[11/25/17] Hey, I'm getting all the channels on Playstation Vue now. But not for long.
[11/5/17] I subscribed to Playstation Vue about a month or so ago because the NBA season was starting and they had NBA TV (on the Core package for $45). As a bonus they also have the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Clippers in my area. The Clippers are available on Oceanic but not on Hawaiian Telcom. Hawaiian Telcom carries none of the three.
The other reason is that Playstation Vue carries CBS Sports Network which I don't have on my Oceanic basic cable subscription and UH football was playing on that channel that week.
After having used PS Vue for a while, I decided to cancel Hulu and CBS since PS Vue also has the recent network shows On Demand. One drawback is that Star Trek: Discovery is only on CBS All Access. And I have noticed that the live NFL games on KGMB are blacked out (I keep getting an error when the NFL games are on, but not at other times). It's not blacked out on CBS All Access, so I'm tempted to re-subscribe. [Checking further, PS Vue live feed for the NFL game works on the website, my Fire tablet, and my Fire TV, but not on my ipad or Roku.]
I do like the 30-day [actually 28] DVR, but apparently there's a limit of 30 shows, so it's not really a full 30 days for programs like NBA games and College Football. [11/25/17 - More like 21 shows, sometimes they show more shows but those haven't been recorded yet.] [12/19/17 - the limit of 21 shows is on my Roku 3, on my Fire TV I'm getting 28 days of NBA.]
What don't they have? A&E, Comedy Central, Hallmark, History, Nickelodeon, Spike, TV Land (DirecTV Now carries all of them). They do carry MLB now. [12/19/17 - they carry Hallmark now.]
So why not get DirectTV Now instead? Well, they don't have DVR yet. And NBA TV is available only on their Gotta Go Big ($60) packages and up. And they it looks like don't carry the regional Fox and NBC Sports channels that carry the Warriors, Kings, Clippers.
So I would recommend Playstation Vue for sports fans. But maybe DirectTV for others depending on what channels you want.
[7/11/17] Playstation Vue has abruptly raised their prices. Checking the website, the Access Slim is now called Access and costs $39.99. Core Slim is now called Core and is $44.99.
[2/2/17] According to Cord Cutters News, Playstation Vue has added KGMB (Honolulu's CBS station). But it's also preceded by Hawaii News Now. Does that mean it's only supporting the news, but not playing anything else?
Well checking the website, all of the plans including the cheapie Access Slim for $29.99 include KGMB, ABC on demand, Fox on demand, NBC on demand. That plan also has CNBC, ESPN, ESPN2, HGTV, TBS, TNT. I could live with that.
The Core Slim for $34.99 adds CSN Bay area, ESPNU, Prime Ticket, Fox Sports West, NBA TV. I might go for that.
[10/1/16] Cord Cutters News updated their comparison between Sling and Playstation Vue.
[7/3/16] Curious, I went to website to see what's available in my area. There are three plans: Access Slim for $29.99/month, Core Slim for $34.99/month, Elite Slim for $44.99/month. I assume they're all Slim because they don't yet have live ABC, NBC, Fox in my area. The list of channels is in this article.
[7/3/16] CNET has a nice report (written 3/22/16) comparing Sling TV and Playstation Vue. Since then Playstation View has become available on Roku.
[3/14/16] Ditching your cable TV subscription just got easier, no matter where you live in the United States.
PlayStation Vue, a service that streams live and on-demand TV over the Internet, is now available everywhere in the country, and for a lower price than ever. Starting today in 203 US TV markets, you can subscribe to the service for as little as $30 per month.
Vue is designed as an alternative to a traditional pay TV package from a satellite or cable TV provider. It delivers numerous live TV channels and on-demand programming, just like cable TV, and also lets you record shows to a "cloud DVR" and watch multiple TVs around the house from one account.
Until today Vue was only available in seven major metropolitan areas: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco and Miami. Packages in those cities start at $40 per month and include local broadcast TV channels, namely ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC (but not PBS).
If you live in one of the 203 other TV markets newly served by Vue -- places like Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Phoenix, Portland, and St. Louis, as well as smaller cities and towns in all 50 states -- you'll only be able to subscribe to what Vue is calling "Slim" versions of its channel packages, starting at $30 per month.
The difference is that Slim packages don't have access to live local channels via Vue. According to Sony's press release, "Content from ABC, FOX and NBC will be available only as on-demand content in the Slim multi-channel plans. Most on-demand content will be available within 24 hours after airing. CBS live and on-demand programming will be added to select TV markets at a later date."
I spoke with Dan Myers, head of product for PlayStation Vue, and was given some additional details. If you live in one of the original seven markets you will not be able to subscribe to a Slim package that lacks local channels -- in other words, pricing in those seven markets will not change as a result of Vue's nationwide expansion, and starts at $40.
Beyond pricing, regional availability and the absence of local channels, Vue's Slim packages are identical to their non-slim counterparts. The cheapest $30 Access Slim package has 55 or so channels; the $35 Core Slim package has 70-odd with the addition of live national and select regional sports networks; and the $45 Elite Slim package has more than 100 channels.
This nationwide rollout and price drop brings Vue into even more direct competition with Sling TV, another Internet-delivered live TV service that competes against cable.
Unlike a typical traditional TV subscription, both Sling and Vue offer free trial periods and the ability to cancel service anytime, and don't charge equipment rental or other miscellaneous fees.
Sling TV is cheaper, starting at $20 per month, and available on many more devices than Vue, including Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, iPhones and iPads, Android phones and tablets, Android TV devices, Xbox One, and PC and Mac computers.
In pretty much every other way, however, Vue is superior on paper. It offers significantly more channels than Sling TV, particularly since the recent addition of ABC, ESPN and Disney channels. Step-up Vue packages even offer select (but not all) regional sports networks, the crown jewels of cable TV.
Very few Sling TV channels offer the ability to pause or rewind live TV, and there's no DVR functionality, whereas Vue's cloud DVR is basically a full-function recorder, just like you get from a cable company. Sling TV can only stream to one device at a time, while Vue offers up to five simultaneous streams -- so you can watch different TVs around the house at the same time, or even on the go with the iOS app. Vue supports multiple profiles for different family members (much like Netflix), has access to more "TV everywhere" apps, and has an intuitive interface that prioritizes shows over channels.
Of course, with Vue's steeper monthly fees compared to Sling, the main goal of cord cutting -- saving money compared with a traditional cable subscription -- is a bit more difficult to achieve. Whether you do so depends largely on what channels you need, what your local providers offer, and how much broadband Internet costs in your area.
***
[3/18/15] The long-awaited future of television has planted its flag firmly in the present.
[11/5/17] I subscribed to Playstation Vue about a month or so ago because the NBA season was starting and they had NBA TV (on the Core package for $45). As a bonus they also have the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Clippers in my area. The Clippers are available on Oceanic but not on Hawaiian Telcom. Hawaiian Telcom carries none of the three.
The other reason is that Playstation Vue carries CBS Sports Network which I don't have on my Oceanic basic cable subscription and UH football was playing on that channel that week.
After having used PS Vue for a while, I decided to cancel Hulu and CBS since PS Vue also has the recent network shows On Demand. One drawback is that Star Trek: Discovery is only on CBS All Access. And I have noticed that the live NFL games on KGMB are blacked out (I keep getting an error when the NFL games are on, but not at other times). It's not blacked out on CBS All Access, so I'm tempted to re-subscribe. [Checking further, PS Vue live feed for the NFL game works on the website, my Fire tablet, and my Fire TV, but not on my ipad or Roku.]
I do like the 30-day [actually 28] DVR, but apparently there's a limit of 30 shows, so it's not really a full 30 days for programs like NBA games and College Football. [11/25/17 - More like 21 shows, sometimes they show more shows but those haven't been recorded yet.] [12/19/17 - the limit of 21 shows is on my Roku 3, on my Fire TV I'm getting 28 days of NBA.]
What don't they have? A&E, Comedy Central, Hallmark, History, Nickelodeon, Spike, TV Land (DirecTV Now carries all of them). They do carry MLB now. [12/19/17 - they carry Hallmark now.]
So why not get DirectTV Now instead? Well, they don't have DVR yet. And NBA TV is available only on their Gotta Go Big ($60) packages and up. And they it looks like don't carry the regional Fox and NBC Sports channels that carry the Warriors, Kings, Clippers.
So I would recommend Playstation Vue for sports fans. But maybe DirectTV for others depending on what channels you want.
[7/11/17] Playstation Vue has abruptly raised their prices. Checking the website, the Access Slim is now called Access and costs $39.99. Core Slim is now called Core and is $44.99.
[2/2/17] According to Cord Cutters News, Playstation Vue has added KGMB (Honolulu's CBS station). But it's also preceded by Hawaii News Now. Does that mean it's only supporting the news, but not playing anything else?
Well checking the website, all of the plans including the cheapie Access Slim for $29.99 include KGMB, ABC on demand, Fox on demand, NBC on demand. That plan also has CNBC, ESPN, ESPN2, HGTV, TBS, TNT. I could live with that.
The Core Slim for $34.99 adds CSN Bay area, ESPNU, Prime Ticket, Fox Sports West, NBA TV. I might go for that.
[10/1/16] Cord Cutters News updated their comparison between Sling and Playstation Vue.
[7/3/16] Curious, I went to website to see what's available in my area. There are three plans: Access Slim for $29.99/month, Core Slim for $34.99/month, Elite Slim for $44.99/month. I assume they're all Slim because they don't yet have live ABC, NBC, Fox in my area. The list of channels is in this article.
[7/3/16] CNET has a nice report (written 3/22/16) comparing Sling TV and Playstation Vue. Since then Playstation View has become available on Roku.
[3/14/16] Ditching your cable TV subscription just got easier, no matter where you live in the United States.
PlayStation Vue, a service that streams live and on-demand TV over the Internet, is now available everywhere in the country, and for a lower price than ever. Starting today in 203 US TV markets, you can subscribe to the service for as little as $30 per month.
Vue is designed as an alternative to a traditional pay TV package from a satellite or cable TV provider. It delivers numerous live TV channels and on-demand programming, just like cable TV, and also lets you record shows to a "cloud DVR" and watch multiple TVs around the house from one account.
Until today Vue was only available in seven major metropolitan areas: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco and Miami. Packages in those cities start at $40 per month and include local broadcast TV channels, namely ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC (but not PBS).
If you live in one of the 203 other TV markets newly served by Vue -- places like Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Phoenix, Portland, and St. Louis, as well as smaller cities and towns in all 50 states -- you'll only be able to subscribe to what Vue is calling "Slim" versions of its channel packages, starting at $30 per month.
The difference is that Slim packages don't have access to live local channels via Vue. According to Sony's press release, "Content from ABC, FOX and NBC will be available only as on-demand content in the Slim multi-channel plans. Most on-demand content will be available within 24 hours after airing. CBS live and on-demand programming will be added to select TV markets at a later date."
I spoke with Dan Myers, head of product for PlayStation Vue, and was given some additional details. If you live in one of the original seven markets you will not be able to subscribe to a Slim package that lacks local channels -- in other words, pricing in those seven markets will not change as a result of Vue's nationwide expansion, and starts at $40.
Beyond pricing, regional availability and the absence of local channels, Vue's Slim packages are identical to their non-slim counterparts. The cheapest $30 Access Slim package has 55 or so channels; the $35 Core Slim package has 70-odd with the addition of live national and select regional sports networks; and the $45 Elite Slim package has more than 100 channels.
This nationwide rollout and price drop brings Vue into even more direct competition with Sling TV, another Internet-delivered live TV service that competes against cable.
Unlike a typical traditional TV subscription, both Sling and Vue offer free trial periods and the ability to cancel service anytime, and don't charge equipment rental or other miscellaneous fees.
Sling TV is cheaper, starting at $20 per month, and available on many more devices than Vue, including Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, iPhones and iPads, Android phones and tablets, Android TV devices, Xbox One, and PC and Mac computers.
In pretty much every other way, however, Vue is superior on paper. It offers significantly more channels than Sling TV, particularly since the recent addition of ABC, ESPN and Disney channels. Step-up Vue packages even offer select (but not all) regional sports networks, the crown jewels of cable TV.
Very few Sling TV channels offer the ability to pause or rewind live TV, and there's no DVR functionality, whereas Vue's cloud DVR is basically a full-function recorder, just like you get from a cable company. Sling TV can only stream to one device at a time, while Vue offers up to five simultaneous streams -- so you can watch different TVs around the house at the same time, or even on the go with the iOS app. Vue supports multiple profiles for different family members (much like Netflix), has access to more "TV everywhere" apps, and has an intuitive interface that prioritizes shows over channels.
Of course, with Vue's steeper monthly fees compared to Sling, the main goal of cord cutting -- saving money compared with a traditional cable subscription -- is a bit more difficult to achieve. Whether you do so depends largely on what channels you need, what your local providers offer, and how much broadband Internet costs in your area.
***
[3/18/15] The long-awaited future of television has planted its flag firmly in the present.
A
group of media, tech and telecom companies are racing this year to
release web-based TV offerings that challenge the entrenched cable and
satellite business. On Wednesday, Sony
added to that flood of options with the introduction of its PlayStation
Vue service, which offers a bundle of channels along with a
personalized, searchable approach to watching live and on-demand
television.
Starting
at $49.99 a month, the service offers more than 50 channels, including
CBS, Fox and NBC, and cable channels such as USA, TBS, Fox News and
Discovery. Special features include the availability of the past three
days of popular programming and personalization features based on a
user’s viewing habits.
Targeted
at gamers, the service initially is available to owners of the
PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 consoles in New York, Chicago and
Philadelphia. It is expected to be made available on the iPad and in
other United States cities. Disney-owned networks, including ABC, ESPN
and the Disney Channel, are not part of the service.
With
the introduction of the PlayStation Vue, Sony joins Apple, HBO,
Nickelodeon and the Dish Network in starting to redirect the television
business with the release of streaming services that do not require a
traditional TV subscription.
The
services are targeted at a growing number of people who pay for
Internet but do not subscribe for television. Instead, this group
watches programs via streaming services, like Netflix, Amazon and now,
potentially, Sony. The number of households in the United States that
pay for broadband but not television was 10.6 million in the third
quarter of 2014, up 16 percent from the same period in 2012, according
to SNL Kagan.
Increasingly,
viewers are searching not only for a discount on their cable bill —
which SNL Kagan puts at an average of $90 a month — but also more choice
to pay for what they want to watch, how they want to watch it, analysts
said.
“The
reality is, each individual service is not all that important, but when
you start to layer lots of different options together, you have the
ability to piece together your own bundle,” said Rich Greenfield, an
analyst with BTIG Research. “I don’t think it is about saving money as
much as it is about empowering consumers to build the experience you
want.”
***
[Ah, it's heating up. SlingTV with no network TV. Sony without ABC. Apple without NBC. But who really needs live network TV except for news and sports. The cable networks must be squirming.]
Sony’s version of the cable TV bundle offers a wide array of
programming and their intent is clear. “We don’t expect our service to
be used alongside a cable service,” says Dwayne T. Benefield, Sony VP
and head of Playstation Vue. With 35 million PlayStation users in
the US, the majority of whom still subscribe to cable or satellite TV,
Sony sees an attractive opportunity to entice part of a highly desirable demographic (18-35-year-old males) away from the likes of Comcast and
Time Warner Cable and convert them into recurring video customers.
Sports fans can opt for a $60 per month bundle that adds regional sports networks like YES (New York) and Comcast SportsNet (Philadelphia and Chicago). ESPN (along with other Disney properties like ABC) remains a glaring omission for now. But by reaching distribution deals with carriers of pro franchises like the Yankees, Cubs, Bulls and Phillies, PlayStation Vue provides live home team coverage, a must for many cable subscribers. A $70 per month top-tier bundle brings the channel total to 85 with the addition of several family and lifestyle networks.
[85 channels? Hello cable TV. No ESPN? Advantage back to SlingTV and Apple TV]
None of this sounds much different from a traditional pay TV package, minus the contract commitment and standalone cable box. Where Sony hopes to distinguish itself is in the user experience. Powered by its PlayStation consoles and controllers, all content can be paused or DVR’d, with the latter giving you cloud-hosted access to episodes for 28 days. For shows in syndication, PlayStation Vue will DVR episodes across all available networks. Most, but not all, of the TV programming comes with a three-day window for catch-up viewing. And if you begin watching during the middle of one of these shows you get a brief window (typically double the length of the episode) in which to start it from the beginning.
PlayStation Vue isn’t an inexpensive mini-bundle for cordcutters on a
budget. The reality for consumers is that content costs money, no matter
who’s delivering it to you. At $60 a month for the middle tier bundle,
along with what you’ll be paying for your Internet connection, switching
to Sony as your TV provider isn’t likely to save you any money. The
company is betting instead that users will embrace an improved user
experience as a value proposition. With PlayStation Vue the electronics
giant isn’t looking to change the game but to play it better than the
cable guys.
[Of course, it's going to save you money. Most cable subscribers already have internet access. And $60 is cheaper than $90 (or the $110 that I'm paying Time Warner Cable now). However the problem is that the internet access providers are also the TV providers and apparently you can get a pretty decent deal bundling internet and TV, especially if you threaten to switch. They'll probably give you a lousy deal if you go internet only -- well except for the cheapie $15 service.]
