FanPost

PlayStation Vue for Dummies

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Remember a few months ago when we were all excited about the prospect of the Blazers contracting with someone other than Comcast SportsNet for broadcasting rights to games, thus allowing Comcast haters to ditch the Evil Empire and still see Blazers games? Yeah, that didn’t happen. But the announcement that CSN would be added to Sony PlayStation Vue is actually a quiet game changer. It offers a viable legal option to see Blazers games for people in the Northwest who can’t or don’t want to subscribe to Comcast cable.

With my Comcast contract expiring right around the time the NBA season begins, I thought it would be a good time for me to explore whether Vue would work for me, in preparation for beginning a conscious uncoupling from Comcast. Well, a partial one, anyway. I still intend to keep them for internet service. And we all know what the C in CSN stands for. Having gone through the process of getting Vue set up and having lived with it for a few days, I thought I would share my experience, in case some of you are considering trying it out.

You can find out more information, see channel listings, and sign up for a free 7-day trial on the Vue website.

Keep in mind I live in Portland. Obviously this is not an option for those of you who live in an area where CSNNW is not included on Vue. But if you do, that means you can probably get League Pass without blackouts, which is an option we don’t have in Portland. I haven’t done much research about availability outside of Portland, but it does appear to be available in Seattle. You can enter your zip code on Vue’s website and check out the channel listings to see if it’s included in your area.

What is it?

PlayStation Vue is a streaming live TV service that provides access to most cable TV channels. It is essentially cable TV, you just get it over the internet rather than through traditional means.

What do you need to get it

A fast internet connection with WiFi (you may be able to use an ethernet cable depending on your device) and a TV-connected device. You can’t watch Vue on your desktop or laptop. There is a mobile app for tablets and phones, but, (1) it does not provide access to mobile-restricted channels (including CSN), and (2) it won’t work until you activate Vue on a TV-connected device. You don’t have to have a PlayStation, but you must have at least one of the following connected to your TV:

  • PlayStation 3
  • PlayStation 4
  • Roku
  • Roku Stick
  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Amazon Fire Stick

*You can use the Vue mobile app on a phone or tablet to cast to a Chromecast connected to your TV, but you CANNOT activate Vue through Chromecast. So if Chromecast is all you have, you’re out of luck. You have to have one of the above devices for activation.

How much does it cost?

Prices vary by location and package. In Portland, the available packages are:

  • Access: 55+ channels, $29.99/month (this does not include CSN)
  • Core: 70+ channels, $34.99/month
  • Elite: 100+ channels, $44.99/month

There are also a few add-on channels for which you will pay an additional fee.

In some markets Vue also includes local network broadcast channels, which costs $10 a month more. This is not offered in Portland, which is fine with me, because I can get them over the air for free.

What kind of content is offered?

As mentioned above, local network broadcast channels are not included in Portland, but On Demand versions of ABC, NBC, and FOX are available, and CBS appears to be coming soon.

Most of the basic cable channels are available. If you want lots of sports, you will probably want to pay for at least the Core package. CSN is included here, along with some ESPNs, Fox Sports, etc. NFL Network was recently added to the Core and Elite packages, and you can buy NFL RedZone as an add-on for $40 for the entire season.

NBA TV is not included in any package, which hopefully will be rectified at some point in the future, because I need some Dennis Scott in my life (I’m not being sarcastic. I actually love him). CSN, ESPN, and TNT are all included in the Core package, which should give you all the Blazers games except those that are on KGW during the 2016-17 season. And there’s always an antenna for those if you can get reception. This is the last year any games will be on KGW, so that won’t be an issue after this season.

Can you watch away from home?

The reason you need a TV-connected device to activate Vue is so that they can use IP geolocation to establish a home location. You can’t remove your device from your TV and use it somewhere else. You also can’t watch on your desktop or laptop, whether you’re at home or not.

There is a mobile app available for IOS and Android which allows you to watch some, but not all, content on a phone or tablet away from home. Even if you are watching on a mobile device at home, you will not have access to mobile-restricted channels, including CSN.

You can also use your Vue account credentials the same way you would use your cable company credentials to access TV Everywhere services directly. So if you’re away from home and can’t wait to watch the new episode of You’re the Worst (Season 3 now airing on FXX on Wednesdays at 10!), or if you’re at home, but want to watch the East Coast feed at 7 instead of waiting for the West Coast feed at 10, you can log in to FX’s streaming service and watch it live.

Can you record stuff?

Yes, but you can’t keep it forever. When you add a show to "My Shows", all airings of that program are recorded to a cloud DVR. They remain there for 28 days, then they disappear. Supposedly if a show re-airs, it will reset the 28-day clock. There appears to be no limit on the number of shows you can have recorded. So if you add Friends to "My Shows" you will have approximately one gajillion episodes on your DVR at any one time. DVR recordings are not available for viewing on the mobile app, but if that same episode is available on demand, you might be able to watch it on a mobile device.

Does it actually work?

Well…here’s the thing. For the most part it works well. The picture quality is very good. The interface takes some getting used to, but that’s to be expected. The DVR doesn’t feel like a real DVR, but it’s serviceable. The big problem is that I’ve had some buffering issues. The first day or two were pretty bad. It has been better since then, and if the stream quality remains as good as it has been for the last couple of days, I don’t think it will be a deal breaker. But for some reason, even when the service as a whole is working perfectly fine, CSN often still has issues. I don’t know enough about the technical aspects of video broadcasting to venture a guess as to how CSN could be producing a bumpier stream than other channels, but it does seem to be the case, at least in my limited sample of a few days.

It’s inevitable that a Vue is going to go through some growing pains. It’s a new service that is expanding, so there are going to be some bumps as additional users cause strain on their resources. I signed up right after they added the NFL Network and the RedZone Channel, which probably resulted in an uptick in subscribers. It remains to be seen how well Sony will keep up as their subscriber base grows.

Miscellaneous tidbits:

  • I don’t want this to be rant about Comcast, and I’m not as much of a Comcast hater as some, but one thing that I do hate about them is their lack of candor about their pricing. They don’t even publish their non-contract rates on their website. This is one thing I really appreciate about Vue. You know exactly what you’re getting and how much it costs. No hidden fees, no promotional rates. It is what it is. There are also no contracts, which allows for great flexibility. The minimum subscription period is a month, but outside of that you can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel as much as you want. So if you want to subscribe only for basketball season, you can do that and save some money during the off-season. And you can cancel online without anyone trying to talk you out of it. Of course, no contract means that they can also raise their prices at any time, so you do lose that protection.
  • After researching people’s experiences with various devices, the consensus seems to be that Vue works best on the Amazon Fire TV (not the stick). If you already have one of the other devices, you can obviously try it that way first, but just something to keep in mind if you are buying a new device. But by all means, do your own research. I hereby absolve myself of any responsibility if you have problems with your Amazon Fire TV.
  • One of the reasons I chose the Fire TV over a Roku is that there seem to be a lot of complaints about the Roku Vue interface. Lack of a channel guide, for one. Also, when fast forwarding through commercials in a recorded program on a Roku, you apparently cannot see the video, you just have to guess when the commercials are over based on the elapsed time. This sounds like a small thing, but the small things can make a big difference in viewing experience. Fast forwarding on the Fire TV is still not comparable to a real DVR, but I think that’s just a sacrifice you have to make when you watch streaming content.
  • Due to my commitment to identifying any foreseeable problems watching Blazers games, I have watched an inordinate amount of CSN over the last few days (or more accurately had it on in the background while reading a book). Man, there is a serious lack of content outside of basketball season. Lots of car racing and horse racing. I have, however, developed a mild fascination with the host of Outdoor GPS and his endless supply of hooded pullover sweatshirts.

I haven’t made a final decision as to whether I’m going to make the break with Comcast, but I think it’s likely. I’m planning on sticking with Vue for another month after my 7-day trial expires to get a better handle on if the buffering problem will actually be a problem. If things go relatively smoothly, I think the cost savings and the flexibility will make it worth my while to switch.