Streaming/Cable for 2023
How are you watching the games this year? I know we'll need peacock for the opener, but what is your cable service/streaming service of choice? I paused our Hulu Live over the summer - not much need, and am curious if there's consensus around Hulu Live vs. YouTube TV vs. others.
What's your provider? do you recommend them?
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:07 AM ^
youtube tv. and Xfinity offered Peacock for $2.99/month so that's pretty good.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:17 AM ^
Co-signed on YTTV, had it for at least 7 years or so and have been very happy with it. My only complaint, and i'm wondering if others have experienced this, is buffering on their 4K telecasts. I've got a shit-ton of bandwidth so I know that's not the problem but it seems like whenever I watch one of their 4K football games I inevitably have it lock-up and then I've got to exit and restart the application. And this only happens on the 4K broadcasts, never anytime else.
Anybody else having this problem?
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:56 AM ^
MGrow,
Occasional buffering on 4k live broadcasts. Had an IT expert do some upgrades and while they are much less frequent, they are not zero.
August 22nd, 2023 at 12:32 PM ^
Good to know it's not just me! I also really like YTTV, but the 4K buffering makes it unwatchable. I don't have to restart the app, but always have to watch in HD.
August 22nd, 2023 at 2:15 PM ^
What are you using as a streamer? I stream YTTV through an Nvidia Shield and don't get any buffering or lock-up.
August 22nd, 2023 at 2:55 PM ^
You dont on their 4K football broadcasts? Remember, we're not talking about programming in general - just the 4K broadcasts.
August 22nd, 2023 at 2:56 PM ^
This could be the issue. I use the 4K Chromecast to stream and haven’t had any buffering, but my folks use the apps built into their TV and the performance can be spotty.
August 22nd, 2023 at 7:00 PM ^
I have the same problem with yttv and it's over a GB wired connection.
1080p resolution doesn't have that problem, just 4k.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:33 AM ^
If you have been on Xfinity for a while and have Xfinity Rewards, you may be eligible for free Peacock. I only have internet service but was able to redeem a reward to get it free.
August 22nd, 2023 at 4:19 PM ^
I am able to get it free, because I've had Xfinity for so long, but every time you change addresses they create a new account so I had to call and give them my previous addresses so they could give me platinum status or whatever it's called.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:34 AM ^
Is it still true that you can't get Bally's on YTTV? That has been the deal breaker for me. I haven't found anything other than Xfinity that can get me all of the sports I need.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:42 AM ^
Yes, Bally's is still unavailable. Has more or less killed my son's interest in MLB.
August 22nd, 2023 at 2:10 PM ^
YTTV subscriber for 5 years. I just cast Bally's last season for Red Wings games from my iPhone with AppleTV.
August 24th, 2023 at 11:32 AM ^
I just pulled up the Xfinity site and they are offering 2 years of Peacock Premium for free if you are a gigabit internet subscriber. You have to log in to chat to get the deal.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:12 AM ^
Have used YTTV for the last 3 seasons or so, and I don't think anything else compares. UX, stream quality/consistency are top-notch.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:13 AM ^
this is good to hear. i'm finally gonna bite the bullet and sign up, i think.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:18 AM ^
They have also started offering multi view for some games. I'm not sure how they are picked, but i'm seeing it more and more. I even had the option last night for the 2 NFL games going on.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:40 AM ^
As someone who just switched from Xfinity/Comcast to YouTubeTV, let me give you my perspective and some things I wished I knew:
- YouTubeTV is likely your best option weighing cost (e.g., $73/month) and channels (e.g., they have B1G, SEC, all the ESPNs, FS1). They do not have many (any?) regional sports channels, though (e.g., no Bally Sports Detroit). Not really an issue for college football games, but it does impact (not) watching the Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings, but also high school football in your state (e.g., MHSAA has a Friday game of the week). I liked tthat, as it allowed me to watch some games of some UM recruits.
- My picture is consistent, but the quality is not as good as cable: it's slightly fuzzier and the colors are not as rich. Searching around, this is a common complaint. It's not a big difference (e.g., perhaps 5% worse) and it still looks good, but not quite as good as before. YMMV.
- There is no "last channel" button. I use the bejeezus out of that during football season (e.g., bouncing between two games on the commercials; I have it down to an art) and it's going to stink not having that option. There is a "last channel" procedure -- hit the down button twice, then hit the OK button -- but having to hit 3 buttons when you previously just could hit 1 is an inexplicable downgrade.
- Related, channel switching using the internet is quick but not quite as quick as cable. We're talking a difference of a second/under a second here, so not a big deal. Not an issue at all if you select (say) Fox at 12pm and keep it there. But if you bounce around, repeatedly, among 4 or 5 channels on a busy Saturday, it's something that you'll notice (and eventually have to get used to). I have 1GB fast internet speed. Again, YMMV.
- YouTubeTV has launched a "multiview" option which allows you to watch two or four channels at the same time, a la red zone. I personally don't care about this, but I am sure others will really like it.
- DVR is unlimited (which is great!) but the UX is so-so (e.g., you can't delete something once you're done with it -- not a real issue with sports, where you typically only want to watch the latest "episode" but with other shows, it's a bother).
I could go on, but you get the idea. As someone used to cable TV for 30-plus years, it's been an adjustment and I definitely like the Xfinity experience better. Is that b/c I'm used to it or b/c it is actually better? Probably both. But I wasn't willing to pay $40/month extra while getting fewer channels (e.g., no Paramount; no ESPNNews; no ESPNU) for the close-to-upper-tier package I had, so here I am using YouTubeTV. I'm contemplating switching to DirecTV Stream (which has Bally Sports Detroit) after football season as it seems I'd like the UX better, though it's $20/month more expensive. But that's the advantage of streaming -- I can cancel YouTubeTV tomorrow and signup for another service quickly with no penalty. And then switch back if I want.
Good luck!
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:58 AM ^
I actually like the way that your recently viewed channels pop up at the bottom if you hit the down arrow - it makes switching between multiple games pretty easy, because it has your last few channels all listed there along with your live tv lineup
also - they do offer NBC Sports regional networks. Not Bally's and not a lot of the others, but they do offer some RSNs. There are a few sites which tell you which ones are available or not in your area.
August 22nd, 2023 at 12:11 PM ^
Yes, the "pop up" is nice. But it's not last channel! Why can't we have both? They are different -- the "pop up" is "Bring up the last few channels I watched and let me select one of them, like I am selecting an app on a menu" and "last channel" is "give me the last channel, now"
"Flipping" (via a single button, hit one time) has been around for many decades. There is no good reason for it not to exist on YouTubeTV (e.g., DirectTV Stream has it); yet it doesn't. It sucks.
Good to know about NBC regional networks. That doesn't help me in metro Detroit, but I'm sure it will add value to other folks in different areas of the country.
August 22nd, 2023 at 12:14 PM ^
Let me add to the quality side.
I live in a rural town in Northern MI. Our local fox affiliate broadcasts in 720p. I have an OLED LG TV. The picture is terrible on this TV, and the only saving grace is if games are broadcast in 4k...(which is an additional fee for 4k on youtube)
I love Youtube TV but for sports its not my favorite if games are predominantly on FOX. In addition I have not been able to watch any regional sports, which I miss. NFL games on FOX are garbage unless you buy the NFL 4k package.
These issues are mostly due to where I am located, and my TV.
Im going to go back to Spectrum for a year, and I will cut the cord again next year. Ive done a good job threating to leave Spectrum over the years, keeping my costs down. They finally wouldnt budge so I left them. Hopefully I can get a sweetheart deal to come back.
August 22nd, 2023 at 12:16 PM ^
I just moved to YTTV for Sunday Ticket after 15 years with DirecTV. The last channel issue with YTTV is annoying to me as well.
However, you can re-arrange (and delete) channels in the guide which is low-key a huge upgrade for me coming from DirecTV. So, for football season, you can stack all of the channels with games at the top of your guide.
I'm down to about 25 channels in my guide these days instead of 300+ channels of crap on DirecTV. Pretty great.
August 22nd, 2023 at 12:22 PM ^
yea that is an underrated thing - I have my guide as just sports channels and local channels
August 22nd, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
I too left DirectTV (a few years ago) after 15+ years and signed up with YTTV. We've never looked back and we love it, including the significantly lower cost. Any quality/resolution diff is invisible to my elder eyes and although I am also mildly annoyed by the UX I don't let it bother me. Thanks for the tip about deleting channels from the guide and stacking gameday broadcasts, I didn't know about that and will try it.
Meanwhile last night my 17 y.o. son asked me if we could sign up for Pac 12 network so we could watch an extra window of games. I'd never looked into it so I did and....it's unavailable. I couldn't even get it if I still had DirectTV. Pac 12 has NO a la carte app/streaming option and limited provider distribution so if I really wanted it I'd have to ditch YTTV and sign up for Dish. No thanks and no wonder they never got their media act together. What a shit show!
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:18 AM ^
I use directv stream for the majority of games. It's not the cheapest but it has some channels that my wife wants and other services don't carry.
I add monthly espn+ or peacock subscriptions for random sporting events I want to watch. I just pay for the month and immediately cancel. I really don't care about having to pay the 5-10 bucks if it's something I really want to watch, but I know some people lose their minds over it.
August 22nd, 2023 at 1:47 PM ^
i am also a directv stream guy. Generally very happy with it...especially since it has Bally Sports Detroit for tigers, red wings and pistons games.
August 22nd, 2023 at 3:27 PM ^
DirecTV Stream is in a big rights dispute with Nexstar which owns a lot of Fox, ABC and CBS affiliates around the country. My affiliates are currently blacked out so I'm keeping an eye on it. Might have to switch to YTTV if they don't get to an agreement before the season starts.
So if anyone is considering DirecTV Stream check to make sure you won't be affected by this dispute before you sign up.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:19 AM ^
I'm a bit annoyed at the games on Peacock. I'm overseas and I tried to load the app on my Amazon Fire but it won't start... even though it says available in Switzerland.
Normally, I use my sister's DishAnywhere account to stream during the season. I wish there was a better option, even if I have to pay.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:26 AM ^
VPN may help
August 22nd, 2023 at 3:53 PM ^
I have Express VPN that I've used for the FoxSports app. However, with it both off and on, Peacock would not load.
I still have some days to figure it out.
August 22nd, 2023 at 4:19 PM ^
Peacock stopped working with ExpressVPN a few days ago. They're working on it... according to a rando Reddit poster anyway.
Annoying as we were using it as a workaround for the Women's World Cup due to the Nexstar/DirecTV thing and want to use it for the M/ECU game (we live in Canada now where Peacock isn't available).
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:24 AM ^
Will watch games that are available on YouTube TV. YTV is great, though the price keeps creeping up.
Won't bother with the game(s) that are on Peacock, because **** Peacock. Yes, I could get it for free or a couple bucks, but not going to.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:55 AM ^
Yeah, I'm not signing up for another service, even though I can afford a $24/year (or whatever) teaser rate. It's the principle of it: TV should not be this much work. And the worst thing is, streaming of live sports (e.g., games only on Peacock, Apple+, whatever) is basically in its early stage still -- it will get worse.
The promise of streaming was a) you subscribe to a channel and get long-term (if not permanent) access to a huge library from that provider (e.g., Disney), b) it would be notably cheaper than cable (e.g., because you are more a la carte) and c) you can join/quit anytime you want. Only the last one has proven true for those who like live sports.
I'll listen on the radio and then watching the highlight on (ye old-fashioned) YouTube.
August 22nd, 2023 at 1:26 PM ^
Also, I'll be interested to see if the NBC/Peacock games show up as episodes of "B1G Football in 60" on BTN. I watch more B1G games than I would otherwise because of that program, and if, say, Michigan-ECU showed up that would be great.
Otherwise, it's the radio and parkinggod highlights.
August 22nd, 2023 at 3:48 PM ^
Same. I’ll just go to Michigan Stadium. Much better experience!
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:25 AM ^
Xfinity has a sports streaming package. $30. They don’t have CBS Sports Network and ACC Network, but they have everything else. Probably will get ESPN plus for EMU games.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:26 AM ^
YTTV for almost every game.
we also have paramount, peacock, and hulu but I think we only pay for YTTV and Netflix. Share logins with family so paramount and peacock are my mother in laws account, son pays for hulu, etc.
this way, we all get every streaming app by only paying for 1 or 2 of them individually.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:26 AM ^
double post neg away
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:33 AM ^
rabbit ear antenna, two PBR cans and 1/4 roll of tinfoil......
sometimes my son has to stand on an ottoman holding one of the antenna, but it usually works out pretty well.
August 22nd, 2023 at 12:33 PM ^
Thank just gave me a flashback to the movie Blankman - thanks, and keep flushing!
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:49 AM ^
Was wondering if anyone has a comparison of YTTV vs Hulu Live?
on a cost side I think Hulu Live comes with Disney + So I could cancel that and my wife’s original Hulu. Possibly Paramount + too as my kids use that for Nick.
August 22nd, 2023 at 12:01 PM ^
So the reason I went with YTTV instead was the family sharing plan - you can share it with multiple family members in your local area. We all live within 15 miles of each other. Hulu Live clamps HARD on that - and that made the non-live version of hulu equally unshareable. Once we ended hulu live, we could then go back to watching hulu on multiple devices/TVs.
I think otherwise, the channels they carry are pretty comparable.
August 22nd, 2023 at 12:21 PM ^
I switched from Hulu Live to YTTV in the past year or two. I found personally that with Hulu Live, if I started a game like an hour after it started, I could rewind to the beginning, but was unable to fast forward to catch up. Switching to YTTV fixed that for me. I dunno if everyone had that problem with Hulu Live or it was just me.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:52 AM ^
I hate to hijack a thread, but here goes...
I recently bought a place in the Rockies, 40 minutes SW of Denver. In trying to find internet service, I have only found one solution and it's 10MBs download speeds (EarthLink). I'm considering adding DirectTV (the dish variety) since streaming could be iffy.
There is no StarLink available, no direct line to a tower for any of the phone services that provide internet. This is severely going to impact my winter viewing (I have season tickets, so home games are not an issue). Has anyone used a satellite internet solution? Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.
August 22nd, 2023 at 12:38 PM ^
I have HughesNet Satellite Internet https://internet.hughesnet.com/, but it's $90/month and not exactly "fast"
August 22nd, 2023 at 12:47 PM ^
Rhetorical question: how the heck is Starlink not available ?
August 22nd, 2023 at 1:04 PM ^
I know my sister wanted it in North Carolina. She was on a wait list for years. The federal investment jobs act that was passed a couple years ago ended up bringing her broadband before she could get starlink.
August 22nd, 2023 at 3:01 PM ^
Start with StarLink Roam. Once it is available in your area switch over to the standard.
August 22nd, 2023 at 10:19 PM ^
I didn't know Roam was a thing. Thanks - I'll look into it.
August 22nd, 2023 at 11:58 AM ^
YouTube tv still the best for me, even though it’s crazy that I paid like $26/month just a few years ago.