Streaming TV

[WolfpackWife]

We are fed up with our cable bill. Comcast can suck it. I want a streaming device, but I am not willing to give up HBO, Showtime, or many of the major networks (I know, it's a stretch). I'm sure a la carte cable service is on the horizon - at least I hope it is - but as it stands, that's not the case. I know HBO will move to a subscription format next year, and I have to assume lots of other networks won't be far behind, but in the mean time, tell me about your streaming TV devices.

We're interested in either a Roku or Apple TV. The idea would be that this would give us a way to cancel our cable. Is it possible to still get HBO, Showtime, ABC, Fox, etc. via one of these streaming devices even if we cancel the cable portion of our Comcast bill? We'd still have our internet provided through Comcast...how does one navigate this? Do you just reduce to basic cable channels to fill the "cable provider" requirement for these devices?

With our Netflix subscription, Amazon Prime account, etc. we'd still have a great deal available to us...but giving up all the premium channels and the major network programming and sports channels isn't going to cut it. I want to know if we can have the best of both worlds and, if so, how?

Does anyone know? Do you have one of these devices and if so, how do you like it?

[ides]

We had a roku for streaming until we got a smart tv this year. It worked great! I don't feel like we save a lot without cable as Internet is expensive. If we paid $10 more a month we'd have basic cable.

[WolfpackWife]

We had a roku for streaming until we got a smart tv this year. It worked great! I don't feel like we save a lot without cable as Internet is expensive. If we paid $10 more a month we'd have basic cable.

Does the Smart TV still allow you to have cable/premium channels without an actual cable subscription through your local provider? That's what I'm concerned about. WPW cannot survive on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video alone...

[ides]

No. We don't do cable. The smart tv just had an Internet interface so we stream Netflix, Amazon prime, etc instead of streaming it thru the Roku. I don't think you can get regular channels with out a cable subscription. Maybe Hulu plus- a paid version of Hulu.

[ides]

There are a lot of things on offer I've just never looked into them. Maybe check out all the subscriptions and free channels thru the roku website.

[OrionGrad]

We have Apple TV and I love it. In fact, we got one for my parents for Christmas, too. I'm not much help though because we also have cable.
Not sure if you're big sports fans, but DH was just talking the other day about how he could get all the live sports stuff he likes on ESPN w/o cable if we just had the Apple TV, so there's that. I watch some of the ABC shows through their app when I forget to record them. Also, wasn't there something in the news recently about CBS streaming all their shows soon, too?

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

It's the sports that makes this impossible. We need football so we can't cancel cable just yet. I've heard that basically sports/ESPN is completely propping up cable. So many people have moved away from watching things live. That's why you need premium cable to get any of the sports channels.

[medpedspouse]

We have 1 smart TV, one with Roku and one with the Amazon fire stick...and rabbit ears which are not very "ear" like. They are actually a flat rectangle. We get the local channels and 3 PBS stations. However, DH cannot get every game. DH plans on getting cable just for FB season next year but we are almost talking half a year...not much savings.

[Sheherezade]

HBO plans to offer a stand alone price for their shows streaming starting in 2015. MLB has an app, but it blacks out your local teams. Basically useless. NBA is usually easy to find online, so I'd imagine you could rig access through the roku (plex maybe). NFL, I have no idea.


Angie

[SoonerTexan]

Have a roku and Apple TV. I like the apple tv but I don't think they work with Amazon prime so check it out. The Roku is great. Sadly we miss out on all sports...our local ABC station doesn't come over antenna well.

[WolfpackWife]

Yeah the sports is gonna be the deal breaker. Boo. It was a nice consideration for a few minutes at least! No way we can do without access to nfl and college bball games. Don't care about the nba so much. DH already suffers because moving slightly north means they don't air many (if any) panthers or ncsu games.


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[Deebs]

NHL is why we still have Direct TV. We NEED the NHL channel. Once there's another option, we're out. With the increasing popularity of hockey, I'm hoping it's not that far off.


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[Thirteen]

NHL is why we still have Direct TV. We NEED the NHL channel. Once there's another option, we're out. With the increasing popularity of hockey, I'm hoping it's not that far off.


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Have you checked to see if Roku has an NHL channel? You would subscribe online and then pipe it in. (Think NFL Sunday Ticket, or NBA League Pass)


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[OrionGrad]

DH watches live sports on his iPad all the time, but I wasn't thinking about the fact that he's using the Comcast or Xfinity app, which you couldn't use without paying for cable. (Duh!)

[bobk]

Have you checked to see if Roku has an NHL channel? You would subscribe online and then pipe it in. (Think NFL Sunday Ticket, or NBA League Pass)


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There is an NHL channel for Roku but they will black out any local or national broadcasts on a regional network and NBCSN, so it's only good if your team is out of market.

We use a Roku most of the time, and mostly for Netflix and Amazon Prime. I have the triple play fios package with basic cable which isn't much more than just internet only. I upgrade the cable a few months per year for baseball and hockey playoffs. What kills me is always paying $12 a month for the cable box rental when we often go several months without even turning it on.