A new TV adventure

JackDidley · JackDidley's Garage

Last week I posted about getting a new TV. It is great. This week its the provider situation. Spectrum was overpriced in my opinion and would not negotiate. I started looking at other options. Had satellite before and did not like the weather interruptions and the picture is not as nice as cable, so no satellite. That leaves Astound, formerly WOW. Their prices are about the same as Spectrum. I looked into TMobile 5g internet. $50/month forever. At least that is what they say. Then I looked at streaming TV. Youtube TV has all the channels I watch. $65/month. Today that went to $73/month.

Anyway I pulled the trigger and went for TMobile internet and Youtube TV. That started Wednesday. The TMobile set up was pretty easy. Only slightly complicated by my linux computers. Youtube TV was only complicated by my not reading the instructions and thinking the Youtube TV site is the same as Youtube . Just a little figuring things out and I got it going. So far the internet is fast and works well. I will keep it for as long as it works for me. I really like the hook up. Just plug it in. One power wire and that is it. Got rid of the cable box and lots of wires. The Youtube TV is sort of a pain to make it work for me. The channel guide has way too many channels that I will not need. The channels do not have numbers, just listed by network. It took forever to go through the list and hide the channels I do not need and put the ones I do need in a logical order. AND, one has to do this on a computer or phone. Cant do it on the TV itself. AND one local channel is not on the Youtube app so I have to go to another app for that.
Anyway after 2 days of clicking my fingers off I got what I was after and It is $35/month cheaper. Also have a lot more choices of what I watch. If I decide I do not like it or have issues I can always get cable. This may be my longest post ever.

stevej37 · 03-17-2023, 03:34 PM

Are you able to get local network tv for news and sports?
Or are you using a small antennae for those?

astrochex · 03-17-2023, 04:04 PM

We have done the same thing. Spectrum TV service costs are over $100/month, we have been using YoutubeTV alongside for comparison. We will dump Spectrum TV service tomorrow.

We do get local news and sports on Youtube TV. No TV channels is the only gripe. A perk for me is I get more racing like F1 and MotoGP.

FA-18C · 03-17-2023, 04:08 PM

Jack - so internet and YouTubeTV?

That is what we did a couple of years ago. FiOS 1Gig fiber to house, then networked with fiber to both TVs and all PC drops in the house. So we are 1Gig everywhere. Wicked fast, I think I saved enough that Netflix and couple of others are paid for and still about $25/mo cheaper all around.

Next move will be to kill off the home phone number and add as a 2nd line to my cell - we never answer it anyways as it is all span and sales calls. Or might just let it go...

stevej37 · 03-17-2023, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astrochex

We do get local news and sports on Youtube TV. No TV channels is the only gripe. A perk for me is I get more racing like F1 and MotoGP.

The locals would be important to me....I didn't know a person could get them through Youtube. Good to know.

JackDidley · JackDidley's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by astrochex

We have done the same thing. Spectrum TV service costs are over $100/month, we have been using YoutubeTV alongside for comparison. We will dump Spectrum TV service tomorrow.

We do get local news and sports on Youtube TV. No TV channels is the only gripe. A perk for me is I get more racing like F1 and MotoGP.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FA-18C

Jack - so internet and YouTubeTV?

That is what we did a couple of years ago. FiOS 1Gig fiber to house, then networked with fiber to both TVs and all PC drops in the house. So we are 1Gig everywhere. Wicked fast, I think I saved enough that Netflix and couple of others are paid for and still about $25/mo cheaper all around.

Next move will be to kill off the home phone number and add as a 2nd line to my cell - we never answer it anyways as it is all span and sales calls. Or might just let it go...

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevej37

The locals would be important to me....I didn't know a person could get them through Youtube. Good to know.

Ok guys, I can get all the local programming. Had to look for one channel that is not on Youtube TV. It is on another app. The TMobile internet is faster than what I was getting from Spectrum and they say $50/month is forever. today is only my second day with everything working so I will have to give it time before I am sure about the Youtube part.

Stevej37, I think the TV has an antenna built in.

Scott Douglas · Scott Douglas's Garage

This is timely as our bill just jumped $40/month after loosing a discount that only lasted a year.
We have Frontier Fios.

Chris - Did you do the fiber routing of the tv's and computers or did they come in and do that?

I'm thinking the 1gig fiber w/Youtube TV may be the way to go.

JackDidley · JackDidley's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

This is timely as our bill just jumped $40/month after loosing a discount that only lasted a year.
We have Frontier Fios.

Chris - Did you do the fiber routing of the tv's and computers or did they come in and do that?

I'm thinking the 1gig fiber w/Youtube TV may be the way to go.

Scott Douglas, I think it helps that I have a smart TV with Google OS. It has a lot of apps available. My Spectrum kept going up in price and calling did not help. Of course they offered a discount when I called to cancel service.

Scott Douglas · Scott Douglas's Garage

That is one thing I'm worried about, both our tv's are teenagers now (hard to believe it) and I'm no spring chicken either so figuring this out may call for a visit from my son to help out.

JackDidley · JackDidley's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

That is one thing I'm worried about, both our tv's are teenagers now (hard to believe it) and I'm no spring chicken either so figuring this out may call for a visit from my son to help out.

My TV is a week old and that probably helps. So cheap I could not pass it up. Set up is not bad if you have patience. Recording is unlimited. Good thing because when I set it to record a show it tries to record every episode ever.

FA-18C · 03-17-2023, 05:26 PM

Scott I had a network guy come out and do it. Coax is max 500MB. YouTube can be a pain but have all local channels. Our daughter lives across town and uses our account so it saves her 73/month too.

FA-18C · 03-17-2023, 05:28 PM

Have app on iPad and a tablet in garage and is great for watching anywhere.

No channel numbers is a pain…otw love it.

astrochex · 03-18-2023, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

That is one thing I'm worried about, both our tv's are teenagers now (hard to believe it) and I'm no spring chicken either so figuring this out may call for a visit from my son to help out.

Get my youtube tv via Roku Ultra ($100 one time). Its easy-peasy and fast, even with not the fastest internet service.

JackDidley · JackDidley's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by astrochex

Get my youtube tv via Roku Ultra ($100 one time). Its easy-peasy and fast, even with not the fastest internet service.

Internet speed can be mediocre. I am getting 65 meg wireless and Youtube TV works fine. Wired I got 260 meg.

FA-18C · 03-18-2023, 12:21 PM

Two factors for me - I am impatient and wanted fast internet. Installing the fiber from the FiOS ONT at the house bypasses the existing cable coax and delivers 1GB to 3 LAN drops. I also hardwired deliver to both main TVs, since they are streaming vice using cable for TV. The limiting factor really now is the streaming app buffering unrelated to bandwidth. We have Netflix, Amazon Prime and occasionally add Disney for Star Wars stuff, or HBO Max if we want to binge. We also get Hulu for free from a music app...

Works great.

JackDidley · JackDidley's Garage

Well, The thing has worked fine all weekend. One warning, there is a learning curve that can be a pain. The menu for apps and channels requires some time to get used to. Once that is done its not bad. Not as simple as cable but it does give lots of options for entertainment. I dont need most of them but some may.

FA-18C · 03-20-2023, 03:13 AM

I do wish there were channel numbers, would make it easier to make large changes rather than endless scrolling. We just need to sit down and rearrange the channels so all of the ones we watch are at the top and call it a day.

JackDidley · JackDidley's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by FA-18C

I do wish there were channel numbers, would make it easier to make large changes rather than endless scrolling. We just need to sit down and rearrange the channels so all of the ones we watch are at the top and call it a day.

I did that the second day. Of course a guy cant do that on the TV. Had to open the site on the computer and check the shows I want to watch and hide the ones I do not. Then drag them to the order I want them listed. Probably spent a 1/2 hour doing that but it was worth it.