STREAMING
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WHAT IS STREAMING
When you play video or audio that is retrieved from a remote server as it arrives from a constant stream of data, this is called streaming. WHY STREAM To access OnDemand content from your TV provider To be able to watch when you are away from home. To get programming that you like better than what is being offered via cable. To get premium commercial-free content Rent movies. |
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WHAT YOU NEED
A high-speed internet connection at your streaming location. A streaming device such as a :
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INTERNET SPEED
Streaming needs a solid internet connection with a high data cap. An audio stream takes about 329 Kbs while HD Video requires a realized speed of 7Mbs. Video streaming uses: SD video 1 GB per hour HD video 3 to 5 GB per hour, 4K video 20 to 30 GB per hour Audio streaming 144 MB per hour |
STREAMING PLAYERS
Streaming used to be computer friendly, you could stream from your internet browser. Now most streaming services are not browser friendly, they require a dedicated app. There are only a handful of premium services that have an App in the Microsoft app store. Tablets and SmartPhones offer better streaming options than a PC.
If your preference is watching on the big screen, you will need a Smart TV, or a TV connected to a dedicated streaming device or a gaming console or BluRay player.
When selecting a streaming device make sure it has an app for the channel you want to view. Make sure it supports dual band WiFi or has an Ethernet port. This is an important consideration for Vista Royale, since the 2.4 GHz WiFi band is often too slow to stream in our overcrowded WiFi environment but the 5GHz band doesn't suffer from overcrowding. You may need to tweak your AT&T router to get reliable speed. Make sure the streaming device is a current model because no matter how much you paid for your smart device, typically within 5 years there will usually be some changes that make it obsolete. It will be dropped by some services, and new products won’t offer support for older operating systems. So an older model year at a bargain price is not a bargain!
Selecting SmartTVs
Smart TVs are a nice option because you don’t have the clutter of an additional device and an extra remote, and if it becomes obsolete you can still add a dedicated streaming stick at a relatively low cost. Check to make sure the TV has a tuner for use with an antenna. Many TVs don’t have a tuner anymore, instead they are just big computer monitors. Having a tuner becomes important if you ever want or need to cut the cord. Does the streaming service you want to stream have an app for the TV’s operating system? And finally check to see if the TV has an adequate number of HDMI ports so that you can add a dedicated streamer in the future if needed.
Dedicated Streaming Sticks
Generally dedicated streaming devices are faster and have more updates than devices that have a streaming player integrated with other functionality such as Smart TVs, BluRay Players and Gaming Consoles. There are four major players in dedicated streaming, the Apple's AppleTV, Google's Chromecast, Amazon's FireTV, and ROKU.
There are a lot of models of these streaming devices. They vary in features. I strongly recommend looking for a streaming device that have TV volume and power controls and a voice search button on the remote. Streaming devices like the Amazon Fire Stick, the Roku Sticks, and the Chromecast, that are designed to hang behind the TV don’t have an IR eye to work with a universal remote. So sticks don't respond to universal remote controls and if the stick's remote does not control the TV’s volume you need to juggle remote controls.
I like the ROKU products for the ease of use of the interface. But advise avoiding the Roku Express, because until the latest model, these devices were not dual band and did not support 5GHz WiFi and the older ones are still being sold without advertising that they are last years model.
Streaming used to be computer friendly, you could stream from your internet browser. Now most streaming services are not browser friendly, they require a dedicated app. There are only a handful of premium services that have an App in the Microsoft app store. Tablets and SmartPhones offer better streaming options than a PC.
If your preference is watching on the big screen, you will need a Smart TV, or a TV connected to a dedicated streaming device or a gaming console or BluRay player.
When selecting a streaming device make sure it has an app for the channel you want to view. Make sure it supports dual band WiFi or has an Ethernet port. This is an important consideration for Vista Royale, since the 2.4 GHz WiFi band is often too slow to stream in our overcrowded WiFi environment but the 5GHz band doesn't suffer from overcrowding. You may need to tweak your AT&T router to get reliable speed. Make sure the streaming device is a current model because no matter how much you paid for your smart device, typically within 5 years there will usually be some changes that make it obsolete. It will be dropped by some services, and new products won’t offer support for older operating systems. So an older model year at a bargain price is not a bargain!
Selecting SmartTVs
Smart TVs are a nice option because you don’t have the clutter of an additional device and an extra remote, and if it becomes obsolete you can still add a dedicated streaming stick at a relatively low cost. Check to make sure the TV has a tuner for use with an antenna. Many TVs don’t have a tuner anymore, instead they are just big computer monitors. Having a tuner becomes important if you ever want or need to cut the cord. Does the streaming service you want to stream have an app for the TV’s operating system? And finally check to see if the TV has an adequate number of HDMI ports so that you can add a dedicated streamer in the future if needed.
Dedicated Streaming Sticks
Generally dedicated streaming devices are faster and have more updates than devices that have a streaming player integrated with other functionality such as Smart TVs, BluRay Players and Gaming Consoles. There are four major players in dedicated streaming, the Apple's AppleTV, Google's Chromecast, Amazon's FireTV, and ROKU.
There are a lot of models of these streaming devices. They vary in features. I strongly recommend looking for a streaming device that have TV volume and power controls and a voice search button on the remote. Streaming devices like the Amazon Fire Stick, the Roku Sticks, and the Chromecast, that are designed to hang behind the TV don’t have an IR eye to work with a universal remote. So sticks don't respond to universal remote controls and if the stick's remote does not control the TV’s volume you need to juggle remote controls.
I like the ROKU products for the ease of use of the interface. But advise avoiding the Roku Express, because until the latest model, these devices were not dual band and did not support 5GHz WiFi and the older ones are still being sold without advertising that they are last years model.
STREAMING SERVICES
- Watch with cable services
- Free ad-supported services
- Premium subscription services $$
- Online movie rental services $$$
- Cable replacement services $$$$$
- Online purchases of movies and music $$
WATCH WITH CABLE SUBSCRIPTION STREAMING APPS
When you read about streaming, most of the time the emphasis is on streaming without cable, using paid cable replacement services, free services and premium services. It is important to understand that streaming also plays a part in your TV provider's services. U-Verse, like most traditional cable providers, provides access to “Watch with Cable Apps” for streaming. These apps require you to sign in with your BILLING credentials. In order to use these apps you must have an ACTIVE subscription with a TV provider, it can't be on a vacation hold. Watch-with-cable apps offer both live streaming and OnDemand streaming. Streaming is now the preferred way to get OnDemand content from U-verse, since the number of OnDemand titles available directly from the set top box has been cut back dramatically since we first signed up for U-verse in 2016.
U-verse App for mobile devices
There is a U-verse app for your Smartphone and tablet. The U-verse app allows you to stream live TV and On Demand shows on your phone or tablet. The U-verse app limits you to the small screen, it will not play video while mirroring or casting to a TV. The U-verse app for the phone and tablet offers live streaming of 79 of the HD channels from the U-200 package including most of the sports channels. This app also has some other useful features like a program guide, and DVR management. Please note that although this app can manage your DVR it does not stream from your DVR. The streaming app merely streams content available from the U-verse servers.
INDIVIDUAL CHANNEL APPS
The U-verse app for streaming sticks has been discontinued several years ago, so there is no wrapper to encompass all of our channels in one app. These popular channels in your U200 package all can be streamed with their own app using your U-verse billing credentials. Not all of these apps are available for all streaming devices.
When you read about streaming, most of the time the emphasis is on streaming without cable, using paid cable replacement services, free services and premium services. It is important to understand that streaming also plays a part in your TV provider's services. U-Verse, like most traditional cable providers, provides access to “Watch with Cable Apps” for streaming. These apps require you to sign in with your BILLING credentials. In order to use these apps you must have an ACTIVE subscription with a TV provider, it can't be on a vacation hold. Watch-with-cable apps offer both live streaming and OnDemand streaming. Streaming is now the preferred way to get OnDemand content from U-verse, since the number of OnDemand titles available directly from the set top box has been cut back dramatically since we first signed up for U-verse in 2016.
U-verse App for mobile devices
There is a U-verse app for your Smartphone and tablet. The U-verse app allows you to stream live TV and On Demand shows on your phone or tablet. The U-verse app limits you to the small screen, it will not play video while mirroring or casting to a TV. The U-verse app for the phone and tablet offers live streaming of 79 of the HD channels from the U-200 package including most of the sports channels. This app also has some other useful features like a program guide, and DVR management. Please note that although this app can manage your DVR it does not stream from your DVR. The streaming app merely streams content available from the U-verse servers.
INDIVIDUAL CHANNEL APPS
The U-verse app for streaming sticks has been discontinued several years ago, so there is no wrapper to encompass all of our channels in one app. These popular channels in your U200 package all can be streamed with their own app using your U-verse billing credentials. Not all of these apps are available for all streaming devices.
Many of these apps also offer an additional login, to keep track of your progress on various shows and to create lists of things that you might want to watch in the future.
Some of these apps bundle many channels together.
CBS app includes: CBS WPEC-12, CBS News. CBS Sports HQ, ET, and Inside Edition.
ESPN app includes: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN News, SEC and ACC channels
FoxSports app includes: FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network.
goHGTV app includes: HGTV, American Heroes AHC, Animal Planet, The Cooking Channel, The Discovery Channel, The Food Network, ID, Magnolia Network, Motortrend, Own, The Learning Channel, and The Science Channel.
NBC app includes: NBC WPTV-5, NBC Sports, Golf, NBC News, Bravo, CNBC, E!, Oxygen, Syfy, Telemundo, Universo, USA.
WEBSITES
Some of our U200 package channels can only be streamed from a website. This means you can stream them on your computer, tablet or smartphone. This might be okay if you want to watch by yourself, but it really is not ideal if you want to watch the show with someone else. Apple's iOS prohibits video mirroring from both the U-verse app and webistes. If you are viewing these websites on a Windows PC or an Android device sometimes the content to be mirrored to streaming devices or smartTVs, but it is less than ideal since it requires your computer, tablet or phone to be used elusively and some of the Android devices have compatibility issues with mirroring, requiring a lot of work to get them to mirror to most streaming devices. When mirroring from an Android my mirroring was extremely choppy.
SundanceTV.com - the Sundance Channel
ABC.com As of September 23, 2024, ABC pulled the streaming apps for ABC, DisneyNow, FX, FreeForm and, NatGeo. These channels can still be streamed through a browser using your TV login credentials.
AUTHORIZATION.
Authorizing your device to view content with these apps is an easy process. For most apps, you just visit a website, enter a code that is displayed on your screen, and then select your TV provider, and enter your TV provider billing id and password. To see an example for authorizing the TCM app click here. To see an example of authorizing the ABC website click here.
PLUS VERSIONS
In the past few years many of the cable apps came out with PLUS versions that require a separate premium subscription. This additional charge tmy provide more content, sometimes with fewer or no commercials, or sometimes they bypass the requirement of a TV provider subscription. AMC+, BTN+, Bally+, Disney+, ESPN+, HGTV+. Paramount+, Peacock and SundandceNow are some examples of plus versions..
FREE VIDEO STREAMING
There are lots of apps that offer free ad supported viewing. Many titles are available on multiple apps, but the number of ads, the video quality and audio quality will vary greatly between one streaming service and another.
Some of the channels like AXS, BYU, CW, TBN and PBS from our U200 package don't require a TV provider. Some other channels like ION, Circle, Grit... do not have their own app, but are bundled in free ad-supported services.
The CW app includes about 50 channels including CW, CW Gold, Ion, Ion Plus, Ion Mystery, The Gameshow network, Hallmark Movies and more and Bounce XL.
Check out these free platform independent services FREEVEE, HOOPLA, PLEX, PLUTO TV and TUBI. Other apps were developed exclusively for a specific brand of hardware. For example Samsung has the Samsung FreeTV app available for their smartTVs, tablets and phones.
PREMIUM VIDEO STREAMING
Subscriptions Amazon Prime, Apple+, Disney+, HBOMax, Netflix, offer bulk access to commercial free TV shows and movies. Most offer some original content exclusive to their platform. Most of these services offer a month by month subscription, that can be cancelled at any time. Some offer a price break if you subscribe for a year, and an early termination fee if you don’t continue. But sometimes it Is cheaper to pay full price and rotate services in an out.
Other subscriptions like FanDuel, BTN+, ESPN+, MLB, YES offer access to more sports.
Video Rentals and purchases
If you are looking for newer content or a specific show you can rent it from a number of streaming services. Some services even let you buy a title for unlimited viewing.
CABLE REPLACEMENT PACKAGES
Cable replacement packages are a class of paid TV providers that only deliver content via streaming. Services like DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu, Philo, Sling+, and YoutubeTV are examples of cable replacement services. Some are cheaper than traditional cable, simply because they offer fewer channels. These services typically have a cloud based recording option and a program guide and all of your live streaming can be done under one authentication. They also offer access to the individual channels apps to get your OnDemand content. Changing channels takes fewer clicks than watching items under different apps, but my experience with both Hulu and DirectTV is that every time you change the channel a commercial played before your show starts streaming. There is a lot of convenience in having all of your paid channels under one app, but it comes at a cost. If you want a cable replacement package that includes a full sports package with regional sports the minimum you are going to pay about $90 a month + internet, and if you want to add the convenience of a premium proprietary stream box that has a remote that includes numbers on it, you can add another $15 dollars per month for each TV. It soon adds up.
OVER THE AIR ANTENNA TV
When considering cable alternatives, you should think about what is available to watch over the air. Broadcast TV Over the air TV has changed dramatically this century. Most of the VHF airways were sold off and most of the OTA (over the air) channels are now broadcast UHF. This dramatically shortens the range of the signals, so many homes will be totally out of range of broadcast TV. If you are in range, you will find a lot more content than there used to be because the new digital type signals provide for sub-channels. Here in Vero Beach there isn't much available OTA, just ABC, CW and a few independents and their sub-channels. But in my northern residence I went from 7 watchable OTA channels in 2010, to 70 watchable OTA channels in 2022.
The nice thing about viewing OTA content, is the familiar way of changing the channels and finding something to watch. There are even OTA DVRs that even act like your cable DVR where you can set up to record off the OTA guide. The Tablo is an OTA recorder that you can access over your home network.
Streaming your Vista Royale package to your summer home
Some of these apps bundle many channels together.
CBS app includes: CBS WPEC-12, CBS News. CBS Sports HQ, ET, and Inside Edition.
ESPN app includes: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN News, SEC and ACC channels
FoxSports app includes: FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network.
goHGTV app includes: HGTV, American Heroes AHC, Animal Planet, The Cooking Channel, The Discovery Channel, The Food Network, ID, Magnolia Network, Motortrend, Own, The Learning Channel, and The Science Channel.
NBC app includes: NBC WPTV-5, NBC Sports, Golf, NBC News, Bravo, CNBC, E!, Oxygen, Syfy, Telemundo, Universo, USA.
WEBSITES
Some of our U200 package channels can only be streamed from a website. This means you can stream them on your computer, tablet or smartphone. This might be okay if you want to watch by yourself, but it really is not ideal if you want to watch the show with someone else. Apple's iOS prohibits video mirroring from both the U-verse app and webistes. If you are viewing these websites on a Windows PC or an Android device sometimes the content to be mirrored to streaming devices or smartTVs, but it is less than ideal since it requires your computer, tablet or phone to be used elusively and some of the Android devices have compatibility issues with mirroring, requiring a lot of work to get them to mirror to most streaming devices. When mirroring from an Android my mirroring was extremely choppy.
SundanceTV.com - the Sundance Channel
ABC.com As of September 23, 2024, ABC pulled the streaming apps for ABC, DisneyNow, FX, FreeForm and, NatGeo. These channels can still be streamed through a browser using your TV login credentials.
AUTHORIZATION.
Authorizing your device to view content with these apps is an easy process. For most apps, you just visit a website, enter a code that is displayed on your screen, and then select your TV provider, and enter your TV provider billing id and password. To see an example for authorizing the TCM app click here. To see an example of authorizing the ABC website click here.
PLUS VERSIONS
In the past few years many of the cable apps came out with PLUS versions that require a separate premium subscription. This additional charge tmy provide more content, sometimes with fewer or no commercials, or sometimes they bypass the requirement of a TV provider subscription. AMC+, BTN+, Bally+, Disney+, ESPN+, HGTV+. Paramount+, Peacock and SundandceNow are some examples of plus versions..
FREE VIDEO STREAMING
There are lots of apps that offer free ad supported viewing. Many titles are available on multiple apps, but the number of ads, the video quality and audio quality will vary greatly between one streaming service and another.
Some of the channels like AXS, BYU, CW, TBN and PBS from our U200 package don't require a TV provider. Some other channels like ION, Circle, Grit... do not have their own app, but are bundled in free ad-supported services.
The CW app includes about 50 channels including CW, CW Gold, Ion, Ion Plus, Ion Mystery, The Gameshow network, Hallmark Movies and more and Bounce XL.
Check out these free platform independent services FREEVEE, HOOPLA, PLEX, PLUTO TV and TUBI. Other apps were developed exclusively for a specific brand of hardware. For example Samsung has the Samsung FreeTV app available for their smartTVs, tablets and phones.
PREMIUM VIDEO STREAMING
Subscriptions Amazon Prime, Apple+, Disney+, HBOMax, Netflix, offer bulk access to commercial free TV shows and movies. Most offer some original content exclusive to their platform. Most of these services offer a month by month subscription, that can be cancelled at any time. Some offer a price break if you subscribe for a year, and an early termination fee if you don’t continue. But sometimes it Is cheaper to pay full price and rotate services in an out.
Other subscriptions like FanDuel, BTN+, ESPN+, MLB, YES offer access to more sports.
Video Rentals and purchases
If you are looking for newer content or a specific show you can rent it from a number of streaming services. Some services even let you buy a title for unlimited viewing.
CABLE REPLACEMENT PACKAGES
Cable replacement packages are a class of paid TV providers that only deliver content via streaming. Services like DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu, Philo, Sling+, and YoutubeTV are examples of cable replacement services. Some are cheaper than traditional cable, simply because they offer fewer channels. These services typically have a cloud based recording option and a program guide and all of your live streaming can be done under one authentication. They also offer access to the individual channels apps to get your OnDemand content. Changing channels takes fewer clicks than watching items under different apps, but my experience with both Hulu and DirectTV is that every time you change the channel a commercial played before your show starts streaming. There is a lot of convenience in having all of your paid channels under one app, but it comes at a cost. If you want a cable replacement package that includes a full sports package with regional sports the minimum you are going to pay about $90 a month + internet, and if you want to add the convenience of a premium proprietary stream box that has a remote that includes numbers on it, you can add another $15 dollars per month for each TV. It soon adds up.
OVER THE AIR ANTENNA TV
When considering cable alternatives, you should think about what is available to watch over the air. Broadcast TV Over the air TV has changed dramatically this century. Most of the VHF airways were sold off and most of the OTA (over the air) channels are now broadcast UHF. This dramatically shortens the range of the signals, so many homes will be totally out of range of broadcast TV. If you are in range, you will find a lot more content than there used to be because the new digital type signals provide for sub-channels. Here in Vero Beach there isn't much available OTA, just ABC, CW and a few independents and their sub-channels. But in my northern residence I went from 7 watchable OTA channels in 2010, to 70 watchable OTA channels in 2022.
The nice thing about viewing OTA content, is the familiar way of changing the channels and finding something to watch. There are even OTA DVRs that even act like your cable DVR where you can set up to record off the OTA guide. The Tablo is an OTA recorder that you can access over your home network.
Streaming your Vista Royale package to your summer home