[wilbur_the_goose]

After the end of the NFL season I called D* to cancel service. Call took 4 minutes and I was done mine until my disconnect on Feb 2.

Subscribed to YTTY. my wife and I already have the YTTV design paradigm down. I prefer it now.

But the biggest surprise was the picture quality. We both think YTTV has significantly better picture quality. Heck - even the 4k video is much better on YTTV.

If you’re on the fence, I think you’d find the switch to be better quality for significantly less money

 

[dlt4]

After the end of the NFL season I called D* to cancel service. Call took 4 minutes and I was done mine until my disconnect on Feb 2.

Subscribed to YTTY. my wife and I already have the YTTV design paradigm down. I prefer it now.

But the biggest surprise was the picture quality. We both think YTTV has significantly better picture quality. Heck - even the 4k video is much better on YTTV.

If you’re on the fence, I think you’d find the switch to be better quality for significantly less money

I’ve had YTTV a couple times over the last couple years. There’s a lot I like about it, but D* always gave me enough monthly credit that I stuck with them. Been a customer almost 20 years. However, with the price increase coming later this month, even with a $40 credit my bill will be about $123. So yesterday I paused my service for 30 days to give YTTV another try since it’s been several months since I last used it.

I’m not super critical when it comes to picture quality but after just a couple hours of watching I thought the same thing, the quality does seem better. I am already leaning towards switching but will give it some more time just to be sure. At this point the two things I would miss the most is double play and the FF through recordings isn’t as convenient. But for a difference of $50 per month I think I can get used to it.

 

[Herdfan]

After the end of the NFL season I called D* to cancel service. Call took 4 minutes and I was done mine until my disconnect on Feb 2.

Subscribed to YTTY. my wife and I already have the YTTV design paradigm down. I prefer it now.

But the biggest surprise was the picture quality. We both think YTTV has significantly better picture quality. Heck - even the 4k video is much better on YTTV.

If you’re on the fence, I think you’d find the switch to be better quality for significantly less money

There is no doubt PQ is superior. But then again I have a rock solid internet connection. Where we are moving it will be either Starlink or a WISP (Viasat or Hughes Net will not be considered). Have the WISP running at the house now and it was fine using Hulu in HD on 1 TV. But the connection is only 30 down. Seems stable, but not sure I will be willing to put my ability to view TV on it just yet. I will know more in a couple of weeks when we get out there and hook up the 85" 4K and see how it does. Supposed 4K uses 25M. It will be just the wife and me, so usually no kids playing PS, but still that is pushing my capacity. Granted if we are watching something in 4K, it will most likely be the only thing pulling bandwidth so we might be OK.

I have been with DirecTV going on my 29th year. I am a year and 9 months from getting my 30 year badge (actually not sure they care). It has been a great service and after so long, there are things I like.

I like being able to use a single button press to jump back and forth between a Live program and a recorded one. Imagine watching something recorded and being a button press away from the score of a game. Granted, I could hook up a second Roku (or the internal TV app) and mimic it unless CEC tells one it isn't being used and it goes into sleep mode.

I like being able to go straight to the Guide or List with a single button press. If Google could come up with a box that mimicked what people (or at least us older farts) are used to with cable or sat I think the service would really take off.

Edit: Called and removed all but 2 receivers and dropped my plan down to Choice. Added all the movie channels to my YTTV account. If I complete the switch, my monthly bill will drop from $280 to around $120 So whether or not I keep DirecTV will all depend on how well the internet at the new house works for YTTV.

 

[NashGuy]

I like being able to go straight to the Guide or List with a single button press. If Google could come up with a box that mimicked what people (or at least us older farts) are used to with cable or sat I think the service would really take off.

Something like that exists. It's DirecTV Stream, when used with their own custom streaming box and remote.

Honestly, given the internet situation you will have (WISP, 30 Mbps max) and your current level of satisfaction with DirecTV Satellite, I think you'd probably just be happiest sticking with it.

As for claims of YTTV having better PQ than DTV, I'm skeptical. I have YTTV and find the PQ to vary quite a bit from one channel/program to another. That's also true, to an extent, on DTV Sat but my recollection is that it (as well as DTV Stream) have overall better PQ than YTTV.

 

[cak144]

Somewhat unrelated, but I have never understood why on-demand movies that I download on my Dish hopper download at speeds of 10-20 mbps when my isp download speed is rated at 50 mbps. Speed tests show that that is what I am getting, Also when I watch movies on firestick apps, I get buffering way more than I would like. I have read that this may be due to limitiations from the firestick. This makes me reluctant to drop Dish and go to 100% streaming. BTW, those of you on DTV, I was a DTV customer for nearly 30 years and switched to Dish 2 years ago when DTV got too expensive and wouldn't give me enough discounts. I like Dish a lot better and it was quite a bit less expensive for me even though I am getting more channels with Dish.

 

[B. Shoe]

Somewhat unrelated, but I have never understood why on-demand movies that I download on my Dish hopper download at speeds of 10-20 mbps when my isp download speed is rated at 50 mbps. Speed tests show that that is what I am getting, Also when I watch movies on firestick apps, I get buffering way more than I would like. I have read that this may be due to limitiations from the firestick. This makes me reluctant to drop Dish and go to 100% streaming. BTW, those of you on DTV, I was a DTV customer for nearly 30 years and switched to Dish 2 years ago when DTV got too expensive and wouldn't give me enough discounts. I like Dish a lot better and it was quite a bit less expensive for me even though I am getting more channels with Dish.

I can't answer a thing about the Dish Hopper. Might be better suited in the Dish forums.
Regarding your buffering issues; do you have issues streaming videos on any other devices (phone, tablet, etc.) If not, how old is your Firestick? Streaming isn't an across the board scenario where everyone is playing with the same hardware/infrastructure like Directv/Dish boxes. Your hardware makes a difference in this realm.

 

[b4pjoe]

You can do a speed test with your Firestick to see what it is actually getting.

How to Test Internet Speed on Amazon FireStick / Fire TV Cube

 

[harsh]

Somewhat unrelated, but I have never understood why on-demand movies that I download on my Dish hopper download at speeds of 10-20 mbps when my isp download speed is rated at 50 mbps.

Regardless of the platform you're using, there's no point to being able to download content much faster than you can consume it.

If there were unlimited bandwidth available to send, people would scream bloody murder about the download crowding their broadband connection for other uses.

 

[the2130]

Somewhat unrelated, but I have never understood why on-demand movies that I download on my Dish hopper download at speeds of 10-20 mbps when my isp download speed is rated at 50 mbps. Speed tests show that that is what I am getting, Also when I watch movies on firestick apps, I get buffering way more than I would like. I have read that this may be due to limitiations from the firestick. This makes me reluctant to drop Dish and go to 100% streaming. BTW, those of you on DTV, I was a DTV customer for nearly 30 years and switched to Dish 2 years ago when DTV got too expensive and wouldn't give me enough discounts. I like Dish a lot better and it was quite a bit less expensive for me even though I am getting more channels with Dish.

Using a Roku Ultra with a wired connection, I haven't had any instances of buffering with YTTV.

 

[the2130]

After the end of the NFL season I called D* to cancel service. Call took 4 minutes and I was done mine until my disconnect on Feb 2.

Subscribed to YTTY. my wife and I already have the YTTV design paradigm down. I prefer it now.

But the biggest surprise was the picture quality. We both think YTTV has significantly better picture quality. Heck - even the 4k video is much better on YTTV.

If you’re on the fence, I think you’d find the switch to be better quality for significantly less money

Same here, I canceled DirecTV the day after the NFL season ended and signed up for YTTV. Picture quality is great, DVR functionality works well, and I'm saving about $100 a month, even after adding a Frndly TV subscription for my wife.

 

[shedberg]

I was a DirecTV user for over 25 years and going to retire in a year. I have been increasingly annoyed with less channels that actually have content versus ads. I seem to watch the same ones most of the time but to get them, I needed the mid or highest tier package. YTTV has all the channels I normally watch for a lot less. I have been watching it for a couple weeks now and have gotten used to the guide quirks. I cancelled my DirecTV the other day and instead of over $200 a month ($170ish if I dropped to the mid tier), I am getting all the channels I want with an add on for Showtime, for $76 a month. A total win for me.

 

[wmb]

my Dish hopper download at speeds of 10-20 mbps when my isp download speed is rated at 50 mbps.

Hard wired or WiFi? If wifi, what type? If it’s an older router, that could be the limitation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[spamstew]

After 18+ years with D*, I took the Nestea plunge and hopped on the YTTV train. I chalk that up to costs, changes in viewing habits, and NFLST leaving. I chose YTTY because it had most of the channels we watch, costs (potential savings), and the NFLST.

The PQ is comparable (if not better at times) to my previous D* setup. The interface has a little learning curve but works for our needs. We tend to match recorded or streaming/on-demand content, so channel surfing is minimal (Live Guide is not a priority). That said, we tend to use the 'Home' Tab, which aggregates our recorded shows (Library) and 'Top Picks' to watch (based on watching habits).

It was a little bittersweet to leave D* (it was a fun ride over the years), but saving around $120/mo makes it sweeter.

 

[compnurd]

After 18+ years with D*, I took the Nestea plunge and hopped on the YTTV train. I chalk that up to costs, changes in viewing habits, and NFLST leaving. I chose YTTY because it had most of the channels we watch, costs (potential savings), and the NFLST.

The PQ is comparable (if not better at times) to my previous D* setup. The interface has a little learning curve but works for our needs. We tend to match recorded or streaming/on-demand content, so channel surfing is minimal (Live Guide is not a priority). That said, we tend to use the 'Home' Tab, which aggregates our recorded shows (Library) and 'Top Picks' to watch (based on watching habits).

It was a little bittersweet to leave D* (it was a fun ride over the years), but saving around $120/mo makes it sweeter.

Bear in mind you will be able to get Sunday Ticket without having YTTV

 

[spamstew]

Bear in mind you will be able to get Sunday Ticket without having YTTV

True, but the savings and current watching habits outweigh continuing with D*, whether satellite or stream. Lastly, I suspect that YTTV would offer 'discounts' for subscribers or run promotions to lure new customers - similar to previous D* campaigns.

 

[harsh]

Lastly, I suspect that YTTV would offer 'discounts' for subscribers or run promotions to lure new customers - similar to previous D* campaigns.

Don't count on it. YTTV's not currently making a lot of money and there's obviously little fat in their retail pricing as compared with DIRECTV.

 

[cmasia]

Purely a guess....
It seems with:
1) the lengthy and complicated negotiations the NFL had with potential bidders, combined with 2) the absolute pile of dough dished out by the Networks (and the NFL's need to protect these investments)...
I'm guessing YT's agreement has some sort of minimum retail pricing component.

 

[spamstew]

Don't count on it. YTTV's not currently making a lot of money and there's obviously little fat in their retail pricing as compared with DIRECTV.

We will know sooner than later... Either way, I'm still saving cash money with the switch.

 

[James Long]

Purely a guess....
It seems with:
1) the lengthy and complicated negotiations the NFL had with potential bidders, combined with 2) the absolute pile of dough dished out by the Networks (and the NFL's need to protect these investments)...
I'm guessing YT's agreement has some sort of minimum retail pricing component.

I am waiting to see what restrictions are being placed on the networks. Their $10 billion total contracts include streaming each game they carry on each network's related streaming service. So say I subscribe to Paramount+ ... do I get all of the CBS Sunday afternoon games or just the one my local CBS affiliate carries in market? I am assuming I would not get games not broadcast in my market via Paramount+.

 

[cmasia]

I have Paramount Plus, and when I open the app, it recognizes my IP address, so when I click on "Live TV", there is a speedy look at a "checking availability" page, before connecting to my local affiliate.
And that's all I can see.