This week on TechHive: The Roku decision flowchart
If you’re trying to figure out which Roku player to buy, the answer can quickly get complicated.
Roku offers seven standalone streaming devices, with prices ranging from $30 to $180. To add further confusion, some cheaper models have features that pricier options don’t, and a couple of its streaming players even double as TV soundbars.
With last week’s Roku Ultra revamp and some upcoming deals on Roku devices (more on those shortly), now’s a good time to run through the options. For a model-by-model guide—and a snazzy flowchart to go with it—read the full column on TechHive.
Weekly rewind
ESPN’s standalone streaming plans: Just to circle back on a story I missed last week, Disney CFO Christine McCarthy recently told investors that if (or when) ESPN offers its cable channel as a standalone streaming service, it will be a “different offering” from ESPN+.
That makes sense on some level. ESPN+ currently costs $7 per month, with programming that’s mostly separate from ESPN’s cable channels. ESPN, meanwhile, is the most expensive channel on cable at roughly $5.50 per subscriber, and Disney would surely want to charge more for a streaming version.
Still, the overall trend among TV networks is to bundle their media properties together, and Disney itself has been nudging people toward its full bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. Even if ESPN and ESPN+ start out separate to avoid huge price hikes, I wouldn’t be surprised if they eventually come together.
NFL’s mobile streams: The NFL is considering a standalone streaming service for the 2022 season, but don’t get too excited. As The Athletic reports, the service may be limited to mobile devices and tablets, with a “hypothetical” price of $5 per month.
In previous seasons, the NFL had partnered with Verizon Wireless to offer free in-market games on mobile devices—even for non-Verizon customers—and had sold mobile access to NFL Redzone for $5 per month. This was a useful option for folks who relied on an antenna to watch local games at home and wanted to stream them from the road.
Having to pay for in-market mobile streams would be a step backward, though the NFL may just be floating the idea as leverage for a more lucrative deal with wireless carriers. In any case, I will continue to use my Channels DVR server to remotely watch local games from my antenna, regardless of what the league comes up with.
(Note that none of this has any effect on NFL Sunday Ticket, which remains tied to DirecTV for one more year and could go to a tech company such as Apple after that.)
More catch-up
- Google TV is finally adding support for multiple user profiles.
- The ATSC 3.0 TV bundle Evoca now integrates with Sling TV.
- Plex has built a new app for home theater PC geeks.
Save more money
We’ve got a lot of streaming service and device deals on offer this week, so let’s run through them all in short order:
Hulu (on-demand, with ads): New and returning subscribers can get up to three months for $1 per month, down from the usual $7 per month. This deal ends tonight.
Paramount+: Once again, new and returning subscribers can get a free month with the promo code PICKETT, even with the ad-free tier. Make sure to sign up on the Paramount+ website, not the app. Never pay for Paramount+.
CuriosityStream: The science and nature documentary service is offering the first year for $12, down from the usual $20, with the code MEMORIALDAY40.
Philo: New subscribers can get their first month for $10 with the promo code STREAM. It’s $25 per month after that.
Plex Pass: If you’re looking to run your own media server or use Plex’s over-the-air DVR service, lifetime Plex Passes are on sale for $96, down from the usual $120. Use the code GEEKOUT at checkout. This deal ends tonight.
As for those Roku deals I mentioned earlier, note the following schedule and plan accordingly:
- May 15 through May 29: The Roku Streambar is $30 off, at $100.
- May 29 through June 4: The Roku Express 4K+ will be $10 off, at $30, while the Roku Express will be $5 off, at $25.
- June 5 through June 18: The Roku Streaming Stick 4K will be $10 off, at $40, and the Roku Streambar Pro will be $30 off, at $150.
You’ll find these deals on Roku’s website and at most major retailers.
Thanks for reading (and an apology)
In last week’s TechHive column, I wrote about a long-standing loophole in the Bally Sports app that allowed some Spectrum internet subscribers to access the regional sports channel, even without pay TV service.
When I stumbled upon this trick, I got excited and naturally wanted to share it with readers. But in doing so, I also felt obligated to seek comment from Bally Sports and Spectrum. While neither company has responded to me, they closed the loophole last Friday, three days after my story went live.
In hindsight, poking the bear was a colossal mistake—something that many people have been reminding me on Twitter throughout the week—and I regret having written the story in the first place. This may be of little consolation, but if you’d been relying on this loophole to avoid regional sports’ exorbitant costs, I’m sorry for ruining it.
Thanks again for reading, and enjoy the long weekend.
Until next week,
Jared