Football & Sling TV

[Hog N Bama]

Probably because att is slowly going to convert everyone to DirecTV

Not me. Too much heavy rain here.

[FANONTHEHILL]

How many people under 60 still have a home phone? I cut ours out about 5 years ago and haven't missed it one bit. I probably should have sooner, but decided I might need the home phone for something other than robo calls.......

I'm in the medical field and kept the home until couple years ago just as a
back up for cell service when I am on call at the hospital.

[hawginbigd1]

How many people under 60 still have a home phone? I cut ours out about 5 years ago and haven't missed it one bit. I probably should have sooner, but decided I might need the home phone for something other than robo calls.......

I don't think Arkansas is quite ready for this, too many areas with unreliable cell service. I have been with everybody in the last 15 years and I have had problems in the north central part of the state with reliable service. My parents live about 8 miles north of Morrilton and service is 50-50 at best.

[hogfanboy2]

Why I picked playstation vue over Sling TV (last spring)
1)as others mentioned, a more rounded selection of channels, I'm in the Chicago area so I pay $40 a month but I get live streams of the local networks channels.  I will bump my plan to the $45 during football season to get ESPNU and SEC Network, 
2) DVR function.  It's not TIVO, but I  can back up and see the last play.
3) Better menu system (well that is if you use the Amazon FireTV for playstation vue.  I can't stress this enough the Playstation APP on the FireTV is much better that the Roku APP, and the FireTV box has a faster CPU that the FIRETV Stick, thus faster menus)
4) Can use on more that 1 TV in the house.  I think SlingTV now has a multi stream option but not sure if that includes ESPN channels
5) Playstation Vue had more network apps you could access.  (I can access almost all the channels remotely by using the channels APP on my phone (CNN, ESPN.....)


If you cable provider has a monthly usage cap, make sure you turn off the stream before you turn off the TV  otherwise you would be eating away your usage cap
Sling does have the advantage of turning down the bandwidth if you have  monthly usage cap issues  (but when you turn down the bandwidth the picture quality suffers)

I use to pay $120 a month for Cable and internet now I pay  $38 for internet (from the cable company) and $40 for playstation vue. Total $78
The quoted price for the cable companies internet (30meg) was $55 for current customers  and $40 for new customers.  I told them to cancel my service, my wife and I or getting a divorce (not true) and she is staying in the house so she will call back and get the new customer price.  That is all it took to get down to $38. 

For a Home phone I use  google voice and a obihai box

[ricepig]

I don't think Arkansas is quite ready for this, too many areas with unreliable cell service. I have been with everybody in the last 15 years and I have had problems in the north central part of the state with reliable service. My parents live about 8 miles north of Morrilton and service is 50-50 at best.

Probably true in the smaller town/rural areas.

[rhames]

Their network can't keep up with the data demands so they want to push all the TV to satellite. It's not actually a bad strategy.

The problem that I have with all of those guys are: a) local monopolies b) ludicrous equipment rental fees for mediocre-at-best equipment and c) two-year contracts with obscene price hikes after the first year introductory rates expire.

If cable cutting and cable cost *exactly the same* I would still do it for the freedom and to give them the finger.

Thankfully, though, it is also much cheaper.

I think it has more to do with att owning direct tv than anything.

[31to6]

I think it has more to do with att owning direct tv than anything.

I've been following it. I have a bit of an inside perspective on ATT's challenges. They have an excellent infrastructure, but they are nonetheless struggling with the explosion of data. Our demands for bandwidth, quality of service and content are growing exponentially and it is very, very costly for them to keep up.

Moving a bunch of that *off* their DSL-based infrastructure while they try to get fiber pushed out is a huge cost savings.

[rhames]

I've been following it. I have a bit of an inside perspective on ATT's challenges. They have an excellent infrastructure, but they are nonetheless struggling with the explosion of data. Our demands for bandwidth, quality of service and content are growing exponentially and it is very, very costly for them to keep up.

Moving a bunch of that *off* their DSL-based infrastructure while they try to get fiber pushed out is a huge cost savings.

Att owns direct TV and uverse



If they are telling u verse customers to switch to direct TV it's because they don't plan on it being a TV provider much longer. Uverse that is.

I understand what you're saying but I don't think it fits the context of the original post I was quoting

[31to6]

Att owns direct TV.

I know that.

[rhames]

I know that.

Sorry. I think we were saying the same thing you just gave a more nuts and bolts version

[livevanguy]

I used a combination of SlingTV and the ESPN app on a Roku Stick. We have a 15mbps speed with Time Warner and usually have no issues. I'm in rural Washington State and if I had signal issues on one, I would switch to the other and be just fine. More often than not, I found myself using the ESPN app to avoid listening to commercials on SlingTV. All in All, we stopped  cable service when we moved here and have not missed it, nor a Hog game yet. 

[jcbville]

PlayStation vue is another option, and has much better selection and a larger channel package. Both vue and sling have signed deals with the NFL and both will have NFL network and NFL redzone available in time for the season. They will be add ons and word is it will cost around $10 to add them both.

We run vue through Amazon FireTV and have had zero issues and love it. The caveat is we have great internet and everything is hard wired so no wifi BS. Picture quality has been top notch with zero difference other than a slight streaming delay(about 20 seconds behind live action, whereas satellite was only maybe 3-5 seconds behind).

Also have/use PlayStation Vue and it's been great. Better than sling by far. Don't regret it a bit.

[FANONTHEHILL]

Does Vue offer ESPN/SEC Network?  That's what caused us to go with Sling initially.

[rhames]

Does Vue offer ESPN/SEC Network?  That's what caused us to go with Sling initially.

I'm pretty sure it does.  It was one I was looking into before I decided to stay with direct tv.

[TomasPistola]

Does Vue offer ESPN/SEC Network?  That's what caused us to go with Sling initially.

It does in Atlanta.

[trashcan maN]

I just signed up for a week free trial of PS Vue, and yes it has all the ESPNs. Looks like I'll have to get an antenna to catch the CBS games though. Those are required viewing in my house.

[lefty08]

I watch the cbs games on their sports app for free, of course I shoot it to my TV using my chromecast

[31to6]

Sorry. I think we were saying the same thing you just gave a more nuts and bolts version

Fair enough

[BirmingHam]

I just signed up for a week free trial of PS Vue, and yes it has all the ESPNs. Looks like I'll have to get an antenna to catch the CBS games though. Those are required viewing in my house.

I live in Rogers, and have a Lava 8008 omnidirectional antenna 4 feet above my roof.  I get a total of 46 channels on a clear day, several are repeats. But I can get channel 6 out of OK on clear days.

Next step is to decide whether to go to Sling, vue, or Kodi.

[The Great Hambino]

I live in Rogers, and have a Lava 8008 omnidirectional antenna 4 feet above my roof.  I get a total of 46 channels on a clear day, several are repeats. But I can get channel 6 out of OK on clear days.

Next step is to decide whether to go to Sling, vue, or Kodi.

Kodi on Amazon Fire TV Stick is great.

[BirmingHam]

Kodi on Amazon Fire TV Stick is great.

Thanks, I only knew about Sling till reading this thread.  I'll research to see what offers everything the male and females in the house would want to watch.

[hog.goblin]

Missed one of your questions..... You can only watch SlingTV on one device at a time in the US, unless you are transmitting the signal from that device to your HDTV, using AppleTV or something similar.

That's been the deal breaker for me.  I want to be able to watch the Hogs on any of my TVs that is available, comfortable, or has no background noise (kids).

[The Great Hambino]

Thanks, I only knew about Sling till reading this thread.  I'll research to see what offers everything the male and females in the house would want to watch.

https://seo-michael.co.uk/tutorial-how-to-install-kodi-on-a-firestick/

[Thunderhog Jr]

 :razorback:

I have Sling for the ESPN Networks and SEC Network, I also have USTVnowplus for live streaming of network channels, ABC, NBC etc.  All costs me about $45.00 per month.   The good thing about USTV is you can upgrade and get unlimited cloud dvr storage.  I know how to break  an amazon fire stick and fire tv so I have KODI which is basically like free Netflix, all the movies and shows on demand I care to see............Oh yeah, Sling with Disney ESPN can only stream 1 tv at a time, USTV can stream up to 4.............

:razorback:

[31to6]

:razorback:

I have Sling for the ESPN Networks and SEC Network, I also have USTVnowplus for live streaming of network channels, ABC, NBC etc.  All costs me about $45.00 per month.   The good thing about USTV is you can upgrade and get unlimited cloud dvr storage.  I know how to break  an amazon fire stick and fire tv so I have KODI which is basically like free Netflix, all the movies and shows on demand I care to see............Oh yeah, Sling with Disney ESPN can only stream 1 tv at a time, USTV can stream up to 4.............

:razorback:

It is worth pointing out that Kodi is great software but provides no content in and of itself. What it provides is a system and user community that allows for add-ons that can obtain and display content. You can get a "loaded" setup or build it yourself and boom, everything you can imagine for free.

The provenance of that content ranges from truly public domain and free content to a lot of stuff that is pirated (stolen).

Not judging anyone. That is between you, your God and the DMCA.

But a cord-cutting newbie reading this thread might not understand the distinction.

[Inhogswetrust]

I don't think Arkansas is quite ready for this, too many areas with unreliable cell service. I have been with everybody in the last 15 years and I have had problems in the north central part of the state with reliable service. My parents live about 8 miles north of Morrilton and service is 50-50 at best.

Was at Center Ridge a couple of months ago and had good connection on my cellphone and using wifi.

[Thunderhog Jr]

[/quote]

It is worth pointing out that Kodi is great software but provides no content in and of itself. What it provides is a system and user community that allows for add-ons that can obtain and display content. You can get a "loaded" setup or build it yourself and boom, everything you can imagine for free.

The provenance of that content ranges from truly public domain and free content to a lot of stuff that is pirated (stolen).

Not judging anyone. That is between you, your God and the DMCA.

But a cord-cutting newbie reading this thread might not understand the distinction.

:razorback:

I understand about the pirated content, and have only run across 1 or 2 so far that were hot-linking and they were removed by the source, I mostly watch Exodus, Sling and USTVNOWPLUS, plus I'm good with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, no need to worry......

:razorback:

[DeltaBoy]

I looked into it but I love my DVR too much plus it frees me to go other thing on Saturdays like attending games where My Daughter is in the College Band.  So I get the best of both worlds and if I don't want to know the score I just stay off Facebook and Hogville.

[hogsanity]

I looked into it but I love my DVR too much plus it frees me to go other thing on Saturdays like attending games where My Daughter is in the College Band.  So I get the best of both worlds and if I don't want to know the score I just stay off Facebook and Hogville.

The dvr is a big deal in our house too. Plus, I will be honest, I read all these posts from people about having this device, plus this app, then having to use all the different network apps, then send it to my tv, and some of the services you can't watch on multiple tvs, and it is just not worth it to me.

[Biggus Piggus]

If you want the simplicity of a DVR with a program guide that makes it easy to record shows, the TV industry has made sure you will pay through the nose for it.

You have to pay your ridiculously high monthly cable subscription. You probably pay a stupidly high price for a landline phone, because they make it easy for you. And you pay rental fees for crap like your cable boxes, DVRs, cable modem and awful-quality wireless router.

Man, they screw people who lack the slightest tech savvy.

[hogsanity]

If you want the simplicity of a DVR with a program guide that makes it easy to record shows, the TV industry has made sure you will pay through the nose for it.

You have to pay your ridiculously high monthly cable subscription. You probably pay a stupidly high price for a landline phone, because they make it easy for you. And you pay rental fees for crap like your cable boxes, DVRs, cable modem and awful-quality wireless router.

Man, they screw people who lack the slightest tech savvy.

That's the way, insult people. I am plenty tech savvy, and if I find something I can't figure out or do not want to mess with, my 18 yr old sure can handle it.

It's not that high of a price for something that's on 24/7/365. I can watch it on every tv in my house at the same time, I don't have to worry about streaming speeds or limits, and I don't have to go through my computer and then send it to my tv either, don't have to buy a xbox or a ps3 to get service either.

[hogwxld]

I used sling last year for Hog games only. I didn't use the POS app they have because sling gets you access to WATCHESPN with the 5$ sports package. So between all of the ESPN channels and SEC Network being on WATCHESPN, I don't recall having to watch but maybe one game on CBS last year? but that was free on the CBS site.

Needless to say that was my plan until att and directv offered me a deal i couldnt refuse. but mostly because ive got thru everything decent to watch on NETFLIX already and my kids have too hah.

Kinda dreading getting TV back in the house. Ive been tv free for 4 years. Every fall cable guy would come around and turn the service on for 3 months, 4 if we hit a bowl and then off she went..

[rhames]

If you want the simplicity of a DVR with a program guide that makes it easy to record shows, the TV industry has made sure you will pay through the nose for it.

You have to pay your ridiculously high monthly cable subscription. You probably pay a stupidly high price for a landline phone, because they make it easy for you. And you pay rental fees for crap like your cable boxes, DVRs, cable modem and awful-quality wireless router.

Man, they screw people who lack the slightest tech savvy.

I don't have a landline


Bundle my Internet and direct tv. Own the modem. Do rent a 4k genie for direct tv. Have all the channels and nfl sunday ticket and I feel my bill is appropriate


I said earlier I ran the numbers if  I were to cut the cord and it wasn't too far off from what I pay now and not as many perks. It works for me.  Glad you found something that works for you.


The best thing for me to do is call every 2 years. When that stops working I'll look into something else.

[Biggus Piggus]

I have a friend who gets everything from his cable provider - including NFL Sunday Ticket - while paying about $100/mo. That is exactly what he did - threaten to leave every year, and negotiate.

In my situation, we simply had nobody in the house watching scheduled TV anymore. Nobody willing to DVR anything. All on-demand viewing. Cable on demand is crap. Only have so much time to watch TV - too many other demands. Have no time to waste surfing through a channel guide that's 80% garbage.

We first asked Comcast to switch our account to Internet only. They gave us a TV + Internet package that cost less than Internet alone. But nobody ever turned on the TV box. And shortly thereafter, Comcast's $40/month Internet went from 20 Mbps to 300. Sayonara.

[Inhogswetrust]

Maybe it would be easier and less expensive if we all just went back to no TV at all.............I know a lot of youngsters that have NO tv service. Our son is a VP of a high tech company in Silicon Valley and has a 55 inch tv at home with no antenna or any type of tv service. It is used only to watch movies and for Skype and connected to their computer. It in effect is their computers large monitor.

[hogsanity]

I have a friend who gets everything from his cable provider - including NFL Sunday Ticket - while paying about $100/mo. That is exactly what he did - threaten to leave every year, and negotiate.

In my situation, we simply had nobody in the house watching scheduled TV anymore. Nobody willing to DVR anything. All on-demand viewing. Cable on demand is crap. Only have so much time to watch TV - too many other demands. Have no time to waste surfing through a channel guide that's 80% garbage.

We first asked Comcast to switch our account to Internet only. They gave us a TV + Internet package that cost less than Internet alone. But nobody ever turned on the TV box. And shortly thereafter, Comcast's $40/month Internet went from 20 Mbps to 300. Sayonara.

I have no doubt that when both our kids are gone we will scale back our tv package, or ditch it all together, but with 4 of us, the dvr is used a lot, and will be even more once HS football starts. I ref, oldest is in the hs band, youngest plays jrhigh, so we are gone alot in the fall. 

[Grizzlyfan]

If you are out in the parking lot on game day and your phone is a mobile hotspot, is that typically enough to stream live games on your tv?

[The Great Hambino]

The dvr is a big deal in our house too. Plus, I will be honest, I read all these posts from people about having this device, plus this app, then having to use all the different network apps, then send it to my tv, and some of the services you can't watch on multiple tvs, and it is just not worth it to me.

It's worth it to me saving $1500+ a year.

[hogfansince79]

https://seo-michael.co.uk/tutorial-how-to-install-kodi-on-a-firestick/

Now, there is an easier way, and it allows for updates with the click of a button.

How To Install Or Update Kodi On Fire TV Without Computer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9Gb3GuSClM

[TexHog188]

I just signed up for a 7 day free trial of Sony Playstation Vue.  I choose it for the local channels, (antenna reception is sketchy in my home), SEC Network, ESPN3 online access, and up to 5 streams.  I'm using a PS4 and a Roku in different rooms.  I have 100M internet service from TWC, so we will see how it goes.  If all goes well, I'll drop TWC TV in Sept.

Also my wife bought me Hogs vs Florida tickets today...  WPS!

Also Vue has Cloud DVR for 28 days, vs none for Sling TV.

[BoarnSupremacy]

I will have to read through this thread a couple of times to make sense of it.  I have no idea what sling and playstaion vue etc. are but I am willing to learn.

[Danny J]

The dvr is a big deal in our house too. Plus, I will be honest, I read all these posts from people about having this device, plus this app, then having to use all the different network apps, then send it to my tv, and some of the services you can't watch on multiple tvs, and it is just not worth it to me.

Man...you read my mind. I will gladly pay double to keep from doing all that nonsense. I love my DVR'S and rarely watch anything live. I can't even remember the last time I watched something live fro start to finish. 

[ChicoHog]

How many people under 60 still have a home phone? I cut ours out about 5 years ago and haven't missed it one bit. I probably should have sooner, but decided I might need the home phone for something other than robo calls.......

I still have a home phone and it's bundled with my internet.  Not great internet speed but enough for me.  I like a home phone as I put that number down on all the forms I fill out either hard copy or online so people I don't know (sales people and solicitors) do not call my cell phone.  I love DirecTV and have had it for 15 years.  I know it's expensive but we watch a lot of TV and for me it's worth it and I will skip other things like going out for dinner, movie theater, etc., 

[hog.goblin]

I still have a home phone, but it's a cell phone.  Grandparents refuse to call the cell phone because they can't understand it's free to talk.  We haven't told them the landline number was moved over to a cell phone.

I pay $10 for that, and the 20+ telemarketer calls it gets a day so I don't have to get them on my cell phone.

[PonderinHog]

I still have a home phone number, but I don't know what it is and I don't have a home phone.

But it's part of the bundle, which is way too expensive.  Comcast is raking me over the coals and I am close to exploring other options.

[The Great Hambino]

Now, there is an easier way, and it allows for updates with the click of a button.

How To Install Or Update Kodi On Fire TV Without Computer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9Gb3GuSClM

ES Explorer doesn't work anymore. Now you have to use the method I posted or sideload it from a phone. I don't want to mess with side loading from my oneplus.

[hogsanity]

It's worth it to me saving $1500+ a year.

$1500? What were you paying for? I have Cox, have just about every channel they offer, plus their highest internet speed, and the dvr record 6, 2 extra receivers and a home phone bundled in and I don't pay $1500 a year for the video part of it.  You still have to have internet to get tv even with sling/amazon/netflix etc.

[hawgrunner]

I went to SLING TV sometime ago... really like it. Great way for me to get the HOG games due to being here in San Diego.

[VictoryRedChevy]

Sling Orange package ($20 + $5 for SEC net and other sports channels) will give you ESPN and deuce, but the Blue package ($25) will not.  Also with Orange, you will be able to sign into the WatchESPN app with your sling ID and PW.  The Blue package has a few more stations and the NFL Network, but you lose the ESPN channels.  The $5 sports package for Blue does not include ESPN.   This morning I thought I had it figured out, and was going to upgrade to the Blue and just sign in to WatchESPN app with the sling ID and PW.  It didn't work.  Once you upgrade to the Blue, you can't sign on to WatchESPN.  You can add the packages together for $40 total, but that is actually more than most cable companies basic package that will give you ESPN and NFL.  You can't get both with Sling TV for less than $40.  One other difference with the two packages is that with Blue you can stream on more devices that just one at a time.

Thanks for that info about being able to sign into WatchESPN with Sling. I did not know that. I'd gotten rid of cable with Cox, but kept Internet and I figured I could just get apps for my favorites like ESPN and AMC. Well, of course...Cox blocked my access to those because I didn't have cable with them.

I've had Sling for about 5 months and for the price and as little tv as I watch, it's a damn good deal for me. Yes, it can be glitchy. I cast it to my TV with Chromecast and my phone and that's when it seems to buffer/pause/freeze. It's better only watching on my tablet and about perfect on my phone. I was worried about Hog games on ESPN and SEC Net, but not now. ESPN app work perfect while casting.

[hogfansince79]

ES Explorer doesn't work anymore. Now you have to use the method I posted or sideload it from a phone. I don't want to mess with side loading from my oneplus.

It did last Saturday (8/20)... that's when I installed AppStarter, and then updated Kodi.