DirectTV has just become a bad streaming business despite Game of Thrones

The wild world of live TV streaming has just gone through another disturbance. Blame the last season of Game of thrones starting next month.

DirecTV Now, which allows you to watch many live TV channels over the Internet without a subscription to cable TV, just increase the price of its cheapest package of $ 40 to $ 50 a month. This package includes HBO, the exclusive home of Game of Thrones Season 8, whether you like it or not.

On the surface, it seems like a good deal. Get a standalone HBO now The subscription costs $ 15 per month, so an increase of $ 10 for HBO to be included remains a monthly discount of $ 5. And if you want the mix of DirecTV Now channels – namely HBO as well as the four local live stations (ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC) – the service still deserves to be considered.

But there are many other options for cable cable cutters, and the new DirecTV Now is among the most expensive. Let's describe the changes and how DirecTV Now compares to the competition.

Fewer channels, more money

As Tyrion Lannister puts it: "Every time we deal with an enemy, we create two more."

DirecTV Now has added HBO, but has removed a host of other popular channels. Here is the list of the main channels that are no longer available on the service:

• A & E
• AMC
• Planet of animals
• BBC America
• BET
• Central Comedy
• Cooking channel
• C-SPAN
• Discovery Chain
• Food network
• HGTV
• L & # 39; s history
• Lifetime
• MTV
• Nickelodon
• Nick Jr.

I keep a list of the 100 best channels offered by the various live streaming services, including DirecTV Now, Sling TV, YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, AT & T Watch TV, Philo and Fubo TV. The above channels are available on many of them, and many of the most popular channels, such as AMC, Comedy Central, Discovery and HGTV, are cable TV classics found on most competitors of DirecTV Now.

By cutting these channels and other channels, DirecTV Now has gone from 61 to 38 of the top 100. The only services with fewer channels are significantly cheaper: AT & T Watch TV and Philo ($ 15) and Sling TV ($ 25). Each DirecTV Now competitor at $ 40 and over has at least 10 other channels among the top 100.

At $ 50 a month, DirecTV Now is now the most expensive live TV streaming service. Note that current subscribers to DirecTV Now's original plans can keep their (superior) channel listings, but will also need to pay at least $ 50.

Other ways to get HBO for Game of Thrones

The inclusion of HBO in DirecTV Now is compelling in some respects, especially if you also want a live TV streaming service and do not miss the cut channels. But this is a global offer – the kind of bundle that many cord cutters try to avoid – and there are many other ways to look at Tyrion and company.

How to broadcast HBO without cable

The cheapest solution is a standalone HBO Now subscription for $ 15. You do not receive any live TV channels, but this allows you to watch Game of Thrones (and other HBO shows) as soon as they air, and on demand after, at any time.

You can pay separately for all live TV services as well as a subscription to HBO Now, and for AT & T Watch TV, Philo and Sling TV, the total will cost less than DirecTV Now. In the meantime, a more expensive service like YouTube TV offers a lot more channels for a little more money.

Select live TV + separate options for HBO Now

	Price	Live channels (top 100)	HBO	Total cost
DirecTV now	$ 50	39	Included	$ 50
AT & T Watching TV	$ 15	33	$ 15	$ 30
Philo	$ 15	35	$ 15	$ 30
Sling Orange	$ 25	24	$ 15	$ 40
Sling Blue	$ 25	37	$ 15	$ 40
YouTube TV	$ 40	55	$ 15	$ 55

All of these mix-and-match options are better deals than DirecTV Now in my opinion. The Sling TV Blue plan, for example, offers 37 channels (including Fox and NBC in many cities) and costs $ 25 per month, for a total of $ 40 per month – $ 10 less than DirecTV Now, if you add HBO Now as 38th. "channel." In addition, YouTube TV offers many channels of DirecTV Now, as well as a high quality digital video recorder.

As usual with the cord cut, determining the service that deserves your money requires a bit of research. However, in the current market, DirecTV Now deserves less than most others. At least until the next Live TV broadcast service increases its prices too.