Goodbye EPIX, Hello MGM+

I don't currently subscribe to EPIX. I have, but I don't subscribe to pay streaming services for very long, usually just for a month, long enough to catch up on stuff, then cancel until some time later.

Having said that, EPIX is a pretty good streaming service. It's not one I normally think about, and based on the subscriber base for the top ten pay streaming services, a lot of others are that way as well. And that's really not a good indication of the programming available.

For EPIX, you can add that as part of a cable or satellite service. But there is a standalone service, EPIX NOW, that give you the same thing without cable/satellite. It's what streamers would use, so that means us.

EPIX NOW is $6/month and one of the more reasonably priced services. It's less than 1/3 of the cost of the top tier Netflix service, and less than half the cost of the mid-tier Netflix. It's even less than the lowest Netflix tier. It's less than half the cost of HBO Max. Okay, I won't go on, but you get the idea. It's cheaper than most.

Of course, it doesn't have all the recent blockbusters of the other services, either. But it does have a decent catalog of content, and if you want a cheaper service with good content, it is a viable alternative.

So what's all this about "Goodbye EPIX?" Well, the EPIX service will no longer exist as of January 15, 2023. It's not shutting down. It's rebranding. EPIX will become MGM+ on that day.

The newly unveiled brand will debut on January 15, 2023, in conjunction with the Season Three premiere of the acclaimed series Godfather of Harlem. The show's second season was EPIX's best performing season of all time, breaking records for single-title streams in a single day across EPIX's digital channels. The Season Two finale was EPIX's best performing finale episode to date.

"MGM is one of the most iconic and beloved brands from the golden age of entertainment," said Michael Wright, head of MGM+. "This rebrand is a promise to existing and new viewers that MGM+ is the place to find television that reflects and celebrates the legacy of the iconic MGM brand -- cinematic programming with sophisticated storytelling that entertains, delights, surprises, and transports. MGM is television for movie lovers."

Essentially, it's just a name change. Everything else remains the same. Even the EPIX app will magically become the MGM+ app on that day.

Should you wait until January to try MGM+? Well, no, not really. Since EPIX will simply be rebranded in January, you can get the same thing today with EPIX. Try it for a month. It's $6, and if you don't find it worth it, don't resubscribe. Cancel and finish out the subscription.

I'll try out EPIX/MGM+ again soon. It's been a while since I've done that. I may find that it get added to my regular rotation of services that I used to enhance my Streaming Life. You may find the same.

Goodbye macOS

In 2007, when I replaced a computer that really needed to be replaced, the new laptop came with Windows Vista. I was not a happy camper. I put up with it for a while, and was tempted to "downgrade" to Windows XP, which I liked. I hated Vista. And so did many others.

Let me take some time to tell you why I think Vista was so bad. Before Windows XP was released, Microsoft begin working on an OS code named "Longhorn." Note that all versions of Windows had code names prior to release, with Windows XP being "Whistler." Well, Longhorn was being developed before XP was ever officially released. The plan was a stop-gap OS release between Whistler (what became Windows XP) and Blackcomb (the planned next major release).

As development progressed, many features intended for Blackcomb were incorporated into Longhorn. However, as Longhorn was not originally intended to have those features, this "scope creep" began to overwhelm the project. Blackcomb was eventually canceled, as many of its features were incorporated into Longhorn.

Longhorn was finally locked down and released as Windows Vista. It acted like an unfinished operating system. And, it really was, as so many Blackcomb features were kludged in, without the full vision of Blackcomb being realized.

Internally, Vista was Windows 6. And it was a flop. Many hated the experience, including me, and many paid to "downgrade" to Windows XP. I chose to not do that, but to simply change to a different operating system. I chose Mac OS, known as OS X at the time.

In the summer of 2007, I bought my first MacBook, and I liked it. I liked it a lot. And I've used Macs since then.

Fast forward to summer 2022, when Apple announced the latest version of macOS. The announcement included a list of devices that were supported. My MacBook was not on the list. That means that my perfectly good MacBook will not receive the new operating system update that is being released this month. No macOS 13 Ventura for me.

That is disappointing. I get that they need to draw the line on support somewhere. However, I don't want to shell out $1500 for a comparable new MacBook. That's a lot of money, because Macs cost a lot of money. And, one of the reasons they cost so much is they are very well built machines. That's why my 7 year old MacBook runs as well today as the day I bought it.

I've mentioned before that I bought a new SSD for my MacBook and replaced the one in the MacBook, and installed GNU/Linux on it. That has gone very well, and I am very used to the Linux experience. And I have decided that I will not buy a new MacBook, and will continue using my current device running Linux.

No, it's not the same as running macOS. It's not the same as running Windows. But, it's a good experience, and I'm quite happy to keep using Linux as my everyday OS on my laptop. I need to do more with my Linux desktop, because I use the device for different stuff. I use that for video editing. I need to do that with Linux, rather than the Windows desktop that is my current video editing machine.

When that's done, I'll probably shut down the Windows device, as it will at that point be taking up space.

It's been a weird route that has taken me to this point. It started with a side project in my Streaming Life, and that led to something which led to something which led to something. Now, I'm giving up macOS officially. I would never have seen this coming a year ago.

Watching college football games this weekend: Week 6

College football season continues, this week feature three battles between ranked unbeaten teams. All three are conference matchups: one each in SEC, Big XII, and Pac 12.

If you want to watch all of the games this season, you need access to most of the networks, which can get expensive. Of course, you might not want to be able to watch all the games.

This weekend, only one game will not be on these networks. Here are the networks carrying games:

• ABC
• ACC Network
• Big Ten
• Big 12 Network
• CBS
• CBS Sports Network
• ESPN
• ESPN 2
• ESPN 3
• ESPN U
• SEC Network
• ESPN+
• Fox
• Fox Sports 1
• Longhorn Network (No games this week)
• NBC
• NFL Network
• Pac 12 Network
• Peacock

Here is how to watch these networks:

ABC

• Antenna, over the air, free.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.
• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Fubo TV, $70/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.
• DirecTV Stream Entertainment, $70/month.

ACC Network

• Sling Orange, with Sports Extra, $46/month.
• Sling Orange+Blue, with Sports Extra, $65/month.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.
• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Fubo TV, $70/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.
• DirecTV Stream Choice, $90/month.

Big Ten Network

• Sling Blue, with Sports Extra, $46/month.
• Sling Orange+Blue, with Sports Extra, $65/month.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.
• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Fubo TV, $70/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.
• DirecTV Stream Choice, $90/month.

Big 12 Network

Big 12 Network games are available through ESPN+.

CBS

• Antenna, over the air, free.
• Paramount+ Premium, $10/month.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.
• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Fubo TV, $70/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.
• DirecTV Stream Entertainment, $70/month.

CBS Sports Network

• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Fubo TV, $70/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.
• DirecTV Stream Ultimate, $105/month.

ESPN

• Sling Orange, $35/month.
• Sling Orange+Blue, $50/month.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.
• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Fubo TV, $70/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.
• DirecTV Stream Entertainment, $70/month.

ESPN2

• Sling Orange, $35/month.
• Sling Orange+Blue, $50/month.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.
• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Fubo TV, $70/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.
• DirecTV Stream Entertainment, $70/month.

ESPN U

• Sling Orange, $35/month.
• Sling Orange+Blue, $50/month.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.
• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.
• DirecTV Stream Entertainment, $70/month.
• Fubo TV Elite, $80/month.

ESPN3

ESPN3 is usually included with a service that carries standard ESPN/ESPN2.

• Sling Orange, $35/month.
• Sling Orange+Blue, $50/month.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.
• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Fubo TV, $70/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.
• DirecTV Stream Entertainment, $70/month.

ESPN+

ESPN+ is a standalone sports programming service. It is not the same thing as regular ESPN that you get with cable or one of the live streaming services. Some content from ESPN, ESPN2, or other ESPN networks may be available on ESPN+, but often, it's content that is only available on ESPN+.

• ESPN+, $7/month.
• Disney Bundle, $14/month.

Fox

• Antenna, over the air, free.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.
• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Fubo TV, $70/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.
• DirecTV Stream Entertainment, $70/month.

Fox Sports 1

• Sling Blue, with Sports Extra, $46/month.
• Sling Orange+Blue, with Sports Extra, $65/month.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.
• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Fubo TV, $70/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.
• DirecTV Stream Entertainment, $70/month.

Longhorn Network

• Sling Blue, with Sports Extra, $46/month.
• Sling Orange+Blue, with Sports Extra, $65/month.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.

NBC

• Antenna, over the air, free.
• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Fubo TV, $70/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.
• DirecTV Stream Entertainment, $70/month.

NFL Network

• Sling Blue, with Sports Extra, $46/month.
• Sling Orange+Blue, with Sports Extra, $65/month.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.
• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Fubo TV, $70/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.

Pac 12 Network

• Sling Blue, $35/month.
• Sling Orange+Blue, $50/month.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.
• Fubo TV Pro, with Fubo Extra, $78/month.
• Fubo TV Elite, $80/month.

Peacock TV

Peacock is a standalone streaming service that carries NBCUniversal programming, including much sports from NBC as well as exclusive sports programming. Peacock Premium is $5/month, but is included with Xfinity Internet plans.

SEC Network

• Sling Orange, $35/month.
• Sling Orange+Blue, $50/month.
• Vidgo Plus, $60/month.
• YouTube TV, $65/month.
• Hulu+Live TV, $70.
• DirecTV Stream Choice, $90/month.
• Fubo TV Ultimate, $100/month.

This list of networks covers all the games airing today. It also covers games next week through Friday, as the early games next week are all on one of these networks.

NOTE: Longhorn Network is not needed this weekend.

To watch all the games, having an antenna won't really matter, as in order to get all the networks carrying games, the services also carry the OTA stations. So, how much to watch them all?

The services necessary will cost $85. That's $78 for Fubo TV Pro +Fubo Extra, along with $7 for ESPN+.

If you want college football in your Streaming Life, you have options, though it can get expensive depending just how many games you want to watch.

Replacing cable/satellite

If you're looking to cut the cord -- cable or satellite -- and are wondering how you're going to be able to watch all those channels with streaming, there are a bunch of questions you need to ask yourself first. And those questions may change the question you initially had.

You see, as you think it through, you may come to realize a few things about your TV watching habits. Let me offer some examples.

Your initial question may be "How will I ever watch all the channels I have if I drop cable/satellite?" But is that really a valid question? Do you already watch all of the channels you have? You probably don't. You probably have a few channels you like to watch, and the others are channels you either never watch at all, or watch only when you run across something there while channel surfing. You don't really watch all those channels.

So, now the question becomes "How do I watch all the channels I watch today?" And that question may not be valid. It might be, but here's why it may not be. Why is it you watch those channels? And the answer is probably because you like the shows they carry. Or -- and this may actually be better -- you like the type of shows they carry. See the difference? One is a particular show that you watch, while the other is a particular type of show you watch.

Here is an example from my life. This particular example might not apply to you, but do follow what happened, and see if something similar may apply. My mother kept cable for a while after she started streaming. It turned out the reason was she really like Game Show Network. But what about it did she like? Well, she liked when it carried the classic game shows from years past. The current stuff didn't really matter, but the old game shows were favorites of hers.

Once we found out that was the actual reason, we found several free streaming services that carried the same content, and showed her. She would watch that when her classic shows were not on GSN, then discovered for herself that the free streaming channel carried what she wanted to watch. And she finally cut cable, saving a lot of money, and still watching the type of shows she liked.

How important is it to really watch THAT channel? How about a similar channel? Would that be okay? Sometimes (not every time, but sometimes) it is okay. And that's important.

Of course, I've not talked about local channels. With satellite, you may or may not get local channels, but you probably get a feed of the major networks. With cable, you get the local channels. So, how do you replace those?

One way is with an antenna. Don't immediately rule this out. It may be possible to pick up the channels you want with an antenna. If you live close enough, and indoor antenna will do. If not, you may need an outdoor antenna like I require. But an antenna may be something that you can use to pick up local channels.

I live a bit of a distance from the TV towers, but can still pick up 25 channels clearly. There are others that are in and out, but 25 are strong and reliable signals. And that surprised me, mostly because the local cable service didn't carry all of them, so I didn't really know they were there until I put up an antenna.

If you need a particular channel with content that's not available on a FAST (free ad supported television) service, then a subscription live streaming service may get you what you need:

• Frndly TV ($7/month)
  
• Philo ($25/month)
  
• Sling TV ($35/month)
  
• Vidgo ($60/month)
  
• YouTube TV ($65/month)
  
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month)
  
• Fubo TV ($70/month)
• DirecTV Stream ($70/month)

Depending on what you want to watch, one of these may get you what you need, giving you a very satisfying Streaming Life.

A guide to cutting the cord

I've written from time to time about things to do when cutting the cord. But I've never put everything you need to do all in one place.

Others have done that, and it's kinda hard to improve on that. All I can ever do in those situations is to offer what was more important to me, or sometimes what I didn't need to do because of my unique situation.

And that last bit is kinda important. You see, whatever your situation, it's your situation. It's not someone else's, and what's important to them may not matter to you.

Having said that, Tom's Guide to to cancelling cable and streaming TV online is actually pretty darn good. Here's a sample:

If you're currently on the phone canceling your cable subscription, or in the store to pick up cord-cutting gear, here are the bare-bones necessities you need to consider. The rest of the article goes into more detail about each point:

• Invest in an HD antenna. Your local broadcast networks are very expensive to carry, so cut the middle man while you cut the cord. The best TV antennas will let you watch all of your favorite network TV stations live, in high definition, with no cost beyond the antenna itself.
• Consider cable TV alternatives. The best cable TV alternatives are perfect for reluctant cord-cutters. They're almost the same thing as having a traditional cable or satellite subscription — but at a lower price. Sling TV and Philo are the cheapest.
• Pick the best streaming device for your needs. Every streaming device has pros and cons.  Consider whether you need 4K resolution, fancy remote controls, or the ability to play games. (The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is our current top pick.)
• Check your smart TV. Yes, you may not need a standalone streamer, as most smart TVs offer dozens of streaming services, so you may not need any additional hardware at all.
• Subscribe to the best streaming services. Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu and Amazon Video provide vast libraries of classic movies and TV, as well as lots of original content. Peacock, Paramount Plus and AMC Plus are decent options too.
• Find a way to stream your own content. With the right library, DVD-ripper and hardware, you can DIY. Plex is the one of the best programs for the job, and most of its features are free.

It's a pretty darn good guide for beginning your Streaming Life.