Provider - YouTube TV

I think Google has made it clear 2FA will be mandatory as of 11/9. Except for non-recoverable accounts (I hope).

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Sorry can you clarify what a non-recoverable account is? Is this something that can be modified after an account is created?

A non-recoverable account would be an account with no recovery phone number that can receive SMS codes and no recovery email. I will emphasize again that this is a really risky way to set up a Google account.

Another problem is that there's no guarantee that Google will not at some point require all accounts to be recoverable.

This development just makes it all the more obvious that this workaround of using a non-2FA Google account is just a bad idea and you should probably be doing something else instead, like running Channels on Docker.

Edit: and I had forgotten that you still need to have a 2FA-less account with Google for authentication to work, even if you're running Channels on Docker, so I was wrong about that part.

It's certainly possible that Google will force 2FA on all accounts, recoverable or not. But they aren't now.

I don't think there's a significant risk in setting up an account only used for Channels DVR which is nonrecoverable.

But all this is moot if your last point holds water. Please elaborate on the idea that running a Channels container on Docker avoids the 2FA requirement for Google accounts.

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Yeah, I am curious about this as well.

@uluqat edited his post, rather than reply to mine, to say that it's not the case that 2FA isn't needed when running the Channels container.

My plan: see if my non-recoverable non-2FA Google account continues to work for Channels DVR on and after Nov 9. If not, switch to Hulu + Live TV.

Actually Hulu turned on 2FA and users are noticing they can't add the source. People like myself who were previously setup are fine for now, but new users aren't having any luck.

Eeek!!!

My plan goes down in flames! Can only hope what Google said about non-recoverable accounts holds up.

EDIT: Or maybe I'll go the Google Workspace route. According to the Ars Techica article referenced above, 2FA can be turned off by admins of those accounts. I'd set up a Google Workspace with a single user and turn off 2FA for that user. But it will cost $6/month.

That $6 certainly makes YTTV look less desirable. Is it absolutely mandatory that a YTTV subscriber use a gmail account? Or is the 2FA at the YTTV login level?

Unfortunately you have to use a Google (ed.) account to use YTTV. It doesn't have to have a Gmail account associated with it: https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Google-Account-Without-Gmail

I can't find any streaming providers (not counting cable tv) that offer TCM authorization for Channels DVR other than YTTV & Hulu + Live TV. Both requiring 2FA.

But as mentioned, there is supposed to be an exception to forced 2FA for non recoverable Google accounts. And there is another exception for Google Workspace accounts.

I'd love to hear about alternatives.

For fun I just signed up for a free trial of Hulu + Live TV. 2FA never came up, and all the expected channels were authenticated. I'm now able to watch TCM authenticated to Channels with Hulu + Live TV.

The channel number 6039 is used for both Hulu & YTTV. I could remove the YTTV source but I'd rather not risk it unless and until the issue is forced.


So I think Hulu + Live TV has just moved to my top alternative to YTTV if Google actually forces 2FA on non-recoverable Google accounts. Though I doubt they'd do that, at least so soon after saying they wouldn't.

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Nice, I moved from two TiVo with the new UI to channels as part of a slow transition (I already had the HDHomeRun) I also moved from xfinity to Ziply Fiber where none of the channels are encrypted and I can even use my own cable cards (aka no rental). Every time I look at pricing the OTT providers are never cheaper because of the unique mix of channels I need - but here’s hoping!

My plan with the wife was to get her to move to channels, then slip out the providers underneath and she won’t notice. Only thing she said for both tivo and channels is ‘when can I have my pictures screen saver like in windows media center’ she loved our media center setup…..

Is the price they show before or after taxes? Do cities still charge the extra strange taxes with something like hulu live tv?

Re Hulu Live TV: don't know yet. I'm on a free trial and will probably cancel it. But my guess is no, the 'strange' taxes don't apply. They don't for YTTV.

@markmarz, my mom has YTTV which I payed with, tried FuboTV and settled on Hulu given the number of channels they offered that was compatible with TVE. Honestly, if Sling had better TVE support, I'd go that route as I don't need locals (I get all via OTA) and it's the most cost effective option for channels if you don't need locals, but without the TVE support, my best bet is Hulu.

Yeah, but I'm a TCM addict. So it's Hulu Live TV or YTTV for streaming and recording with Channels DVR.

Lost all YTTV today. Even without any 2fa on my account I can no longer login thru Channels. Get the 2fa required image.

Well I think I found a solution. I opened up the chrome browser that channels uses to authorize tve. I logged into my google account and verified who I am on this browser.

Then I opened Channels and did a rescan and I got all tve back. So maybe the trick is keeping chrome authorized?

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So as a potential customer sitting on a pile of unopened antenna, RPi 4, HDHR and USB drive boxes anxious to pull the trigger with YTTV, what am I to do? I’ve been reluctant to jump with this “it works/it doesn’t work” battle.

I would wait until after the 9th.