Google vs Disney

Just a few days ago, Google and Roku settled their differences, allowing Google's YouTube TV app to return to the Roku Channel Store and kept the YouTube app available. Now, Google and Disney are in a dispute.

Google sent an email to YouTube TV users this week letting them know that the service could lose Disney's channels if an agreement isn't in place by Friday. Currently, YouTube TV has the following Disney channels:

• Local ABC affiliate
• ESPN
• ESPN2
• ESPN3 (by authentication to the ESPN app)
• ESPNU
• ESPNEWS
• SEC Network
• ACC Network
• Disney Channel
• Disney Junior
• Disney XD
• FX
• FXX
• FXM
• National Geographic
• National Geographic Wild
• Freeform
• ABC News Live

The email included a link to a Web page set up by Google for the dispute, and a promise to drop the monthly price by $15/month if the channels are removed.

If we are unable to reach a deal by Friday, December 17, 2021, the Disney portfolio of channels will no longer be available on YouTube TV starting December 17, and we will decrease our monthly price by $15, from $64.99 to $49.99 (while this content remains off of our platform). This discount will apply to all Base Plan members billed during the period when Disney content is not available on YouTube TV and will be via a credit or, in select cases, applied directly. No action is needed on your part.

Something similar happened recently with Google and NBCUniversal, when Google promised a $10/month drop if they didn't reach an agreement. They reached an agreement.

Google is also suggesting users subscribe to the Disney Bundle in order to access some Disney channels. Of course, if you are familiar with the Disney Bundle, you know that doesn't begin to make up for the lost channels. However, that's Disney's fault. You can't get the ESPN channels with the Disney Bundle. Yes, ESPN+ is part of that, but ESPN+ is not the same as ESPN, not by a long shot.

Is you're a YouTube TV user, and if you lose Disney channels this weekend, your best option may be to suspend your YouTube TV subscription and use another service. Sling TV is the cheapest, but the lineup may not be enough for you. But, I suspect if they don't reach an agreement, you can deal with the smaller lineup of channels from a cheaper service for the duration.

Personally, I hope they do resolve the issue. I'm not a regular user of YouTube TV, so I won't be impacted, but I do want those that do use the service to have the option. YouTube TV is a good option for a live streaming service. It's not a part of my Streaming Life, but it's worth considering as a part of yours, if they can hammer out an agreement with Disney.

Fawesome

One of the best things about streaming is that you can find some good content for free. One of the bad things is that many times, the free content isn't good. But that's how life is, right?

Fawesome is one of those services. It has some good stuff, and some not so good stuff. I'm a fan of both. Sure, liking good stuff makes sense, but I also will watch a bad movie just because it's a bad movie. Side note: I've seen all of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 films in their original uncut form (except for two). Yeah, I will watch a bad movie.

But to be fair, Fawesome isn't all about bad movies. It's about good movies too. Some are films I've seen before and enjoyed, including The Hunt for Red October, Galaxy Quest, Halloween, and ... um ... well, okay, not a huge selection of good movies that I've seen. Most of the films I've seen are in the bad movie variety. But, still enjoyable. And, of course, there are plenty of good movies that I haven't seen.

There are also TV series available. One pairing you might want to try is Danger Man (Secret Agent in the USA) followed by The Prisoner. After that, decide if John Drake is Number Six.

The name "Fawesome" seems to stand for "free awesome" movies. I'll give them the free part. Awesome? Well, I'll admit some are pretty good. Is it a worthwhile addition to your streaming device? Sure, why not. It's available on all the major platforms, and may have something you enjoy.

It's on my Roku device, and it's something I'll continue to watch from time to time. It's not an everyday, go-to app, but it does have some stuff I'll watch. Maybe it will add to your Streaming Life as well.

Paramount+ live TV channels

Paramount+ has offered live TV since it came into being and replaced CBS All Access. If you have the $10/month plan, you get local live CBS -- well, most of the time; you can't watch some special content, such as this week's airing of Frosty the Snowman -- but in general, you can watch you local CBS affiliate. You can also watch CBSN (news), CBS Sports HQ, ET Live, and some occasional sports programming.

Until this week, that was the extent of the live TV offerings from Paramount+. That selection has grown. Now, to be sure, it's nowhere near the number of live streams available form Pluto TV or Xumo, but some is quite interesting. And, these are available on all Paramount+ plans.

Since there are only 18 new streams added, that's easy to list. The newly available streams are:

• SpongeBob Universe
• PAW Patrol
• Kids & Family Fun
• Preschool Corner
• Animation Favorites
• TV Classics
• Nostalgic Hits
• Star Trek
• Crime & Justice
• All Day Drama
• History & Undiscovered
• Reality TV: Competition
• Survivor
• The Challenge
• Reality TV: Shores
• Black Voices
• 24/7 Laughs
• Adult Animation

They are pretty much what the name says. The Star Trek channel is all the Star Trek series, including the new ones. Reality TV Shores is all of those reality TV shows that have "shores" in the name: Jersey Shore, Floribama Shores, and so on. Black Voices has programming from The Game, Dave Chappelle, etc. Twilight Zone, Hawaii 5-0, I Love Lucy, and similar programming is on TV Classics. You get the idea.

While the number of streams isn't great, the selection is pretty darn good. Some are things that I wouldn't care about at all, but other are right up my alley.

You'll probably be able to find something to enhance your Streaming Life.

How to watch the bowl games

There are 44 college bowl games/playoff games this year. The first two are on December 17, and the last one, the national championship game, is on January 10. In all, 86 schools will be playing games this post-season.

Streamers used to have a difficult time watching the games live -- at least legally -- but that changed in the 2015 season when the first live streaming service, Sling TV, launched. Now, there are several live streaming services, and you have lots of options when it comes to watching bowl games.

The Games

Friday, December 17

Bahamas Bowl

12:00 PM on ESPN

Middle Tennessee (6-6) vs. Toledo (7-5)

Tailgreeter Cure Bowl

6:00 PM on ESPN2

Northern Illinois (9-4) vs. Coastal Carolina (10-2)

Saturday, December 18

RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl

11:00 AM on ESPN

Western Kentucky (8-5) vs. Appalachian State (10-3)

Cricket Celebration Bowl

12:00 PM on ABC

South Carolina State (6-5) vs. Jackson State (11-1)

PUBG Mobile New Mexico Bowl

2:15 PM on ESPN

Texas-El Paso (7-5) vs. Fresno State (9-3)

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl

3:30 PM on ABC

Alabama-Birmingham (8-4) vs. Brigham Young (10-2)

LendingTree Bowl

5:45 PM on ESPN

Eastern Michigan (7-5) vs. Liberty (7-5)

Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl

7:30 PM on ABC

Utah State (10-3) vs. Oregon State (7-5)

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

9:15 PM on ESPN

Louisiana (12-1) vs. Marshall (7-5)

Monday, December 20

Myrtle Beach Bowl

2:30 PM on ESPN

Old Dominion (6-6) vs. Tulsa (6-6) 

Tuesday, December 21

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

3:30 PM on ESPN

Kent State (7-6) vs. Wyoming (6-6)

Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl

7:30 PM on ESPN

Texas-San Antonio (12-1) vs. San Diego State (11-2)

Wednesday, December 22

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

8:00 PM on ESPN

Missouri (6-6) vs. Army (8-3)

Thursday, December 23

Frisco Football Classic

3:30 PM on ESPN

North Texas (6-6) vs. Miami University (6-6)

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl

7:00 PM on ESPN

Central Florida (8-4) vs. Florida (6-6)

Friday, December 24

EasyPost Hawai'i Bowl

8:00 PM on ESPN

Memphis (6-6) vs. Hawai'i (6-7)

Saturday, December 25

TaxAct Camellia Bowl

2:30 PM on ESPN

Georgia State (7-5) vs. Ball State (6-6)

Monday, December 27

Quick Lane Bowl

11 AM on ESPN

Western Michigan (7-5) vs. Nevada (8-4)

Military Bowl

2:30 PM on ESPN

Boston College (6-6) vs. East Carolina (7-5)

Tuesday, December 28

TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl

12 PM on ESPN

Houston (11-2) vs. Auburn (6-6)

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

3:15 PM on ESPN

Air Force (9-3) vs. Louisville (6-6)

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

6:45 PM on ESPN

Mississippi State (7-5) vs. Texas Tech (6-6)

San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl

8:00 PM on Fox

California-Los Angeles (8-4) vs. North Carolina State (9-3)

Guaranteed Rate Bowl

10:15 PM on ESPN

West Virginia (6-6) vs. Minnesota (8-4)

Wednesday, December 29

Wasabi Fenway Bowl

11 AM on ESPN

Southern Methodist (8-4) vs. Virginia (6-6)

New Era Pinstripe Bowl

2:15 PM on ESPN

Maryland (6-6) vs. Virginia Tech (6-6)

Cheez-It Bowl

5:45 PM on ESPN

Clemson (9-3) vs. Iowa State (7-5)

Valero Alamo Bowl

9:15 PM on ESPN

Oregon (10-3) vs. Oklahoma (10-2)

Thursday, December 30

Duke's Mayo Bowl

11:30 AM on ESPN

North Carolina (6-6) vs. South Carolina (6-6)

TransPerfect Music City Bowl

3:00 PM on ESPN

Tennessee (7-5) vs. Purdue (8-4)

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

7:00 PM on ESPN

Michigan State (10-2) vs. Pittsburgh (11-2)

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl

10:30 PM on ESPN

Wisconsin (8-4) vs. Arizona State (8-4)

Friday, December 31

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

11:00 AM on ESPN

Wake Forest (10-3) vs. Texas A&M (8-4)

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

2:00 PM on CBS

Washington State (7-5) vs. Miami (7-5)

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl

2:00 PM on Barstool Sports app

Central Michigan (8-4) vs. Boise State (7-5)

Saturday, January 1

Outback Bowl

12:00 PM on ESPN2

Penn State (7-5) vs. Arkansas (8-4)

Vrbo Citrus Bowl

1:00 PM on ABC

Iowa (10-3) vs. Kentucky (9-3)

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl

1:00 PM on ESPN

Notre Dame (11-1) vs. Oklahoma State (11-2)

Rose Bowl

5:00 PM on ESPN

Ohio State (10-2) vs. Utah (10-3)

Allstate Sugar Bowl

8:45 PM on ESPN

Mississippi (10-2) vs. Baylor (11-2)

Tuesday, January 4

TaxAct Texas Bowl

9:00 PM on ESPN

Louisiana State (6-6) vs. Kansas State (7-5)

Friday, December 31

College Football Playoff Semifinal: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

3:30 PM on ESPN

No. 4 Cincinnati (13-0) vs. No. 1 Alabama (12-1)

College Football Playoff Semifinal: Capital One Orange Bowl

7:30 PM on ESPN

No. 3 Georgia (12-1) vs. No. 2 Michigan (12-1)

Monday, January 10

College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T

8:00 PM ESPN

Cotton Bowl winner vs Orange Bowl winner

How to Watch

Apart from the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl on December 31, which will be streamed free on the Barstool Sports app, every other game will be on a streaming service.

Here are the services for each network.

ESPN/ESPN2

ESPN carries the most games. A few are carried on ESPN2. All services that carry ESPN also carry ESPN2:

• Sling Orange ($35)
• Vidgo ($55)
• Hulu+Live TV ($65)
• YouTube TV ($65)
• Fubo ($65)
• DirecTV Stream ($70)

ABC

If you have an antenna, you can watch for free. If not, and you decide to go with a streaming service, you have some options:

• Antenna (free)
• Vidgo ($55)
• Hulu+Live TV ($65)
• YouTube TV ($65)
• Fubo ($65)
• DirecTV Stream ($70)

CBS

If you have an antenna, you can watch for free. If not, and you decide to go with a streaming service, you have some options:

• Antenna (free)
• Paramount+ ($10)
• Hulu+Live TV ($65)
• YouTube TV ($65)
• Fubo ($65)
• DirecTV Stream ($70)

Fox

If you have an antenna, you can watch for free. If not, and you decide to go with a streaming service, you have some options:

• Antenna (free)
• Sling Blue, select markets only ($35)
• Hulu+Live TV ($65)
• YouTube TV ($65)
• Fubo ($65)
• DirecTV Stream ($70)

If you have an antenna for the broadcast networks, the cheapest way to watch all of the bowl games is Sling Orange. If you don't have an antenna, the cheapest way to watch them all is with either Hulu+Live TV, YouTube TV, or Fubo. They're $65. Note that Hulu+Live TV will go up on price by $5 on December 21.

Worrywarts

You would think that because the Google vs Roku dispute impacting YouTube TV is now resolved that people would be happy. But that's because you think rationally. Not everybody does.

I've been a contributor to the Roku user support forums for some time. Over the past few years, my contributions have increased greatly. Roku invited me to be a part of their Community Expert group. Part of the reason is that I'm always right.

Now, before you go and think I'm just some egotistical jackass (spoilers: I am), keep in mind that if I'm right, I'm right, but if I'm wrong, I learn from that and become right. My goal is to be right. I'm not looking to "change the facts" but rather to learn from the facts and adjust as more information is available. If I'm wrong, I'll adjust, and then I'll be right. So, the end result is, I'm always right.

Where am I going with this? Well, during this whole Roku vs Google thing, I wasn't fretting over it. A lot of people were, though.

Now, you may say, "But there was the chance the apps would leave for good. It was right to be worried." I'm not going to try to change your mind. That's a valid opinion based on the information available. But the time for worry is over.

Except for some people.

If you go to the Roku community support forums, you'll see some people still wringing their hands about the whole thing. "When will I need to start worrying again?" It's like these people want to worry about something. Spoilers: they do. They just want to worry about something.

You can't make some people happy. I just shake my head sometimes. Now, if they need help with something, I'll help them. Unless they're a bigger jackass than I am. And some are. Those, I'll leave them twisting. I'll give it a shot, but if they just want to bitch, moan, and complain, I'll walk away.

At the end of the day, a Roku device is just a silly little piece of electronics. A streaming app is just a piece of software for doing something that's often just mindless entertainment. It really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

If all I had to worry about was some hypothetical action that neither party wants to do, then I don't have enough to worry about. That's really way down on the list of important things.

Having said all that, I'm glad they resolved the dispute. My Streaming Life might not be as important as real life, but it is fun.

Roku vs Google, resolved

There has been a dispute between Roku and Google for some time that impacted the YouTube TV app, and could have impacted the YouTube app. If you had the YouTube TV app on Roku, you got to keep it, as long as you didn't uninstall it. If you didn't have the YouTube app, or if you uninstalled the YouTube TV app, you couldn't get it (or get it back).

Google said Roku was being unfair. Roku said Google was being unfair. I thought they were both to blame somewhat, but I thought the primary issue was Google, not Roku.

Keep in mind that I've been a Roku user, and a fan of Roku for over a decade. So, if you think my opinion was clouded by that, okay. But keep in mind that this Website is registered through Google, and is hosted by Google. And I also have a Google TV device (Chromecast with Google TV) that I like. Google Chrome is my default Web browser. So, I'm heavy into both parties.

Whoever was to blame doesn't really matter now. The issue has been resolved.

I'm glad to see it resolved. I figured it would be, but you never know for sure.

It doesn't really impact me though. I had the YouTube TV app on my Roku device before the whole dispute happened. I wasn't a subscriber, but never removed the app after I last dropped the service. As I've mentioned several times, I don't normally subscribe to a live streaming service except during college football season. And while the regular season is over, bowls are coming up. I normally use Sling TV, but I think I'll try YouTube TV, just to see if there are any new features since I last subscribed.

While the impact to me is minimal, the impact to others is much greater. I'm glad they got it resolved. This will make someone's Streaming Life easier.

CW app

All of the major broadcast TV networks have apps so you can watch the shows, current and past. There's always a catch, though. You have to authenticate against a TV provider: a cable, satellite, or streaming service. Most of those streaming services are $65/month or more. You can't just watch anything you want in the app for free.

Except, with the CW app, you can watch for free/

CW doesn't require authentication against a TV provider. You launch the app and you watch your shows. That's how you would want it to work, and how the CW app does work.

If you're a fan of the shows on the CW -- Legacies, Superman & Lois, Walker, Roswell New Mexico, Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Riverdale, or any of the other shows -- this is a great and free way to watch them.

I realize that the CW isn't the most watched network -- according to Nielsen, it's the 8th most watched network -- but the fanbase is a pretty loyal one. Those that find shows to watch seem to really enjoy them.

As a streamer, I'm happy to see a major network offer content for free. If you had an antenna, you could watch it for free. But, with CW, you don't need an antenna. You can just watch the shows via the app on your streaming device.

If CW shows are of interest to you, you may find that the CW app will be a great addition, and help you enjoy your Streaming Life even more.

Blogs for cord cutters

While I am certainly happy that you've stopped by here, and I'm hoping my tips, suggestions, and comments might be helpful, I certainly know there are other places online that can help you as a cord cutter. Here are a few blogs that you might like.

Amazon Fire TV Blog

If you use Amazon Fire TV, you might find their blog useful for finding out about some of the features of that streaming platform. They don't post every day. In fact, they only post a handful of times a month. Last month, six times. The month before, 12 times. And, every post won't necessarily be something you absolutely need to know about, it's a good resource if you're in the Amazon ecosystem.

Chromecast Blog

For as much as Google does online, posting on the Chromecast Blog isn't anywhere near the top of their list. They have posted five times this year. That's it. But, I still check it every day. If there's something posted there, it's probably a big deal. Or somebody was assigned to "just post something." Kinda hard to tell. About half of one and half of the other, I suspect.

Tablo Blog

If you have an antenna and a Tablo device, you may find this useful. They post every couple of weeks, or more often when new features are introduced. And while much of it is "hey, we got a sale going on" kind of things, there are some articles that are for cord cutters, and antenna users in particular. You don't necessarily have to be a Tablo user, but the primary focus is their customers, same as the other blogs listed.

Air TV Blog

Air TV is another platform that lets you add an antenna to your local network. It's owned by Dish Network, who also owns Sling TV. And, while I'm listing this entry as the Air TV Blog, it's really the Sling TV news page. From the Air TV Website, the "blog" link takes you to the Sling TV news page, so I'm including this for that platform.

Plex Blog

Even if you don't use Plex server, the Plex Blog covers other functionality from the service. Plex has a selection of free streaming that you can use without running a Plex server. They don't post that often, but if you run a Plex server, it's worthwhile. Even if you don't run a Plex server, you can find updates about their free streaming content. It's worth a shot.

There are more blogs that you may find useful, but these are some that I check every day. If they make your Streaming Life a little easier, then I've done my job in bringing them to you.

College Football Playoffs: A better idea

They announced the four teams in the college football playoffs yesterday, and nobody was happy. Okay, four fan bases were happy. But there were some fan bases that could legitimately claim that their team was one of the four best teams. 

Notre Dame fans feel their team was one of the four best, despite the loss to Cincinnati two months ago. Big XII champ Baylor's two losses were to Oklahoma State, who they beat for the championship in a rematch, and to Texas Christian on an interception with a minute left in the game. Ohio State didn't make the Big Ten title game on a tie-breaker, but has been impressive the last half of the season. Even Mississippi, with two losses, one to SEC champ Alabama and the other to bowl-bound Auburn, can claim to be one of the better teams. This may upset Cincinnati fans, but how many of the top ten ranked teams would have gone 13-0 with the schedule the Bearcats had? I'm thinking all of them.

Regardless, this is what we have. But what we actually have isn't what we should have.

Several of us online -- me and some family and friends with an online presence -- have been proponents of a 16-team playoff for several years. I'll lay out the case for it.

Keep in mind that there is talk of the CFP expanding. Almost all of the schools want that. The sticking point is how many teams make the playoffs. Currently, there are four. One faction wants eight, and another faction wants twelve. We'll probably get twelve, but when that happens is unknown. But twelve isn't enough, at least according to me and my friends.

With 12 teams, you'll have four teams with a first round bye. But there is still that round. Two-thirds of the teams will play one more round. That means if one of those makes the championship, they'll have played one extra game. Upping to 16 levels that. Everyone who makes the second round and beyond will have played the same number of games.

If you have 12, going to 16 won't extend the season at all, because the round already exists. The 12-team plan just has four teams sitting out the first round. So, it would be more fair to have 16 teams rather than 12.

The 12-team format also will call for six conference champions -- the Power 5/Autonomy 5 champions and the highest ranked of the other five -- and the six best of the rest. The 16-team format allows all ten conference champions to make the playoffs. Win the SEC? You're in. Win the MAC? You're in. Win your conference, and you're in. That still leave six spots.

The six at-large spots would be the best teams that didn't win their conference. In the seven years of the CFP prior to this season, four teams that did not win their conference made the playoffs -- Alabama, Ohio State, and Notre Dame (twice) -- with one of those (Alabama) winning the championship.

I prefer that the ten conference champions get the top ten seeds, as a reward for winning their conference. That's how other football leagues do it, but we'll stick with the seeding of the CFP committee. It's more important to be in the field of 16 than where you are in the field of 16.

With that in mind, here's how the playoffs would look this year if they followed this plan:

1. Alabama (SEC)
2. Michigan (Big Ten)
3. Georgia (At-large)
4. Cincinnati (American)
5. Notre Dame (At-large)
6. Ohio State (At-large)
7. Baylor (Big XII)
8. Mississippi (At-large)
9. Oklahoma State (At-large)
10. Michigan State (At-large)
11. Utah (Pac 12)
12. Pittsburgh (ACC)
13. Louisiana (Sun Belt)
14. Texas-San Antonio (Conference USA)
15. Utah State (Mountain West)
16. Northern Illinois (Mid American)

If they put the ten conference champs as the top ten seeds, it would look like this:

1. Alabama (SEC)
2. Michigan (Big Ten)
3. Cincinnati (American)
4. Baylor (Big XII)
5. Utah (Pac 12)
6. Pittsburgh (ACC)
7. Louisiana (Sun Belt)
8. Texas-San Antonio (Conference USA)
9. Utah State (Mountain West)
10. Northern Illinois (Mid American)
11. Georgia (At-large)
12. Notre Dame (At-large)
13. Ohio State (At-large)
14. Mississippi (At-large)
15. Oklahoma State (At-large)
16. Michigan State (At-large)

Whichever seedings you choose, number 1 hosts number 16. Number 2 hosts number 15. Number 3 hosts number 14. And so on. Some of the matchups are really good. Some are not, but that's always the case. In the seven years of the CFP (14 semifinal games) 12 games have been double-digit wins. Only two were one score games.

On the other hand, some of those mismatches may not really be. You never know what a team may do once given the opportunity. Upsets do happen, so you might end up with a surprise or two by the time the title game rolls around.

The plan also calls for eight consolation bowls. First round in mid-December, and the losers would still get a bowl. At least two of those bowls would get conference champions. The four teams that lost in the second round could get a bowl, but I don't really care.

For second round pairings, you could either have a set bracket at the start, or you could have the highest remaining seed hosting the lowest remaining seed, similar to how the NFL does it. Doesn't really matter to me. The most important thing is that teams are rewarded for a great season, with the opportunity to win it all.

What does all this have to do with streaming? Well, other than that's how I watch all my games, nothing specific to streaming. But as a streamer, I appreciate the fact that I can watch any post-season game I want. My Streaming Life is good.

Xumo or Pluto TV

I've not written a lot about Xumo. In fact, I've written very little about it. But I need to.

Xumo might be described as a poor man's Pluto TV. But that would be wrong. Pluto TV is Xumo on steroids. But it just may be that Xumo is a better option than Pluto TV. Here's why.

Content. Now, content is king at Pluto TV. That service has so many different streams available, it's hard to keep up with. In the early days, Pluto TV was a mess. Content was awesome, but it was so hard to find anything. Many of the features didn't work, or didn't work correctly. But they got all that fixed.

Today, Pluto TV is fantastic. But so is Xumo.

It's true that Xumo doesn't have as much as Pluto TV, but that's not really a bad thing. Look at it this way. Remember when you had cable TV, and you were paying for so many channels you didn't watch? It's kinda like that.

Of course, it's not exactly like that, because you paid for cable TV, and both Xumo and Pluto TV are free. But the idea of having more than you need still applies. I mean, it's free, so it's not really a problem. Unless you have to scroll through nearly 100 extra channels in order to find what you want.

Pluto TV has around 250 different streams (channels). Xumo has around 180. But, looking over the streams, there are a lot of the same content. Some of the content is exactly the same. Both carry stream of The Asylum, for instance.

They'll carry some of the same streams. Some is different, but similar type of content. Both will carry streams of action films, or Black cinema, or some other type of movies. The same, but not exactly the same.

Xumo has about 70%-75% of the content that Pluto TV has, with a lot of overlap of same or similar content. Both have quality programming, since Pluto TV is owned by Paramount and Xumo is owned by Comcast.

Which do I prefer? Pluto, but not by much. Xumo is great. Pluto TV is great. You can't really go wrong with either one. Both are a part of my Streaming Life, and should be a part of yours, too.