Making television easy again. By Phillip Swann
The live streaming business can be a welcome alternative to costly cable and satellite TV services, particularly during a must-see event such as March Madness, which begins today. That is, if you can forgive the occasional technical snafu, and the delay between the stream and real time. What’s that? You were aware that live streaming
Q. I notice that teens are usually watching videos on their phones rather than the TV. Being in the industry, I also read the reports saying television is dying because today’s young people aren’t interested in watching hour-long shows, or subscribing to cable or satellite. They just want to watch their short YouTube videos on
Q. I keep seeing ads on TV and at my local Best Buy for Smart TVs. What exactly is a Smart TV and how do I connect it if I buy one? — Sara A., Laredo, Texas. Smart TV is a term used for a television or set-top box that can connect to your home
Q. I have DIRECTV and sometimes it seems like the picture on HBO and some of the other channels is better than at other times. Is this true or am I seeing things? I also notice that when I watch Netflix, the picture sometimes will go from really clear to kinda fuzzy. Can you help?
Q. I am shopping for a new TV and I want to get the best deal possible. Do you have any ideas on how to save money while buying a new set? — Lucy, Dallas, Texas. Lucy, buying a new TV is a big decision and not one to be taken lightly. Depending upon which set you
Q. I called my local cable operator and they said I needed a cable box to operate my Smart TV and watch the Netflix. Is that true? Can’t I watch the Netflix with just the Internet box I have? — Mary, Boise Idaho. Mary, you didn’t say which cable operator you have, but whoever you
Amazon plans to add 59 new TV shows and movies to its Prime streaming lineup in January, including three original programs. The new titles will include Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams (pictured above), an Amazon original anthology series based on the late sci-fi writer’s writings. Electric Dreams, which will star such TV A-Listers as Bryan
News Analysis Last week, I was watching a Kansas City Royals-Cleveland Indians game on MLB.TV when suddenly the stream began buffering in the fourth inning. Until then, everything was fine. I was even remarking to myself how clear the image was. But for roughly 20 minutes, the picture would stop and start, ruining an enjoyable
News Analysis Showtime’s online presentation of Saturday night’s Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor fight was another disaster for live streaming with numerous fans complaining they couldn’t watch due to login issues, buffering and other technical snafus. However, while technical errors during a live streamed, high-trafficked event isn’t new, the class action lawsuit filed yesterday against Showtime is.
NBC’s Seeso, the online service for comedy fans, is an early casualty of the increasingly competitive streaming business. “We’re writing to let you know that later this year, Seeso will be shutting its comedy doors,” the comedy streamer said in a statement posted yesterday on its Facebook page. Click Amazon: 4K TVs For Under $1,000. The
Q. I know you have been skeptical of people using a Hotspot to stream Netflix on a Smart TV instead of using an Internet service from a cable or telephone company. But what if my Hotspot is from a mobile service with an unlimited data plan. Will that work, ok? — Marie, San Diego. Marie,
Amazon is planning to add 23 new TV shows and movies to its Amazon Prime streaming lineup in March, including four original series and two original movies. The new Amazon Prime lineup in March will include season four of the BBC drama, Orphan Black, the second season of the Amazon original drama, Hand of God,