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ABC News Now Supports Siri's Live Tune-In Feature

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Earlier this year, Apple introduced a new Live Tune-In feature for Siri, which allows the personal assistant to go directly to a live channel in a supported app. As of today, Live Tune-In has gained support for ABC News, letting Siri open up live news broadcasts when commanded to do so.

Live Tune-In also works with the following apps: CBS, CBS News, CNN Go, Cooking Channel, Disney Channel, Disney Jr., Disney XD, DIY, ESPN, Food Network, FXNOW, HGTC, and Travel Channel.

Live Tune-In is currently only available in the United States. It can be accessed by asking Siri to "Watch ESPN live" or "Watch ABC News live." Live Tune-In Feature is available for all customers who have a fourth-generation Apple TV. In most cases, it does require a cable subscription and authentication through a cable provider.

Article Link: ABC News Now Supports Siri's Live Tune-In Feature
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/09/22/abc-news-siri-live-tune-in/
I guess I'm just stubborn (or dense), but the whole "requires a cable subscription" always irritates me when I hear it. That totally flies in the face of why I got an Apple TV in late 2007, as I have been a cable-cutter for over 13 years now.
 
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extricated said:
I guess I'm just stubborn (or dense), but the whole "requires a cable subscription" always irritates me when I hear it. That totally flies in the face of why I got an Apple TV in late 2007, as I have been a cable-cutter for over 13 years now.
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Yeah I feel like certain networks didn't use to require logging in to a cable subscription. Seems like every Apple TV App requires it.
 
None of these things mean anything to me Apple! You have to find a way to convince content providers to provide their material without a cable subscription. I'll gladly pay for content a la carte or in a bundled deal, but I will not give money to our filthy cable companies. I grew tired of their crap a long time ago.
 
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extricated said:
but the whole "requires a cable subscription" always irritates me when I hear it.
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newyorksole said:
Yeah I feel like certain networks didn't use to require logging in to a cable subscription. Seems like every Apple TV App requires it.
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Bryan Bowler said:
I'll gladly pay for content a la carte or in a bundled deal, but I will not give money to our filthy cable companies.
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I have a cable sub, but I hate having to authenticate so often. I noticed that if you watch a channel on the ATV often, you do not have to re-authenticate your sub as much. But, if you don't watch the channel for more than a week, when you go back to it, you have to re-authenticate. It seems like the process could be better.
 
extricated said:
I guess I'm just stubborn (or dense), but the whole "requires a cable subscription" always irritates me when I hear it. That totally flies in the face of why I got an Apple TV in late 2007, as I have been a cable-cutter for over 13 years now.
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Why does it irritate you? Don't you just buy seasons the content you want?

Unless apple decides to become a pay tv provider, they cannot rebroadcast content to you.
 
2010mini said:
Why does it irritate you? Don't you just buy seasons the content you want?

Unless apple decides to become a pay tv provider, they cannot rebroadcast content to you.
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I think the point the OP was making was what value does Apple TV bring to the table? It's just another cable box.
 
satchmo said:
I think the point the OP was making was what value does Apple TV bring to the table? It's just another cable box.
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brings lots of value to me. I can't get netflix, hulu or iTunes content on my cable box. and i can use it as a secondary cable box that i don't have to rent.

for cord cutters you have access to tv/movie content without a subscription. access to major premium channels sans a cable contract. and access to a lot of professional sports, also without a cable contract.

what more is needed? Apple has been offering a la carte for years now.
 
JoeShades said:
Where on my Cable box can i get Plex or Infuse or Hulu, or.......
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No, maybe not on a providers cable box but the point is that you can get that on other 'boxes' like Roku, Amazon Fire, etc.

I realize networks aren't playing ball, so we get the same high priced cable requirements on all of these boxes.
 
satchmo said:
I think the point the OP was making was what value does Apple TV bring to the table? It's just another cable box.
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Hmm, I can't get my iTunes movies, Apple Music, photos, plus all of the other apps on my ATV. Your comment makes no sense. What I don't do is watch channels like ABC news and others that I get on my DIRECTV account. Why would I, makes no sense for Apple and Roku to offer these. I'm sure those channels pay for the privilege.
 
ErikGrim said:
This flies in the face of the concept of apps in the first place. Why Apple is even supporting this is beyond me.
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Yes why Is Apple allowing ABC news which is free have you just way watch ABC news. Do people just try to think of stupid things to say or does it come naturally?
 
I just don't understand the point of this if it requires a cable or satellite subscription which I already have. Why would I watch something on the Apple TV when I can get the same content on my DIRECTV box?

And don't say, "well, if you watch it on Apple TV, you can use Siri to launch the app for you." The ability to use Siri to launch apps is not earth-shattering, nor is it a reason to watch content on an Apple TV that I can just as easily watch on another box sitting next to the Apple TV.

Upon further reflection I've thought of two possible scenarios in which I could see this functionality being useful:

1.) If you travel with your Apple TV and go somewhere in the U.S. that doesn't have a good channel lineup but has a decent internet connection, you can watch some of the channels you get at home live.

2.) You have an additional TV in your home that you want to be able to watch live content on but you don't have a cable or satellite box in that room.

Aside from those somewhat limited use cases, I just don't see the point of watching these channels on Apple TV.
 
How about i am using one of the thousands of Apps that don't need a cable subscription and i then want to check out ESPN. all i have to do is say watch espn instead of switching inputs then the channel and then switching back again
 
avanpelt said:
I just don't understand the point of this if it requires a cable or satellite subscription which I already have. Why would I watch something on the Apple TV when I can get the same content on my DIRECTV box?

And don't say, "well, if you watch it on Apple TV, you can use Siri to launch the app for you." The ability to use Siri to launch apps is not earth-shattering, nor is it a reason to watch content on an Apple TV that I can just as easily watch on another box sitting next to the Apple TV.

Upon further reflection I've thought of two possible scenarios in which I could see this functionality being useful:

1.) If you travel with your Apple TV and go somewhere in the U.S. that doesn't have a good channel lineup but has a decent internet connection, you can watch some of the channels you get at home live.

2.) You have an additional TV in your home that you want to be able to watch live content on but you don't have a cable or satellite box in that room.

Aside from those somewhat limited use cases, I just don't see the point of watching these channels on Apple TV.
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3. In my case I have DIRECTV. In bad weather I can use the Apple TV to continue watching live channels
 
extricated said:
I guess I'm just stubborn (or dense), but the whole "requires a cable subscription" always irritates me when I hear it. That totally flies in the face of why I got an Apple TV in late 2007, as I have been a cable-cutter for over 13 years now.
Click to expand...

ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, NBC, PBS, Univision, and a few others are literally beaming free TV around my person at this very instant. It is patently idiotic that we have to authenticate cable providers in order to use their apps. If anything, the apps are a more controlled experience (from the networks' point of view) than broadcast. The whole situation is indicative of just the kind of bloody-minded thinking that runs entire industries into the ground.
 
isomorphic said:
ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, NBC, PBS, Univision, and a few others are literally beaming free TV around my person at this very instant. It is patently idiotic that we have to authenticate cable providers in order to use their apps. If anything, the apps are a more controlled experience (from the networks' point of view) than broadcast. The whole situation is indicative of just the kind of bloody-minded thinking that runs entire industries into the ground.
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The reason you have to authenticate those apps is due to rebroadcasting rights. The Networks do not own all the affiliate stations/towers across the nation. Those affiliates have the rights to broadcast and negotiate with pay tv providers directly. In so doing, no network can rebroadcast via cable or internet without violating contracts.

The way around that is to use already established rebroadcasting rights set up with pay tv providers.
 
satchmo said:
think the point the OP was making was what value does Apple TV bring to the table? It's just another cable box.
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I have a reason why this type of set up using the ATV with cable is good.

The ATV's UI is so much better than the cable companies. The cable companies' STBs are large, slow, buggy, and have outdated UI. Plus, many companies charge for HD. If you have a few HD STBs that you are renting, the costs add up quick. In a years time, you could buy a couple ATVs.

I pay for a cable tv sub. It only costs a little more than internet alone, and it includes Showtime for 12 months.

I do not use Comcast's crappy STB. It has never been hooked up. It is sitting in the box that it was shipped to my house and I have never taken it out. It was the free one that came with my sub, so there is no monthly fees for it.

I use ATVs all over my home. If there is a station that I am paying for, but it not available on my ATVs I do not watch it.

avanpelt said:
I just don't understand the point of this if it requires a cable or satellite subscription which I already have. Why would I watch something on the Apple TV when I can get the same content on my DIRECTV box?
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For the reasons listed above. I will reverse the question on you:

Why would you watch something on the DIRECTV box if you can get the same content on an Apple TV?
 
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