Roku may end agreement with YouTube TV

[Cyclonepride]

I have several Roku's but don't use YTTV. I appreciate their moral stance, but this seems like a bad business take. I don't see how it helps their sales.

Depends on how their customers feel, on balance. I've ditched most Google related things because I don't care for their misrepresentations (some would say lies) about data collection.

 

[Cysmik]

I just realized that many people bought Roku TVs with Roku embedded into them...that would suck for those who stream YTTV that way!

I've got a fairly small / cheap Roku smart TV and use it for YTTV. It does have additional HDMI inputs though, so I'm wondering now if it's possible to use an add-on Firestick or similar?

That said, I would consider a switch to Hulu+ if this happened. I've flipped back and forth between the two over the past few years, depending what channels I'm most needing at the time. YTTV removing the regional baseball networks knocked them down a rung on the ladder of relevance for me, but the others don't carry them either. I'll say that while they are more expensive, I much-prefer YTTV's platform and limitless DVR.

 

[bosco]

I canceled YTTV by choice when they hiked their fee. I’m not sure why anybody would go to the expense of a new streaming device to keep YTTV when there are cheaper and, IMO, better alternatives available on Roku already.

I tried Sling, Hulu and Fubo after YTTV. I am currently subscribed to Fubo.

We mainly have YTTV for live sports and local channels. What are the other services that provide these?

 

[cydsho]

We mainly have YTTV for live sports and local channels. What are the other services that provide these?

Sports wise I didn't see a huge drop off going from YTTV to Hulu but that is going to vary person to person.
And for local, unless you live far from TV broadcaster, an antenna. If it wasn't for sports, I would just use an antenna and then a combo of Netflix, Prime, or Disney+.
If you are old like me you can get dozens of channels via antenna that you can probably find something to watch.

 

[CoachHines3]

i like roku

but i like yttv better

i wouldnt like it but would make the switch to amazon fire or some other device than roku.

 

[Acylum]

We mainly have YTTV for live sports and local channels. What are the other services that provide these?

YouTube TV vs. Hulu Live vs. DirecTV and More

Where can you find the biggest lineup of the most popular live channels?

www.cnet.com

 

[ruxCYtable]

Got that this morning. Between us and the kids at college we have seven Rokus. Sucks, but more feasible for me to switch providers than equipment. I had intended to check out the new chromecast but I'm not buying seven of them at once!

 

[Isualum13]

It sounds like the small companies are getting extra scratch providing something the larger carriers provide for free. Not cool, but happy it works for folks

Ass, gas, or grass. Nobody rides for free

I think the money goes to the Watch TV Everywhere people, or at least most of it. Not the local companies. Also, it's only $5 a month to add 4 account, so it's not like they are gouging people.

 

[ruxCYtable]

Interesting that so many streamers on this site tout the ability to quickly change services as one of the biggest benefits, but then when faced with the prospect of Roku dropping YTTV most seem to be thinking they would swap hardware for every TV in the house. Why not just jump to Hulu or Sling or something while you wait for this to work out? Do people just feel the YTTV product is so far ahead of the others now that it is worth the HW cost to keep it?

I'd probably switch to Hulu with Live TV. We already have their service without the live TV. Sucks that their DVR is limited to 50 hours, but when you consider most programming is available via their on demand the next day, I can't see myself DVRing that much.

 

[Tre4ISU]

I feel like the bosses at Directv a few months ago were like, 'whelp, close her up boys, we are done'. But now with rate increases from streaming services and crap like this, they are like, 'holy crap, these idiots are pricing us back into business'.

Yeah, I'm on year 2 of my dish contract and was just assuming I was going to end up moving to streaming. I probably still will but those streaming services weren't going to be that cheap forever. The networks were going to get theirs. By the time December comes around, I might just end up re-upping. My service cost is hardly more than the streaming services but the equipment is what rockets the price up.

 

[twojman]

Plus the sharing capabilities of the streaming services increase the overall value. The price point could go up to even double what it is, but you can share your account with another household and split the cost, like my wife and I do with her Dad, and still be absolutely scoring a better deal than the satellite/cable companies.

You mean like stealing?

 

[LivntheCyLife]

I tried Sling, Hulu and Fubo after YTTV. I am currently subscribed to Fubo.

Thanks, I haven't tried Fubo so might give that a try, although price wise pretty similar to YTTV.

 

[Tre4ISU]

I also cancelled my streaming service after the NCAA Tournament. I would have kept if they offered Marquee Network, but they didn't. I see that FuboTV added Marquee Network, so maybe I will buy that later in summer.

I was excited about the prospect of streaming TV services 3-4 years ago because I viewed them as competition for cable and dish services. They were great in the beginning because they were reasonably priced at $30-$40/month. However, in a few years they have adopted the cable & dish models: consistently increasing prices (they are now $60-$70) and provide around 80 channels of which 70 I never watch.

With the advent of Netflix, Disney, Prime, YouTube, Vimeo and other streaming video providers I feel services like YouTubeTV, Hulu, Sling and Fubo will be gone within 5-10 years. Other than sporting events the idea of watching a TV program at a specific time is becoming antiquated. The On-Demand model is the future. I would much rather buy a platform like Netflix or Prime where I can then purchase add-on focused content providers like ESPN, National Geographic, HBO or Marquee Network. IMO that brings accountability to ESPN or HBO to cost effectively create their content.

My problem is the golf channel. There is no way to get that without a provider. Get me that on demand at NBC sports and let me watch live ESPN stuff through + and I'd be golden. They also know all of this.

 

[Tre4ISU]

Plus the sharing capabilities of the streaming services increase the overall value. The price point could go up to even double what it is, but you can share your account with another household and split the cost, like my wife and I do with her Dad, and still be absolutely scoring a better deal than the satellite/cable companies.

I can't wait until they nuke peoples ability to do this.

 

[aeroclone]

Got that this morning. Between us and the kids at college we have seven Rokus. Sucks, but more feasible for me to switch providers than equipment. I had intended to check out the new chromecast but I'm not buying seven of them at once!

I assume this will be the more common customer response. Especially since I would expect this to be temporary. YTTV isn't going to walk away from the largest streaming platform forever.

 

[jdcyclone19]

Google responds playing the victim.

Google Responds to Roku’s Warning About Dropping YouTube TV | Cord Cutters News

Google has responded to Roku’s statement Monday, denying the claims made by Roku and noting that the negotiations between the streaming platform and YouTube TV’s parent company are ongoing. Roku sent out a statement to customers Monday morning saying that Google is trying to set “predatory...

www.cordcuttersnews.com

 

[Cyclonepride]

YouTube TV vs. Hulu Live vs. DirecTV and More

Where can you find the biggest lineup of the most popular live channels?

www.cnet.com

AMC was the tipping point between YouTube TV and Hulu in my house. Wife had to have Better Call Saul

 

[KCyclone2010]

YouTube TV by far has the best interface of all the streaming services, and the unlimited DVR is nice. I have all Roku's, so I really hope they come to an agreement.

 

[bosco]

Sports wise I didn't see a huge drop off going from YTTV to Hulu but that is going to vary person to person.
And for local, unless you live far from TV broadcaster, an antenna. If it wasn't for sports, I would just use an antenna and then a combo of Netflix, Prime, or Disney+.
If you are old like me you can get dozens of channels via antenna that you can probably find something to watch.

If it was just me this is the way I would go but gotta keep the others happy.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

You mean like stealing?

You can view on up to 3 screens/devices at a time. That is what we are doing. The devices may happen to not be under the same roof, but meh.