YouTube TV Hulu+ Live Experiences?

[Domingo]

After using cable for years and years, it seems like everything we actually watch is finally available to legally stream. It seems like it would still potentially be cheaper than paying for cable, too. Even with services like Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, etc.

Anyone have experiences with local channels (especially for sports) using either Google TV or Hulu+ Live services? It looks both can can include HBO Max, Showtime, etc. Hulu charges retail price for them (lame) while Google really secretive about the pricing when you add them. Anyone have a good price breakdown and or reason for going with one or the other? Any downsides?

 

[Verge]

Hulu sucks. The adds are overlays, so you can't use an ad blocker on your PC and watch, not to mention if you DVR something, you can fast forward past them. I hate it but i'm too lazy to mess with changing.

 

[Domingo]

Cable already has ads galore, so I'm not super concerned about those. With most content being available via streams I don't even know when the last time I DVR'd anything was, either.

I think I'm mainly just looking for how good the quality is for the network/cable style channels is and how clean the interface is. I'll never hear the end of it if I drop cable and my wife can't find where anything is or it takes like 30 steps. Pricing-wise it looks like I can save a little bit, but shockingly not that much. Seems HBO Plus is $15 and Showtime is $10. I stand to save $100 per month on cable, but if I get those two, the savings = pretty light.

 

[Mad Maxx]

I use the Nvidia Shield and Chromecast on my 2 TVs, so am quite familiar with Google TV. I think the interface is very easy/intuitive to navigate. It's easy to add and use streaming apps like YouTube TV, Netflix, Prime, Twitch, etc.

I tried Hulu for the free 30 day trial, but had no intention of keeping it. I just wanted to binge The Shield.

 

[Domingo]

I actually already have a normal Hulu subscription. It (along with ESPN+ and Disney+...both of which I watch a LOT more of) only adds $5 to my Verizon phone bill every month. I hoped that would give me a discount for the Live service, but it doesn't seem to. I've watched several videos and read some things and it generally sounds like YouTube TV is probably better for me. I'm mainly just looking for any last-minute catches. Again, my wife has to be able to use it really easily. If it's a muddled mess to watch Jeopardy or Chopped, I'll never hear the end of it.

 

[Verge]

I actually already have a normal Hulu subscription. It (along with ESPN+ and Disney+...both of which I watch a LOT more of) only adds $5 to my Verizon phone bill every month. I hoped that would give me a discount for the Live service, but it doesn't seem to. I've watched several videos and read some things and it generally sounds like YouTube TV is probably better for me. I'm mainly just looking for any last-minute catches. Again, my wife has to be able to use it really easily. If it's a muddled mess to watch Jeopardy or Chopped, I'll never hear the end of it.

ESPN+ just went up $2/month. If you bundle both with hulu its basically the same price now. As a soccer fan, i just get nickled and dimed to death. But i'm used to it now

 

[Domingo]

ESPN+ just went up $2/month. If you bundle both with hulu its basically the same price now. As a soccer fan, i just get nickled and dimed to death. But i'm used to it now

I was kind of surprised how expensive all of this is. $65 for the equivalent of basic cable. HBO is $15. Showtime is $10. Starz is another $9. That doesn't even count services like Netflix, Amazon Prime (which many people have just for shipping...but still), Disney+/ESPN+/Hulu, as well as oddballs like Paramount, Peacock, etc.
$ for $, the savings vs. cable aren't much considering my cable subscription gives me access to HBO Max and Showtime Online for no additional cost. I think the only thing making me want to go this route is the desire to get better quality than 720p, which is what seemingly everything on Comcast's cable service is. Half the time we'll end up streaming normal TV content just because it looks better.

 

[staknhalo]

I pay for Comcast cable through my HOA, so I just get a CableCard for free from them and use Plex as my DVR with a HDHomerun.

If I didn't have cable I'd still do that but with a HDHomerun for OTA reception.

 

[TheSlySyl]

I have Youtube TV for this month and only this month due to the Olympics.

It's alright, Most of my annoyances have to do with the way that NBC is hosting the multiple simultaneous olympic channels though and nothing to do with Youtube TV. I fucking hate ads though so I can't wait to cancel the service so our house will be ad free again. (at least until the winter olympics...)

 

[Domingo]

I'm doing a 14-day trial of YouTube TV first. I've just discovered that if you want 4K content it tacks on $20 more. That combined with HBO Max and Showtime = more costly than cable. Well, at least if I spring for unlimited data. It IS better quality, but still. We don't watch much Showtime, so that's probably going to get scrapped. It has a shitload of older movies available, but a lot of those are also duplicated elsewhere.

The interface is pretty normal for the most part - not too different from cable. I like that you can re-order and even hide certain channels. The 4K/HDR version of the Olympics does look pretty great. Normal cable channels look a little better, too. I remember cable channels looking good compared to comparable streams 4-5 years ago. That's definitely no longer the case right now.

I'll have to figure out how to share the TV service with my wife's account. I don't exactly want to have my personal Google account floating around on all of our devices.

 

[TheSlySyl]

I'm doing a 14-day trial of YouTube TV first. I've just discovered that if you want 4K content it tacks on $20 more. That combined with HBO Max and Showtime = more costly than cable. Well, at least if I spring for unlimited data. It IS better quality, but still. We don't watch much Showtime, so that's probably going to get scrapped. It has a shitload of older movies available, but a lot of those are also duplicated elsewhere.

The interface is pretty normal for the most part - not too different from cable. I like that you can re-order and even hide certain channels. The 4K/HDR version of the Olympics does look pretty great. Normal cable channels look a little better, too. I remember cable channels looking good compared to comparable streams 4-5 years ago. That's definitely no longer the case right now.

I'll have to figure out how to share the TV service with my wife's account. I don't exactly want to have my personal Google account floating around on all of our devices.

There's a way to share it. I think you need to log onto YouTube tv in a browser or maybe on a phone and there's a sharing option there, I also couldn't find it on a TV interface.

 

[Domingo]

Looks like there's something called YouTube TV Family that lets you share your TV account with 6 other people. That's pretty cool. So far I like what I see, although for some reason the streaming version of ESPN has tickers that take up both the bottom and the left side of the screen. I was watching some old UFC fights and the actual fight was only taking up about 60% of the screen. One ticker is enough - I don't need two.

 

[JSHamlet234]

I've had it for a while. The only thing that sucks is that the commercials are loud as fuck.

 

[Domingo]

I've had it for a while. The only thing that sucks is that the commercials are loud as fuck.

Haven't noticed that so far, although I'm also using a Firestick with the volume equalizer turned on. Toggling between different streaming services leads to all sorts of volume spikes, so I was happy to see that as an option.

 

[JSHamlet234]

Haven't noticed that so far, although I'm also using a Firestick with the volume equalizer turned on. Toggling between different streaming services leads to all sorts of volume spikes, so I was happy to see that as an option.

Yeah, it's pretty annoying. You gave me an idea, though. I could run Equalizer APO with a compression filter, but then I'd have to remember to turn it off...

 

[Domingo]

I ended up pulling the trigger. After using YouTubeTV for a week, it basically covers our TV needs...although a couple of the networks are based on a different time zone. The Food Network is always Pacific, for example. I'll have to figure out if I can change that.

I think I'll end up dropping the 4K add-on. For right now, it only applies to a few channels. Once the Olympics are over, that's like 1/2 the 4K content right there. I'll see what college football games are in 4K and go from there.