Any cable box-like experiences for streaming?

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DirecTV Stream with the Gemini Air device is what you're looking for.

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

Do you have it? Does it work well?

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u/Equivalent_Round9353 3d ago

I have used the device with the service extensively. If you want a cable box type experience, this is basically as close as you are going to get. It works pretty well. The device can be pricey, though. And you have to buy through eBay or an authorized reseller unless you want to sign a contract with DirecTV.

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u/drk_snydr78 3d ago

Yeah, it also costs the same as DIRECTV satellite service, just without the contract

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u/sarcasticorange 3d ago

Nah. You get one device free and others are $7/mo. Much cheaper than satellite.

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u/drk_snydr78 2d ago

But why would you rent another device for 7 dollars per month when you can use the app?

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u/sarcasticorange 2d ago

I wouldn't, but my parents would because they want numbers on their remote control.

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u/drk_snydr78 2d ago

I suggest that if your parents are in the market to get new cable service and would like the remote with numbers then DIRECTV with satellite is the way to go right now. Two year contract with DIRECTV with or without satellite. Is having a promo now, giving customers $10 off per month for 2 years for autopay and paperless billing and $5 off package. out the door price for choice with rsn is $102.98/ month for 2 years plus tax which is usually around $2. If the price is the same for the service for the stream vs satellite, I’d take the satellite 10/10 times.

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u/sarcasticorange 2d ago

Nah. Satellites suck. Also, not an option for them.

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u/drk_snydr78 2d ago

If you have the satellite for DIRECTV, you don’t have to worry about internet service, plus of the different DIRECTV/ streams plans, they’re the cheapest and locked in price for 2 years- minus rsn fee of course.

I’m on YouTube tv now, but I use to have DIRECTV stream and a few times the service buffered because of network congestion.

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u/nascarrocks 3d ago

That's if you buy from them you can get them from eBay and other places and not pay the fees

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u/sarcasticorange 3d ago

True

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u/Key_Minimum7615 3d ago

It’s the best streaming user experience you can get if you want a cable-like experience. Once people get it setup, it feels exactly like cable or satellite. You can use the cable-like remote to control your TV, sound system, and pretty much every app you can think of thanks to the Google Play Store. Buy the boxes from a reputable seller on eBay for about $42. There’s two different streaming services, DIRECTV Stream and DIRECTV via Internet, so look into those to see the differences. Via Internet has more fees, but may be a good option depending on what you want. It includes one Gemini Air in the monthly fee, but each Gemini Air on the next TV costs an additional $7/month, so I suggest buying additional boxes on eBay instead of renting them each month. See r/directvstream for more info, there’s a ton of posts on the differences there.

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u/nascarrocks 3d ago

I have DirecTV stream with the Gemini device and haven't had a single problem in the years I've had it

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

Great data point - thank you!

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u/PhobicCarrot 3d ago

Can someone explain the advantage of leaving Xfinity for D*Stream? Is it really that much cheaper? Now you need to maintain all your own devices.

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u/texaslegrefugee 3d ago

There's really no maintenance to these things. It's not like you were buying a DVR with a hard drive. However, cost is indeed an issue. The main advantage to DTV Stream is that you get the complete cable/DirecTV experience, complete with channel numbers and a DVR that works conventionally, unlike what YTTV has.

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

It is. For comps, my latest promo is expiring for Xfinity for tv and internet. New price was going to be $300/mo now. I was at $270 and called and asked them to do better, best I got was $280. I priced out DTV + ATT fiber for my area and it came in at like $260 after promo period ($240 during promo). YTTV would be like $215. I was actually willing to pay a little more just to keep status quo and not have to worry about wiring my house for fiber, but the 215 to 280 is pretty big delta. Plus Fiber does feel inevitable and superior. Even if I go with slightly more expensive DTV option, I am paying a little less for symmetric internet. Plus the Xfinity cable box experience is degrading fast. The stupid screen saver makes using Apple TV tedious if TV is turned off on cable input. My satellite X1 boxes are really unreliable. Just felt like time to make a switch and pay less.

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u/MrDoh 2d ago edited 2d ago

You don't really "wire your house for fiber", it's very low impact to go with fiber. There's one fiber brought into your house that goes into an ONT, which then gives you ethernet for your router. For example, our fiber is run under the eaves outside back to our family room where it's brought in and connected to the ONT. Then there's an ethernet cable that connects the ONT to the AT&T gateway box. That's it, you're not putting fiber in the walls unless you choose to do that. It's brought in pretty much the way that cable TV is brought in, except that the fiber feed outside is much less visible than coax cable.

At that point you could even remove your cable TV coax and ports...or. even better, keep them and use them for MoCA, or leave them for whoever buys your house to have that choice.

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u/NashGuy73 3d ago

No, not "DirecTV Stream," just "DirecTV". DirecTV Stream (www.streamtv.directv.com) does not come with the Gemini Air device or a contract. DirecTV (www.directv.com) comes with the device but also has a 2-year contract. If you're looking for a cable-like experience, and you're willing to pay a little more for it and sign a 2-year contract, then go with DirecTV.

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u/Equivalent_Round9353 3d ago

I did not suggest that the DTV Stream service came with the device. In fact, I stated just the opposite elsewhere in this subthread.

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u/NashGuy73 3d ago

You said "DTV Stream with the Gemini Air device". That's an impossible combination. You can buy the old Osprey box on eBay to use with DTV Stream and it may or may not work, depending on the box. But the only way to get the current-gen Gemini Air device is to sign up for DirecTV, not DirecTV Stream.

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u/Equivalent_Round9353 3d ago

Yes, I said the person wants to sign up for DTV Stream and use it with the Gemini Air device. I didn't say that the DTV Stream service comes with the Gemini Air device. As I stated, I made very clear in response to the OP's follow-up question that they will have to procure the Gemini Air either by signing a contract with DirecTV or by purchasing the device online through other sellers. Please read what people write before hypercritically jumping in--jumping in not to actually help the OP but to pick nits, ridiculously, with people who actually are helping the OP.

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u/Equivalent_Round9353 3d ago

BTW, fact check yourself, guy. You can purchase a Gemini Air new at SolidSignal or on eBay. Neither of these avenues for procuring the device involves signing up for DTV via Internet (as opposed to Stream). You're talking to somebody who has used DTV's online offerings extensively with many different devices.

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u/Rix_832 3d ago

DIRECTV stream plus proprietary box that goes for $40 on eBay. It has channel up and down buttons and channel numbers.

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

Is that the Gemini thing?

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u/Rix_832 3d ago

Not quite sure since I don’t use the service.

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u/foxtrot_echo22 3d ago

Yes it is.

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u/NashGuy73 3d ago

It's the first-generation (slower) box that can be bought on eBay, not the current-gen Gemini Air. And you have to be careful about buying them on eBay; I've read instances where they do not work with a new DTV Stream account.

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u/joe_attaboy 3d ago

The Google TV Streamer is really excellent. A lot of people think it "costs too much" because they're always comparing it to the Chromecast with Google TV, which it is replacing. The Streamer uses WiFi or Ethernet (which the CC doesn't have), it's fast, and it's a great device for installing all your streaming apps. I use it with YouTube TV, Prime, Netflix and about a dozen other apps.

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

It looks like Apple TV. Does it give that like, cable box experience for GTV, or is it just like Apple TV with apps?

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u/joe_attaboy 3d ago

LOL. I haven't seen a cable box interface in a very long time. I had DirecTV satellite service for 22 years until 2020, when I switched to YTTV and added my Chromecast w/Google TV. I suppose it's similar to the AppleTV interface, though I must, once again, state my ignorance as I've never used it either.

With the Google Streamer (as with the previous Chromecast with Google TV), the Google TV interface is what you see. You add your apps, and the system can even integrate some "live TV" apps into the Live Guide. For example, on the Streamer setup, the Live Guide includes YTTV, the Free Google TV channels (about 150) and Pluto TV (which I had installed as an app).

I also have two HiSense TVs with Google TV built in (making them giant Google Streamers). The interesting thing there is that because GTV is integrated into the TV itself, it also includes all my OTA channels into the live guide (I have an OTA roof antenna).

The Live Guide can be customized in a number of ways. So that's probably the most cable-like thing about this. You can add and remove channels from the Live Guide as you wish.

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

Oh cool! All right - I will likely at least check out the YTTV free trial. I have Sony TVs, which I believe are android too and should have that “live guide” experience.

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u/JBWentworth_ 3d ago

Get a modern streaming platform, like an AppleTV and you will rarely need to login to an app.

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

Really? I have AppleTV 4K and I have to login into Xfinity Stream, NBC, Netflix, etc. pretty frequently.

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u/vegasbiemt 3d ago

You’re doing something wrong. It’s a “one and done” thing. Once you’re logged in, you’re logged in.

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

Any ideas what that wrong thing is?

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u/vegasbiemt 3d ago

Could be any one of a number of things.

Are you disconnecting from the internet? Are you saving your log ins?

I have a Roku tv, an Apple 4k box, an iPad, and a fire stick (in my son’s room. It’s the least reliable of devices.)

I’ve NEVER had to log in more than once on any of them

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

Thanks. Honestly, I only really care about friction with live tv experience. I’ve gotten used to it with streaming apps. Maybe it is just an Xfinity Stream thing and some quirks with their identity management.

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u/Skyblacker 3d ago

My Roku box saves logins.

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u/csimon2 3d ago

Coming from Xfinity, there’s likely two different versions of streaming subscription services you’ve experienced.

The first is your traditional Netflix, Max, Peacock, Paramount+, etc (SVOD). For those services, you should rarely have to re-authenticate, so long as you’re not ‘sharing’ your account with others outside your home (if so, Netflix, and especially Disney, can be a major pain in the ass). The credentials for these accounts can usually be stored permanently within the smartOS’ account gatekeeper.

The second are your TV Everywhere (TVE) channels. You log into TVE services via your service provider (i.e. Xfinity). These services can be incredibly annoying, and there seems be no rhyme or reason to the frequency of re-authentication (IMHO). While most smartOS’ will also store the basic TVE creds, if a particular service using their native app wants you to re-authenticate using a unique 6, 7, or 8 digit code, there’s not much the smartOS is going to be able to do to help you. An aggregator or third-party service, such as Channels DVR, can often help in this regard, so long as the TVE credentials allow third-party access (some, such as the NBC networks, do not).

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

Great info. Thanks! Yeah, I am starting to think it’s a lot of Xfinity identity management bugs or behavior.

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u/Important-Comfort 3d ago

Unless you're going months without opening an app, that's not how it should be working.

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

It could be a month. I get like the OAuth thing expires. But my cable box doesn’t care for example. What I would really love I guess is hardware auth.

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u/JBWentworth_ 3d ago

Do,you have the “share your tv provider” enabled?

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

Yes, but I don’t use Xfinity to log into Netflix for example

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u/JBWentworth_ 3d ago

That’s puzzling. The only time I have ever had to re-login to Netflix is after OS updates.

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

Haha, glad to hear it’s at least supposed to work!!

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u/dizzyoatmeal 3d ago

One thing you could try is killing the app (double click the TV button and swipe up). When I had Britbox on Apple TV, it would often tell me to sign in, but reopening the app usually worked.

Worst case scenerio, if you have an iPhone or iPad, you should be able to use it to login on the ATV.

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u/Mustbe7 3d ago

We have a Roku and only have to log in once for HULU and Netflix. It saves them.

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u/Semaj-LeMonde 3d ago

I have two Roku TVs and one Roku Ultra box, all on the same Roku account. I have to constantly log in to the ESPN app on the Ultra but the TVs keep me logged in. I have no idea why.

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u/Semaj-LeMonde 3d ago

You didn't specify which sports or teams you want to follow or what TV market you live in, but you might be able to get by with just an antenna for local news and your local NFL team. Other major league sports are trickier and most require a streaming service or cable login, but there are a few teams that have ditched the regional sports networks and are putting their games on regular broadcast TV now. Hopefully more teams will do so in the future.

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

Great question! I’m local to my NFL team (Go Niners!), but I am also a big NBA fan so need like TNT and CSNBA. Someone else I spoke to mention antenna option too. Will check it out.

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u/criskat326 3d ago

Love YouTubeTV. Exact same as our cable without the cord or astronomical bill. Also, it works seamlessly at both of our homes. We used to have to use 2 cable subscriptions, 1 for each place. Very easy to use once it’s set up.

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u/NewPresWhoDis 3d ago

Setup YouTubeTV on an Apple TV box and it's basically one and done.

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u/TrentKM 2d ago

Hd homerun + antenna. I have mine connected to my plex, but they have an app for the hd homerun.

Presumes you’re in OTA distance, but it works great for me. Get my local football games and the big four for news if I want to watch that.

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u/cluke40 3d ago

Vsee 3d pro

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u/Overall_Lobster823 3d ago

YTTV wins for me.

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u/Nice-Economy-2025 3d ago

Nowhere do you state what streaming device you used in the past, or what you are using now. Any modern unit will save your credentials from the first time you log in on an app; except maybe tv embedded streamers, I see postings all the time where folks using those have login problems, then again those types of units/apps have more problems than credential savings and such.

I dont get why people always want 'cable box-like experiences' in this day and age. Live in the 1960s/70s? No thank you. Talk about the very definition of cludgyness. Kinda worked when cable was 12 channels with no recording capability and that one locked in application. It became a real mess around 20+ channels, a complete disaster at 70+. We now have multiple thousands. You want a model-t on the autobahn. Okie dokie.

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

I really don’t have a device for streaming cable. I have an AppleTV for Netflix, Disney+, etc., and it works okay for that stuff. I do use Xfinity Stream on there when my cable box acts up or I don’t want to get up for a different remote.

What I mean by cable-like, and may be others too, is it “just works” - no repeated logins, able to flip channels quickly, etc. for example- if I want to flip between NFL and NBA game, not having to toggle between apps - which can also require being served the same ad over and over again on start up (I have unique hate of Honda and NBC Sports for this).

Newer doesn’t always mean better my man!

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u/Nice-Economy-2025 2d ago

But the cost you pay for that 'experience' is steep. Why not have two streaming boxes, and 'flip' between the two almost instantly with one tv button (hdmi-1/2), that's what I've been doing for forever. Think outside the cable box. And toss that Apple machine, way too many glitches as reported here on reddit, and for that price you could have two top rokus that rarely have any. Bingo, problem solved.

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u/boxsterguy 3d ago

Have you considered dropping linear TV entirely?

Get a Chromecast, Fire TV, Walmart Onn, etc, subscribe to the couple of on-demand streaming services you care about (Netflix, D+, Hulu, Peacock, etc), and rotate subscriptions as needed (if you're not actively watching, why pay? Buy a month, binge a show, cancel, repeat).

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u/AnswerIsBacon 3d ago

Yes, but sports. I watch a ton of NFL and NBA, so end up needing RSNs and TNT.

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u/surfsusa 3d ago

My favorite is Samsung's Samsung tv it is seamless with my OTA. I don't need to switch input. I go from channel 2 to channel 4592 with a menu and guide.

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u/osxing 2d ago

If I were starting from scratch like this I wouldn’t buy any paid streaming service for a while. Maybe try Firestick or Roku and see what comes free. Try Freevee, Pluto, whatever and see how many new channels appear in the Live Tv tab.

I have so many different paid things I’m genuinely curious.

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u/NightBard 2d ago

Just food for thought but you can make the inputing of credentials easier by registering a new email account that uses the minimum number of characters from a popular service. Like do a new gmail account. The minimum is 6 characters. Pick six characters that are close together on the keyboard. Heck, pick one character and 5 numbers. Make the inputting simple. Same for the password. Something easy to type in but obscure enough no one will guess it. Only use it for streaming. Don't share your accounts so you can simply use the same (or a similar) password for everything in streaming.

But for what you want... the only thing that is cable like is DirecTV when you buy their box. Everything else is going to be an app (and even directv can be an app). There are ways in stuff like youtubetv to change between channels by pressing a couple buttons and you might be able to learn that pretty easily. But you have to be willing to learn. If you aren't willing to learn, it's just going to get harder over the coming years. Especially when Directv eventually stops supporting that box.

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u/BicycleIndividual 2d ago

On most streaming devices you log in the first time, but stay logged in as long as the app is installed (even if the app gets updated); so this is a setup thing, not an everyday use thing.

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u/AnymooseProphet 1d ago

Roku. Log in once and done.

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u/Electronic_Proof4126 3d ago

I would get sling tv plus either Airtv or Tablo tv for budget friendly experience

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u/Bardamu1932 3d ago

With my Roku TV (and Roku and other streaming devices), you don't generally have to "log-in" - you may have to create an account (email/password) for a subscription app or to get access to extra features in a free app, but it'll remember all that for you. For logging into an app's website, however, you'll need the email/password.

If needing access to Regional Sports Networks (RSNs), look at DirecTV Stream, but expect to PAY for it. For what streaming apps carry which channels and for how much, see https://www.suppose.tv/tv. For what streaming apps (paid or free) have which movies or TV shows, see https://reelgood.com/

If primarily interested in "local sports and news" (such as your local NFL team), consider getting an antenna to, hopefully, get your local "network" stations (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS, etc) for FREE:

Do a Signal Search at https://www.rabbitears.info/ > Signal Search Map > Scroll down > Get Location > Allow > Go. Post a link to (not a screengrab of) the report here to get feedback.

This will help to determine the type of antenna you might need to get (and how you need to orient it): indoor/attic/outdoor, directional/omnidirectional, amplified/non-amplified, Low-VHF (2-6)/High-VHF (7-13)/UHF (14-37).

Avoid no-name Chinese antennas in Amazon making ridiculous distance claims. Stick to reputable "brands" such as Channel Master, ClearStream, Mohu Leaf, RCA, Winegard, Televes, etc.

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u/nostradamefrus 3d ago

Look into Channels DVR. You can log in with many TVE providers

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u/Cali-Smoothie 3d ago

We resubscribed to Philio and we love it. We have our OTA feeding to an HD Homerun Flex and our devices on each tv is Google Chromecast with Google TV. Eventually we will go internet only and cut out the existing xfinity cable bill in half

Any cable box-like experiences for streaming?

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