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The 6 best live TV streaming services: Cut the cord

  • The 6 best live TV streaming services: Cut the cord

    We're not spending as much time watching TV as we used to, but at an average of three hours a day, we're still watching a lot. You might think that would be good news for the cable companies. Nope. More people than ever are dumping cable and satellite TV for streaming. Today, 69% of watchers prefer streaming to traditional TV offerings. To get more news about 39bet-nhà cái uy tín-lô tô-lô đề-xổ số kiến thiết-blackjack, you can visit official website.

    People want to save money. At the same time, though, 60% of viewers are paying for both cable TV and one or more streaming channels. That's because they want both their regular channels and fresh, new offerings from video-on-demand (VoD) streaming services.

    Guess what? With today's streaming services, you can have the best of both worlds with two kinds of streaming. The first is VoD, from such providers as Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. Increasingly, there are free -- with commercials -- VoD services such as Crackle, Peacock, and Pluto TV. Then, there are live TV streaming services including AT&T Now, Philo, and Sling TV. Combine them, and you can get all your old channels alongside fresh new shows for less money than you're paying your cable or satellite TV provider.
    Sling TV has an à la carte approach to channels that separates it from its competitors and makes it our top overall pick. While the others tend to offer only one or two packages, Sling TV offers two basic packages -- Blue and Orange -- plus a wide variety of packages bundling up to a dozen related channels. This is a mixed blessing, as it can be a tad confusing. But I like it because it lets me get only the channels I want.
    I used to love Google's YouTube TV, and I still like it a lot. But there's this one not-so-little problem: the price tag. At $65 per month, YouTube TV isn't cheap.

    That said, there's a lot to love here. With over 85 channels, it offers more of the most popular ones than its competitors. It also enables you to watch not only your local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC channels in most areas, but your local PBS stations as well.
    Hulu with Live TV's big selling point is it's the one service that combines both live TV and VoD. Besides great original content, such as exclusive titles like Only Murders in the Building, it also has a large catalog of on-demand shows and movies. On top of that, you get over 75 live and on-demand channels.

    Its channel selection has some blanks in it. Some favorites, such as the AMC, the CW, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and VH1, are only available in extra-price add-ons. On the other hand, basic sports are well-covered with the ESPN and Fox sports networks. Like most of the other services, it gives you access to local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC channels in most areas. You don't, however, get your local PBS station.
    Are you a serious sports fan? And when I say "serious," I mean besides watching the US favorite trilogy of football, basketball, and baseball, do you want to watch the English Premier League, F1 Racing, and cricket? While great for sports lovers, FuboTV has some odd holes in its lineup. For example, it no longer carries TNT and TBS, both of which show a lot of sports. It also doesn't include the Fox regional sports networks. Still, if your sporting tastes run to European sports, you'll find a lot to like here.

    Short on cash? Not all that interested in sports? If that's you, then Philo is the service you want. For only $25 per month, you get 65 channels.

    But you won't get any local or sports channels. Still, if you like popular entertainment and lifestyle shows with just enough news -- BBC World News and Cheddar News -- to keep you informed, Philo is well worth checking out.
    I follow streaming services for a living, and even I have trouble keeping up with AT&T/DirecTV streaming service names. Today, it's DirecTV Stream. By whatever name, it's become better over the years, but its offerings and price have gotten poorer.

    In the early days, it came with a great price: 100 channels for $35 per month. We wish it were anything like that today.

     

    DirectTV Stream is an expensive service. The entry-level Entertainment package comes with 65+ channels and 40,000 VoD titles for $70 per month; the Choice package includes 90+ channels and 45,000 VoD selections for $85 per month; the Ultimate with 130+ channels and 55,000 VoD selections is now $105 per month; and the Premier with 140+ channels and 65,000 VoD shows costs $150 per month.

      August 18, 2022 9:12 PM MDT
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