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I discuss whether or not YouTube TV is worth it in this article, including what’s good and the downside of YouTube TV. Topics covered include:
- What is YouTube TV
- How do you watch YouTube TV
- The positives of YouTube TV
- What is the downside of YouTube TV
- Do I recommend YouTube TV?
- YouTube TV alternatives
What is YouTube TV?
YouTube TV offers live TV programming as well as on-demand viewing. For example, I can watch my local television stations and other major networks – just like I used to on satellite. It also automatically records my favorite shows, sports teams, and sports leagues.
YouTube TV now also offers NFL Sunday Ticket (out-of-market NFL games), and you can also get out-market MLB games.
How do you watch YouTube TV?
You can watch YouTube TV through an app on a smart TV, iPad or any other smart device. As long as you have an internet connection, you can watch it. Watching through a web browser is another option.
The positives of YouTube TV
The positives of YouTube TV are:
- the personalized way of watching TV. Every family member has their login, with their own library and recommendations.
- on-demand works great.
- commercial breaks are mostly minimal.
- sports like Sunday Ticket.
- ability to watch on TVs and other devices when not in front of a TV.
- supporting content – like stats for sporting events.
A limited number of shows are also broadcast in 4K, which of course, leads us to ask: Is 4K worth it on YouTube TV? Well, yes and no. The shows in that format are crystal clear and fun to watch. But the number of shows that offer the best quality is low.
The 4K quality broadcasts come as an add-on package at $9.99/month per year and then $19.99/month. That’s not a new model of pricing, and when HD first came out, satellite and cable providers charged extra for it.
But almost 20 bucks per month for just a few shows each month is pretty hefty and might be out of people’s budget.
Read next: How to see YouTube dislikes
What is the downside of YouTube TV?
The biggest downside of YouTube TV that I have seen is that some programs – like hockey, basketball, and other sports, are at times broadcast in just 720. That’s a pretty low high-def resolution when you are used to satellite HD quality. It’s a bigger problem when watching those shows on a big-screen TV. Watching on an iPad screen, on the other hand, doesn’t make it look quite as bad.
You can change the settings of the stream quality but if it’s set to “auto” it will already have picked the highest resolution available anyway.
Read next: How to watch football on Amazon Prime
Do I recommend YouTube TV?
Overall, I would recommend it. The base package at $72.99/month (as of April 2023) is reasonable, and I like the interface of the app, which allows me to just take my show with me as I’m moving around the house.
The addition of Sunday Ticket certainly was why I switched to YouTube TV initially and I would say the positives have outweighed the negatives. After a few weeks, I didn’t notice a lower quality in the video anymore either. Just ensure it’s streaming at the highest available – options in a stream.
Overall, YouTube TV is worth it and works for our entertainment and streaming needs.
YouTube TV alternatives
YouTube works for me for live TV, and the cost is reasonable. But there are issues when I want to watch regional sports teams. Being in Iowa, we are in several “local” markets for some reason: Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Minneapolis.
To watch those “local” teams aside from Chicago, I need to use Fubo. Chicago Sports NBC is also available on YouTube TV.
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