Canceling DirecTV

[Jimbo]

Only for about 2-3 years, that is what Ronnie is referring to with Jimbo who has a Sony set that is only 3-4 years old and cannot get the newest apps, like Apple TV for example, while on a set he just purchased, he can get everything, in 2-3 years, rinse and repeat.

That is why a Roku device is preferred, a lot cheaper to change it up every couple of years.

Now, with if the rumors of Display Port with 8K instead of HDMI are true, it will just like when they got rid of Component inputs in favor of HDMI, we all will need new TVs.

Again, rinse and repeat.

Not necessarily Rinse and Repeat ...
As I mentioned earlier, there are ways to Update most Apps ... now I'm sure it won't work for all, but its better than having to buy new every 2 years.

All my Apps (major ones) then I don't have any Non Major ones, have been updated and they will continue to update whenever the apps update ... TV is set to automatically update the Apps on the TV.

Well see ...

 

[Mochuf]

It’s a selling point, and a poor one.


I’d much rather have a dumb tv, for less, and do my own streaming device. But to get a decent set that isn’t available, so I simply ignore the built in streaming part, which is nearly always inferior even when new, and definitely is within a year or two.

I totally agree on not using a tv itself for streaming. I have a two year old Sony 4K tv with Android TV and I have a Roku Ultra attached to it which is a far faster and better experience. The tv does have great PQ with the OTA tuner though.

 

[Jimbo]

I totally agree on not using a tv itself for streaming. I have a two year old Sony 4K tv with Android TV and I have a Roku Ultra attached to it which is a far faster and better experience. The tv does have great PQ with the OTA tuner though.

Sony no longer uses Android TV ...
They have moved on to Google TV.

 

[Bruce]

Sony no longer uses Android TV ...
They have moved on to Google TV.

It is basically the same thing with a few tweaks.

 

[CSM]

I have a 2017 Sony 65" and the APPS have gotten slow. On my XBOX Series X they are a lot faster.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Boy! It took me over an hour to cancel my subscription to DirecTV. I was transferred three separate times and lost connection all three times. On that third time I had a number to call in case I was disconnected. This women told me....that Sunday ticket wasn't officially exclusive to YouTube yet. Then came the offers of 7monrhs free this and that. Etc etc. 2o years with them, and all they can say is 7 months free HBO Cinemax. SMH.

View: https://twitter.com/trevornoah/status/1616164835992944647?s=46&t=2ltyQwuFQktvuG9CD2lflA

 

[Mochuf]

Sony no longer uses Android TV ...
They have moved on to Google TV.

So, I have one with Android TV on it. And it proves my point about using an OTT box. What are the chances of SONY updating the apps on this tv?

 

[Jimbo]

So, I have one with Android TV on it. And it proves my point about using an OTT box. What are the chances of SONY updating the apps on this tv?

Do you have access to the Play Store on your TV ?

See Post #31 ...

While I was in there, I set my Apps to update automatically ...

Well see if it works, if you cannot get them to update then Roku may be your best option.

 

[Mochuf]

Do you have access to the Play Store on your TV ?

See Post #31 ...

While I was in there, I set my Apps to update automatically ...

Well see if it works, if you cannot get them to update then Roku may be your best option.

I do have access, but why bother. My Roku Ultra is much faster than the TV. Why would I use a slower interface? Apps on a top end OTT box will always run better, for a longer period of time, than smart tv apps.

 

[John2021]

TV companies need to FIX that issue ...
They can't expect you to spend high dollars on a new TV every 2 years.

that's what they want you to do is to spend the big bucks on a new t.v. every 2 years!!!

 

[telstar_1]

Besides the Hopper Duo, Dish DID ask for the remote control. And also the LNBF which is on top of my 2 story house. I complied.

But I am considering going back to Dish. I really miss the DVR and the ability to skip commercials before the show is over. I could simply find what I wanted to watch, hit pause for 10 to 20 minutes, and then watch the show and skip through the commercials. None of the streaming services I have tried let me do that.

That's because you can't actually delay, or essentially record, streaming, right? DiSH DVR quickly made me entirely allergic to commercials, and I don't see how people can tolerate not being able to skip them when they switch to streaming.
I remember way back Dish always asking for the LNBF from the dish; I figured they knew people wouldn't want to scale a ladder or rooftop and/or use tools, and that this throws up one more hurdle for them in quitting or switching. They would then back down on this if the customer really complained.

I had to call DirecTV just to make sure. Because the email told me just to return HS17-100 only. So I called, the guy on the phone told me to place the C61K-700 receivers, remotes and power cords in recycling bin. They only want the HS17. I said make sure you note that in my account.
Why they throwing these away?

If you're bleeding subs at a rate that has been suggested here, you'll very quickly be drowning in returned equipment if asking for all of it back, and they have an environmental headache and liability in disposing of all of it. So they're only going to ask for some of the most current gear that might be turned around for replacements or the declining intake of new subs. This way they parcel the environmental hit out amongst all of their customers rather than taking it themselves.

I remember how bad it was back in C-band as all of the early gear first went obsolete with the new IR/D's, and then everything went in the dumper with the switch to DBS. Now with DBS itself shaky, all the more in the trash.

 

[Bruce]

That's because you can't actually delay, or essentially record, streaming, right?

You can do all of what you just wrote with YTTV.

DiSH DVR quickly made me entirely allergic to commercials, and I don't see how people can tolerate not being able to skip them when they switch to streaming.

Again, you can, his issue was a outdated app on his Television, which can no longer be updated.

That is a common problem with Smart TVs, after about 2-3 years, apps can no longer can be updated or add certain new ones.

Roku type devices also, but less expensive to get new Rokus every few years then a TV.

Also, for the last few years, Goggle wants to update to AV1, the successor to Google's VP8 and VP9 video codecs, that will make necessary a new box since Smart TVs lack the hardware for it.

YouTube is now building its own video-transcoding chips

Google throws custom silicon at YouTube’s massive video-transcoding workload.

arstechnica.com

I remember way back Dish always asking for the LNBF from the dish; I figured they knew people wouldn't want to scale a ladder or rooftop and use tools, and so then they might not quit or switch.

I am amazed they are willing to piss off customers and make them do that, pretty much a guarantee they would never go back to Dish then.

 

[John2021]

You can do all of what you just wrote with YTTV.

Again, you can, his issue was a outdated app on his Television, which can no longer be updated.

That is a common problem with Smart TVs, after about 2-3 years, apps can no longer can be updated or add certain new ones.

Roku type devices also, but less expensive to get new Rokus every few years then a TV.

Also, for the last few years, Goggle wants to update to AV1, the successor to Google's VP8 and VP9 video codecs, that will make necessary a new box since Smart TVs lack the hardware for it.

YouTube is now building its own video-transcoding chips

Google throws custom silicon at YouTube’s massive video-transcoding workload.

arstechnica.com

I am amazed they are willing to piss off customers and make them do that, pretty much a guarantee they would never go back to Dish then.

when we had dish and we canceled. i told em if i fell off the roof i would sue there asses. needless to say that shut em up after they asked me if it was in a safe location to be removed from the dish. i told em no. i was never charged for it...

 

[NashGuy]

So, I have one with Android TV on it. And it proves my point about using an OTT box. What are the chances of SONY updating the apps on this tv?

With the exception of a select few apps (maybe Netflix, maybe Prime Video), I don't think Sony would have a role in updating the apps. It would be between the app developer and Google, who runs the app store for Android TV.

From what I can gather, smart TVs running Android TV have typically been underpowered. Android is not a lightweight OS and most TV manufacturers weren't using hardware that was up to the task. It's pretty bad when an expensive smart TV can't run its system as well as Google's own $50 Chromecast with Google TV dongle.

That said, Google has worked to make Android TV more efficient, to run better and faster on lower-powered, cheaper chipsets in the past few years. The reviews I've seen in just the past year or two for new Android TV smart TVs from Hisense, TCL and Sony are saying that they now run much better than was the case with earlier models. Unfortunately, it sounds like that isn't true for yours. In which case, yeah, definitely better just to use the external streaming device of your choice.

 

[N6BY]

That's because you can't actually delay, or essentially record, streaming, right? DiSH DVR quickly made me entirely allergic to commercials, and I don't see how people can tolerate not being able to skip them when they switch to streaming.
...

Yes. I cannot stand commercials any more. Dish DVRs and my TiVo have spoiled me. I could not "trick play" YouTube TV so I went to Philo for $25 a month. Can't trick play that either

I even pay for YouTube Premium to avoid the ads.

You can do all of what you just wrote with YTTV.

Again, you can, his issue was a outdated app on his Television, which can no longer be updated.
...

I uninstalled YouTube TV on my Sony and re-downloaded it. The version number is still 1.45.02. Is that the latest?

 

[Bruce]

I uninstalled YouTube TV on my Sony and re-downloaded it. The version number is still 1.45.02. Is that the latest?

The version on my Roku Ultra is 2.22

 

[larry55]

Already have Roku's, they are ok, but I'd rather use my Very Nice TV.

Fwiw, I did some digging and found that you CAN update Apps, at least on the Sony A95K ...
They update when the Software for the TV gets updated, or you can force it to find, this is Great info .....
============================================================================================
How to update apps on old Sony TV?

Steps from the Google Play store profile.

1. Select Google Play store. If necessary, select Apps first, depending on your TV menu.
2. Select your profile icon in the top-right of the screen.
3. Select Manage apps and games.
4. Select Updates.
5. You can select any listed app to update or select Update all.

I appreciate you sharing this information. I have a Sony tv with the google play. Now I got it set to up date my app’s automatic.

 

[Jimbo]

I do have access, but why bother. My Roku Ultra is much faster than the TV. Why would I use a slower interface? Apps on a top end OTT box will always run better, for a longer period of time, than smart tv apps.

So, how many boxes do you have to get every couple years ?

I have no problem with the Apps or the speed with them on my TV ....
In 3-4 years, if I have trouble, I'll go to the Roku, I have 2 of them sitting here now that I don[t use yet, don't need yet, 1 goes to a friend, the other if I decide I want to use one.
I just hate setting the apps up for the TV and Then again for multiple Rokus.... unless they have changed something ...
If they would allow the Rokus to all update with your current Apps ....
If I have a Roku on the system and I add another, I still have to authorize each app AGAIN, right ...
Have they done anything about that ?

 

[Jimbo]

Yes. I cannot stand commercials any more. Dish DVRs and my TiVo have spoiled me. I could not "trick play" YouTube TV so I went to Philo for $25 a month. Can't trick play that either

I even pay for YouTube Premium to avoid the ads.

I uninstalled YouTube TV on my Sony and re-downloaded it. The version number is still 1.45.02. Is that the latest?

1.45.02 is what I show on mine as well.

 

[N6BY]

1.45.02 is what I show on mine as well.

Are you able to skip YoutubeTV commercials during live TV with 1.45.02? (Sorry if you already answered that somewhere else).