The YouTube TV Thread

[Zookster]

What he said. We often just browse the guide to see what's on, and often find things that are interesting we'd never know to look for. That includes movies, documentaries, or just TV shows that look interesting enough to hit the "record this episode" button to see if it's something we'll like.

Lack of a good guide system is a major negative for us. My son has YTTV and it doesn't bother him but his TV watching style/habits are different than ours; he watches sports and a few shows that are favorites and shows for his children and overall doesn't watch as much as we do.

There are online TV guides and mobile apps that allow you to select YouTube TV as your provider so you can search further ahead. I know that's not as convenient as having all that info within the same app, but it's an option if browsing ahead is such an essential function for you.

 

[Ronnie-]

Looks like YTTV is now available on the ps4

 

[Zookster]

The PS4 app was easy to download and install. Unfortunately, you can't custom arrange streaming app order on the PS4, which pushes apps you haven't even downloaded or used before, like Disney+.

Functionality was unsurprisingly like every YTTV app, at least the ones on Roku and FireTV I've used. My PS4 media remote buttons didn't offer any new shortcuts as they had with PS Vue. Just some duplicate functions. PQ didn't seem as good as on my Roku or FireTV. Image looked a wee bit softer on a CW show and an FX movie (X-men Days of Future Past).

But the biggest reason I won't be using the PS4 as my go-to for YTTV is Sony did that thing where they lock 2-channel audio sources in a 5.1 wrapper, which prevents my AVR from doing surround-sound processing. And there was no true 5.1 content (live or on demand) that I found in my brief experiment with the app this morning. Tonight, I'll have to see if the workaround I used with PS Vue to get a processable 2-channel audio signal will work (running the signal through my old TV that only passes 2-channel). Though with better YTTV app options on my Roku and FireTV, the workaround won't be worth the hassle for daily viewing as it involves drilling down into the PS4's audio options menu each time.

 

[N6BY]

I ditched cable and switched to YTTV about 2 months ago. I am borderline on whether to continue forward with YTTV or try something else.

I really have problems with the YTTV interface. I find it very klunky. When I choose 'Start from the beginning' it just freezes. I can't go very far forward in the guide. With cable I used to be able to go two weeks forward in the guide and it had the 'first aired' date. And the program description never has the 'first aired date' so I have no idea how old the show I'm watching is.

But cable was over $100 a month for a lot of channels I never watch. And the bill kept going up every month without notice and a bill with a long list of cryptic charges and fees. So maybe its worth $50 a month savings for YTTV?

Fortunately I am not having a major problem with stuttering. It does stutter or drop sound now and then, but not enough to bother me.

I would think that YouTube, with backing from Google, could really improve this.

If I do decide to switch I will probably give Orby TV a try. Will probably give YTTV another month or two and make a decision.

Any other YTTV'ers on the fence right now?

 

[comfortably_numb]

I ditched cable and switched to YTTV about 2 months ago. I am borderline on whether to continue forward with YTTV or try something else.

I really have problems with the YTTV interface. I find it very klunky. When I choose 'Start from the beginning' it just freezes. I can't go very far forward in the guide. With cable I used to be able to go two weeks forward in the guide and it had the 'first aired' date. And the program description never has the 'first aired date' so I have no idea how old the show I'm watching is.

But cable was over $100 a month for a lot of channels I never watch. And the bill kept going up every month without notice and a bill with a long list of cryptic charges and fees. So maybe its worth $50 a month savings for YTTV?

Fortunately I am not having a major problem with stuttering. It does stutter or drop sound now and then, but not enough to bother me.

I would think that YouTube, with backing from Google, could really improve this.

If I do decide to switch I will probably give Orby TV a try. Will probably give YTTV another month or two and make a decision.

Any other YTTV'ers on the fence right now?

Which device(s) are you using for YTTV? I'm using Roku 4K's and I've never experienced any of the issues you're having. I use YTTV for live sports (especially baseball) and it's been rock solid for me.

 

[camo]

YTTV guide is very short just a few days and my 1 negative. Never had any issues with " Start from beginning" freezes as described by N6BY and have used multiple devices. I suspect a internet speed issue not being able to buffer properly.

 

[N6BY]

Which device(s) are you using for YTTV? I'm using Roku 4K's and I've never experienced any of the issues you're having. I use YTTV for live sports (especially baseball) and it's been rock solid for me.

I am using a Sony X950G. Next time it happens I will try it on my laptop computer or my Amazon Fire TV.

YTTV guide is very short just a few days and my 1 negative. Never had any issues with " Start from beginning" freezes as described by N6BY and have used multiple devices. I suspect a internet speed issue not being able to buffer properly.

I have 100 Mbps internet via fiber optic to the home. TV streaming is fine. But it hangs on "Start from beginning". A bug with the Sony TV app?

 

[tigerfan33]

All three of my recent model 4K Fire Stick stutter with YTTV. All of my Roku’s are flawless. 2019 Nivida Shield works with no issues also. LGTV app is buggy as hell as I suspect YTTV spends less time supporting solving these issues as new TV’s with new software change yearly.

 

[Zookster]

Most recurring performance issues I hear of with YouTubeTV (if not traceable to internet/network issues) involve smart TV apps. My 4K FireTV Stick, 2 Rokus (4630, 4640), and now PS4 perform without any freezes or rebuffers.

A guide that goes out more than one day isn't worth $50+ more per month, IMO. Especially when you can get 7 days out in the YTTV app on PC and mobile now, and easily do searches and add every show you are interested in into your library. There are also third-party online guides that support YTTV.

 

[harshness]

A guide that goes out more than one day isn't worth $50+ more per month, IMO.

This isn't surprising coming from someone who treats saving money on TV programming as a consuming avocation. I wouldn't be surprised if most others (especially those interested in sports and event programming) have a decidedly different bias.

Of course since YTTV has one or more possibly devaluing limits with respect to their "unlimited" DVR service, a longer guide may be of less value in comparison to other services.

 

[Bruce]

This isn't surprising coming from someone who treats saving money on TV programming as a consuming avocation. I wouldn't be surprised if most others (especially those interested in sports and event programming) have a decidedly different bias.

What is wrong about saving ( or in my opinion not wasting away ) money?


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[harshness]

What is wrong about saving ( or in my opinion not wasting away ) money?

It depends on whether the savings makes up for the effort required, frustration endured and any sacrifices made. Everyone has their own cost/benefit ratio when it comes to tinkering with their TV service and many place a much higher value on their time than on their money.

 

[comfortably_numb]

It depends on whether the savings makes up for the effort required, frustration endured and any sacrifices made. Everyone has their own cost/benefit ratio when it comes to tinkering with their TV service and many place a much higher value on their time than on their money.

My biggest curve came when I switched from Dish to YTTV, OTA and streaming. It was difficult breaking away from the traditional "DVR + clicker" experience that was baked into me from childbirth.

 

[Zookster]

This isn't surprising coming from someone who treats saving money on TV programming as a consuming avocation. I wouldn't be surprised if most others (especially those interested in sports and event programming) have a decidedly different bias.

What is wrong about saving ( or in my opinion not wasting away ) money?

It depends on whether the savings makes up for the effort required, frustration endured and any sacrifices made. Everyone has their own cost/benefit ratio when it comes to tinkering with their TV service and many place a much higher value on their time than on their money.

You make a lot of personal assumptions about my "consuming avocation." As I'm sure I've posted in this thread and elsewhere in this forum that if I won a huge lottery jackpot and price was no concern for me, I'd still stick with YouTube TV because of the many conveniences it offers over traditional TV providers, especially the unlimited cloud DVR, which means I never have to fuss with managing storage space, and access on almost any streaming media device, including inconspicuous sticks, so I don't need a hardwired settop box on every TV and all my apps are on one input. The only change I might make is add another service during football season, like Fubo or Sling, so I can get the Pac-12 network.

Regardless, like theBruce said, I wouldn't waste money either. Just like I wouldn't pay more than double for a specific model of car to get one relatively minor convenience feature over the model that gives me everything else I need and more.

 

[harshness]

Just like I wouldn't pay more than double for a specific model of car to get one relatively minor convenience feature over the model that gives me everything else I need and more.

Your idea of "relatively minor" is surely different from that of many (and that's not a good or bad thing; it just is). They all add up -- money just happens to be easier to quantify.

 

[Bruce]

It depends on whether the savings makes up for the effort required, frustration endured and any sacrifices made.

What effort, I researched, I activated via the web, done, it takes more time and effort to switch to a Sat. Service.

Everyone has their own cost/benefit ratio when it comes to tinkering with their TV service and many place a much higher value on their time than on their money.

Except by being careful with my money on not just my TV Service but on other things as well ( never been in a Coffee Shop for example), allowed me to put more money into my investment fund, because of that I was able to retire in my early 50’s, now I have nothing but time ( but still way too much to watch).




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[Zookster]

It depends on whether the savings makes up for the effort required, frustration endured and any sacrifices made. Everyone has their own cost/benefit ratio when it comes to tinkering with their TV service and many place a much higher value on their time than on their money.

I personally don't see it as an either/or, time or money issue. I can't think of a single thing that takes me more time as a YTTV user than it did as a cable TV customer. As I said above, not having to manage my DVR storage is a HUGE time saver. Not endlessly scrolling through 14-days' worth of programming for hundreds of channels, most of which I don't watch, in a channel guide saves me ridiculous amounts of time (I just use a search function, click on a channel icon, or browse my recommendations). Not having to read through pages of fees on a cable bill to see what I'm suddenly getting nickel and dimed for this month saves me time. Being able to pick up any device in my house that has or is connected to a video screen to watch any of my channels or DVR'd content in the same high quality as in my primary setup saves me time. Not having to change inputs on my TV every time I want to go from my live TV service to any of my streaming apps saves me time.

 

[N6BY]

...Not endlessly scrolling through 14-days' worth of programming for hundreds of channels, most of which I don't watch, in a channel guide saves me ridiculous amounts of time (I just use a search function, click on a channel icon, or browse my recommendations)....

So what do you do if you want to know what is on 8 days from now? I used to do it all the time with cable, and I found it very handy.

And how can you use the search function and record a movie past the end of the guide if you don't know the names of the movies playing in the future? For example, with cable I would often scroll forward in time to see if a premium channel had an upcoming movie that looked interesting in the future. A movie I had never heard of before (and did not know the name of), but the description looked interesting.

Bottom line: I don't agree with you that a 14 day guide would be a disadvantage. A short guide may be your preference, but it is certainly not mine.

 

[Zookster]

So what do you do if you want to know what is on 8 days from now? I used to do it all the time with cable, and I found it very handy.

When I had cable, I only ever scanned ahead that many days if I was looking for a show I had heard about and wanted to see when it was on so I could set a recording. Now I find those shows via the search function. I only ever browse channels or recommendations if I'm looking for something to watch right this minute or say in the next hour (though usually I just pull up something in my library if there isn't a live sports event I have interest in). I really have no need to see what's on in 8 days. Even with sports, I have standing timers for all my teams or special sporting events like the Australian Open, so I don't have any need to scan the guide for the next game date/time. I just click on the team or event's tile to get all the scheduled airings on any channel.

As far as discovering new shows, I have other online resources I follow to learn about upcoming programming, which works much better for me than blindly scrolling days and days worth of hundreds of channels.

And how can you use the search function and record a movie past the end of the guide if you don't know the names of the movies playing in the future? For example, with cable I would often scroll forward in time to see if a premium channel had an upcoming movie that looked interesting in the future. A movie I had never heard of before (and did not know the name of), but the description looked interesting.

YouTube TV has a highly filterable browse function. I can select "Movies" and I'll see everything currently on, what's available on demand based on my viewing habits, or I can search by genre across all the channels (see image). If I don't want to watch one of these movies on demand (often with forced commercials), I can set a recording and it will automatically record the next airing of that movie even if it's weeks from now. I use YTTV like I do Netflix, Prime or regular Hulu.

For premiums, I either browse that specific channel's on demand library, which includes pretty much anything that would ever air live in the coming weeks. Though I actually prefer to use the premium's separate channel app to browse and watch its content to get 5.1 audio, the only real complaint I have about YouTube TV.

Similarly for non-premiums, I can click on any channel's name in the guide and get a full rundown of everything on demand, live, or coming up.

Bottom line: I don't agree with you that a 14 day guide would be a disadvantage. A short guide may be your preference, but it is certainly not mine.

Once I learned how to take advantage of the many tools YTTV provides to browse and access content, I found it a much more efficient way of finding more than enough to watch. My unlimited DVR library runneth over.

EDIT: BTW, the above image is only showing one row of content for this filtered browse of Movies\Science Fiction. I can similarly do filtered browses of all other manner of content: News, Reality TV, Dramas, Comedy, Family, etc.

 

[harshness]

What effort, I researched, I activated via the web, done, it takes more time and effort to switch to a Sat. Service.

I sincerely doubt that choosing and maintaining the ideal combination of subscription services is as quick and painless as ordering up satellite service or cable TV service.

Except by being careful with my money on not just my TV Service but on other things as well ( never been in a Coffee Shop for example), allowed me to put more money into my investment fund, because of that I was able to retire in my early 50’s, now I have nothing but time ( but still way too much to watch).

What's the rush? I hope to keep working at least until I qualify for federally supported health care. I grew up in a family where the prior generations had endured The Great Depression and watching them trying to pinch pennies at every turn never appealed to me.

I'm deeply concerned that having enough money to live on isn't enough anymore as a few bouts of health issues can set a well-planned retirement back considerably. Many never suspected when they were planning for their Golden Years that health care would cost as much as a house payment.

Everyone approaches life differently and to assume that your carefully considered choices work as well for anyone else as they do for you isn't sound reasoning.. Others have much different interests and things other than bargain hunting and not going to work that define their idea of a good time. For everyone who likes streaming re-runs, theres at least one who prefers to watch live sports.