FYI, subscribers... I just got this in the mail... you probably have the same offer...


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Free is free so Ill get it to try out. I hated my first go round with Chromecast but I understand they made improvements.
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I didn't get it. Only been a subscriber for a few months, if that. But I understand that you can use any email and just change the address.
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I checked on that. The offer was only made to subscribers who had been with YoutubeTV since 2018 OR new subscribers. Sorry...
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So... My new Chromecast with GoogleTV arrived. And this thing is actually pretty fucking cool.

Quick rundown:

It's actually running Android TV 10, and not just native Android OS, it's running the actual TV version like the Nvidia Shield. Which is a pretty big deal for HDCP DRM purposes. Your normal cheap Android box that's meant for hooking up to your TV only runs normal Android OS and not the Android TV version of Android. Android TV allows for HDCP passthrough, which allows you to watch DRM protected streaming services in full HD. Which is the difference between running Netflix/YoutubeTV/Prime/Disney+/etc in 1080p/4K as opposed to 480p limit on native Android OS devices. Being an unlocked Android TV device, that also allows you to sideload any .apk files you want. Meaning easy install for Kodi, Cinema, Mobdro, etc.

The video quality is really impressive even compared to my FireTV. Performance itself is very good. The only possible drawback is that it's wifi only, with no ports on it other than the USBC power port. Would be nice to use an ethernet adapter. Which may be possible with a dongle of some sort, I haven't looked into it.

EDIT: This hub is reported to work just fine: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FX2LW35

The remote is very cool. It has built in IR functionality that allows it to control your TV's native power/volume via the remote. You just tell it what TV you have, and it configures the remote to work with your TV and then allows you to test it. Very cool feature allowing me to ditch my old TV remote which was only used to turn the TV on and adjust volume. Has direct keys on the remote for YoutubeTV and Netflix. Protip: Can use your phone as a gyro mouse using an app called Android Box Remote. Allowing you to use basically any Android app.

The home screen is similar to FireTV, but works much better. Gives good offerings of movies and TV that are available from the services you subscribe to. In addition to offering rentals that don't feel forced. Allows integration with almost all the normal streaming services to offer content in one integrated menu.

Anyway, I'm crazy impressed with it already. Didn't think Google would use standard AndroidTV OS and allow all developer options available on a device like this. Crazy potential for this device. For $50, this will probably be my go-to recommendation for streaming services going forward.
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This Sunday only — your free preview of NFL RedZone from NFL Network

We’re giving you a sneak peek of the NFL RedZone from NFL Network experience. The free preview kicks off at 1 pm ET on Sunday, September 26. The best part? There’s no action needed on your part — just sit back and enjoy every touchdown from every game this Sunday afternoon.

[...]

Your free HBO Max™ and Cinemax preview starts now

During September 23-27, you can take the weekend (and then some) to explore HBO Max’s long list of absolute classics, from Game of Thrones to Gossip Girl and everything in between. And don’t miss Cinemax original series like Strike Back and movies like Dirty Dancing. There’s no action needed on your part — it’s on the house. Just watch away through Monday.
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How did you get the preview? I am not seeing it in the app.

Thanks!
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Go to your account settings. Find Live Guide. Scroll down through the list of channels, and check the boxes for the HBO/Cinemax/NFL Network.

You can also rearrange your list of channels there too.
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We just switched to youtubeTV from google fiber TV. Google gave us a free chromecast for every TV box we had. Liking it so far, although it froze up on me three times during the Ravens game Sunday night. Other than that it has been flawless.

Love that it runs Android TV as I have two nvidia shields on my main two tvs, so the home screen looks the same and doesn't confuse the wife.

Google bill dropped from 200 to 70. YoutubeTV for three months at 54.99 plus another ten for redzone. Figured I would only do the redzone package during the season, as the other sports channels that are a part of the package I can live with out, so it is a net savings every month.
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I'm facing this right now. Other than having a SOHO router and some other devices that require an RJ45 connections and the WiFi router now only having a single RJ45 port, it seems like I'm going to be getting into the Chromecast game. We've used Amazon's Firestick for years, but it's not what we use most of the time, and with Netflix being a component of the Smart TV, we're really more of a hodgepodge of stuff than one-stop shopping with a single remote. Oh well...

Anyway, did you end up with more than one Google WiFi box? I ask because the current network box has both the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz, and each current TV box offered 2.4GHz too, and I'm just concerned that having just one box offering WiFi for the whole house might not provide a great experience on the opposite end of the house. Unfortunately the Fiber Jack isn't in the middle of the house.

And last, since my wife is mostly into local channels, have you found any issues with YouTubeTV not providing local channels? And it's $65 a month now, so I'm wondering just how much this will really reduce my current TV bill...

Any thoughts about your experience would be appreciated.
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No network box at all. You get 2 google wi-fi "pucks" for your wireless. One of them acts as the network box and the other is a Mesh access points. There is only one ethernet port on the puck, so I had to get a network switch since I was using all four of my ethernet ports on the network box.

There is only one wi-fi network, the 2.4 and 5.0 are the same with the pucks. Supposedly the puck is advanced enough to decide which band your device needs, but I have found almost all of my devices landed on the 2.4, including my brand new iphone I got a couple of months back. The Mesh improved the signal strength in the house, and my wifi feels about the same as it was with the network box. My fiber jack is in the basement. I have one puck where the network box was in our living room near the TV, and the other one is upstairs in our Master bedroom. Wifi upstairs does connect better than before.

No issues with local channels, other than YouTube's dispute with DIsney a few weeks back. We lost ABC and all of the Disney owned networks for a day while they hammered out a new deal.

I have noticed that Chiefs games run about 5 seconds behind (I only noticed because of the discord chat). The network box was perfectly timed, so I just have to watch myself in the chat to not look ahead.

Cost wise we were at $206 with google---1GB internet, TV, five TV boxes, and the sports package for NFL Redzone. No longer use the TV Boxes, Google gave us 1 Chromecast for each TV box we had. Paying 75 for Youtube TV during football season (extra 10 bucks to get the sports package for NFL Redzone...the rest of the package is crap so I am dropping it once the playoffs start), and our Internet bill is $70, so we are saving around 50 bucks a month. If you want 4k TV, that is 10 bucks extra for Youtube TV, but I did not see the value in paying extra as there is not much 4k TV content out there.

Hopefully that answers your questions!
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Thanks. I think we'll start with YouTubeTV in some fashion, I have plenty of switches (I'm a network dude), but I've bought a Digital Antenna to give it a shot. If it works, great, if it doesn't I'll either return it or sell it to my neighbor for his RV.

And thanks again for the feedback.
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I love youtube TV and it carries all the local channels in KCMO. I have a one remote for everything with the amazon fire TV Cube 4K. It set up all my AV gear in one scan. It turns my avr on and selects the correct mode. I never use the voice commands because you have to learn basically a whole new language that fire tv only knows.

it was 125.00 for a long time I bought mine when a sale occurred a year ago for 90 bucks. Amazon had it for 70 bucks yesterday I saw. I got the google tv free as a promotion. It was good also with the Android tv but could never get my AV equipment to connect all at once.
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Thank You.
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I've order a digital antenna just to see how well it works too. I'm not sure that'll be the complete answer but I figured I might as well get one and see how well it works. If it sucks, I'll simply return it.

I'm also wondering if there's a way to "inject" the received signal into the house's COAX cabling and be able to get away with only buying on digital antenna. :-)
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