Watching College Football in 2023: Week 6

We're now in Week Six of college football for 2023. There are 51 Division 1-A/FBS games on tap this weekend, counting the six already played (two Wednesday night, three Thursday night, and two last night).

Today, there are 52 games on the schedule. There are five games that feature two Top 25 teams playing each other:

• 12 Oklahoma at 3 Texas
• 23 LSU at 21 Missouri
• 20 Kentucky at 1 Georgia
• 10 Notre Dame at 25 Louisville

Penn State (6), Washington (7), Oregon (8), Utah (18), Duke (19), and Tennessee (22) all have open weekends.

Today's games will be broadcast over several networks. Here are the channels or networks you'll need to watch all the games:

• ABC
• ACC Network
• Big Ten Network
• CBS
• CBS Sports Network
• CW
• ESPN
• ESPN2
• ESPNU
• ESPN+
• Fox
• Fox Sports 1
• Longhorn Network
• NBC
• NFL Network
• Pac 12 Network
• Peacock
• SEC Network

Note: No games are on Longhorn Network this week.

Between this weekend's games and next Saturday, there are ten games involving Division 1-A/FBS teams, one involving a ranked team. Those ten games will be broadcast on:

• CBS Sports Network
• ESPN
• ESPN2
• ESPNU
• Fox Sports 1

Later in the season, there may even be another network or two that carries games, but these are the ones that are confirmed as the season begins. Here's how to get all the networks:

ABC

• Antenna (free)
• Sling TV (8 markets only) ($45/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month, $77/month after October 12, 2023)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($80/month)

ACC Network

• Sling TV (Orange + Sports Extra) ($51/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month, $77/month after October 12, 2023)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Choice) ($114/month)

Big Ten Network

• Sling TV (Blue + Sports Extra) ($51/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month, $77/month after October 12, 2023)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Choice) ($114/month)

CBS

• Antenna (free)
• Paramount Plus (Premium) $12/month
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month, $77/month after October 12, 2023)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($80/month)

CBS Sports Network

• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month, $77/month after October 12, 2023)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Ultimate) ($139/month)

CW

• Antenna (free)
• Not available streaming.

ESPN, ESPN2

• Sling TV (Orange) ($40/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month, $77/month after October 12, 2023)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($80/month)

ESPN+

• ESPN+ (standalone) ($10/month)
• Disney Bundle ($15/month)

ESPNU

• Sling TV (Orange + Sports Extra) ($51/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month, $77/month after October 12, 2023)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro + Fubo Extra) ($83/month)
• DirecTV (Choice) ($114/month)

Fox

• Antenna (free)
• Sling TV (18 markets only) ($45/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month, $77/month after October 12, 2023)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($80/month)

Fox Sports 1

• Sling TV (Blue + Sports Extra) ($51/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month, $77/month after October 12, 2023)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($80/month)

Longhorn Network

• Sling TV (Orange + Sports Extra) ($51/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• DirecTV (Choice) ($114/month)

NBC

• Antenna (free)
• Peacock (Plus) ($12/month)
• Sling TV (11 markets only) ($45/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month, $77/month after October 12, 2023)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Entertainment) ($80/month)

NFL Network

• Sling TV (Blue) ($40/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month, $77/month after October 12, 2023)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Choice) ($114/month)

Pac 12 Network

• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)

Peacock

• Peacock is its own service, and can be used to watch NBC live programming with the $12/month plan.

SEC Network

• Sling TV (Orange) ($40/month)
• Vidgo (Plus) ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month, $77/month after October 12, 2023)
• YouTube TV ($73/month)
• Fubo (Pro) ($75/month)
• DirecTV (Choice) ($114/month)

That's this week in Division 1-A/FBS college football, and covers all the networks -- so far -- that are carrying college football games in 2023. My Streaming Life focuses on college football during this time of year.

Chromecast with Google TV interface issue

I've been testing the Chromecast Google TV interface. There was a little hiccup when my new Chromecast device ran into some issues.

I'm using my older HD model, and it works fine. So, I've been using the Chromecast and so has a family member. She noticed something that was of concern. She said that the Chromecast was not as responsive. So, I decided to check it out.

Turns out that the device is as responsive as my Roku device, but the way the interface works makes it appear slower.

On Roku, if I launch, say, Peacock, the screen blanks and within 2-3 seconds, the Peacock splash screen displays. However, on Chromecast, when I launch Peacock, the screen remains on the menu, and within 2-3 seconds, the Peacock splash screen appears.

The difference is that Roku indicates that it accepted your button press by changing the screen. Even though it was to a black screen, it still was a change, and you knew that your button press did something.

With Chromecast, the menu doesn't change until the splash screen displayed. That means that for those 2-3 seconds, you had no indicator that it had accepted your button press. And, if it had indeed not accepted it, then those 2-3 seconds would have been the same.

Roku letting you know visually that your button press was accepted and that the device was doing something is a better experience than 2-3 seconds of no activity on the Chromecast. Chromecast could learn a thing from Roku about this.

The end result is that the Chromecast is as responsive as the Roku, it's just that it seems that it's not. That's a bad experience. My Streaming Life isn't as much fun if I'm not sure my streaming device is working.

YouTube: More than just cat videos

I'm one of those old guys that has a hard time letting go of how things used to be.

That's not to say I wish things were like they used to be. Well, okay, in some cases, I do wish something things were that way. But not everything. That's another way of saying that not all change is good change.

What I'm talking about is that I see or experience something -- or someone -- and base my thoughts about it -- or them -- on that impression. I'm not talking about a quick first impression. I'm talking about experiences that go on for a while. I do something, experience something, interact with someone, multiple times over a long period of time. And over that time, I develop an impression. That impression changes and refines, but eventually solidifies. That then I have my final opinion on something.

That's not always the right thing, though. That's not to say my "final opinion" is wrong. At the time, it could very well have been correct. And, as arrogant as this sounds, it probably was.

The problem is that things and people change. Not always drastically, but in small ways. And, over time, these small changes can add up to big changes. And those changes, given enough of them, can cause a "final opinion" to become outdated.

That's me and YouTube.

I've always liked YouTube. However, there was a time that the cliche about it being a bunch of cat videos was true. And that was a way that I described YouTube. That's not to say I thought it was nothing but cat videos. It's a shorthand way of saying it's content that isn't serious content. Fun, but not really a serious source of anything of consequence.

That was true. Well, okay, it was mostly true. YouTube has always had good content that was more than cat videos. Come to think of it, I'm not sure the last time I saw a cat video on YouTube. And I certainly don't know the last time I saw a new cat video. If I search for cat videos, most of the results are videos I've seen before. Maybe uploaded by someone other than the original, but the content itself is old. Mostly.

The reality is that I've watched a lot of YouTube over the years, and I've never really let go of the idea that it was a bunch of cat videos. But the reality is that it's so much more than that.

Let me say now that this is not a new opinion of mine. I concluded that there was a lot more to YouTube some time back. But I did have the "cat videos" thought for a long time.

Recently, I sat down and reviewed by videos on my Roku device and was wondering if I needed to rearrange the order. If I'm always scrolling down for one particular app, maybe I should move that app to the top, or closer to the top. Most used first, least used last.

I review my app lineup, to include the order, every so often. And the first app is, and for some time has been, YouTube. And the last time I did an app menu review, I thought about how I used to think it was just a bunch of cat videos. And that led to my whole thinking about how it, like so many other things, gets judged, and left with a judgement that could be outdated.

My Streaming Life has included a lot of YouTube content over the years. And YouTube is my most used app. I'm never gonna give it up.

Netflix rumored to be raising prices again

Netflix has not announced it, but there is a report that Netflix is going to raise prices again soon.

The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that after the actors strike ends, Netflix is planning to increase the cost of its service.

The increase won't impact the lowest cost service, the ad-supported tier, but will impact the other price tiers:

The streaming service is discussing raising prices in several markets globally, but will likely begin with the U.S. and Canada, according to people familiar with the matter. It couldn’t be learned how much Netflix will raise prices by or when exactly the new prices will take effect. Netflix declined to comment.

Over the past year or so, the cost of major ad-free streaming services has gone up by about 25%, as entertainment companies look to bring their streaming platforms to profitability and lead price-conscious customers to switch to their cheaper and more-lucrative ad-supported plans.

Currently, the Standard with Ads Plan (ad-supported, HD, two concurrent streams) is $7/month. That's expected to remain the same.

The Standard Plan (no ads, HD, two concurrent streams) is $16/month (actually $15.49), and that's expected to increase.

The Premium Plan (no ads, 4K/UHD, four concurrent streams) is $20/month. That's also expected to go up.

My Streaming Life rarely includes Netflix. The only time I ever subscribe is to check out a new feature, and then I only do it for a month. Normally, I don't subscribe to Netflix. I can find plenty other stuff to watch for free, or with other services (Paramount Plus is included with Walmart Plus, Prime Video included with Amazon Prime, and so on).

Chromecast testing interrupted

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to spend more time with Chromecast. Specifically, Chromecast with Google TV. I like the overall interface. I like their Live TV section. I was planning to write next about another feature that a family member really likes, but some problems got in the way.

I started with my Chromecast HD device, but purchased one of the new 4K models. Last Monday, the new Chromecast arrived, and I swapped it out with the older device. That was a mistake.

Well, maybe it wasn't, but that is what started the problems. The new Chromecast 4K was not as responsive as the older Chromecast HD. Also, the remote would repeat arrow presses. Specifically, I would be on the menu, say in the YouTube app, and pressing the right arrow would sometimes keep scrolling to the right, as if I was continuing to press the right arrow. Same thing on the down arrow.

This wasn't a YouTube thing, as it happened when using Hulu, ESPN, Plex, and even on the actual Google TV interface. It wasn't the app. It was the device. Maybe the remote, but that was part of the device.

Last night, I was finally fed up with it and started a return. I don't really want my money back. Rather, I want to exchange it for another one. I want a Chromecast 4K. At least I think I do. When I upgraded to Chromecast with Google TV from the older Chromecast (the one that was for casting only with no remote) I liked the device. Later, I obtained one of the newer and lower priced HD models. That was what I had put, and left, on my primary TV.

After deciding to spend more time with Chromecast, I ordered the new Chromecast with Google TV 4K. That arrived last Monday, and I switched my testing to that. And that's when the trouble started.

So, I wanted to exchange it, but that's not an option. So, they've issued a return, and I'll be shipping it back today. I expect they'll refund the money, but I'm just going to turn around and buy another one. Whatever it takes, I suppose. I want one of the newer ones.

In the meantime, I've put the HD model back on my living room TV. My Streaming Life will still focus on Chromecast Google TV for the next month. I just want the new device to work right.

AMC Plus ad-supported tier

More streaming services have launched ad-supported versions recently. Hulu has had one for a while, as has Peacock. Netflix added one, as did Disney, Paramount Plus, Max, and others. Amazon is going about it in a different manner, changing the service to ad-supported then charging more for removing ads. Same result, though, with an ad-supported tier that's cheaper than an ad-free tier.

Now we can add AMC Plus to the mix.

AMC Plus recently added an ad-supported tier. And it's quite a savings, percentage wise. The regular plan is $9/month, while the new ad-supported plan is $5/month. That's a savings of 44%. Sure, it's only $4, but the traditional ad-free plan is pretty low-cost anyway. If you have that now, you could cut 44% by watching a few ads.

One thing I noticed, however. There is no annual plan for monthly. The annual plan for the ad-free service is still an option, but the ad-supported plan is month-to-month only.

My Streaming Life doesn't involve a lot of paid streaming services. However, when it does, I usually go with the ad-supported versions.

Weekend Security and Privacy: You ARE a target

I have family members say they're not worried about security and privacy. "Who would want to target me?"

Naomi Brockwell has the answer.

[YouTube]

My Streaming Life is fun. But I strive for it to also be private and secure. That's only possible if all of my life is private and secure. And that's more important than streaming.