In this week's round-up of recent happenings of interest to all cordcutters, not just Roku users, we cover the biggest frustration for online video viewers, Netflix will be on Sling's AirTV player, a free application helps you decide which streaming services are right for you, and more.
For those of you having trouble deciding which streaming services are right for you, antenna maker Mohu has launched a free online application called Untangle TV. Untangle TV asks users a series of questions and then provides a list of recommended products (including, of course, Mohu OTA antennas).
Sling TV, one of the most-watched channels on Roku, is getting ready to launch its own device, AirTV Player. In addition to Sling programming and over-the-air (OTA) broadcasts, it appears that the AirTV Player will also stream Netflix video, incorporating all three sources into a single interface.
Falling viewership and competition from low-cost internet services like Netflix Inc. and Sling TV are cited by Bloomberg as reasons why the number of ESPN subscribers is at an 11-year low. ESPN's poor performance is taking most of the blame for parent company Disney having its worst annual stock results in five years, resulting in calls for Disney to spin off ESPN.
Amazon Prime Video is finally available in Canada. Unfortunately, it's not living up to expectations, with a "slim roster... padded with mostly low-profile shows and second-run movies." This disappointment comes on top of high channel prices for a la carte TV in Canada.
Amazon is updating second-generation Fire TV and Fire TV stick devices with a new user interface. Users can customize the home screen for easier access to their favorite apps, and users will see large teasers for movies and shows.
Limelight Networks' latest State of Online Video report says that video buffering is by far the biggest frustration for online video viewers. Streaming Media's summary states that "viewers typically abandon a video after the second buffering delay. After a third delay, over 78 percent of people move on to something else."
According to a report by the Streaming Video Alliance (SVA), a nonprofit industry group, over 40% of U.S. consumers watch smartphone video for at least one hour per week, 25% watch two or more hours, and 7.5% watch video on their smartphones for more than 5 hours.
