Support NeoGAF

[RedAssedApe]

Playstation Vue launches Today Starting at $49.99.

- three channel tiers ($49.99-69.99)
- test cities (NY, Chicago, Philly)
- NO ESPN or ABC channels

This pretty much echoes my sentiments.

For most Vue users, that $50 package should be sufficient, as it covers a whole host of some of the most popular channels you’ll get in any cable package. It includes local broadcast channels from NBC, Fox, and CBS as well as cable networks like TNT, TBS, USA, MTV, Animal Planet, BET, FX, Comedy Central, AMC (starting next month), and many more. It’s an impressive lineup — when I thought about how I use cable TV currently, I realized that the entry level Vue package would cover a huge chunk of the shows I like to keep up with.

Unfortunately, there’s one huge hole in Sony’s lineup — ABC. That means no ESPN, no Disney, or even the local ABC affiliate so you can keep up with Modern Family. It’s a real shame, as it keeps Vue from truly being a one-stop service you can use to cut the cord for good — we’re keeping our fingers crossed that ABC and Sony will be able to come to an agreement sooner than later.

Cnet does a comparison between Vue and Sling TV:

http://www.cnet.com/news/playstation-vue-vs-sling-tv-streaming-live-tv-compared/

Lock if old.

 

[Omnipunctual Godot]

I hope it's successful, but I switched over to streaming subs years ago, and I don't really watch TV channels anymore.

 

[mcrommert]

Haahahahahahaha
$50 dollars with no lower tier...absolutely hilarious

 

[Jigolo]

lol that price is shit

 

[marrec]

What's the point?

What's the point of Playstation Vue as a 'cable replacement' when it costs basically the same price and you have less access to it?

Anything that isn't cable needs to have an extremely cheap option of limited channels with accessibility. Sling TV is a move in the right direction but still isn't quite there.

Cable by any other name would smell just as shitty. That's what Vue is seemingly.

 

[McDougles]

NOT THE MILQUETOAST COMEDY OF THE DECADE, MODERN FAMILY!

 

[TomShoe]

ABC. That means no ESPN, no Disney, or even the local ABC affiliate

...and you lost me.

 

[Leatherface]

So it's basically a cable package and priced as such. Not very enticing actually for cord cutters. I'd rather have SlingTV for $20.

 

[newjeruse]

Haahahahahahaha
$50 dollars with no lower tier...absolutely hilarious

The price isn't the problem for me, it's the lack of ESPN and MLB Network. No ESPN is a non-starter for me and many others. That's why they're able to charge a ridiculous amount on a per subscriber basis.

 

[SerTapTap]

Features sound great next to Sling TV, but it definitely needs a lower tier. On the other hand, maybe channels only signed on because it's not cheaper than cable.

And ESPN is of course a huge problem. I wonder what % of people hold onto cable just for that alone.

 

[Derpyduck]

50 dollars and no ESPN. Hahaha get fucked, Sony. When my cable company is cheaper and offers better channels, you've failed.

 

[RedAssedApe]

You'll still need to have broadband Internet for both, which means at least $40 per month and often a long-term contract. That said, minimizing contractual commitments and hidden fees is usually great for consumers, and that's one huge advantage they both share.

thats the one thing I guess. but yeah its not cheaper than a cable bundle and you can usually get hbogo thrown in for $10 even if you're on the starter plan that gets you OTA channels/local affiliates :\

 

[johnny956]

3 streams per account. Wonder if they'll crack down on people sharing accounts. That's the only way I would sign up for this instead of Sling which I currently have.

 

[BronsonLee]

And ESPN is of course a huge problem. I wonder what % of people hold onto cable just for that alone.

ESPN commands the lion's share of cable royalties, so it's a huge percentage.

 

[Ramza]

What the hell are they thinking with that pricing?

 

[Kusagari]

No ESPN means this is dead on arrival.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

No ESPN = Death, IMO. Hopefully they get it soon.

 

[DOWN]

Haahahahahahaha
$50 dollars with no lower tier...absolutely hilarious

lol that price is shit

What the hell are they thinking with that pricing?

You have serious delusions about what the price of a cable replacement would be

Cable with DVR usually costs much more than Vue. No way they'd ever offer most of the cable channels at some dirt cheap a la carte price in te current market.

 

[Tragicomedy]

Aside from the contract situation, how does this differ from actual cable? This seems totally misguided. $50 isn't cheaper than a similar cable package that actually includes ESPN and ABC, and doesn't require a PS3/4 to access.

Sling is on the right track. This is missing the point.

 

[diablos991]

What is the point of cutting the cable if you are paying the same amount of money to another company.

Sony really missed the mark with this pricing strategy.

 

[Dunlop]

Sony really seems out of touch with reality when pricing their new services

 

[SodiumBenzoate]

*If* they had ABC and ESPN, the $50 price point might be be worth considering.

At this point, though, it's an absolute joke. Sling.TV plus hulu is like, $28 a month. And comes with ESPN.

 

[Blak_Status]

50 dollars and no ESPN. Hahaha get fucked, Sony. When my cable company is cheaper and offers better channels, you've failed.

Exactly. Sling TV says try again Sony.

 

[Sotha_Sil]

No ESPN, no buy.

 

[Justified]

DOA

Why pick this over a lowtier cable package along with my internet as a cord cutter? I wouldnt

 

[RedAssedApe]

there really needs to be ala carte

 

[BronsonLee]

Sling TV bodies this.

 

[bigkrev]

This has regional sports networks (Comcast Sportsnet in Philly here), which has been my number 1 problem with cutting the cord (b/c blackout rules prevent the online options from being solutions).

The problem is that you can probably just get a cable plan with way more channels for not that much more.

 

[Paznos]

I guess they aren't trying to target cord cutters with that price.

 

[labaronx]

You have serious delusions about what the price of a cable replacement would be

Cable with DVR usually costs much more than Vue

Hell with cablebox rental and taxes my Comcast basic still comes up to 80 bucks. I mainly watch amc comedy central...They gets espn then i may be down

 

[RedAssedApe]

someone in the test cities do the 7 day trial and report back lol

 

[Memorabilia]

What's the point?

What's the point of Playstation Vue as a 'cable replacement' when it costs basically the same price and you have less access to it?

Anything that isn't cable needs to have an extremely cheap option of limited channels with accessibility. Sling TV is a move in the right direction but still isn't quite there.

Cable by any other name would smell just as shitty. That's what Vue is seemingly.

I came here to say basically the same thing.

Its not price competitive enough. Drop those prices by half, get ESPN on board... then we're in business. Otherwise, insta-fail.

 

[muteki]

In 10 years we will all be complaining about our expensive streaming TV packages with tons of useless channels.

 

[Mrbob]

ESPN is the reason for higher cable costs in the first place. Imagine how expensive Vue will be once they lock down ESPN.

This doesn't seem like a proper cable replacement. Just a similar alternative to the garbage we have on cable right now.

 

[diablos991]

I guess they aren't trying to target cord cutters with that price.

No idea who they are trying to target.
They won't get current cable subscribers and they won't get cord cutters.

They will only get suckers.

 

[Blak_Status]

ESPN is the reason for higher cable costs in the first place. Imagine how expensive Vue will be once they lock down ESPN.

Sling TV includes ESPN and it's only $20. Sony needs to go back to the drawing board period.

 

[Ludist210]

$50 is only $20 less than I was paying for cable with far more channels (most of which I didn't watch, but they were there). Sling is a much better value, even if you can only use one stream at a time (which isn't a big deal for my family at this point). Plus ESPN not being on the plan that costs more money is kind of a dealbreaker for me.

 

[mcrommert]

You have serious delusions about what the price of a cable replacement would be

Cable with DVR usually costs much more than Vue. No way they'd ever offer most of the cable channels at some dirt cheap a la carte price in te current market.

No Espn or Disney...dead in the water

This kind of shows just how great the deal that slingtv is putting out is

 

[RedAssedApe]

i dont really care about espn. just the lack of abc in general kills it for me too. this wouldnt even replace my starter tv package for time warner cable and its already more than twice the cost.

 

[Memorabilia]

ESPN is the reason for higher cable costs in the first place. Imagine how expensive Vue will be once they lock down ESPN.

This doesn't seem like a proper cable replacement. Just a similar alternative to the garbage we have on cable right now.

Doesn't the much cheaper Sling package include ESPN?

 

[Mrbob]

Sling TV includes ESPN and it's only $20. Sony needs to go back to the drawing board period.

Sling doesn't have many channels though. Most of that money funneling to ESPN. I don't see Sling as a good alternative yet either. Needs more channel options.

 

[On Demand]

In 10 years we will all be complaining about our expensive streaming TV packages with tons of useless channels.

It's funny because you can end up having multiple separate services that cost more than cable.

$50? Nah.

 

[AmuroChan]

Looking forward to trying this service. $50 seems reasonable to me when it comes with full cloud DVR and I can stream to multiple devices. And best of all, no contract. I've been waiting so long to finally get off of Cablevision. If this works well, it's going to save me a lot of money.

 

[mcrommert]

Sling doesn't have many channels though. Most of that money funneling to ESPN. I don't see Sling as a good alternative yet either. Needs more channel options.

you can add more packs to them...they already added amc before they even launched...they will continue to roll out new channels either in new packages or in the main package

 

[DaBargainHunta]

Price is terrible. Channel selection is terrible. Sony fucks up again. This is yet another PS TV-level flop waiting to happen.

 

[Toki767]

I don't necessarily think Sling TV is that much of a better deal unless you watch ESPN or you are basically the only TV watcher in the house.

Neither option seem worth it at the moment.

 

[marrec]

It's funny because you can end up having multiple separate services that cost more than cable.

$50? Nah.

Right now I'm sitting on Sling, Hulu +, and Netflix... while also buying season passes to multiple shows.

Cord cutting is SUPER EXPENSIVE.

 

[benicillin]

I think the price point is actually pretty good. It's got all the channels I want, I could cut out my Hulu Plus @ $15.00 a month, and DVR is included for 28 days of storage w/ no hardware fees.

 

[DWinn7]

No ESPN means this is dead on arrival.

^^^ and it's not a better value than cable with way less channels.

 

[Phhhh]

Why is no one offering per channel a la carte.

Just pay for the channels you want, not bundles.