YouTube TV vs DirecTV Now vs Sling TV vs PlayStation Vue: Face-Off!

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Brandon_176

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Some of this isn't right. I pay $35/ month for Vue and can simultaneously stream on multiple devices, including Roku.
 

NavySubmariner

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Your article is innacurate, lol. Vue allows for 5 streams. I stopped there as your article is a paid advertisement for YouTube.
 

henrytcasey

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I'm correcting that in the article now. The original statement was made from incorrect information. Thanks for your help.
 

henrytcasey

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And while you yourself pay that much for Vue right now, that rate is no longer offered.
 

Brandon_176

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That's not true. You can get the Access Slim package for $29.99, and also still sign up for the Core Slim for $34.99. I have the Core Slim. https://www.playstation.com/en-us/network/vue/channels/

There are some markets that have live local broadcast networks, and Vue charges more in those markets, but those are not the 'core' packages.
 

henrytcasey

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Thank you for pointing this out, I've updated the story accordingly. PS Vue makes it terribly hard to know about these tiers, placing the mention of them in faint text and forcing you to sign up for a free trial before showing pricing and listing.
 

Brandon_176

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They do, and thank you for writing this article. Certainly, it's main purpose is to get info out on Youtube TV and to contrast it with other services. As far as I can tell, this is the best written article out there so early after the announcement of Youtube's new service. Thanks again.
 

henrytcasey

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Thank you for your help, goes to show the value of polite comments and an informed public.
 

N7AS

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With YouTube TV, don't forget that your internet bandwidth will drastically go up. That means you will pay for large overages. Don
t forget that MOST Cable TV/Internet providers have a cap on bandwith.
 

Mark Spoonauer

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Thanks for your comment. We updated this article to include more PS Vue packages.


 

Phil_43

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Do all of them have Closed Captioned. I had some frustration to get subtitles on CBS and other channel not like as Cable TV.
 

taylorh_9

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I checked. Comcast gives you 1TB which should be enough. Worst case scenario they offer unlimited for $50 more. Considering I'll save over $100 by switching from dorecTV it's still a savings even if I had to upgrade my Internet.

 

Kirsten_3

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I live in Indianapolis, and my Vue is $30/month, but with only on demand access to ABC and nbc, and no CBS.
 

henrytcasey

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Thank you for noting this. Because of how PS Vue obfuscates those plans, it's hard to know about these cases. I've noted in the article that the Slim packages may not be as complete for broadcast.
 

Daniel_450

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I have been using Vue for a while and I'm pretty happy with it. It was a bummer when they lost the Viacom contract and Comedy Central, Nickelodean, and a few others disappeared.
The most important thing to me was getting local sports channels. Living in the Bay Area I was all in when I heard that I would be getting CSNBA and CSNCA.
Vue has added HBO and Showtime since I started using it which is nice.
At the $35 package i get my local CBS channel, but only OnDemand for ABC, FOX, and NBC. Not having CW is a drag though, I miss Flash.
 

WhiskeyTang

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Why is Vue's cloud DVR listed as "limited"? Sure, Youtube will save your shows for 9 months instead of 1 month on Vue but Vue's DVR is already unlimited. You can DVR (read: add to My Shows) every single thing that airs. There's no indication that Youtube's DVR will be more robust or offer the ability to DVR the shows that are limited to On-Demand on Vue. The only difference is the 9 months vs. 1 month. Plus I'm sure PlayStation is looking into extending its DVR expirations now with the new competition.
 

Tithulta

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Youtube TV paid advertisement? Verdicts were ridiculous. guess what I can buy an antenna and get my local channels FOR FREE, pay $25 for Sling and get all the channels i prefer except Fox News. Blue Orange and I get everything I ever occasionally watch with the sports package. Don't need 60 channels if i only watch a handful of them to begin with. Oh and i'm on comcast internet, so far no data cap. #FTW_ROKU_SLING
 

Chris_411

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I've done extended testing with Sling, DirecTV NOW and PSVUE. PSVUE has the right strategy but is unable to execute. Constant issues with buffering or DVR/VOD programs freezing the program or the AppleTV or ROKU. I'm on the latest HW for each with a 100MB Internet connection.

Sling and DTV don't have any DVR ability so they're out. Not sure why everything isn't on demand at this point and why we need to manually record anything, cloud or otherwise. Still, I probably spend two hours a month working on PSVUE - reinstalling, rebooting devices, etc. Better than the others but not as reliable as when I has satellite or cable. Not sure if I wait it out and see if it improves. I like the price vs the other options but it's frustrating when you can't watch what you've recorded or select.
 

LynnFo

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I recent post I made in Amazon that relates to this topic...
++Major update 04/03/17** SlingTV Cloud DVR seems to have been rolled out to more subscribers. I added it about an hour ago and have already used it. Easy and works great!

This is a comment to another reviewer who has SlingTV Cloud DVR. I thought I should post it as a stand-alone review. I did not purchase Sling TV via Amazon. Go to Sling website to take advantage of special deals.

03/28/17
First, I'm incredibly jealous of you, I WANT THE SLING CLOUD DVR! I've signed up to be notified when it's generally available on Roku, Fire Stick or AirTV. Anyways I'm in the process of 'cutting the cord' but my husband is not totally onboard. I say fine, don't retire, keep working to pay $1800 a year for cable. I'm retiring in 94 days!

Currently I'm test driving SlingTV & DirecTV Now. I took advantage of the specials $50 credit on Sling for puchase of AirTV also a free Fire Stick for subscribing to SlingTV. DirecTV comes with Free Fire Stick for 1 month pay, $35, & DTVN comes with 1 yr free HBO.

I love the DTVN GUI, great guide features but Sling has a lot more On Demand available at your fingertips. DTVN has a lot but you have to log into individual apps like HBO Now, ABC Now, etc.

IMO...

SLINGTV:
+ I get all the cable channels I want for $30
- HBO expensive additional $15
- DirecTV Now has way nicer guide
- Not 'true' On Demand with Sling. A few episodes worth.
+++ Cloud DVR (that isn't fully rolled out)
- Missing a couple channels my husband likes but I can get w/HULU for $8 if needed. Seinfeld 24/7 with Hulu.

DirecTV Now:
+ All the cable channels I want & then some for $35
+ Has husbands fav channels, Alaska Truckers, Alaska Families, Alaska Gold, Naked & Afraid
+ Has 'full on' On Demand but...
- On Demand requires logging into other app like Syfy Now
+ HBO free for 1 yr then $5 a month, $10 less than Sling
- DirecTV Now app not available on Roku or AirTV at this time

Those are the highlights. I'm good with bouncing between apps but my husband isn't. For now I'll keep both Sling and DirecTV Now at $60 a month. I'll be cancelling my premium cable channels & DVR service and returning 2 boxes next week. That decreases cable bill $80 per month.

Now for devices:
AirTV: It has a ways to go. It claims its interface integrates Sling streaming channels w OTA channels (local channels using antenna w AirTV adapter). It's not all that slick IMO. It's remote has a built in TV remote. Sling is its default homepage. Netflix can be accessed within Sling but not your watchlist only the shows normally seen on the Netflix banner. And finally no Amazon Video app at this time

Roku: great user interface. Love the earbuds in the remote with volume control, that's Premium+. VERY easy set up. Great streaming quality. Great iPhone remote app

Fire Stick: Just got it today. Great features like Roku. Headphones via Bluetooth and probably wired with Kindl Fire. I'm watching Sling right now and it's dropped my show a few times. This is the voice remote Fire Stick.

IMPORTANT: If you're test driving one of these services bensure to have some sort of streaming device on hand or be prepared to just view on a tablet. Free or discounted devices from service subscription take a while to arrive.
 

Josh_210

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Jun 1, 2017
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I use VUE. CW isn't on vue, but because CW go doesn't require you to have cable with the CW, anyone can watch CW anytime no matter what cable you have.
What I find funny is that this article doesn't point out the lack of HBO on many of the offerings (like Youtube).
If I couldn't have HBO I wouldn't have the service. On VUE, HBO is 5 bucks a month extra, but that means I get HBO and game of thrones.
 

carlsteve

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Oct 12, 2016
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I'm a PS Vue subscriber, but I rarely have buffering/streaming issues, even though my broadband is only 12 mbps DSL. I never have to reinstall or reboot anything. Are you using a WiFi connection? I had to abandon that for all of my streaming services and devices, as wireless failed to provide enough horsepower. With ethernet connections, however, that problem was solved. If you have others in your home using your Internet connection all at the same time, HD streaming will take a major hit.
 

carlsteve

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As for PS Vue's DVR feature, this article is the only time I've seen it referred to as "limited." The authors of other articles as well as posts from many users would disagree (myself included). Vue' s pricing and channel line-ups vary by region. For example, stating that channel XYZ isn't offered or that you'll have to pay $XX isn't necessarily true for all subscribers. It depends on where you live. When you sign up for Vue, you have to enter your zip code to get the accurate price and channel list for your region. There's nothing obfuscate about it. Which channels come with each service tier (Access, Core, Elite, or Ultra) is equally clear. The fact that I have the choice of watching PS Vue on my PS3, PS4, iMac, Windows computers, Roku 2, or other devices virtually anywhere adds significantly to the value of my subscription--an aspect that many reviewers overlook. My broadband Internet, streaming TV, and VoIP telephone services come from different providers. Am I spending more than I would if I had bundled service from a cable or satellite provider? Possibly, but as the next paragraph explains, there's more to consider than the numbers.

I've read dozens of reviews about the various streaming services and devices. Many of the reviews tend to get bogged down over minutia, contain factual errors, and make recommendations that are subjective. Also, the nitpicky arguments about whether consumers are better off with streaming TV vs. cable or satellite or over-the-air TV based solely on price or channels miss the larger point. Customer satisfaction (or the lack of it) influenced my decision to go with streaming TV more than any other factor, as the cable and satellite providers in my area have a horrible track record. When I started my cable service, I had to wait over a month before an installer was available. He neglected to tell me when he was coming, so he showed up on a day when I wasn't home. I had to start all over with scheduling the installation. The set-top box the cable company provided for my old-style TV ran so hot that it was a fire hazard. Service outages were not uncommon and they sometimes lasted for days, but no refunds were ever given to customers when that happened. The subscription rates were raised continuously, and it was not unusual for multiple price increases to occur within the same calendar year. The channel line-up also changed frequently, so losing favorite channels was commonplace. The company is ranked as one of the worst nationally for customer service among telecom companies. In contrast to that nightmare, my experience with PS Vue has been a godsend.
 
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