Posts Tagged: streaming
Google Gemini To Support Third-Party Music Streaming Apps
Google Gemini is about to take a little more from Google Assistant, and will soon be able to support requests related to third-party music streaming apps.
TalkAndroid
Paramount+ Plans To Add Shopping To The Streaming Experience
Apparently Paramount+ isn’t making enough profit off streaming along, so don’t be surprised when they launch their “Mobile Shopping Experience”.
TalkAndroid
Amazon Fire TV streaming devices are up to 33 percent off
If you’re in the market for a Fire TV device it’s a good time to buy, as Amazon is having an early Valentine’s Day event. The Fire TV Stick 4K is on sale for $ 35, for a savings of $ 15 (30 percent) off the regular price. You can also grab the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $ 40, netting you 33 percent ($ 20 off). And finally, the Fire TV Cube is priced at $ 115, near its lowest price ever.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is Amazon’s most powerful streaming stick, thanks to a faster processor that delivers 40 percent more power than the one in the Fire TV Stick 4K. That translates to faster app start times and more fluid menu navigation, for a better overall experience. The Fire TV Sitck 4K Max also comes with WiFi 6 connectivity, as well as support for Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos audio, along with Alexa commands via the Alexa Voice Remote.
While not quite as zippy, the Fire TV Stick 4K is slightly cheaper at $ 35. It’s a great option if you want a low-profile streaming device that can handle 4K content. It also supports Dolby Vision and HDR, and comes with the Alexa Voice Remote, which lets you search for and launch content with voice commands. Frankly though, for the extra $ 2, I’d grab the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
The Fire TV Cube is Amazon’s most powerful streaming device with a hexa-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. It supports 4K, HDR content with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and it has picture-in-picture live view as well. You’re also getting hands-free Alexa controls, too, letting you turn off your lights or check the weather, even with your TV off.
Finally, don’t forget about Amazon’s Fire TV soundbar that’s back on sale for $ 100, for a savings of nearly 20 percent. It can enhance your TV audio via dual speakers, with access to 3D surround sound, while offering DTS Virtual X and Dolby Audio support.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-fire-tv-streaming-devices-are-up-to-33-percent-off-101521171.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
The best streaming devices for 2024
The vast majority of new TVs on the market are smart TVs. But maybe you have an older “dumb” set or don’t care for the operating system your smart model comes with. Or, perhaps you like the idea of taking as much on-demand content as possible with you when you travel. That’s what a streaming device is for. Dubbed streaming sticks, dongles and set-top boxes, what they all have in common is the ability to stream video and other content from the internet using apps like Hulu, Netflix, Max and even Spotify. We tested out multiple options to help make sense of the operating systems, voice assistants and extra features each model offers so you can find the best streaming device for your needs.
What to look for in a streaming device
Operating system and interface
Google’s Chromecast, the Apple TV 4K, Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks and Roku players are the most popular players in the space and each have a unique operating system and interface. This may be the biggest deciding factor for many people, as it determines how the content you want to watch is arranged and presented. We go into detail for each platform below, but all of them come with home screens that, to varying degrees, gather your apps in one place, present the movies and shows you’re currently watching and give you suggestions of what else to watch.
Nearly all streaming devices come with a remote that lets you search and do other operations using your voice, eliminating the need to hunt and peck at on-screen keyboards. They all offer “universal search,” in which searching for a title takes you to whichever app has it available. If you want to watch Barbie but don’t know where it’s playing, just push the voice button on the remote and say "Barbie.” (We found simply saying the title or the genre you want sometimes works better than saying “Show me…” or “Search for…”) From the search results, hit the play button and the correct app will open and start playing — assuming you’ve previously logged into that app and, in most cases, have an active subscription.
Connectivity
Most streaming sticks connect to the internet via Wi-Fi, with the majority of them supporting Wi-Fi 5 or 6 protocols. Set-top boxes can also have Ethernet ports, so you can hardwire your internet connection to the device, which is always faster than wireless. Streaming devices connect to your TV through an HDMI port, and most sticks hide behind the screen, while set-top boxes sit on a surface nearby. Nearly all units also plug into an AC outlet for power. Some sticks used to work by pulling power from a USB port on the TV, but increasingly, these devices are designed to plug into the wall.
Video and audio features
If you have a screen that can display 4K content with Dolby Vision and HDR10, you’ll want a streaming device that supports those high-end formats. Of course, even the most top-shelf streamer can’t make a 1080p TV display content in 4K. The series or movie also has to be transmitted in 4K and, increasingly, companies restrict higher-quality streaming to more expensive subscription plans. In short, every element needs to support the video or audio feature, otherwise the highest quality you’ll get will be the lowest of any component in the chain.
Voice control
In addition to helping you find stuff to watch, streaming devices from Apple, Google and Amazon can answer questions about the weather, sports scores and general facts using built-in voice assistants. They can also act as smart home controllers to turn off connected smart bulbs or plugs and show feeds from smart cameras. Just remember, as with all smart home devices, compatibility is key. Fire TV devices work with Alexa-enabled smart home equipment; Chromecasts let you control Google Home devices; Apple TV 4Ks play nice with HomeKit; and Rokus grant power over Roku’s smart home products.
Below are some recommendations for the best streaming sticks and other budget-friendly options. We also included suggestions for set-top boxes and devices geared toward gamers.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-streaming-devices-media-players-123021395.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
In the latest episode of nerfed cord-cutting, Max ad-free subscribers are losing 4K streaming
If it isn’t news of a streaming service increasing its prices it’s news that a streaming service is nerfing a current tier to force its subscribers to cough up some extra dough for the things they used to have. Here with its own take on how to gouge its customers is Max which, starting from […]
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Tidal vs. Spotify: Which music streaming service has the features you need?
Spotify may be king of the streaming music world, but when it comes to audio quality, Tidal offers some big competition. Join us as we compare both platforms.
Digital Trends
ExpressVPN review: Our favorite for gaming and streaming
ExpressVPN has become a household name – or at least as close to one as a VPN is likely to get – taking over mainstream advertisements on sites like YouTube. On our roundup of the nine top providers in June, it came out tops for streaming services, frequent travel and gaming. But, notably, it wasn’t the overall best, falling short on areas like security and user friendliness.
There are three main VPN use cases on top of general security: geoblocking, streaming and gaming. That means my tests looked like watching Shrek on the clock, by using a VPN to access Canadian Netflix from my US-based home office, where the ogre movie isn’t currently available.
ExpressVPN was easy to sign up for, download and use, but compared to the other services, it didn’t wow me. Competitors like ProtonVPN, for example, had easier ways to sign in across platforms. But an ExpressVPN subscription does come with a password manager to store and autofill credentials across websites. That’s a plus in a world where complex passwords are crucial to keeping your accounts secure.
The best VPNs stay out of your way and you’ll barely even notice they’re running. But one oddity was that ExpressVPN internet speeds outperformed our baseline internet speed measures. The service is likely circumventing traffic shaping by the internet service provider or a similar anomaly because every other VPN will hurt internet speed in some way. But it did successfully mask the IP address, and pass the DNS and WebRTC leak tests as privacy measures.
It was also easy to access geo-blocked content using ExpressVPN, with little-to-no buffering. There were some loading delays that only lasted a few seconds when I tried to stream the news on YouTube using ExpressVPN, but no lag came up after that. Finally, ExpressVPN passed the gaming test by avoiding lag and maintaining a normal loading time. Although, it was a pretty basic test where I logged into online game Slither.io from a UK-based VPN to play the worm-eating competition with international users. Surfing the web with ExpressVPN was just as easy as being online without it. With ExpressVPN, a ping test measured how long data takes to travel from the computer to the server and back at 100 milliseconds, versus 16 milliseconds with no VPN turned on.
ExpressVPN’s biggest perk is that it supports up to five devices at once. That means I could conduct all tests simultaneously and still had no slowdown. That’s great for sharing it with a family, or folks that like to game, watch TV and scroll on their phone at the same time. It’s the main reason ExpressVPN landed as our top choice for streaming and gaming. The connectivity was solid, it had a wide range of servers in 94 countries and provided clear instructions on configuration for any device.
But security-wise, I found myself wanting more. ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, which the company touts because the territory lacks any foreign intelligence operations and does not participate in 14 Eyes intelligence-sharing agreements. But it is owned by Kape Technologies, which also owns competitor CyberGhost, and Kape has a problematic history that includes spreading malware. Not only that, in 2021, the Department of Justice charged ExpressVPN CIO Daniel Gericke for cyberspying activities on behalf of the UAE. ExpressVPN stood by the CIO in a blog post.
But it’s not all bad. ExpressVPN publicly shared security audits of its mobile apps, protocol and desktop apps last year. That’s a win for security transparency. Still, a 2021 Consumer Reports study found that ExpressVPN didn’t support multifactor authentication, did not meet brute force mitigation checks and retained some data even after an account was terminated. ExpressVPN did, however, exceed industry standards in protections against unauthorized access, implement a vulnerability disclosure program and said it would not pursue legal action against security researchers. That means when it comes to security standards and practices, ExpressVPN as a company has a few too many misses and not enough hits.
I recommended ExpressVPN as our top choice for gamers, frequent travelers and heavy users of streaming services because it lets users access a wide range of locations from a variety of devices with high speed connections and no lag. With options to configure directly to routers and gaming consoles, it’s a solid choice for people that put a lot of strain on their ISPs. Still, there are better VPNs for the security-minded or those who want something more affordable.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/vpn-review-expressvpn-2023-gaming-streaming-160052492.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Apple Music vs. Spotify: Which music streaming service is the best?
Spotify has long been the champ of music streaming, but Apple Music is hot on its heels. Who’s winning the battle between these two music streaming services?
Digital Trends
Walmart’s new Onn Google TV 4K Streaming Box costs under $20
There’s a new media streamer on the block in the form of Walmart’s Onn Google TV 4K Streaming Box which has appeared on the retailer’s website. Rumored to be running Android TV 12, the Google TV 4K Streaming Box is priced at just $ 19.88 on Walmart’s website although it’s listed as an ‘in-store’ purchase in […]
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The best live TV streaming services in 2023
Streaming promised us a world without cable contracts and the satisfaction of only paying for what we actually wanted to watch. But at what cost? Cutting the cord typically means you don’t get to watch local channels, live sports or certain “cable only” networks. If you want to get back some of what cable has to offer – without the contract or quite so much padding – a live TV streaming service may be what you need. There are a handful of options out there and nearly all of them are worth considering. We tested out six, comparing the features, prices and usability of each to come up with recommendations for different types of TV lovers.
What to look for in a live TV streaming service
What you need to stream live TV
Streaming live TV is a lot like using Netflix. You get access through apps on your phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device and the signal arrives over the internet. A faster and more stable connection tends to give you a better experience. Most live TV apps require you to sign up and pay via a web browser. After that, you can activate the app on your device.
Price
When I started my research, I was struck by the price difference between live TV and a standard streaming app like Netflix or Peacock. Where the latter cost between $ 5 and $ 20 per month, many live TV services hit around the $ 70 mark and can go higher than $ 100 with additional perks, channel packages and premium extras. I also learned that when it comes to base plans, higher prices are mostly due to the cost of providing multiple networks – particularly sports and local stations.
Local channels
Only two of the services we tried don’t include full local channel coverage and one of those makes no effort at carrying sports. That would be Philo and, as you might guess, it’s the cheapest. The next most affordable option, Sling, only carries three local stations, and only in larger markets, but it still manages to include some of the top sports channels.
When you sign up with any provider that handles local TV, you’ll enter your zip code, ensuring you get your area’s broadcast affiliates for ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC. Of course, you can also get those stations for free. Nearly all modern television sets support a radio frequency (RF) connection, also known as the coaxial port, which means if you buy an HD antenna, you’ll receive locally broadcast stations like ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC. And since the signal is digital, reception is much improved over the staticky rabbit-ears era.
Sports
One reality that spun my head was the sheer number and iterations of sports networks in existence. Trying to figure out which network will carry the match-up you want to see can be tricky. Google makes it a little easier by listing out upcoming games: if you click on one, the “TV & streaming” button will tell you which network is covering the event.
That just leaves figuring out if your chosen service carries that network. Unfortunately, even with add-ons and extra packages, some providers simply don’t have certain channels. It would take a lawyer to understand the ins and outs of streaming rights negotiations, and networks leave and return to live TV carriers all the time. That said, most major sporting events in the US are covered by ESPN, Fox Sports, TNT, USA and local affiliates.
Traditional cable networks
Dozens of networks were once only available with cable, like Bravo, BET, Food Network, HGTV, CNN, Lifetime, SYFY and MTV. If you only subscribe to, say, HBO Max and Netflix, you won’t have access to any of those. All the options we tested deliver sizable lists of cable networks, though only DirecTV gives you all of the top 36 channels ranked by Nielsen as the most watched in 2022.
Media conglomerates continue to merge, rebrand or reenter the streaming market, which means you can find many cable networks on traditional streaming platforms like Peacock. Other channels like AMC+ have their own stand-alone apps. If you’re just interested in live TV for cable-only shows, there are cheaper alternatives. I was particularly delighted by the 20 ad-free channels you get on the Discovery+ app for $ 7 per month. Paramount+ has shows from multiple brands, including MTV and Comedy Central, while Peacock has Bravo and Hallmark shows.
There’s even a service called Frndly TV that costs a mere $ 7 per month and streams A&E, Lifetime, Game Show Network, Vice and about 35 others. We didn’t test it for this guide because it doesn’t give you local access, news or sports and most people would be better served by the broader coverage on a cheap option like Philo.
I should also mention free ad-supported TV (FAST) streamers like Tubi, PlutoTV and Sling Freestream that let you drop in and watch a decent selection of live networks at zero cost. Some don’t even require a credit card. And if you have a Roku device or a Samsung TV, you can access hundreds of live channels via the Roku Channel or through the Samsung TV Plus app.
Digital video recordings (DVR)
Every option we’ve included offers DVR storage and all content is stored in the cloud, so you don’t need a separate physical device like you often do with traditional cable. You’ll either get an unlimited amount of recordings that expire after nine months or a year, or you’ll get a set number of hours (between 50 and 1,000) that you can keep indefinitely. Typically, all you need to do is designate what you want to record and the DVR component will do all the hard work of saving subsequent episodes for you to watch later.
Aside from being able to watch whenever it’s most convenient, you can also fast-forward through commercials in recorded content. In contrast, you can’t skip them on live TV or video-on-demand (VOD).
Most live TV subscriptions include access to a selection of VOD content including movies and shows that are currently airing on your subscribed networks. This typically doesn’t cover live events, local shows and news programming. But it does let you watch specific episodes of ongoing shows like Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives or BET’s Sistas. Just search for the program, pick an episode and hit play.
Tiers, packages and add-ons
Comparing price-to-offering ratios is a task for a spreadsheet. I… made three. The base plans range from $ 25 to $ 75 per month. From there, you can add on packages, which are usually groups of live TV channels bundled by themes like news, sports, entertainment or international. Those cost an extra $ 5 to $ 20 per month and simply show up in the guide where you find the rest of your base-level live TV.
Then there are more premium VOD add-ons, such as HBO Max, AMC+, Starz or Showtime. You may already have these through standalone apps. If you don’t, or if you prefer a combined bill and one access point for your streaming, many live TV subscriptions let you add them.
How we tested
When I begin testing for a guide, I research the most popular and well-reviewed players in the category and narrow down which are worth trying. For this space, just six services dominate, so I tried them all. After getting them set up using my laptop, I downloaded the apps on a Samsung smart TV running the latest version of Tizen OS. I counted the local stations and regional sports coverage, and noted how many of last year’s top cable networks were available. I then weighed the prices, base packages and available add-ons.
I then looked at how the programming was organized in each app’s UI and judged how easy everything was to navigate, from the top navigation to the settings. To test the search function, I searched for the same few shows on BET, Food Network, HGTV and Comedy Central, since all six providers carry those channels. I noted how helpful the searches were and how quickly they got me to season 6, episode 13 of Home Town.
I used DVR to record entire series and single movies and watched VOD shows, making sure to test the pause and scan functions. On each service with sports, I searched for the same four upcoming NHL, NBA, MLS and NCAA basketball matches and used the record option to save the games and play them back a day or two later. Finally, I noted any extra perks or irritating quirks.
Here’s the full list of everything we tried:
Most well-rounded: YouTube TV
Google’s live TV streaming service has a lot of strengths. Compared to our top pick for sports, YouTube TV covers major and minor teams, regional games and national matchups almost as well. It gives you clear navigation, a great search function, unlimited DVR and broad network coverage. It’s not quite as affordable as it once was, as YouTube recently raised the price to $ 73 per month – and it’s even more financially precarious if you’re not great at resisting temptation.
Upon signup, you’re presented with nearly 50 different add-ons, including 4K resolution, premium channels and themed packages. Even if you fight the urge to roll HBO Max, Shudder and AcornTV into the mix at signup, the enticement remains as it’s dangerously easy to add more to your subscription. If you search for a program on a network you don’t have, you’re prompted to add it. And of course, you can also rent or buy movies that aren’t currently showing on any channels, just like you can via YouTube. While it’s convenient to be able to order up anything you might want on a whim, I imagine this pushes many users’ bills far above Google’s listed $ 73 per month.
Still, it’s nice to have all your entertainment in one place. And if you only want the add-ons, you can actually subscribe to most of the standalone networks without paying for the base plan. Either way, you get a familiar user experience, with navigation you’ll recognize if you’ve spent any time on regular ol’ YouTube. Unsurprisingly, Google’s search function was the best of the bunch, finding the shows and games I searched for quickly and giving me clear choices for how to watch and record.
At signup, you’ll also pick the shows, networks and teams you like, which are added to your library. YouTube TV then automatically records them. You get unlimited cloud DVR space (though recordings expire after nine months) and it’s dead simple to add programming to your library. Like a real cable experience, YouTube TV autoplays your last-watched program upon startup by default, but it was the only service that allowed me to turn that feature off by heading to the settings.
Searching for and recording an upcoming game was easy. Once the game was recorded, I had to hunt a little to find it in my library (turns out single games are listed under the Events heading, not Sports). But after that, playback was simple and included a fascinating extra feature: You can either play a recorded game from the beginning or hit Watch Key Plays. The latter gives you between 12 and 20 highlight snippets, each about 10 seconds long. It focuses on the most impressive shots in an NBA bout and includes every goal in an MLS matchup. The feature was available for NCAA basketball and in-season major American leagues (hockey, soccer and basketball at the time of testing). Foreign and more minor games didn’t have the feature.
YouTube TV also gives you the most in-app settings. You can add parental controls to a profile or pull up a stats menu that shows your buffer health and connection speeds. You can lower playback resolution for slow connections and even send feedback to YouTube. It was also the best at integrating VOD and live programming. For example, if you search for a show that happens to be playing live, a red badge in the corner of the show’s image lets you know it’s on right now. Other services didn’t display this info as clearly.
Now that YouTube TV is $ 73 per month, it’s no longer cheaper than Hulu + Live TV, which is $ 70. And if you already subscribe the regular Hulu app, this is definitely the better better choice. Hulu’s option gives you live TV streaming, plus all of Hulu’s content, some of which you can’t get elsewhere.
Hulu + Live TV carries your local affiliates and 32 of the top 36 cable channels, which is the same number as YouTube TV. For sports, you get all available ESPN iterations plus FS1, FS2, TBS, USA, TNT, NBC Golf and the NFL Network. You can also add on premium VOD channels like HBO Max and Showtime, and it’s the only provider that includes Disney+ at no extra cost.
Navigation on Hulu + Live TV isn’t as smooth as most of the other options – it felt like the live component had been shoehorned into the standard Hulu app. But if you’re already comfortable with (and paying for) Hulu, upgrading to the live TV bundle might be worthwhile.
YouTube TV
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Base plan: $ 73/mo
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Local channels: Yes
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Top cable channels: 32 of 36
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DVR limits: Unlimited, 9-month expiration
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Profiles per account: 6
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Simultaneous at-home streams: 3 (unlimited with upgrade)
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Picture in picture mode: Yes
Hulu + Live TV
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Base plan: $ 70/mo
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Local channels: Yes
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Top cable channels: 32 of 36
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DVR limits: Unlimited, 9-month expiration
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Profiles per account: 6
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Simultaneous at-home streams: 2 (unlimited with upgrade)
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Picture in picture mode: No
Best cable without a contract: DirecTV Stream
Canceling cable is no joke – those contracts are binding. But if you enjoy the serendipity of flipping from one channel to the next and having access to as many networks as possible, DirecTV Stream will give you a very similar experience to cable without shackling you to a contract. Like cable, it allows you to jump to the “next” sequential channel (yes, DirecTV Stream numbers its channels) with a single button press, transforming the left and right d-pad buttons of a smart TV remote into the rocker on a standard clicker.
It carries all the top 36 cable networks (though Game Show Network and Animal Planet are only available at the second tier and above) and lets you add multiple packages and premiums like Showtime, Starz, AMC+ and Discovery+. You can also add HBO Max, just like on YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV, but DirecTV is the only one we tried that lets you add Peacock. Of course, you can always add those apps separately to your smart TV, but for anyone who prefers the all-in-one convenience of cable, it’s a nice perk.
When you fire up DirecTV Stream, whichever network you last watched automatically starts playing. It continues when you switch over to the guide or other menu pages. If you’re used to the quieter experience of traditional streaming apps (after you turn off autoplay), you might find that a little distracting.
The navigation didn’t feel intuitive, partly because the menu options overlay the currently playing show and because there are so many ways to browse, access and control live, recorded and on-demand entertainment. The search function was the least integrated of the services I tested. Instead of live-suggesting as you type, it forces you to enter your full search term on a separate keyboard interface. Even with that limitation, it found the shows and movies I searched for and accurately presented the upcoming games I wanted just from typing in one of the teams.
You can’t add new channels or packages through the app, which might be a relief to anyone worried about succumbing to subscription overload. Everyone else may just find it annoying.
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Base plan: $ 75/mo
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Local channels: Yes
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Top cable channels: 36 of 36
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DVR limits: Unlimited, 9-month expiration (maximum of 30 episodes per series)
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Profiles per account: 1
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Simultaneous at-home streams: Unlimited
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Picture in picture mode: No
Best for live sports: FuboTV
When you first sign up for FuboTV, it asks what teams you follow across all kinds of sports. Pick teams from in-season leagues and you’ll quickly have DVR content to watch. That’s because Fubo records every game your teams play as long as it’s aired on a supported channel – and its sports coverage is vast.
I tested out a premium subscription and the guide said there were 118 sports networks to choose from. In addition to the usual suspects from ESPN, Fox, NBC and CBS, you can watch motorsports, international leagues, adventure sports and even poker. Add-ons give you NBA TV, NHL Network, NFL Red Zone and MLB Network. And if you need access to all one thousand games the NBA plays in a season, you can add the NBA League Pass to your lineup for $ 15 per month. FuboTV even has its own sports channels.
Yes, the coverage is comprehensive, but FuboTV also made finding and recording specific games very easy. Searching for an upcoming game was simple, as was sifting through the ample amount of recorded games I ended up with. I particularly liked FanView for live games, which inserts the video into a smaller window and surrounds that window with continually updating stats plus a clickable list of other games currently airing.
FuboTV has made an obvious effort to win at sports, but recently it’s tried to deliver on the live TV experience as well. Based on what I’ve seen so far, it’s certainly made strides. The guide was impressive in the number of ways it let you organize live TV, yet everything felt clean and uncluttered. The Home, Sports, Shows and Movies pages were filled with recommendations and many iterations of categories, with almost all suggestions being live TV.
Where FuboTV falls short is in VOD access and DVR playback. It wasn’t the best at finding the shows I searched for, and navigating available VOD content wasn’t as breezy as browsing through live programming. The lack of a pop-up preview window as you fast forward or rewind through recordings makes it tough to gauge where you are in a show. As for price, FuboTV ties with DirecTV Stream for the most expensive base package at $ 75. But if you need all the sports – and want some nicely organized live TV during the few moments when there’s not a game on – this is the way to go.
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Base plan: $ 75/mo
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Local channels: Yes
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Top cable channels: 29 of 36
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DVR limits: 1000 hours, no expiration
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Profiles per account: 6
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Simultaneous at-home streams: 10
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Picture in picture mode: Yes (Apple TV only)
Most customizable: Sling TV
To me, the idea of spending time fine-tuning channel choices sounds exhausting. But if you’re the type who wants to get exactly what you want without paying for too much of what you don’t, Sling TV may be your best bet. It breaks its base plan into two packages, Blue and Orange, with different channels on each. Blue, which costs $ 45 a month, carries a larger number of networks, while Orange seems to have spent its lineup dollars on ESPN and ESPN 2. But at $ 40 monthly, Sling Orange is the cheapest way to get those two sports outlets.
After picking a plan, you can choose from a stable of add-on packages, with monthly prices ranging from $ 6 to $ 11. These include blocks of sports or lifestyle channels, kid-friendly fare, the Discovery+ bundle and a news package. There are 46 individual premium offerings, including Showtime, Starz, MGM+, Shudder and Acorn, which go for between $ 2 and $ 10 per month. Sling has pay-per-view movies, too.
As far as local coverage, Sling Blue grants access to ABC, Fox and NBC local affiliates in about 20 of the larger US markets including Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, NYC, Miami and DC. ABC coverage began in March 2023, but unfortunately, that raised the price of Sling Blue in supported markets from $ 40 to $ 45. For people not in those areas (or who opt for Orange) Sling is currently running a promotion for a free HD antenna to catch local stations.
Navigation is speedy and the interface is nicely organized, putting an emphasis on what you like to watch, with recommendations that are pretty accurate. The UI also makes the add-ons you’ve chosen easy to find. In my tests, though, the app froze a number of times as I navigated. While most services froze once or twice, it happened enough times with Sling to frustrate me. I had to force quit or back out of the app and start over five or six times during the three weeks of testing. Compared to others, Sling’s DVR allowance is on the stingy side, only giving you 50 hours of recordings, though they won’t expire. You can pay for more DVR storage, but that will increase your overall costs.
I tried not to wander too far off-path during testing, but I feel it’s my duty to inform you that Sling has an Elvis channel, a Bob Ross channel and ALF TV (yes, an entire station devoted to the ‘80s sitcom starring a puppet). There’s also a Dog TV network intended to be played for your dogs when you leave the house, which you can add to Sling or get as a standalone app.
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Base plan: Starting at $ 40/mo
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Local channels: ABC, FOX, NBC in limited markets
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Top cable channels: 22 or 29 of 36
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DVR limits: 50 hours, no expiration
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Profiles per account: 4
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Simultaneous at-home streams: 1 or 3
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Picture in picture mode: Yes
Best budget: Philo
At just $ 25 per month, Philo is one of the cheapest ways to get a cordless live TV experience. The biggest caveat is that you won’t find any local stations or sports programming on it. If that’s not an issue, Philo is great, with a clean, streamlined interface and generous DVR limits.
I’m a fan of minimalist design, so I appreciated the way Philo presented its menus and guide. There are just four top navigation headings: Home, Guide, Saved and Search. And instead of the usual guide layout that stretches out or shortens a show’s listing to represent its air time, Philo’s guide features monospaced squares in chronological order with the duration of the program inside the square. Another nice touch is when you navigate to a square, it fills with a live video of the show or movie.
Philo doesn’t limit the amount of programming you can DVR and lets you keep recordings for a full year, which is more than the nine months other providers allow. Like all live TV streamers, Philo won’t let you fast forward VOD programming. If skipping commercials is important to you, I recommend taking advantage of that unlimited DVR policy and hitting “Save” on any show or movie you think you may want to watch, then fast forwarding it on playback (you can do this with all the services we tried).
As far as channels, Philo covers 23 of the top 36 cable networks, with notable exceptions including Fox News, CNN, ESPN and MSNBC. Anyone looking for great news coverage should look elsewhere anyway, but the lack of a few must-have entertainment outlets like Bravo and Freeform was a little disappointing.
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Base plan: $ 25/mo.
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Local channels: No
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Top cable channels: 23 of 36
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DVR limits: Unlimited, one year expiration
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Profiles per account: 10
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Simultaneous streams: 3
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Picture in picture mode: Yes (browser only)
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-live-tv-streaming-service-133000410.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
HBO Max will begin streaming ‘Game of Thrones’ in 4K HDR next month
Ahead of the debut of House of the Dragon on August 21st, HBO Max will begin streaming all eight seasons of Game of Thrones in 4K. HBO parent company Warner Bros. Discovery announced the news this week in a programming notice spotted by FlatpanelsHD (via The Verge). The company said all eight seasons would also support Dolby Atmos, as well as HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Whether that’s a good reason to revisit the show’s infamous “The Long Night” episode and less-than-stellar final season is up to you.
Previously, the only way to watch the entirety of Game of Thrones in 4K was to buy the Ultra HD Blu-ray collection, which can cost as much as $ 255. Streaming the series in 4K will be considerably more affordable since all you will need is a subscription to HBO Max’s $ 15 per month ad-free tier and a supported device like an Apple TV 4K, Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K or Google Chromecast Ultra. Those same devices will allow you to watch House of the Dragon in 4K HDR when it arrives late next month.
What is Chromecast? Google’s wireless streaming tech explained
Google’s Chromecast technology is showing up on smart TVs, smart soundbars, and streaming media devices. But what is Chromecast and how does it work?
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The $15 Roku LE Streaming Player is exclusively available at Walmart on November 24th
Looking for a cheap reliable streaming player from a brand you trust? The $ 15 Roku LE Straming Player could be the answer to your needs with its HD Streaming but it’s a Walmart exclusive and will only be on sale on November 24th online and in-store from November 26th, while stocks last. Priced at just […]
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Twitch plans streaming GlitchCon event for November 14th
With TwitchCon cancelled due to the pandemic, Twitch said it would find ways to “join forces in an alternate dimension” and now it has. The streaming video service posted a tweet with a quick video preview and the message “Because no fun was ever had…
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NBCU’s new deal with Roku will bring Peacock to the streaming platform
Just a few hours ago it looked like the fight between NBCUniversal and Roku would get ugly, and even see the Comcast-owned network’s other channels disappear from streaming boxes and sticks. But now the two have patched things up, and announced that…
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Microsoft says Apple’s game streaming policy will lead to ‘a bad experience’
Earlier today, Apple revised its App Store guidelines to give companies such as Microsoft and Google a way to offer their video game streaming platforms on iOS, but did so with a major caveat. Apple said those companies could release catalog-style ap…
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Google Fiber adds Philo streaming as an option next to YouTube and fubo
After years of offering TV service along with its high-speed internet package, Google Fiber announced in February that it will only offer new customers options to sign up for streaming services. At the time, it supported YouTube TV and fuboTV, and no…
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Best Music Streaming Services in 2020
If you like listening to a wide variety of music, chances are that you may not be flocking to purchase every track or album individually in order to listen to it. Not only would the cost add up, but as new music is constantly in the works, it’d be nearly impossible to keep up with. […]
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Microsoft confirm Game Streaming service xCloud launch for September 2020
Microsoft have officially announced the xCloud launch. The Google Stadia rival game streaming service goes live in September. As part of a big update on the future of gaming, Microsoft gave further details on the Xbox Series X and xCloud. In September, the xCloud service will go live for current Game Pass Ultimate subscribers ($ 15 […]
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Verizon adds free Disney+, Hulu streaming to some Fios packages
Verizon (Engadget's parent company) has launched a new deal to try to entice people to its Fios service. Building on the Disney+ promotion the telecom announced last year, new customers can get up to 12 months of Hulu free when they subscribe to Veri…
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Amazon’s multiplayer Pac-Man game is made for Twitch streaming
Amazon Games showed it’s a serious competitor with the new shooter Crucible and has an MMO on the way, but its next game is the one that makes the most sense for Twitch streaming. That’s because Pac-Man Live Studio is not just a variant of the arcade…
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Google is working on 4K/HDR streaming to Android TV for Stadia
So what’s next for Stadia after rolling out 4K streaming on the web, and 5.1 surround sound for players using a browser? According to code 9to5Google dug up in the app, Google is preparing to add the option for 4K and HDR-quality streaming on Android…
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NASCAR driver fired after using a racial slur while streaming
The switch from real-life racing to esports has been increasingly popular with viewers — NBC reports that last weekend’s iRacing Indycar Challenge at MIS brought in 25 percent more viewers than the first event — but slightly tricky for racers. Not be…
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Samsung shuts down its PC-to-mobile game streaming on March 27th
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Is Amazon TV the next live TV streaming service to get into a crowded market?
Live TV streaming services are a dangerous game to play. We’ve seen big names fold out of the market, like Sony’s PlayStation Vue, despite offering a great service. We’ve also seen reliable services consistently increase pricing, like from Sling TV and even YouTube TV, all thanks to thorny deals with the actual content providers. It […]
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ViacomCBS is working on yet another streaming service
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IMDb’s free streaming service will have every episode of ‘Lost’
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Jam out with the best music streaming services for 2020
We’re well past the point of carrying CDs (or cassette tapes!) around just to listen to music. It’s even difficult to rip music off of physical media these days. Nope, now we’re all in on streaming everything, and we’re here to help you pick out the best music streaming services for your smartphone. Check out […]
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[Poll] Do you still buy movies, or are you all-in on streaming?
The landscape of watching television has changed drastically over the last few years. Long gone are the days of renting a movie from BlockBuster on Friday night, even though that’s still an option for some people. But we want to know what you do for your movies and TV fix. Do you still buy things, […]
Come comment on this article: [Poll] Do you still buy movies, or are you all-in on streaming?
Plex launches a free streaming service for movies and TV
Cord cutters rejoice – Plex has followed through on a September announcement that it would offer a free streaming service by the end of 2019. After initially teaming up with Warner Bros., thousands of ad-supported movies and TV shows are now available on the Plex app. Specifically, you can stream “free movies, TV shows, extreme […]
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Streaming dominates the music industry’s revenue
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Disney pulls the plug on FX Networks’ standalone streaming service
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‘Doom’ will be streaming on iOS later this year
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Valve beats Google to the punch with Steam Link cloud streaming to your phone
Valve’s current implementation of their Steam Link hardware and software combination allows users to stream games from their PCs to a phone or Steam Link somewhere else on the network. Want to play some Assassin’s Creed in bed on your phone? No problem. Want Call of Duty on your home theater setup but don’t want […]
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NBCUniversal to launch ad-supported TV streaming service in 2020
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IMDb launches ad-supported free streaming service ‘Freedive’ in USA
IMDb has today announced a new, free and ad-supported streaming service called ‘Freedive’, though it has a rather small offering and is US-only for now. This move adds to Amazon’s growing digital ecosystem and gives Amazon a serious competitor to the new Roku channel, which also features a ton of free, ad-supported content. Since Netflix incepted the […]
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Disney’s streaming service is called Disney+ and set to launch late 2019
Disney has a ton of TV shows and movies available via a variety of streaming services and networks that often involves paying for multiple subscriptions, but the entire catalog of content isn’t possible to view from a single source. This could soon change, though, with news of a new streaming service called Disney+ run by […]
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How to set up Google Assistant on your Roku streaming stick or TV
As the Google Assistant marches on in its quest to be everywhere on everything, the next brand to assimilate offer support is Roku with its streaming devices. Depending on which model Roku that you own, you’ll soon be able to add the device as a Home Control service in the Google Home app. Join us […]
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Amazon may add to its ‘free’ TV streaming in the UK
Amazon's next foray into video probably isn't what you expect. No, the e-commerce juggernaut isn't jumping into VR (that we know of), it will potentially start offering more free, ad-supported channels however. At least in the United Kingdom. Accordi…
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YouTube Music, a new music streaming service, is coming soon
From Beyonce’s livestream at Coachella to landmark videos like “Despacito,” “New Rules” and “This Is America,” more than 1 billion music fans come to YouTube each month to be part of music culture and discover new music. It’s also where over 2 million artists come to share their voices and art with the world. YouTube is where artists and fans connect: creating and discovering a world of music.
But YouTube was made for video, not just music. On Tuesday, May 22, we’ll be changing that by introducing YouTube Music, a new music streaming service made for music with the magic of YouTube: making the world of music easier to explore and more personalized than ever. The days of jumping back and forth between multiple music apps and YouTube are over. Whether you want to listen, watch or discover, it’s all here. YouTube Music is a new music streaming service made for music: official songs, albums, thousands of playlists and artist radio plus YouTube’s tremendous catalog of remixes, live performances, covers and music videos that you can’t find anywhere else – all simply organized and personalized. For the first time, all the ways music moves you can be found in one place.
So what is YouTube Music exactly?
A new music streaming service from YouTube
- A reimagined mobile app and brand new desktop player that are designed for music.
- YouTube Music has thousands of playlists, the official versions of millions of songs, albums, artist radio and more, in addition to all the music videos people expect from YouTube.
Find more of the music you’re looking for
- Remixes, covers, live versions as well as deep cuts you can’t find anywhere else – from the biggest artists in the world to freshest voices breaking through.
- New and iconic videos from “God’s Plan” and “Havana” to “Thriller,” “Sledgehammer,” and more.
- YouTube Music search works even if fans don’t know exactly what they’re looking for … we’ll find it if they describe it (try “that hipster song with the whistling”) or give us some lyrics (try “I make money moves”).
Effortlessly discover new music
- YouTube Music’s personalized home screen dynamically adapts to provide recommendations based on people’s listening history, where they are and what they’re doing. At the airport? We’ll recommend something relaxing before the flight. Entering the gym? We’ll suggest some beats to get the heart-rate going.
- Thousands of playlists built to help you discover new music. That means no matter what kind of music you like, where you are, what you’re doing, or what mood you’re in, you can easily find the right playlist for that moment.
While fans can enjoy the new ad-supported version of YouTube Music for free, we’re also launching YouTube Music Premium, a paid membership that gives you background listening, downloads and an ad-free experience for $ 9.99 a month. If you are a subscriber to Google Play Music, good news, you get a YouTube Music Premium membership as part of your subscription each month. And if you use Google Play Music, nothing will change — you’ll still be able to access all of your purchased music, uploads and playlists in Google Play Music just like always.
To extend the features of YouTube Music Premium beyond the music app, we’re soon introducing YouTube Premium, the new name for our YouTube Red subscription service. YouTube Premium includes ad-free, background and offline across all of YouTube, as well as access to all YouTube Originals including Cobra Kai, Step Up: High Water and Youth & Consequences. YouTube Premium will continue to provide an ad-free experience, background play, and downloads across the millions of videos on YouTube. But because it includes our brand new YouTube Music service, the price will be $ 11.99 for all new members. If you’re already a YouTube Red (soon to be YouTube Premium) member, don’t worry you’ll still enjoy your current price.
Starting Tuesday, we’re rolling out the new YouTube Music experience in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and South Korea*. It will expand more broadly in the coming weeks. We’ll also soon be launching in Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. If you want to know when the new YouTube Music is available in your country, head to music.youtube.com/coming-soon and let us know you’re interested.
Elias Roman, Product Manager – YouTube Music, recently listened to In Due Time by Outkast
*South Korea will only offer the YouTube Premium membership, not YouTube Music Premium.
YouTube Live streaming gets significant updates
Streaming live content via YouTube Live has been an indispensable tool for content creators to deliver music, sports, gaming and more from anywhere in the world. Live broadcasting is now available to virtually anyone with a smartphone and YouTube has just added some notable updates. Let’s take a look at what’s new. Live chat allows […]
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Updates to YouTube Live streaming
Together, we’ve experienced the biggest music, sports, science, culture and gaming events unfold live on YouTube. Now we’re introducing more ways to watch live videos and interact with your community in real time.
Catching up on the latest
Live chat plays a key role in creating connections between creators and their community. Today we are starting to roll out chat replay to YouTube, so you can follow the conversation even after a live stream is over. Live chat replays will show up alongside the video, exactly as it appeared live.
Making live streams more accessible
We launched automatic captions back in 2009, and since then, we’ve auto-captioned a staggering 1 billion videos. We’re now bringing English automatic captions to live streams.
When professionally provided captions aren’t available, our new live automatic captions provide creators a quick and inexpensive way to make live streams accessible to more people. With our live automatic speech recognition (LASR) technology, you’ll get captions with error rates and latency approaching industry standards. We’ll roll this out in the coming weeks, and will continue to improve accuracy and latency of automatic captions.
More fun features for live streamers
Creators can now add a location tag to their mobile live streams and video uploads and share all their favorite hot spots with viewers. You can explore other videos with the same location tag by simply clicking on it. You can also use the location filter on the search results page to find other videos from a specific spot.
Last year, we introduced a way for Super Chats to trigger real life events. Now creators can set this up for their channels using IFTTT (If This, Then That). Over 600 internet-connected services and devices (like lights, pet feeders and confetti cannons!) can be connected to Super Chat. Super Chat is already available on desktop and Android devices, with support for iOS devices rolling out starting today.
With live streams, you’ve found more intimate and spontaneous ways to share your thoughts, lives, and creativity. Take these features for a spin and show us your world!
Kurt Wilms, Live Video Product Lead, recently watched “Falcon Heavy Test Flight.”
Google contemplates a GeForce Now streaming competitor with Yeti service
Google is considering testing the streaming gaming market and jumping directly into competition with NVIDIA and Sony, according to a new report. It would function like GeForce Now or PlayStation Now, but instead use a Chromecast or Google home console as a delivery device. Details are scarce, but the service is internally referred to as […]
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Streaming ESPN Plus launches this spring for $4.99
As Disney announced its quarterly earnings results today, CEO Bob Iger told CNBC that the company plans to price its standalone streaming version of ESPN at $ 4.99 per month. We've already heard that ESPN Plus will include "10,000 live regional, natio…
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[Poll] And your favorite music streaming service is…
Last week we ran a poll about which music streaming services all of you are regularly using. I don’t think anyone will be too surprised about the winner, but I think there were some surprises in the results. Google Play Music was the clear favorite, snagging nearly 40% of all of the votes cast in […]
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Amazon set to bid for Premier League streaming rights
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Check out Tidal’s music streaming completely free for 12 days after Christmas
If you’ve been itching to test out Tidal’s music streaming service to potentially replace Spotify or Google Play Music, you’re going to have a chance this Christmas. Starting on the 25th, Tidal will be giving everyone access to their streaming catalog for 12 days, no credit card required. All you’ll need to do is sign […]
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YouTube Remix is set to be Google’s third music streaming service, launching early 2018
I know what you are thinking; the world needs yet another music streaming service. For so long we’ve been limited to choosing between Spotify, Tidal, Google Play Music All Access, Apple Music, Pandora, YouTube Red, and the other ones we don’t have space to mention. As you can see, Google already has two music streaming […]
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Bloomberg: Verizon’s new NFL streaming deal will stretch to TV
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A live-action ‘Star Wars’ show is headed to Disney’s streaming service
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