New/Updated review of the big 6 OTT options

[harshness]

The specific example I can provide is, for our geofenced news applications, we got complaints from roughly 22% of readers that they could not access the content while being physically located in an allowed DMA.

Until your post, I'd always thought of geofencing at the the residential level as a way to tell your security system and/or thermostat that you were home. In my mind, if you were in range of your Wi-fi, you were home. This is the model that DIRECTV used IIRC.

The streaming services apparently use GPS on devices that are enabled and I guess that needs to be expanded to devices that aren't currently enabled (perhaps at the router level). Either that or give the ISPs the choice of providing tighter geolocation.

The relay boxes that T-mobile provides my workplace (they sold us service where their service doesn't consistently reach so we have to use our Internet to get our calls in and out) have GPS built in. If the box is far enough inside the building you have to run a provided GPS antenna to the nearest window. I had talked about something like this years ago where the satellite providers could add a GPS antenna to the LNB. They could bring the signal in on a low speed modem carrier riding on the coax.

As IPv6 becomes a thing, geolocation will probably become more difficult so other options need to be explored but that's clearly a problem for the people seeking to locate their customers.

 

[harshness]

Taking advance orders ahead of release date is common.

While that's true for hard goods that are in production or "on the water", it isn't nearly as common for services.

 

[nuttz565]

Most complete experience.
Goes to a combination of YouTube and Philo
If you want all non premium channels with a dvr. Starting at $51

After trying them all this is the best combo for the price. YTTV for me was the most consistent with the best DVR and adding Philo gave me all the channels that was missing from it at $51. But in the end I ended up going back to Xfinity. With their bundle deals I get 150MPS internet and their preferred digital tv package with a DVR for $99 a month which is cheaper than what I was paying for YTTV,Philo and internet. Not to mention with their data caps on internet I was constantly going over using these streaming services every month.

 

[schneid]

After trying them all this is the best combo for the price. YTTV for me was the most consistent with the best DVR and adding Philo gave me all the channels that was missing from it at $51. But in the end I ended up going back to Xfinity. With their bundle deals I get 150MPS internet and their preferred digital tv package with a DVR for $99 a month which is cheaper than what I was paying for YTTV,Philo and internet. Not to mention with their data caps on internet I was constantly going over using these streaming services every month.

Me too, sort of. Have two attic antennas, 1gb fiber, Atmos AVR, 65 LG OLED . Ended up discovering all the streamers are STEREO including HBO and Sho. Sticking with DirecTV as 5.1 including HBO and Sho and the interface is seamless and familiar. Getting my 4K fix from Amazon and Netflix with either WebOS on the TV or Fire TV 3.

 

[harshness]

Ended up discovering all the streamers are STEREO including HBO and Sho.

This is something that I wasn't willing to suffer (although I hear that some of them now occasionally dabble in 5.1).

 

[schneid]

This is something that I wasn't willing to suffer (although I hear that some of them now occasionally dabble in 5.1).

True as Hulu has added 5.1 for the Xbox. Maybe next year. Another rub is 720p or 1080i or p? I bet next year I'll have a new DirecTV (AT&T) Internet box with DVR, OTA tuners, and streamers/apps built in and integrated. .

 

[navychop]

With the way DTV has moved away from OTA, I can’t imagine why you would think they would reverse course. Have I missed something?

 

[harshness]

Have I missed something?

There was a recent report of an OTA guide clean-up in a New York market that spawned some excitement. Of course with the AM21, disappointment has typically been the rule rather than the exception.

 

[harshness]

I bet next year I'll have a new DirecTV (AT&T) Internet box with DVR, OTA tuners, and streamers/apps built in and integrated.

I'll take that bet.

 

[schneid]

With the way DTV has moved away from OTA, I can’t imagine why you would think they would reverse course. Have I missed something?

Read it somewhere about an HS-17 replacement that would be IP and OTA. Makes sense to me as they wouldn't have to pay royalties to the Locals anymore and could bring the streamers under their interface which is really pretty good. If they don't, the streamers will make them irrelevant in a lot of markets. Especially if the streamers improve audio and video quality. Although cheaper elsewhere, I still do HBO and Sho on DirecTV as it is 5.1 and i can DVR them.

FOUND IT sort of:

DirecTV to Launch Android TV-Based OTT Set-Top Box

DirecTV to Launch Android TV-Based OTT Set-Top Box (EXCLUSIVE)

Still looking for the OTA capability but with Android TV an external tuner and other devices could be added on. That si if they don't lock it down too much.