Youtube/Google launches streaming service w/live TV for $35 a month.

[Motorcity Cobra]

YouTube is giving viewers a way to tune in live to their favorite shows, without a cable or satellite subscription.

The company announced a live and on-demand streaming TV service called "YouTubeTV" on Tuesday. The subscription, which will cost $35 a month for a family plan of up to six accounts, is expected to launch in the next few months in the U.S. Currently there are no plans for international service.

Subscribers will have access to up to 40 networks, as well as YouTube creator content like original content from subscription service YouTube Red. Channels include all broadcast channels and cable channels like USA, FX, Freeform, ESPN, Fox Sports and NBC Sports. Users can add Showtime and soccer programming for an additional fee.

"There's no question that millennials love great TV content, but what we've seen is they don't want to watch it in the traditional setting," said YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki at a press event.

The over-the-top service will let people wach on any device. Users can also record as many programs as they want. Some content with restrictions, like NFL games, may be blocked on mobile but will be available on TV and on desktop.

People will be able to stream to their TVs using Chromecast when the service launches, with additional devices to be added in the future. In addition, Google Home and Google Cast will allow people to speak to their TVs to control their TV experience in the near future. (The voice search functions failed during the demo on Tuesday, proving more work needs to be done.)

Google and its network partners will have the ability to sell ads for an additional revenue stream.

The news comes at a time when more Americans are open to cutting the cord. A study from research firm GfK said a quarter of American homes don't subscribe to a pay TV service, with 6 percent only using the internet to watch their favorite shows on a TV using a device like Apple TV or Roku. A recent U.S Energy Information Administration survey shows 2.3 televisions were used in American homes in 2015, down from an average of 2.6 televisions per household in 2009. The number of homes with three or more TVs declined, while the number of homes without a TV grew.

Google will have competition in the space. Hulu is planning is own over-the-top service this year, with CBS, Fox and Disney -- including ESPN -- among the networks which have signed on.

[-Kev-]

It doesn't sound like a good deal tbh.

But YouTube hasn't struck deals with some marquee cable networks like Turner, Discovery, Viacom, AMC, and A&E. That means no CNN, TBS, TNT, History, AMC, A&E, Comedy Central, HBO, and so on.

Also YT is making is sound like it's more for kids than adults:

YouTube said that trying to replicate the traditional TV bundle would be too expensive. It's going after people, particularly younger ones, who don't want to pay for a big bundle.

Still, YouTube is missing the rights from Turner, for instance, which shows a ton of sports: NBA games, the NCAA basketball tournament, MLB, and others.

http://www.businessinsider.com/youtu...-lineup-2017-2

Sounds like a worthless monthly bill to add. It says it's not trying to compete with cable packages and I can see why, cable packages give you more bang for your buck, especially the new Spectrum deals. It's supposedly trying to compete with AT&T, and it's not even as good as that.

[Sadiqkingofko]

Sling TV is way better

[Motorcity Cobra]

It doesn't sound like a good deal tbh.



Also YT is making is sound like it's more for kids than adults:





http://www.businessinsider.com/youtu...-lineup-2017-2

Sounds like a worthless monthly bill to add. It says it's not trying to compete with cable packages and I can see why, cable packages give you more bang for your buck, especially the new Spectrum deals. It's supposedly trying to compete with AT&T, and it's not even as good as that.

Sling TV is way better

Never bet against Google. This is just the beginning. The whole purpose of google fiber was to push the other broadband providers to increase their speeds. Google had services they wanted to put out there but the broadband providers wouldn't invest in infrastructure/hardware to increase speeds. Since google fiber was introduced, every single broadband provider has at least doubled their speeds from what they previously offered. I know Comcast is putting 300mbps in homes now. Spectrum's lowest tier is 65 now. This is just the beginning. And they're focusing on mobile, not just home TV.

[BrometheusBob.]

Sounds worth looking into, depends what shows and movies they have access to on demand.

[bigjavi973]

ima try and get me that fire stick bs with the all the free channels all you gotta do is have wifi or something like that

[New England]

i have a cable sub that i basically never use. it was the only way i could watch living boxing as of around a year or so ago. i went maybe a year without any cable TV. ended up hurting my ablity to watch boxing, so i picked it back up again.

TV is an antiquated model, and if cable providers don't shape up it will die out with the baby boomers.

[ea22]

Sling TV is way better

No, Playstation Vue is the way to go. Speaking from experience.

[Sadiqkingofko]

No, Playstation Vue is the way to go. Speaking from experience.

How many channels does it have???

[ea22]

How many channels does it have???

It depends on the package you get and your location, you can also add on some individual channels(HBO and the like). I think the slim core is 30 to 35 in most locations though. Honestly it's a lot better than Sling tv, the dvr feature alone is worth the extra bucks and the quality of the streams is also a lot better.