Choice of Streaming Services (Recommendations?)

[Texas Contrarian]

I need to make some changes. (I know, I know. We all do in so many ways!)

But what I'd specifically like to ask about concerns options and choices for streaming services and their functionality.

Late this last year I got Starlink low-orbit (thus low-latency) satellite internet service at the rural residences where I spend much of my time. According to a guy who installed much of my audio-video and theater room equipment, Starlink download speeds are good enough for decent-quality streaming. It would indeed be nice to ditch Dish Network and Direct TV!

I still have Direct TV satellite service at my Dallas residence, just out of sheer momentum since I've had it for many years and at one time it seemed to be just about the only option for reasonably high-definition viewing. (Kinda obsolete now, though.)

So, what do you think are the best options for streaming? One thing that's important to me is the ability to pause live TV for as much as an hour and then fast forward through commercials, or whatever you're not interested in watching on a news channel or in a football or basketball game. (Preferably while seeing images flash by so that you know what you're skipping.)

Is it necessary to do anything special to get the pause/fast-forward functionality with streaming services, or do they routinely feature this? With Direct TV, you can pause for as long as 90 minutes, which I find very useful.

Perhaps some others may be interested in learning about these options as well, so I hope this is an informative and useful discussion.

[TinMan]

I have the Hulu package which includes live tv and local channels as well as ESPN. It has pause and fast-forward capabilities but you can’t always fast forward through commercials. I still haven’t figured out why sometimes you can and sometimes you can’t. I think the local broadcasts all allow it, but some of the streaming-only shows (like Hulu originals) don’t. I’m probably not explaining it well, but not sure how else to describe it.

I’ve had times when I’m watching a football game and have to leave in the middle of it. I’ll hit pause and leave, and when I come back (sometimes days later) I’ll be able to pick up from where I stopped. FF usually works, too.

I had DirecTV before I cut the cable. It was more straightforward and easy to use, but for me the cost was just too prohibitive since I had four TVs and one of the more expensive packages that included all sports channels. My bill is still less than half what it was despite price increases the past several years (Direct TV is probably higher, too). The only thing I’m missing are the teams carried by Bally Sports. That’s a bummer, but it sounds like by 2025 the Rangers at least will probably have moved on.

[CaptainZman]

Originally Posted by TinMan

I have the Hulu package which includes live tv and local channels as well as ESPN. It has pause and fast-forward capabilities but you can’t always fast forward through commercials. I still haven’t figured out why sometimes you can and sometimes you can’t. I think the local broadcasts all allow it, but some of the streaming-only shows (like Hulu originals) don’t. I’m probably not explaining it well, but not sure how else to describe it.

I’ve had times when I’m watching a football game and have to leave in the middle of it. I’ll hit pause and leave, and when I come back (sometimes days later) I’ll be able to pick up from where I stopped. FF usually works, too.

I had DirecTV before I cut the cable. It was more straightforward and easy to use, but for me the cost was just too prohibitive since I had four TVs and one of the more expensive packages that included all sports channels. My bill is still less than half what it was despite price increases the past several years (Direct TV is probably higher, too). The only thing I’m missing are the teams carried by Bally Sports. That’s a bummer, but it sounds like by 2025 the Rangers at least will probably have moved on.

Use Apple TV and a VPN and you can watch Mavs and Rangers on Bally.

[TinMan]

Originally Posted by CaptainZman

Use Apple TV and a VPN and you can watch Mavs and Rangers on Bally.

I’m not sure I understand the VPN part of that. Are you paying a separate fee to stream Bally’s?

I haven’t looked into trying to get Bally’s as I really haven’t missed it that much. I’m more of an NFL and college sports fan, so my needs are met. I brought it up since I went from DirecTV to streaming as the OP is considering, and that was one of the notable differences for me.

[motor]

I have youtube TV. It cost me about 90 bucks a month for it and I get all the major sports channels as well and you obviously need internet as well. I get everything I had on frontier except for the History channel.

[corona]

Originally Posted by Texas Contrarian

I need to make some changes. (I know, I know. We all do in so many ways!)

But what I'd specifically like to ask about concerns options and choices for streaming services and their functionality.

Late this last year I got Starlink low-orbit (thus low-latency) satellite internet service at the rural residences where I spend much of my time. According to a guy who installed much of my audio-video and theater room equipment, Starlink download speeds are good enough for decent-quality streaming. It would indeed be nice to ditch Dish Network and Direct TV!

I still have Direct TV satellite service at my Dallas residence, just out of sheer momentum since I've had it for many years and at one time it seemed to be just about the only option for reasonably high-definition viewing. (Kinda obsolete now, though.)

So, what do you think are the best options for streaming? One thing that's important to me is the ability to pause live TV for as much as an hour and then fast forward through commercials, or whatever you're not interested in watching on a news channel or in a football or basketball game. (Preferably while seeing images flash by so that you know what you're skipping.)

Is it necessary to do anything special to get the pause/fast-forward functionality with streaming services, or do they routinely feature this? With Direct TV, you can pause for as long as 90 minutes, which I find very useful.

Perhaps some others may be interested in learning about these options as well, so I hope this is an informative and useful discussion.

Assuming you have high speed internet in your Dallas home, I'd switch to DirecTV Stream. The full streaming version of DTV satellite service. Then you can just order an extra STB for your hill country location and utilize the same account at both locations. It also makes it seamless because no matter where you are, your TV service works the exact same.

I ditched traditional DTV satellite and now have DTV Stream and I love it. No more weather interruptions and no ugly dish on my roof. The apps for your devices works flawlessly and they even sent me an HDMI travel dongle with remote control I can use anywhere I go that has high speed internet.

[R.M.]

^ What's the difference between DTV Stream and Ruko?

[corona]

Originally Posted by R.M.

^ What's the difference between DTV Stream and Ruko?

I'm not terribly familiar with the package offerings from ROKU, but it's a similar type scenario.

You connect the set top box to your internet at home and also your TV. The set top box comes with a remote and you use tell the TV your set top box is your "source".

Coming from DTV Satellite service to DTV Streaming was pretty straight forward. The channel numbers were all the same and the package itself was a similar cost. Not much of a learning curve for me.

[2balls75]

YouTubeTV for me, $70 after tax

[R.M.]

Originally Posted by corona

I'm not terribly familiar with the package offerings from ROKU, but it's a similar type scenario.

You connect the set top box to your internet at home and also your TV. The set top box comes

with a remote and you use tell the TV your set top box is your "source".

Coming from DTV Satellite service to DTV Streaming was pretty straight forward. The
channel numbers were all the same and the package itself was a similar cost. Not much of a learning curve for me.

Thank you. I'm going to check it out.

[TexTushHog]

I have YouTube TV. Have no idea what it costs. Works ok, but I find it very hard to find programs. I liked DirectTV better. But I might watch one hour of TV a week, so it’s really no big deal to me.