[B. Shoe]

Several outlets reporting that NBC Universal and YouTube TV are in a contract dispute, with NBC Universal stating that YouTube TV will drop 14 NBCU channels.

YouTube has acknowledged the dispute, and states that YouTube TV will drop the price of the monthly subscription by $10 if the channels are removed.

I'm just assuming, but would wager that the deadline is at the end of September for an agreement to be reached, giving the timing of the news.

 

[Davenlr]

AS a YouTubeTV customer, this would be a great opportunity for DirecTv satellite to harvest some customers with a good two year deal that DOESNT involve doubling the price and cutting off the autopay paperless discount for the second year. I would come back if they had the same deal as DISH does. I wont go to DISH because they dont have enough 4K and dont have the PQ I need.

 

[B. Shoe]

AS a YouTubeTV customer, this would be a great opportunity for DirecTv satellite to harvest some customers with a good two year deal that DOESNT involve doubling the price and cutting off the autopay paperless discount for the second year. I would come back if they had the same deal as DISH does. I wont go to DISH because they dont have enough 4K and dont have the PQ I need.

Given the immediacy of what's happening, I understand what you're getting at. But would you be willing to jump back into a contract, where they are just as opportune to enter a contract dispute for channels, then you're stuck because of the contract agreement?

Losing RSNs for long-term is one thing. Losing a core chunk of NBC Universal channels is another, IMO, that is more difficult for any major carrier to try and move forward without. A deal will get done, just maybe after a few days of being dark.

 

[Davenlr]

To be honest, I can get all those channels from other sources if I want. I am old school, and want a physical DVR the doesnt just back to the beginning of the show when I hit fast forward, or tell me to watch something else when I am trying to watch a cloud DVR show, or being able to hit Guide and get a guide without having to hit back 6 to 8 times, or being able to do boolean searches. Cloud DVRs are just antique... So yes, I would go back into a contract if it was priced reasonable. Currently, for two rooms, the cost of DirecTv averages out to $125 per month over the course of two years for fewer channels than YouTubeTV. DISH is around $85 if you opt out of locals, which I would, since my antenna gets them for free, and my Tivo records them fine. If I could get DirecTv for $85 a month for two rooms, I would sign up today.

 

[gio12]

YTV could be screwed if this happens. I have OTA and Peacock.

 

[evotz]

I actually think this is a novel way of handling this by YouTube.

"If NBC won't lower their demands, we'll just cut NBC and cut your price by $10. Oh! and by the way you can get Peacock for $5/mo. So um... do some quick math... you come out cheaper this way."

I don't have YouTube TV, but $55/mo is much more appealing to me than $65/mo.

Now... I don't know what content is available within the NBCU channels on YouTube TV that is not in the $5/mo Peacock, so maybe there is a reason to gripe on this. But either way, I think YouTube is doing a great job of handling this. Everybody's tired of their cable bill going up $10/mo every year because of these constant content disputes. YouTube is just advising everyone that they're not going to budge and you can get the disputed content elsewhere cheaper.

 

[B. Shoe]

To be honest, I can get all those channels from other sources if I want. I am old school, and want a physical DVR the doesnt just back to the beginning of the show when I hit fast forward, or tell me to watch something else when I am trying to watch a cloud DVR show, or being able to hit Guide and get a guide without having to hit back 6 to 8 times, or being able to do boolean searches. Cloud DVRs are just antique... So yes, I would go back into a contract if it was priced reasonable. Currently, for two rooms, the cost of DirecTv averages out to $125 per month over the course of two years for fewer channels than YouTubeTV. DISH is around $85 if you opt out of locals, which I would, since my antenna gets them for free, and my Tivo records them fine. If I could get DirecTv for $85 a month for two rooms, I would sign up today.

Cost wouldn't be as much my issue, as being locked into a provider that could just as easily enter contract disputes, or lose channels during that time. If satellite would best serve your wants and needs, I'd certainly never tell you to not go elsewhere, as our opinion on Cloud vs. physical DVR boxes differs.

Now... I don't know what content is available within the NBCU channels on YouTube TV that is not in the $5/mo Peacock, so maybe there is a reason to gripe on this. But either way, I think YouTube is doing a great job of handling this. Everybody's tired of their cable bill going up $10/mo every year because of these constant content disputes. YouTube is just advising everyone that they're not going to budge and you can get the disputed content elsewhere cheaper.

Unless there's something real niche/specific, all of the content that would be dropped on YouTube TV is available within Peacock. We'll likely a month of Peacock a try, if the channels do get removed. If it appears that the dispute would be a long-lasting issue, there's always DIRECTV Stream that we can test out, also.

 

[Davenlr]

there's always DIRECTV Stream that we can test out, also.

I did. I even have two of their "cable boxes". Two problems. One will go away after next Thursday...No NFLNetwork which has exclusive for the Sept Thursday games, then I can watch them on Prime Video I think.
Main issue is, this is the service that kept stopping my shows in the middle of watching them and telling me "To watch something else" after a minute of watching a spinning circle. They may have fixed it by now, but doubt they would let me try it again for 14 days to see.
And YTTV and DirecTv stream are the only two streaming services that do not use 30 fps video which I find unwatchable.

 

[lparsons21]

I did. I even have two of their "cable boxes". Two problems. One will go away after next Thursday...No NFLNetwork which has exclusive for the Sept Thursday games, then I can watch them on Prime Video I think.
Main issue is, this is the service that kept stopping my shows in the middle of watching them and telling me "To watch something else" after a minute of watching a spinning circle. They may have fixed it by now, but doubt they would let me try it again for 14 days to see.
And YTTV and DirecTv stream are the only two streaming services that do not use 30 fps video which I find unwatchable.

DirecTV Stream is a real oddity when it comes to cancelling and re-subscribing. Cancelling has to be done via chat and re-subbing requires a new user email. Which makes you a new user every time you do it.

 

[Davenlr]

DirecTV Stream is a real oddity when it comes to cancelling and re-subscribing. Cancelling has to be done via chat and re-subbing requires a new user email. Which makes you a new user every time you do it.

OK, guess I can create a new burner gmail account then. Gee, you could watch tv for free if you wanted to just keep creating burner emails every 13 days. Its not like their DVR space would have anything you didnt watch
They need to come out with an App for my Sony TV though.
My YTTV billing date is Oct 4th, so if they cut off NBC, that will work out just right.

 

[lparsons21]

OK, guess I can create a new burner gmail account then. Gee, you could watch tv for free if you wanted to just keep creating burner emails every 13 days. Its not like their DVR space would have anything you didnt watch
They need to come out with an App for my Sony TV though.

If cancelling wasn't such a royal PITA that could be something to consider!

 

[Davenlr]

If cancelling wasn't such a royal PITA that could be something to consider!

First time I canceled I just told them it was buffering, and when they started their spiel I just said well, I already notified the credit card company to deny any further charges, so if you want to leave it on, go for it. They canceled.

 

[B. Shoe]

DirecTV Stream is a real oddity when it comes to cancelling and re-subscribing. Cancelling has to be done via chat and re-subbing requires a new user email. Which makes you a new user every time you do it.

That is a bit of a burden. We also looked through our options and channel offerings with Hulu, since we're already subscribed to the Disney bundle.
Regardless, we have some options out there, for short-term and long-term. I guess I'll eat crow whenever it's time to serve, but I really don't see any removal of channels lasting long before a new agreement is in place.

 

[B. Shoe]

As other YTTV subscribers likely have received this today, I got an email from YTTV at 1:40PM this afternoon indicating that the current agreement expires on Thursday, September 30. Per the email, and as @evotz mentioned earlier in the thread, they are actively encouraging subscribers to give Peacock a try, if they're unable to resolve the contract dispute.

When it comes to NBCU programming, there are two priorities in our household; live sports and Bravo shows (the fiancé treats "Housewives" and other similar shows with the same fever that I enjoy football.) So we'll give Peacock a month and see how it works out for us, if the agreement lapses.

 

[Davenlr]

I checked and MSNBC isnt available on peacock, and the NBCSN Nascar races are not available on Peacock. To further that, Peacock is 30 fps and looks like crap.
I will subscribe to that $35 company for a month if they cut off NBC, and then move on.
DirecTv already refused to reactivate my old account at $145 a month using my equipment and insisted I sign a new two year contract, so I told them to pound sand too. None of these companies know how to treat customers. None of them.

 

[compnurd]

I checked and MSNBC isnt available on peacock, and the NBCSN Nascar races are not available on Peacock. To further that, Peacock is 30 fps and looks like crap.
I will subscribe to that $35 company for a month if they cut off NBC, and then move on.
DirecTv already refused to reactivate my old account at $145 a month using my equipment and insisted I sign a new two year contract, so I told them to pound sand too. None of these companies know how to treat customers. None of them.

The game has changed

 

[B. Shoe]

ARS Technica reported an interesting development from the YouTube TV/NBC Universal standoff, stating that NBCU asked YouTube to bundle in Peacock Premium as part of the the renewal agreement. This is apparently now removed from the contract negotiations, but the first two paragraphs from the article are below:

NBCUniversal recently asked YouTube TV to bundle Peacock, the NBC streaming service that has apparently failed to get many paying subscribers. The Comcast-owned NBC wants the Google-owned YouTube TV to pay for Peacock as a condition of continuing to have access to NBC channels after the companies' current contract expires.

Google objected to the demand, and NBC is apparently willing to drop it. But a dispute over how much Google must pay NBC is still pending, and both sides have warned that YouTube TV subscribers could lose access to NBC channels.

This may shed a little light on why YTTV has been so active to promote the Peacock service in recent communications.

 

[Davenlr]

I am all set. Im on a 14 day trial with DirecTv Stream. Using their Osprey box is light years ahead of YTTV.
PLUSES
1: FF works. Hit it once, it travels forward at 1,2 and 4X until you hit play, and it backs up a bit and starts playing. No more hitting the remote 10 to 20 times to skip commercials.
2: Once step to get to Library or Guide. No more hitting back 8 times
3: Dolby Digital 5.1
4: My Sony remote controls the box completely.
5: ALL the RSN across the country (blackout rules apply) on the $84 package
6: Preview window in HD, not a fuzzy mess
7: Allows Series recording of just one, All, or new only
8: Allows you to DELETE shows to reduce clutter

MINUSES
1: No Android, Google TV, Smartcast or Shield app (but their box $50 on ebay, is awesome)
2: Only 20 hr DVR space without paying additional $10 (but hey, it wouldnt be DirecTv or ATT without gouging for the little things everyone else has included, right?)
3: Have to chat (if you can get through) with a rep to cancel.
4: Channel numbers on Osprey box, but no way to arrange live guide with favorites on top.
5: Osprey box update reenabled forced HDR10, so plan to put it on a TV input you can modify the picture settings for to get it to look normal.

 

[compnurd]

I am all set. Im on a 14 day trial with DirecTv Stream. Using their Osprey box is light years ahead of YTTV.
PLUSES
1: FF works. Hit it once, it travels forward at 1,2 and 4X until you hit play, and it backs up a bit and starts playing. No more hitting the remote 10 to 20 times to skip commercials.
2: Once step to get to Library or Guide. No more hitting back 8 times
3: Dolby Digital 5.1
4: My Sony remote controls the box completely.
5: ALL the RSN across the country (blackout rules apply) on the $84 package
6: Preview window in HD, not a fuzzy mess
7: Allows Series recording of just one, All, or new only
8: Allows you to DELETE shows to reduce clutter

MINUSES
1: No Android, Google TV, Smartcast or Shield app (but their box $50 on ebay, is awesome)
2: Only 20 hr DVR space without paying additional $10 (but hey, it wouldnt be DirecTv or ATT without gouging for the little things everyone else has included, right?)
3: Have to chat (if you can get through) with a rep to cancel.
4: Channel numbers on Osprey box, but no way to arrange live guide with favorites on top.
5: Osprey box update reenabled forced HDR10, so plan to put it on a TV input you can modify the picture settings for to get it to look normal.

On Minus Number 5- Expect software in the next week or two to enable HDR Toggle so you can turn it off It just started rolling out

 

[Davenlr]

On Minus Number 5- Expect software in the next week or two to enable HDR Toggle so you can turn it off It just started rolling out

Thanks. Hopefully they dont just block the HDR trigger, because I can do that with the TV itself, but the video is way washed out and gross looking. They would need to actually bypass whatever is in the box that is converting the video to HDR. Will see what happens when they send it.