Best tv streaming app for local region?

[mondu]

Originally Posted by MikePRU

I think the only streaming service that carries NESN now is FuboTV. For some reason, none of the streaming services want to carry NESN and a lot of the other regional sports channels that are associated with it. As you mentioned, YouTubeTV just dropped them. They probably charge too much. I'm not 100% sure about this but I think you can stream NESN through their own site and so you could potentially stream that on a device and cast/mirror it on your TV depending upon what devices you have available.

NESN does have its own streaming channel (NESN Go) however you cannot purchase it as a standalone service; you have to first subscribe to cable or FuboTV to watch it. It'll be interesting to see if NESN changes its business model anytime soon. From the mid-80s until 2001, it was a premium service like HBO charging around $10 per month extra. After that it became a basic cable service, so every cable subscriber in New England was passing along a chunk of their monthly fees to NESN. With more people cutting the cord, that gravy train is drying up. HBO now offers its service to directly to end users and NESN ought to do the same. I'd definitely pay $10-15 per month for it. I gave up paying $70+ for a bunch of other channels I don't watch just to get NESN (and NBC Sports for the Celtics).

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by mdovell

General Instrument..that brings back some memories. I still remember those remotes. Extra buttons that never seemed to do anything. F ? A/B? PC/PM?

I never migrated to the X1 platform. I used the old box until I cut the cord in early 2018.

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Depends on which Comcast set-top box technology you're using. If you're using the legacy General Instrument/Motorola stuff, it's compressed like crazy even with an "HD" set-top box. With the more modern X1 boxes, it's IP streaming over DOCSIS and much less compressed.

I am using Xfinity’s XG1v4 4k box, which is supposedly their newest and best. The XG1v4 looks good but when I compare a Patriots game on CBS switching between the 2 sources (Xfinity vs OTA HD antenna) it’s a real wake up call.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by mondu

NESN does have its own streaming channel (NESN Go) however you cannot purchase it as a standalone service; you have to first subscribe to cable or FuboTV to watch it. It'll be interesting to see if NESN changes its business model anytime soon. From the mid-80s until 2001, it was a premium service like HBO charging around $10 per month extra. After that it became a basic cable service, so every cable subscriber in New England was passing along a chunk of their monthly fees to NESN. With more people cutting the cord, that gravy train is drying up. HBO now offers its service to directly to end users and NESN ought to do the same. I'd definitely pay $10-15 per month for it. I gave up paying $70+ for a bunch of other channels I don't watch just to get NESN (and NBC Sports for the Celtics).

The whole "packaging" pricing model is what drove me away from cable TV. I hate having to buy 20 channels in order to get 1 that I want. I remember my basic package had like 100 channels which I watched maybe 10 of.

I think the days where people are willing to put up for paying for fluff are ending.

Originally Posted by porterhouse

I am using Xfinity’s XG1v4 4k box, which is supposedly their newest and best. The XG1v4 looks good but when I compare a Patriots game on CBS switching between the 2 sources (Xfinity vs OTA HD antenna) it’s a real wake up call.

That was a really pleasant surprise about switching to an OTA antenna. The picture quality was so much better!

[mdovell]

The only problem I see with streaming services is that there's a bit of shared content but then there's the exclusive. There's only so many. netflix, amazon prime, youtube tv, hulu, peacock, Disney plus, CBS, chiller etc. Quibi went out of business but I think they were some trying to half ass content. I think the major networks are established and at this point anything else is like cable access. Your conspiracy theories, hobbyists', political bent channels etc. I can see some going back to the idea of what cable was 25 years ago. Say 50 stations $50 a month what more do you want? I can see an app bundling service and some smart tv's already have apps installed. content is king so anything that gets popular is apt to get licensed out or bought out.

[bohemka]

Originally Posted by mondu

NESN does have its own streaming channel (NESN Go) however you cannot purchase it as a standalone service; you have to first subscribe to cable or FuboTV to watch it. It'll be interesting to see if NESN changes its business model anytime soon. From the mid-80s until 2001, it was a premium service like HBO charging around $10 per month extra. After that it became a basic cable service, so every cable subscriber in New England was passing along a chunk of their monthly fees to NESN. With more people cutting the cord, that gravy train is drying up. HBO now offers its service to directly to end users and NESN ought to do the same. I'd definitely pay $10-15 per month for it. I gave up paying $70+ for a bunch of other channels I don't watch just to get NESN (and NBC Sports for the Celtics).

NESN will have to change, I agree. I suspect a decent chunk of their market (and most of their future market) has recently cut the cord and will not have access, and there go their advertising rates. I've been on the verge of a YouTube TV subscription for a while, but they raised their rates while also dropping NESN, so that's a no-go now. I'm sure finances were involved, but I don't think dropping NESN was a good move for YouTube TV locally. I know many who have just cancelled their subscriptions, and I see no reason to subscribe now.

We're doing fine with fast internet, HD antenna, and Prime Video with some add-ons like Netflix and Disney+. No complaints until hockey season (which starts...?), and then I'll have to figure out something so I can watch the Bruins.

[MikePRU]

Just checked the Roku channel store and apparently there is a NESN app in there that I've never noticed before. I'm going to download it and report back in the next few days about it. My guess is you probably need a cable subscription to use it but we'll see.

[MMS02760]

Even Comcast/Xfinity is dropping local channels. All of Bristol County (towns stretching from N Attleboro/Mansfield/Easton to Fairhaven/New Bedford) will soon be losing WCVB Channel 5. The WLNE affiliate of Providence is considered the primary ABC provider for the county. Comcast could not reach an agreement with Hearst WCVB owners and it will be dropped. It is the same situation with Channel 25.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by MikePRU

Just checked the Roku channel store and apparently there is a NESN app in there that I've never noticed before. I'm going to download it and report back in the next few days about it. My guess is you probably need a cable subscription to use it but we'll see.

You definitely need a cable TV subscription in order to access the content. I'm not sure about NESN, but some of the apps not only require you to have a cable subscription to login, they also require you to be on the same network when using it. So for instance, if you have an Xfinity subscription at home and a Roku at your vacation home, the app won't work at the vacation home since the Roku is not connected to the same network you're subscribed to. I thought I checked NESN a few years ago and this was the case. I'll try again on my Apple TV.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by Slavikeer

Look up: https://sites.google.com/view/bestfreestreaming/
it has all you wants: free streaming of movies and tvshows


Have fun!

There area lot of illegal streaming sites out there that you can access tons of content on. I'm not interested in touching those. I wouldn't want someone to steal my intellectual property and I'm not going to be a part of stealing someone else's.