DIRECTV NOW LAUNCH

[SpaethCo]

Vue is the best service out there right now because it's offering 720p feeds at native broadcast 60 frames per second. (Sling has always been 30fps, DTVN has dropped from 60 to 30fps since launch) Even still, Vue has a number of detractors that could become problematic for people:

- Regional sports networks are missing overflow channels. No FOX Sports North Plus in Minnesota, no FOX Sports Detroit Plus in Michigan, etc. Those channels are missing both from Vue directly and FSGo authenticated with Vue credentials.
- The "cloud DVR" isn't a true DVR -- it just allows you to replay a previous timeslot on a channel if you've favorited that title. Important limitations include: you can't extend recordings for live events that will almost certainly run over their scheduled end time, all programs disappear 28 days after they air, and you can't access DVR content until after the scheduled end time. Sometimes you can click on a program in progress and be given the option to watch from the beginning, but often you're locked out of being able to fast forward through the commercials afterward. If you know you're going to be home late from work and want to start watching a sporting event and catch up by fast forwarding through commercial breaks to "catch up" to live, you can't do that on Vue.
- Popular networks are still missing like A&E networks (Lifetime, History, etc), Viacom.
- Service is locked to the IP address of the first device you associate to your account. If your ISP has maintenance that causes your IP to change, you're locked out on many devices (Apple TV / Roku / Playstation) until you call PlayStation Vue support and get them to update your account.
- Mobile access is allowed outside of the home, but no access to your DVR content, and only on mobile devices like phones and tablets.
- Programming (namely movies, awards shows) are periodically blacked out due to streaming rights restrictions

There is no steaming service out there that has 100% parity with DirecTV when you factor in DVR functions, programming depth, low delay (closer to live), and predictable HD quality. Depending on your viewing profile, that's not going to matter at all, or it's going to be unbearably frustrating.

 

[camo]

Good highlight of PSVUE shortcomings and agree out of what I tested is still #1.
Another issue with Vue is DVR'ed material is getting cut off at the end upsetting many and they don't seem to care or even respond to complaints.

 

[anex80]

Vue is the best service out there right now because it's offering 720p feeds at native broadcast 60 frames per second. (Sling has always been 30fps, DTVN has dropped from 60 to 30fps since launch) Even still, Vue has a number of detractors that could become problematic for people:

- Regional sports networks are missing overflow channels. No FOX Sports North Plus in Minnesota, no FOX Sports Detroit Plus in Michigan, etc. Those channels are missing both from Vue directly and FSGo authenticated with Vue credentials.
- The "cloud DVR" isn't a true DVR -- it just allows you to replay a previous timeslot on a channel if you've favorited that title. Important limitations include: you can't extend recordings for live events that will almost certainly run over their scheduled end time, all programs disappear 28 days after they air, and you can't access DVR content until after the scheduled end time. Sometimes you can click on a program in progress and be given the option to watch from the beginning, but often you're locked out of being able to fast forward through the commercials afterward. If you know you're going to be home late from work and want to start watching a sporting event and catch up by fast forwarding through commercial breaks to "catch up" to live, you can't do that on Vue.
- Popular networks are still missing like A&E networks (Lifetime, History, etc), Viacom.
- Service is locked to the IP address of the first device you associate to your account. If your ISP has maintenance that causes your IP to change, you're locked out on many devices (Apple TV / Roku / Playstation) until you call PlayStation Vue support and get them to update your account.
- Mobile access is allowed outside of the home, but no access to your DVR content, and only on mobile devices like phones and tablets.
- Programming (namely movies, awards shows) are periodically blacked out due to streaming rights restrictions

There is no steaming service out there that has 100% parity with DirecTV when you factor in DVR functions, programming depth, low delay (closer to live), and predictable HD quality. Depending on your viewing profile, that's not going to matter at all, or it's going to be unbearably frustrating.

Excellent and informative post! Thank you for sharing this. Really puts things into perspective from my standpoint.

I was considering a switch to Vue when my DTV contract runs out but had no idea of some of the limitations mentioned above. For some, may be no issue but for me, no go. I'll pay a bit extra to keep the conveniences of traditional tv for now.

 

[tornado]

The main reason for subscribing to this service is totally about money, and due to these economic reasons not having any other choice.
Now that the guide issue is resolved, I am starting to notice poor picture quality.
I am not a daily user of this service. I have noticed what seems like okay picture quality, and also what I am seeing today, poorer picture quality.
If the picture quality would improve, it would make the service better. Duh.

 

[Gobucks]

As long as I can fast forward, pause, rewind I'm good with the PS Vue cloud DVR. Skipping commercials is a must and it does it fine. I haven't had any problems with shows cut off. At least not yet.

28 days is fine with us. We just watch what we like and move on. So it works for us.

I too hope Directv now gets better. Competition is wonderful. Just look at what a small cell phone company called T Mobile did. Made all the big boys change the way they do business.

I remember people on this board saying no matter what T Mobile does cell phone prices would never come down. They also said T Mobile could never force Verizon to bring back unlimited. Now what say you.

Competition is wonderful for consumers!! Please more streaming TV services.

 

[Ronnie-]

Excellent and informative post! Thank you for sharing this. Really puts things into perspective from my standpoint.

I was considering a switch to Vue when my DTV contract runs out but had no idea of some of the limitations mentioned above. For some, may be no issue but for me, no go. I'll pay a bit extra to keep the conveniences of traditional tv for now.

Which parts would be a significant issue for you?

We all have things that are important to us in these services, just curious which are yours.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[anex80]

Which parts would be a significant issue for you?

We all have things that are important to us in these services, just curious which are yours.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

For me, the biggest issues would be the following:

- No extended recordings for live events
- Inability to start watching a recording in progress (I use the "catch up" method a lot)
- No A&E suite of channels
- Periodic streaming blackouts

 

[Gobucks]

For me, the biggest issues would be the following:

- No extended recordings for live events
- Inability to start watching a recording in progress (I use the "catch up" method a lot)
- No A&E suite of channels
- Periodic streaming blackouts

I agree with the extended live events. With PS Vue I wait 15 minutes then start The Walking dead. So you can start it while its recording. We do it all the time.

These streaming services are new. Look how long it took for traditional cable and satellite to get all the bells and whistles they have now. It will come and soon.

Sent from my LG-H901 using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[SpaethCo]

With PS Vue I wait 15 minutes then start The Walking dead. So you can start it while its recording. We do it all the time.

That's the "catch-up" feature that only some of the channels (like AMC) offer - where you can select a program in progress and start over from the beginning. The unfortunate thing is that it doesn't work on almost all of the channels that show live sporting events (ESPN, NBCSN, FOX Sports, etc)

 

[Gobucks]

That's the "catch-up" feature that only some of the channels (like AMC) offer - where you can select a program in progress and start over from the beginning. The unfortunate thing is that it doesn't work on almost all of the channels that show live sporting events (ESPN, NBCSN, FOX Sports, etc)

I go to all channels we record go to the DVR recording click on it to to the beginning and watch. No need to use the catch up. Its just like a regular DVR.

Sent from my LG-H901 using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[SpaethCo]

I go to all channels we record go to the DVR recording click on it to to the beginning and watch. No need to use the catch up. Its just like a regular DVR.

A regular DVR you can select your recording and immediately start playing from the beginning. For Vue, every device (except the Roku apparently) you have to join the live stream and rewind to the beginning if the event is already in progress, and that's only if the channel supports that function. In the process of doing that, you're pretty much guaranteed to see the score and spoil the game - especially since some platforms (like AppleTV) immediately start streaming live TV when you launch the app, giving preference to "your shows" if they happen to be on.

The ability to restart a program in progress (including something tagged as a favorite, and thus recording) works for many, but not all channels on Vue. In the cases where you can't restart you have 2 choices: watch live, or wait until the timeslot recording is complete so you can watch from "My Shows" from the beginning.

The other big difference from a regular DVR is it continuously replaces recordings. For example, to get around the strict timeslot restriction a lot of people suggest recording the program after a game/live event to make sure you can still watch a game that runs long / goes into OT. The problem with that is if the program that follows the game is something like "SportsCenter" this approach is likely to end in sadness. Say you want to record a college football game from 5-8pm on ESPN -- and you know it's going to run long, so you record SportsCenter from 8-9pm afterward. You start watching at around 7:30pm - you go to my shows, you select "college football" -- but because that is as specific as the title gets, you have to wade through a list of every college football airing on every network that Vue carries that have happened over the last 28 days. You find your game, you hit play, it starts playing live -- but you're in luck! Commercial! -- so you don't know the score, rewind to the beginning works so you select that and start watching. You blaze through the commercials, but you don't hit the final 2 minutes of the 4th quarter until 10pm. Tie game. This is amazing, after watching this game you can't wait to watch overtime. By a miracle, the recording happens to end right at the final commercial break before they setup for OT -- you get ready to dig in, go to my shows, and select SportsCenter... only instead of seeing OT, when you start playing it you get.. SportsCenter. The lead story is the amazing outcome of the game (spoiler) and a description of an OT for the ages that everybody was watching. While you were watching your game, SportCenter also aired from 9pm - 10pm on ESPN2. Because post-game shows and regular highlight shows like SportCenter have generic program descriptions, Vue only keeps the latest airing of that show.. from any channel. (another way it's not like a regular DVR) So you can only rely on the "record the show after" approach if you can watch the game before any airing of the show that follows happens on any other channel on Vue.

My biggest frustration with Vue was attempting to use it for watching sports, specifically because of the DVR limitations / occasional glitches. I ran into a few cases where skipping commercials caused it to jump straight to live programming -- but I won't hold that against them since it was only an occasional glitch and not inherent to how the DVR itself is designed to function. It was honestly the best thing going for everything except sports, provided you don't have anyone in your household that is addicted to A&E networks / Viacom networks channels.

My only other frustration was occasionally running into this, but luckily it doesn't happen too often.

 

[Gobucks]

I can see why you get frustrated. The only thing we watch live is sports so it doesn't effect us.

Like all new technology it will take a bit to find time it. I just got sick of all the fees. I'm hoping Hulu has a great service.

Sent from my LG-H901 using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[crazywater]

A regular DVR you can select your recording and immediately start playing from the beginning. For Vue, every device (except the Roku apparently) you have to join the live stream and rewind to the beginning if the event is already in progress, and that's only if the channel supports that function. In the process of doing that, you're pretty much guaranteed to see the score and spoil the game - especially since some platforms (like AppleTV) immediately start streaming live TV when you launch the app, giving preference to "your shows" if they happen to be on.

With VUE on the Roku you can select a recording show hit the * key and select Play From Beginning. I do that with TWD on AMC all the time.

 

[Alan Rovner]

Any updates on DirecTV Now on Roku devices? I'm looking forward to trying it.

Alan

Sent from my Nexus 5X using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[SpaethCo]

With VUE on the Roku you can select a recording show hit the * key and select Play From Beginning. I do that with TWD on AMC all the time.

Right -- which is why I said "except the Roku" -- for every other method of watching Vue (Browser, iphone/android app, AppleTV, Playstation, etc) it starts with live TV.

Roku is unique in the "Play from Beginning" option - but the Roku version of the app has the tradeoff that there is no grid-based programming guide for Vue.

 

[SpaethCo]

Any updates on DirecTV Now on Roku devices? I'm looking forward to trying it.

3/31 according to Twitter support. If you start lowering your expectations now, you'll probably be in about the right place to tolerate it at the end of March.

 

[crazywater]

Right -- which is why I said "except the Roku" -- for every other method of watching Vue (Browser, iphone/android app, AppleTV, Playstation, etc) it starts with live TV.

Roku is unique in the "Play from Beginning" option - but the Roku version of the app has the tradeoff that there is no grid-based programming guide for Vue.

Yes you did. I misread your statement.

 

[SpaethCo]

For the folks still using DTVN, looks like most of the channel streams are showing 60fps again today so things should start looking better. Still no change to the encoding characteristics (profile / level) so my guess is FireTV users will still be stuck with 540p video for now.

 

[SatinKzo]

yes firetv at 540p with everything I looked at 60fps

 

[whitewolf8214]

Any updates on DirecTV Now on Roku devices? I'm looking forward to trying it.

Alan

Sent from my Nexus 5X using the SatelliteGuys app!

Good afternoon! That's a great question. DIRECTV NOW will be supported on Roku devices by the end of march 2017. We're excited too! Be sure to stay tuned for updates. Thank you for reaching out, enjoy your day. ^PheG