fuboTV review- Also Known as ‘meh’ TV

---

I tried fuboTV as an Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming package.  Here’s 4 reasons why it may not be for you…

1) fuboTV has an Incomplete Broadcast Channel Lineup

fuboTV cuts corners on its broadcast lineup (likely a cost-cutting feature).  YouTubeTV and Hulu Live include all 4 broadcast channels in their package, but my fuboTV lineup only included Fox, CBS and NBC local channels- no ABC (or the ESPN ecosystem).  Not a big deal for me, but if you’re in an area with weak broadcast signals you will miss out on 1 of the ‘big 4’ broadcast networks.

Related: Over-The-Air Antenna Setup Guide

2) Buffering Issues with fuboTV

I’d say that based on my experience with YouTubeTV and Sling that fuboTV still has to get its buffering act together.  On one evening the local MLB team game (Padres) looked like it was coming from dial-up connection.  I did a speedtest/ookla check on my tablet and confirmed there were no issues with my modem/router.  I double-checked another channel on my Roku (no buffering issues), then came back to the local MLB game feed, which was still buffering.  On another evening I noticed dropped packets on a cable news channel streaming feed- almost like I was getting a weak digital broadcast signal over-the-air.

3) Weak DVR on fuboTV

First, fuboTV’s DVR only gives you 30 hours of Cloud storage, and I do not think there is an option to upgrade.  This equates to storage for 10 sports events or 30 1-hr shows.
Second, you can’t watch an DVR recording during the event- DVR recordings don’t show up until the event is complete.  So if your goal is to jump in to a football game in progress and ‘catch up’ to the live feed (like you can do with YouTubeTV), this isn’t going to happen on FUBO.

Third, the fuboTV user interface for DVR playback is Pure Vanilla.  You can’t see frame grabs as you skip forward/backward within a recording- You can only see the time counter and must guess if the commercial break or game timeout is complete.  For a football fan, I’d say that the frame grab preview during DVR playback is an essential feature, as it lets you visually skip to the next time the offense is lined up to snap the football.   With fuboTV’s DVR you have to guess at how long the commercial break or game stoppage will last.

4) It’s expensive
At $45 for the ‘base’ channels (no add-on channels), FUBO TV is more expensive than offerings provided from Sling, Hulu Live TV, and YouTube TV. FUBO TV is one of the more expensive OTT streaming packages that does not include the ABC/ESPN sports networks

So who is fuboTV for?

I’m not sure – Probably hardcore soccer fans who don’t need ESPN and ABC sports.  Maybe also Spanish or Portuguese-speaking families who want an OTT streaming package with more add-on foreign-language channels.

[disclaimer: OTT streaming packages change lineups and interfaces daily.  The content written above is current as of the date stamp of this post (October 2018)]

PS if you’re looking for a quick selection tool to pick a Streaming package based on your favorite channels, FOMOPOP has a handy selection tool. 

Related: Gubmints Comprehensive Cord Cutting Guide

 

---