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Cutting the Cable TV Cord Part 1

on in Technology
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Are you ready to cut the cord?  Are you tired of paying an outrageous cable bill every month for a lot of channels when you really only watch a handful of them?  I’ll bet most of you are paying over $125 a month for cable, right?  That is $1500 each year that you could spend on something else (a new Smart TV!)  You probably spend more time flipping through the useless channels than you do enjoying the shows you love. 

Now you can choose from a handful of proven sources to provide you the shows that you love as well as recently released movies. You will still need a good internet connection, a device on which to stream this content and an HDMI connection to your TV.  Streaming is a fun word for getting the content off the internet onto your TV or other device.  If you have a gaming console or smart TV, you can already access any of these services.  Blu-ray players now provide access as well, on that new Smart TV that you will buy with the money you save, and comes with access to these and many more streaming apps.

Netflix – Offers past seasons of popular TV shows, but nothing from the current season.  Great for binge watching an entire series in a weekend.  Also offers older movies and many award winning originals exclusive to Netflix.  The base cost of Netflix is only $7.99 a month which allows you to stream on only 1  device at a time.  There are additional tiers if you need more access.  Offers a 7 day free trial.

Hulu – Great option if you want to remain current on your favorite TV shows.  Most programs air the next day from networks like ABC, NBC, CW, Fox, A&E, Fox Sports 2, FX, NFL Network, Syfy and many more.  Also offers popular movies, that are not too old, and Hulu exclusive programs that are worth the time to check out.  The base costs of Hulu is only $7.99, but you can only watch on one device with this tier. Offers a 7 day free trail. 

Sling TV – Something you should try just because the name is fun.   This is the best alternative for watching some very popular TV shows LIVE and only $20 per month.  You can also watch many programs a few days after they have aired.  Some of the popular channels included are AMC, Food Network, A&E, History Channel, HGTV, Disney, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ESPN and more.  You can also rent new movies on demand and there are a variety of additional sports and entertainment channels that you can add on, most only costing an extra $5 per month.   Offers a 7 day free trial.  They also occasionally offer free, or at least major discounts, on Roku players (a streaming device that allows you to watch it on your TV – more on this later).  As with Netflix and Hulu, you can only stream on one device at a time.

Amazon Instant Video – Part of Amazon Prime, which is $99 a year, allowing Prime members access to stream thousands of eligible movies and TV shows at no extra cost as well as past seasons of HBO.   Also offers the option to rent recently released movies and offers add-on subscriptions to Showtime, Starz, gaia, Qello Concerts and some additional movie channels.   Offers a 30 day free trail.

Vudu – owned by Walmart, a great alternative to rent movies when you don’t want to run out to Redbox, and it doesn’t carry the On-Demand Cable fees!  There is no subscription fee to Vudu, you just pay as you rent or buy.  The cool aspect is if you buy a DVD or Blu-Ray copy of a movie from certain retailers, you have the option to store it in your Vudu library as well and share it with up to 5 friends.

Netflix, Hulu, Sling TV and Amazon Instant Video are available on a number of platforms, including your smartphone and pc, or you can use your kid’s Xbox, PlayStation or Wii gaming console.  Many newer

All of the above options offer NO installation fees, NO cancellation fees, NO long term contracts, NO waiting on hold for 30 minutes at a time.  NO WORRIES!

You can also purchase a streaming device such as a Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast, each with its own great features.  Here is a quick breakdown:

Roku – offers options ranging from $39 - $129 and requires an HDMI connection on your TV.  Stream over 300,000 movies and TV episodes, supports Hulu, Netflix, Sling TV, Amazon Video, Spotify and many, many more options.

Apple TV - Ranging in price from $49 - $199, it includes Siri. Talk to your remote and she will find what you are looking for without you having to flip through any apps.  Apple TV has apps like Hulu, Netflix, Itunes, HBO Now, Showtime and more.

ChromeCast – At only $35, this is a great option.  And you can cast things right from your phone to your TV. Including options such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, Pandora, MLB.TV, and many other apps.  You can also play your music and display your pictures with this.

What still thinking this is too much money but you really want to cut the cable cord, no worries our next blog will explain Over the Air TV. So are you ready to cut the cord?  Are you a little nervous and want us to walk you through it?  We are here to help you save your money and break free from the chains from cable.  

 

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