Is YouTube TV a Good Option for Cord Cutters? So I’ve reviewed PlayStation Vue here, as well as taken a look at some of the big players in the live TV streaming market. With the recent announcement that YouTube TV was expanding into more markets, including my home market of DFW, I thought I’d sign up and give my impressions of the service now I’ve actually gotten to try it out.

Right off the bat, with only one package at $35 a month (plus sales tax, so in Texas this comes out to $37.36) for almost 50 channels, YouTube TV is competitive price-wise. Vue’s cheapest option (following their recent price hike in many markets) is $40, and has almost 50 channels. DirecTV Now’s cheapest plan, also $35, offers over 60 channels. It’s an interesting turn of events that the AT&T-owned DirecTV Now has the greatest number of channels for the joint lowest price. On the subject of channels, YouTube TV has some issues. All four major broadcast networks are included, although like Vue, ABC is only available On Demand in the DFW market. The biggest omissions on YouTube TV are that neither Turner stations (CNN, Cartoon Network, TBS, TNT) or Viacom stations (Comedy Central, Spike, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1) are available. This represents a significant drop in channel availability over almost all of the other major live TV streaming providers, which tend to carry Turner stations at a minimum, and DirecTV Now and Sling also carrying Viacom channels. AMC and BBC America were recently added, which is at least a positive step, but further channels will need to be added to remain competitive. Moving to the DVR, and it’s an interesting mixed bag. As with any other service, you can select shows to be recorded, and all shows are kept for nine months. The oddity here is that once an On Demand version of one of your live TV recordings becomes available, that On Demand version then replaces the live TV version in your recordings. Ordinarily not a problem… but there are commercials in all of the On Demand content, and so YouTube TV effectively inserts unskippable commercials into your recordings. One workaround I’ve found for this is to view your recordings not from the Library page where you select the show, but instead from the subheading of “Recently Recorded”. Your “old” DVR versions will live on there, but only for a few days. Once they scroll off, you’ll have no choice but to watch the On Demand versions with the added commercials. This is somewhat of an inelegant system, and anyone who doesn’t watch their recordings within a few days of them originally airing will have no choice but to enjoy the ads. One nice touch is that when scrolling through a show (to skip a commercial, for example) you actually get a thumbnail image preview of where you are in the recording. Vue doesn’t have this, which makes trying to dodge commercials an exercise in guessing how long you think this commercial break is actually going to be. With regards to picture quality, I’ve been quite impressed with how shows actually look. I think it’s upscaled 720p, though it’s difficult to definitively discern. Either way, there seems to be minimal compression, with shows looking crisp and sharp--sharper than Vue, in my opinion. The downside here is that YouTube TV is currently locked to 30 FPS. This isn’t as noticeable as I thought it was going to be when I initially signed up, but when compared to the 60 FPS of Vue it’s difficult not to notice the shuddering and unnatural movement--particularly in fast-moving images like sports or action shows. YouTube TV also has the fewest platforms available right now. You can use a Chromecast controlled by an Android or iOS cellphone or tablet, as I am, the Google Chrome browser, certain Smart TVs with built-in Google Cast support, and Apple AirPlay. So to sum up: The Good • Entry-level price of $35 • Recordings retained for 9 months • Good picture quality • Clean UI The Bad • Recordings replaced by On Demand versions with unskippable inserted commercials after a few days • 30 FPS • Missing some channels (Viacom, Turner) • Limited device support Right now I certainly like YouTube TV, but I don’t know if I like enough it to replace Vue full-time. No Turner or Viacom channels is a sizeable problem, especially when I could get them from DirecTV Now for the same price. And with the news that DirecTV Now is finally getting a DVR this year, a feature I regard as a “must-have” when it comes to live TV streaming, perhaps that will finally be the service that has everything I want without paying cable TV prices for it. This article was contributed by the DSLReports.com community. If you'd like to receive payment for writing content like this for our front page, please drop us a line.







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Most recommended from 16 comments

sphinxguy18

Premium Member

join:2008-01-13

Dallas, TX 5 recommendations sphinxguy18 Premium Member YouTube TV



If you check out their websites, I counted 15 Sport Channels. If memory serves me correctly, I've read that there is some # of people (including myself) that could care less about watching the sport channels. However YouTubeTV channel line up has almost 50% of their channel line up filled with them. I still have my expensive Dish Network service, but I have customized my Guide to remove all the Sport Channels, QVC / Shopping Network crap and everything in between. If you do that, you'll soon realize how little channels one watches vs what they offer. Which I know if the main reason why people cord cut.



Besides the DVR function and storage space. YouTubeTV jumped the bandwagon way too early before working on getting channels people actually watch - especially for $35/month. I would stick with SlingTV, Playstation Vue or even DirecTV Now before attempting YouTubeTV.



"That's my two cents, spend it wisely". I don't think YouTube TV, in general, is really something to write about and/or use as a cord cutting option.If you check out their websites, I counted 15 Sport Channels. If memory serves me correctly, I've read that there is some # of people (including myself) that could care less about watching the sport channels. However YouTubeTV channel line up has almost 50% of their channel line up filled with them. I still have my expensive Dish Network service, but I have customized my Guide to remove all the Sport Channels, QVC / Shopping Network crap and everything in between. If you do that, you'll soon realize how little channels one watches vs what they offer. Which I know if the main reason why people cord cut.Besides the DVR function and storage space. YouTubeTV jumped the bandwagon way too early before working on getting channels people actually watch - especially for $35/month. I would stick with SlingTV, Playstation Vue or even DirecTV Now before attempting YouTubeTV."That's my two cents, spend it wisely".

Mactron

el Camino Real

Premium Member

join:2001-12-16

PRK 5 recommendations Mactron Premium Member Sports Meh



Vue seems to have the best interface and channel choice.



Sling interface still suxs. Although improved ?..

Channel choice OK.



My 2¢ The less sports the better. Zero sports being perfect.Vue seems to have the best interface and channel choice.Sling interface still suxs. Although improved ?..Channel choice OK.My 2¢

thecybernerd

Premium Member

join:2007-01-05

Arlington, VA 2 recommendations thecybernerd Premium Member I'm a fan I have been very happy with YouTube TV thus far. It offers most of the sports channels I care about and it's user interface is buttery smooth compared to what is offered by DirecTV NOW (My previous OTT provider). I wish there was a nartive interface for Apple TV/Roku but the Chromecast functionality works great.