Cutting the cord. Questions

[Fish]

Originally Posted by gh4chiefs

Why?

Because they are legally bound by geographical viewership restrictions like any other service provider. Things such as sports blackouts and other media that's region based. It's not just the user's personal preference for local channels.

[gh4chiefs]

Originally Posted by Fish

Because they are legally bound by geographical viewership restrictions like any other service provider. Things such as sports blackouts and other media that's region based. It's not just the user's personal preference for local channels.

Well thank you, you're first person that's explained that. YTTV Customer Service refused to give me that information.

I still think there has to be a better mousetrap and I'm still really not clear how doing what I suggested still wouldn't accomplish that. In fact, what they're doing is JUST THE OPPOSITE. I live in Jefferson City, but I can watch whatever St Louis can get. How does that accomplish what you're referring to? It's literally just the opposite of forcing people to watch the programming in their own geographic area.

In fact, I used this very thing to get around watching my local ABC station here a few weeks ago. I wanted to watch the network shows one night and our local affiliate decided to pre-empt the programming to show hockey. So I deleted my YTTV app and reinstalled it and it defaulted me to St Louis and I could watch network programming not shown in my area.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by gh4chiefs

Well thank you, you're first person that's explained that. YTTV Customer Service refused to give me that information.

I still think there has to be a better mousetrap and I'm still really not clear how doing what I suggested still wouldn't accomplish that. In fact, what they're doing is JUST THE OPPOSITE. I live in Jefferson City, but I can watch whatever St Louis can get. How does that accomplish what you're referring to? It's literally just the opposite of forcing people to watch the programming in their own geographic area.

In fact, I used this very thing to get around watching my local ABC station here a few weeks ago. I wanted to watch the network shows one night and our local affiliate decided to pre-empt the programming to show hockey. So I deleted my YTTV app and reinstalled it and it defaulted me to St Louis and I could watch network programming not shown in my area.

YoutubeTV is doing its due diligence in requesting you to verify your location. When that happens, YoutubeTV queries your IP address. Which is provided by Verizon. The problem is that Verizon's internet is cellular based which is load balanced by many multiple towers in different locations that could theoretically be in different viewing areas as classified by YoutubeTV's coverage maps. Your devices are obviously getting an IP address that is sourced from the St. Louis area.

Note that Verizon does offer a fix for the issue. You can upgrade to their Business plan and get a static IP address which would solve the problem.

[gh4chiefs]

Originally Posted by Fish

YoutubeTV is doing its due diligence in requesting you to verify your location. When that happens, YoutubeTV queries your IP address. Which is provided by Verizon. The problem is that Verizon's internet is cellular based which is load balanced by many multiple towers in different locations that could theoretically be in different viewing areas as classified by YoutubeTV's coverage maps. Your devices are obviously getting an IP address that is sourced from the St. Louis area.

Note that Verizon does offer a fix for the issue. You can upgrade to their Business plan and get a static IP address which would solve the problem.

It still makes no sense to me to not do it the way I suggested. But whatever. I've dumped them for now, and may not go back. I may miss some Chiefs games but so be it. Push comes to shove, I may reinstate it for the playoffs.

As for the business plan, I didn't know that was an option but I'm assuming it's cost prohibitive. By switching from Mediacom I'm saving around $65 a month and it would be foolish to wipe that out with an upgrade. I might as well go back to Mediacom. But again, thanks for that info.

[gh4chiefs]

Originally Posted by Fish

YoutubeTV is doing its due diligence in requesting you to verify your location.

Follow up question, is this "due diligence" on a set schedule (Once a month, once a quarter, whatever) or this happening EVERY SINGLE TIME the IP address changes?

I just talked to my friend who also has Verizon and YTTV and we're both a little puzzled by this. Because, and I know you don't agree, but he went MONTHS before he was queried about his location. And I can't imagine that Verizon went months without rotating their IP address. And now, (well up until last week when my subscription expired) I was getting the location prompt a lot more than he does. I assume we're on different towers since he was able to get the service before me, maybe "my tower" rotates more something. It's just weird IMHO.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by gh4chiefs

Follow up question, is this "due diligence" on a set schedule (Once a month, once a quarter, whatever) or this happening EVERY SINGLE TIME the IP address changes?

I just talked to my friend who also has Verizon and YTTV and we're both a little puzzled by this. Because, and I know you don't agree, but he went MONTHS before he was queried about his location. And I can't imagine that Verizon went months without rotating their IP address. And now, (well up until last week when my subscription expired) I was getting the location prompt a lot more than he does. I assume we're on different towers since he was able to get the service before me, maybe "my tower" rotates more something. It's just weird IMHO.

Typically YoutubeTV will require a location check every 3 months. I know there are certain triggers that cause that check to happen more often than that. But honestly I'm not 100% sure how that works.

[gh4chiefs]

Originally Posted by Fish

Typically YoutubeTV will require a location check every 3 months. I know there are certain triggers that cause that check to happen more often than that. But honestly I'm not 100% sure how that works.

Thanks,

SOMETHING was definitely triggering it, so much so that between the first part of December 2024 and mid-March 2025 it happened so much that I became really annoyed with it to the point of cancellation. One night I was watching what I thought was my local NBC station and all of a sudden I realized I watching KY3 out of Springfield MO. I don't know HOW that happened. As I said, weird.

Also a word about location checks and due diligence. They aren't asking me anything. They just change it to ST Louis and don't tell me squat and if I left it be, as I said, it would be doing the OPPOSITE of what they're trying to do. That is, I would be watching locals, sports, etc, out of my geographic area. So I think they need to rethink this process. Because it's NOT accomplishing what they are intending.

Also I'm guessing someone might be thinking "Why don't you just change it or leave it alone, it's not that big of a deal." And that would be correct, after the first time I did it, it really became easy to change back to my locals using the app on my phone. I think I became overly annoyed with YTTV's customer service when they couldn't explain what/why this was happening. And outside of Chiefs football, the combination of Paramount Plus, Hulu, and Peacock, which I already have anyway regardless, gets me what I want to watch and saves me $83 a month. I've recently added Philo to pick up some cable channels that I miss so that cuts my savings to $55 a month.

Thanks.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by gh4chiefs

Why?

Originally Posted by Fish

Because they are legally bound by geographical viewership restrictions like any other service provider. Things such as sports blackouts and other media that's region based. It's not just the user's personal preference for local channels.

Originally Posted by gh4chiefs

Well thank you, you're first person that's explained that. YTTV Customer Service refused to give me that information.

Settling your location for streaming has been around since the 80's. It originally was to prevent theft, now its for a lot of reasons.

[gh4chiefs]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Settling your location for streaming has been around since the 80's.

The 80's? Who the hell was streaming anything in the 80's?