Well, with version 4.4.22.22788 of the desktop product, PlayOn has become all but useless to me. DirecTV Now was removed from the channel list, and that takes the cake. I have watched over the last year as channel after channel has disappeared without explanation, Comedy Central, USA, Syfy, CNN, A&E, TNT, TBS, FX, History, Discovery, Disney, and Bravo. Even all the freely available news channels like Fox News, CBS News, NBC News, and Newsy, and the free sports channels like NBC Sports & Fox Sports are gone. The streams from these channels can be captured legally with freely available open source tools. PlayOn provided the automation glue that combined all this into one place.
And sadly the utility of this tools has ended. My gut told me that the usefulness of this tool wouldn't last, and I guess my gut was right. So long PlayOn, and thanks for 3 years of good use.
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5 comments
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Michael I recently mentioned the longevity of the app also. I think eventually, you'll not be able to stream via browser at all, which would make PlayOn useless.
VSO Downloader is what I use for whatever it is PlayOn either never had, or no longer has. You can try it free for like 7 days, then it's $35.
Got to say that I am glad I only paid $29.99 for the PlayOn lifetime license.
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James Bowlin Not being able to stream from a browser is a long ways off because currently with most apps the require logging in with your TV provider credentials you are required to do so via a what? If you guessed browser, then you guessed correctly. Having said that Playon's App is starting to become useless because they keep removing channels and has nothing to do with being able to stream via a browser which I can still do with every channel that I've seen recently removed from the app.
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Michael It's not a long way off. People are dropping off traditional services like flies.
- 2012 170,000
- 2013 -105,000
- 2014 -125,000
- 2015 -385,000
- 2016 -795,000
- 2017 -1,495,000
And that is just cable.
Ratings among the key 18-49 viewer demographic are still plagued by declines. In May that demo saw a 10% drop. The 12- to-17-year-old demo saw a 16% drop and among viewers 2-11 it was a 14% drop.
Having a website where someone can login to activate their Roku, etc is a boat load different from having a place where you can stream with a browser. Mobile streaming is on the increase, and there's an app for that. -
James Bowlin People dropping cable services is a boat load different than people dropping their ability to watch TV online from any device including a PC. As long as people demand it streaming services will offer it and as long as web developers still need a PC or MAC to program the sites and mobile Apps they build then you guessed it, there will be web browser based streaming. Believe it or not the majority of App development is still done from a desktop or laptop device.
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Michael Okay, clown.
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