|
Chris Walken posted:I'd like to avoid Amazon's own hardware since they're such whores when it comes to pimping their own content. I like that the Shield is agnostic when it comes to that, and the Roku too for that matter but I don't think it's as good an option for mkv playback. Although the Fire TV may be nice to have if I ever considering getting Playstation VUE--but hopefully being able to stream from the DirecTV app will make that a moot point since it should handle enough of my/my wife's live TV/channel surfing desires. I don't know of an easy way (outside of apps) to share an external drive connected to the Shield/other Android TV device so that you can, for example, download stuff straight to it. Use it as a file server, in essence. Perhaps someone else here does this. One caveat for you - you probably aren't going to be very happy with the DirectTV app on Android. Unless it has changed it is no substitute for a receiver or remotely near one in functionality. None of the OTP apps from cable providers are, though I've heard Comcast's comes close.
|
#
?
Mar 27, 2016 04:07
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 19, 2024 12:49 |
|
|
Silly Burrito posted:I'm not sure if Kodi stays active on Shield when it's not the main app running, but I don't believe it is. What if you grabbed something like the Raspberry Pi 3 (or your HTPC), put OpenElec on it, configured your torrent add-ons and the final output folder, and then added it to the Shield TV as a file source? Might be a little duplication having Kodi on the Shield and the Pi, but the Pi would be running 24/7 at very low wattage. Ixian posted:I don't know of an easy way (outside of apps) to share an external drive connected to the Shield/other Android TV device so that you can, for example, download stuff straight to it. Use it as a file server, in essence. Perhaps someone else here does this.
|
|
#
?
Mar 27, 2016 19:05
|
|
|
Chris Walken posted:I was thinking that I can just use my current HTPC as a basic file server/torrent box that the streaming box can play mkvs from. I'm not sure what software would be involved, but if the Roku 3/4 or Shield TV can work well with that then I think either would be a fine choice. Of course the Roku doesn't have the DTV app, but that would really just be gravy since I'd have to sideload it onto the Shield anyway and there's no guarantee it would work. How are you saving money with the DirectTV app? Are you able to use it with a separate, cheaper subscription or something? Or are you thinking of SlingTV? Also, you should really use the app before you hand wave how crappy it is. I have a feeling you'll find it's not a good alternative for "just watch Live TV" at all.
|
|
#
?
Mar 27, 2016 22:52
|
|
|
How crappy or decent is the slingTV app/service?
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 00:35
|
|
|
Depends on what you want. I've had it since it came out (currently on a T-mo promotion). It gives me my sports fix between ESPN and TBS. what little I have ventured out of those channels, the lineup seems to suck. I haven't been on cable/satellite for over 6 years so I'm not sure if that's representative of the channels though.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 00:39
|
|
|
Ixian posted:How are you saving money with the DirectTV app? Are you able to use it with a separate, cheaper subscription or something? Or are you thinking of SlingTV? Since you mentioned Sling, I'm sort of interested in Playstation Vue but not enamored about needing a PS4 or Amazon Fire TV box for it. But if either of those would be good options for what I'm looking for, I might be open to them. Are either good options for streaming mkv files from a shared drive in my old HTPC and for your other typical services like Netflix, HBO Go, Starz Play, etc?
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 01:29
|
|
|
angryrobots posted:How crappy or decent is the slingTV app/service? The Sling client is a trainwreck. All kinds of problems when popular shows or big sports events are on. You could use the Sling account to log in to WatchESPN, but pretty much no other app would work. I just switched to Playstation Vue, and it is better in every way. I haven't had any problems with the app on my Fire TV, and you can use the Vue account to log into most of the channel apps.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 01:33
|
|
|
Is this the right thread to ask about antennas? I generally use plex, netflix, and youtube for all my viewing needs, but when I have guests over, they want to watch the news in the morning and network tv in the evening. I'm currently using an indoor, directional digital tv antenna and getting lousy reception. I can tune it for one station and generally get it (weather permitting), but never all of them. I'm thinking about going with a roof-mounted outdoor antenna. I've already got a cable running up through the roof, thanks to a previous owner who had a dish up there. I used rabbitears.info to see who is around me. As you can see, the top three strongest stations (that aren't lovely all-religion stations) are in a triangle to each other, so a directional antenna won't do me much good. I'd love to get something powerful enough to get that NBC station, just to get all the major networks, but I can live with ABC/CBS/Fox.  I don't really know what to shop for, though, beyond omnidirectional. I don't currently have a way to run power to it, if there exist outdoor powered antennas, but I could probably rig something if I needed to. What are the good brands? Do they generally play fair when they list specs?
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 02:32
|
|
|
I'm in Illinios and here's my setup if it helps. I've got this antenna mounted in my attic. I thought about putting it on the roof, and I've already got a mount up there from the old DirecTV dish, but the way my house is situated I didn't want to mess up my "skyline" if that makes sense. Anyway I've got this: http://www.amazon.com/RCA-Compact-Outdoor-Yagi-Antenna/dp/B0024R4B5C/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1459130444&sr=8-7&keywords=hdtv+antenna+attic  I live in southern Illinois and the 2 big cluster of stations I pull in are from the North and the Southeast. This antenna is rated for 40+ miles, and with my antenna pointing north at Decatur (about 70 miles away) I can get their NBC and CozyTV stations. It will super rarely have an artifact here or there but it works out great. While my antenna points north it also pulls in the PBS cluster of channels (pbs prime, create, kids, etc) from the southeast (60 miles away) and pulls them in in perfect quality. I got the same results standing in the second floor of my house trying it out when I first got it and I can definitely say I'm impressed with the reception capabilities of this baby. I live in a really flat area, and I happen to live on one of the very few hills/bumps in my town, and my antenna is a good 30+ feet off the ground. Tyson Tomko fucked around with this message at 03:12 on Mar 28, 2016 |
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 03:09
|
|
|
^^^I have the exact same antenna, mounted inside my attic, and I'm very happy with it. Thanks for the replies on sling tv and PlayStation vue. Really I don't like the idea of paying for either, clearly vue is a better service, but dang it's just about as much as cable. Pretty much the only thing we watch live is college football. I guess I should just get a fire tv and try it out, find where we can watch our shows after they've aired or and/or other shows to occupy the kids.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 03:43
|
|
|
Bobulus posted:Is this the right thread to ask about antennas? I generally use plex, netflix, and youtube for all my viewing needs, but when I have guests over, they want to watch the news in the morning and network tv in the evening. I'm currently using an indoor, directional digital tv antenna and getting lousy reception. I can tune it for one station and generally get it (weather permitting), but never all of them. I'm thinking about going with a roof-mounted outdoor antenna. I've already got a cable running up through the roof, thanks to a previous owner who had a dish up there. http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...F4o0aAvB48P8HAQ The power is supplied through the coax. You dont plug it in at the tv source. You get what looks like a splitter and an ac adapter and its wired somewhere in line with the antenna wiring inside the house.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 04:57
|
|
|
I've got an oddball question that I figured someone in this thread might have an easy answer for: have there been any studies about the age distribution of cord cutters? Anecdotally it feels like it's way more common with people under 40, but I'd actually like to see real numbers on it.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 17:01
|
|
|
For <100 bux is a raspberry pi 3 the best thing I could get for a cheap media PC? I just want something separate from my PC that I can use to watch what I have stored on my network. Thanks in advance.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 17:58
|
|
|
Cyrano4747 posted:I've got an oddball question that I figured someone in this thread might have an easy answer for: have there been any studies about the age distribution of cord cutters? Anecdotally it feels like it's way more common with people under 40, but I'd actually like to see real numbers on it. http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/12/21/4-one-in-seven-americans-are-television-cord-cutters/
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 18:34
|
|
|
Capt. Morgan posted:http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/12/21/4-one-in-seven-americans-are-television-cord-cutters/ Thanks!
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 18:35
|
|
|
Sephiroth_IRA posted:For <100 bux is a raspberry pi 3 the best thing I could get for a cheap media PC? I just want something separate from my PC that I can use to watch what I have stored on my network. I would say Raspberry Pi, Amazon Fire TV or Apple TV would all be options. I've got a Fire TV with Kodi and it works out great for my family.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 18:39
|
|
|
Sephiroth_IRA posted:For <100 bux is a raspberry pi 3 the best thing I could get for a cheap media PC? I just want something separate from my PC that I can use to watch what I have stored on my network. The best standalone media box is a chromebox running openelec. Next to that would be a android tv box if you want netflix/emulators/etc.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 19:51
|
|
|
Don Lapre posted:The best standalone media box is a chromebox running openelec. Next to that would be a android tv box if you want netflix/emulators/etc. Thanks, I believe I'm on the right track now.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2016 21:15
|
|
|
There's also a Roku with Plex and whatever other channels (not as cool as sideloaded apps yeah but tons of cool ones) which is a really solid, cheap, and most importantly wife/company-proof setup.
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2016 02:23
|
|
|
Do the network On Demand stations on Vue have a ton of commercials to sit through?
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2016 11:49
|
|
|
I'm tired of paying $180/month for Verizon's bundle. Since I'm already paying for Netflix and have 11 months of Amazon Prime left what do I need to do besides getting a leaf antenna for my TV and getting HBO's standalone service? I think I can get the same internet service from Verizon for about $50/month.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2016 17:42
|
|
|
The Mandingo posted:I'm tired of paying $180/month for Verizon's bundle. Since I'm already paying for Netflix and have 11 months of Amazon Prime left what do I need to do besides getting a leaf antenna for my TV and getting HBO's standalone service? I think I can get the same internet service from Verizon for about $50/month. You might want to consider Sling TV as well. The interface isn't the best and, as it rebroadcasts live feeds for the most part, you'll see more streaming issues than with, say, Netflix (though they have gotten better about this) but for a legal source of stations like AMC, TNT, History, ESPN, etc. they are the best. If you assume your internet service is a sunk cost (that is, you'd be paying for it anyway on its own merits outside of using it to stream, which you are) then: $15 HBO $10 Netflix $20 Sling TV $8 Amazon (let's just factor that in even though Prime gets you a lot more than streaming). $53/month for TV. Not a terrible deal. $103 with Internet, vs. your bundle cost of $180 (I assume that is your all-in cost including taxes and set top rental?) The dead simplest way to get local channels is to buy a decent antenna - which one is a topic that could generate its own thread, but if you are in an urban/suburban area the Mohu Leaf 50 works well and doesn't stand out - and connect it to your TV. If you have more than one TV and don't want to buy antennas for them all, or want to integrate Live TV somehow with your streaming services (it is a giant pain in the rear end but have at it) or add some rudementary DVR capabilities to Live TV, the HDHomeRun is a good choice in the US for a network tuner.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2016 18:27
|
|
|
Any Vue reviews? Tried to test the service out on my iPad, but it seems you need a PlayStation or FireTV to activate it. Sounds like there is no Airplay available right now anyway which makes it a no-go, but the channel lineup looks pretty great compared to Sling. Hope they open the service to more devices or more competitors (Apple?) pop up soon. EDIT: Anyone using Vue on a Fire TV stick? Looks like I can pick one up on CL for $25, so maybe I'll give it a go. tonic fucked around with this message at 07:10 on Mar 31, 2016 |
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2016 06:39
|
|
|
Ixian posted:You might want to consider Sling TV as well. The interface isn't the best and, as it rebroadcasts live feeds for the most part, you'll see more streaming issues than with, say, Netflix (though they have gotten better about this) but for a legal source of stations like AMC, TNT, History, ESPN, etc. they are the best. Any good DVR options to record things with a setup like that?
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2016 14:53
|
|
|
Ixian posted:You might want to consider Sling TV as well. The interface isn't the best and, as it rebroadcasts live feeds for the most part, you'll see more streaming issues than with, say, Netflix (though they have gotten better about this) but for a legal source of stations like AMC, TNT, History, ESPN, etc. they are the best. I have considered cutting cable, but after looking at the numbers: my costs: ( no taxes in my state) Cable and internet bundle: $99 through comcast. (promo price, but i threaten to leave every year when it expires, so they renew. i get every channel, excluding Showtime and Cinemax. Netflix: $10 HBOGO: $0, included in cable Amazon Prime: $99 year, ($8.25/mo) Tivo fee: $13/mo, grandfathered rate, if i would have bought lifetime, it would have paid for itself by now. Initial cost was $300 for a roamio, that i upgraded to 3tb. so im around $130/mo. Losing all my convenience and several key channels that matter to me (TCMHD, NBCSN) to save $20-30 doesnt seem worth it.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2016 16:45
|
|
|
The Mandingo posted:Any good DVR options to record things with a setup like that? TiVo, I am extremely happy with mine OTA only, well worth the monthly expense. Plus it has NetFlix, Hulu, Vudu, Google Play via YouTube and HBO Go (They need Now) support built in and fully integrated, if they let a Sling App in it would be absolutely perfect.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2016 17:01
|
|
tonic posted:Any Vue reviews? We just tried it for a week - we have the media remote for our PS3 so that makes navigating things easier. The response time from hitting a button to getting to the channel guide is a little slow, and you can't navigate from channel to channel, you always have to go to the guide and it wasn't as responsive as I'd like. Ultimately we decided for now that it isn't for us because we would have to keep our Hulu subscription in addition to the Vue since Vue does not have CW shows on demand (or live in our area). CBS is apparently "coming soon" which is something, at least. If you are in an area that has the live networks offered YMMV. It was pretty good, all things considered, and it covers the major cable channels and most sports. If it had all the networks it would be a no brainier in my opinion. I haven't tried it on another device other than the PlayStation.
|
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2016 17:13
|
|
|
The Mandingo posted:Any good DVR options to record things with a setup like that? He mentioned the HDHomeRun DVR solution which actually is a software that requires your own hardware solution for. You need a computer or home NAS to function as the hard drive/storage. I'm actually thinking about going along this route since I'd like to get Live TV through my AppleTV and never change an input (I have a home NAS to use).
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2016 17:29
|
|
|
Vue is pretty great so far, the ability to just add shows and have them DVR'd is great. The app on the latest Fire TV is snappy and relatively intuitive. I'm in the Bay Area and get the local channels as well. I noticed there are some blackouts on these though-- for example Seinfeld is on "TV36" right now and won't play because Sony doesn't have the streaming rights which is a bit lame. Overall, impressed though. The iPhone app also seems to be able to stream everything over LTE when I VPN into my Hole network. Edit: Also haven't noticed any buffering/skipping/stuttering. Steams are around 4mbit. tonic fucked around with this message at 06:37 on Apr 1, 2016 |
|
#
?
Apr 1, 2016 06:16
|
|
|
Ixian posted:You might want to consider Sling TV as well. The interface isn't the best and, as it rebroadcasts live feeds for the most part, you'll see more streaming issues than with, say, Netflix (though they have gotten better about this) but for a legal source of stations like AMC, TNT, History, ESPN, etc. they are the best. Add an attic mounted OTA antenna and Plex server on my gaming rig and this is my exact setup (on a Roku 3) for going on two years. It is very wife friendly, and really nice since HBO added on demand programming for Sling TV.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2016 18:00
|
|
|
Besides the original programming, from a movie standpoint, how is HBO for streaming? It seems that Netflix, Amazon and Hulu rarely have movies that I want to watch. When I used to have HBO years ago, I'd basically get tired of the same cycle of movies over and over. How good are they with premiering movies these days?
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2016 20:44
|
|
|
If youve had HBO before you should know exactly what to expect. A mix of old movies and new releases.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2016 22:39
|
|
|
Silly Burrito posted:Besides the original programming, from a movie standpoint, how is HBO for streaming? It seems that Netflix, Amazon and Hulu rarely have movies that I want to watch. When I used to have HBO years ago, I'd basically get tired of the same cycle of movies over and over. How good are they with premiering movies these days? It's okay. My issue with HBO is that they regularly crop 2.39:1 films to fit 16x9 TV screens (1.77:1) so you're basically losing 25% of the visual information. It's the sides so it's usually not crucial info but it irks many. Netflix and the others do that as well sometimes but HBO does it a LOT.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2016 23:22
|
|
|
The Mandingo posted:I'm tired of paying $180/month for Verizon's bundle. Since I'm already paying for Netflix and have 11 months of Amazon Prime left what do I need to do besides getting a leaf antenna for my TV and getting HBO's standalone service? I think I can get the same internet service from Verizon for about $50/month. Do you have Charter in your area? They have a good streaming service for $20 a month for about 20 channels and you get HBO or Showtime included.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2016 23:42
|
|
|
Guys I really like Vue on the fireTV. Having the local ABC/CBS/NBC (SF Bay) is a huge advantage over Sling. The cloud DVR also works really well. I just wish the quality were slightly higher (only around 5mbit on 50" tv is noticeable sometimes) and the fact that you can't fast forward through commercials with onDemand content (though you can with DVR'd content). So far, totally worth the $35/month though, I've been using it a ton and my Plex less.
|
|
#
?
Apr 7, 2016 13:38
|
|
|
tonic posted:Guys I really like Vue on the fireTV. Having the local ABC/CBS/NBC (SF Bay) is a huge advantage over Sling. The cloud DVR also works really well. I just wish the quality were slightly higher (only around 5mbit on 50" tv is noticeable sometimes) and the fact that you can't fast forward through commercials with onDemand content (though you can with DVR'd content).
|
|
#
?
Apr 7, 2016 15:23
|
|
|
utonium posted:Do you watch any FX or FXX content? Is any of their stuff available on demand? I'm consider Vue because current content from those two channels isn't the easiest to get on your TV if you aren't paying for cable television. Apparently, outside of purchasing on Amazon / iTunes, next day episodes are only available on Hulu for certain pay-TV subscribers, and even then, only on a computer, not through a Roku / FireTV device. I do, and yes their content is available on demand. For example, all of the most recent season (S11) of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is available on demand. Vue also has a service called "Catch Up" where you can view any show (I'm assuming on all or most channels) that has aired in the past 3 days without previously selecting it to DVR. The only downside of this compared to On Demand is that you there are commercials. Overall, the DVR is super easy too. You just search for any show, click add, and it will record any time this show airs on any channel. Unlimited space, but I think shows get wiped after 4 weeks (28 days). tonic fucked around with this message at 18:51 on Apr 7, 2016 |
|
#
?
Apr 7, 2016 18:47
|
|
|
tonic posted:I do, and yes their content is available on demand. For example, all of the most recent season (S11) of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is available on demand.
|
|
#
?
Apr 8, 2016 17:38
|
|
|
Anyone with a fire TV stick have success streaming video on the MLB app? I can only get the radio broadcast.
|
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2016 01:15
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 19, 2024 12:49 |
|
|
You can definitely stream MLB video with it, are you sure it's not blocking the video due to a blackout restriction in your area?
|
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2016 03:06
|
|