This week on TechHive: So much for the decline of the cable box

Last year, the cable industry seemed to be making meaningful progress toward eliminating the much-loathed cable box. Comcast announced plans for a Roku app and a way for any device maker to create their own Xfinity apps; Time Warner Cable, Charter, and Comcast were testing streaming versions of cable bundles; and the FCC was pushing an “unlock the box” proposal that would put TV operators’ services onto major streaming platforms.

Today, those efforts have slowed down or stalled. While Comcast did just release a beta version of its Roku app, it won’t save cable subscribers much money. Meanwhile, the FCC’s proposal and those new streaming services are in stasis. In other words, don’t expect cable TV to decouple itself from the cable box anytime soon. Read the full column on TechHive.

Weekly Rewind

Cord-cutting for the Super Bowl: You don’t need cable to watch the big game on Sunday. This year, Fox will live stream the Super Bowl–commercials and all–through its Fox Sports Go website and its app for Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox One, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Chromecast, iPad, Android tablets, and Windows devices. Verizon customers can stream the game on their phones through the NFL Mobile app.

Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and DirecTV Now should also have live streams on Fox, but only in markets where they carry local broadcasts. Plug your zipcode into the websites for Sling, Vue, and DirecTV Now to see if you can get the feeds.

For the smoothest picture and least amount of broadcast delay, your best bet is an over-the-air antenna. That’s what I’ll be using, hooked up to my HDHomeRun that streams the broadcasts onto my living room and basement TVs.

The problem with streaming live local channels: Why don’t Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and DirecTV Now carry local broadcast feeds in all of their markets? Usually the blame goes to the TV networks’ local affiliates, who’ve dragged their feet on participating, but a report in TVNewsCheck presents the other side of the story. Affiliates reportedly want to negotiate their own terms, the same way they do with cable and satellite, but instead it’s the TV networks who are negotating, and telling affiliates that they can take it or leave it.

The good news is that affiliates sound excited about being part of these streaming bundles, and industry experts think both sides will start resolving their differences this year. CBS is already making headway, and now works with Vue in more than 50 markets. Not everyone has access to an antenna, so if local channels become standard for streaming bundles, cutting the cord could have a mainstream moment.

More Catch-Up

Facebook is reportedly working on a TV app with scripted shows and sports.
Here’s a detailed look at Android TV’s built-in DVR features.
Walter Presents, a U.K.-based service for highbrow foreign language dramas, is headed stateside.

Save More Money

I can’t find any good antenna or streaming device deals this week, so here’s a TV for those who need to upgrade ahead of the Super Bowl. Sam’s Club has Vizio’s 70-inch M-Series for $1648, which is roughly $250 less than the same TV at Best Buy. It’s a 4K HDR panel with Chromecast built-in, and it comes with a small tablet that you can use as a fancy remote. (I have the 2015 version of this TV, which unfortunately doesn’t have HDR, but was nonetheless worth every penny.)

Thanks for reading!

Do you have any stories you’d like me to tackle? Need advice on your cord cutting setup? Have a success story you’d like to share? Feedback on this newsletter? Drop me a line by responding to this email.

Until next week,
Jared