FuboTV vs. DirecTV Now: Solid Streaming TV Services With Some Drawbacks

[gugy]

I almost cut the cord couple months ago. Canceled my DTV service. The next day they called and desperately asked me to stay. They kept my package of close to 250 channels/DVR $30 p/m for 12 months.
Honestly these guys are so desperate that they will offer great deals to stay. I used DTV Now couple years ago and it was very buggy.
Maybe one day I’ll be able to cut the cord for good but I’ll stay if they keep giving me good prices.

 

[remmeler]

They used to do that in my area until Spectrum bought them out. Now there is no negotiating except for changing to one of their existing plans. You can't even go to a plan like Choice that I discussed earlier unless you drop everything and go with just internet only for 30 days than you can add Choice.

 

[KGBguy]

FuboTV is total garbage. I had it for a couple of years, finally dumped in favor of DirecTVnow. Should of done it a long time ago.

 

[KPandian1]

The problem with these streaming services are they all lack so many channels that cable companies give you and it makes it hard to cut the cord. If they only offered all the channels that cable does then I would cut the cord.

So, that would basically be cable TV service, only streamed - without the benefit of "no lag"! The price would catch up to what the cable/satellite companies want, when you add all the packages you want, maybe a benefit of about $12+ because of the junk fees🙁.

I agree, these streaming services are missing a lot of channels🙂.

Some states are starting to tax these service - so add that to the cost; e.g. Florida.

 

[MrGuder]

So, that would basically be cable TV service, only streamed - without the benefit of "no lag"! The price would catch up to what the cable/satellite companies want, when you add all the packages you want, maybe a benefit of about $12+ because of the junk fees🙁.

I agree, these streaming services are missing a lot of channels🙂.

Some states are starting to tax these service - so add that to the cost; e.g. Florida.

Right I’ve been running the #’s and doing my research because I really want to ditch cable tv. However there’s a catch with everything and if you want to keep certain channels and want local ch too without having to buy an indoor/outdoor antenna then your option is only 1 or 2 streaming services and that is using their top tier pkg.

I ran the numbers and PlayStation Vu is the only option for me but even with that I loose about 2 or 3 channels that are a must have for me or my girlfriend. And if I or my girlfriend could live without those 2 or 3 ch’s I’d only be saying about $30.00-$40.00 a month.

Its just not enough for me to jump ship yet. In addition, my cable co likes to lock you in for 2 yrs with special pricing for internet cable phone and when those 2 yrs are up I always call to tell them I’m canceling and they renew for another 2 yrs with another introd low rate. So in the long run I get more channels with cable and a better deal if I take the time every 2 yrs to call them to lock in the lower rate.

I actually really want to ditch cable because I like the interface and guide better on these streaming services but it’s just not enticing enough to switch yet.

 

[freddiebarnes]

I wanted to cut my cord but now I’m not sure. I have tried PlayStation Vue, YouTube TV, Fubo, and DTVN.

PSV and YouTube were the best for me and they also included NESN which is a must have during baseball season.

However, what I have discovered is that the cost of my Comcast internet will increase unless I bundle it. (I’m in a double play bundle right now)

The cost of the internet and the streaming tv service almost cost as much as I’m paying in my TV/Cable bundle and I get a lot more channels with cable.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[remmeler]

You may have to get creative. I went from Spectrum to DSL. 25Mbps works as well for streaming as does 100Mbps Cable Internet as long as you are not doing downloads or have a lot of users streaming at the same time. Streaming should work well at 10 Mbs or more with one stream and browsing the internet.

After about a month, I was receiving ads for adding internet from Cable at $45 for one year. Perhaps after the one year 5G will be around and Cable Internet will have to drop their pricing. You have to play their game. As far as phone, if you need more than your cellphone, then look at Google Voice. With a Obi box, it will connect your Voip to any regular phone which you will use like any other phone and all calls local and long distance are free.

To cut the cost of your cellphone, you can actually use Google Hangouts on your cellphone and make calls and texts using your Google Voice and the internet and will only use data when you are not connected to a WiFi signal. You can use FreedomPop for free (just be careful how you set it up, google it for advice) or if you need more, you can use their new Unreal Mobile for $10, $20, $30 or $40 a month unlimited calls, texts and data. The cost varies depending on how much LTE high speed data you want.

 

[POLJC]

Does FuboTV show up as a content provider o sign in to apps that require that ?

Yes!

I’ve had Fubo for a year now. I love the interface on Apple TV and iOS. Im a huge soccer fan so I love the fact I can watch La Liga, Ligue 1 and other leagues in Europe. My wife loves watching HGTV and other networks like it. It’s a win for us for the price!

The picture quality is excellent. IMHO picture quality is better than Cox cable and DirectTV. I had those before and the compression was just horrible. The only negative is that Fubo and none of the streaming services (that I know of) offer Dolby digital 5.1 or higher. I can live with that.

 

[remmeler]

If you are able to log on to the underlying channel's On Demand with your streaming credentials, then you will get Dolby or whatever they have for audio on playback from On Demand. Also DirectTV Now and others are starting to have 5.1 on more and more channels.

 

[Plutonius]

FuboTV is total garbage.

Why do you consider it total garbage ?

Please elaborate.

 

[earthTOmitchel]

Does FuboTV show up as a content provider o sign in to apps that require that ?

Yep it sure does, for these apps: https://support.fubo.tv/hc/en-us/ar...erywhere-apps-can-I-use-my-fuboTV-login-with-

 

[RobNYC]

Playstation Vue puts both of these to shame. way better video quality and 60fps with a nearly unlimited "DVR"

Yeah but if you want HBO you'll pay more with Vue than you would with DirecTV now.

 

[imaccooper]

I got rid of cable about 3 or 4 years ago now and have really enjoyed not being tied to a contract. The only reason I get these services is for college sports (football and basketball) so I look for services with the full set of ESPN channels and FS1 and FS2. I also consider things like CBS sports and other similar channels as bonuses, but not huge deals.

Over the past few years, I have tried Sling, PS Vue, DTVN, Hulu Live, and Youtube TV. At this point, my favorite is Youtube TV. I've had it for about 4 months now and I can only think of twice that I have had a glitch (both of which lasted about 2 seconds). PS Vue is a great service, but would cost me a few dollars more a month. Sling is a good option if it meets your channel needs. I think hulu live might be the best deal especially if you already have a regular hulu subscription, but I would have periodic trouble with buffering. DTVN was fine, and I got a free Apple TV for prepaying 3 months, but it just wasn't my favorite and the extra channels were not ones I personally wanted.

I have heard some people say they don't save money, but I have saved money every month over what I was paying. Plus, from the middle of April to the first of September, I cancel my subscription to whichever service I have since the sports I want to watch aren't in season. So instead of paying a little more a month for cable for 12 months, I pay a little less each month and only pay for 8 months. Works great for me.

 

[Aniruddh]

If you are not a sports fan, Philo is a good alternative. You can combine it with YouTube TV or PS Vue for complete package.

 

[KGBguy]

Why do you consider it total garbage ?

Please elaborate.

They have constant issues with streaming. Especially when it's in HD. I had multiple football matches issues during the World Cup. When I called them they blamed on the network. I end up switching to DirecTV Now and had no problem after that. At the house I have 750Mbps/50Mbps (latency 13ms), and at the office 300Mbps bidirectional fiber (1ms latency). So I knew It cannot be my connection. Also their Apple TV app freezes a lot, or at least used to.

Some of it might be fixed by now, but during the WC that my patience ran out. I had them for about 2 yrs at that point and ongoing streaming/buffer issues were always the case for me. I stream from CO.

One more thing, they admitted having issues on multiple occasions, so I would ask for appropriate credit for the service. It always seemed to be a challenge for them to issue it.

You may have no issue with them at all and love it.

 

[ThatGuyInLa]

YouTube TV doesn’t force you to watch commercials. A quick tap of the forward button a few times will jump you ahead far enough until you see regular programming again. It’s easy. I do it everyday.

Not for all content. Family Guy, as a verified example, has forced breaks for new eps. I am referring to AppleTV usage specifically.

 

[DaveNinja]

YouTubeTV has forced commercials once the "DVR'd" version of the episode is replaced by a streaming option. If you watch a recording right after it airs, you should be able to skip commercials. If you wait a day (or how ever long it takes the station to add the episode to their "watch online for free" location, you get forced commercials.

I've had YouTubeTV since the start and love it. I did not have cable or sat tv for years prior. I mainly use it to watch sports.

 

[lederermc]

I almost cut the cord couple months ago. Canceled my DTV service. The next day they called and desperately asked me to stay. They kept my package of close to 250 channels/DVR $30 p/m for 12 months.
Honestly these guys are so desperate that they will offer great deals to stay. I used DTV Now couple years ago and it was very buggy.
Maybe one day I’ll be able to cut the cord for good but I’ll stay if they keep giving me good prices.

Last year I threatened to cancel my DTV+7iPhones w/ATT unless they lowered my (DTV portion) of the bill from $125 to $112. They lowered it to $85. So I agree. Once off contract DTV is desperate.

 

[Weaselboy]

Last year I threatened to cancel my DTV+7iPhones w/ATT unless they lowered my (DTV portion) of the bill from $125 to $112. They lowered it to $85. So I agree. Once off contract DTV is desperate.

Same here. I have a reminder set for every May to call them and get another discount. The last two years I was able to get $50 off for a year and $14 off HBO/SHO for six months. When you call in and get the automated prompts, say "contract end date" and that will dump you right over to a customer retention person who can talk you into staying for a discount.

 

[lederermc]

All these streaming services are just internet equivalent Cable/Sat services: bundled to maximize profits. I really want a service that has every channel and charges something like $10/month plus $0.05 /minute... regardless of which channel I'm watching. A Channel earns a portion based on viewing. A view is a view is a view. Such a paradigm shift recognizes the fact that content is no longer broadcasted to the masses but is instead served to individuals. Paying by the minute means if you watch just 5 minutes, instead of 2 hrs, of a crappy movie then you only pay for 5 minutes.

 

[nburwell]

However, what I have discovered is that the cost of my Comcast internet will increase unless I bundle it. (I’m in a double play bundle right now)

The cost of the internet and the streaming tv service almost cost as much as I’m paying in my TV/Cable bundle and I get a lot more channels with cable.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Comcast gave me the same runaround when I wanted to cancel our basic TV service and just go strictly internet only. I did it for a year to keep the bill down (we never used the box they gave us) and when the bill went back up, I dropped them and went to Fios. They have yet to pressure me to bundle - they key word being yet. We're more than happy just having Fios internet and streaming via Hulu, DTV Now, Netflix and Amazon Video.

 

[gugy]

Last year I threatened to cancel my DTV+7iPhones w/ATT unless they lowered my (DTV portion) of the bill from $125 to $112. They lowered it to $85. So I agree. Once off contract DTV is desperate.

The key is not to update the hardware/DVR. So they can't lock you in for 2 year contract, etc.
Yeah, when my promo period ended my bill went up to $80, so when they lowered to $30 I was stoked. I kept my sports channels that if I had to cut the cord would cost a lot more. So for now I am keeping it as long as can get a good price.

Another thing is to try a different representatives if you are not getting the deal you want. This last time the first guy, I spoke wasn't very helpful, so I canceled it. The next day the lady that called was willing to do anything. So I end up getting a better deal than expect it.

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

Not for all content. Family Guy, as a verified example, has forced breaks for new eps. I am referring to AppleTV usage specifically.

That’s only when an on demand episode gets swapped in, temporarily replacing and overriding your recorded episode. If you watch either before or after that window of time, you’ll get the recorded DVR episode where you can skip ahead if you want.

 

[ThatGuyInLa]

That’s only when an on demand episode gets swapped in, temporarily replacing and overriding your recorded episode. If you watch either before or after that window of time, you’ll get the recorded DVR episode where you can skip ahead if you want.

hmm, then I need to investigate. I watched it four days after air. saw no obvious way to, or even to know, to watch the true DVR version.

 

[freddiebarnes]

Comcast gave me the same runaround when I wanted to cancel our basic TV service and just go strictly internet only. I did it for a year to keep the bill down (we never used the box they gave us) and when the bill went back up, I dropped them and went to Fios. They have yet to pressure me to bundle - they key word being yet. We're more than happy just having Fios internet and streaming via Hulu, DTV Now, Netflix and Amazon Video.

I wish FIOS was available in my area because I would probably switch to that but it never made it to my area. The only thing I can get from Verizon is DSL and that’s kinda slow around here. I’m basically stuck with Comcast.