DirecTV Now Review 2018: Best Streaming Option for AT&T Customers

DirecTV Now is one of the newest options to enter the streaming market. Its a great option for those cutting the cord, but is it worth its seemingly hefty price tag?

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[SpencerDean]

What do you all think, is DirecTV Now worth the money?

[DavidSmith-ijcs]

I switched to DTVN the first of this year and haven't looked back. My cable/internet bill was $185. And I didn't get some of the channels I wanted. Plus the on demand sucked. I just upgraded my phone to unlimited. So now DTVN (Go Big, $40) and internet (100mb, $50) are $90. And I'm getting all the channels I like to watch and then some, plus HBO. Yes my phone plan went up but the discounts on DTVN balanced it out. Another thing I found is I don't need the DVR. So far I've been able to access the on demand of every channel I've tried. So what I miss is there the next day.
DirecTVNow has had some growing pains that some people aren't willing to deal with. I haven't had a problem with them. Things get screwy when they upgrade things for a bit, then smooth back out. I'm using the Roku Ultra so that adds more to the mix. So am I satisfied with the switch? Yes...

[willjavtor]

Hi, can you help me i am thinking to get direct tv now i have Netflix and hulu i watch mustly my stuff on ipad can i have direct tv now on my ipad i have no tv

[johnhurst]

Nice video on what you get. A couple of points to add. the Hallamark channels (important to my wife) are part of Directv Now' base and are xtra $5 in Sling. Second, when i got DTN, one of the offers was 3 months up front gained you a free Apple TV 4K. The Apple TV 4K allows you to set video to upscale to 4K. . While it won't be true 4K, I suspect it may be better than just 1080p and right now there is very little 4K on broadcast tv. Also, the movies you have purchased in the past from iTunes get upgraded to 4K for free by Apple. That Apple TV 4K lists for $179 so it was a nice perk even though I don't yet have a 4K tv

[phishfearme]

is there a "flashback" feature so you can quickly swap two channels?

[ECXTD]

Are the streams smooth or choppy? I have Spectrum and when I use their app some of their sport channels are choppy, you mainly notice it on the crawler like on ESPN and NBCSN. It looks like it is at 30 FPS instead of a smoother 60 FPS.

[mountainhikes]

Spencer … Hope you can help? Very interested in DirecTV now, but can’t find a review of the latest playback features. I’v searched but can’t find a recent DircTV Now review that demonstrates the current UI options when playing live TV or a recording. The everyday features like … Is there a skip forward or back 15 seconds, or a proper forward-fast & rewind, or both (And is it different between browser v Apple/Amazon device). I assume there is a pause, but how about slow-motion? Or the feature that matters most for sports, which is step-by-step advance (Sometimes called frame-by-frame forward). I used to have proper DirecTV, and they had the ‘step forward’ feature, allowing you to go forward one frame at a time (Basically, your own instant replay for sports). Also, when your done forwarding and go back to play, can you set the menu to disappear quickly (like under 2 seconds). On recording, if a movie is playing on two channels (like TBS and HBO), does it allow you to choose which one to record so you can choose the commercial free. And lastly, when recording, does it record the live show (Guaranteeing you can fast-forward any commercials), or does it record the On-Demand version (when available) which many times will disable the ability to fast-forward commercials. FYI, I subscribed and MEGA-THANKS in advance! P.S. – Non-alphabetical listing would drive me so crazy I’d need to wear a crash helmet to keep from banging the walls, so I get you!

[noelgarabito]

Can you watch it on the go Using your another device like a cellphone or tablet?

[richbanco]

You may want to mention that the HBO add on is only$5 as opposed to other services where it's $15 which is a great deal

[andrea]

Do know if you have to have unlimited with AT&T or all plans get the discount?

[brandanbaker]

Great review. Thanks for posting this. So, question.... you mention if you have AT&T you get a discount. Do you mean just if you have their cell service? Because I have AT&T but I have their Uverse and Internet (not their cell service). Would I get the discount?

[JC-blbo]

I just signed up for it and LOVE it. I get 15 bucks a month off because of AT&T phones. 50 bucks a month for the Go Big package over 111 on DTV Satellite. I love everything about it so far. Just a heads up, they are discontinuing the AT&T discount on the 15th or 16th. Mine is locked in as yours or anyone else's is. Even at 65 a month it would be worth it for me and save me money.

[barrboy]

I must say at the start, DO NOT worry about "its seemingly hefty price tag, if you are happy with the service. Without the promotions, my cost would have been $75 for "Gotta Have It", plus the movie channels- add $26 for a total of $101 plus taxes, per month. This is a lot less than what I was paying for Dish- up to $140 per month.

I put my Dish satellite account on "pause" on July 27th 2018 and signed up with DirecTV Now for a 1 month trial, then cancelled my DirecTV Now, and went back with Dish, for another 2 year agreement. Even though I got great promotions- I still cancelled my DirecTV service!! Here is the reasons why I did not stay with DirecTV now:

1) Streaming issues with DirecTV Now on my 2017 Samsung QLED TV, but NOT with other apps:I stream in 4K with Netflix, and Vudu and I never have had streaming issues! I also stream Starz, EPIX, MaxGo, HBO Go, etc...through Dish.
2) 4K streaming not available with DirecTV now.
3) Dolby Digital is not available! The streaming sound levels are very low. This is why I have to turn up my Yamaha stereo quite high! As a result, I often get "LOUD GLITCHES" through my stereo speakers!! The sound can be improved alot! However, I did not have any issues when streaming DirecTV now on my iPhone 8 plus, and my iPad Pro.
4) NFL REDZONE still has not been made available! I'm a big sports fan.
5) DirecTV Now does not support Starz app yet.
6) EPIX, SONY, MGM HD channels not available.
7) It takes SO LONG...to open up the DirecTV app on my Samsung TV- about 16 seconds! Other apps like Netflix I can open up much faster!

I will try again DirecTV Now in July, 2020! It is hoped there will be alot of improvements in getting Dolby Digital sound, and better, and faster streaming, and that the program guide will be upgraded from DirecTV now Beta, to something better, as in "smoother running, " on 2017 and later Samsung TV's.
I was not totally happy with the service. I will come back again, in 2 years; maybe then I'll be ready to "cut the cord" and cancel my Dish service!

I didn't care how cheap or how many promotions I got, it's just that I was not totally satisfied with this service at this time. I don't mind paying more for Dish satellite, as I'm totally happy with it, but over time its getting quite expensive, as I will look at much cheaper options, like a future DirecTV now service that I would be totally happy with.

[javierbarrientes]

My Plaustation Vue does not buffer at all… that is why I switched from directv now to Playstation Vue. I like Directv now better I just got frustrated with the buffering.

[Slush]

DIRECTV NOW does not offer AT&T customers discounts anymore ! Witch pisses me off we have to pay full cost now.

[wayneplaisted]

i, m getting tired of all the problems with it and someone just told me the price is going up again .i wait all week for two shows to come on there back to back 15 min. into the fist it goes out .and it was out for a couple hrs.and this isn't the first time . it goes up i, m dropping it .

[frankiiie]

40 for the basic channels isn't expensive for 65 channels.

[naomilaboo]

I had sling a lot of money for not a lot of channels

[martymahem]

I cut the cable cord several months ago and went initially with DirecTVNow. Kept it for 3 months and decided I still was paying for way too many channels I had no interest in watching. Switched to Sling which I generally like, especially since the price is less than half what I was paying for DirecTVNow. The only problem with Sling is their STUPID way of displaying the channels. What fool decided it was okay to list the channels non alphabetically?

[huskerfan]

This is just DTV's way of trying to keep customers, but what they don't understand is people don't want to buy that high priced BS anymore. The $40 package has a few of the channels I like.. $55 package drops some of those but then offers a few others.. and so on until you get to the higher priced package, which offers everything you want. Sorry, screw DTV, I will go IPTV