Category: Cord Cutters

I got the new FireTV Stick for my bedroom TV.. I like it!

Amazon Adds a Web Browser to The Fire TV

Cord Cutters News – By: Luke Bouma – “Today Amazon officially released their Silk Web Browser for the Fire TV, Fire Stick, and Fire TV Edition smart TVs. Now you will be able to surf the web on your TV with the Fire TV.

This was first spotted by AFTVnews.com and if you have ever used a Fire Tablets browser you will be right at home with the Silk Browser on the Fire TV.

Right now the Silk Browser only works on 1st and 2nd Gen Fire TVs. Sadly no 3rd gen Fire TV support at this time. (Look for that to be added shortly.) There is also no 1st gen Fire Stick support as the sticks slower CPU is not powerful enough for the Silk Browser to work correctly.

The browser does not seem to support Flash but will support HTML5 video so sites like YouTube and more will allow you to stream video on your Fire TV with the Silk Browser.

To add the Silk Browser to your Fire TV you can find it in the Amazon App Store HERE. At this time it should be concerned a beta product and will likely still have many bugs.”

Yep, you read that right!

Streaming is Now More Popular Than Cable TV

Cord Cutters News – By: Luke Bouma – “Today the research firm Hub released a report called ‘Conquering Content’ that looks at the growth of streaming.

According to this report for the very first time, most Americans prefer to stream their favorite show vs watching it on a traditional pay TV provider. In total 52% of Americans say they would rather stream the show vs 48% who said they would rather watch it on cable.

This is a huge jump from 2014 when only 31% said they would prefer to stream it. In 2016 only 40% of Americans would like to stream over a traditional pay-TV service. This rapid growth also lines up with the growth of live TV streaming services such as Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, Hulu, and DIRECTV NOW to name a few.

‘These findings suggest that the aggressive investment SVODs are making in original and exclusive content is paying big dividends,’ said Peter Fondulas, co-author of the study and principal at Hub. ‘In this research and other recent studies, we see clear evidence that high-profile online exclusives generate buzz that draws consumers to these platform, which not only helps attract brand new subscribers, but also builds loyalty among current customers.’

Hub conducted their research in October 2017 with over 2,000 US consumers.”

We are getting close to being able to drop cable and get cable channels via Internet Streaming!

AT&T Announces DirecTV Now Launch With $35 Plan, $5 HBO and Cinemax

Streaming Media – “AT&T officially launched DirecTV Now yesterday, offering several details on the streaming service but also leaving a few gaps. Starting November 30, DirecTV Now will offer four tiers: Live a Little with over 60 channels for $35 per month, Just Right with over 80 channels for $50 per month, Go Big with over 100 channels for $60 per month, and Gotta Have It with over 120 channels for $70 per month. However, the Go Big tier will be reduced to $35 at launch, and all who grab the intro price will be grandfathered in at that rate. AT&T did not give an end date for the intro pricing. AT&T will offer two add-on packs, with HBO and Cinemax for $5 each per month.

While AT&T repeatedly emphasized the simplicity of the offering, the devil is in the many details, and consumers may have a hard time deciding whether or not it’s worth switching from cable or satellite. For one thing, the company hasn’t announced full channel lineups for each tier. Promotional materials show that the lowest tier includes several of the most popular basic cable channels, such as AMC, FX, Bravo, CNN, E, and A&E. Channels added in the next three tiers seem to be far less popular, but the second tier adds access to two regional sports networks (RSNs).

Subscribers will be able to access two concurrent streams. DirecTV Now will support iOS and Android devices, Apple TV, Chromecast (on Android), and Amazon Fire TV and Stick at launch. Support for Roku, Amazon Fire tablet, and Chromecast on iOS will come sometime in 2017. The company didn’t mention gaming console support at all. AT&T will provide a limited amount of free content through the DirecTV Now app to give people a sample of what’s available.

Besides live channels, DirecTV Now will include a video-on-demand library of 15,000 titles. The interface emphasizes live content, but doesn’t allow live video pause. The service won’t offer a cloud DVR at launch, but will add the feature in 2017. Viewers will be able to catch up on programming they missed with the 72-hour lookback feature, but that won’t be long enough for some viewers. The service won’t support 4K video or 5.1 audio at launch.

According to AT&T Entertainment Group CEO John Stankey, who spoke at the launch event, customers with poor credit are a major obstacle for satellite TV providers, and 20 million U.S. homes are locked out because of their credit. DirecTV Now gives them an option, as it doesn’t require a credit check. The company doesn’t send out a monthly bill, but simply draws from the customer’s debit card.

AT&T will offer several incentives for new customers. Those who pre-pay for three months can get an Apple TV for free, while those who pre-pay for one month can get a free Amazon Fire TV Stick. Some LeEco TVs and phones will include free service for a limited number of months. Consumers will be able to test the service out with a 14-day free trial.

DirecTV will provide targeted ad opportunities, which the company says is essential for keeping costs down. There’s no ad-free option, and subscribers certainly won’t be able to skip ads.

Other details consumers will need to pay attention to involve live local and sport programming, where AT&T was not able to simplify rights. DirecTV Now will offer content from ABC, NBC, and Fox at launch, but not CBS. Viewers will only be able to watch live broadcast programming in areas where those three networks own and operate the local affiliate stations. Subscribers in other areas will need to wait a day for access. The service doesn’t support DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket. Verizon has an exclusive on NFL mobile streaming, so that gives DirecTV Now a hole in its sports coverage.

With DirecTV Now, AT&T isn’t trying to sell just an OTT service, but a package of services. Streaming DirecTV Now video won’t count against AT&T customer data caps. New customers who sign up for wireless plans with messaging can get Fullscreen’s OTT service for free for one year, with data cap-free streaming. The announcement of data-free streaming has already angered net neutrality proponents.

Actress Reese Witherspoon was on hand to announce that in 2017 DirecTV Now will include an on-demand channel with content from her production company Hello Sunshine. AT&T also announced it will carry exclusive behind-the-scenes video from musician Taylor Swift.”

When I’m right, I’m right! Chromecast is vastly under-rated, and very handy!

Chromecast Owned 35% of the 2015 Set-Top Box Market, Says Report

Streaming Media – By: Troy Dreier – “The compact and inexpensive Google Chromecast dominated the connected living room in 2015, says a report from Strategy Analytics. The Chromecast took 35 percent of the global set-top box and stick market, followed by Apple TV, Roku devices, and Amazon Fire TV. Those four brands control the streaming living room. The Chromecast’s low price makes it an impulse purchase, notes report author David Watkins, who adds that many prefer its mobile-centric approach to content access and control. The company’s Q3 2015 report also found that Chromecast owned 35 percent of the market.

While Chromecast took the largest market share, Apple has shipped the most units. Apple shipped nearly 37 million Apple TVs since the box first launched in 2007. Google has shipped 27 million Chromecasts since it debuted two-and-a-half years ago. Roku has shipped 20 million box and stick devices, while Amazon has shipped under 10 million Fire TVs.

Those four companies are finding plenty of willing buyers, as global demand for living room streaming devices was up 32 percent in 2015. The total amount of streaming devices (including game consoles, connected TVs, and Blu-ray Players) totaled 220 million units in 2015, with 84 million shipped in the last quarter.

The report also looks at the connected TV space, finding that Samsung, LG, and Sony make up 50 percent of the market share. However, TCL and Hisense and gaining fast, and are expanding outside of China.”

And, now I want one! Wow!

Review: Roku 4 Streams 4K Video With More Powerful Model

Streaming Media.com – By: Troy Dreier – “Roku is taking a lead on 4K, making ultra-high definition support the defining feature of its new Roku 4 set-top box. Someone’s got to be first, and while there isn’t much 4K content around yet, Roku is helping TV-lovers find and stream it. That gives it a critical differentiator over the new Apple TV, which doesn’t support 4K.

Using the Roku 4 doesn’t require a UHD TV, and there’s a lot to like about it even with an HD set (which is how we tested it). The box has a quad-core processor and triple the RAM of the Roku 3, and performed perfectly in our testing. Combining its hardware with the existing quick-start feature for Netflix and Amazon meant we never had to wait more than a few seconds for content. The Roku 4 includes 802.11ac MIMO Wi-Fi, which is helpful for 4K streaming because it has strong throughput. Viewing 4K video requires an HDCP 2.2 HDMI port. The set-top box also includes optical digital audio for the first time, (something we weren’t able to test) and upscales SD video to 720p.

Roku has thrown some variety into the screen savers this time, and automatically shows 4K nature images when the screen is inactive. We loved how rich and detailed they looked, even at 1080p. Those screen savers are customizable, but more on that later.

We didn’t have to wait long to test out the remote finder, since remotes naturally get lost in a messy TV room. Press a button on the box and the remote plays a sound of your choosing until you pick it up and press a button. It worked as it should, and is a fun conversation piece.

The improved hardware is only part of the story here. Roku has long been a master of the perfectly intuitive user interface, and the company has released an OS update (to OS 7) that adds useful new features without crowding the controls.

Roku introduced the My Feed feature back in March, letting users identify movies currently in theaters that they want to stream when available. My Feed gains new abilities with OS 7, as users can now follow any movies, TV shows, actors, or directors they want. When something new is available, My Feed lets you know with helpful on-screen indicators. You’ll see a number in parentheses in the left-hand navigation that lets you know how many new items you have available, then a purple triangle next to every item in the feed that’s been updated. We suspect that many people are spontaneous in their streaming video watching—simply browsing around until they find something good—but the My Feed improvements are a boon for planners who don’t want to miss a thing.

OS 7 and the updated iOS and Android Roku app combine to make Roku’s new Hotel and Dorm Connect feature possible. We haven’t testing this yet, but look forward to doing so later this month during Streaming Media West. This feature gives Roku owners a way around Wi-Fi accounts that require a sign-in. Connect the Roku to a hotel or dorm Wi-Fi network and enter the sign-in information through the app. Once connected, the app passes the credentials over to the Roku. It’s a smart idea, and one that makes the Roku an essential travel companion.

The app is worth updating for other reasons. Those high-resolution screen savers in the Roku 4 are customizable: Using the app, owners can substitute their own photos, high-res or not. The controls are easy and its fun having favorite shots show up on the TV, something Apple TV users know well. The app also includes new tools for searching and managing the feed, as well as playing content. These should have been in place when the app was first launched, but better late then never.

The Apple TV will certainly continue to outsell Roku models, but it shouldn’t. Roku has known that the future of TV is apps for years now, and it creates dead simple user interfaces that make content discovery a pleasure. The Roku 4 continues that with a forward-looking attitude.”