Streaming TV service advice needed | The Boneyard

Streaming TV service advice needed

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Mods, please give this one a little time here before moving it. It’s a hot topic and it’s the offseason.

We are downsizing and I’m debating going to YouTube TV or similar at the new house. We’ve had Comcast for internet and cable for 20+ years and I love the reliability, speed etc. However, with just my wife and one kid (part time because she’s a frosh in college) left in the house, it seems like streaming might make more sense. My wife and my daughter only watch cable when they are watching with me and it is usually for football or basketball games. We have 9 TV’s in our house now. That number is going to drop to 4-5, with one of those TV’s being outside and one being in an unoccupied guest room. I have a Verizon 5G home internet modem from a rental property that I am going to either cancel or put in the new house. It got me thinking about trying the Verizon 5G and a streaming TV service rather than bringing Comcast and the $250/per month bill to the new house.

Given this, what do you guys recommend based on experience? Feel free to tell me I’m nuts and to just pay for Comcast. I just want good advice. I will say, the 5G modem works very well here so I wouldn’t be too concerned with that factor. It is nowhere near as fast as my wired Comcast service, but it is more than adequate. My only experience is with YouTube TV. Is something else better? Sports and UConn access are a concern. I barely missed a game with Comcast other than the oddball Peacock games.
 
You can only have 3 streams at one time with Youtube TV. You mentioned 4-5 TVs. That could be an issue. Also, Youtube TV has a bigger delay on live sports broadcasts compared to Cable. Of course the fastest is using your antenna but not sure if that is possible for you. I have Youtube TV and share it with 2 brothers. It is fine for my needs as we only need 3 live broadcasts. I have cut the cord for I think almost 8 years and love it. I don't use Comcast for my Internet since they cap how much you can use unless you pay more. I just use AT&T 1 GIG Fiber which isn't good as Comcast but it works for me and I was grandfathered in with Free HBO Max with no commercials. I checked into Comcast recently and their prices are ridiculous.
 
Just an FYI as a YTTV user, they keep raising prices every 6 months or so. Right before March they almost lost all the CBS/Paramount channels, luckily never happened. And of course you still have to pay for internet separately. Definitely no harm calling your cable provider telling them you’re ready to cancel and see if they can do anything to keep you.
 
The other option is Hulu live. I went to that from YouTube TV after YouTube TV lost the right to broadcast SNY which at the time was carrying the women's basketball games. Since SNY no longer has that contract effective next year that doesn't matter. I actually think that YouTube TV allows you to have more parallel streams, running at the same time. At one point in time I think we had four going, while my kids were still at home. I have Fios gigabyte as well and there was plenty of bandwidth.

One thing that I do is I toggle off my streaming TV provider during the summer months until football season starts up again. Saves you something like 90 a month. It's very convenient to do and once the basketball season is over my consumption of streaming TV goes way down. Over the summer months I toggle on other services that have things that I'm interested in watching. I'll see what Connecticut baseball looks like to see if we're going be in the postseason (it doesn't look like likely, right now, though we are on a nice run) and then I'll toggle it off. Probably next up I'll flip on Amazon and work my way through the reacher series and anything else that interests me. I have a new iPhone so I'll probably put on Apple TV for a while too, but there's less there that looks interesting.
 
What's best varies depending on individual viewing habits. I use gonetspeed for internet and haven't noticed it. So it is good. I started with YouTube TV but switched to Hulu plus because they had SNY and Youtube TV didn't. SNY is no longer a factor because they will no longer be carrying the,UConn Women. Hulu also comes with a Disney subscription and ESPN+ is incorporated in the search. Disney is good if the grandkids come over. I am widowed and live by myself and don't watch a whole lot of tv other than sports. I don't watch baseball so the baseball networks aren't a factor. One advantage of streaming is there is no charge for canceling or reconnecting. So if there is a sport on one service you watch during the summer you can easily switch in the fall for a service that better fits your fall viewing habits.
 
The other option is Hulu live. I went to that from YouTube TV after YouTube TV lost the right to broadcast SNY which at the time was carrying the women's basketball games. Since SNY no longer has that contract effective next year that doesn't matter. I actually think that YouTube TV allows you to have more parallel streams, running at the same time. At one point in time I think we had four going, while my kids were still at home. I have Fios gigabyte as well and there was plenty of bandwidth.

One thing that I do is I toggle off my streaming TV provider during the summer months until football season starts up again. Saves you something like 90 a month. It's very convenient to do and once the basketball season is over my consumption of streaming TV goes way down. Over the summer months I toggle on other services that have things that I'm interested in watching. I'll see what Connecticut baseball looks like to see if we're going be in the postseason (it doesn't look like likely, right now, though we are on a nice run) and then I'll toggle it off. Probably next up I'll flip on Amazon and work my way through the reacher series and anything else that interests me. I have a new iPhone so I'll probably put on Apple TV for a while too, but there's less there that looks interesting.
Looks like you were typing pretty much the same as me simultaneously. Lol
 
I have Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu through the Verizon bundle for $10/month. I guess I’m most concerned with YouTube tv, vs Hulu TV etc.

I love cable for the clarity and dependability but I think it’s time I tried going without it. I honestly don’t think any more than 2 TV’s would be running youtube tv at the same time. It’s more about which service is best and which one is most flexible if I try to log in from a second home, hotel, etc. I see a lot of love for Sling out there but it seems like no one I’ve ever met uses it. YouTube TV, Hulu TV and Sling seem like the major options. Is there anything else?
 
I have Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu through the Verizon bundle for $10/month. I guess I’m most concerned with YouTube tv, vs Hulu TV etc.

I love cable for the clarity and dependability but I think it’s time I tried going without it. I honestly don’t think any more than 2 TV’s would be running youtube tv at the same time. It’s more about which service is best and which one is most flexible if I try to log in from a second home, hotel, etc. I see a lot of love for Sling out there but it seems like no one I’ve ever met uses it. YouTube TV, Hulu TV and Sling seem like the major options. Is there anything else?
I have one brother in Glastonbury, Connecticut, one in Oakland, California snd I'm in Atlanta, Georgia and we don't have issues all 3 of us watching it at the same time with YouTube TV.
 
This is one (only one) advantage to cable over streaming. If there are more multiple things (normally early round, non-UConn tournament games, occasionally during football and baseball season) I am interested in but don't need to watch entirely, it's possible to channel surf with cable. This isn't practical while streaming. When I retire in a few years I'll worry about the cost/benefit of channel surfing. Now I'll keep cable and stream what I want, when I want.
 
This is one (only one) advantage to cable over streaming. If there are more multiple things (normally early round, non-UConn tournament games, occasionally during football and baseball season) I am interested in but don't need to watch entirely, it's possible to channel surf with cable. This isn't practical while streaming. When I retire in a few years I'll worry about the cost/benefit of channel surfing. Now I'll keep cable and stream what I want, when I want.

That’s not really true. It’s a tiny bit slower, but you can definitely channel surf YouTube TV. Just hit guide and surf.
 
"Cable" is basically no different than streaming now.
If so, why bother? "Cable" charges much more. I know apples to apples comparison because my Dad won't give up cable since he can't get the Red Sox.
 
That’s not really true. It’s a tiny bit slower, but you can definitely channel surf YouTube TV. Just hit guide and surf.
Yep. Plus, Hulu live gives you the option to return to the last thing you watched, or you can pull up the menu with like the last dozen things that you watched, which makes flipping between multiple things pretty easy.
 
Yep. Plus, Hulu live gives you the option to return to the last thing you watched, or you can pull up the menu with like the last dozen things that you watched, which makes flipping between multiple things pretty easy.
So, are you telling me Hulu TV is better?
 
So, are you telling me Hulu TV is better?
I'd say they are roughly equivalent. I think YouTube TV may allow you to do split screen screening which Hulu live doesn't. Hulu live on the other hand will also throw in ESPN+ and Disney+. I rarely watch anything on Disney+, but obviously ESPN+ comes in handy.

Don't forget you are going to want to add Peacock eventually too. Around Thanksgiving they run a special and it's $20 for the whole year.
 
That’s not really true. It’s a tiny bit slower, but you can definitely channel surf YouTube TV. Just hit guide and surf.
And if you don't have YTTV, or if you need to jump from one service to another?

I've done the math on this countless times. The potential overall cost savings still doesn't justify leaving cable yet.
 
And if you don't have YTTV, or if you need to jump from one service to another?

I've done the math on this countless times. The potential overall cost savings still doesn't justify leaving cable yet.
What do you pay for cable right now?
 
If so, why bother? "Cable" charges much more. I know apples to apples comparison because my Dad won't give up cable since he can't get the Red Sox.
I get cable for $106 w/fees and it includes Disney, Max and Paramount+. Its cheaper than YTTV + Disney, Max and Paramount+
 
My son has YTTV in college in Connecticut and it is great as the college provides the internet/wifi. He is able to get Boston channels as long as he logs in from the Boston area every few months.

Here is an interesting fact. Our vacation condo in New Hampshire has a bulk deal with Spectrum in which we get internet and cable with 100+ channels including HBO and more. Total cost for internet (high speed) and cable is $85/month. When the condo board told us about the deal, we couldn't believe it. I do pay an extra ~$15/month to get all of the sports channels. Personally, I think rates are going to colla[se and if you can get your neighbors on board, you can negotiate rates lower.

Unfortunately, watching sports is changing and you will need streaming packages like Prime to view everything. It is very had to figure out what is the best option for an individual right now.
 
As a retired Yankee fan I always need advice on this because it’s always changing and Red Sox and Mets fans have different situations.
Right now I bounce between Florida and Connecticut winter and summer. In Florida I have TMobile with free MLB and YouTube Tv and I always have Comcast internet only in Connecticut which allows use of Ring cameras to monitor things when not there. Comcast gave me a deal for around $45 when I threatened to leave. When I come to Connecticut I plan on suspending YouTube Tv for 3-4 months and go to FUBO Essential for $ 84.99 per month until the playoffs . Prime has a number of Yankee games but I am trying to wean myself from Amazon usage for personal reasons.
To my knowledge this is my only option because YES by itself monthly is expensive. One thing is that Comcast in Ct. has lately negotiated better deals with customers where those people have other options and threaten to leave. TMobile streaming internet only is cheap where available but not in either place for me.
There are many many people who find negotiating in this landscape too much of a pain and and allow Comcast or Spectrum for its ease along with nearly $300 monthly bills. I do understand this but the difference can be $1500 per year.
I have not even addressed the phone plan options because it vocab be dizzying going to 2 different locations.
 
I have Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu through the Verizon bundle for $10/month. I guess I’m most concerned with YouTube tv, vs Hulu TV etc.

I love cable for the clarity and dependability but I think it’s time I tried going without it. I honestly don’t think any more than 2 TV’s would be running youtube tv at the same time. It’s more about which service is best and which one is most flexible if I try to log in from a second home, hotel, etc. I see a lot of love for Sling out there but it seems like no one I’ve ever met uses it. YouTube TV, Hulu TV and Sling seem like the major options. Is there anything else?
Hulu tv is simply better.
 
"Cable" is basically no different than streaming now.

Its done on an app and bundles more content for the same price as just YTTV, Sling, etc. you just have to call and complain every six months.
Indeed. Until recently we had the Spectrum streaming option only, with no "cable box" per se.
 
So, are you telling me Hulu TV is better?
I switched from Hulu to YT mostly because of buffering issues. Nine with YT At first I didn’t like the YT interface as much, now that I’m accustomed to it, works fine.
 

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