DirecTV Now for iOS & Apple TV picks up easier UI, beta cloud DVR & more
AT&T's DirecTV Now on Tuesday rolled out an updated app for iPhones, iPads, and the Apple TV, attempting to fill in gaps and address complaints about the live TV service.
The most obvious change to the app is a new user interface, intended to make it easier to jump to favorite channels and shows. Viewers can also continue to watch one show while browsing for something else.
The service has also expanded access to a beta Cloud DVR feature, allowing people to record up to 20 hours of programming. Video can be saved for up to 30 days, and users can specify whether they want to record an entire series or just the latest episodes. DirecTV added that in the next few months it will be adding more features and plans, including the ability to save up to 100 hours for 90 days for an extra $10 per month.
DVR recording is blocked for some content, such as NBC's "Saturday Night Live."
Miscellaneous changes include access to local channels when traveling, streaming to a third device for an extra $5, and a expanded library of on-demand content, with over 25,000 titles. On some channels people can watch shows the day after broadcast.
DirectTV Now plans start at $35 per month. At the moment the service is still offering a special promotion in which people can get a free Apple TV 4K if they prepay for three months at a cost of $105.
The most obvious change to the app is a new user interface, intended to make it easier to jump to favorite channels and shows. Viewers can also continue to watch one show while browsing for something else.
The service has also expanded access to a beta Cloud DVR feature, allowing people to record up to 20 hours of programming. Video can be saved for up to 30 days, and users can specify whether they want to record an entire series or just the latest episodes. DirecTV added that in the next few months it will be adding more features and plans, including the ability to save up to 100 hours for 90 days for an extra $10 per month.
DVR recording is blocked for some content, such as NBC's "Saturday Night Live."
Miscellaneous changes include access to local channels when traveling, streaming to a third device for an extra $5, and a expanded library of on-demand content, with over 25,000 titles. On some channels people can watch shows the day after broadcast.
DirectTV Now plans start at $35 per month. At the moment the service is still offering a special promotion in which people can get a free Apple TV 4K if they prepay for three months at a cost of $105.
Comments
And the interface was horrible. Just trying to figure out how to get to local channels was a chore. Hopefully this will be better.
In my guide (just updated app), I have NBC and ABC (but not KGTV or KNSD local for ABC and NBC, although I assume they are the same) and no CBS (or KFMB local).
I found the local channel lookup on their site, and from San Diego, there is only ABC, FOX and NBC available.
I feel ripped off.
https://www.directvdeals.com/directv-now/channels/
I do have VPN software on my iPhone so I could try a different location and see. I do have CBS Sports Network, but not the actual CBS network.
EDIT: Just tried it. The app uses location services (on my iPhone), not IP. If I turn off location services, it won't let me stream (but the VPN does work because when I choose an east coast VPN server, the guide in the app shows 3 hours ahead). AND, it had CBS! Darn it!
Welcome to AT&T.
While the 20 hour / 28 day DVR limit seems awfully limited, I'm hoping that it will be "good enough" when combined with the networks' apps for watching older episodes. Also curious to see how well Apple's "TV" app will tie all this together. Like, if I have a series set to record via the DTVN DVR, will that automatically get bumped to the top of the list in the TV app when a new episode is ready to view? If watching TV requires checking in 2 or 3 different places to see "what's on", the wife acceptance factor is going to bottom out really quickly. And Netflix is already taking up one of those roster spots since it doesn't integrate with "TV".
As of now, it does NOT have rewind of live TV shows - you can't jump back 10 seconds of a live TV show. A number of shows allow you to restart from the beginning but then you can't fast forward. A 10-15 second jump back would be great to have, but it doesn't have that feature. I have learned to adapt. Also, if you have been watching a show from the beginning and say 15 minutes into it you want to record it, it will only record from when you select record onward (unlike say Dish Hopper). Also, if you select rewind to watch the show from the beginning (if that show has that option) there is no option to also then record the show from the beginning --- odd. The only saving grace is the show might be available on one of the apps instead.
Sure I have a wish list for improvements and features, but for me it has been running very smoothly and the picture quality on my Apple TV 4K on a 4K tv is better with DirecTV Now than on Dish satellite service. I did a complete comparison before cancelling Dish and Dish picture quality was worse that DirecTV Now on an Apple TV 4K on a 4K tv. I give it a "B" which takes into account the price, quality and performance. Add a few more features and it would be pushing an "A". I'll note, I get all the local channels in my area.
I'm going to assume CBS wants you to subscribe to their own streaming service for their Content. Pay the $5.99 to do that. Personally, I think this DirectTVNow 3 month deal is a great way to get a new AppleTV for only $105. Plus you get 3 months of service for basically FREE. In fact this is how I got my Last one, it's not 4K though. I don't have any 4K TV's. It's temping to just go ahead and get another one. Normal price is $179. That's a $74 savings. I'm using mine all the time, mainly for PLEX, and a little Youtube and Netflix. I get the rest of my TV by a Antenna.
Getting a lot of my content, OTA (Over the Air) I'm not wasting my 1TB cap streaming a lot of this. I DVR to my TIVO. All costs me ZERO per month. All these DirectTVNow, and SlingTV and others, I feel I already have way to much crap to watch on TV to pay even more money.
I just renewed my Comcast Cable bill. I didn't want a bundle and be paying for crap I'm never going to use. Paying the $8 for a transmission fee for TV I'm not even watching from them anyway. Internet Only though was a few dollars more. Better off to get the dumb bundle once again. This time I got them to drop Internet Only down $15 making it a little cheaper than the bundle. I think I now pay $79 a month for 250Mbps Down, 10Mbps Up, Internet only. Every year when my Comcast bill jumps up to the normal price, I call and get it dropped down again for another year. I'm saving $40 a month from what it jumped up to. That's a $480 savings by taking the time to make a phone call. If you're dumb enough to pay them another $10 a month to rent a cable modem, STOP IT!!! Save $120 a year owning your own. Get a cable modem. About $80, and any router you want. Don't get a all-in-One. May take you a couple years to pay off getting both, but then you're saving every year after.
You can have your Cable service for as long as you're alive, unless something better comes out. 10 years of Cable Modem rental is $1200. That really isn't a long period of time. If there's a series you really like on HBO or Showtime. For me it's Game of Thrones, wait for the season to end or ending in a week, Sign up and binge watch the whole season. Than anything else you want for the month and then cancel and wait until next year and sign up for another month. Save a lot of money doing this. Why pay $180 for the year when you can just pay $15 for the 1 month. All kinds of legal things you can do to save money.
You want to see the new Star Trek on CBS, wait until the season ends, which it has for the first season, pay the $5.99 and watch it all in a month and cancel. There's really not much else worth paying $6 a month for. If you can use a Antenna, that's the way to Go. One of the first things I did when I got my house 5 years ago was mount a large directional antenna up on top of the roof. Ran all new wires. It's grounded!!! Antenna is Grounded, the COAX wire is grounded. I get ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW, PBS all in HD and 5.1 Surround sound. This is what the Optical port on your HDTV is for. To send 5.1 from the TV's HD tuner down to your Surround Sound receiver. I also get METV, and AntennaTV and others. When I'm on my roof and there's not a single antenna anywhere in site looking all around, I laugh and think SUCKERS!!!!
There's a lot of DVR options if you're using a Antenna. I use a Tivo Roamio in my Family Room and Tivo Mini's in the Bedrooms. So I can watch in one room and continue in another. But there's also Tablo, SimpleTV, and even Chanelmaster DVR+. That's 4 DVR options to record OTA.