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big changes to DirecTV streaming plans
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in 2025 yes more changes the DirecTV
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stream brand that you've heard me talk
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about alongside other live TV streaming
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services has gone away and now the
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website for DirecTV stream will redirect
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you to the main Direct TV site for years
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I've warned people away from DirecTV's
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main website because the plans there
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included contracts and hidden fees but
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as part of the changes I'll talk about
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today that is no longer the case let's
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dive in so take a look this is how
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DirecTV's website looks now the service
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has two main types of paid streaming
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offerings signature packages and genre
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packs i'm going to start with the
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signature packages and this is basically
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an internet version of traditional cable
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or satellite service full streaming
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bundles that include cable sports news
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and entertainment networks plus your
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local broadcast TV stations at recording
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time pricing starts around $85 a month
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and goes up from there now historically
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the most popular DirecTV plan has been
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Choice this one includes regional sports
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networks in the bundle over $100 a month
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and the way DirecTV is displaying these
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plans now you got to read the fine print
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for the total price and that's because
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this plan includes a regional sports
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network fee with these signature
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packages DirecTV is now offering new
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customers the same monthly price for 2
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years and you do not have to sign a
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contract finally that means you can pay
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for 1 month at a time and can cancel
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whenever you want to just like you used
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to be able to with Direct TV Stream just
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a few other key features of these
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DirecTV plans unlimited cloud DVR
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storage and your recordings are saved
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for up to 9 months select 4K content no
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extra charge and stream on unlimited
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devices at home three away from home for
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a lot of people the price of DirecTV
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signature packages is just too expensive
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and they include too many channels well
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that led to the launch of genre packs
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first these plans were available from
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Direct TV Stream now Direct TV but they
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have the same plans including My Sports
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My Entertainment and My News there are
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add-ons to these base genre packs
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including one for regional sports
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networks but you have to remember these
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are partial or skinny bundles you will
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be giving up some of the programming in
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a full bundle in exchange for a lower
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price i've been able to test out two of
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the genre packs so far so here's how I
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see it the My Sports Plan is made up
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primarily of broadcast and cable TV
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networks that carry a whole lot of
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sports it also has some news networks in
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there but it leaves out most of the
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entertainment channels you'll notice the
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price is still pretty steep not a huge
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savings compared to the full bundles we
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just talked about so far the My
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Entertainment Plan is my standout
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favorite it is the cheapest of the genre
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packs that I'll be covering today it's
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made up mostly of cable entertainment
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networks true to its name A&E Bravo TLC
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and more something interesting I noticed
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while reviewing the channel lineup the
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My Entertainment plan also includes
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cable news networks but with my
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entertainment no sports and no locals
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then there's the My News plan primarily
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cable news networks just a few more than
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the other two plans but also some local
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stations the locals depend on where you
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live and that is why this plan is more
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expensive than my entertainment there is
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some added value with some of these
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plans not just cable networks they
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include some additional streaming perks
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at no extra charge for example My
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Entertainment includes ad supported
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Disney Plus Hulu and Max and just like
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the DirecTV Signature plans unlimited
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cloud DVR storage is included with all
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of these genre packs now whether you get
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a signature package or a genre pack
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you're going to access DirecTV's plans
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from the Direct TV app the same app no
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matter which plan you get now I
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primarily use the Direct TV app on Roku
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and Apple TV devices but here's the list
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of compatible devices for TV sets you
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can pause the video for a closer look
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i'll also leave a direct link below with
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the changes DirecTV has made streaming
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customers can now lease a DirecTV Gemini
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Air device $10 a month and once again no
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contract required i think most people
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are still going to want to use their own
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device but it's nice to have the option
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i tested an earlier version of Gemini a
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few years ago on this channel i hooked
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it back up today to stream with the My
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Entertainment Genre Pack and the device
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still works the way I see it the biggest
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reason to get the Gemini has to do with
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the remote i like the guide home and DVR
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shortcuts those are all right here near
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the top of the remote and the remote
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that comes with the Gemini includes a
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number keypad that comes in handy
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because Direct TV's live guide includes
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channel numbers i know a lot of people
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have moved on from channel numbers but
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this is a feature that a lot of my
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viewers request and previously with the
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DirecTV stream brand you did not have
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the option to lease the Gemini device
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with a no contract plan now with
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everything under Direct TV that is an
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option i logged into my account from a
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web browser went through the process and
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saw the option to add the Gemini Air
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remember though this is a lease you
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don't own it $10 a month per device
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during my testing I've noticed the
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Direct TV user experience is consistent
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across the various services from the
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home screen the row along the top of the
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screen is for your recent channels and
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there's a video preview that plays below
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for whatever channel you've got
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highlighted next to that content
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recommendations all above the fold and
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further down the home screen quick
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access to more recommendations your DVR
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and continue watching let me take you to
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the live guide you see a bunch of
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filters to organize your channels that
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includes favorites press and hold on a
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channel logo then you can add a channel
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to your favorites list a lot of people
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like the jump today feature lets you
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preview content ahead of time plus
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there's the sorting by channel numbers
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we just talked about that when you're
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recording shows select a single episode
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or record an entire series and when it's
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time to clear out your DVR you can
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delete single episodes if you want to
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also this from the settings if you don't
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want to have the home screen when you
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first open the app you can choose to
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have it launch and go directly to the
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last channel you were watching so here's
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a tip if you're on the fence about a
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DirecTV paid plan start with my free
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DirecTV that way you can get familiar
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with the look and feel no changes with
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the free service except that the channel
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lineup just keeps growing to get started
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register for an account on DirecTV's
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website then download the DirecTV app no
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credit card required here's how I see it
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there was a time when DirecTV was
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marketing DirecTV satellite DirecTV via
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internet and DirecTV stream and it was
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just way too confusing i've made videos
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dedicated entirely to this issue i used
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to hear from people who accidentally
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signed up for a streaming plan with a
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contract and only because they happened
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to be on the wrong website now it is
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just Direct TV and you can get it with
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no contracts or hidden fees so I'm glad
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the company has simplified things when
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you're on the website reviewing the
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plans the streaming plans are shown by
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default but you can change to satellite
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if you prefer not sure how many people
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are doing that anymore if you decide to
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try out one of the paid DirecTV plans a
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free trial is typically offered and I
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update these deals on michaels.com
