Cutting The Cord on Cable TV and Going With Streaming Service?

[EagerBeaver]

Cutting the cord? That is the question I have for all of you. I have made a decision to pull the plug on my Cable TV provider (Frontier) because they sold me a package that included SNY and then pulled SNY from their cable packages. So I am pulling the plug on Frontier, and I am going to try YouTube TV streaming services on a free trial basis. I discovered I can bluetooth it to my TV from my phone.

My question for all of you is a technological one. I am timing the start of the free trial streaming You Tube TV with a live sports event on SNY, which is provided by YouTube TV. Frontier, which is both my cable provider and my internet provider, would have to be retained (at least initially) for internet service. The problem with their internet is that it is delivered via DSL technology instead of Comcast's superior Coaxial Cable technology.

So my question for all of you electronics technology geeks- and I know there is a bunch of you here- is will I notice a difference with live sports streamed through Frontier's DSL internet service? In the past I watched some streaming games on my laptop and the streams were not always great. Do any of you have streaming services? Is the internet service DSL or coaxial cable, and what has been your experience with it? Anyone else streaming You Tube TV? Anyone else fed up with the lying greedlust of the cable companies who are trying to dictate what channels we watch?

 

[CaptRenault]

I switched to YouTubeTV about 6 months ago. It costs $50 (plus tax) and it gives me all the channels that I want including all the sports channels that I used to get with cable. I dumped Spectrum Cable TV ($100+/month), but I kept the Spectrum internet service (which I get at 100MB speed, plenty fast enough for what I need). I use three 5th Gen. Apple TVs as my connection between my 3 TVs and my wireless router.

I discovered I can bluetooth it to my TV from my phone.

That works, but it's not the best way to do it. It's better to connect your TV to a device like an Apple TV (or a Roku or some similar device) and then the device connects to your wireless network. The Apple TV comes with its own little remote that can be programmed to control the TV, the audio, and Youtube TV channel selection.

The problem with their internet is that it is delivered via DSL technology instead of Comcast's superior Coaxial Cable technology...will I notice a difference with live sports streamed through Frontier's DSL internet service?

Possibly, yes. DSL is relatively slow compared to high speed internet delivered by virtually any cable company. DSL is just an old technology using phone lines and not the higher bandwidth coax cable lines of a cable service. It's Ok for email and web browsing on a computer or phone, but streaming video usually requires more bandwidth. You can try DSL and if it's not working well, then you will know you need high speed cable internet.

what has been your experience with it? Anyone else streaming You Tube TV?

My experience with YouTube TV and the setup that I described above has been generally great. I definitely recommend YouTube TV (though there are other similar services). But I would also recommend that you have a good, high speed internet service from either a cable company or a telecom company like Verizon or AT&T. The latter two companies use fiber optic connections to the home. Fiber can be even faster than cable coax technology but it's not really necessary. Cable internet service is good enough.

One other consideration: if you have a TV that is separated from your router by a bunch of walls and more than a couple rooms, you may need to do something to extend your wifi coverage to carry a strong signal all the way to your TV. But it's usually not a problem in a small to medium size house or condo.

 

[EagerBeaver]

CR,

Thanks for your input. So the Roku device is basically a substitute for the cable box for any streaming services you are using?

I found a good article on nerdwallet on the differences between DSL and Cable and Fiber Optic technology for purposes of streaming:

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/uti...erence-dsl-cable-fiberoptic-internet-service/

It sounds to me like the Frontier DSL might not be suitable for streaming on a 65" high definition TV, but I will try it and if it sucks, I suppose I can switch to Comcast. If that happens I assume that they will need to come out and do something? I did have Comcast before switching to AT&T back in 2011, so I wonder what my internet delivery was back then and whether I can be re-hooked up to whatever I had then?

One last question- does You Tube TV carry all local channels and networks so that you can watch network TV football?

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

Many I know have switched to an Android box. I have basic cable and Netflix plus Amazon Prime Video.

 

[CaptRenault]

CR,
Thanks for your input. So the Roku device is basically a substitute for the cable box for any streaming services you are using?

Yes, it's somewhat like that. It can also be used to connect to Netlfix, Amazon prime, and other such services. I am not familiar with Roku devices but I know they generally work like Apple TV boxes. I chose Apple TVs because I already own a number of Apple computers and devices. The Roku is a little cheaper and I'm sure just as good.

. I can switch to Comcast. If that happens I assume that they will need to come out and do something? I did have Comcast before switching to AT&T back in 2011, so I wonder what my internet delivery was back then and whether I can be re-hooked up to whatever I had then?

If you had a Comcast cable internet connection before then the wires are still connected to your home. It will be easy to reconnect you but it will require a technician to come to your home and install the router and connect everything. When he does, he can check the wireless signal in different rooms.

Cable internet speeds have been upgraded significantly since 2011. Back then you probably had speeds of 10-20 MB from your cable connection. Now, with improved technology (but same wires) 100 MB is pretty standard and that's probably the speed you want to buy. There are different prices for different speeds. Speed can go upto 300MB or higher with cable internet but for most people there's not much advantage. You might need higher speeds for internet gaming...or VR porn or something.

CR,
One last question- does You Tube TV carry all local channels and networks so that you can watch network TV football?

Yes, I get all the local affiliate channels of the national broadcast networks-ABC, NBS, CBS, Fox plus lesser networks like CW. So no different from traditional cable.

 

[CaptRenault]

Many I know have switched to an Android box. I have basic cable and Netflix plus Amazon Prime Video.

In the U.S. I think Hulu TV offers a cheap service that gives you a lineup of basic broadcast TV channels similar to basic cable. But Youtube TV and some other services (including a more expensive service from Hulu) give you a much more complete lineup of broadcast TV channels, esp. for sports: the national US networks, all the ESPN channels, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, FS1, FS2, SEC network, ACC network, Big Ten network, Olympic Channel, Motor Trend (motor racing), etc. In addition you get a bunch of regular cable channels: Fox News, Fox Business, CNBC, CNN, Discovery, Food, HGTV, Animal Planet, etc.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

The expensive part of TV is the internet, I have the 1 gbps unlimited plus 4 K box and PVR.

 

[Halloween Mike]

I have not use cable TV since... well so long i can't really remember when. Close to a decade i supose...

Video store rent movies and tv shows, you can also buy what you really enjoy. Netflix have some now wich i like to subscribe on and off. I also use "free viewing" on the internet a bit ill admit... For hockey if i really want to get back into it, i can subscribe to one of these app...

Cable TV is "detestable" to me. They charge huge money (50$+) and you get the "base", you need to pay extra here, extra there, to get the good channels. Commercials are my bane and i can't stand them. I mean i can stand a commercial BEFORE a movie but even youtube these days with 3 cuts in the same videos are starting to annoy me, and its only 15 secs long usually. 3 minutes of commercials just take me out of whatever i watch. But also i can't cope with TV schedule.

For instance the only show i watch as the episode goes out in the US in english, Supernatural. They skip weeks all the time, they have breaks randomly in the year, then at christmas time they take like 2 months and a half of break, by the time they come back often i realize i missed 2-3 episodes cause it was just not on my mind anymore. With TV i would be screw and have missed them (even with a DVR, you need to verify and put the record feature on). With the net, well they are still there for me to grab...

My favorite way to watch TV shows is the netflix way (or buying on DVD), all episodes available and binge watch it at my own pace. If i feel like watching 3 episodes, i do, and start when i want.

So yeah, i can't really say for the general population, as its just MY point of view, but to me TV is irrelevant. No matter what you enjoy, be news, sports, shows, movies, there is alternate ways to get them that will cost you far less, even putting aside anything "illegal".

Not only TV cost a ton, but on top of that you have to get a plan, wich is often bind to a contract... Netflix at least i sign off when i can and sub back when i want... thats it. They only take the money for one month and NOTHING force me to keep paying afterward.

 

[CaptRenault]

I have not use cable TV since... well so long i can't really remember when. Close to a decade i supose... .

That’s all well and good, but if you like to watch live sports-NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA, MLB, F1, etc.- then you still need broadcast TV. Your choice comes down to traditional cable or a newer broadcast technology/service like YouTube TV or an alternative service. You can get some live sports and games with various apps (e.g nhl.com or mlb.com) but you must have a live broadcast app like YouTube TV to get all the most important games across all major sports.

YouTube TV does not have contracts so you can drop it anytime or switch to a different provider any time. The traditional cable companies are one of the alternatives. They have launched similar internet broadcast services with similar channel lineups, no contract terms and similar prices. I see them gradually phasing out their traditional cable services.

So Netflix, Prime, HBO and similar services are great but they are NOT a true alternative if you like to watch live sports.

 

[EagerBeaver]

One of the reasons I am leaning towards YouTube TV is their variety of Sports Channels and in that regard two New York area channels that are essential to my viewing needs: SNY (for UConn basketball) and YES network (for Yankees baseball).

What I haven’t yet figured out is how You Tube TV is set up so that you can navigate to the particular channels within it. I went to the main page and didn’t see channels but rather programming- movies and shows. Maybe that’s where I need the Roku. Although I did not yet start the 5 day free trial, I am timing it to coincide with the UConn men’s opener which is being broadcast on SNY on November 8. Therefore I will start it my 5 day free trial on November 7.

I want to start the free trial on November 7 for another reason. On YouTube TV’s main page I noticed that one of their feature movies is “The Shining”, based on the Stephen King novel. I just got finished reading the sequel to the Shining, “Doctor Sleep.” Although I saw The Shining film and read the book years ago, I want to watch it again because the movie version of “Doctor Sleep”, the sequel, will be released November 8. All I can say is the novel “Doctor Sleep” is very good and a worthy sequel and I am looking forward to seeing the movie version. But I want to watch “The Shining” again before I do, and it is being featured on YouTube TV.

 

[CaptRenault]

What I haven’t yet figured out is how You Tube TV is set up so that you can navigate to the particular channels within it.

It has a channel guide that is very similar to a cable tv channel guide.

If you start your trial on a computer web browser, you can see the guide by clicking on the 'live" link.

If you download the Youtube TV app on your phone, then you will also see a 'live" link that will show you the channel guide.

You can also customize the guide to show you only the channels that you want to watch.

Youtube TV also has a great cloud based recording service that will store an unlimited number of program recordings in the cloud for nine months free of charge. You can watch them any time by pulling up your "library" of recorded shows.

Eager, take the plunge. I don't think there are any major downsides to Youtube TV.

However, are you sure that the YES network and SNY are part of Youtube TV's offerings? I am not sure. You might have to subscribe to them in addition to the regular channel lineup.

 

[EagerBeaver]

However, are you sure that the YES network and SNY are part of Youtube TV's offerings? I am not sure. You might have to subscribe to them in addition to the regular channel lineup.

Yes, they are, which I know from others who are getting those channels in my area as part of the YouTube TV package and it’s also listed in their programming options when you insert zip code. So there is no doubt.

I do plan on getting YouTube TV on my phone and then putting the code in so it’s on my TV. That’s how I will set up the free trial. I am going to do the free trial and then decide on Internet stream quality. That will necessitate a further decision on whether to completely sever Frontier on Internet service as well and go with Comcast/Coaxial Cable rather than DSL delivery of the Internet Service.

 

[CaptRenault]

Yes, they are, which I know from others who are getting those channels in my area as part of the YouTube TV package and it’s also listed in their programming options when you insert zip code. So there is no doubt.

In that case, then you have no downside other than possibly having to switch internet provider to your cable company. You will pay more for that than DSL service but you should get a good intro deal on cable internet for at least the first year. Depending on speed, it should cost between $45-65/month.

 

[EagerBeaver]

I am going to be saving at least $100 a month if I go with YouTube TV plus internet service. I should have cut the cord on this greedy money-grab a long time ago.

 

[LeBoudoir]

My way to enjoy television for the past 2 year is an 80$ android box, a couple of free apps to get movies and a paid iptv service for 12$ a month with over 2000 channels (us-canada and international) and I get all the NHL - NFL - NBA - MLB games and all ppv events such as UFC in HD included. Never going back to cable again!

 

[jalimon]

Leboudoir thanks for this! Is this the site for iptv? https://iptv.shop/

I am in the process of doing the same. So far I subscribed to DAZN to watch premier league football (and some MLS games). But I have not found yet something worthwhile for hockey, golf and tennis... Will look into this iptv once you give me the details.

As for regular tv I just watch Netflix...

Cheers,

 

[LeBoudoir]

I use a service called Ok3 . Many people resell it. But i'd stay away from websites for this. I have a reputable guy i message on facebook and send him an etransfer for 12$ every month. if you need more info, pm me. Im extremely happy with this service.

 

[Like_It_Hot]

@LeBoudoir Could you give recommandations concerning android box, free apps needed and iptv service? Thanks. I'm from Montreal area.
@EB and other: Thanks for this very informative thread.

 

[LeBoudoir]

as far as an android box, i highly recommend buying through amazon. Id look for a box with an s905x2 processor or s912. minimum 4gb of ram. That should run you about 80-100$
For free tv apps, i use TeaTv , Cyberflix and KODI .
For iptv , i use an app called STBEMU Pro (the pro version is ad-free and a paid app but you can get it for free online) and then you need to subscribe to an iptv service. My service of choice after trying several is OK3 . I buy my monthly subscription from a reseller on facebook using e-transfer ( I strongly recommend not using credit cards for this purchase)

 

[CaptRenault]

I use a service called Ok3 . Many people resell it. But i'd stay away from websites for this...

AKA pirated TV.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/piracy-iptv-services-live-tv-1.4560320

The offers sound too good to be true: pay a small monthly fee and get access to thousands of live TV channels from across the globe, offering everything from sports to entertainment.
"Stop paying high prices for cable," touts one ad on Kijiji, offering more than 500 TV channels for a monthly $20 subscription.
"Why pay more when you get it all for less!!!!" says a competitor, offering an even better deal — more than 3,000 channels for just $15 a month.
Of course, there's a catch.
These are third-party dealers selling pirated TV channel subscriptions. Nonetheless, this black market industry is growing globally, and it's catching on with Canadians.


A recent study suggests that 6.5 per cent of North American households have accessed a pirated live TV subscription.
The report was done by Sandvine in Waterloo, Ont., a broadband equipment company that tracks home internet usage. It studied anonymous home internet traffic from thousands of Canadian and U.S. internet providers during the month of September.
Sandvine spokesperson, Dan Deeth, says because these pirated TV services demand a fee, they pose "a real threat" to Canada's cultural industries. That's because if Canadians are paying the pirates, they may have less money to put toward legitimate TV services.
"That money is not going into the pockets of people who worked hard to make the content," he says "This is money being paid to people who have literally stolen content."
The lure of pirated TV

Deeth says if left unchecked, the threat will continue to grow given the appeal of these cheap — although unauthorized — TV services.
"It's basically designed to replicate your cable experience," he says.
The services are also easy to use. They function as IPTV — Internet Protocol television — where users stream the content from the internet onto their TVs, often with the aid of a set-top box.
"Basically, [the pirates are] stealing signals from around the world, digitizing them, and putting them online," says Deeth.


It's also easy to sign up. CBC News did a Google search using the term "IPTV service" and discovered a long list of offerings.
Many websites boast about the multiple channels they offer and cut-rate prices. They also include a page where customers can sign up and pay, often by PayPal, Bitcoin, or credit card.
"People are giving out their credentials to basically pirates," says Deeth.
'They can take HBO'

Already, Canadian content providers are growing nervous about the pirated TV subscription trend.
Shan Chandrasekar heads up the Asian Television Network (ATN), Canada's largest South Asian broadcaster. He's also spearheading an anti-piracy coalition on called FairPlay — backed by Bell, Rogers and CBC — that wants Canada to block piracy websites.
Chandrasekar says his company has lost close to $4 million in revenue over the past five years, and he blames a good portion of the decline on lost subscribers who have turned to piracy, including black market live TV services.
He says those services can steal for free live broadcasts ATN pays big money for, such as the Cricket World Cup.
"It's no longer a program that's being pirated on YouTube," he says. "It is the entire linear channels from around the world."
"They can take HBO from the U.S. directly, they can take all the Canadian channels."[FONT=&amp]

• 'Free TV' Android boxes finding their way into many Canadian households, study says

• 'Slippery slope': Opposition mounts to Canadian media's plan to block piracy websites

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CBC News contacted several IPTV providers we found online. Only one responded — China-based Best IPTV Service.
It offers several different packages such as its best-selling Express subscription for $12 US a month for more than 1,000 channels.
Chunhua Yang with Best IPTV Service said by email that the company is a third-party reseller that simply buys IPTV links to resell "for little profit."
How do you stop it?

To combat the growing pirated TV trend, Deeth says it needs to be tackled on many fronts. Besides targeting the people who operate the services, he says authorities can also work with payment companies used by the pirates.
When Netflix cracked down on people who paid for unblocking services to access content restricted to other countries, PayPal disallowed at least two unblocking companies from offering its payment services.
"The best way to stop this is to make these services unreliable, make it not worth the money," says Deeth.
[FONT=&amp]

• HBO declares war on Game of Thrones pirates, but it may be a losing battle

• ANALYSIS
  War on TV piracy: Are cable companies fighting the right battle?

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Chandrasekar says FairPlay's proposal to block piracy websites including illegitimate IPTV services, would also help combat the problem.
"To go after blatant piracy sites is, in our opinion, an extraordinarily simple, common-sense approach."
However, some consumer advocacy groups have criticized this idea, claiming it could lead to rampant internet censorship.
Instead, the groups suggest the best way to combat piracy is to offer cheaper, legal services that give Canadians what they want minus the risks of signing up for a pirated service.
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