I signed up for the trial and first non-trial day started today. I was using it on the FireStick but now use it straight on the PS4 (I just purchased the PS4 a few days ago since my other close friends all have one (I was on the XBOne) and we now call all game with each other)) and it works just great. Smooth menu, no noticeable buffering, love the cloud DVR.

Are you getting your local FSN?

I am.

Is your connecting hard wired, or wired? And your speed?

I switched from Sling to Vue and am loving it. A few hiccups here and there, but the channel selection alone is worth the switch. Tack on the on-demand channels (and ability to use the on-demand apps for most of the networks) and cloud DVR and it is a slam dunk. Plus it helped us to get rid of Hulu Plus (which we had really only been using as a back up when our local OTA shows were screwy), so it was a wash money-wise. Depending on how things go at the new house next month in terms of internet speed and such, I may spend $5 extra to get the FSN channels (would be nice to have my Brewers on TV again!)

Are you using a PS3 or PS4?

Vue is awesome on my PS4. Not so good on the PS3. They are in different locations, so need to test that.

Anyone else using it with PS3 having good results?

In the interim period between me last checking the channel lineup and signing up for the free trial, they took off FS Southwest from the channel guide. So, I could not stream the Thunder game. They only had the Fox Sports national stream, which had a UFC fight. So, that's a bummer. But the NBA season is almost over, so I could probably try it long term over the summer.

Worst case scenario, I leverage this into a cheaper cable rate. Vue will save about $30 bucks per month as it stands now.

I have a PS3, but I am actually use a Fire Stick to access the Vue at the moment. We only have one TV using it but when we move, that will change, and I will likely use my PS3 for the 2nd (or maybe even Chromecast)

I'm using Chromecast with my iPad (really the only thing I use my iPad Air 2 is a glorified remote these days). I'd love to see it on Android soon, but for now that works well (except one night the first weekend where it was slow and didn't load right - I think they've fixed those issues).

Random side-effect of cord-cutting: I sort of got into WWE over the last 18 months because all that stuff is on Hulu the next day. And then once Wrestlemania rolled around i was like "well, WWE network is only 10 bucks a month... and the first month is free!" I've probably paid for that like... 5 out of the last 12 months.

In general I just watch less European soccer than I used to. I already wasn't watching much TV, so i've been completely content since dropping cable.

I had only kept cable for the year prior because It was basically only costing me 10 bucks a month over my internet cost; Time Warner had given me a great offer while i tried to cancel my cable. The next time i tried to cancel they weren't nearly as accommodating, so i actually went through with it. Zero regrets.

Google Fiber should be up and running in Raleigh (the whole Triangle area) within the next year. It's going to drop a bomb on Time Warner i think. Maybe they'll actually get competitive.

I can't wait to tell TWC to fuck off. I'm paying $170 for 50 mb internet, dvr, and phone. They tell me if I cancel cable and phone my internet will be $109. As soon as I have any other internet option that is high speed I may throw my shit through their office window.

Regarding streaming...

The other day, I decided to try ESPN3 through my browser, because it's available through my cable company and there was a game I wanted to watch.

I supposedly have high-speed internet. Right now, it tests at 17Mb/4Mb. But when I tried to watch this game, it quickly dropped down to a fairly low resolution (can't read the score, even) and was buffering a lot.

Is that just the state of television online? Or is ESPN3 something very different?

I've found ESPN3 through the browser to be wonky. I have about 75mb/75mb and it still does that sometimes. If I stream ESPN via my Roku or phone it's almost flawless.

When I called to cancel my cable TV, I was offered my local channels, HBO (and HBO Go), and Starz and my DVR service for $16 on top of what it was going to cost just to keep my high speed internet. The price is good for 12 months and I am not locked in. I went ahead and took it because I had a couple shows I wanted to finish on my DVR. I get my locals via antenna, but the HBO GO will be nice to keep (although not mandatory for me as I don't watch Game of Thrones).

Netflix is getting ready to raise rates for its' longer-term customers, to match the same price new customers have been paying for the last year.

http://www.avclub.com/article/netfli...-custom-235017

That really sucks for whoever it is that actually pays my account.

So this may be a dumb question but do any of the services (Amazon, Hulu, Netflix...) allow you to queue and watch movies or shows without an Internet connection? Like in the car on a trip or while waiting on my car to be worked on? I'm guessing no.

Amazon does, Netflix will be soon-ish, no idea on Hulu.

Yeah Amazon does for some titles, not all. They're pretty big files so if you're looking to download a bunch of shows you'll need a lot of space.

I've taken many Amazon Prime shows via download on my Kindle on business flights. Works well.

On a related note, getting close to going with PS Vue over cable, as it has sounded like most are happier with that than Sling. Sounds like PS Vue now has a Roku app, which is big for me, along with recently adding Watch ESPN access, which is a must.

Anyone use PS Vue on a Roku... are DVR functionalities available on that, or just the PS platform itself?

DVR works on Roku as well. It's a cloud DVR, so it keeps all your tagged favorite shows for 30 days.


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Amazon only lets you download videos on a Kindle Fire. Can't do it if you have a regular android tablet.

I just started using the PS Vue app on Roku this weekend.

My only issue is I haven't found a way to get a standard channel listing like on my PS4. The channels are displayed in a grid with a picture of what is currently playing on the channel. I would like to see a standard channel listing so I can see what's on next and in the future. The app is pretty responsive though.

Are you trying to do it through the Amazon Video app? That's how I do it on an iPad so I'd be surprised it wouldn't work there.

Amazon video functionality on Android tablets is pretty new but you can now download most Prime movies if you're a subscriber. I watched some movies on my tablet in a cabin in the middle of nowhere Idaho this weekend.

PS Vue is getting NFL Network and NFL Redzone in time for football season. That's pretty huge. The only thing that I would want that I currently don't get from them is Fox Sports Oklahoma for Thunder games. Hopefully that comes soon.

I signed up for the trial. All I really need are the soccer channels and Disney jr, so I'm hoping it works out.

Dayum. After 30 minutes of screwing around on the PS3 and the Roku this is pretty damn impressive. No doubt I'll be dropping DirecTV before my next bill drops. 35 dollars for ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, Fox Sports North, NBC Sports, Big Ten Network, and BeIN Sport is fabulous.

Should save me 1,050 dollars over the course of a year.

PS Vue?

What kind of Internet connection are you guys running on with the Vue?

I'd say on average we run about 30mbps..my concern is it is terribly inconsistent. Also can you do DVR through Vue? With kids it's quite difficult to watch what we want on regular scheduled times


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Yes.

I am on a 75 meg plan. I obviously haven't been using it a ton, but I've only seen one hiccup so far and the buffering lasted all of like half a second. I don't have a wired connection available upstairs so I'm using wireless with a PS3. Downstairs I have a wired connection with a Roku 3.

I haven't played around much with the DVR function yet. From some brief reading on reddit it sounded a bit rudimentary. Like when you record sports I don't think there is an option to add 30 minutes to accommodate something running past schedule.

Thanks
I still have a few months with my cable contract. I'm going to keep digging into this, really the only thing I "have" to watch is sports.


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I'm well into Week 2 on the PS Vue.

Previously, I was on Time Warner Cable, and we did most of the viewing of that via 2 Roku boxes that were in our house. So I was already used to their Roku app and really did not use the DVR functionality due to the box being in an inconvenient place in the house.

The TWC app was better than the PS Vue Roku app. The Guide for PS Vue on Roku is horribly clunky. For me, it is usable. What I have done is created a Guide for myself on TitanTV, so I can browse whatever is on at any time on that, rather than relying on the on-screen guide.

The other complaint about PS Vue I have is that the DVR is spotty at best. The couple of times I have tried to start recording something in the middle, when I go back to that show, the recording is basically unusable.

Last week, I recorded Mr. Robot, and tried to begin watching it while it was still airing. The recording began a noticeable lag... to where the sound gradually became 10-15 seconds ahead of the action. The fix to that was to pause for about 15 seconds... then repeat about 20 times. Very annoying. Also, I recorded one live sports event, and when I started it, it jumped to somewhere in the middle for no apparent reason.

Compare that to the no-DVR I did have, and it's a step up. For people used to a DVR experience, it'll be quite frustrating. As sov said, there is no option to extend a Live recording past its original end time... you just need to schedule the show after to record as well. Considering the DVR is unlimited (only limit I see is all shows disappear after 28 days of recording), that shouldn't be a problem.

The PS Vue experience is MUCH better on a PS3/PS4 box than the Roku. There is a usable live guide, and more buttons from your PS controller mean easier functionality. I hear the Amazon Fire TV box is also a very good experience. I stick with Roku due to the remote headphone jack. My wife and I are on very different sleep schedules, so I am often up 2+ hours after her watching TV at night, and the headphone jack in the Roku remote is a lifesaver.

I am on 50MBps plan from Time Warner Cable. I went from $202 a month with a TWC bundled plan (including home phone, which we have since removed), to $70 internet and $45 Elite Slim PS Vue package... so saving about $80 a month or almost $1000 a year.

Plus, PS Vue has our local Fox Sports Ohio channel streaming, which TWC never had on their Roku app. Another thing PS Vue has that I enjoy is both BeIN sports, and One World Sports, which show World Sports like soccer, cricket, track and field among other things.

On the 2nd week of Vue. Working well so far, but haven't really put it through its paces yet. I called to cancel DirecTV, that sets in next week. I really wish they would come out with a Vue app that's native to Android TV. I have a Nexus player, and I can work it well enough using a game pad, but it's not useable at all for anyone else in my family on that TV.

Works fine on our 2 Fire TV sticks... the interface is slow, but the stream works well. Works OK on the Roku 3 after I changed a developer setting on the Roku, as I kept having the stream stop and reload every 10 minutes. I do wish they'd put a guide on the Roku version.

Love the price though. $35 a month and we get every channel we used on DirecTV, plus BEIN sports.

Downside is that network channels are over the air in my area, and we live just far enough away that I can't get HD CBS and any ABC without setting up an outdoor antenna. Even then, ABC might be too far away since its VHF here. I'm able to get CBS since they simulcast the SD feed on the CW station. Good news is, all ABC college football streams on WatchESPN, and we don't really watch anything else on ABC live. Then we can just on-demand the rest of their stuff.

Set up NextPVR on a PC upstairs with the indoor antenna picking up the channels. Have a dual Tuner PCI card, so we can record/watch 2 things at a time. Then I have NextPVR and Emby connected so I can live stream the network channels to any box in the house. Also able to stream any recorded network shows throughout the house. Works well on the AC router in the house.

Vue is still working good for me. Decided to give the Fire TV box a try (replacing my PS3 which was a bit laggy) after reading of its superior app and indeed it is. Hopefully Roku can develop something more competitive and with a guide. For anyone looking to take a plunge the Fire TV box is probably where it's at right now.

How does Vue work with CSN? One of the things holding me back is the Cubs, Bulls, and Blackhawks all play a bunch of games on CSN Chicago. Does it give me access to the regional networks? Is it based on my location? I guess I don't understand how the CSN part works.

Also is there a ton of taxes tacked on like with cable?

No taxes. I assume there is still a free 7 day trial that will auto cancel. If you have a supported device doing that would get you the best answer. There is also an active subreddit for Vue and I'm willing to bet there is another Chicagoan with the answer.

Just run the trial. Cancelling is easy, everything is online.

I have 2 Roku sticks and a Fire stick in my house, running the 3 televisions that we have. I subscribe to PS Vue and Netflix.

IMO, while Vue has the guide on the Fire Stick that is the only advantage. I find I don't even use the guide that much though. The Rokus have better remotes, a better interface and it responds faster. The fire stick is closest to the wifi source too, so that is not the issue. I may even replace the Fire Stick with a Roku someday.

I cut the cord in January. I pick up CBS and Fox over the air, NBC on PS Vue and ABC...I haven't wanted to watch that channel yet but I'm sure I can figure something out. ESPN and ESPN2 come on Vue and it gives you access to Watch ESPN/ESPN3, so sports is covered. Vue also has 28 day cloud DVR capability, so it is perfect for me. Cut my TV/internet bill in half and I could not be happier with the setup and the fact that Frontier/Comcast/Direct TV/etc. is out of my life (at least in a direct way, I think Comcast owns some of this shit, but please don't tell me I don't want to know. I just know I don't have to call them ever.)

Vue DVR is pretty great. It gets occasionally wonky, but I've used it for all the episodes of MR. ROBOT this year, to watch about a half hour in to avoid commercials, and it's worked like a charm.

Yeah getting WLOS out of Mt Pisgah is ridiculous for Greenville.
If you are on the north side, you literally grab WSOC out of Charlotte easier with an attic mounted directional.

I went back to Dish after cutting DirectTV in January. It's kind of a relief, I never got used to the Vue DVR and it sometimes just didn't work. It wasn't reliable for sports. And the response-time of the Vue app always lagged even outside the DVR. And sometimes it randomly reset. Maybe I just don't have good enough internet in the neighborhood.

It's nice to just rely on Dish for 95%+ of my TV viewing (it even has a Netflix app), rather than trying to keep track of which shows I was watching on Netflix v. over-the-air v. vue v. various network apps using the Vue sign-on, v. some things working better on roku and others working better on the fire stick. And I never figured out all the different rules regarding what you can watch remotely, or in the house on different devices. (By the end, I somehow got locked out of watching anything beyond the main TV, and I didn't have the will to figure out what the issue was.) Plus, I was getting close to my internet cap month-after-month and don't have to worry about that anymore. And, it's kind of nice to old-school flip-around, I catch bits and pieces of a lot of random sports when I have time to sit down. It's $57/month for the next two years for a mid-range package after hunting for promo codes, maybe the landscape will look different at the end of this contract, but for now, I'm glad to be back.

Very good article. I thought when I clicked it'd just be a 'Yay, cord cutting' article, but it really raises questions about what happens to the sports leagues who are selling TV rights for such high costs? If ESPN would fold if they continue paying the high costs of league rights, then how will those leagues cope when ESPN says sorry we can't pay that much anymore?

Sports are becoming overrated. With baseball, basketball and hockey schedules as long as they are there's only a handful of "must see" games in each sport (nothing that going to a bar to see those infrequent premier matchups couldn't solve). Fantasy sports is such a major part of viewership, especially for football, that it's surprising leagues aren't catering to that crowd even more (I personally think injury reports will begin to eventually be set the day before a game in order to accommodate fantasy football players, as opposed to having game time decisions, but that's for another discussion). Even now I'm only concerned with highlights and stats, watching the games isn't really necessary for me anymore especially since I'm a father and just can't devote *every* Sunday to sitting around watching football all day.

Demand drives value. If viewership is down and subscribers are shrinking there is no way ESPN will pay as much for the next contract. I'm more concerned with the fallout with fans and how the viewers are impacted.

So, after 2 bad experiences with DirecTV installers and customer support, I am looking for a way to move away from the cable/satellite providers. I have a couple of questions that will help this decision.

1. What are the options for the following channels: ESPN, HGTV, USA, TNT, network channels, TBS, kids channels (Disney, Nick Jr, etc)

2. What are the options for a DVR?

3. Any other concerns?

Thanks for the info.

Playstation Vue has all those but Nick, and maybe the big 4 networks. But if you live within 50 miles of towers, a cheap antenna can get you those. Vue has a 30 day DVR, but a lot of the individual streaming channel apps have some older episodes. Plus we only pay $35 a month.

Honestly, we don't watch nearly as much TV since we jumped from cable/satellite. Pretty much all we watch live are sports and award shows. We've dropped 99% of the shows we watched due to apathy. It works fine for my daughter using Disney apps and Netflix.

I'd say use apps instead of the Vue app. For some reason, Vue drops the stream more often than say Fox Sports or ESPN apps. The resolution also seems slightly better.

DVR, the best option is PS Vue right now. My understanding is that DirecTV Now is "working on it", and Youtube TV will get there, but they are a slow roll out.

PS Vue lacks all of the Viacom channels, so no Comedy Central, MTV, or Nickelodeons. I could see how that would be a deal breaker if I were a parent of a small child. Comedy Central has been a loss for me.

But the DVR functionality is not awesome. It is wonky when you are trying to watch something in the middle of when it is recording, but I think that may be a function of my old Roku than the service itself. There are a couple of shows that it has replaced my "DVR" copy with the VOD copy, which won't allow you to fast forward through commercials. But other than that, it works well.