PlayStation VUE: Live and On Demand TV From 75 Major Channels

TV Tech Sony about 10 years agoby Free Reyes

Streaming video services like Hulu and Netflix have been strong alternatives to traditional cable and TV for years. There have been a few gaps in what you can get online, like HBO, Showtime, and AMC just to name a few. But recently HBO announced you would soon be able to get HBO Go without a cable subscription. This trend will likely continue until all TV channels are available online. The cable and satellite service companies like Verizon and Dish are launching their own competing streaming video services. Tech companies like Microsoft with the Xbox One are all trying to get ahead of this sea change. The long rumored Apple TV set has been said to be another competitor to online TV.

Sony has announced a new service coming in early 2015 called PlayStation Vue. It will be available on PlayStation 3 and 4 for its Plus users. As there seem to be so many other streaming video services, what makes Vue so different?

Unique or interesting parts of PlayStation Vue:

Stream live TV
You don't record shows, you "favorite" them
Favorited shows are available for 28 days after air date
All other shows are available for 3 days after air date
No contracts
No equipment (other than a Playstation 3 or 4)
Clear pricing without hidden charges or taxes (Price to be announced)
Coming to iPad and other devices

The 75 channel line up for PlayStation Vue:

CBS – At launch, will offer the live linear signal from CBS Television Network's owned-and-operated TV stations in select leading markets in addition to on demand primetime programming.
Discovery Communications – Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Science, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, Discovery Family Channel, and 11 more brands.
Fox – Fox Networks Group's portfolio of national entertainment programming services, including - FX, FXX, FXM, National Geographic Channel, and Nat Geo WILD. Additionally, FOX Sports' national and regional programming services - FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2, BTN, Fox's regional sports networks, including YES Network and Prime Ticket. The agreement also covers Fox's owned and operated television stations.
NBCUniversal – All local offerings from NBC, Telemundo and regional sports networks as well as Bravo, CNBC, E!, NBCSN, Oxygen, Sprout, Syfy, USA Network, and more.
Scripps Networks Interactive – HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, DIY Network, and Cooking Channel.
Viacom – BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, PALLADIA, Spike, VH1, and more.

This is a pretty impressive line up and a fairly good start. If you are a cable cutter, this looks to be a must have service. The future for choice looks bright for consumers. We've already seen cable providers throttle Netflix, which is why securing net neutrality to keep internet speeds unrestricted is so important.

Source: Sony