This week on TechHive: Roku vs. Fire TV vs. Apple TV vs. Chromecast (and more)

This week, TechHive published my mega-roundup of all the major streaming boxes. Spoiler: I recommend Amazon’s Fire TV box for most people. It hits the sweet spot of price and performance, has lots of high-quality apps, and does an admirable job of surfacing content through its home screen and search results.

That’s not to say everyone should buy a Fire TV. The roundup also includes recommendations on who should consider other streaming boxes, along with individual reviews of every major streaming device on the market (save for the AirTV, which I’m reviewing now). Dig into the full story on TechHive.

Weekly Rewind

A wishlist for the next Fire TV: In tandem with the review roundup, I also wrote a column on what I’d like to see from Amazon’s next Fire TV box. 4K HDR video support seems like a given, but hands-free Alexa voice commands, better TV volume controls, and built-in antenna support don’t seem too far-fetched. Read the full column on TechHive.

NFL’s Thursday night plans: Amazon was the winning bidder this year for Thursday Night Football streaming rights, forking over $50 million to stream 10 games to Amazon Prime subscribers. That’s five times more than what Twitter paid last year. The games will prsumably stream live through through Amazon’s existing video apps.

But there’s good news even if you’re not an Amazon Prime member: The streaming rights are non-exclusive this year, and Recode reports that NBC and CBS will be able to stream the games they broadcast. It’s unclear whether NFL Network will also stream the games, but hopefully the non-excusive clause means no more blackouts on streaming bundles like Sling TV and PlayStation Vue.

YouTube TV goes live: YouTube has launched its $35 per month streaming bundle, but only in the metro areas of New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, and Philadelphia. The limited availability is probably due to YouTube’s insistence on including all four major broadcast networks, which would require deals with affiliate stations in many other markets.

For those who can get YouTube TV, the service includes more than 50 channels with a big emphasis on sports, and a cloud DVR with unlimited storage for up to nine months. YouTube is offering a one-month free trial, plus a free Chromecast after the first payment.

More Catch-Up

Sling TV adds Showtime for $10 per month.
Buried lede: Is Roku planning a streaming bundle?
Also, is Verizon planning a streaming bundle?
Netflix’s Windows 10 app now works offline.
Streaming device market share, ranked: Roku’s the leader, Apple’s the loser
Amazon’s new Fire TV interface heads to first-generation devices.
Tougher times ahead for ESPN.

Save More Money

Through the end of Friday, TiVo is selling its refurbished Roamio OTA with 500 GB of storage and lifetime DVR service for $250. That’s $55 less than the 1 TB model that I linked to about a month ago. Though it lacks the whole-home and out-of-home streaming features of a Tablo or HDHomeRun/Plex DVR, TiVo Roamio OTA remains the best DVR solution for a single television. It has powerful ad-skipping features, plenty of granular recording options, and support for some popular streaming apps like Netflix and Amazon Video.

Five grand!

As of this week, Cord Cutter Weekly reaches more than 5,000 subscribers! Thanks to everyone who’s supported this newsletter by sending feedback, suggesting story ideas, and just reading the email every week. I also owe a big thanks to TechHive for allowing me to promote the newsletter through my columns. If you have any thoughts on how to make Cord Cutter Weekly better, please let me know.

Until next week,
Jared