OTA DVR in danger, Cubs without cable
This week on TechHive: Over-the-air DVR’s DRM problem
It’s been more than five years since I first asked whether ATSC 3.0 would spell doom for over-the-air DVR. Now the answers are coming in, and they’re not encouraging.
The latest antenna TV standard, also called NextGen TV, is supposed to introduce new features such as 4K HDR video and dialog enhancement. But it also gives broadcasters the ultimate say over where and how you watch free local channels. With new encryption measures that many stations are now adopting, ATSC 3.0 can limit recording capabilities, block out-of-home viewing, and restrict the use of certain video player apps. Even basic playback requires seemingly endless certification hoops, potentially driving up the cost of ATSC 3.0 converter boxes.
Broadcasters say they’re trying to protect against media piracy and may address some of these complaints in the future, but encryption still leaves them, rather than users, in control of what’s possible. While over-the-air DVR has been one of the last great ways to watch TV on your own terms. NextGen TV could stop that from happening.
Read the full column on TechHive →
Weekly rewind
Cubs unbundle: Marquee Sports Network has just launched a standalone streaming service, with live Cubs games in the Chicago area for $20 per month. Subscribers can watch the games in Marquee’s apps for Roku, Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, iOS, and Android, or on the web.
It’s the latest development in a slow-but-steady unbundling for local sports. YES and NESN have unbundled on their own, Bally Sports+ offers local basketball and hockey (plus baseball for a handful of teams), and the Padres and Diamondbacks have local streaming plans through MLB TV. Expect more standalone options in the months ahead, as pay TV subscriptions decline and the regional sports network model comes undone.
Verizon 5G home internet price hike: If you’re a Verizon Wireless customer who’s thought about replacing your home internet service with Verizon’s 5G version, now might be a good time. The company says it’s raising 5G home internet prices next month for new customers who bundle it with Verizon’s mobile phone service, from from $25 to $35 per month.
The price will still be $50 per month for 5G home internet only—with no mobile bundling, and the price hike doesn’t affect Verizon’s Fios wired home internet service. I haven’t tried Verizon’s 5G service myself, but you can read a review from CNet and check availability on Verizon’s website.
More catch-up
- Philo drops AXS and HDNet.
- YouTube TV will offer some kind of Max and Sunday Ticket bundle, but won’t say what it is yet.
- Netflix’s mobile app replaces the “Downloads” tab with a personalized “My Netflix” section.
Save more money
Verizon is currently offering a free year of NFL Sunday Ticket, but only under certain conditions:
- New mobile customers must purchase an eligible phone on an Unlimited Plus plan. (Phones include Samsung’s S23 range and fifth-gen foldables, Google’s latest Pixels, and the Motorola Edge+.)
- Existing mobile customers must switch plans to Unlimited Plus or activate a new Unlimited Plus line.
- New Verizon home internet customers (including 5G and Fios) can get free Sunday Ticket without a phone plan.
Ben Patterson has more details and caveats in a post over at TechHive.
Other notable deals:
- The latest Paramount+ codes are ELVIS, TVCLASSICS, or MIXTAPE. Learn how to get it for free.
- See more up-to-date deals on the Cord Cutter Weekly website.
Thanks for reading!
Hey folks, I’ve been traveling this week, so if you’ve sent me a cord cutting question recently, my responses are a bit delayed.
Feel free to keep emailing, though! You can get in touch by replying to this newsletter.
Until next week,
Jared