This week on TechHive: Roku, YouTube, and the myth of neutrality
Something’s been bothering me ever since Roku and Google started quarreling earlier this year.
In their ongoing carriage dispute, Roku has accused Google of being a bully by demanding that YouTube enjoy special search and voice control privileges on the Roku platform. These demands, Roku says, jeopardize the “fair and open” marketplace it has tried to establish, and it seems willing to lose YouTube to protect its broader goals. (Google, in turn, has threatened to pull YouTube from Roku’s platform on December 9 for anyone who hasn’t already downloaded the app.)
I don’t want to pick on Roku or downplay Google’s unchecked market power, but I take issue with the idea that any streaming platform is fair, open, or neutral. Every major player in the streaming wars has been known to throw its weight around—Roku included—and special treatment is more common than the company suggests. While I’d love to live in the neutral platform utopia that Roku imagines, the reality is that it doesn’t exist. Read the full column on TechHive.
Weekly rewind
LocalBTV’s local streaming plans: Over at Fast Company, I wrote a profile of LocalBTV, which aims to stream local channels with the blessing of broadcast networks. That’s a clear distinction from Locast, which shut down last month and just agreed to a $32 million copyright settlement after providing local channel streams without permission.
Right now, LocalBTV operates in 16 markets and carries no major broadcast channels, but the company tells me it has an agreement in place with one of them, and its goal is to reach 100 markets next year.
A neat new Netflix trick: Got a Fire TV device and a Netflix subscription? Try holding the voice control button and saying “Play something on Netflix.” This will activate Netflix’s “Play Something” shuffle mode, which instantly loads a personalized recommendation from the catalog. At present, no other streaming platform lets you trigger this feature by voice, but you can always access it on other devices through Netflix’s profile screen.
A big upgrade for Channels DVR: For those with the technical wherewithal to set it up, Channels DVR is an excellent cord cutting solution, providing a slick and customizable way to watch live and recorded TV, both from over-the-air and streaming video sources. A major update this week makes it even better.
Now, you can organize movies and shows into “Collections,” browse for new things to record without scrolling through the grid guide, and—best of all—spin up “Virtual Channels” based on what’s in your DVR library. I’ve been having a blast with the latter feature this week, putting together marathon channels for my Seinfeld and Star Trek recordings, along with compilation channels for my favorite food shows and comedies. Check out my review from last year for more on how Channels works, or my story from February on how you can pull in content from Netflix and other streaming services.
Fox Weather rolls in: The weather streaming wars have kicked off in earnest with Fox Weather launching its 24-hour live streaming channel on iOS, Android, and the web. The channel is also available via the Fox Now, Fox News, and Fox Business apps (including on streaming TV devices), and integration with the Fox-owned Tubi app is also coming soon.
The service faces fresh competition from Accuweather, whose Accuweather Now channel launched via The Roku Channel in August and Plex in September. But we’re still waiting for the arrival of Weather Channel Plus, which unlike its rivals will cost $5 per month. With any luck, its launch will prompt another round of weather-related smack talk from all involved.
The World Series in 4K: Speaking of Fox, here’s your reminder that you can watch the World Series in 4K HDR via the Fox Now or Fox Sports apps, provided you’re able to log in with your cable, satellite, or streaming TV provider. FuboTV is carrying the series in 4K as well, while YouTube offers 4K as part of its $20 per month 4K Plus add-on. (If you’re balking at that price, just log into the aforementioned Fox apps with your YouTube credentials, and you’ll get 4K baseball at no extra charge.)
More catch-up
- Plex gives its download system a much-needed overhaul.
- ESPN+ adds a whole lot of lacrosse to its lineup.
- Apple TV is coming soon to Comcast’s streaming hardware.
- Report says Google TV has become a “top priority” at Google.
- FuboTV tacks on a $5 per month regional sports fee for NYC-area residents.
Save more money
Once again, we’ve got another code for a free month of Paramount+. As long as you don’t have an active subscription, you can use the promo code MADAMEX at checkout for a month of Paramount+’s ad-free or ad-supported plan. As always, set a reminder to cancel the day after you sign up, and you won’t get billed at the end. With any luck, you’ll be able to repeat the freebie cycle again next month, as I’ve been doing for well over a year now.
ViacomCBS is also bundling Paramount+ with Showtime for $12 per month or $120 per year with ads, and $15 per month or $150 per year without. But given that Showtime alone costs $11 per month, you’re better off redeeming Paramount+’s endless coupons for free and tacking on Showtime as needed.
Thanks for reading!
Got cord-cutting questions for me? Just reply to this email to get in touch! Otherwise, have a sufficiently spooky Halloween weekend.
Until next week,
Jared