I Switched From Direct TV to YouTube TV

Image by Vidmir Raic from Pixabay 

To tell you the truth, I've wanted to make the switch for a long time, mostly because my Direct TV rates kept going up and AT&T (which purchased the company some time ago) was never willing to talk to me about ways to lower them, even as they were practically giving the service away to new customers.

Part of the reason why it took me this long was laziness. A bigger part of the reason was I struggled to find a replacement service that wasn't just as expensive or wouldn't result in me losing some of my favorite channels/shows.

When I saw an ad for YouTube TV, I was interested but, at the same time, skeptical. In all honesty, it sounded too good to be true. However, after taking advantage of the free trial, it only took me a matter of hours to decide to make the switch permanently. Three weeks later, I don't regret that choice.

There are a few reasons why this was a good fit for me:

First, it was more affordable. I'm sure there are other services out there that are cheaper. However, I was more than happy with the $60 discount over what I was paying with Direct TV. I also like the fact I could get that discount without having to sign a contract, making it easy to switch away from it if they decide to significantly increase my rates.

It wasn't just the base rate that was impressive. The various add-on channels, like HBO, Cinemax, etc. are also quite a bit cheaper than what I would have paid with Direct TV. I haven't taken advantage of that yet, but that might happen down the road.

The second thing I liked was not having to give up my favorite shows. OK, this isn't totally true. I did have to give up one show, Svengoolie, because that happened to be on the one local channel YouTube TV didn't offer. But, given the price break, I was willing to make that sacrifice, especially since most of the recent episodes were just sitting unwatched in my DVR anyway. Other than that show, I have managed to find every other one I would normally watch, plus some extras (more on that in a bit).

The third thing I found I liked about this are the unlimited (and free) DVR and access to various on-demand shows/movies. All I need to do is put a show (or movie) in my library and it will automatically record. I don't have to worry about using up my storage space and, unlike Direct TV, the show will still record even if there is a power outage. 

The on-demand is a nice addition as well. I am finding all sorts of movies, especially classic films (always my favorite), I didn't have access to previously. That just adds value to the price.

My only real complaint about this service, so far, is I wasn't able to put the app on my (older) Smart TV and, instead, have to use my Playstation 4. Not a huge deal, it's just it would be slightly more convenient using the TV remote. But, with my savings, I haven't ruled out upgrading the TV after Christmas.

Final Opinion: If you are looking for a streaming service that offers live TV and local stations, this is one that is worth checking out. There might be more-affordable options, but I do think this offers plenty of value for your money. At minimum, it was a huge improvement over what I had before.