Anyone using PlayOn Desktop or PlayOn Cloud DVR?

@simssj I’m considering a combination of PlayOn and one of the “steaming TV” services like PS Vue, DirectTV Now, Sling, etc.

Currently I have Dish Network satellite service with a local 3 tuner DVR (2TB local storage). I can set a record timer to “record this series” and every week the DVR will record and store the episodes. They will be stored on the DVR for as long as I need. No cap date. This is great for shows that I want to binge because the wait time between episodes is annoying. I actually do this frequently (just binged the latest season of Better Call Saul last weekend).

However… I am looking to replace Dish with a more affordable alternative. I can get into most of the streaming services for about 30% less than I’m paying for Dish… except for the DVR functionality. Many of the streaming services seem to have on demand streaming available only on limited shows/networks. And in many cases, a network only makes available the most recent X number of shows for on demand streaming. So that would require me to stay current on nearly everything I tend to follow.

So I’m looking for some sort of DVR functionality to work in conjunction, which would provide similar capability and flexibility as my current Dish DVR. Most of the streaming services offer a paid “cloud DVR” option, but it is not inexpensive, and has caveats regarding how long a recording will be retained. The added expense nearly wipes out any savings I would gain abandoning the satellite.

My hope was the PlayOn service might resolve the limitations of streaming service cloud DVR functionality, with a significant cost savings.

In your experience with the PlayOn systems, do you see obvious “gotchas” if I move to them expecting similar service to what I get now on Dish?

@ruouttaurmind I’m feeling the same pain. We spend a great deal of time in an RV, so it’s difficult sometimes to keep up with episodic television, or binge-watching.

And, no matter how I look at it, the media market is going to get their dough.

At one point I thought, "Hey! I can beat the system! I’ll just sign up for a trial of, say, CBS All Access; download the whole season; cancel my trial.
That doesn’t work because “All Access” does not mean “all” “access” and they don’t offer complete seasons containing all episodes of their most popular shows.

I thought about SlingTV with a DVR option. Didn’t go there.

I’m thinking about the YouTubeTV option (since it offers a DVR option), but I’ll need to get creative with my address since they’re in limited markets.

Like you, I used to have satellite and a multi-tuner DVR, but DirecTV priced themselves right out of our house. I tried DirecTV-Now, but the lack of a DVR option made that a non-starter.

If there are good options out there (besides torrenting the shows I want to watch) I’d love to hear about them.

And while I’m on it… Are the networks actually daring me to bootleg their content? I mean, if I pay them, say, $10 a month and they randomly delete episodes in the middle of the season before I’ve binge-watched them, are they seriously suggesting that I’m too stupid to figure out how to torrent the shows and keep my ten bucks? That seems to be their business model.

@simssj Sympatico.

I ended my roommate agreement on November 1st, and now I’m searching ways to cut expenses rather than take in another roommate. Dish satellite seemed like a logical place to start.

I had their “Flex Pack” core programming, added HBO, SHO and STARZ, plus one additional TV box (non-DVR that piggybacked off the three tuners in the main receiver). My bill was $75/mo. I dropped the extra TV box, SHO and STARZ, and that reduced my bill to $52. So that’s my target to beat.

Obviously I don’t want to bother switching from the convenience of satellite for a dollar or two. However, it seems like the streaming service, plus cloud option, and HBO totals $55 regardless of the brand. Less convenience, more cost, no dice.

Maybe I watch too much TV anyway. Time to drop TV and pick back up on my many hobbies.

@ruouttaurmind @simssj No, don’t watch less TV!
—your friendly local television employee

@ruouttaurmind @simssj I tried Hulu’s streaming service, and they include DVR functionality, but if you want to skip commercials on your recorded shows it’s an extra $15/month, which puts it back into cable price territory, for fewer channels. I plan to try YouTube next since that’s offered in my area now.

@jqubed I’d really like to hear how the You Tube experience works out for you. It seems to have what I’m looking for.

Of course, it could be just “BrochureWare” and the reality falls short.

@jqubed, @simssj YouTube solves the DVR dilemma, but once I add HBO Now (via Amazon or whevever since YTTV doesn’t currently offer it) I’m at $50/mo plus whatever taxes and fees… right back to the $52/mo range which is what I’m currently paying.

Is it possible? Is $50 the bedrock for streaming, DVR plus HBO? After my previous and recent research, it would seem to be the case. It’s just not possible to break that price point for the three services I want.

When I was younger, and more foolish, I used to split my satellite service with a neighbor. I got a two receiver setup, and we just put the second receiver at his place (he already had a dish on the roof). Kind of a liberal interpretation of the satellite provider’s TOS. Back then the basic satellite service (60 channels??), plus HBO was over $100/mo. and that didn’t even include a DVR (they weren’t available back then) We split the bill and it made the cost much more palatable. My dad would have had a heart attack if he knew I had been spending a hundy a month on TV! LOL!

@ruouttaurmind Yeah, adding HBO into the mix I think that’s kind of where you’re at. HBO is going to get their price. I think longer-term that’s going to be what it is for all the networks. Top-tier network families that don’t distribute through a streaming service will charge direct consumers $10-15/month for their service; lower tier networks maybe $5/month. That might ultimately be how consumers get to the a la carte programming they want, although they might not like the prices it comes at when it’s not being subsidized by everyone who’s paying for channels they don’t want.

@simssj I finally started my YouTube TV subscription this weekend and so far like it significantly better than Hulu. I’m a little disappointed it doesn’t have Adult Swim but not enough to switch away (particularly since Rick & Morty has finished for the season). It seems to cover all the sports I would want, which is my main reason for TV service (particularly now that we’re really getting into college basketball season). I’ll find out this week how the DVR works.

@ruouttaurmind I don’t understand this need for a DVR with PlayOn. Spectrum in some areas is offering their Spectrum app streaming only service and DirectTV Now has just about all the channels that cable has (I don’t know about Sports Channels) and their apps are on PlayOn.

With PlayOn Desktop, I put in all my credentials for all the channels I watch that need credentials and subscribe to the shows where I want the episodes recorded and that is it. (sometimes you get more availability of past shows by going directly to the actual channel itself).

When I turn on the computer the next day most of the shows from the night before start recording immediately and are available later that day. So I don’t understand the need for the DVR, but that said, you will get your DVR with DirectTV Now this spring.

@remmeler I tend to record several episodes, or even an entire season of many series I follow. In several cases the network only makes available for streaming the most recent 4 or 5 episodes. So if I don’t stay reasonably current, I wind up missing episodes for a series. Not all, but a handful of networks do this.

Also, when I record a movie I’d like to watch, it may be sitting on the DVR for several weeks, or a few months before I take time to sit through it. In certain cases a movie might appear on a premium channel like HBO or Showtime only one time and not be available for streaming at all. Then there’s my stack of “go-to” movies I keep on the DVR for posterity. Movies I like to watch from time to time. Those will always be on my DVR awaiting my whims.

Finally there’s the issue of bandwidth. I have limited speed available, and if I’m trying to do something else while streaming, the stream goes to hell. Let’s say I’m uploading some stuff from home to my server at work and while it’s doing it’s thing I’ll want watch a movie or series. My internet speed won’t support such activity.

@ruouttaurmind I understand but I don’t know why that is a problem. You have the option of going directly to the channel. Example: History channel, a lot more episodes available than thru DTVN. I put my credentials (in my case Spectrum Streaming) in the History Channel and recorded four full seasons unattended. It is true that there are problem channels but usually they can be found somewhere else like Hulu regular. That would only be a problem at times for programs you because interested in after the fact, so you could get Hulu or something for a month until you get it downloaded.

When you subscribe to a channel, then all future episodes are recorded automatically. You can define your off hours when the recordings take place. They reside on your disk so you have them forever until you delete them. When you watch you won’t be streaming, you will be watching from disk.

Also you can record all most anything that will play in your Browser. I have the Chrome Playon extension which gives me a little playon icon to click on when the show starts on the browser and it picks it up from there and also frees up your browser. Works with Roku and I think other devices and the best part is that it has AdSkip except on Browser Recordings

Playon desktop seems to address all your concerns.

@remmeler What you’re describing with Playon seems like it’s a solution. It’s also a DVR.

@ruouttaurmind It is an next day after the fact DVR from the On Demand area of a channel, but many are automatic the next day.

@remmeler Thank you for telling me about your experience. This is exactly the sort of response I had hoped to see when I originally posted this topic. I appreciate your time and thank you for sharing your thoughts.

@themutilator Many networks do not make all the episodes for a particular season of a show available concurrently. So if I don’t catch the “live” showing, or stream the episode within a given timeline, I miss my opportunity until the season appears on Hulu, Amazon, Netflix or whatever. I use my Satellite DVR to record entire seasons of series I would otherwise have to stay current on, or risk missing episodes.

It was my understanding that’s sort of the gap PlayOn fills with online streaming. Perhaps there is a limitation of which I am unaware? I just assumed that PlayOn Desktop shows you record are available in perpetuity. Is this not accurate? Is there a timeframe after which recorded shows “expire”? For example, if I download for offline viewing from Amazon, I have, what, 30 days to watch or the program becomes unauthorized for offline viewing. Does PlayOn have a similar restriction?

@ruouttaurmind Yes, desktop records to your local hard drive; it’s yours as long as you preserve it.

@themutilator Thanks for the info. This may be the answer to break that elusive $55 price barrier I’ve been seeking.

@themutilator You say you are not sure why you record the show when they are always available. Can you say AdSkip. That is the main reason why I record the Over the Air channels even though I have a good antenna and an HD HomeRun device.