I was paying over $120 for the most basic cable and internet bundle. This included 120 channels and 25 Mbps internet and HD DVR. Most of those channels I never watched, in fact with Netflix nad Hulu, the only live programming I watched were sports and GoT.

I recently discovered an App called Playstation Vue. It works a lot like Sling TV but it is better in my opinion. Playstation Vue can be accessed only on a playstation (3 or 4) or Amazon Fire TV. I had Apple TV before (I thought it was great) but I switched to save money. If you already have Fire TV or a Playstation 3/4 you don't need anything else. Amazon Fire TV is $85 (at least at the BestBuy where I got them) and a Playstation 3 is about $220 with a Playstation 4 running about $350.

You must create a log in for playstation if you don't already have one, butat  it is free. However, once you create the profile (which can be done on a computer/tablet/phone) you will need to sign up for the service on a Fire TV or Playstation. At this point you will have to enter your credit card information. However, there is a 7 day trial so if you don't like it in your first week, you can always cancel and pay nothing.

Playstation Vue has 3 different packages you can choose from one that hass 55 channels for $30/month one that has 70 channels for $35 and one with 100 channels for $45. I purchased the $35 option becuase it has ESPN 1/2/U/News, FS1 and FS2 and BTN with alternates. It obviously has more channels but those are relevant ones for the purposes of this blog.

In addition to more channels, one advantage the Vue has over Sling TV is that you can stream on up to 5 devices under the same account, while Sling TV only allows 1 stream. 

I recently added RCN internet and local channels when I dropped Comcast. I pay $50/month for the 70 channels that could be picked up with an antenna (though not with a lot of consistency) and 155 Mbps wifi (which is probably overkill).

So total I am paying $85 for something I was paying $120 for. Saving $35 a month seems like a no-brainer.

One thing most of you will ask is how are the live sports? I will tell you my expericence so far. When I first ordered the Vue with my old Comcast internet (25 Mbps) I was watching baseball and it was not the best quality. After I switched to RCN with my 155 Mbps internet, I watched the Kentucky spring football game on the league of extraordinary bagmen channel and it was if I had not switched at all! While the quality of play on the field was subpar, the clarity was great!

Now for the drawbacks, and there are a few. First, it only has NBC and Fox locals as part of the package. If you live in an area where an antenna can reliably pick up the local channels, this will be of no concern to you. If you want your local channels, such as ABC and CBS, then you will have to pay for them from your cable company, those this option is pretty inexpensive from most cable companies. 

The second note of caution is your internet speed and the size of your dwelling. I live in a one bedroom apartment with my modem/router in the center of the apartment. I also have one of the Amazon Fire boxes plugged directly into the modem via ethernet cable. The internet I have is ridiculously fast, the guy who installed it said 50 Mbps would have been sufficient but for $10, I thought it was worth it. Obviously the slower your internet speed and the further away your Fire TV is from your router, the worse your picture will be. I suggest you try test these things during your 7 day trial period.

The last thing I would caution against it internet data caps. Some companies have them and streaming live TV will use a lot of data. You want to make sure your internet company doesn't have a data cap.

On balance, I think this is a good alternative to cable and I suggest you give it a try!

Go Blue!

Comments

mgobleu

June 20th, 2016 at 9:48 PM ^

Thanks for the write up, but I have questions. Have you tested your actual internet speeds? I would think 25mbps would be more than sufficient, let alone 50. As far as 155; I don't know that there are more than a handful of neighborhoods on this side of the state that have an option even close to that. Maybe someone smarter than I can explain; I live in what some would call "the sticks", so the best I can muster is 6mbps (which actually only averages about 4), yet I have zero issues with Netflix, hulu or Amazon; even in HD. Is live streaming that much more of a data suck?

DCGrad

June 21st, 2016 at 9:23 AM ^

In Central MI so I can imagine what you're talking about. I am not 100% sure on this but you could always try the stream and see how it would work. The difference between streaming a tv show or movie on Netflix/Hulu and live TV is that the show has a discrete file size while live TV does not. I have no idea how that would affect the quality of your stream.



If I were you and wanted to test it out, I would try plugging in an Ethernet cable from your modem to your streaming device. If the quality is good then o would stick with that. If the quality isn't, it would only be worse on the wifi.



Good luck!

Dunkin' Robinson

June 20th, 2016 at 11:23 PM ^

Regarding local channels, I believe depending on your region, you should get the main 4 in the basic Sony package (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC). I'm in the Philly area, and am receiving them all now.

The quality seems pretty great so far and I'm looking forward to utlizing the cloud based DVR.

 

My only drawbacks so far are as follows:

1. Using the remote with my Amazon Fire Stick is not as convenient as using a TV/Cable remote

2. The stream on the Amazon Fire Stick seems to be about 30-40 seconds behind actual live TV. What's funny is if you stream on the ipad app, it actually looks like it's live TV, so I may try to stream off the ipad app to a Chromecast.

 

I have the highest package and will likely stick with it since it's significantly cheaper than comcast (will keep comcast internet) and has all the channels I like.

smwilliams

June 20th, 2016 at 11:48 PM ^

Thanks for this. I've been contemplating making the switch from Time Warner to Vue (I have a PS3) and was curious how others liked it. The middle package seems about right as it has basically every channel that myself and the wife watch regularly. Having no DVR will be very tough as we record a lot of shows to watch later. H

How have you gotten around that?

But, for $45 a month plus the $30-$40 for internet, I'll be paying a lot less than the $180/mo I pay now.

I guess I'll have to spring for HBO Now as well at $15/mo.

wingnut

June 23rd, 2016 at 1:02 PM ^

There is a cloud based DVR functionality that's included with the Vue.  Works pretty good,  but it takes some getting used to.  You basically add the show to your "My Shows" list and it automatically DVR's them to the cloud.  They stay there for 30 days.



Directv was charging me $180 a month for my setup.  I replaced that with a PS3 & PS4 using PS Vue, with an OTA antenna to cover all the local network channels here in Phoenix.



I now pay $37/month for PS Vue and have Cox Internet for $90/month.  I wouldn't go back to Directv for anything.

I also use a Channel Master DVR+ to cover the DVR'ing of the local network channels.

Bronco Joe

June 21st, 2016 at 7:13 AM ^

Thanks for putting this up. Great to see a step by step breakdown of something such as this. I'll have to look into this some more, since I have a PS3 not doing anything right now. 

Thanks again. 

xtramelanin

June 21st, 2016 at 7:48 AM ^

is what you are doing, and apparently doing it well.

'cutting' the cord is a different matter:

Image result for picture of scissors cutting cord

you'd be surprised how much time there is in a day if you aren't dedicating it to the TV or some of the other electronic distractions we all have available.   just a thought.  

GoBlueinEugene

June 21st, 2016 at 10:14 AM ^

Great post. I have Sling TV as their $20 price point is too attractive to pass up. I use a wired connection at up to 25 mbps down and the connection is nearly flawless. Love that cord cutting is picking up steam. A lot of great options out there. 

canzior

June 21st, 2016 at 12:53 PM ^

And I have considered myself.  I'm also in the DC area, and my Comcast bill is $150 per month, but I have every channel they offer and I have the X1 box which really is fantastic.  

The only thing I really watch are sports and movies.  Plus have the Blast Internet that Comcast offers come sout to $80 per month. So throw in the PS Vue, and subscriptions to Netflix, HBO, Cinemax, Starz, and Showtime, am I coming out cheaper?

mgoblue720

June 21st, 2016 at 6:17 PM ^

Do you guys know what companies and areas have data caps? Is it possible to stream too much that I would hit a cap (the only one I have heard of is 1 tb)? Just moving to a new town and switching all my services. Thanks is advanced!




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Zarniwoop

June 22nd, 2016 at 8:39 AM ^

I live in an area of rural Baltimore county that has 190 down and 12 up.

I don't get that speed and I've had to do a lot of work just to get 25 to my house as I live in an extremely rural pocket.

It's comcast. And if I lived at the end of my road 1.5 km away, I could get that speed too.

rice4114

June 22nd, 2016 at 3:19 PM ^

And I still might do it down the road. Initially called to have Fios for internet and tv for around $145 per month.

Then I called Direct Tv and that where its at.

$55 a month (Att bought them out so I get a $10 credit with my cell service)

175 channel

HBO, Showtime, Cinemax for 3 months

NFL sunday ticket ($300 value)

$100 visa card

4 dvr boxes and ability to record 5 shows at once

Then went with fios 50/50 for $49

At $55 a month for 2 years I just cant go to Vue for $10 less. 

-I promise I dont work for Direct TV but please feel free to use this for negotiations.

Minus The Houma

August 19th, 2016 at 7:26 PM ^

Hopefully some will see this.

Who is going with Vue? Do you still like it or has it lost its luster?

I just signed up for the free trial period. It seems pretty good with the very little I've been able to play with it. I will get the middle plan and in my area (Philly) it is $45 a month. I have a playstation 3 and there is a little bit of a lag with the controller sometimes.

The picture seems good, I was close enough to my router so I just used an ethernet cord instead of wifi.