Following Launch of New App, Spectrum Users Can Get Apple TV for $7.50 per Month

[Diane B]

I am a huge supporter of cord cutting, but live in the UK but we have a decent selection of services I guess. No where near as much as the US.
But we don’t want the cost of these apps being as much as the cable if satellite services they are meant to be replacing. These costs can add up..

The apps cost nothing—but you have to own an Apple TV or buy one for yourself—and have to be a subscriber of the cable company already. We’ve been subscribers of Charter (Spectrum) for years using cable boxes. This is a welcome change—no more cable boxes in rooms where we have a gen 4 Apple TV.

I guess Spectrum is offering the Apple TV on monthly payments if you don’t already own one but you can buy your own as previously—- but there is no charge to buy or use the app itself. The app is just one other way to control your channel selection for your TV—using the same subscribed cable provider you have been using—if you are a Charter/Spectrum.

Doesn’t really have anything to do with cord cutting per se—still a cable TV subscriber. If I was a cord cutter I would stop cable TV subscription, keep my internet service with them and use Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc exclusively—but I want local TV (too far from stations to use antenna) and several cable only channels—so not cutting yet.

 

[hagar]

The Apple TV remote will drive you mad. Whoever's idea it was to put that stupid little trackpad on it should be fired.

It is indeed maddening. But at least it’s thin

 

[apolloa]

The apps cost nothing—but you have to own an Apple TV or buy one for yourself—and have to be a subscriber of the cable company already. We’ve been subscribers of Charter (Spectrum) for years using cable boxes. This is a welcome change—no more cable boxes in rooms where we have a gen 4 Apple TV.

I guess Spectrum is offering the Apple TV on monthly payments if you don’t already own one but you can buy your own as previously—- but there is no charge to buy or use the app itself. The app is just one other way to control your channel selection for your TV—using the same subscribed cable provider you have been using—if you are a Charter/Spectrum.

Doesn’t really have anything to do with cord cutting per se—still a cable TV subscriber. If I was a cord cutter I would stop cable TV subscription, keep my internet service with them and use Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc exclusively—but I want local TV (too far from stations to use antenna) and several cable only channels—so not cutting yet.

Ah I thought that sub price was for the service, and you get the Apple TV included, didn’t realise it’s a price just for the Apple TV.
Sounds like the same setup as Sky in the UK, they offer a fair few apps to watch programmes or save them on tour device. But they don’t offer them in any streaming boxes, only the PlayStation and Xbox. Then again you’ll have to have a satellite dish and box anyway.

But we do have Now TV from Sky in the UK which offers a decent selection of Sky’s channels for no contract and a low monthly fee, compared to Sky’s pricing. It’s their cord cutting version, it’s capped currently to 720p but will be going to 1080 soon and is pretty decent.

 

[DragonRider]

One thing for folks to remember is the lag during live sports, especially if you get alerts. Watching hockey on similar services, the score alert on my phone is 15-45 seconds ahead of the stream.

 

[timescaper]

I think everyone is reading this wrong. I think they are saying if you have Spectrum, you can now "rent to own" an Apple TV for 7.50 a month, and the total comes out to how much it costs anyhow to buy it outright over a period of months. So you probably have to pay for Spectrum service and an extra $7.50 for the Apple TV monthly.

you don’t have to buy it from them can buy from apple or spectrum outright - that is if you want to break up the payments for no extra

 

[WannaGoMac]

The Apple TV remote will drive you mad. Whoever's idea it was to put that stupid little trackpad on it should be fired.

Form over function.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Region restricted to US only I guess.

Yes, in fact only areas of the US that has Spectrum, so don’t feel so bad. I’m in AZ, so no Spectrum here.

 

[bitfactory]

The app is passable, but the guide scrolling is PAINFUL. Not sure why they didn't just use a collectionview w/ scrolling instead of the slow one by one movement.

If you could play shows on the whole home DVR it would be a hit.

 

[Moonlight]

The Apple TV remote will drive you mad. Whoever's idea it was to put that stupid little trackpad on it should be fired.

Disagree completely. It is my favorite part.

 

[centauratlas]

Now they just need to let non-Charter customers subscribe (and become customers).

Now if Apple purchased Charter and then bundled the Apple TV with the app as part of their (upcoming) subscription service, that could be amazing. I am sure there are licensing issues that might put a hitch in this, but it could be a backdoor way to get content.

If the service was more reliable than some of the competitors and equivalently costly, it would be a winner.

 

[Diane B]

The Apple TV remote will drive you mad. Whoever's idea it was to put that stupid little trackpad on it should be fired.

If you have an Ipad or Iphone, use the Apple TV remote found in the Control area. You may have to add it in your settings first. Much easier to use—I’ve been using these remotes for quite awhile—used the old silver ones with earlier ATV— but it/gestures do seem more sensitive in thss particular app (may also be in my head LOL).
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It is indeed maddening. But at least it’s thin

See my post about using theATV remote found in the control area if y9u have an Ipad or Iphone—may have to add it in your Settings
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Ah I thought that sub price was for the service, and you get the Apple TV included, didn’t realise it’s a price just for the Apple TV.
Sounds like the same setup as Sky in the UK, they offer a fair few apps to watch programmes or save them on tour device. But they don’t offer them in any streaming boxes, only the PlayStation and Xbox. Then again you’ll have to have a satellite dish and box anyway.

But we do have Now TV from Sky in the UK which offers a decent selection of Sky’s channels for no contract and a low monthly fee, compared to Sky’s pricing. It’s their cord cutting version, it’s capped currently to 720p but will be going to 1080 soon and is pretty decent.

LOL. I always envy the Europeans for what seems their more sensible approach to internet and cell providers.
[doublepost=1546647347][/doublepost]

Does it have DVR functionality?

No I don’t think so but I returned my DVR boxes a good while ago because for us OnDemand was sufficient. May not be for you.

 

[blackdogaudio]

We're into our third year after cutting the cord with TWC (Spectrum). Ironic how this company still doesn't get it.

We're sick and tired of paying for bundled crap that we don't want. This "new offer" is simply a spin on the same old thing. I'll stick with paying for and streaming only what I want or OTA for local news without Spectrum's help other than providing Internet service...and once a competitor brings gigabit to our neighborhood I'll be done with them.

 

[Diane B]

I would assume but really want to ask before delving into this offer; Will switching out with all ATV 4 that you own alleviate you from having to pay that ridiculous DTV box fee?

I am assuming so but don’t know that for a fact. Nothing has been said about it by Charter or Apple but its an app on my gen4 Apple TV so not their equipment.

 

[davidg4781]

So is Spectrum TV an app or a service? And is there an additional fee beyond the $7.50 per month? I have DirecTV, but use Spectrum for my cable. I might be willing to try out their service if it's just the $7.50 per month.

Right now we’re with Spectrum, mainly because the promotional plan gives us more channels that we want that other streaming services for roughly the same price. When it changes we might drop them.

 

[Juicy Box]

To anyone complaining about the Siri Remote, you can use the remote learning feature on the ATV, and use any IR remote. You won’t have a “home” button nor Siri, but if you are looking for a more traditional remote experience, and IR remote will work with your ATV.

Just messing around, I even tried using a space heater remote and my Roomba remote, and it even worked for that.

If you have an Ipad or Iphone, use the Apple TV remote found in the Control area. You may have to add it in your settings first. Much easier to use—I’ve been using these remotes for quite awhile—used the old silver ones with earlier ATV— but it/gestures do seem more sensitive in thss particular app (may also be in my head LOL).

The Siri Remote is pretty bad imo, but I have gotten used to.

I know a lot of ppl prefer the iOS remote app, but I find this to be worse. Not only would I have to keep my phone on me, but imo, the biggest reason why the Siri Remote sucks is the lack of physical buttons, especially a D-pad.

Using the remote app is like using a giant touch pad to me.

 

[ms7u]

One thing for folks to remember is the lag during live sports, especially if you get alerts. Watching hockey on similar services, the score alert on my phone is 15-45 seconds ahead of the stream.

Yes I agree - I have a TV with the old cable box and another with the Apple TV 4k; the App is about 30-45 seconds behind the cable box. They need to do something to get rid of the delay.

 

[charlien]

Does it have DVR functionality?

No it doesn't
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One thing for folks to remember is the lag during live sports, especially if you get alerts. Watching hockey on similar services, the score alert on my phone is 15-45 seconds ahead of the stream.

I know about the lag and it never bothered me. I never thought about alerts coming before the event.

 

[sidewinder3000]

The Apple TV remote will drive you mad. Whoever's idea it was to put that stupid little trackpad on it should be fired.

I love it. Super intuitive. Works like a charm for me.

 

[panjandrum]

The Apple TV remote will drive you mad. Whoever's idea it was to put that stupid little trackpad on it should be fired.

This, plus the price, plus a couple other issues (lack of support on Apple TVs for industry-standard media servers) drove me away from Apple TVs. I'm not a huge fan of ROKU, but I have 2 of the 4K sticks, that integrate with everything I use perfectly (I suggest Serve To Me as a decent server for your Macs to push media to them, but there are plenty of other solutions), work very well, and combined were just over half the price of a single Apple TV. It's yet another instance of Apple equipment becoming so overpriced that it has enter the realm of absurdity.

But that remote design was kind of the nail in the coffin; yet another direction Apple has taken away from simplicity and usability.

 

[MistrSynistr]

The Apple TV remote will drive you mad. Whoever's idea it was to put that stupid little trackpad on it should be fired.

The cases on amazon, they’re all the same, will change your life using the apple remote.

 

[GDF]

No DVR is a deal breaker for me. They really need some type of cloud based dvr to even be competitive.

 

[strum]

Does it have DVR functionality?

As far as I can see it doesn't have DVR. In fact you can't even pause Live TV, or rewind Live TV. It does have the ability to start a show over. For Live TV, I'll stick with the Spectrum box because pausing is an essential feature for us.

But that said, adding the app has unleashed all the Spectrum On demand content into the Apple TV built in search. This is awesome, because Spectrum's on demand system is pretty painful.

My review, great for On Demand content, poor for Live TV.

 

[Stewie]

No DVR is a deal breaker for me. They really need some type of cloud based dvr to even be competitive.

They do have a pretty good on demand selection. As long as that is strong, I think I might be able to do without a DVR. But too soon to know for sure.

 

[jzuena]

We're into our third year after cutting the cord with TWC (Spectrum). Ironic how this company still doesn't get it.

We're sick and tired of paying for bundled crap that we don't want. This "new offer" is simply a spin on the same old thing. I'll stick with paying for and streaming only what I want or OTA for local news without Spectrum's help other than providing Internet service...and once a competitor brings gigabit to our neighborhood I'll be done with them.

We cut the cord around the same time. We had to rent boxes for every TV (FIOS and RCN didn’t have the option to use Apple TV), pay an extra sports package fee, and then an extra broadcast TV fee. We live less than 10 miles from Boston, MA and get all of the broadcast channels fine with an antenna, so that last one was the straw that broke the camels back. Sling TV is $25 rather than $33+tax+sports fee+broadcast fee+multiple set top box rental fees. Our $99 cable bundle was more like $150. We already had Roku boxes for Amazon Prime anyway, so we went Internet only. We can’t wait for gigabit data-only competition as well.

 

[XXXXXXXXX]

Wack.