Tag: smart tv

2019 is the year of transition where we finally can get rid of our cable/ satellite DVR boxes and the monthly rental fees that go with them that cause our TV bills to be so high.  On average households have about four cable or satellite boxes in their home including DVR service which translates to $19 per month for whole home DVR service and $7 per month for each box (your actual monthly pricing will vary depending on who is your cable / satellite provider).   This comes out to about $47 per month just on rental fees alone.  By time you add your internet bill with your TV bill you will be somewhere in the range of $200 per month.  How much TV can you really watch consistently every single month to actually get your monies worth?

Now with Wi Fi internet speeds being faster and better around your home thanks to using the right hardware and having it properly installed you can enjoy streaming internet TV throughout your home.  Streaming internet TV is where you can watch channels like ESPN, Fox Sports, NBC, ABC, HGTV, CNN, Bravo, and more simply by using an app on an Apple TV or other streaming device connected to your existing Sony, LG, Samsung or other TV.  Monthly TV channel packages range from $20 per month and up with most averaging $40 per month.  

The main reason why it is less money than you are paying now is because you are not paying the monthly rental fees for the cable/ satellite boxes.  The pricing will be better controlled from going up quickly due to cable/ satellite companies not having to send service techs to your home to maintain satellite dishes, cable boxes , and so on.  In the past the way to lower your monthly bill was to bundle your landline phone, internet, and TV channels together to get the best price.  Now everything is moving to bundling your cell phone bill with your TV channels to get a bundle discount. Also what will help push this revolution out is opening up TV channel service to new competitors for our dollars.  Currently many homes may have only two choices between the monopoly cable company and a satellite company.  Now with TV channel service moving to being available through the internet on an app we are growing to six competitors this year and maybe more in the future.  Here I take a look at four competitors that are currently available in 2019.  This article will be updated from time to time as new information is available.

Hulu

Updated Nov 14, 2019

Hulu No commercials with Live TV
$44 per month no contracts
Includes live TV channels below

• On demand shows with no commercials
• 50 hours of cloud DVR storage (Cannot forward through commercials on the basic plan. You can upgrade this plan to forward through commercials and have more recording hours. See below for details.)
• 2 week channel guide

Hulu Originals

Hulu original movies and TV series

Local

CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, MY TV

Sports
CBS Sports, ESPN, Espn2, Espn News, Espn U, Fox Prime Ticket, Fox Sports San Diego, Fox Sports West, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, Golf, NBC Sports, SEC Espn

News
CNN, CNN International, Fox News, Fox Business, CNBC, HLN, MSNBC

Entertainment
Discovery, TLC, TNT, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, History, A&E, FX , FXX, Syfy, USA, TBS, Tru TV, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, Motor Trend

Lifestyle
HGTV, Bravo, E!, Lifetime, Oxygen, POP, FYI, Food Network, Travel Channel,  Free Form

Kids
Disney, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Sprout, Cartoon Network, Boomerang

Movies
FXM, LMN, TCM

Optional Add Ons:

Enhanced Cloud $15 per month
200 hours
Fast forward through commercials
No limit on simultaneous recordings
Watch on iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV

Unlimited Screens $15 per month
Unlimited multiple people watching different channels at home
plus 3 people watching different channels away from home

(Get both and save $15 per month)

Showtime $9 per month

HBO $15 per month

Cons:

• Missing: Pac12, The CW (KTLA), Kcal9, Nick, Nick Jr, Teen Nick, BET, Paramount Network, PBS, and CMT.
• You can however watch The CW on demand with commercials through a separate app on Apple TV for free. Also you can watch KTLA Kcal9, and PBS live for free using a separate app on Apple TV called Locast.

YouTube TV

Updated Nov 14, 2019

Pros:

• No contract. Pay month to month with a credit card on file.
• Watch live TV at home on your big screen TV with a connected Apple TV device or away from your house on your iPhone.
• Up to 6 family members can have different profiles of saved shows per household
• Unlimited cloud DVR to record your shows which will be saved for up to 9 months

$50 per month includes

YouTube Originals

YouTube original movies and TV series

Local

CBS, NBC, CW, ABC, KCal9, FOX, My13, and Telemundo 52

Sport networks

Fox Sports West, FS1, FS2, Fox Prime Ticket, Fox Sports San Diego, Fox Sports San Diego Plus, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPN U, SEC ESPN, NBC Sports, Golf, CBS Sports, TNT, Big Ten, ACC Network, LAFC, MLB Network, NBA TV, Olympic Channel, Tennis Channel

News networks

CNN, Fox News Channel, Fox Business, MSNBC, CNBC, CNBC World, BBC America, BBC World News, HLN, Local Now, Newsy, TYT Network, Cheddar Business, Cheddar News

Entertainment

Discovery, Investigation Discovery, TLC, Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild, Animal Planet, AMC, FX, FXX, Universal, USA, Syfy, TBS,BBC America, TruTV, Adult Swim, Chiller, Cozi TV, Universo

Lifestyle

HGTV, Bravo, E!, Food Network, Motor Trend, Oxygen, Travel Channel, WeTV, Free Form, POP, Start TV, Tastemade,

Kids

Disney, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Cartoon Network, Sprout, Smithsonian Channel, Universal Kids

Movies
FXM, IFC, Sundance, Turner Classic Movies

Showtime $7 per month can be added

HBO $15 per month can be added through a separate app (HBO Now) on the Apple TV

Cons:

• No limit on many TVs or iPhones have the app to be able to watch TV however only three at time can watch different TV channels.
• Missing: Pac12, History, A&E, Lifetime, MTV, VH1, Paramount Network, Nick, Nick Jr, Teen Nick, and CMT
• You can watch KTLA Kcal9, and PBS live for free using a separate app on Apple TV called Locast.
• No 2 week TV channel guide

ATT TV Now

This is updated as of Nov 14, 2019

Pros:

• No contract. Pay month to month with a credit card on file.
• Watch live TV at home on your big screen TV with a connected Apple TV device or away from your house on your iPhone.
• Qualify for a $15 per month discount when you bundle it with your ATT Unlimited Data Plus iPhone bill
• Includes HBO for no added charge 
• 20 hours free Cloud DVR to record shows (saves up to 30 days)
• 2 week TV channel guide
• Easy to use menu
• 2 streams (2 people) can watch different TV channels at once
• Optional $5 per month add a third stream (3 people) can watch different TV channels at once
• Can add exclusive Sunday NFL Ticket to plan

$50 per month ($35 per month after bundle discount) (Plus Package)     40 channels

Local

CBS, NBC, KCAL9, ABC, FOX, and MY13

Sport networks

ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports 1, NBC Sports

News networks

CNN, CNBC, CNBC World, MSNBC, Fox News, Fox Business

Entertainment

TNT, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, USA, FX, Hallmark, Freeform,  Syfy, TBS

Lifestyle

Bravo, E!, Oxygen, HLN

Kids

Disney, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Cartoon Network, Boomerang

Movies

HBO, FXX, FX Movie channel, TCM

$70 per month ($55 per month after bundle discount) (Max Package)       50 channels

(Adds Cinemax, and many sports networks including: Golf, Fox Prime (Ducks; Clippers) Fox Sports 2, Big Ten, CBS Sports, ESPN News, ESPNU, Longhorn, MSG, YES (Yankees, Brooklyn Nets), and SEC Network)

Showtime app $11 per month

Cons:

• No Pac12
• Missing: A&E, AMC, Discovery, History, HGTV, Food Network, Lifetime, Hallmark Movies, TLC, Animal Planet, Motor Trend, Comedy Central, MTV, MTV2, VH1, Paramount Network, BET, CMT, TV Land, Investigation Discovery, Nick, Nick Jr. , KTLA, Kcal9, PBS, and Teen Nick
• No The CW (KTLA) however you can use free The CW app on Apple TV to watch on demand TV shows. Also you can watch KTLA Kcal9, and PBS live for free using a separate app on Apple TV called Locast.

Sling TV

Updated March 28, 2019

Pros:

• No contract. Pay month to month with a credit card on file.
• Watch live TV at home on your big screen TV with a connected Apple TV device or away from your house on your iPhone.
• 50 hours of cloud DVR to record your shows for $5 per month
• 2 week TV channel guide

$20 per month (Sling Orange) 30 channels

$25 per month (Sling Blue) 40 channels

$40 per month (Orange + Blue) Over 70 channels

Local

NBC and FOX

Sport networks

ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, NBC Sports, CSN, and NFL

News networks

CNN, Bloomberg

Entertainment

Discovery, TLC, History, AMC, A&E, TNT, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, FX, Comedy Central, BET, USA, TBS, BBC America, Syfy, Investigation Discovery, Motor Trend, Paramount Network

Lifestyle

HGTV, Bravo, Lifetime, E!, Food Network, Travel Channel, Free Form

Kids

Disney, Cartoon Network, Nick Jr,

Movies

FXX, IFC,

HBO Now app for $15 per month

Add Starz $9 per month

Showtime app $11 per month

Add Sports Extra package $10 per month

Golf, Red Zone, NBA, NHL, PAC 12, Bein Sports, and more

Add all News, Lifestyle, Kids, and Comedy Extra Packages for $10 per month

BBC World News, HLN, DIY, VH1, Lifetime Movies, Hallmark, WeTV, FYi, Disney Junior, Boomerang, MTV, Paramount Network, GSN, Logo, TV Land, and more

Cons:

• No limit on many TVs or iPhones have the app to be able to watch TV however only three at time can watch different TV channels.
• Missing: CBS, The CW, KTLA, ABC, Kcal9, Fox News, Animal Planet, MTV, MTV2, VH1, CMT, Nick, Nick Jr. , PBS, and Teen Nick
• No The CW (KTLA) however you can use free The CW app on Apple TV to watch on demand TV shows. Also you can watch KTLA Kcal9, and PBS live for free using a separate app on Apple TV called Locast.
• CBS is not currently available. You can however pay $6 per month and have CBS All Access on your Apple TV through a separate app.  CBS All Access gives you original TV series like Star Trek Discovery, Star Trek Picard, The Good Fight, and The New Twilight Zone which are not available on your normal cable CBS station.