Things streaming needs to fix - old guys perspective

bowl_actually

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I live in a rural area with limited choices for TV, but do have high speed internet. I've had satellite for years, it works, but the companies are terrible. Continually increasing costs for long term customers while giving new subscribers lower cost options. It's whacky, why does a company punish their good customers and give new customers all the perks? But I digress. Bottom line, I despise all these companies and would gladly ditch them.

Since I have high speed internet, I have been on a mission to find a suitable streaming platform that can replace traditional offerings. It's so bizarre to me that there are so many things that need to improve with streaming platforms. Yea, they are great for searching and finding a movie, or a TV series, etc. Those things are great and better than traditional TV. But there are many little things that they just don't seem to care about or address, mostly to do with live TV which is mostly sporting events. I'm currently using hulu for live TV and use disney+, tubi, and a bunch of others for other things. All of them on the latest roku ultra. Here are some things that I think are shortcomings of all the streaming platforms I've used.

- Pause live TV, DVR. On hulu, when you pause a live TV show, like a golf tourney. After some time, maybe it's 30 min, it completely stops and goes to live with no ability to rewind. On every traditional service I've had, when you run out of the live tv time, say it's an hour, then it just starts playing from an hour back. So you aren't live, you're at the DVR time limit in the past and can choose to fast forward if you wish. Also, on traditional platforms, if you have a live show delayed, you can FF through the commercials. Not so with streaming, they all force you to watch the commercials.

- Multi view with DVR. On traditional services, there are multiple tuners and a jump feature to flip between them. During fall football season (or basketball, hockey, baseball, olympics, etc.), you can keep up with two or more games. Watch one game, when a commercial comes on, flip to the other game, flip back and if you've missed a few seconds/minutes of the original one, you can rewind the DVR. You can also skip commercials. Most of the traditional services also have a "multi view" screen, where you can watch 2 or 4 or more games at once with split screens. All of them with DVR attached, you can focus on one game and enlarge it to full screen, rewind, FF, etc. Nothing even close to that sophisticated exists in streaming.

- DVRs in general. Not only does my traditional service have a 2000+ hour DVR, but it also allows me to save shows for eternity (or as long as I have the service and hardware), and I can organize shows in folders. I like concerts, when I find a concert I like and record it, I sort it into the "concerts" folder. I have over 50 of them and I keep them for long times.

These are just a few of the things I use all the time on traditional services. They've evolved over many years. You would think the streaming platforms would at least look at those features that have evolved, mostly due to user demand, and try to offer some of those.

All streaming platforms are essentially computer software, making it really easy to adapt and offer services that are far superior to traditional TV. But they all seem to have the attitude of "this is the new way, we'll not learn anything from the past, and you will like it." And it's costing them subscribers, even if it's just one, me!
 
I live in a rural area with limited choices for TV, but do have high speed internet. I've had satellite for years, it works, but the companies are terrible. Continually increasing costs for long term customers while giving new subscribers lower cost options. It's whacky, why does a company punish their good customers and give new customers all the perks? But I digress. Bottom line, I despise all these companies and would gladly ditch them.

Since I have high speed internet, I have been on a mission to find a suitable streaming platform that can replace traditional offerings. It's so bizarre to me that there are so many things that need to improve with streaming platforms. Yea, they are great for searching and finding a movie, or a TV series, etc. Those things are great and better than traditional TV. But there are many little things that they just don't seem to care about or address, mostly to do with live TV which is mostly sporting events. I'm currently using hulu for live TV and use disney+, tubi, and a bunch of others for other things. All of them on the latest roku ultra. Here are some things that I think are shortcomings of all the streaming platforms I've used.

- Pause live TV, DVR. On hulu, when you pause a live TV show, like a golf tourney. After some time, maybe it's 30 min, it completely stops and goes to live with no ability to rewind. On every traditional service I've had, when you run out of the live tv time, say it's an hour, then it just starts playing from an hour back. So you aren't live, you're at the DVR time limit in the past and can choose to fast forward if you wish. Also, on traditional platforms, if you have a live show delayed, you can FF through the commercials. Not so with streaming, they all force you to watch the commercials.

- Multi view with DVR. On traditional services, there are multiple tuners and a jump feature to flip between them. During fall football season (or basketball, hockey, baseball, olympics, etc.), you can keep up with two or more games. Watch one game, when a commercial comes on, flip to the other game, flip back and if you've missed a few seconds/minutes of the original one, you can rewind the DVR. You can also skip commercials. Most of the traditional services also have a "multi view" screen, where you can watch 2 or 4 or more games at once with split screens. All of them with DVR attached, you can focus on one game and enlarge it to full screen, rewind, FF, etc. Nothing even close to that sophisticated exists in streaming.

- DVRs in general. Not only does my traditional service have a 2000+ hour DVR, but it also allows me to save shows for eternity (or as long as I have the service and hardware), and I can organize shows in folders. I like concerts, when I find a concert I like and record it, I sort it into the "concerts" folder. I have over 50 of them and I keep them for long times.

These are just a few of the things I use all the time on traditional services. They've evolved over many years. You would think the streaming platforms would at least look at those features that have evolved, mostly due to user demand, and try to offer some of those.

All streaming platforms are essentially computer software, making it really easy to adapt and offer services that are far superior to traditional TV. But they all seem to have the attitude of "this is the new way, we'll not learn anything from the past, and you will like it." And it's costing them subscribers, even if it's just one, me!

May I add the lack of even 5.1 from any of the “TV“ alternatives is ridiculous as well.

Picture quality could be much so much better too. For movies, I keep waiting for a lower price competitor to Kaleidescape to come along. Looks like it’s gonna be a while yet. Like never.

but the companies are terrible. Continually increasing costs for long term customers while giving new subscribers lower cost options.

This is the worst behavior in my opinion. Last time I switched I actually wasted my time calling the provider looking for a price cut… twice. Answer was No and NO. Happy to cut services to get the cost down for me though. Uh, huh.

The real stupidity was when I called to place the cancellation. Oh, so now you’re offering a discount? Too late, my friends.
 
Hi
Having been a very early adopter of satellite TV, I have hated the cable companies since the 80,s. Whern my (DT) satellite bill reached $100 a month and they would not work with me, I did it. I "cut the cord". Over the past 10-15 years I think I have what I consider to be almost perfect free TV. I buy preowned equipment ( less than $100 each piece, 4 tuner HD Homerun, 4 tuner Tablo and Windows Media center, a 2 TB hard drive and JRiver Media center all hooked to a rooftop antenna with a rotater and a PC. I have paused 2 channels up to 24 hours of live TV at the same time Great audio with JRiver. The most customizable program I have ever seen. With the equipment cost low I don't worry about future proofing everything. With a 0 bill every month I have saved $1000's of dollars. My 2 cents.
 
I know this is further off-topic than streaming and someone should resume commenting on an alternative to Kaleidoscope for streaming services...but ChannelMaster HD for Over The Air OTA channels ONLY recording supports up to 2TB with 2 tuners built in. One time fee to buy it. And you're set. Google play apps support a number of streaming apps... (BUT DOES NOT RECORD THEM) and a Chromecast is built in.
 
Also, on traditional platforms, if you have a live show delayed, you can FF through the commercials. Not so with streaming, they all force you to watch the commercials.
This alone is reason enough for me to refrain from streaming...
 
Isn’t this all an indication of just how powerful the advertising industry has become? Is has steadily wheedled its way into almost all on line media (including this page…..just scroll down) Thankfully in the UK we still have the BBC ! I have never really understood why TV distribution companies have been able to collect revenue from both the businesses that advertise through them AND the people they show the adverts to!!!!
 
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I think Plex, Kodi and a few others will do live and DVR...
 
Totally agree with just about everything that has been said here. Thanks for all that. For what it's worth, I didn't really start this thread for help, I was just venting!

Glad to know many others share the same complaints I have. There is so much that could be done, but the entire industry is just mediocre at best. Bizarre, you would think there is enough money to attract some talent to put together something great, but not so much.
 
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