Q. I am a longtime subscriber to DIRECTV but thinking of cutting the cord to get a cheaper streaming provider. Do you know if YouTube TV has the feature so you can skip commercials? — Sadie, Taos, New Mexico.
Sadie, before I answer, a little background on YouTube TV.
The live streaming service offers roughly 85 channels for $6499 a month although it’s now running a special promotion where you can get the first month for just $14.99. The YouTube TV lineup includes ESPN, FS1, USA Network, Fox News, CNN, among other basic cable channels, and the local network affiliates in many markets. You can also add certain premium channels a la carte, such as HBO Max, Starz, Showtime and Epix.
YouTube TV offers DVR recording with unlimited recording, which means there’s no limit on simultaneous recordings. You can also stream your recording wherever you are, and your recordings are maintained for nine months.
See Amazon’s best-selling electronics!
But can you fast-forward past ads when you watch them?
YouTube TV’s web site says you can “typically fast-forward through ads on recorded programs once they’ve aired on live TV.”
Typically means that it’s the usual practice, but there may be certain shows or networks that will prohibit fast-forwarding the ads. I am not aware of any in particular, but YouTube TV is couching its promise just in case.
YouTube TV also notes that you can’t skip ads while watching live TV. But if you pause the show, you can fast forward until you catch up with the live version.
If you watch a show in YouTube TV’s Video on Demand library, some come with an ‘ad’ icon in the corner. YouTube TV says you normally cannot fast forward those ads.
Sadie, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe.
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
One show right now is Grey’s Anatomy.
I have Spectrum but doing a trial with Youtube TV. I have seen all the comments about being able to fast forward through ADs. With Spectrum anything.you recorded you could fast forward through the ADs and it did not make any difference what Network. Most shows that I have recorded on Youtube TV i still can’t fast forward.
I don’t that Spectrum has figured out how to let the user ff through ads but Google can’t . But may be I am missing something.
I also saw where someone said that the reason the ads were there was because you played it before it aired. I can’t figure out how you can do that.
I honestly hope that I am doing something wrong.
I just became a member of you tube tv on 02 10 23, I only watched a couple of shows that I dvr’d, they were all from cbs, I can’t skip commercials
Same here, we can’t skip commercials on much of Youtube tv, even if dvr’d. For the longest time I thought I was doing something wrong. Planning to drop it.