DirecTV Now review: Live TV streamer strong on channels and discounts, weak on DVR

With a bunch of stay TV streaming companies competing towards cable TV, the principle differentiators are value and the number of channels. And DirecTV Now wins the uncooked numbers calculation, with extra channels in its base package deal than each competitor and the bottom value after Sling TV — which has a a lot slimmer channel lineup and lacks local broadcast stations (ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC). 

DirecTV Now, contemporary off mother or father firm AT&T’s mega-merger with Time Warner, has additionally topped the advertising efforts of opponents. Probably the most compelling is a free Apple TV 4K with a three-month commitment, however you can even rating offers that tie collectively DirecTV Now and AT&T wi-fi plans, and even get a reduction on HBO and Showtime.

Having simply completed rolling out its new interface that was initially out there on Apple TV and now stay on Hearth TV and Roku, too, DirecTV Now lastly integrates the all-important cloud DVR provided by all of its opponents. DTVN’s cloud DVR continues to be in beta, nonetheless, and it reveals. There’s solely 20 hours of storage and a few fundamental features, for instance urgent pause throughout a stay TV broadcast, do not work as you would possibly count on.

Roku is the most well-liked streaming gadget platform however sadly for its homeowners, DirecTV Now continues to be a piece in progress — hardly the zippy, dependable cable-replacement you would possibly count on. For instance, there is no pausing stay TV in any respect, and “Report” might or might not work — even on channels the place it is out there. Alternatively, the Apple TV model is just about “cooked” and all the pieces works higher.

Within the final two years we have seen a variety of modifications on this market, and every service continues to enhance its content material providing and options. With the latest overhaul, DirecTV has turn out to be extra helpful, however it nonetheless has some technique to meet up with the interfaces and DVRs of YouTube TV and PlayStation Vue. However neither one does reductions like DirecTV Now.

The fundamentals: What you should know

Earlier than we get too deep into it, this is the fundamentals on DirecTV Now, together with the way it’s completely different from TV you might know, pricing, gadget help and different vital stuff.

• It is separate from DirecTV, the satellite tv for pc service, however each are owned by AT&T.
• In contrast to a cable field or satellite tv for pc service, DirecTV Now could be streamed remotely from an Web server, and you may entry it from a cell gadget, internet browser, media streamer or TV. 

• Costs vary from $35 to $70 per 30 days, relying on channels.
• The value features a DVR to file as much as 20 hours of programming, which is saved in “the cloud.”
• To observe on a TV, you will want an Amazon Hearth TV or Fire TV Stick, a Roku streamer or Roku TV, an Apple TV ($179 at Walmart), a Chromecast (Android and iOS), or a Google Solid-enabled TV (like Vizio SmartCast TVs).
• To observe on a pc, you should use Chrome or Safari internet browsers. Firefox and Web Explorer can handle your account settings however can’t stream content material.
• It’s also possible to watch on any any iPhone ($800 at Cricket Wireless), iPad ($329 at Walmart) (iOS 10 or higher) or Android (four.four KitKat or higher) telephone or pill.
• Xbox One and Samsung Tizen Good TV are “not but out there.”
• Subscribers to AT&T’s wi-fi service can watch with out utilizing their cell information, however different companies use information as regular.
• There is a free 7-day trial out there.
• There isn’t any contract or early termination charge, so you’ll be able to cancel at any time.
• It is solely out there in the US.

What does DirecTV Now have going for it?

DirecTV’s lengthy historical past of working a satellite tv for pc service reveals by on DirecTV Now. Our favourite instance of this heritage is the flexibility swipe left or proper to alter channels shortly (or not so shortly for Roku customers; see under). If you need the complete “flip” expertise, you may even program left and proper arrows into your Ch +/- buttons on a common distant.

Past the service’s robust channel lineup, together with most native broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC) in 99 of the nation’s main TV markets, a giant deal is the flexibility so as to add HBO or Cinemax for simply $5 additional (every) to any package deal. That is a considerable low cost ($10) off the conventional premium channel charge, and one thing opponents do not provide. In contrast to a service like HBO Go, nonetheless, not each episode of each HBO collection is included on demand. For instance, the ultimate episode of Recreation of Thrones season 6 and half of season 5 are lacking. 

You need to use your DirecTV Now login credentials to check in (authenticate) the HBO Go app, nonetheless, and acquire entry to the complete library of reveals that means. DirecTV Now presently authenticates with greater than 60 different apps, together with NBC, ABC, ESPN and Showtime.

AT&T subscribers who stream DirecTV Now on their phones will not have the information depend towards their month-to-month cap. It’s also possible to run two impartial simultaneous streams on a single DirecTV Now account, or pay an extra $5 per 30 days to get a 3rd simultaneous stream. Extra streams means extra folks can watch on completely different gadgets utilizing the identical account on the similar time.