So I signed up for Charter internet on phone, tech kept pushing TV service. (I like DirecTV period.)

[Bronxiniowa]

When I stream, ABC On Demand, HBO Now, Netflix, MLB.TV and NHL Centre Ice on Roku, they look like TV. Other channels, like NBC Sports Network, look like highlight reels on film. PQ varies with channel and provider. NBA.TV seems more TV-like on PS Vue than Roku. Why is this so?

 

[ejb1980]

When I stream, ABC On Demand, HBO Now, Netflix, MLB.TV and NHL Centre Ice on Roku, they look like TV. Other channels, like NBC Sports Network, look like highlight reels on film. PQ varies with channel and provider. NBA.TV seems more TV-like on PS Vue than Roku. Why is this so?

Because streaming is not TV.

To stream, you need Internet. To get real TV, you do not.

 

[ejb1980]

Watching an episode of South Park on hulu right now. Sure looks like T.V. to me.

You can play a movie off a DVD or Blu Ray. Or even South Park. That is not TV.

 

[Troch77]

Edit. I do get tired of them trying to push phone and alarm monitoring service on me.

That seems to be the norm these days with cable.

But Att does the same thing trying to push Directv bundle.

And Dish was trying to sell me their BS internet.

 

[Bruce]

Because streaming is not TV.

To stream, you need Internet. To get real TV, you do not.

It is real TV, it is just delivering the signal to your TV a different way then what you are used to.

And be glad these new Streaming TV services are out there, it increases competition which helps to keep prices down.

 

[rapidturtle]

You can play a movie off a DVD or Blu Ray. Or even South Park. That is not TV.

Do you work for E*, D*, or a cable company? If I stream a show, what makes it different than getting that signal via sat or cable?
If someone calls and asks what I am doing at that time, I would say watching T.V., not watching a stream...

 

[EarDemon]

Streaming is not TV
I have 2 providers because the Internet is basically the same price with TV than alone, as described above.

I’ve had two providers for a while now. DirecTV and Time Warner (now Charter). I had Dish Network forever, dealing with their junk DishPlayer 7100s back in the day. After getting tired of waiting for YES I was contemplating getting DirecTV, then when Dish pulled MSG, I had DirecTV installed. At the time DirecTVs HD lineup was very poor. There were a lot of channels that I cared about that Dish and TWC had in HD that DirecTV didn’t. So i subscribed to TWC to compliment D*. I’m a TV geek and enjoy this stuff, yes it’s expensive, but it’s worth it to me.

I keep DirecTV for the sports. I subscribe to NFL Sunday Ticket every year and rotate between MLB Extra Innings and NHL Center Ice. I’m primarily a fan of my home teams, but enjoy keeping an eye on the division rivals and sometimes just like tuning it to a random baseball or hockey game that I don’t care about. You can’t beat DirecTV for sports. TWC provides 9 channels for each sports package in HD, which sometimes isn’t enough. I also watch a few things on Audience.

Time Warner has me because they have typically had the stronger HD lineup. They have a regional low budget sports channel that shows the local minor league hockey and lacrosse teams which I am interested in and they carry the full time feed of the ‘new’ MSG Western NY that includes local content not aired on DirecTV. They also carry the Epix suite, RFD in HD and I like NFL RedZone better than DirecTV Red Zone. Believe it or not the extra tuner on Time Warner’s DVR comes in handy. On Sundays and Wednesday nights during certain times of the year, as some shows are beginning and others are ending, I can easily max out the five tuners on the HR44, which leaves me none to watch live sports on, unless my wife has a free tuner on the HR24. Having six tuners is perfect for my viewing habits.

As the owner of a 3DTV, I also found having two MSOs beneficial when 3D made an attempt to come back. DirecTV had a nice lineup with ESPN 3D, 3Net and their own 3D channel n3D. Time Warner had a nice selection of shorts on 3D On Demand, as well as HBO 3D and Starz 3D on Demand, and they provided some simulcasts of the 3D special events channel that Comcast created.

I have the TWC DVR connected to HDMI 1 on my A/V Receiver, the DirecTV DVR on HDMI 2 and often switch between the two to compare the quality between the two. When it comes up in conversation, most people are more surprised that you can have multiple TV providers hooked up to the same TV, rather than the cost associated with each. Having backup providers when one goes down is great, or in the event of contract disputes, but that is becoming more rare. DirecTV has never had a ton of disputes, and ever since the CBS one a few years ago, Time Warner hasn't had a single one.

I subscribe to exactly zero streaming services. Besides playing around in the early days of WatchESPN and HBO Go, I never use any of these streaming services that I am indirectly paying for either. I am a firm believer in that the internet is not and should not be the dumb pipe people want it to be. I subscribe to a free trial of Netflix every couple of years, and their selection has never thrilled me, it seems to be less and less every time I subscribe. I don’t binge watch, I can’t stand the concept. Watching the same characters over and over one right after another bores me. I like staying current on my shows. With very few exceptions, DVR recordings are always watched and deleted within 24 hours of their original air date.

 

[Tampa8]

If Streaming is not real TV, it's getting very close to it very quickly, and I don't really use it or like it that much. But it can look very good on big screen TV's. So HBOGo the most used streaming source I use has very good - excellent PQ while Crackle not so much. But PQ isn't why I don't consider it "TV" for me. I want to come home, go to one source and scroll through the guide, catch something I may not have realized was on tonight, and watch instantly DVR'd material along with planned live TV. Vue or SlingTV are getting closer to that and I'm sure Directv Now will be another step forward. The other reason I am not enthralled with watching TV from the internet... you need the internet. We lose it enough in Ct that I would be frustrated too often. With Satellite (jn my case DISH but Applies to Directv too) there is almost zero chance there won't be service. Even without power for hours at a time in Winter from time to time I have TV to get news or whatever.

Generally I have to admit Charter internet service is good, I get the speed I am supposed to but they have started the game of frequent increases in cost. It may be wrapped into you are getting a faster speed, but it's a speed I don't care about, keep my price the same along with the same speed. It is easy to see how out of control it could be to depend mostly on the internet for information, TV, radio, almost everything. I'm sure it's because I am older but as much as I do enjoy the fact I can hear radio stations from anywhere, I keep a good portable radio around because you will have no way of getting info if the internet is interrupted - by nature or otherwise. Another reason I like Satellite communications and direct from tower.

 

[ejb1980]

Do you work for E*, D*, or a cable company? If I stream a show, what makes it different than getting that signal via sat or cable?
If someone calls and asks what I am doing at that time, I would say watching T.V., not watching a stream...

Nope. It makes it different because it is Internet dependent. All you need for TV is a signal, be it broadcast satellite or cable. To stream, it is based on Internet. It's just not the same. Is hulu or Netflix a channel? What do you call them? If someone asked what I was doing, I would say watching Amazon, I suppose.

 

[Don in CT]

Nope. It makes it different because it is Internet dependent. All you need for TV is a signal, be it broadcast satellite or cable. To stream, it is based on Internet. It's just not the same. Is hulu or Netflix a channel? What do you call them? If someone asked what I was doing, I would say watching Amazon, I suppose.

If you are you watching it on a TV you are watching TV. If you are watching it on a computer or phone you are watching a device. So do you also call it watching Cable or Satellite. Its all TV.

 

[osu1991]

It's all a signal, just the transport, tuning and display devices vary

 

[ejb1980]

I would never call watching something on my phone TV, even it was a stream of what is actually on the TV. Yeah, they are all signals but the delivering method varies. I guess I am in the minority.

 

[Don in CT]

I would never call watching something on my phone TV, even it was a stream of what is actually on the TV. Yeah, they are all signals but the delivering method varies. I guess I am in the minority.

This is where it's all going though, Cable TV delivery won't be around forever. It's all going the route of streaming, You might not like or agree with it but "over the top" is where everything is heading. It's still TV just the delivery changes. Well not even, it's still the same wire into the house just going to a different place before it hits your TV.

 

[ejb1980]

This is where it's all going though, Cable TV delivery won't be around forever. It's all going the route of streaming, You might not like or agree with it but "over the top" is where everything is heading. It's still TV just the delivery changes. Well not even, it's still the same wire into the house just going to a different place before it hits your TV.

I still can't get someone to tell me exactly what Over The Top means - over the top of what? That sounds like a cable/satellite box to me. Streaming is apps on TV - there is nothing on top of anything.

 

[Don in CT]

I still can't get someone to tell me exactly what Over The Top means - over the top of what? That sounds like a cable/satellite box to me. Streaming is apps on TV - there is nothing on top of anything.

Over the top means not cable TV delivery. So you are not paying Comcast or the like for cable services. You are paying for internet and bringing your own streaming service.

 

[Jimbo]

This is where it's all going though, Cable TV delivery won't be around forever. It's all going the route of streaming, You might not like or agree with it but "over the top" is where everything is heading. It's still TV just the delivery changes. Well not even, it's still the same wire into the house just going to a different place before it hits your TV.

Cable TV and Sat TV will be around for a long time.

The streaming idea is another option.
Yes, it's very popular, however, you STILL have large areas that can't even get Internet, some are still can't get Cell service.

 

[Bruce]

Cable TV and Sat TV will be around for a long time.

The streaming idea is another option.
Yes, it's very popular, however, you STILL have large areas that can't even get Internet, some are still can't get Cell service.

But there are few people that live in those large areas, the majority of the population can get fast broadband and that is where the money goes, if there was money to be made in those rural areas, corporations would be lining up to wire that part of the US, but is just not enough people to made it worth their expanse to do so, sad but true.


Sent from my iPad using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[Jimbo]

But there are few people that live in those large areas, the majority of the population can get fast broadband and that is where the money goes, if there was money to be made in those rural areas, corporations would be lining up to wire that part of the US, but is just not enough people to made it worth their expanse to do so, sad but true.


Sent from my iPad using the SatelliteGuys app!

While thats true ... you guys seem to think that Cable and Sat will soon be gone.
Don't see that happening at all.

I would hate to have to start paying MORE to my Internet company so I can access the same TV service I have available already.

 

[AZ.]

Its words.....Do you use Kleenex or facial tissue?............Just words used loosely....

 

[rminor]

I live about 80 miles SW of Atlanta. So both cable systems here just have Columbus, GA local channels while both Dish & Direct use the Atlanta channels. A lot more local channels plus much better newscasts. Nothing against Columbus but we like Atlanta for news. Charter has come by several times trying to talk me into their cable and tell me they have Atlanta too until they look at their channel lineup. But their internet is very good, lowest service is 60mbs