With the rise of streaming services and the trend towards cord cutting, the way U.S. consumers are watching video is also changing. Today, over two-thirds of U.S. homes have devices that are able to stream video, according to Nielsen . In a new report out this morning, the measurement firm looked at the impact these […]
View More Nielsen: Americans are streaming 8 billion hours of content per month on connected TVsCategory: OTT
Why we’ll never get rid of TV program guides
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Want live TV over the internet? Today you have several options, including Hulu, YouTube TV, PlayStation Vue, and more. It’s hard to remember, though, but there was a time when there were virtually no options for consumers who wanted to cut the cord. Sure, services like Netflix and Vudu provided plenty of titles on demand, but current content was scattered across myriad websites and services, and it didn’t do a good job of replicating the TV experience.
Then Sling TV came along. Launched by satellite powerhouse Dish Network in January 2015, Sling TV wasn’t the first over-the-top (OTT) video service, but it was the first to get it right, both in terms of user experience and offerings. It made deals to package several popular TV channels live over the internet, including — crucially — ESPN. Since then it’s expanded in terms of both content and features, now offering dozens of channels, a cloud DVR, and even its own streaming box, the AirTV Player. Read more…
More about Streaming, Streaming Video, Sling Tv, Ott, and Dish Network
View More Why we’ll never get rid of TV program guidesReview: AirTV Player clumsily mixes local channels with Sling TV
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AirTV Player
$99.99 (Starting)
The Good
A simple • colorful design makes it stand out • Sling TV • Netflix • and local channels in the same guide • Can support 4K content
The Bad
Not a complete solution out of the box • Setup can be confusing • Not enough storage to fully use Android TV
The Bottom Line
The AirTV Player is a good option for a very select few Sling TV users who crave local channels and don’t already have them in their plan.
Mashable Score2.5
Cool Factor1.0
Learning Curve4.0
Performance3.0
Bang for the Buck2.0
If you cut ties with your cable company and become a cord cutter, do you still have a TV? If that’s a yes, you probably have a Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, or a Chromecast. All of them let you mix and match streaming services on a platform that works best for your needs. Read more…
More about Streaming Services, Ott, Cable Company, Cable Television, and Tech
View More Review: AirTV Player clumsily mixes local channels with Sling TVDiscovery may launch its own streaming service, too
Following Discovery Communications $14.6 acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive in March, the company is now toying with the idea of launching its own direct-to-consumer service. According to remarks made by Discovery CEO David Zaslav at an industry event, AdWeek reports [paywalled], the company is considering a service with all of Discovery’s networks at a price […]
View More Discovery may launch its own streaming service, tooU.S. cord cutters to reach 33 million this year, faster than expected
The pace of cord cutting in the U.S. is increasing faster than expected, according to a new forecast released this week by eMarketer. The analyst firm is now projecting the number of those ditching their subscriptions to cable and satellite TV will climb 32.8 percent this year to reach 33 million people – a figure […]
View More U.S. cord cutters to reach 33 million this year, faster than expectedSling TV revamps its service with a price hike, new free tier & a la carte channels
Sling TV, the first to deliver an over-the-top TV service aimed at cord cutters, is shaking up its business. The company announced today it’s raising the base price of its core package of over 30 channels, including ESPN, by $5 per month to now $25 per month. But it’s also rolling out free content and […]
View More Sling TV revamps its service with a price hike, new free tier & a la carte channelsOver-the-top-only U.S. households nearly tripled since 2013, impacting TV ad dollars
The number of U.S. households using only over-the-top streaming services to access TV programming and movies has nearly tripled over the past five years, according to a new report (PDF) from the Video Advertising Bureau out today. While on its own, that figure sounds impressive, the report points out that cord cutters’ slice of the pie […]
View More Over-the-top-only U.S. households nearly tripled since 2013, impacting TV ad dollarsFox News is getting its own streaming service called ‘Fox Nation’
Fox News is the latest network to jump into the streaming service market because 24 hours of cable news apparently just isn’t enough for its legions of “superfans.”
The network announced this week plans for the standalone subscription-only, streaming…
Source: Verizon to sharpen content strategy with OTT video service, IoT platform
At CES, the big consumer electronics show underway this week in Las Vegas (when the lights are working), TechCrunch has learned that Verizon is working away on a couple of new services that will see the carrier once again trying to grow its busin…
View More Source: Verizon to sharpen content strategy with OTT video service, IoT platform