# Website matching the channels I want with the best streaming service



## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

So, I know this is weird, but here goes...

When I moved from California to Texas six months ago, one of the decisions I made was to discontinue the DirecTV service. We should be able to live with Hulu ($1/month promo plan), Amazon Prime, and Netflix, right? Money is going to be a bit tight due to the moving expenses and I can't afford both DirecTV and Gigabit Internet at this time. Not to mention that 

Then my mother moves in. She misses her Hallmark Channel and threatens to go around my back and get DirecTV reactivated. I break down and set up DirecTVGo (with her credit card) on her TV. Now, I'm wondering if there is a site where I can go through, check the channels that I'm interested in (TCM, AMC), and come up with the best matching and least expensive service.


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## Jhon69 (Mar 28, 2006)

Mark Holtz said:


> So, I know this is weird, but here goes...
> 
> When I moved from California to Texas six months ago, one of the decisions I made was to discontinue the DirecTV service. We should be able to live with Hulu ($1/month promo plan), Amazon Prime, and Netflix, right? Money is going to be a bit tight due to the moving expenses and I can't afford both DirecTV and Gigabit Internet at this time. Not to mention that
> 
> Then my mother moves in. She misses her Hallmark Channel and threatens to go around my back and get DirecTV reactivated. I break down and set up DirecTVGo (with her credit card) on her TV. Now, I'm wondering if there is a site where I can go through, check the channels that I'm interested in (TCM, AMC), and come up with the best matching and least expensive service.


You can google"OTT providers or internet tv " and all the selections should appear.Philo has all three Hallmark channels and AMC,but no TCM when I looked.
There is also Hallmark Movies Now app that is commercial free,we subscribe annually.The nice thing is internet tv has free trials,no contracts and no penalties for cancelling.

I did some surfing and it looks like AT&T Watch is what you want for $15.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Mark Holtz said:


> So, I know this is weird, but here goes...
> 
> When I moved from California to Texas six months ago, one of the decisions I made was to discontinue the DirecTV service. We should be able to live with Hulu ($1/month promo plan), Amazon Prime, and Netflix, right? Money is going to be a bit tight due to the moving expenses and I can't afford both DirecTV and Gigabit Internet at this time. Not to mention that
> 
> Then my mother moves in. She misses her Hallmark Channel and threatens to go around my back and get DirecTV reactivated. I break down and set up DirecTVGo (with her credit card) on her TV. Now, I'm wondering if there is a site where I can go through, check the channels that I'm interested in (TCM, AMC), and come up with the best matching and least expensive service.


The Hallmark Channel again? I can't ever consider dropping D* because of that channel. What is it with that channel and women? I've tried to watch some shows there and...I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. I will say I don't understand why...I give up, really don't want to get into an argument about a channel I wish had never existed.

Rich


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

Rich said:


> What is it with that channel and women? I've tried to watch some shows there and...I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. I will say I don't understand why...I give up, really don't want to get into an argument about a channel I wish had never existed.


I agree Rich. Watching The Hallmark Channel is like watching paint dry.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Mark Holtz said:


> So, I know this is weird, but here goes...
> 
> When I moved from California to Texas six months ago, one of the decisions I made was to discontinue the DirecTV service. We should be able to live with Hulu ($1/month promo plan), Amazon Prime, and Netflix, right? Money is going to be a bit tight due to the moving expenses and I can't afford both DirecTV and Gigabit Internet at this time. Not to mention that
> 
> Then my mother moves in. She misses her Hallmark Channel and threatens to go around my back and get DirecTV reactivated. I break down and set up DirecTVGo (with her credit card) on her TV. Now, I'm wondering if there is a site where I can go through, check the channels that I'm interested in (TCM, AMC), and come up with the best matching and least expensive service.


This appears to be up-to-date: How To Watch The Hallmark Channel Without Cable. But...

It is available only through what I call "streaming in-lieu-of-cable packages". That means The Hallmark Channel will become the most expensive channel you subscribe to since you would have been OK without the additional channels.

I have tried the two least expensive options indicated which can give you many other channels. For $20 a month you can get AMC and others through Philo. For $25 a month ($30 with the cloud DVR option) you can get AMC, TCM, and others through Sling TV. Beyond those, the costs climb.

The same writer offers a very good review Sling TV Channel List and Review and Philo TV Channels, Review and Cost. My review is that when I used those services they worked fine except when watching recordings I missed my Dish remote "skip" button and FF seems awkward.

However, after we twice lost internet (and power and all types of phone) service for several days, I decided to stay with a Dish package until I lose my satellite reception altogether. The redwood trees have reached a point that we're losing reception too much, so I may go back to Sling although nothing beyond all ad free Netflix, Amazon, and Acorn with (for broadcast network shows) Hulu and CBS All Access plus intermittent premiums/extras for specific shows seems more than sufficient.


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

The Streamable - Streaming News, Reviews, & Deals


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

Rich said:


> The Hallmark Channel again? I can't ever consider dropping D* because of that channel. What is it with that channel and women? I've tried to watch some shows there and...I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. I will say I don't understand why...I give up, really don't want to get into an argument about a channel I wish had never existed.


Probably for the same reason sales are strong for those _bleeping _romance novels. I swear, all those movies seem to generated from the same random romantic movie plot generator. Plus health daily doses of _Golden Girls_ and _Frasier_. Never mind that I have every....single... damn.... episode on my Plex media server.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

TheRatPatrol said:


> The Streamable - Streaming News, Reviews, & Deals


Bingo. Just what I was looking for.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

MysteryMan said:


> I agree Rich. Watching The Hallmark Channel is like watching paint dry.


What I don't get is...why? Why watch that channel? I do watch bits and pieces, my wife always has it on (and, yes, she does read those romantic novels) and I don't get it.

Rich


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## crkeehn (Apr 23, 2002)

Rich said:


> What I don't get is...why? Why watch that channel? I do watch bits and pieces, my wife always has it on (and, yes, she does read those romantic novels) and I don't get it.
> 
> Rich


Th irritate the heck out of my son, who thinks my viewing habits are lame.

Then again, I don't hyperventilate if I don't have access to the sports networks (Except during the Formula 1 season.)


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## grover517 (Sep 29, 2007)

Yeah, the Hallmark channels were also a sticking point for my wife but I have to admit, I have NEVER seen her watch ANYTHING on any of them. Sigh........

Regardless, it was a "condition" for my cutting the cord. So after she sat down with the D* remote (before we cancelled) and listed out all the channels she "needs", I had to subscribe to both PS Vue Core package for most of the stuff we both watch (my sports and her "stuff") and Philo to fill in the "wife must have" channels PS Vue and many others don't offer including a couple for the great grandson. 

Bonus for this setup is that both the above services directly support the FireTV channel guide listings so the wife can "surf" the old fashioned way. Still working on getting her used to using a cloud DVR and have found it much easier to just download and install the apps for the specific channels she likes the best so she can just watch "on demand".

The "learning curve" hump I expected from her is starting to flatten out a bit but there is still a way to go. So I expect MIL isn't going to go down without a fight! Good Luck!


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

grover517 said:


> Yeah, the Hallmark channels were also a sticking point for my wife but I have to admit, I have NEVER seen her watch ANYTHING on any of them. Sigh........
> 
> Regardless, it was a "condition" for my cutting the cord. So after she sat down with the D* remote (before we cancelled) and listed out all the channels she "needs", I had to subscribe to both PS Vue Core package for most of the stuff we both watch (my sports and her "stuff") and Philo to fill in the "wife must have" channels PS Vue and many others don't offer including a couple for the great grandson.
> 
> ...


Took my wife forever to get used to streaming. Now she's used to it but still goes back to that, that, that...channel. Damn thing's addictive.

Rich


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## crkeehn (Apr 23, 2002)

Rich said:


> Took my wife forever to get used to streaming. Now she's used to it but still goes back to that, that, that...channel. Damn thing's addictive.
> 
> Rich


Where else can you watch two straight weeks of Christmas movies in July? Throw in Hallmark Movies and Mysteries and it was a full month of Christmas movies.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

crkeehn said:


> Where else can you watch two straight weeks of Christmas movies in July? Throw in Hallmark Movies and Mysteries and it was a full month of Christmas movies.


That's exactly what she was doing last week! I'm glad she wasn't the only one doing that.

Rich


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## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

I wouldn't watch two weeks of Christmas movies in any month...


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## grover517 (Sep 29, 2007)

billsharpe said:


> I wouldn't watch two weeks of Christmas movies in any month...


Oh I could, but none of them would air on Hallmark. Home Alone, Nat'l Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Elf, A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, Scrooged, The Santa Claus, Gremlins, Trading Places, Die Hard, etc.


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## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

grover517 said:


> Oh I could, but none of them would air on Hallmark. Home Alone, Nat'l Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Elf, A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, Scrooged, The Santa Claus, Gremlins, Trading Places, Die Hard, etc.


I have watched the first two movies. That's about four hours, certainly not two weeks. I also liked White Christmas and Holiday Inn, which would be another four hours.


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