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#Cordcutters Ok here we go. Not sure how long this thread will get but I have a bunch of items to cover and feel free to ask questions. I built a spreadsheet that covered the providers of streaming alternatives to cable/ satellite and what channels and benefits they provide...
#cordcutters There are 5 you’ve all probably heard of and 3 newer/ up and coming/ and or smaller. The better known: AT&T (was DirecTV Now), Fubo, Hulu+ Live, Sling, and YouTube TV. The other 3 are Vidigo, Philo, and Frndly. Most have different plans, we’ll kick through all that..
#Cordcutters I looked at things like would I need an antenna to get the locals, do they carry my favorite sports teams, cost, how many simultaneous users, DVR capacity, etc. The offerings are really all over the board so I’ll do my best to keep this on track.
#cordcutters First some tips: If you have an antenna, use it. Get a booster if you need to. In my market there are about 40 over the air channels including ABC, CBS, Fox, and PBS. Gives you more flexibility in choosing your streaming service if you don’t need them for locals...
#cordcutters Second, download Pluto. It is free and has a boatload of channels including a bunch of digital music stations. The guide is easy and if you aren’t sure about streaming TV it is a great test application with good content.
#cordcutters Third, decide what your deal breakers are. For example I can’t choose a service that doesn’t have the BTN. Fortunately most do. Also I have to have Travel Channel. The spreadsheet I built lists every channel each service offers so its easy to eliminate some...
#cordcutters Last, I’m sure most know this but virtually all offer some type of free trial. If you’ve already used yours up and you want to try one out again there are ways. And of course they’re all month to month so if one stinks just bail...
#cordcutters Ok let’s talk basics: Pretty much all the services will allow 3 users simultaneously. For those who run a bunch of TVs during CFB, download apps like ESPN and Fox Sports to watch overflow. I can easily have 6 games on at a time despite the 3 stream limit...
#cordcutters DVR space may be important to some of you- I’ll share it as I go through the different platforms but the range is from none to unlimited so it is important to keep that in mind when considering a plan. Yeah they’re month to month but the recordings go when you do...
#cordcutters Ok let’s look at AT&T (was DirecTV Now) first. They offer 4 tiers. They’re called Entertainment, Choice, Xtra, and Ultimate. They all have 500 hours of DVR storage and offer 3 simultaneous streams...
#cordcutters ATT Entertainment is $60 per month. Key channels missing: BTN, the Discovery suite, ESPN U, ESPNews, Golf Channel. Does have locals and Marquee for Cubs fans. No NFL Network only Fox Sports Midwest. Not a bad package but their website sucks...
#cordcutters ATT Choice is $65/ mo. Big pick ups are the Big Ten Network, a bunch of other Fox Sports regionals, some NBC sports regionals and for fans of the SEC the SEC Network is there....
#cordcutters ATT Xtra comes in at $75 per month. 157 channels. You gain CBS Sports net, the full suite of Discovery channels, the Golf Channel, and a few other notables. Should add every tier beyond the first adds the ESPNU, ESPNews, and Longhorn network. Also FS2...
#cordcutters Last one at ATT is the Ultimate. This beefcake comes in at $80. Big pickup are the Starz channels, all 8 of them. There are a few other minor gains but that is really it.
#cordcutters Next one I’ll get out of the way is Frndly. This is a $6.00 per month plan (yes, six). Not much too it. Squeaky clean programming, no locals so you’d need an antenna. It does have 3 Hallmark Movie channels and the World Fishing Network! If ya want basic, that is it..
#cordcutters Next is Fubo. Probably the most flexible in terms of options and add ons. Three tiers, Standard, Family, and Ultra. They all offer 3 simultaneous streams and 500 hours of DVR storage. They also offer local stations so no antenna needed...
#cordcutters Sorry about the break- had to perform my real job for a bit. Hate it when that happens! Ok back to Fubo: Biggest issue I have with it is no ESPN platforms. Lots of add ons but none of the tiers have any ESPN. Many other sports but not that....
#cordcutters Ok Fubo Family: $60 per month, Good basic package including BTN. No Fox Sports regionals, Does offer both FS1 and FS2. Golf channel included. History channel, NBC Sports Chicago, and Travel Channel. If you can live w/o ESPN this is pretty good...
#Cordcutters Fubo Standard is the basic version, at $55. Nothing earth shattering but it is a good basic package...
#Cordcutters Fubo Ultra tips the scales at $85. 3 more Discovery channels, a bunch of MTV channels, a few more Nickelodeon options, and Stadium TV. Don’t see why they charge that much for it...
#Cordcutters Hulu+ Live has 2 options. They are identical with 2 exceptions: The $70 plan offers unlimited streams and 200 hours of DVR. The $55 plan offers 3 streams and 50 hours of DVR. Overall this is a pretty good package. Has all the locals which is nice...
#Cordcutters Hulu+ Live continued: The guide is kind of hard to read but not impossible. Just smallish. Really good lineup of channels. If I leave YouTube TV this is likely where I’d go. Gain A&E, Boomerang, Cartoon Network 3 Disney channels, and some good ESPN content...
#cordcutters Hulu also has Marquee for Cubs fans and Fox Sports Midwest. Also gain History channel. Lose MLB TV and MTV, and that’s about it. Now that YouTube TV is going to $70 this is probably my landing spot.
#cordcutters Philo is a lesser known service. $20 per month, 3 streams, unlimited DVR but it only keeps for 30 days. If you aren’t into sports it is a good (not great) lineup of channels. Also no locals so you’d need to deal with that.
#Cordcutters Sling Blue and orange are each $30. Neither has a great lineup but at $30 that’s what you’d expect. They do have some of the more popular channels. Blue has more overall but no ESPN. Orange has fewer but offers ESPN and ESPN 2. No local channels...
#cordcutters Vidigo has 2 options. Core and Plus. Core is $40, Plus is $50. Not sure on DVR storage. BTN on both, ESPN and ESPN2 on both. History and Travel Channel. Biggest difference is where the Core offers the base channels Plus has the extended lineup of each channel...
#Cordcutters Last is YouTube TV. Used it for several years & like most things about it. Great menu, unlimited DVR, 3 streams. But without Marquee, History Channel, and a few others I’m just not sure it is worth $70 when Hulu has more channels & all I lose is the DVR space...
#Cordcutters The best thing is to experiment and see what works for you. Hope this helped. If you have any questions on what channels are where, let me know. Happy to help!
