Epix on the Roku Channel

I said recently that I would be checking out The Roku Channel to see why everyone was so high on it. The Roku Channel gets a lot of love from cord cutter Websites and articles, but it's something I've not done much with. So, I'm trying it out.

Shortly after starting that, I found out this was going to take a lot longer than I thought. It turns out there's a lot to The Roku Channel. The free streaming content is what I have always focused on, and that's understandable. After all, that's one of the features that Roku most often emphasizes. But it's not the only thing they have.

Roku is really big on buying stuff. Most companies are. And Roku wants you to buy subscriptions using Roku Pay. I've already said I'm not a fan of Roku Pay, but I do understand it's a revenue stream for Roku, and that there may be valid reasons for it to be the way for you to go.

The Roku Channel offers subscriptions to premium services. I subscribed to Epix in order to try it out. And, quite honestly, it worked pretty good. But not perfect, you might note.

First, and this isn't necessarily a bad thing, is that when you subscribe to a premium service through The Roku Channel, a separate app is actually loaded on to your Roku. An app called "Epix on The Roku Channel" appeared. Again, not a bad thing. If I want to watch Epix content, it's all right there. And, it's also available within The Roku Channel.

The two problem I had with Epic on The Roku Channel were the lack of a search feature and the limited content.

The search is kind of a big deal, but then again, there's a workaround. The Epix app, the real one, with a separate subscription directly to Epix, has search capabilities, unlike Epix on The Roku Channel. The workaround is that you can still search within The Roku Channel, just not the Epix on The Roku Channel app.

The limited content is the big thing with me, and I didn't find a workaround. What I'm talking about is that not everything that's available from Epix is available through Epix on The Roku Channel. Oh, and I'll call it Epix/TRC to differentiate going forward, okay? Anyway, Epix/TRC didn't have everything. If you go to the various categories of content, say, science fiction or comedies, you'll see up to 40 titles in the category on Epix/TRC. You'll see everything on Epix on Epix.

Apart from that, the Epix/TRC app is easy to use. It worked as expected. No crashes. It's fine. Just not all the Epix content. And it's the same price as a stand-alone Epix subscription, so you're paying the same thing for less.

Of course, if the missing content isn't something you want, then they're actually doing you a favor by not cluttering things. But, you don't know if you care about that content unless you know what the content is.

The other issue with Epix/TRC is that you are limited to watching it on a Roku device. You can't watch the content through The Roku Channel on, say, a Fire stick. Yes, The Roku Channel is available for Amazon Fire TV, but Epix content -- like all premium content to which you subscribe via The Roku Channel -- isn't available on the non-Roku platforms.

One thing I really liked, and I wish more would do this, is that when I approached the end of my free trial (it comes with a 7-day free trial) Roku did email me. That allowed me the option to cancel before I was charged. Most services won't do this, and leave it entirely up to you, the consumer, to keep up with all of that, hoping you'll forget and they get to charge you for a month you really don't want. Roku isn't like that. And I found that a welcome change.

So, Epix on The Roku Channel? It works well enough. If you're all in with Roku, it's a good choice. If you want to be able to use it on a non-Roku platform, then don't subscribe to it; rather, subscribe to Epix directly and get the flexibility you want.

Oh, and it did help up my opinion of The Roku Channel a little, which is how this whole thing started. I can see more usage of The Roku Channel happening in my Streaming Life.

Fire TV again

I've mentioned before that I'm not a fan of Amazon Fire TV devices. I've used a Fire TV box and the Fire Stick. Or is it Firestick? Let me check.

Oh. It's Fire TV Stick. I'll try to remember that.

Anyway, I've had Fire TV devices, including the box, the Stick, and even a television with built in Fire TV. I've not liked them.

Part of the problem is the blending of Amazon into the interface. I get why it's there, since it's an Amazon device. I wouldn't expect it to be all iTunes or Google Play. Of course, Apple TV integrates iTunes or Apple store content into the interface, and Google integrates Google Play Store into the Android TV/Google TV interfaces. So, it's not like Amazon is doing something different. However, it just seems more obvious to me, too "in your face" to my liking.

I could, of course, be wrong. And if they are promoting Amazon content over others, so what? If the device is easy to use and gets the user what is wanted, that's actually a good thing.

But that's the lesser issue I have with Fire TV devices. The main issue is the responsiveness of the Fire TV devices I've used.

Now, the actual TV with Fire TV built in doesn't fall into that category. The TV I used was responsive. There were other concerns, that really weren't Amazon's fault, but rather the TV manufacturer that was the problem.

However...

It's been some time since I've used a Fire TV device. And I've read reports that the new Fire TV Stick 4K is a good device that is responsive, as it should be. So, I'm going to try one.

This will be the fifth or sixth Amazon Fire TV device I've had over the years. If this one is actually as good as I've read, then it will finally be something useful.

I ordered a Fire TV Stick 4K and it arrived yesterday. I'll be using it off and on for the next bit. Maybe I'll be happy with it. Or at least not as disappointed as I've been.

Fingers are crossed. Maybe this will be a useful addition to the hardware I use in my Streaming Life.

Football, eh

One of the most challenging aspects of cutting the cord has been being able to watch a favorite sports team, or sometimes even a favorite sport overall. In the early days of cord cutting, this was quite true.

As a fan of college football, it was hard to watch the sport with a streaming device. Now, Sling TV launched in 2015, the first major live streaming service, so there have been options since then. But, I cut the cord in 2011, so while that was some years back, the early years helped form you outlook, and helped raise awareness that everything may not be easily available.

Having said that, college football isn't all that hard to find these days. Pro football can be a little more difficult, unless price is no object. You'll need the higher priced live streaming services to watch NFL football.

But the NFL isn't the only game in town. Well, I guess it is, it's not the only game on TV. There is the Canadian Football League.

I remember watch CFL football years ago. The rules differences were interesting, and took a little getting used to. I recall thinking, "Why did they make the rule changes they did?" You see, I didn't realize that Canadian football was actually the predecessor of U.S. football. Sort of.

Yes, football as we know it -- not soccer -- was a U.S. sport, but didn't catch on. Canada embraced it, and the Canadian game is closer to the roots of the game. The sport made its way back to the U.S. with some rule changes that eventually became the separate but similar sports we have today. But even with the differences, you can tell they're the same sport, just a few different rules.

Why am I bringing up Canadian football? Because the CFL 2021 season opens today. And, CFL football is available for viewing in the U.S. And not just a game of the week, like the old days. The entire CFL schedule is available for streaming online.

As part of a multi-year agreement, ESPN2, ESPNEWS and ESPN+ will combine to present every CFL game live, culminating with the Semi-Finals, Finals and 108th Grey Cup on Dec. 12. The 2021 schedule features 14 games for each team, which includes Thursday night games in the summer, Friday night football each week and Saturday night games throughout the season.

This is good. More online access to content is always helpful.

CFL football may not be your cup of tea. But, it is somebody's. Heck, I'm going to watch some of the games. It's a little different than what I'm used to, but it is fun football nonetheless. It may make your Streaming Life more fun. It will mine.

Goodbye AT&T TV

No, I'm not dropping AT&T TV service. I can't. I'm not a subscriber. I used to be. Well, sort of. Let me explain.

I tried out DirecTV Now some time back, shortly after it launched. It was an okay service. Actually, it was more than okay. It was a good service. I had no problems with it at all. Sling TV, on the other hand, was kind of problematic. It would crash or freeze or stutter. DirecTV Now was much better.

I didn't stay with DirecTV Now because it did't bring any real value to me. I could watch what I wanted without paying the $35/month. And, no, that's not a typo. That was how much it cost back then.

Of course, the service rebranded as AT&T TV Now, then again, becoming AT&T TV. And, yes, price increases along the way, to the point where it's now over twice the original cost.

With that history, you shouldn't be surprised there's another change coming. AT&T TV will soon be no more. They're rebranding the service as DirecTV Stream.

For those who stream it, the newly branded DIRECTV STREAM will become the single brand for video streaming services previously launched by AT&T, excluding HBO Max. The transition will happen later this month, and service will continue to be available with no term commitment or hidden fees. To enjoy the best of live TV and on-demand, customers can either bring their own streaming device, or use DIRECTV’s exclusive streaming device.

It's part of the spinoff of DirecTV that AT&T began some time back. It's now done, and the name change will happen soon.

As for the service, it should be as before. While I didn't use the service, or at least haven't in quite some time, I did think it was a top notch service. And while I won't be subscribing to DirecTV Stream -- at least, I have no plans to -- I still think that for those that want a live streaming service, it will be a worthwhile addition to their Streaming Life.

Good news, bad news for Hulu+Live TV?

Fans of the NFL got some good news recently from Hulu+Live TV. NFL Network is now part of Hulu+Live TV.

With a subscription to Hulu + Live TV, you can follow your favorite NFL pro football teams throughout the 2020 season, record their games, and access the live TV broadcasts aired on NBC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, and NFL Network — through all of your Live TV supported mobile and TV-connected devices.

This does seem good news to Hulu+Live TV subscribers, with the service adding something that's already on competing services. As of this writing, NFL Network is already on Fubo ($65/month), Vidgo ($55/month), and Sling TV ($35/month).

So, what's the bad news?

Well, to be honest, there might not be any bad news. But, I do worry about something. Here's my concern.

Stuff is going to go up in price. That's how things go. Some services take longer for price increases, and some have smaller price increases. Hulu+Live TV has gone from $40/month in 2017 to $65/month today.

Of course, they've added more content, meaning that while you're paying more you're getting more. On the other hand, when you get more, you pay more. Even if what you get isn't what you want.

There's no price increase announced, but keep in mind, the addition of more channels eventually led to a higher subscription cost. I consider this just one part of the justification of the next price increase.

Am I complaining about the glass being half empty? Maybe. I'm just keeping in mind that this is how things go. More costs more. Maybe not at first, but it will.

Is Hulu+Live TV worth it? Well, yeah. This adding doesn't come with a price increase. Yet. So, this week, you're getting more than you got last week for the same amount. That's good. But will this lead to a price increase down the road? I think so.

I'm not intending to trash Hulu+Live TV, so don't take it that way. Just keep in mind that it will come. Enjoy your Streaming Life while the price is the same.

Tablo vs Air TV (again)

Yes, I covered Tablo vs Air TV before. The outcome of that was that I like both Air TV and Tablo. They are both good devices and both work well.

I manage a couple of household locations and set up Air TV at one and Tablo at another. I then switched out the Air TV device and replaced it with Tablo because I like the interface better. So, what to do with the old Air TV device? I finally figured out what to do with it. I use it.

I got to thinking about it recently. Perhaps you'll recall that I had an issue with Tablo recently and had to reboot and re-add the device to the network. That's been bothering me. Plus, not having Air TV running any longer means that I can't keep with with changes or improvements (not all change is good) to the service.

So, what to do? Well, why not run both? I only have the one antenna, but a splitter will take care of that little issue. And that's what I did.

I now have both Air TV and Tablo devices connected to my antenna. I re-scanned to ensure that I still get a good signal, and I do. Both devices pick up the same channels. I limited both to the same 26 channels, as other six channels don't have a signal I'm comfortable with.

So, splitting the signal didn't adversely impact the channels I can receive by either device, and now I'm running both devices.

Tablo is still my preferred app, because I like the interface better. But, with football season approaching, and the likelihood that I'll subscribe to Sling TV for the college football season, I'll be using the Sling TV app anyway. With Air TV integrating into Sling TV's menu and guide, I will be able to switch from ESPN or SEC Network to CBS or Fox over the air from within the same app.

Yeah, maybe this is overkill. But, on the upside, I'll be able to keep abreast of changes to either app or service. If I can find something that helps others out and makes their Streaming Life better, it's a good thing.

My problem with Roku Pay

Roku offers the ability to subscribe to services or otherwise make purchased directly through your Roku device. Here's how it works, briefly.

When you set up your Roku device, you need a Roku account. If you don't already have one, the on-screen setup will walk you through it. One of the things it wants you to do is to add a credit card to your account. 

Now, be aware that you don't really need to add a credit card to your account. If you want to set up a Roku account without a credit card, there's a special link for that: https://my.roku.com/signup/nocc

So, why does Roku want you to add a credit card to your account? You know as well as I know that they want to make it easy for you to buy stuff. Impulse buying can be stunted by having to enter credit card information. If it's already there, clicking "buy" or "subscribe" happens quickly before you change your mind.

Sure, they're gonna say it's for your convenience. And there's truth to that. The reality is that, just like any store where there's items next to the cash register, it's for impulse buying. You see an app or a movie or a subscription service and you think, "Hey, why not?" You click the items, and you don't even need to enter any information. It's already to charge you for the purchase or rental.

I'm not saying that's a bad thing. In fact, I do agree with the whole "convenience" things from the customer standpoint. It is convenient to have a single way of paying for stuff and everything right there in one place.

To me the drawback isn't the ease in impulse buying. If you don't like impulse buying, don't impulse buy. No, the drawback is the limitation of how you can use the content.

If you subscribe to a service -- Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Paramount+, anything -- via Roku Pay, you are limited to using the content on Roku. And not just on Roku, but on Roku tied to your account. Why is that a problem? Let's play Suppose.

Suppose you have a Roku on your main device, and another Roku (or more than one) on other devices for kids, or other family members.  Say there's a teenager with her own Roku account. Or a TV in a room the younger children use to watch TV.

On your device, you have your list of apps you like. But you may want a different group of apps on the teen's Roku, or on the younger kids' Roku. The way to do that is to have separate Roku accounts for the other devices. If they're all on your Roku account, they'll all have the same apps. If that's okay, then it's okay. But if it's important to have different apps, then that means different Roku accounts.

Suppose you buy something on your Roku account -- say a Netflix subscription -- you can't grant usage to the teen with a different Roku account. You'd need a separate Netflix subscription. The way around that is to subscribe to Netflix directly and use the login on all the devices you want in your household. That means NOT using Roku Pay.

Suppose you have a Fire TV device in another room. Say, a TV that came with Fire TV built in. You can use that TV as is, but if you subscribe to Netflix (or anything) through Roku Pay, you can't watch on that TV unless you add a Roku to that TV. Because it only works on your Roku devices.

Suppose you subscribe to Hulu through Roku Pay and then want to use a mobile device to watch Hulu. Too bad. It's only works on your Roku devices.

Subscribing through Roku Pay has its advantages, but there are disadvantages you don't think about until you get in that position. Then, it's too late. Well, it's never too late, but you then need to cancel and subscribe separately to each service.

I'm a fan and supporter of Roku. But I won't subscribe to anything through Roku Pay, except under extraordinary circumstances. I'm love Roku, but I'm not in love with Roku. I have room for other streaming ways in my Streaming Life.