Comcast/Xfinity to drop BTN in May

SelectionSunday

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Please let this not be true.

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Nice. I quit Comcast 20 years ago to Directv and have never looked back.
 

Question for the all the TV techies out there, I don't know squat about all the phone/TV streaming and that stuff. ...

So if our family has to to keep Comcast, is there any way to get BTN (the app?) to go through our TV like we have with Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, etc.? Or if I want the BTN (on an actual TV) will we have to switch to satellite TV?

I'm not one who wants to watch games on my phone. I do that only on rare occasions, so I'm not looking for BTN streaming on my phone.

Hey Comcast, as Henry Steele once said in the movie One on One, "All the way with a red hot poker."
 

The entire world is moving towards streaming.

You could cut Xfinity for everything but Internet and just choose a streaming service that offers BTN, like YouTube TV. It's a lot cheaper than Xfinity anyway.
 

The entire world is moving towards streaming.

You could cut Xfinity for everything but Internet and just choose a streaming service that offers BTN, like YouTube TV. It's a lot cheaper than Xfinity anyway.

Thanks for the info.

Time for some serious discussions with my wife about our cable/satellite options. I refuse to resort to watching BTN on my phone!
 


I just quit DirecTV. I got some Rokus and am using YouTube TV. $40/month. I have everything I ever watched on satellite, including a DVR. After finally switching, I can’t believe cable/satellite still exists at the prices they charge. There is no reason for it anymore. I get the locals too.


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Question for the all the TV techies out there, I don't know squat about all the phone/TV streaming and that stuff. ...

So if our family has to to keep Comcast, is there any way to get BTN (the app?) to go through our TV like we have with Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, etc.? Or if I want the BTN (on an actual TV) will we have to switch to satellite TV?

I'm not one who wants to watch games on my phone. I do that only on rare occasions, so I'm not looking for BTN streaming on my phone.

Hey Comcast, as Henry Steele once said in the movie One on One, "All the way with a red hot poker."

A Chromecast will allow you to play pretty much anything from your phone, tablet or computer on your TV. You may lose your online access to BTN though if Comcast is dropping them so you'll want to check that out first.

You could also get one of the streaming services. In my opinion Playstation Vue streaming offers the best sports options, but you'll have to check out the channel lineups for each one to see what you think. Getting a streaming service is usually a little cheaper than cable, though the prices of most streaming services have gone up (at least in the packages that have the sports channels you'll want) so it isn't really that much cheaper anymore. You could also look at DirecTV which might cost a little more, but I haven't done a comparison recently. Really depends which channels you want.
 

Question for the all the TV techies out there, I don't know squat about all the phone/TV streaming and that stuff. ...

So if our family has to to keep Comcast, is there any way to get BTN (the app?) to go through our TV like we have with Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, etc.? Or if I want the BTN (on an actual TV) will we have to switch to satellite TV?

I'm not one who wants to watch games on my phone. I do that only on rare occasions, so I'm not looking for BTN streaming on my phone.

Hey Comcast, as Henry Steele once said in the movie One on One, "All the way with a red hot poker."

Hey SS, looks like people have given you some good options. I stream the ESPN networks, BTN, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and Fox right through a Roku. Super easy to use. Plenty of options out there as well: PlayStation Vue, SlingTV, YouTube TV, DirecTV Now, etc.

Word of warning. Some internet companies do have a maximum on the amount of gigabytes you can use each month. So check with your internet provider. I watch a ridiculous amount of college basketball, and I actually went over a couple of months this past winter (I have Xfinity internet). Now my GF does watch a pretty good amount of Netflix though, which burns into that. General rule of thumb is 1 GB per hour (could be lower or higher based on the quality of the streaming).
 

I just quit DirecTV. I got some Rokus and am using YouTube TV. $40/month. I have everything I ever watched on satellite, including a DVR. After finally switching, I can’t believe cable/satellite still exists at the prices they charge. There is no reason for it anymore. I get the locals too.

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This x100000

I just made the exact same switch last week. My DirecTV bill (3 receivers, genie, DVR, HBO, sports package, etc was upwards of $170/month!!

Picked up 2 RoKu's and 1 Chromecast and am now paying YouTube TV $42/month. Even with the $12 for Netflix and $15 for HBO, I'm coming our waaaaaayyyy ahead.

CORD CUTTERS UNITE!!
 





I also dropped DiretTV in favor of Youtube TV. So far I like it a lot. Had to spend ~$60 on a couple Google Chromecasts, but am now saving a bundle every month. Not once have we regretted it. Also, being an At&T customer, I can get HBO Go for free through the DirecTV Now app. Add in Netflix for my wife/daughter and we get as much TV as we could ever hope for for just over $50 a month.
 

Question for the all the TV techies out there, I don't know squat about all the phone/TV streaming and that stuff. ...

So if our family has to to keep Comcast, is there any way to get BTN (the app?) to go through our TV like we have with Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, etc.? Or if I want the BTN (on an actual TV) will we have to switch to satellite TV?

I'm not one who wants to watch games on my phone. I do that only on rare occasions, so I'm not looking for BTN streaming on my phone.

Hey Comcast, as Henry Steele once said in the movie One on One, "All the way with a red hot poker."

Well, I haven't done it yet (I was going to do it last summer - I will do it this summer with this news!) but I think you can just continue to use Comcast internet and buy a streaming TV package (they're pretty reasonable). PLAY Station TV does have the Big Ten Network. They're a bit more expensive than Sling TV (which didn't have the Big 10 network at last view) but they do give you a lot of streaming channels for the price.
 



I just quit DirecTV. I got some Rokus and am using YouTube TV. $40/month. I have everything I ever watched on satellite, including a DVR. After finally switching, I can’t believe cable/satellite still exists at the prices they charge. There is no reason for it anymore. I get the locals too.

Yup. I have the same story as you, except I use PlayStation Vue instead of DirecTV.
 

Not shocking. Midco just dropped them last week and Comcast has common ownership. I'll be switching to DirecTV. Just needed a nudge.
 

Vowing to try youtube tv this coming season. Comcast tried to stick it to us when my dad died before he'd fulfilled his contract...!
 

Not shocking. Midco just dropped them last week and Comcast has common ownership. I'll be switching to DirecTV. Just needed a nudge.

Seriously, to each their own, but if you don’t live in some weird or remote area where it isn’t available, try out Youtube TV (or another streaming service). I get all the sports channels, the locals, the main other channels that people actually watch, AND it has DVR with all the functions of the box DVR’s. It’s $40 a month. You also have almost no cords and you have access to everything on your phone everywhere. I sound like a commercial, but it’s true and my bill went from $150 to $40. That’s just crazy. On top of that, it is month to month. There’s no risk.


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How much are you cable cutters paying a month for a good internet connection? The math I've done is its damn near even since I get some savings by bundling my TV and Internet. I dont know how you all are saving so much.
 

How much are you cable cutters paying a month for a good internet connection? The math I've done is its damn near even since I get some savings by bundling my TV and Internet. I dont know how you all are saving so much.

Yea, I'm not sure some people are calculating it correctly. I save a little bit per month, but nowhere near what I've seen others say they save. I had a lot of buffering issues in my first couple months of streaming TV so I upgraded my internet and got an expensive (but effective) new wireless router. Much better now, though I still have issues every couple of weeks.
 

Yea, I'm not sure some people are calculating it correctly. I save a little bit per month, but nowhere near what I've seen others say they save. I had a lot of buffering issues in my first couple months of streaming TV so I upgraded my internet and got an expensive (but effective) new wireless router. Much better now, though I still have issues every couple of weeks.

Thanks. Thought I was missing something
 

How much are you cable cutters paying a month for a good internet connection? The math I've done is its damn near even since I get some savings by bundling my TV and Internet. I dont know how you all are saving so much.

I don't factor in the cost of internet connection because I need and would have it no matter what TV provider I have. I guess I'm not as much a cable cutter as I am a DirecTV cutter, still paying $40 beats paying $120 a month, and I really like Youtube TV.
 

How much are you cable cutters paying a month for a good internet connection? The math I've done is its damn near even since I get some savings by bundling my TV and Internet. I dont know how you all are saving so much.

I cut the cord from Directv last September and went with PlayStation Vue. Kept Comcast for the internet connection and the price for that hasn't changed. I am saving $40 a month dropping Directv. I was getting a number of discounts from Directv. Grew tired of going through the same song and dance every year with customer service to keep gettng the discounts.

There are some buffering issues you have to get use to but nothing that annoying. Usually happens during the night hours when more traffic is on the network. Happy I cut the cord.
 


I don't factor in the cost of internet connection because I need and would have it no matter what TV provider I have. I guess I'm not as much a cable cutter as I am a DirecTV cutter, still paying $40 beats paying $120 a month, and I really like Youtube TV.

Exactly right - I would have internet regardless of my TV provider, so I don't understand how that's relevant. I paid about $120/mo for DirecTV and when I first signed up for PlayStation Vue in July 2016, it was $40/mo. It has since increased to $55/mo, so still a massive savings. Plus, if anything, the user experience is even better, aside from the cost savings.
 

How much are you cable cutters paying a month for a good internet connection? The math I've done is its damn near even since I get some savings by bundling my TV and Internet. I dont know how you all are saving so much.

So you only want a good internet connection for TV streaming purposes? I don't really understand the question, most people want fast internet at home whether they watch TV or not
 

Exactly right - I would have internet regardless of my TV provider, so I don't understand how that's relevant. I paid about $120/mo for DirecTV and when I first signed up for PlayStation Vue in July 2016, it was $40/mo. It has since increased to $55/mo, so still a massive savings. Plus, if anything, the user experience is even better, aside from the cost savings.

I would agree about the user experience being better. Last night I was at my son's basketball practice when I realized I'd forgotten to record the Spring game. Pulled out my phone and it was done within 5 seconds. Youtube TV lists the "top picks" for you right at the top, and it always includes what I want to watch. It has an unlimited DVR and I'm not worried at all about the satellite being rain/snowed out this weekend.
 

So you only want a good internet connection for TV streaming purposes? I don't really understand the question, most people want fast internet at home whether they watch TV or not

The problem is most of you guys aren't including the discounted rate that DirecTV gives you in the first 12 months or the fact that you may need to upgrade your internet service if you go to a streaming service for TV.

I'll break it down:

I had DirecTV Extra package bundled with regular Century Link internet. I had to sign a two year contract. My DirecTV Xtra package cost $55/month for the first 12 months and $120/month for the 2nd 12 months. (Average Cost per month for 2 year contract: $87.50) My Century Link internet cost $45/month, which included a $5/month discount for bundling with DirecTV.

So, for the entirety of my two year contract I was paying an average of $87.50 for DirecTV + $45 for internet = $132.50 per month for TV and internet.


I switched to Playstation Vue a few months ago. There is no contract, which is really nice. I pay $55/month for a channel package that includes many of the channels I got in the DirecTV extra package, though not quite all of them. Still, it has all the sports channels I want which is the most important thing to me. Since I no longer have DirecTV, I don't get the $5 monthly bundling discount on internet. I was having problems with buffering in my first month so I also upgraded my internet service for an additional $10/month so I now pay $60 per month for internet. The buffering problems have gotten much better since I upgraded.

So, I now pay $55 for PS Vue TV + $60 for internet = $115 per month for TV and internet.

So I save $17.50/month since switching. I think DirecTV service is a little better in terms of quality. The only times I ever lost signal were in bad thunderstorms during the summer, and in those situations I still got local channels. PS Vue service still has issues with buffering a couple nights every month, and it's usually on nights when there are lots of games on. But I really like not having a contract so overall I'm happy with the switch. If I could have the same DirecTV deal back with no contract I might do it.
 

Another happy YouTubeTV customer here. I'll never go back.
 

The problem is most of you guys aren't including the discounted rate that DirecTV gives you in the first 12 months or the fact that you may need to upgrade your internet service if you go to a streaming service for TV.

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Good information! There doesn't appear to be a huge difference for you. For me, my bundled Comcast internet and TV cable runs about $230 a month so I don't see how I can't save by going to streaming. I'll keep my Comcast internet.

This is a very good thread. Lots of information about various packages for those who are considering a change.
 

Seriously, to each their own, but if you don’t live in some weird or remote area where it isn’t available, try out Youtube TV (or another streaming service). I get all the sports channels, the locals, the main other channels that people actually watch, AND it has DVR with all the functions of the box DVR’s. It’s $40 a month. You also have almost no cords and you have access to everything on your phone everywhere. I sound like a commercial, but it’s true and my bill went from $150 to $40. That’s just crazy. On top of that, it is month to month. There’s no risk.


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I'm open to it, but none of them have all of the broadcast networks included here. Some have two but not the other two etc. Also, I watch almost everything on DVR including sports and I'm not sure the streaming DVRs work for all channels? At the end of the day, you can get DirecTV down close to what the streaming packages are, you just have to work them. The DirecTV Now streaming looks very similar to YouTube/PS but also doesn't have all the broadcast networks.
 




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