> It’s for people that want to pretend they’re cord-cutting while buying the exact same thing from a streaming company.
It legitimately is way better than cable, though. Ignoring the disputes over fees, I once tried Spectrum's TV Android app (probably 3-4 years ago, I gave up on getting it to work), and this is what I experienced:
* Refuses to work if a VPN is on
* Must disable developer tools (doesn't matter if you changed any settings in there or not)
* Root check
* Must be from a Spectrum home IP (and remember, you can't VPN to your home network to use this app)
* Must allow access to all contacts, all texts, etc or the app would close itself (there is no legitimate justification for this, unlike potential contract stipulations requiring no root, etc - it's purely for selling all your data)
* Didn't even work after I installed it on a totally stock Android device on my home network
* No web interface; if you can't run the app, too bad
Compared to that, YT TV's app is a breath of fresh air. But ignoring the streaming convenience, you also have:
* No ads in the TV guide (which is also more responsive than any DVR I've ever experienced)
* Unlimited DVR is nice (and it's not utter dogshit hardware that would've been considered unimpressive in the 90s)
* You don't need a cable box - just a Chromecast (which is absolute tiny by comparison) or a TV with Chromecast built-in
* The pricing is much easier to understand
Of course, I don't actually pay for it. My mother does, and she put my Google account as an allowed user. I just use it to watch hockey.
It's true that you're paying for the same product, but it's delivered in a package that doesn't scream "fuck you, pay me."