Is streaming going to be the new cable

[mom2rtk]

I have no problem paying for ESPN programming. But what's strange to me is that even after paying, I can't access ESPN content, only ESPN+ content. I thought paying would have opened up but avenues.

I agree. But it probably has to do with their agreements with cable. That’s one of the big hooks the cable companies still have.

 

[kanerf]

It already is. You have to buy a steaming package like Youtube to get some of the channels, but there is little reason for cable or satellite anymore. I expect to see them die in the next few years. Of course the replacement will be high speed internet which may come via cable or satellite, so the same providers will just change their business model.

 

[sam_gordon]

I have no problem paying for ESPN programming. But what's strange to me is that even after paying, I can't access ESPN content, only ESPN+ content. I thought paying would have opened up but avenues.

I just launched my ESPN app on my phone. Went to the "Watch" screen then "Live Now". After logging in with my Dish Network account, I was able to select what was airing on ESPN. I'll try to check again this afternoon when actual games are on, but I know I've been at events where folks were watching televised games on their phones.

 

[disneychrista]

After logging in with my Dish Network account

Exactly my point. You have to have a cable or satellite account to access the content. Which makes sense for “cable” channels, such as ESPN, but not for network TV that is free OTA.

 

[sam_gordon]

Exactly my point. You have to have a cable or satellite account to access the content. Which makes sense for “cable” channels, such as ESPN, but not for network TV that is free OTA.

I agree. I was reacting to PP (who I quoted) who said even though he paid for ESPN, he couldn't see the content on the app.

 

[happiestpoe]

I agree. I was reacting to PP (who I quoted) who said even though he paid for ESPN, he couldn't see the content on the app.

I'm a she!

I probably worded it poorly, but I'm saying I do not have cable/satellite/etc but do pay for the ESPN app. I'm able to access the ESPN+ content inside the ESPN app, but none of the ESPN content because I haven't got cable/satellite. Which to me is odd, because I'm paying them, but as others have said, it's likely to do with cable company agreements.

 

[sam_gordon]

I'm a she!

[/QUOTE]
apologies

I probably worded it poorly, but I'm saying I do not have cable/satellite/etc but do pay for the ESPN app. I'm able to access the ESPN+ content inside the ESPN app, but none of the ESPN content because I haven't got cable/satellite. Which to me is odd, because I'm paying them, but as others have said, it's likely to do with cable company agreements.

Ah. Yea, that I'm not surprised about. ESPN has different levels... ESPN+ content is what you're paying for. I don't know if there's an "upper level" to get all the content.

 

[CallieMar]

Even paying for internet only + Netflix and D+, I pay half of what my parents pay for cable + HBO. I used to be a sports junkie but gave that up when we cut the cord and haven’t missed it at all. I’m happy to follow scores and watch big sporting events on network TV with an antenna. I will never run out of things to watch on Netflix and I am not one to rewatch a show. I do watch a lot of foreign language programming and that opens it up so much. I will probably drop D+ when my yearly subscription ends and just pay for a month here and there to catch up. I’ve gotten away from mindlessly having the TV on in the background. I actually prefer the silence, or I’ll have some music on instead.

 

[SC Minnie]

Our cable company has gone to only streaming. No more cable. It's the only cable company we have access to. We dropped them a couple of years ago and have been streaming since.

 

[sheilafri]

Interestingly, I not long ago tried to pay for a car with a cashier's check and was told that it would not be accepted. I actually had to go open a bank account with it in the locality where I was (the car was a college graduation gift for my son, different state), and as it was Saturday, the bank actually wouldn't trust the cashier's check, either. (They told me that people often try to use forged cashier's checks to establish bank accounts, then immediately use the new ATM card to pull cash before it can be verfied with the issuing bank.) I was only in town for the weekend, so the new bank actually gave me a line of credit for the amount, based on my ability to prove online that I did have well more than the face value in other personal accounts at other banks. We financed the car to get it purchased, and then transferred the money from the new bank account to the loan account the following Monday to pay it off. It was a circus, really.

I have partially paid for car down-payments several times using credit cards, it's something that dealerships tend to think of as an incentive to close the sale that doesn't cost them much, and allowed us to reap travel points (multiples, of course; I time these things carefully). Without exception, the dealerships have limited the CC portion of the downpayment to $2K, and requested a personal check for the rest of it. These days, personal checks can be run through electronic scanners that work to verify the account balance and encumber the amount the same way that a debit card would, but there is no processing fee for those transactions. You cannot do it with a cashier's check, though.

Interesting. Three years ago I bought a car and had to use a cashier’s check. Bought a car earlier this year and a personal check was fine. I just sold a car and was given a cashier’s check. I verified it through the bank before accepting it. I made a wire transfer today to close on some real estate. The title company warned several times to verify before sending the money to avoid fraud. Seems like nothing is safe anymore.

 

[disneychick0412]

A few years ago I was paying $80 for internet (Spectrum) and had DirecTV. We were getting discounts with DirecTV (the ones where you have to call and ask for them and practically threaten to cancel to get them). I got sick of playing that game and without the discounts Direct would have been $175 per month. We dropped Direct and went to streaming and pay $60 total for Netflix, Discovery+, Hulu Basic Bundle with ESPN + and Disney+ included, Peacock and Paramount. Oh, and Amazon Prime. (HBO Max too but that's included for free with our cell phone carrier). So streaming is saving us $115 a month. (Still paying the same $80 that we were for internet). Love streaming!

 

[longboard55]

Not working in our area yet, we tried but did not work, but Verizon is offering 5g internet for $25 a month that will get 300 speed. They need to upgrade their towers to get it, but its coming

 

[_19disnA]

Not sure how a discussion about writing checks has anything to do with the question of cable vs streaming.

Nevertheless, in some areas there are limited choices of cable/dish/internet providers, so you can only pick from among those available. I would be curious to know if you actually save anything once their initial/discounted price ends and you jump up to 'regular' pricing.

 

[sam_gordon]

Not sure how a discussion about writing checks has anything to do with the question of cable vs streaming.

Nevertheless, in some areas there are limited choices of cable/dish/internet providers, so you can only pick from among those available. I would be curious to know if you actually save anything once their initial/discounted price ends and you jump up to 'regular' pricing.

Knock on wood, we've had the same charge for Dish Network for 6(?) years now. We get toward the end of our agreement, I call in, and they say they'll keep the same rate if we sign a two year deal. It's budgeted, so done. Of course, we're still on older model receivers. If they balk this year (as I'm hearing they might), we'll cancel. It will be strange because we've had Dish since '96.

I've looked at the streaming options (for live content), but none of them have ALL the channels we watch. We have a bunch of on demand streaming already.

 

[RamblingMad]

It's worse now. Before it was content split between Netflix and HULU. Now, it's nuts. I'm constantly turning stuff on and off. I'll be turning on Paramount+ once Picard finishes. I'm actively managing now, and the streaming services cost much more than they did in the past. I would be turning on Frndly, but now because of the changes with Peacock, I'm using that instead. But then I'll turn off Peacock and switch other services. I think about what to add and delete every month now.

 

[Tommy Mo]

Even paying for internet only + Netflix and D+, I pay half of what my parents pay for cable + HBO. I used to be a sports junkie but gave that up when we cut the cord and haven’t missed it at all. I’m happy to follow scores and watch big sporting events on network TV with an antenna. I will never run out of things to watch on Netflix and I am not one to rewatch a show. I do watch a lot of foreign language programming and that opens it up so much. I will probably drop D+ when my yearly subscription ends and just pay for a month here and there to catch up. I’ve gotten away from mindlessly having the TV on in the background. I actually prefer the silence, or I’ll have some music on instead.

I totally agree. My parents still don't understand that because internet seems sth difficult for them. Nevertheless, they try to get used to it since I bought them a smart TV. I've installed them Apollo Group IPTV from this source as it seems to be the closest to regular TV.

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

I don't think many people under age 40 actually have traditional cable/satellite anymore. I don't think they care about watching the news and are used to just streaming shows.

We did switch from satellite to YouTube TV about a year ago. So not sure if YouTube counts as a steaming service but more like a cable service? I still like having a guide and just browsing what is on for background noise. I'll find shows I really don't care much about to put on while I'm putzing with other stuff. Where if I go to one of my straight up streaming services (we have Disney+, Netflix, Paramount, Peacock and Discovery+) I find that I want to pay attention to the show. I know I could do an antenna but I like the ease of just having a Fire Cube that controls all the various platforms on how I watch TV.