Okay, so I’ve been meaning to cut the cord for, like, forever, and I finally decided to take the plunge. The two big contenders I was looking at were DIRECTV STREAM and YouTube TV. Here’s how my whole trial-and-error thing went down.
First Up: DIRECTV STREAM
I started with DIRECTV STREAM because, honestly, I was kinda familiar with the DIRECTV name. I figured it would be similar to the satellite service, just, you know, streaming.
- Signing up: It was pretty straightforward. I went to their website, picked a package (I went with the “Entertainment” one to start), and created an account.
- The Interface: It felt… familiar. Like, if you’ve used regular DIRECTV, you’ll kinda know your way around. It wasn’t super modern, but it was functional.
- Channel Surfing: This is where it felt most like traditional TV. It had a guide, you could flip through channels, the whole nine yards.
- DVR: they give you unlimited DVR which is awesome, I tested recording few shows.
- What Bugged Me: The price felt a little steep, I tried to find some channels that I really want but It seems they are belong to higher package, the price became higher, I gave up.
Next: YouTube TV Time
After a week with DIRECTV STREAM, I switched over to YouTube TV. I’d heard good things, and I’m already a big YouTube user, so I figured, why not?
- Getting Started: Super easy, especially since I already had a Google account. Just a few clicks, and I was in.
- Look and Feel: Way more modern than DIRECTV STREAM. It felt slick, like using, well, YouTube.
- Channel Lineup: This was a big plus for me. It had pretty much all the channels I cared about, and even a few extras I didn’t expect.
- The DVR: Unlimited DVR, just like DIRECTV STREAM, which is great for someone like me who likes to record everything.
- My Little Annoyance: The channel guide took a little getting used to. It’s not bad, just different from what I was used to.
- Final thought: the price is competitive, and they have a clear and simple package, even for the add-ons.
The Verdict?
After trying both, I actually ended up sticking with YouTube TV. It just felt more… modern, I guess? And the channel lineup was a better fit for what I watch. DIRECTV STREAM wasn’t bad, but YouTube TV just clicked better with my viewing habits, and I found the user experience really easy to navigate, I just picked up few clicks, then I can control everything. Plus the price of youtubetv is much lower than directv, So I chose youtube tv in the end. It might be different for you, though! It really depends on what you’re looking for. I’d say try both, see which one you like better, and don’t worry too much if it’s perfect.