Podcast Home Theater United Episode 38 - Streaming Frustrations 2022 with Todd Erwin (1 Viewer)

[Todd Erwin]

We're wired. No laptop, but I assume I could plug into the router. Frontier equipment.

Your streaming devices are wired into the router?

 

[JohnRice]

We're wired. No laptop, but I assume I could plug into the router. Frontier equipment.

He means, are the devices wired (connected by ethernet) or connected by WiFi?

...beat me to it...

 

[JohnRice]

This brings up a misunderstanding I come across a LOT. It's common not to understand the difference between your internet service and the WiFi that distributes it wirelessly in the house. An understandable result of internet providers making customers believe they have to purchase both from them.

 

[usrunnr]

You have all lost me. totally confused. Don't know how to answer.

 

[JohnRice]

Internet service can be sent to the streaming devices (or any device that uses internet) using WiFi (wireless) or an ethernet cable. An ethernet cable looks like this...

I think it's pretty safe to assume it's WiFi, which probably means you are actually receiving much faster service than 7Mb/s, but the WiFi router isn't up to the task of getting that speed to your devices.

Welcome to the rabbit hole. The good news is, there are solutions. The bad news is, they get very tech heavy.

 

[Todd Erwin]

If the speeds are still in the 7Mbps range over wi-fi when standing next to the modem/router, then either the equipment is faulty or there is an issue with the line coming into the house. If it were me, I would be trying to set up a service call or simply cancel service and try someone else.

 

[usrunnr]

Thanks. We are wireless from the router. That much I understand.
However, we are Dish network from their satellite, and that is the streaming part we can't do.
The rest we don't really know how to do.

Sorry I haven't been clearer.

 

[JohnRice]

It appears the max speed with Dish is 25Mb/s. You simply can’t get decent streaming with that. Even when I had 75Mb/s it was choppy.

Sorry. This is Todd’s thread. I’ll leave it to him.

 

[Todd Erwin]

Thanks. We are wireless from the router. That much I understand.
However, we are Dish network from their satellite, and that is the streaming part we can't do.
The rest we don't really know how to do.

Sorry I haven't been clearer.

What do you get when you run a speedtest on a device such as a tablet or smartphone when standing next to the modem/router?

 

[usrunnr]

What do you get when you run a speedtest on a device such as a tablet or smartphone when standing next to the modem/router?

Download speed is 6.89 (Frontier claims 71-768). Upload speed is 679 kbps. This is on our computer. Router is one foot away.

 

[Todd Erwin]

Download speed is 6.89 (Frontier claims 71-768). Upload speed is 679 kbps. This is on our computer. Router is one foot away.

I would call and demand a service tech come out and run diagnostics.

 

[Todd Erwin]

Download speed is 6.89 (Frontier claims 71-768). Upload speed is 679 kbps. This is on our computer. Router is one foot away.

Or look into switching to Spectrum. I know you had said that you have not heard anything good about Spectrum from customers in your community. People are more likely to complain than praise. Also, I live in a remote desert community like yourself, and what I have learned from those in my community that complain about how bad a service is rarely call to have the problem looked into. My community has a Facebook page to help people find what they need and report issues in the area, and whenever someone asks who provides internet or if a provider is down or slow, several people chime in to say that that provider is always down at their house. And it is always the same people. When asked if they have contacted said provider, in most cases they do not respond, and in the rare instances that someone does respond, it is usually “I was waiting for someone else from the community to call.” I have had very friendly conversations with the Spectrum techs that service my area, and some of the stories they have told me about things like stolen cable disrupting an entire node but no one bothered to call about slow speeds or intermittent service until they came out to do a new install. That could be what is going on with Frontier, and that could also be the root of the complaints about Spectrum.

 

[Todd Erwin]

If you want an example of a frustrating streaming experience, read my digital review of Zack Snyder's Justice League. What a total mess.

 

[Sam Posten]

Congrats Todd Rice on joining the OLED generation

 

[JohnRice]

Congrats Todd Rice on joining the OLED generation
View attachment 145821

Coolios. Among other strengths, the infinite viewing angle of OLED makes it ideal for living spaces.

 

[Dave Hahn]

Great podcast guys, thanks!

 

[Todd Erwin]

Well, looks like I was off by a few dollars with those Disney+ price hikes and new ad-support tiers, and did not include possible price hikes on Hulu, all effective on 12/8.

Disney+ ad-free to go up to $10.99, ad-supported will be $7.99 (the current ad-free price).
Hulu ad-free rising to $14.99, ad-supported to $7.99.

For people like me, who have Disney+ and ad-supported Hulu, the best deal would be to go with the D+/Hulu/ESPN+ bundle for $14.99 which will give you ad-free Disney+ and ad-supported on the other two. Essentially, I'll be subscribing to one service I will rarely if ever watch. Otherwise, I'll be paying $19 for the two services.

Or wait to see what Black Friday deals Hulu offers prior to the price hike.

Disney raises streaming prices after services post big operating loss

Disney is unveiling a brand new pricing structure to incorporate its ad-supported Disney+ service.

www.cnbc.com

 

[JohnRice]

Well, looks like I was off by a few dollars with those Disney+ price hikes and new ad-support tiers, and did not include possible price hikes on Hulu, all effective on 12/8.

Disney+ ad-free to go up to $10.99, ad-supported will be $7.99 (the current ad-free price).
Hulu ad-free rising to $14.99, ad-supported to $7.99.

For people like me, who have Disney+ and ad-supported Hulu, the best deal would be to go with the D+/Hulu/ESPN+ bundle for $14.99 which will give you ad-free Disney+ and ad-supported on the other two. Essentially, I'll be subscribing to one service I will rarely if ever watch. Otherwise, I'll be paying $19 for the two services.

Or wait to see what Black Friday deals Hulu offers prior to the price hike.

Disney raises streaming prices after services post big operating loss

Disney is unveiling a brand new pricing structure to incorporate its ad-supported Disney+ service.

www.cnbc.com

The surprising thing is, the all-no-ad Hulu/Disney+/ESPN+ $19.99 price isn't changing.

 

[Todd Erwin]

The surprising thing is, the all-no-ad Hulu/Disney+/ESPN+ $19.99 price isn't changing.

I think the goal for them is to try and draw more people to those bundles, especially to try and drive up subscribership on ESPN+. Like I said, the ad-free Disney+ and ad-supported Hulu/ESPN+ is a draw to me, mostly because it is much cheaper than even a la carte ad-free Disney+ and ad-supported Hulu (unless I move over to the usual $1.99/month Hulu Black Friday deal in November).

 

[JohnRice]

I think the goal for them is to try and draw more people to those bundles, especially to try and drive up subscribership on ESPN+. Like I said, the ad-free Disney+ and ad-supported Hulu/ESPN+ is a draw to me, mostly because it is much cheaper than even a la carte ad-free Disney+ and ad-supported Hulu (unless I move over to the usual $1.99/month Hulu Black Friday deal in November).

That could be. I don't have cable and even though I have antenna reception of everything except ABC, Hulu is the way I watch most of the current TV that I watch, and I get to do it at my leisure. I'm hooked on having it commercial free, which simply saves far more time than the additional cost. So, once considering all that, an extra $5 is decent money spent for the occasions I watch something on D+ or ESPN+. These days, aside from the NFL, almost nothing in sports is consistently broadcast anymore. It's the only reason I was able to watch the Avs Stanley Cup run this year. That alone was worth the $60 annual cost.