YouTube TV price increase

Are you tired of having to pay $65/month for YouTube TV? Well, there's good news. And bad news. Really bad news.

The good news is that starting April 18, you won't have to pay $65/month for YouTube TV.

The bad news, the really bad news, is the price is going up to $73/month.

YouTube TV sent an email around to customers recently. It explains things, at least from the Google perspective.

We have an important update for our members. After nearly 3 years, we’re adjusting our monthly price from $64.99/month to $72.99/month. As content costs have risen and we continue to invest in the quality of our service, we are updating our price to keep bringing you the best possible service.

Your YouTube TV Base Plan membership price will change in your first billing cycle on or after April 18, 2023, and will be charged to your payment method on file going forward. To view your current plan, go to your Settings > Membership page for updated information. If you are currently on a Base Plan promotional price or a trial, that promotion is still honored and unchanged.

We will also be lowering the price of our 4K Plus add-on from $19.99/month to $9.99/month. Users new to 4K Plus are eligible for a $4.99/month for 12 months promotional offer.* For existing users, if you are on a promotional price below $10/month, you’ll enjoy that price until the promotional period is over, at which point you’ll automatically receive the new price of $9.99/month. If you’re currently paying above $9.99/month, your new price will be $9.99/month.

We hope YouTube TV continues to be your service of choice, but we also understand that some members may want to cancel their service. Family managers have the ability to cancel anytime here. For additional information, please visit our Help Center.

‌Sincerely,
The YouTube TV team

It's true that there hasn't been a price increase from YouTube TV for a while. However, a price increase is still a price increase. And there seems to be a lot of them recently. Everything has gone up since 2021, it seems.

How can you avoid the price increase? This may be a good time to sit down and decide if you really need YouTube TV. Or any live streaming service.

If you don't need to stream local channels, then you could subscribe to a cheaper service. If you have an antenna, or simply don't watch local TV -- sometimes Hulu gets you all the network TV shows on a next day basis -- then a cheaper live streaming service may be the way to go.

Or don't subscribe to a live streaming service at all. I don't.

Well, that's not true. I do subscribe to Frndly TV. That ($7/month) and Hulu ($7/month) get me all I want to pay for. Perhaps it's time you sat down and seriously considered if you're really getting value from paying so much for a live streaming service. Your Streaming Life may not need to cost so much.

Tubi is number one

For some time, Pluto TV has been the top free ad-supported television (FAST) service. Pluto TV has ruled the roost for years.

Not any more.

Tubi has taken over as the top FAST service, according to recent stats.

This is a bit of a surprise, as I've just gotten into the mindset that Pluto TV was the top FAST service. It always has been, and always will be.

Only, reality has stepped in.

Pluto TV is now the second largest free live streaming service, and Tubi TV is the new king of the FAST services, with 1% of all streaming, compared to Pluto TV's 0.7%:

"Reaching 1% of total viewing minutes is a huge milestone for us because it validates we are driving massive viewership and our data-informed personalization and recommendations get the right content in front of the right people," said Mark Rotblat, Chief Revenue Officer at Tubi. "Advertisers can feel confident that our light ad loads, addressability and tools for cross-screen planning and measurement are built with their success in mind and they can shift a significant portion of their video investment dollars to a 100% addressable audience on Tubi."

Tubi is now owned by FOX and used FOX's super bowl this year to push the free service with several virtual ads. It seems that big ad spend has helped Tubi grow and become the largest free ad-supported service in America.

I actually prefer both Pluto TV and Xumo Play to Tubi, or at least did the last time I spent a lot of time looking at them. I need to spend more time with Tubi, so I can see if changes to the service justify it's new reign at the top.

Tubi TV has been a part of my Streaming Life for some time. It may become a bigger part soon.

An Amazon browser?

There are rumors that Amazon is looking to launch a Web browser.

If you've used Fire TV devices, or Kindle Fire devices, you've seen the Silk browser. So you know Amazon already has a browser. But, it's only been available on some Amazon devices.

It seems as if Amazon is looking to release a browser for other platforms now, including your computer or mobile phone, according to Cord Cutters News:

Recently Amazon started to email customers to see if they would be interested in using a browser on a desktop and laptop. Amazon already offers a browser on mobile devices, Fire TV, and Echo Show devices, but currently, the Amazon Silk Browser is not available on desktops and mobile devices. It first launched the Silk browser back in 2011.

A browser can be a very profitable tool for Amazon. First, Amazon could use it to push Amazon products and services. Secondly, Amazon can use it to collect data about their habits to better offer ads and services targeted at them.

I don't know if I would use it, as it likely is for collecting data, and I don't want to share any more of my data with Amazon, or anyone. My Streaming Life, like my regular life, is not for the benefit of others.

Another pirate shut down

I have trashed piracy for years. To me, if some one creates entertainment and you enjoy it, you should compensate the entertainer.

Piracy has others that had nothing to do with the creation of the content getting paid for the work of others.

It's theft. There is no difference between taking entertainment and taking a physical item. If you built a table, and someone took the table and sold it to others, and kept the money, they would have stolen from you.

Piracy is the same way. It's content created by someone, who others take and sell. And because it's not a single physical item, they sell it over and over to multiple people.

Piracy is theft, pure and simple.

That's why I always read with interest when pirates are shut down. And a recent report tells of just that. IPTV service Streamzz was recently shut down.

First launched in 2019, Streamzz hosted more than 75,000 movies and 15,000 TV series episodes. The service was used by more than 60 pirated websites, including IPTV services. Based out of Germany, the website had more than 7 million monthly visits on average.

"The shutdown of Streamzz is fresh proof that no one in the content piracy ecosystem -- whether they're a streaming service, video streaming host or anything in between -- is above the law," said Jan van Voorn, executive vice president and global content protection chief of the Motion Picture Association and head of ACE. “We will target piracy services of various kinds in order to protect the global creative economy."

ACE worked with Constantin Film, a member of the coalition, on this action.

I'm glad to see when pirates are shut down. If you have been supporting pirates, I hope you change your ways and stop giving thieves your money. Your Steaming Life should be free of such things.

Netflix subtitles improvements ... finally

Netflix did something recently that some users have wanted for some time. This week, the streaming giant updated their apps to allow users to change how subtitles work.

I have to admit that I never realized that Netflix didn't offer such customization. There are a couple of reason I never noticed it. First, I don't use Netflix that much. Next, when I have used it, I never felt the need to alter the subtitles.

However, some users have wanted to change them, but were not able to. Until now, according to a report in The Verge:

Netflix already offers similar subtitle customizations via the web. Now, the feature is also available globally to TV users, a welcome update considering that Netflix reported in 2018 that 70 percent of its content is watched on TVs, and smart TVs and app-supported streaming boxes have only grown in popularity since. Other streaming platforms such as Disney Plus, Hulu, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video also offer similar user adjustments to their own subtitles.

I'm glad Netflix is finally listening to users' wants and requests. It's about time. If Netflix is a part of your Streaming Life, then this should be a welcome update.

Roku drops Roku 4 from support

Roku has finally announced that the Roku 4, model 4400, is no longer receiving support.

I found out about this because of an article I read on Cord Cutters News. According to the Website, Roku sent emails to owners of Roku 4 about the decision. Since I never owned a Roku 4, I didn't get an email. I did check the Roku Hardware page and see that the Roku 4 was moved to the Legacy section, indicating it had indeed been moved from the list of supported devices. I never did get the email.

While your current player will continue to stream and receive critical updates, it doesn’t have the latest capabilities and will soon stop receiving feature updates.

You can keep using your Roku player to stream the channels you currently have. However, this device will no longer get new features or streaming channels, updates to existing channels, or other software-related updates. You may lose access to some channels over time as those channel partners make updates.

I think it's about time. The Roku 4 was the first high end Roku device that I never recommended. That device has had a troubled history, and I thought they should have discontinued support for it a long time ago.

When it came out, I actually considered getting a new Roku device. However, I waited, and I'm glad I did.

When the Roku 4 was released in late 2015, the Roku 3 was two years old, having been released in late 2013. However, they had refreshed the Roku 3 in early 2015, and when the Roku 4 was released, they didn't discontinue the Roku 3.

I had purchased my first Roku in 2010, and had the top of the line model. When new top of the line devices were released, the previous one had been discontinued. However, the Roku 4 was not a replacement for the Roku 3. Rather, it was an expansion of the line. They kept the Roku 3 in the lineup.

Since this was not the way things had been done in the past, I wondered what was up with that. So, I waited to get one. And I'm glad I did.

The Roku 4 had all kind of issues, from being noisy -- it was the first Roku to have a fan -- to locking up or simply stop working altogether. Several Roku users that frequented the support forum actually recommended against it. I didn't, but I did report to others about the issues that had been experienced by some, and always recommended the Roku 3, since it was still in the lineup.

Roku replaced the Roku 4 with the Roku Ultra a year later, and did actually remove the Roku 4 from the lineup, but continued support. I always thought Roku should have offered an exchange for the Roku 4 and dropped support immediately. I would have suggested notifying all Roku users of the decision immediately and offered a year to exchange the device, and gotten that poorly built device out of circulation.

Roku didn't, of course. Rather, they kept pretending it was worth supporting. Well, until recently.

I'm glad to see it moved to the legacy section. By the way, the Roku 3 (both models) are still in the list of supported devices. The Roku 3 was a rock solid device in its day. The Roku 4 was not. I'm glad my Streaming Life never included one of those.

MLB to stream some games for free

With the impending collapse -- or what seems to be an impending collapse -- of regional sports networks (RSNs), Major League Baseball is reported to be planning to stream some teams' games for free.

As always, there's a catch.

Bally Sports Networks (actually, Diamond Sports Group) declared bankruptcy this week. In the process, reports say that some contracts are being canceled. Not all, but some.

The New York Post has a report of a new wrinkle in all this in that MLB TV will stream for free some of the games of the canceled contracts.

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred will have the league take over the local broadcasts of the money-losing teams and stream them for free in their respective local markets as he negotiates with their cable companies for lower contracts, a source with knowledge of the discussions said.

MLB has not finalized plans for how fans in the blacked-out markets will be able to view the free games. Currently, fans can pay to watch out-of-market games through the MLB.TV app.

MLB declined comment.

Everything indicates that current blackout rules apply. This simply means that fans will still have access to the same games, just for free for those teams. If they weren't able to stream them live before when paying for them, they still won't be able to stream them live for free.

So, if you wanted live baseball for free in your Streaming Life, you may get some teams, but the same blackout rules apply.

March Madness (2023)

It's college basketball playoff time, and while we're half-way through March, and though the finals are in April, the March Madness name sticks around.

So, for the die-hard college basketball fans, or for the casual college basketball fans, how do you watch the tournament if you're a streamer?

It's not that hard, really. There are four networks carrying the games, and all are available with various streaming packages, as well as some games, including the Final Four, available over the air.

CBS

The Tiffany Network is carrying games from every round, and has the Final Four and Championship games.

• Over the air/antenna (free)
• Paramount Plus (Premium) ($10/month)
• YouTube TV ($65/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month)
  
• Fubo TV ($75/month)
• DirecTV Stream ($75/month)
  

TBS

The former SuperStation has games from the first four rounds, from the field of 64 to the Elite Eight.

• Sling TV (Orange) ($40/month)
• Sling TV (Blue) ($40/month)
• Sling TV (Orange+Blue) ($55/month)
  
• YouTube TV ($65/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month)
  
• Fubo TV ($75/month)
• DirecTV Stream ($75/month)

TNT

Some games from the first two rounds are available on TNT.

• Sling TV (Orange) ($40/month)
• Sling TV (Blue) ($40/month)
• Sling TV (Orange+Blue) ($55/month)
  
• YouTube TV ($65/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month)
  
• Fubo TV ($75/month)
• DirecTV Stream ($75/month)

truTV

The former Court TV (not the current over-the-air version) channel is carrying games from the first two rounds.

• Sling TV (Blue) ($40/month)
• Sling TV (Orange+Blue) ($55/month)
  
• YouTube TV ($65/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month)
  
• Fubo TV ($75/month)
• DirecTV Stream ($75/month)

The cheapest way to watch everything is YouTube TV. If all you care about is the Final Four, an antenna is cheapest, with Paramount Plus Premium next cheapest way.

However you want to do it, however many games you want, you can include March Madness in your Streaming Life.

Why don't the TV channel numbers match?

You may not realize this, or you may but not understand why it's so, but it's actually pretty common for the channel number by which you know a TV station to be different than the actual channel.

Tyler the Antenna Man explains more:

[YouTube]

If you don't have an antenna to pick up local stations, it may be something worth looking into. I went for so long without an antenna and wish I had put one up earlier. It's made a positive impact to my Streaming Life.

Microsoft Office privacy concerns

I've become more and more concerned about privacy over the years, and sometimes will take a day here to offer tips and suggestions that are not specifically streaming related, but important enough to consider.

Microsoft Office is the most popular office suite -- the video explains this -- but has some serious security issues. Naomi Brockwell looks at the issues, and alternatives to Microsoft Office:

[YouTube]

I have used different office suites, and no longer use Microsoft Office. This saves me money, as well as improves security, so this is a win for me. Perhaps it will be for you too.