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Message started by justin_o_guy2 on 12/25/18 at 22:17:19

Title: Streaming services
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/25/18 at 22:17:19

The cable costs are slowly creeping up, over the last thirteen years. The offerings are just crappier and crappier.
Someone suggested I look into streaming, and I don't think I know enough to get off the starting line.
I would appreciate a few clues about how it works, heck, I don't know enough to even ask good questions.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by LANCER on 12/26/18 at 02:45:52

4E5157504D4A7B4B7B43515D16240 wrote:

I don’t know enough about the subject to answer the questions you are unable to ask.
We are not metro at all, over 8 miles outside the nearest little town, 4-5 miles from a cell tower, and require satellites for both TV and internet service. We don’t have the fastest internet available but are on the next one down because of cost and so video streaming is buffered a lot. Watching something even just a few minutes long is an exercise in patience.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by Serowbot on 12/26/18 at 08:04:40

Download the free app, iPluto , to your phone, Roku, or smart tv, and get some free streams... or pay $10 a month for Netflix.
Or both... :-?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spio.ipluto&hl=en_US

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/26/18 at 08:19:03

I don’t know enough about the subject to answer the questions you are unable to ask.

Admit it,you were kinda giggling when you typed that, weren't you?

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by GOF on 12/26/18 at 10:34:31

I know it made me chuckle. ;)

I'm with you. Starting to think about it. But really don't even know where to start.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by ohiomoto on 12/26/18 at 13:33:07

We just went through this so I can give you some ideas. You have a lot of options in a couple of areas.

First, you have to decide what you want from your streaming service (or services.) There are a lot of different ways to get content, but let's assume you want something similar to cable so we'll start with that.

If you watch mostly network TV, news and Sports, YouTubeTV does a great job with that and you will get your local network stations as well (might depend on area) for ~$40 a month. DVR functionality is included. You can share your account with 6 family members and use it on 3-4 different devices at the same time.

If you are looking to replace cable but keep HGTV, Food Network, History, and stations like that I would look into Sling TV for $25-$40+ a month. It gets more expensive if you need to add sports packages. DVR and family sharing might also add to the expenses depending on what level you choose.

There are other streaming services, but I would start by looking at those two to get an idea of what content you can get. We chose YoutubeTV because of the local content and sports along with the fact that we can watch our local sports teams on our phones/computers even when we are outside of our market. So far we haven't missed Discovery, TLC, HGTV, or Food Network.

Next you have services that offer their own content like Amazon Prime, Netflix and network sites. I think of these as supplemental services. We are Prime members and have a Netflix subscription, but haven't really used them to supplement our TV yet. (We don't watch a ton of TV to begin with.) You will also find many more services on the device you may or may not need to purchase to steam content.

Which leads into the other choice you need to make. What are you going to watch you content on. You can use your phone, tablets, computers or TVs. If you have a Smart TV, you just download the providers app. If you have a regular TV, then you'll need to chose a streaming device like Roku, AppleTV, Fire TV or Chromecast. This gets confusing, and they all good products but some will suite your needs better than others. We got a Roku Ultra mainly because it's easy to use and it allows me to use headphones with it's remote control or phone app. That's a bonus for watching YouTube after the misses is in bed. We got ours at Costco for less than $100.

The last choice you have to make is where you are getting your data. We kept our cable internet service, because it's fast and we still have kids in house. We are still saving $100 a month compared to what we had before. At some point, I'm going to cut that cord and just us unlimited data on our phones.

Hopefully that's enough to get you started. Overall, I'm happy we cut the cord on cable and I was probably the one who watched the cable offerings the most. But it was mostly just to kill time.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by Oldfeller on 12/26/18 at 18:08:27

Going further, wife and I are post cable cutters who use Amazon Prime, Netflix with a small side of Hulu and Crackle (freebie only on the last two).

We have lots to watch, and when Netflicks gets sorry we drop it for a few months until new stuff has a chance to build up again. Wife will take Britbox for a month to get caught up, then drop that for Hallmark for a month so until that gets caught up. Then Netflix for a bit, then something else.

Disney will take its turn in the rotation schedule soon, as Disney will recover all their good content and then will concentrate it under their own brand name. I see this as a potentially good thing, as Disney scattered all over means having to buy too many different services.

A internet streaming service should cost $7.99 a month and you should be able to drop and re-up without any penalty. All it requires is good internet ongoing and that costs $39.99 in my neck of the woods because there is no competition allowed (2 regulated suppliers).

In Raleigh, decent internet costs $14.99 and they all offer more bandwidth from the same suppliers, simply because Raleigh is a Google city and Google sets the lower end pricing by their own inexpensive lower end offerings ......

In Raleigh, there is competition after a fashion because Google is there.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by Tocsik on 12/26/18 at 18:44:32

Netflix has turned into a pretty decent service. Their self-produced content is getting better, and they even pick up some shows that get cancelled on other networks and make new seasons.
A Roku device is probably the best choice these days, but then I've never had Sling or Apple TV as a comparison. I do know it's much better than the Chromecast devices I've owned. Hulu can be a good service, but I find we don't watch much directly from them. It's a cheaper way to add HBO or Cinemax for a month or two to watch some good stuff. We did that for Black Sails. We also added Britbox to watch the rest of an excellent series called Shetland; highly recommend watching that one to any of you guys.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/26/18 at 18:46:45

Does Roku Ultra replace my chiropractor?

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by Oldfeller on 12/27/18 at 02:39:48

Roku is arguably the best box to hook a big TV up to (and it is what the wife uses in the den) but I survive just fine using a PC with a 22" monitor at my computer station. I can use the same accounts (actually she swaps codes with family relatives so we don't even have to pay for all the services, they swap off everything they can and cover Grandma like a rug for free).

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/27/18 at 08:04:24

I'm still reading. As soon as I think I know enough to ask questions, look out.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/29/18 at 04:24:16

Returned a router to Best Buy and asked about streaming. They sell a gizmo called a fire stick. Sounded cool till the
Download the app
Part.
Wife is gonna Hafta be the one.
And
There's actual AnTennas out there, and even dvr to hook up.

Roku keeps coming up in my conversations about this.
I'm not planning on ending January with the cable still connected.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/29/18 at 04:30:10

https://www.cordcutters.com

I Wonder what they know that I don't.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by Oldfeller on 12/30/18 at 20:56:52

There are 2 general pathways.

1) Antenna and DVR and put up with waiting for stuff to air ......

2) Roku and internet connection (real streaming) .......

Both pathways cost money. Both can get you there ..... better than cable, anyway.

I picked Roku and Internet, although I did have a DVR and antenna also at one point in time just for a couple of items, it was limited too much by what was showing locally and the DVR hardware was expensive (and the DVR equipment went obsolete way too quickly to suit me).

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/31/18 at 04:16:15

Well, dangitt , but really, if I can find something today, that's playing now, would I feel the need to keep recordings?
I do record some series, but if I can find something else, ehh, I'll get over it.

It's probably not going to be a great idea to get an antenna. We're not close in to a big city.
Roku keeps getting mentioned..
That's helpful,
Thanks folks,,
Any other tidbits are appreciated.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by Eegore on 12/31/18 at 04:44:52

Other than Amazon Prime/Prime Video pretty much all the services like Netflix / Hulu etc. allow monthly payments and free trial periods. Even youtube has local programming now so that reduces need for a local antennae:

https://tv.youtube.com/welcome/?utm_campaign=bing_0317&utm_term=ea_launch&gclsrc=ds&utm_source=bing&gclid=CPHPjp6Jyt8CFaKPxQIdCxoAGA&utm_medium=web

There are plenty of options now but that tends to muddy up the waters so to speak. For instance Philo is a relatively unknown, but solid streaming service:

https://try.philo.com/?utm_source=cj&utm_campaign=Mobile+Nations&utm_term=13269140&cjsid=UUccUdUnU1042&cjevent=99fcbc120cf811e9833404660a1c0e14

If it were me I'd go with any monthly subscription service and cancel it when I get bored.

One thing to consider about any of the hubs or sticks (Roku/FireStick) is they are multi-use. They have their own content offered, and they provide access to your paid content like Netflix, or DirectTVNow.

One thing you didn't mention is if you own a smart TV, or if you plan to stream over PC and connect to a monitor/TV etc.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/01/19 at 12:31:31

thing you didn't mention is if you own a smart TV, or if you plan to stream over PC and connect to a monitor/TV etc.

I'm not sure what it takes to be a smart T.V..
I have two hdmi ports.
And we are planning on going to a , I think it's called g 4?
We don't actually have a computer.
We have our kindles.
Got tired of the money and problems that computers cost.

Has anyone heard of Pluto streaming?

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by Eegore on 01/01/19 at 13:39:24

A Smart TV has the apps already built in, so to watch Netflix, youTube etc you just select in on the TV menu, nothing to plug into the TV.

Sounds like it will be easiest with a Roku/Firestick setup if you want streaming with HDMI as the primary receiver/input.

Pluto is free, its basically the same thing Vizio TVs come with now, and it works with Roku/Firestick, I don't know of a system it isn't compatible with.

From a cost perspective I think getting an HDMI streaming input gives you more options. The digital antennae is reliable but limited in what it picks up, and as stated before the programming runs on a schedule where streaming is pretty much immediate.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/01/19 at 14:32:35

Sounds like it will be easiest with a Roku/Firestick setup if you want streaming with HDMI as the primary receiver/input.

Would a DVD player be an input device that would help with the streaming options?

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by Eegore on 01/01/19 at 14:42:46

"Would a DVD player be an input device that would help with the streaming options?"

Not to my knowledge, I have never seen a streaming box with additional hardware like DVD etc. although there are Smart Blueray players. A streaming box, or stick is just like the old cable box except it connects to your internet instead of a physical cable. So you connect it to your internet wired or wireless, then plug it to your TV directly.

So with two HDMI ports you could plug the DVD into one and the streaming device into another, or use an HDMI splitter to give you more ports.

Best Buy has a simple explanation of streaming and streaming options on their website. Easy to learn from even if you don't plan to buy anything from them:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/buying-guides/streaming-media-player-buying-guide/pcmcat333300050010.c?id=pcmcat333300050010

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by Oldfeller on 01/01/19 at 17:09:38

DVD players and Blue Ray players are pretty much passe' as far as any current uses go.

DVDs used to be used for software, but now-a-days it is quicker to download the software directly to your machine.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/01/19 at 20:19:32

Machine equals T.V.?

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by Eegore on 01/01/19 at 21:32:13

"Machine equals T.V.? "

Sort of, but not really in your case. The previously mentioned "smart" TV's have some memory in them and can have applications downloaded to them, but I think in this case Oldfeller meant a PC as a machine.

Basically the storage space of modern computers is much higher than what can be stored on a DVD today, so its easier/faster to just download a movie, or software than it is to use a DVD. DVD is going the route of the "floppy disk". DVD is the Kodak film we once used in cameras, its not gone but digital is mainstream so physical film is just less common.

You can still fire up your DVD player and use a streaming device, you will just be using two separate HDMI inputs is all.

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/01/19 at 22:49:37

Okay guys. All hints and clues are appreciated, very much. Thanks for taking the time to offer some education.
I'm gonna take this information and take a swing at it.
I might not nail it on the first shot, but I'll save money and hopefully have better options, even if I lose some convenience , like recording stuff to watch at my convenience.
Best outcome, I spend less time watching T.V..

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by Oldfeller on 01/02/19 at 01:10:44

Justin does not do computing as we normally think about it. He uses a 8" Fire tablet from Amazon as his computing base for any computing we would refer to as computing.

He could buy a Roku TV, and that could become his connection point. Internet capable TVs are just that, computer equipped TVs. But such are relatively expensive and Justin seeks a simple entry point that does not cost him a lot of $$$ for the experiment.

Justin sorta lacks a computing technological connection point to the Internet Streaming world beyond what a Fire tablet can give him. He can do all the Amazon serviced stuff just fine, and he could Google off the Tablet if it were house broken (which I do not know if he has ever done). Justin keeps reminding us his Fire tablet belongs to his wife, which I understand pretty well as my wife glommed on to mine after I was done investigating it and she uses it for gaming board games and it lives by her chair in the den. She also uses two iPad 2 10" units, which are set up for different sorts of stuff that she likes to do.

Justin, get a Roku box on sale and hook it up to your existing TV. It pre-packages the entire streaming thing for you in a simple, easy to understand package.

Your wife will instantly take it over, but that is a good thing.

It allows you to get rid of your cable and adopt Netflix and Amazon and Hulu as sources for "content" (i.e. stuff you stream off the web).

Title: Re: Streaming services
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/02/19 at 13:04:28

Justin sorta lacks a computing technological connection point to the Internet Streaming world beyond what a Fire tablet can give him.

Rephrased in words reflecting reality

Justin is a computer illiterate sumbitch..

Which I understand and agree with.

Your advice is appreciated.