YouTube TV launches....

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
Well - sort of.
In five markets.
And it still has no apps to launch it from stuff like ROKU or Apple or whatever you have.
Currently they offer through Chromecast, which to me is 100% a non-starter.

For 35 bucks, they do offer A LOT - and - not so much.
They'll have all the major networks including CW -
The major sports networks, the major news networks -
A smattering of kid's channels and Syfy and USA and FX and so on.
PRESUMABLY - AMC is coming (yay Walking Dead and others).
BBC America (Doctor Who) and BBC News.

Up to six separate accounts per household, three live streams per account and unlimited storage (yeah right) up to nine months. Anything older than that gets deleted.

STILL - not bad for 35 bucks.

But it still doesn't have everything I want. They're THIS close......
 

TWL

Kernel panic: Aiee.......
If Google waits to launch YouTube TV in markets that have deals to stream the broadcast networks live, most markets will probably never see YouTube TV. ABC and NBC are available for streaming in limited markets - and not many markets have added in the past several years. CBS can be streamed in most markets but you have to pay CBS a monthly fee and is only available using their app. You can stream Prime Time FOX in a good part of the markets. The CW has no live streaming, as far as I know.

I've used SlingTV in the past. Used Playstation VUE on a Roku 4 for the last 6 months or so. I am currently trying out DIRECTV NOW on a Apple TV 4(paid 3 months upfront and got the Apple TV). I figured if I don't like DIRECTV NOW, I got an Apple TV for about $40-$50 less than retail. But right now, I'm leaning towards dropping Playststion VUE and retiring my Roku. I have both PS VUE and DIRECTV NOW on the Apple TV. While PS VUE is better on the Apple TV than on the Roku, DIRECTV NOW and Apple TV is the clear winner for me.

I've also have an HDHomeRun to pick up the broadcast channels. Where I am in New Mexico I can easily pick up all the major broadcast channels, unlike in SoMD. There is an app for the Apple TV which can interface with the HDHomeRun very nicely. I'm back down to one remote to watch all my television.
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
If Google waits to launch YouTube TV in markets that have deals to stream the broadcast networks live, most markets will probably never see YouTube TV. ABC and NBC are available for streaming in limited markets - and not many markets have added in the past several years. CBS can be streamed in most markets but you have to pay CBS a monthly fee and is only available using their app. You can stream Prime Time FOX in a good part of the markets. The CW has no live streaming, as far as I know.

CW DOES have a streaming app on my Roku, and I do use it (they have that "Dare to Defy" slogan on it). Same policy with their website - they stream ALL their programming online after it's aired, which I guess means you can just cast it from a computer if you want to (I have Chromecast, but I use it sparingly because most of the time, it's pretty damned useless).

YouTube TV at least CLAIMS it will have unlimited storage - I don't believe it, just as the cell phone companies claim unlimited data but reality is, at a very high threshold they DO throttle you if you cross it.
But I know my family and I know my wife - I know she wants her shows, her sports and the freedom to watch it at her leisure. We're not transitioning over until there's a good reason to.
Same reason we still have a landline - as long as our cell phone coverage at home *SUCKS*, we will continue to have a landline.
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
YouTube TV at least CLAIMS it will have unlimited storage - I don't believe it ....



do you really need 'unlimited' storage of TV shows you want to watch later - or unlimited references to the 1/2 doz copies on various storage servers for 1000's of users
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
do you really need 'unlimited' storage of TV shows you want to watch later - or unlimited references to the 1/2 doz copies on various storage servers for 1000's of users

Well I don't - truth be told, I tend to be pretty frugal about the space on my DVR, and like someone who's big on turning out lights - I'm always deleting stuff.
I'm also less likely to record a lot of HD shows, knowing they use a lot of storage.

It's the rest of my family I am concerned about - tell them it's unlimited, and they'll record everything.
We've come close to a very high limit for our cell phone data plan on trips, because they're all streaming videos and TV.

Tell them they have nine months, and they'll wait until the last day. We already have to juggle what can be watched "live" when the DVR is recording more than one show at a given time - most shows we record are on between 8-11 pm, and some nights - like Saturday - almost never anything. That leaves some nights heavy on recording, and fortunately we have three DVR's with multi-room capability - meaning, I can make sure there's no overlap by recording MY show on a different DVR. But that's not to say my daughter won't be downstairs flipping channels RIGHT WHILE it's trying to record my show.
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
Well I don't - truth be told, I tend to be pretty frugal about the space on my DVR ....

I was more pointing to the fact Google does not need massive server farms with Petabytes of storage so every user has 'their' own unique storage silo
rather the most popular TV Shows and Movies get stored near the internet back bone in peering sites ... quick and easily accessible by millions that want to watch

[others not so popular, on slower connections - moved automatically - if a show suddenly gets popular again]

the only thing 'Sam Spade's' unlimited storage requires is a small db with the shows you 'recorded' or save and the location of the closest server to you
to be streamed on demand like any other YouTube Video
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
Ok, question; I don't know #### about any of this so here's my question;

Presumably, all the content is already on the companies servers, yes? If so, why would anyone need to save it? Why couldn't, wouldn't, you just access what you want, whenever you want, off of their servers???
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
Ok, question; I don't know #### about any of this so here's my question;

Presumably, all the content is already on the companies servers, yes? If so, why would anyone need to save it? Why couldn't, wouldn't, you just access what you want, whenever you want, off of their servers???

Yes - and no. Obviously that is how most of these streaming services work when they serve up old episodes - or services like Netflix and Hulu or Amazon when they show original content. And unlike a DVR, which IS recording about anything, these services clearly do what is mentioned. SOME of the advantages of things like DVR is - skipping commercials (many of these services still force commercials, although some offer commercial free content, for more money) and recording live TV. Something we often do is watch a show we're recording after giving it a 15 minute head start - it will finish recording right around the time we finish watching.

The irritating thing about some of them is - they don't all play well. If you go to most On Demand type services, you will see a lot of missing programming - or networks that won't offer it at all. With the exception of YouTube TV, CBS *is* that way. You must get it from them for a price - or too damned bad. Roku and other devices have apps that you can access stuff from channels you already pay for - The CW, FX, FXX and so forth. They have an additional feature so that if it has aired that week - like a movie - you can still watch it anyway.
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
Yes - and no. Obviously that is how most of these streaming services work when they serve up old episodes - or services like Netflix and Hulu or Amazon when they show original content. And unlike a DVR, which IS recording about anything, these services clearly do what is mentioned. SOME of the advantages of things like DVR is - skipping commercials (many of these services still force commercials, although some offer commercial free content, for more money) and recording live TV. Something we often do is watch a show we're recording after giving it a 15 minute head start - it will finish recording right around the time we finish watching.

The irritating thing about some of them is - they don't all play well. If you go to most On Demand type services, you will see a lot of missing programming - or networks that won't offer it at all. With the exception of YouTube TV, CBS *is* that way. You must get it from them for a price - or too damned bad. Roku and other devices have apps that you can access stuff from channels you already pay for - The CW, FX, FXX and so forth. They have an additional feature so that if it has aired that week - like a movie - you can still watch it anyway.

Thank you. Ok, so, if I have this right, it can be done that way, simply accessing their stored stuff whenever you feel like it and it's simply a matter of someone working all the bugs and deals out to make it work smoothly?

In other words, I wanna be clear, I'm just asking if it CAN be done that way, just access their servers, no need to store, and probably ought to or will be because that's the simplest way. Yes?
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
Ok, question; I don't know #### about any of this so here's my question;

Presumably, all the content is already on the companies servers, yes? If so, why would anyone need to save it? Why couldn't, wouldn't, you just access what you want, whenever you want, off of their servers???

the is my current complaint with the current services ....

we have FiOS - we still have to record shows locally for play back later :jameo: WTF for .... they already have the files digitally - just tick a box user wants to watch this later
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
In other words, I wanna be clear, I'm just asking if it CAN be done that way, just access their servers, no need to store, and probably ought to or will be because that's the simplest way. Yes?


it COULD be done that way ..... user and companies still think we need to record in our homes instead of setting a flag on the TV Show - I want to watch this later


kinda like how On Demand works ....

only in my world EVERYTHING would be on demand
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
Ok, so there is an economic reason for them to want you to record things rather than be 'on demand'. I presume this is to aid the fellers who sell the equipment and/or ability to home record?
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
Just to add, they probably chose the DVR model rather than on demand due to licensing rights. Courts have sided with the consumer when it comes to time-shifting (DVR), meaning if it aired on a device/service you have access to you can record for later viewing without additional cost. On-demand is functionally the same, except you aren't granted license to view until you request the show and of course you do not have to request/schedule in advance of the showing.
 
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