The YouTube TV Thread

[spec1alk]

I signed up for YTTV a few weeks ago. Overall I really like the service. It provides a pretty good lineup of channels for the price. There are a couple gaps (weather channel, NFL network), but I can live without those for the price.

That said, while I do love the unlimited DVR, I am extremely unhappy with the fact that I cannot watch the DVR version of a show once an on-demand version is available. This makes the majority of my DVR useless as it then forces ads/commercials on you that you cannot fast forward.

I think this is absolutely ridiculous that I can't select the recorded version from my local station so that I can forward through ads.

What other options are there? Is there a way to get this disabled in my YTTV account? Is this how the DVR works on other streaming services like Sling?

 

[SpaethCo]

That said, while I do love the unlimited DVR, I am extremely unhappy with the fact that I cannot watch the DVR version of a show once an on-demand version is available.

This is only the case on CBS-owned channels (CBS, CW, POP). For everything else, make sure you're selecting the DVR version when you pick the show out of your library. Note the yellow VOD and gray DVR tags.

This is what it looks like on the iPad app:

This is what it looks like on the Apple TV app:

 

[spec1alk]

Hmm, unfortunately most of the TV shows we watch come from CBS.

 

[SpaethCo]

Hmm, unfortunately most of the TV shows we watch come from CBS.

Sling doesn’t have locals, so that eliminates the CBS problem there. You also can’t DVR Disney networks like ESPN on Sling.

Hulu w/ Live TV forces you to watch commercials on all DVR recordings unless you pay the $10 “Advanced DVR” fee.

If FuboTV has your locals, that might work.

Otherwise for CBS, it’s either setting up an OTA DVR or giving CBS the $10 they want for commercial-free All Access.

 

[Zookster]

Hmm, unfortunately most of the TV shows we watch come from CBS.

You can access the DVR recording the same night the show airs, or wait until the VOD version of the show cycles off in about 5 weeks to access the DVR recording.

 

[spec1alk]

You can access the DVR recording the same night the show airs, or wait until the VOD version of the show cycles off in about 5 weeks to access the DVR recording.

This is still very lame.

 

[ncted]

This is still very lame.

Yet, it is probably one of the ways they keep the price so low. Also, Google/YouTube's delivery costs are among the lowest due to all the dark fiber they bought in the naughts.

 

[osu1991]

 

[Zookster]

Just came here to post the same thing! Yahoo! I've confirmed that my recordings of Evil on CBS are unlocked. CW recordings are also unlocked.

 

[Zookster]

There's also news of a three-week trial, good through Cyber Week. The trial also extends to premium add-ons for current customers. This is what my account looks like. Note, since I've had a Showtime sub through YTTV, I'm no longer eligible for a trial for that.

 

[N6BY]

There's also news of a three-week trial, good through Cyber Week. The trial also extends to premium add-ons for current customers. This is what my account looks like. Note, since I've had a Showtime sub through YTTV, I'm no longer eligible for a trial for that.
...

Thanks for the information. I just signed up. Going to cancel my cable TV tomorrow!

 

[Ronnie-]

Still not seeing the option to skip on cw shows as of tonight. On the roku or shield.

 

[osu1991]

Still not seeing the option to skip on cw shows as of tonight. On the roku or shield.

It's working on my fire sticks and ipad/iphone.

 

[Zookster]

Still not seeing the option to skip on cw shows as of tonight. On the roku or shield.

If you don't have live CW in your market then you won't be able to record any of the shows. That means VOD is your only option, and VOD will always prevent you from skipping commercials. That hasn't changed.

For me, my recorded versions of CW shows are no longer locked when a VOD version is present, so I can select the recording which allows me to fast-forward through commercials.

 

[Ronnie-]

If you don't have live CW in your market then you won't be able to record any of the shows. That means VOD is your only option, and VOD will always prevent you from skipping commercials. That hasn't changed.

For me, my recorded versions of CW shows are no longer locked when a VOD version is present, so I can select the recording which allows me to fast-forward through commercials.

The market I am in currently does have live CW. Its odd, the flash gave me just the VOD version, Arrow did give the DVR version only.

 

[Zookster]

The market I am in currently does have live CW. Its odd, the flash gave me just the VOD version, Arrow did give the DVR version only.

I just checked my library and I'm seeing both the recording and VOD versions of last night's episodes of Flash and Arrow. Maybe the airing of Flash in your area was preempted by news or something and the VOD version of Arrow hadn't dropped yet?

 

[Ronnie-]

I just checked my library and I'm seeing both the recording and VOD versions of last night's episodes of Flash and Arrow. Maybe the airing of Flash in your area was preempted by news or something and the VOD version of Arrow hadn't dropped yet?

No, i checked it when it was live. It aired at the correct time. IDK. Perhaps a glitch that will clear itself up. I will check some others throughout the week and see what it does.

 

[Zookster]

No, i checked it when it was live. It aired at the correct time. IDK. Perhaps a glitch that will clear itself up. I will check some others throughout the week and see what it does.

When you go back to previous weeks, do you see recorded episodes available for your various CW shows? When I spot checked on Monday, they all appeared to be available (unlocked).

 

[Ronnie-]

When you go back to previous weeks, do you see recorded episodes available for your various CW shows? When I spot checked on Monday, they all appeared to be available (unlocked).

Not until I get to about 5 weeks back. All of the others seem locked to VOD version. Except for the episode of Arrow that I previously mentioned. (I havent checked since I posted this morning, this is what I observed last night)

 

[Zookster]

Not until I get to about 5 weeks back. All of the others seem locked to VOD version. Except for the episode of Arrow that I previously mentioned. (I havent checked since I posted this morning, this is what I observed last night)

5 weeks sounds like you can only access the recorded episodes where the VOD version expired and cycled off. I just spot-checked the most recent past weeks of Flash and Arrow, and I'm able to access the recorded versions.