[jr461]

I'm trying the commercial free version for a month (not a free trial - just trying it). I am also disappointed that the full catalog of
all the currently running shows is not there but we did get hooked into their original, The Good Fight (I never saw The Good Wife although my wife watched it).

One show where all the old seasons are included is Big Brother so I'm re-watching the first 2. I forgot how primitive season 1 was but do remember that viewers voted a houseguest out. I also forgot that Dr. Will was in season 2 (I thought it was a later season) so wanted to see that again as well. That season already more resembles the current version but still rather primitive.

I wonder if the older seasons of current shows are available when the season is over (as it is with BB). Any longer terms subscribers know?

I am disappointed that for $10 per month they don't have at least 5.1 audio. We may catch up on The Good Fight, cancel and re-subscribe and binge when the next season is available. We'll also see if any other originals interest us.

 

[jr461]

So CBS just doesn't have older seasons of their TV shows anywhere? Do they fully rely on syndication then? What do the other major networks do?

It seems to vary by show. I only checked a few but Criminal Minds, Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon have only the current season's episodes available right now. Survivor, Big Brother and NCIS have all seasons available.

I don't know if they add or remove older seasons from time to time.

 

[jr461]

It seems to vary by show. I only checked a few but Criminal Minds, Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon have only the current season's episodes available right now. Survivor, Big Brother and NCIS have all seasons available.

I don't know if they add or remove older seasons from time to time.

I wrote to them via their "contact us' and they actually responded, albeit pretty vaguely:

Dear Jeff,

Thank you for contacting CBS All Access. We're sorry for the inconvenience, and we understand your frustration! Due to streaming restrictions, only the latest 5 episodes from the current season of The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon will be available to stream from CBS All Access. For Criminal Minds, you will be able to stream all of the episodes from the current season. More episodes will become available as the season progresses. There are a number of factors that determine whether a show or episode is available for CBS All Access. Please know that we're always working to expand our content offerings to make more seasons and episodes available. We strive to roll out updates on a regular basis, so please check back very soon!

Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Regards,
CBS All Access Customer Service

Big Brother: OTT was a version of the show made exclusively for CBS All Access. If you haven't seen it, it was made with the live feeds as the focus so comps/ceremonies are more basic than the summer series. (More similar to the old seasons). Also Will returned for All-Stars S7.

I'll have to watch that version - I wasn't aware of it. I remember Will on the all stars show but much on his first appearance so I was interested to see how that played out already knowing the outcome.

 

[jr461]

They do have DD 5.1 on the newer shows if you are watching via the Apple TV app.

I'm still recording BBT and YS and not watching those on All Access (I'll have to check one out to see if the app on the Samsung TV is in 5.1). My disappointment is that their original show, The Good Fight, is not in 5.1, at least on the Samsung app.

 

[jr461]

I was looking at the CBSAA channel on Amazon and it seemed like everything recent was in 5.1 (it's not on my Samsung or Roku) and they (Amazon) had all the back seasons of BBT (the only one I checked, just to see) where the CBSAA app has only the current one.

I wanted to watch on Amazon but found out that even if you have a paid subscription with a service, you can't watch on Amazon unless you subscribed through them. I went to cancel from CBSAA so I could subscribe via Amazon and, online mind you, it offered 50% off for 2 months. I took that and will see what happens from there.

 

[jr461]

Part of the issue of CBS with Hulu is that CBSAA is amassing a library of original programming for online only unlike the other networks.
Oddly, some of their programming is also on Hulu - I think Survivor is and some older shows.

In the meantime, we're enjoying The Good Fight and I am seeing Big Brother Over the Top for the first time (didn't know it existed). I also may watch some of the first Survivor seasons and try some other originals.

 

[jr461]

I switched my subscription to be through Amazon. What a difference in sound. Back to 5.1! And they have more complete back catalogs (checked only BBT and YS as exampled and both are complete). And the transport controls and better - on the CBS app you can't see what you are FF through (if you want to skip the credits, for example).

Question for Star Trek fans - I have never watched any of the shows but thought I'd give the CBS original one a try (heck, I'm paying for it ).

I know a few things from pop culture about Star Trek in general - it's a couple of hundred years in the future, Spock is a Vulcan which is another planet but he's a good guy (all logic, no emotion (like Sheldon from the early seasons lol)) and Kingons are the enemy with their own language. I am not sure why they are traveling around in space although I assume it would either become clear or not something to worry about.

Based on this do you think any enjoyment of the newest one would be lost if I jumped right in without having seen the other iterations? Watched just a few minutes and it seems like the production values are high (at least audio-visually).

 

[jr461]

Thanks guys, I will give it a shot.

 

[jr461]

Has anyone been able to use this discount that was a previous customer? If I can get one year of the commercial free version for half price, that would be worth it for me.

I was subscribed through Amazon at regular price but was able to get the deal through CBS using a different email and then canceling on Amazon.

 

[jr461]

I was subscribed through Amazon at regular price but was able to get the deal through CBS using a different email and then canceling on Amazon.

I initially subbed thru Amazon since they had 5.1 sound and I wasn't getting that on the CBS AA app. I figured by now 5.1 would be supported more widely but still no 5.1 on either my Sony (Android) app or on my Firestick 4K. Is is possibly a setting or is this just the way it is?

Using PL isn't bad but I'd prefer if true 5.1 was supported. Let me guess - it is on the Apple box, right? Not to go on a tangent but is there any app they don't get at launch or don't offer in 5.1?

 

[jr461]

I like a lot of things on CBS/Paramount. First, I prefer watching the network shows streaming (without commercials). Better PQ and not having to FF. This covers Survivor, Ghosts, YS and we're watching CSI Vegas because I like the old cast members they brought back.

As far as streaming originals, just finished Evil S2 and awaiting The Good Fight, ST Picard, ST Discovery and will watch the new ST prequel to the original.

 

[jr461]

Report: Paramount Considering Moving All Showtime Content to Paramount+, Axing Standalone Service

While this move seemed like an inevitability when CBS All Access originally launched in 2014, and even more so when it rebranded as Paramount+ in March 2021, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Paramount Global is …

thestreamable.com

 

[jr461]

I wonder what that means for people who have Showtime from their cable company... will I get free Paramount+?

I doubt it but it looks like nothing is happening yet:

Paramount CEO: SHOWTIME to Stay Standalone Streamer, at Least for Now

Bob Bakish, the CEO of Paramount Global, was among the top media industry executives to participate in this week’s Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference in San Francisco. In his remarks, Bakish mostly …

thestreamable.com

I also get Showtime through cable but hate the Showtime Anytime app - it always asks to reconnect the device I'm watching on from the app. I also pay for Paramount+ (ad free) so I'd welcome combining.