Learn Playstation Vue Alternatives: Best Apps to Replace PS Vue

Playstation Vue Alternatives: Best Apps to Replace PS Vue

Last Updated: November 1, 2019

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The news of Sony’s PlayStation Vue shutting down shocked the streaming world this week. Ultimately, with the PS5 hitting the market next year, Sony wants to focus on its new video game system. The costs of running a separate streaming service apparently are too much for the technology giant.

PlayStation Vue logo copyright Sony.

Let’s take a look at the details of PlayStation Vue closing. We also look at a few PSVue alternatives to help your household cope with the change. There are many quality streaming services out there hoping for your subscription.

Is PlayStation Vue Shutting Down a Sign of Streaming Industry Consolidation?

Sony announced this week that the last day of operation for PlayStation Vue is January 30, 2020. One piece of good news is Sony is billing customers for the last time in December. So current subscribers essentially receive a free month of service in January.

Some technology pundits wonder if PSVue closing is a sign of an upcoming streaming industry consolidation. The number of PlayStation Vue subscribers ranged from 500,000 to 800,000 depending on the source. This ranked behind other services like Sling TV and YouTube TV.

Sony made a mistake by not offering synergies between PSVue and its gaming services like PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now. They’d likely get more Vue subscribers by offering a discount for users of both.

As Sony stated, given the competitive nature of the industry, they made a decision to focus on the PS5. The streaming market is only becoming more cluttered with Apple TV+, Disney+, and HBO Max all joining the fray. Thankfully, users looking for a new cable TV replacement enjoy many options.

The Best PlayStation Vue Alternatives

We recently published a streaming service buyers guide that featured PSVue and two other options. Both YouTube TV and Hulu Live TV are worthy replacements for your PlayStation Vue subscription.

YouTube TV offers essentially the same channel lineup as Vue at a similar monthly price. Its biggest selling point is a Cloud DVR with unlimited storage. You are able to keep programs for up to nine months.

Hulu + Live TV is another winner with similar pricing and lineup. You also get access to Hulu’s full library of content. Pay attention to see if Hulu’s upcoming bundle with ESPN+ and Disney+ adds the Live TV content at a higher price. If so, it’s probably the best deal in streaming.

Philo offers a great channel lineup for only $20 per month. One important caveat is the lack of sports and news channels, except for BBC World News. A host of on-demand content makes up for no Cloud DVR.

Finally, sports fans need to check out FuboTV. You get most of the sports channels as well as extra soccer content. There’s also a good array of news, entertainment, and lifestyle channels.

As always, be sure to perform regular speed tests to ensure your bandwidth can handle HD streaming. 5 Mbps remains the idea benchmark for HD video on one device. Remember, we still have the best Internet speed test in the business!

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Learn Playstation Vue Alternatives: Best Apps to Replace PS Vue

Is Philo the Inexpensive Streaming TV Option for You?

Last Updated: October 25, 2019

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Cordcutters interested in a cheap option for streaming TV need to check out Philo. In competition with other budget services, like Sling TV or AT&T WatchTV, this OTT provider offers a similar low monthly price. When hoping to save money after moving on from cable TV, these inexpensive services simply make sense.

The Philo TV logo. Copyright Philo.

As part of our regular series on streaming services, we train our eyes on Philo. Let’s peruse their channel lineup and other features. You also find out how much Internet speed you need to stream their HD content.

So, here is our profile of the budget streaming service, Philo.

Philo TV Service Plans and Channel Lineup

In short, Philo provides subscribers with more than 50 channels for $20 per month. Their channel lineup includes most popular entertainment channels. Food Network, BBC America, and the MTV family highlight their offerings.

Of course, there’s a catch. In this case, it’s the notable absence of any sports or news channels, beyond BBC World News. So if your household doesn’t care about Fox News, ESPN, or CNN, Philo just might be the perfect option. This service offers no other plans or extra channels. You simply get more than 50 channels (currently 58) for your $20.

Philo TV Supports Most Streaming Devices and More

Like the other OTT TV providers, Philo supports most popular streaming devices. This includes Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more. Of course, it also works with your iOS or Android mobile device. Finally, streaming to your desktop web browser is also possible.

You are able to stream to three simultaneous devices at once. This compares well with the other budget streaming services. 10 personalized profiles per account allows each family member to tailor their own viewing needs.

You also get over 40,000 titles to watch on an on-demand basis. This is a helpful feature, since this service only provides a 30-day Cloud-based DVR. Like most other streaming services, Philo offers a free trial to check out their overall quality.

How Much Internet Speed Do I Need to Stream HD Content?

You need at least 5 Mbps of Internet speed to stream HD video content from any streaming service. Remember they offer three simultaneous streams, so extra bandwidth is necessary in that scenario. Be sure to perform regular Internet speed tests to ensure you get the bandwidth promised by your ISP.

If you want a robust lineup of TV channels and don’t care about sports or cable news, Philo is a great option. More than 50 channels for a $20 monthly fee is a deal that’s tough to beat!