What is YouTube TV ?

[caption id="attachment_4190" align="alignleft" width="300"] Image from Wikimedia Commons[/caption] The old way of providing television programming is changing in a big way. Cable and satellite TV companies used to have the monopoly on what you were able to watch, making you to pay a hefty amount for channels that you really don't want just so that you can get that ONE channel you need in order to watch your favorite show. They also lock you into a contract and if you want out of it, you pay a cancellation fee. In addition, you usually end up with a bunch of equipment you have to send back or you get charged for that too. It doesn't seem very customer oriented, does it? A few years back when we moved into our new residence in the country, there wasn't any cable available, and they wanted to charge us over $5000 to put in the service. As you can imagine, we decided we could do without that cost.  There were options for satellite TV, which were fine except they also want an arm and a leg to force you into the packages they offer. Then we discovered options for streaming TV, but most of the sports packages were not available. Until now... Google has announced they are soon going to be offering YouTube TV. So, what  is YouTube TV? For an affordable price, you will get a decent number of channels, including ESPN and regional sports networks. This post from Wired explains how it will work:

Google Targets Cable With 'YouTube TV'—40 Channels for $35 | WIRED

Just $35 a month gets you six accounts and access to live TV from more than 40 providers including the big broadcast networks, ESPN, regional sports networks and dozens of popular

cable networks. Subscriptions include cloud DVR with unlimited storage, AI-powered search and personalization, and access to YouTube Red programming. YouTube CEO Susan

[caption id="attachment_4192" align="alignright" width="251"] Image from Iconfinder[/caption]

Wojcicki calls it the evolution of television, and a bid to “give the younger generation the content that they love with the flexibility they expect.”

Read the original post here:  Google Targets Cable With 'YouTube TV'—40 Channels for $35 | WIRED

So how is YouTube TV different from Sling, Netflix, or any of the other streaming services? There is one big difference --- you can actually record your shows using a DVR, and the cloud storage is unlimited.  They are saved to your device, so that means they won't affect your data usage. You also get access to all of YouTube's original content that has only been available through YouTube Red, a subscription service that keeps ads off of your videos.

This is a really big deal for younger people who watch most of their shows from a mobile device, want control over their choices, and aren't interested in the restrictions of cable or satellite TV. Even though I'm a little older, I am still very excited for this affordable and flexible option. In the next video, the creator gives a run down of what YouTube TV is all about and how it will affect other companies as well as YouTube video creators:

The six accounts that come with the system allow you to have six different logins, so everyone in the family can personalize their choices. They are referring to this type of streaming TV as "skinny bundles," as they come with less networks but at a much more affordable cost.  In this case, YouTube TV comes with all the major networks except for AMC, CNN, TBS and TNT. If you want to know what channels are going to be part of the YouTube TV choices, the following article from Sports Illustrated gives the networks that will be included:

How YouTube TV compares to rivals Sling, PlayStation, DirecTV

-- YouTube TV ($35; on Android and iOS, Chromecast). More than 40 channels including CNBC, E!, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNU, Fox News, Fox Business Network, Fox Sports 1 and FS2, regional sports networks and local channels. Each membership comes with six accounts, each with its own DVR capabilities.

Pros: Unlimited cloud DVR and YouTube Red content. Con: So far, Chromecast is only way to watch on TV. Read the full post here:  How YouTube TV compares to rivals Sling, PlayStation, DirecTV

Internet TV sites are forcing other providers to change their programming options. Recently we called the satellite TV service we use because we wanted to downgrade our monthly cost since football is over, which is the main reason we have it. Interestingly, they informed us that they now have a what is called a Flex Package that gives you the basic networks for a lower monthly price. The big change, though, was the ability to add a network for a couple weeks and then cancel it as soon as you are ready. We used to have to pay to downgrade, but upgrades were free. (Imagine that!)  It seems that maybe these companies are trying to adjust to the new world in which price and flexibility are what people are looking for.  

What is YouTube TV ? Find more on: S&S Pro Service