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Cord cutting: A beginner's guide | TechHive
Now is a better time than ever to cut the cable or satellite TV cord. Instead of paying upwards of $100 per month for a bloated channel bundle, you can replace it with streaming TV servicesé*�nd perhaps an TV antennaé*�t a fraction of the cost.
Sorting through these new options isn稚 always easy, though, especially if you aren稚 tech savvy. Whereas cable made everything simple, cutting the cord requires picking from a dozen different hardware options and many more online video services, not all of which are compatible with one another. Adding an over-the-air TV antenna to the mix creates even further headache potential.
I致e been a cord-cutter for more than a decade, have written a weekly column on the topic since 2014, and I write a cord-cutting newsletter for more than 16,000 subscribers. With so many people being priced out of cable, now seems like the perfect time to create a definitive cord-cutting guide for folks who don稚 know where to start.
I値l talk you through how to approach cutting cable or satellite TV while answering some of the most common questions, concerns, and pain points I致e heard from readers over the years. I hope that by the end, you値l have all the information you need.
Table of Contents
Should I cut the cord?
Cord-cutting basics
My short and sweet recommendation
Streaming services: Choose your path
How to choose a live TV streaming service
On-demand entertainment alternatives
Should I buy a TV antenna?
How to choose a streaming device
Thatç—´ all folks!
Should I cut the cord?
Before we dive into how to cut the cord, letç—´ step back and think about whether you should in the first place. Consider the following:
Are you paying at least $50 per month for TV service? Most live TV streaming services start at $40 to $45 per month, so cord-cutting might not save you much if your TV provider is giving you a great deal. Itç—´ possible to spend less with cheaper services such as Netflix, but not without giving up a lot of whatç—´ on cable.
Do you already have home internet service? If youæ±*e paying for internet and use it often, cord-cutting will probably make financial sense. Adding home internet service just to cut cable TV, on the other hand, will likely be a wash. I don稚 recommend using your phoneç—´ mobile hotspot for internet service if youæ±*e cutting the cord.
Are you just tired of cable? Some arguments in favor of cord-cutting aren稚 strictly about saving money. It痴 also a way to see fewer ads, unclutter your living room, set up TVs anywhere in the house, and avoid the annual ritual of haggling for lower rates.
Are you willing to be flexible? Despite its many virtues, cord-cutting is not a magic solution that gives you the exact same experience as cable for less money. You値l need to be comfortable using new technology or new apps, and keeping every channel you had with cable might limit your ability to save money. The more youæ±*e willing to adapt, the better your experience will be.
Cord-cutting basics
At a basic level, cutting the cord requires several elements:
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Roku Streaming Stick+
Read TechHive's review
$59.00See Iton Amazon
Internet service: You will almost certainly need home internet service to cut the cord, along with a Wi-Fi router, so your streaming devices can get online from any part of the house. As a rule of thumb, home internet speeds should be at least 15Mbps (megabits per second) for each device you plan to have running at the same time. If you tend to have three TVs playing at once, you値l ideally have home internet speed of at least 45Mbps. Thatç—´ tough to get with DSL or satellite service, so you might need to stick with your cable company for broadband service (unless youæ±*e fortunate enough to have access to fiber broadband or a similar fat pipe).
Streaming services: To replace your TV service, you will subscribe to one or more online video services. These can include on-demand video services such as Netflix or a bundle of live TV channels such as YouTube TV. There are also plenty of free sources of streaming video that you can use to pad your subscriptions.
Streaming devices: Once you致e subscribed to some streaming services, you値l access them by downloading their apps on a streaming device, such as Roku痴 Streaming Stick or Amazon痴 Fire TV Stick. These devices plug into your television痴 HDMI port and connect to the internet over your home Wi-Fi network, and they値l work even if you don稚 own a smart TV connects to the internet.
If you do have a smart TV, you can use this in place of a separate streaming device if it has all of the apps and services you want. (TVs that are more than a few years old probably won稚, especially if theyæ±*e not running Rokuç—´ software.) But to be clear, you do not need a smart TV to cut the cord.
One more thing: Each television must have its own way to stream, whether it痴 though a streaming device or a smart TV. If you have four TVs, and only two of them have up-to-date smart TV software, you値l need to buy two additional streaming devices. The good news is that unlike your cable box, devices like Roku and Fire TV don稚 involve any ongoing equipment rental fees, so you only need to stomach the up-front cost.
(Optional) An antenna: With an over-the-air antenna and good reception, you can watch broadcast channels like ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and PBS for free, along with some lesser-known subnetworks such as MeTV and Comet. Most modern TVs have an input for your antennaç—´ coaxial cable, so you can just plug it in, run a channel scan, and start watching without a separate tuner box or other additional hardware. You can also buy a DVR to record channels from an antenna. More on that later.
cordcuttingflow
Jared Newman / TechHive
A basic cord-cutting setup will involve one or more televisions, each connected to its own streaming device that can download apps over your home Wi-Fi connection.
My short and sweet recommendation
Now that we致e established the basics, if you were to ask me for the simplest, easiest way to cut the cord, I壇 probably tell you to sign up for YouTube TV and Netflix (my favorite live and on-demand streaming services respectively), buy a Roku Streaming Stick+ (my favorite low-cost device that supports both of those services), and be done with it.
But as we know, TV isn稚 one-size-fits-all anymore. If it was, we壇 all just be sticking with cable and absorbing its increasingly expensive prices. Being able to pick and choose is what makes cord-cutting great. The trade-off is that it takes some legwork to get there. Let痴 tackle that now.
Streaming services: Choose your path
When figuring out which streaming services you need to have before you can cut the cord, there are two potential paths you can go down.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Apple TV 4K
Read TechHive's review
$179.00See Iton Apple
One involves keeping most or all of the channels you currently watch with cable. For that, you値l need a live TV streaming service such as Sling TV, DirecTV Now, YouTube TV, or Hulu with Live TV. These services essentially replicate the cable bundle by offering dozens of live channels, along with familiar features like DVR and a channel guide. Depending on where you live, you might be able to watch most or all of your local broadcast channels as well. You won稚 maximize your savings with these services, which mostly cost upwards of $40 per month, but you won稚 have to make many sacrifices either.
directvnow4 Jared Newman / TechHive
Live TV streaming services such as DirecTV Now allow you to watch cable channels over the internet.
The other path involves cobbling together your own TV plan through on-demand services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, free video sources like Pluto TV, and perhaps an over-the-air antenna. Going this route means giving up traditional cable channels like ESPN, regional sports networks, and CNN entirely, but it can save you a lot more money.
These two approaches do allow for some overlap. You might, for instance, combine a YouTube TV subscription with Netflix, or supplement Sling TV with an antenna. Unfortunately, cord-cutting doesn稚 offer a middle ground in the form of 殿 la carte cable TV channels. For a variety of complex reasons, you can稚 simply shed 80 percent of your cable channels and pay 20 percent of the price. Instead, you can trim around the edges with a live TV streaming service, or blow up the bundle entirely with alternative services like Netflix.
How to choose a live TV streaming service
If you opt for a live TV streaming service, there are currently seven options available in the United States: Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, DirecTV Now, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Philo, and AT&T Watch. Each of these services has a different channel lineup, so your first step should be to rule out the ones that lack your favorite channels.
Here are a few resources that can help:
The Streamable痴 channel finder tool lets you type in the channels, shows, and sports teams you want, then spits out a list of matching services based on your zip code. It痴 super easy to use, though I致e noticed that it sometimes avoids listing YouTube TV in its top picks even when it痴 the cheapest option. (Look below the site痴 featured picks to see how every live TV service stacks up, including YouTube TV.)
Suppose.TV offers a similar channel finder service, and while itç—´ not as slick-looking, it offers some extra tools for refining your search. For instance, you can narrow down services based on which streaming devices they support, or by how many screens you can watch a given service on at the same time.
If you just want to see a big list of channels and which services support them, our own live TV streaming guide has you covered.
streamable
The Streamableç—´ Channel Finder is a quick way to figure out which live TV services have all the channels you want.
Once you致e narrowed things down by channel lineup, you can start comparing features. Here痴 a rundown of what to look for:
DVR: Some live TV services limit your total recording hours, while others limit how long you can store each recording. (DirecTV Now places limits on both.)
Ad-skipping: Some services charge extra to skip ads in your recordings, while others block ad-skipping on certain channels.
Simultaneous streams: Live TV services, don稚 limit how many total televisions you can set up, but they do limit the number of devices you can use at the same time. Some services let you pay extra for additional streams.
Out-of-home viewing: If you plan to take a streaming device on vacation or share your login with a relative, be aware that some services restrict this behavior.
Video quality: Most cable TV channels stream at 720p, but some services are better than others at supporting the smooth 60 frames-per-second video that sports and news broadcasts use.
Surround sound: Unfortunately, 5.1 audio is still pretty much unheard-of in live TV streaming, though some exceptions exist for on-demand video.
The chart below, which is current as or February 2019, provides an overview of how these features compare:
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Nuvyyo Tablo Dual Lite DVR
Read TechHive's review
$140.00See Iton Tablo
If you still have more than one potential match after going through all this, I suggest trying them out after you致e chosen a streaming device. (More on that shortly.) All of these services offer free trials, so you can get a feel for how they work and cancel online with no hassles.
Wait! Thereç—´ more! Click here to see recommendations for the best video-on-demand services, TV antennas, and streaming devices.
On-demand entertainment alternatives
Compared to live TV streaming, on-demand services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu are a simpler way to cut the cord. You don稚 have to deal with weird DVR rules, ad-skipping is often the norm, and there are no arcane restrictions on where youæ±*e allowed to watch. These services are also much cheaper than a channel bundle, so you can save more money. Be prepared, however, to give up a lot of whatç—´ currently airing on TV, especially as Netflix and others emphasize original programming over licensed shows.
On-demand services like Netflix give you a huge library of things to watch溶o DVR required.
To get started, I suggest picking at least one of the 澱ig three services I mentioned above, as it値l give you a large base of movies and shows to watch:
Netflix ($12.99 per month for HD streaming) has the most original programming, along with lots of movies and a decent number of TV shows.
Hulu ($5.99 per month with ads, $11.99 per month without) is great for watching shows from ABC, NBC, and Fox, which appear on the service the day after they air. It also carries some classic network TV shows (like Seinfeld), plus a small number of originals and movies.
Amazon Prime Video ($8.99 per month) has lots of movies and a decent selection of originals, and you can bundle it with other Prime benefits (like free Amazon shipping and a good selection of ad-free streaming music) for $12.99 per month or $119 per year.
From there, you can tack on other services as needed. These can include premium cable channels like HBO and Showtime, niche services like Mubi or CuriosityStream, and ad-supported services such as Pluto TV and Tubi. Again, you would download these apps to your streaming device, and sign up for a subscription if necessary.
TechHiveç—´ resident movie critic, Jeffrey M. Anderson, has compiled an in-depth list of alternatives to those services as well, which you can read here.
Reelgood offers a search engine for streaming video, so you can figure out which services carry specific movies and TV shows.
Hereç—´ a big list of free streaming services you might find useful.
None of these services have long-term contracts, so you can easily drop them if you run out of things to watch. Individual movie rentals or TV show purchases (from stores like Apple iTunes and Amazon Video) can also be cheaper than subscribing to an entire service if all youæ±*e after is one show or a handful of movies.
You can subscribe to individual sports leagues such as MLB, NHL, and NBA without a live TV bundle, but only for out-of-market games. Likewise, the a la carte ESPN+ service only offers sporting events that aren稚 on cable.
Should I buy a TV antenna?
While an antenna isn稚 necessary to cut the cord, it makes a great supplement to on-demand streaming services, and can fill the gaps in live TV streaming services that don稚 include full local channel coverage. You can even connect an over-the-air DVR such as TiVo or Nuvyyo痴 Tablo and record prime-time shows.
Hereç—´ how to get started:
Use TVFoolç—´ address lookup tool to locate broadcast channels in your area. Channels highlighted in green will likely be viewable with an indoor antenna. An attic antenna is probably necessary for channels highlighted in yellow, and a roof-mounted antenna will be the required for channels highlighted in red.
For antenna recommendations, we致e tested a bunch of them, but you might not have to spend big on a name brand if youæ±*e within 10 miles of major stations. A cheap, flat-panel, indoor antenna may do the job.
If you壇 like to record broadcast channels, I致e reviewed most over-the-air DVRs here.
How to choose a streaming device
Once you致e selected your streaming services, you can finally choose a streaming device to watch on. Our full buying guide is here, but my top picks are below:
Rokuç—´ Streaming Stick+ ($60) is my default device pick for cord-cutters. Itç—´ inexpensive, itç—´ easy to use, and it has broad app support. Itç—´ also future-proof if you decide to get a 4K HDR TV, and does a great job highlighting free content.
Amazonç—´ Fire TV Stick 4K ($50) is more forward-thinking than Roku, with a home screen that recommends things to watch instead of just showing app icons, but this approach is also more cumbersome to navigate. If you have an Amazon Echo or other Alexa speaker, you can control Fire TV hands-free, which is neat.
Apple TV 4K ($180) is the most polished streaming device on the market, with speedy menus and powerful Siri voice commands, and it never distracts you with ads on its home screen like Fire TV and Roku do. But that polish comes at a price.
Googleç—´ Chromecast ($35) doesn稚 use an actual remote. Instead, youæ±*e supposed to download streaming video apps on your phone or tablet, then hit a little 鼎ast button to launch videos on your TV. Itç—´ useful as a supplemental device, but probably shouldn稚 be the cornerstone of your streaming setup.
If youæ±*e stuck on which streaming device to get, the Roku Streaming Stick+ is the safest bet.
Before you pull the trigger, make sure the device youæ±*e considering supports the streaming services you致e chosen. Most major services work on every streaming platform, with one exception: Amazon Prime doesn稚 support Googleç—´ Chromecast or Android TV devices. The chart below lists device support for each of the current live TV streaming services.
The Nvidia Shield TV ($180) is a great option for geeks. Itç—´ fast and offers some powerful do-it-yourself DVR options, but Googleç—´ Android TV software is not the most intuitive and it supports fewer apps than other platforms.
Now is a better time than ever to cut the cable or satellite TV cord. Instead of paying upwards of $100 per month for a bloated channel bundle, you can replace it with streaming TV servicesé*�nd perhaps an TV antennaé*�t a fraction of the cost.
Sorting through these new options isn稚 always easy, though, especially if you aren稚 tech savvy. Whereas cable made everything simple, cutting the cord requires picking from a dozen different hardware options and many more online video services, not all of which are compatible with one another. Adding an over-the-air TV antenna to the mix creates even further headache potential.
I致e been a cord-cutter for more than a decade, have written a weekly column on the topic since 2014, and I write a cord-cutting newsletter for more than 16,000 subscribers. With so many people being priced out of cable, now seems like the perfect time to create a definitive cord-cutting guide for folks who don稚 know where to start.
I値l talk you through how to approach cutting cable or satellite TV while answering some of the most common questions, concerns, and pain points I致e heard from readers over the years. I hope that by the end, you値l have all the information you need.
Table of Contents
Should I cut the cord?
Cord-cutting basics
My short and sweet recommendation
Streaming services: Choose your path
How to choose a live TV streaming service
On-demand entertainment alternatives
Should I buy a TV antenna?
How to choose a streaming device
Thatç—´ all folks!
Should I cut the cord?
Before we dive into how to cut the cord, letç—´ step back and think about whether you should in the first place. Consider the following:
Are you paying at least $50 per month for TV service? Most live TV streaming services start at $40 to $45 per month, so cord-cutting might not save you much if your TV provider is giving you a great deal. Itç—´ possible to spend less with cheaper services such as Netflix, but not without giving up a lot of whatç—´ on cable.
Do you already have home internet service? If youæ±*e paying for internet and use it often, cord-cutting will probably make financial sense. Adding home internet service just to cut cable TV, on the other hand, will likely be a wash. I don稚 recommend using your phoneç—´ mobile hotspot for internet service if youæ±*e cutting the cord.
Are you just tired of cable? Some arguments in favor of cord-cutting aren稚 strictly about saving money. It痴 also a way to see fewer ads, unclutter your living room, set up TVs anywhere in the house, and avoid the annual ritual of haggling for lower rates.
Are you willing to be flexible? Despite its many virtues, cord-cutting is not a magic solution that gives you the exact same experience as cable for less money. You値l need to be comfortable using new technology or new apps, and keeping every channel you had with cable might limit your ability to save money. The more youæ±*e willing to adapt, the better your experience will be.
Cord-cutting basics
At a basic level, cutting the cord requires several elements:
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Roku Streaming Stick+
Read TechHive's review
$59.00See Iton Amazon
Internet service: You will almost certainly need home internet service to cut the cord, along with a Wi-Fi router, so your streaming devices can get online from any part of the house. As a rule of thumb, home internet speeds should be at least 15Mbps (megabits per second) for each device you plan to have running at the same time. If you tend to have three TVs playing at once, you値l ideally have home internet speed of at least 45Mbps. Thatç—´ tough to get with DSL or satellite service, so you might need to stick with your cable company for broadband service (unless youæ±*e fortunate enough to have access to fiber broadband or a similar fat pipe).
Streaming services: To replace your TV service, you will subscribe to one or more online video services. These can include on-demand video services such as Netflix or a bundle of live TV channels such as YouTube TV. There are also plenty of free sources of streaming video that you can use to pad your subscriptions.
Streaming devices: Once you致e subscribed to some streaming services, you値l access them by downloading their apps on a streaming device, such as Roku痴 Streaming Stick or Amazon痴 Fire TV Stick. These devices plug into your television痴 HDMI port and connect to the internet over your home Wi-Fi network, and they値l work even if you don稚 own a smart TV connects to the internet.
If you do have a smart TV, you can use this in place of a separate streaming device if it has all of the apps and services you want. (TVs that are more than a few years old probably won稚, especially if theyæ±*e not running Rokuç—´ software.) But to be clear, you do not need a smart TV to cut the cord.
One more thing: Each television must have its own way to stream, whether it痴 though a streaming device or a smart TV. If you have four TVs, and only two of them have up-to-date smart TV software, you値l need to buy two additional streaming devices. The good news is that unlike your cable box, devices like Roku and Fire TV don稚 involve any ongoing equipment rental fees, so you only need to stomach the up-front cost.
(Optional) An antenna: With an over-the-air antenna and good reception, you can watch broadcast channels like ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and PBS for free, along with some lesser-known subnetworks such as MeTV and Comet. Most modern TVs have an input for your antennaç—´ coaxial cable, so you can just plug it in, run a channel scan, and start watching without a separate tuner box or other additional hardware. You can also buy a DVR to record channels from an antenna. More on that later.
cordcuttingflow
Jared Newman / TechHive
A basic cord-cutting setup will involve one or more televisions, each connected to its own streaming device that can download apps over your home Wi-Fi connection.
My short and sweet recommendation
Now that we致e established the basics, if you were to ask me for the simplest, easiest way to cut the cord, I壇 probably tell you to sign up for YouTube TV and Netflix (my favorite live and on-demand streaming services respectively), buy a Roku Streaming Stick+ (my favorite low-cost device that supports both of those services), and be done with it.
But as we know, TV isn稚 one-size-fits-all anymore. If it was, we壇 all just be sticking with cable and absorbing its increasingly expensive prices. Being able to pick and choose is what makes cord-cutting great. The trade-off is that it takes some legwork to get there. Let痴 tackle that now.
Streaming services: Choose your path
When figuring out which streaming services you need to have before you can cut the cord, there are two potential paths you can go down.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Apple TV 4K
Read TechHive's review
$179.00See Iton Apple
One involves keeping most or all of the channels you currently watch with cable. For that, you値l need a live TV streaming service such as Sling TV, DirecTV Now, YouTube TV, or Hulu with Live TV. These services essentially replicate the cable bundle by offering dozens of live channels, along with familiar features like DVR and a channel guide. Depending on where you live, you might be able to watch most or all of your local broadcast channels as well. You won稚 maximize your savings with these services, which mostly cost upwards of $40 per month, but you won稚 have to make many sacrifices either.
directvnow4 Jared Newman / TechHive
Live TV streaming services such as DirecTV Now allow you to watch cable channels over the internet.
The other path involves cobbling together your own TV plan through on-demand services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, free video sources like Pluto TV, and perhaps an over-the-air antenna. Going this route means giving up traditional cable channels like ESPN, regional sports networks, and CNN entirely, but it can save you a lot more money.
These two approaches do allow for some overlap. You might, for instance, combine a YouTube TV subscription with Netflix, or supplement Sling TV with an antenna. Unfortunately, cord-cutting doesn稚 offer a middle ground in the form of 殿 la carte cable TV channels. For a variety of complex reasons, you can稚 simply shed 80 percent of your cable channels and pay 20 percent of the price. Instead, you can trim around the edges with a live TV streaming service, or blow up the bundle entirely with alternative services like Netflix.
How to choose a live TV streaming service
If you opt for a live TV streaming service, there are currently seven options available in the United States: Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, DirecTV Now, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Philo, and AT&T Watch. Each of these services has a different channel lineup, so your first step should be to rule out the ones that lack your favorite channels.
Here are a few resources that can help:
The Streamable痴 channel finder tool lets you type in the channels, shows, and sports teams you want, then spits out a list of matching services based on your zip code. It痴 super easy to use, though I致e noticed that it sometimes avoids listing YouTube TV in its top picks even when it痴 the cheapest option. (Look below the site痴 featured picks to see how every live TV service stacks up, including YouTube TV.)
Suppose.TV offers a similar channel finder service, and while itç—´ not as slick-looking, it offers some extra tools for refining your search. For instance, you can narrow down services based on which streaming devices they support, or by how many screens you can watch a given service on at the same time.
If you just want to see a big list of channels and which services support them, our own live TV streaming guide has you covered.
streamable
The Streamableç—´ Channel Finder is a quick way to figure out which live TV services have all the channels you want.
Once you致e narrowed things down by channel lineup, you can start comparing features. Here痴 a rundown of what to look for:
DVR: Some live TV services limit your total recording hours, while others limit how long you can store each recording. (DirecTV Now places limits on both.)
Ad-skipping: Some services charge extra to skip ads in your recordings, while others block ad-skipping on certain channels.
Simultaneous streams: Live TV services, don稚 limit how many total televisions you can set up, but they do limit the number of devices you can use at the same time. Some services let you pay extra for additional streams.
Out-of-home viewing: If you plan to take a streaming device on vacation or share your login with a relative, be aware that some services restrict this behavior.
Video quality: Most cable TV channels stream at 720p, but some services are better than others at supporting the smooth 60 frames-per-second video that sports and news broadcasts use.
Surround sound: Unfortunately, 5.1 audio is still pretty much unheard-of in live TV streaming, though some exceptions exist for on-demand video.
The chart below, which is current as or February 2019, provides an overview of how these features compare:
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Nuvyyo Tablo Dual Lite DVR
Read TechHive's review
$140.00See Iton Tablo
If you still have more than one potential match after going through all this, I suggest trying them out after you致e chosen a streaming device. (More on that shortly.) All of these services offer free trials, so you can get a feel for how they work and cancel online with no hassles.
Wait! Thereç—´ more! Click here to see recommendations for the best video-on-demand services, TV antennas, and streaming devices.
On-demand entertainment alternatives
Compared to live TV streaming, on-demand services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu are a simpler way to cut the cord. You don稚 have to deal with weird DVR rules, ad-skipping is often the norm, and there are no arcane restrictions on where youæ±*e allowed to watch. These services are also much cheaper than a channel bundle, so you can save more money. Be prepared, however, to give up a lot of whatç—´ currently airing on TV, especially as Netflix and others emphasize original programming over licensed shows.
On-demand services like Netflix give you a huge library of things to watch溶o DVR required.
To get started, I suggest picking at least one of the 澱ig three services I mentioned above, as it値l give you a large base of movies and shows to watch:
Netflix ($12.99 per month for HD streaming) has the most original programming, along with lots of movies and a decent number of TV shows.
Hulu ($5.99 per month with ads, $11.99 per month without) is great for watching shows from ABC, NBC, and Fox, which appear on the service the day after they air. It also carries some classic network TV shows (like Seinfeld), plus a small number of originals and movies.
Amazon Prime Video ($8.99 per month) has lots of movies and a decent selection of originals, and you can bundle it with other Prime benefits (like free Amazon shipping and a good selection of ad-free streaming music) for $12.99 per month or $119 per year.
From there, you can tack on other services as needed. These can include premium cable channels like HBO and Showtime, niche services like Mubi or CuriosityStream, and ad-supported services such as Pluto TV and Tubi. Again, you would download these apps to your streaming device, and sign up for a subscription if necessary.
TechHiveç—´ resident movie critic, Jeffrey M. Anderson, has compiled an in-depth list of alternatives to those services as well, which you can read here.
Reelgood offers a search engine for streaming video, so you can figure out which services carry specific movies and TV shows.
Hereç—´ a big list of free streaming services you might find useful.
None of these services have long-term contracts, so you can easily drop them if you run out of things to watch. Individual movie rentals or TV show purchases (from stores like Apple iTunes and Amazon Video) can also be cheaper than subscribing to an entire service if all youæ±*e after is one show or a handful of movies.
You can subscribe to individual sports leagues such as MLB, NHL, and NBA without a live TV bundle, but only for out-of-market games. Likewise, the a la carte ESPN+ service only offers sporting events that aren稚 on cable.
Should I buy a TV antenna?
While an antenna isn稚 necessary to cut the cord, it makes a great supplement to on-demand streaming services, and can fill the gaps in live TV streaming services that don稚 include full local channel coverage. You can even connect an over-the-air DVR such as TiVo or Nuvyyo痴 Tablo and record prime-time shows.
Hereç—´ how to get started:
Use TVFoolç—´ address lookup tool to locate broadcast channels in your area. Channels highlighted in green will likely be viewable with an indoor antenna. An attic antenna is probably necessary for channels highlighted in yellow, and a roof-mounted antenna will be the required for channels highlighted in red.
For antenna recommendations, we致e tested a bunch of them, but you might not have to spend big on a name brand if youæ±*e within 10 miles of major stations. A cheap, flat-panel, indoor antenna may do the job.
If you壇 like to record broadcast channels, I致e reviewed most over-the-air DVRs here.
How to choose a streaming device
Once you致e selected your streaming services, you can finally choose a streaming device to watch on. Our full buying guide is here, but my top picks are below:
Rokuç—´ Streaming Stick+ ($60) is my default device pick for cord-cutters. Itç—´ inexpensive, itç—´ easy to use, and it has broad app support. Itç—´ also future-proof if you decide to get a 4K HDR TV, and does a great job highlighting free content.
Amazonç—´ Fire TV Stick 4K ($50) is more forward-thinking than Roku, with a home screen that recommends things to watch instead of just showing app icons, but this approach is also more cumbersome to navigate. If you have an Amazon Echo or other Alexa speaker, you can control Fire TV hands-free, which is neat.
Apple TV 4K ($180) is the most polished streaming device on the market, with speedy menus and powerful Siri voice commands, and it never distracts you with ads on its home screen like Fire TV and Roku do. But that polish comes at a price.
Googleç—´ Chromecast ($35) doesn稚 use an actual remote. Instead, youæ±*e supposed to download streaming video apps on your phone or tablet, then hit a little 鼎ast button to launch videos on your TV. Itç—´ useful as a supplemental device, but probably shouldn稚 be the cornerstone of your streaming setup.
If youæ±*e stuck on which streaming device to get, the Roku Streaming Stick+ is the safest bet.
Before you pull the trigger, make sure the device youæ±*e considering supports the streaming services you致e chosen. Most major services work on every streaming platform, with one exception: Amazon Prime doesn稚 support Googleç—´ Chromecast or Android TV devices. The chart below lists device support for each of the current live TV streaming services.
The Nvidia Shield TV ($180) is a great option for geeks. Itç—´ fast and offers some powerful do-it-yourself DVR options, but Googleç—´ Android TV software is not the most intuitive and it supports fewer apps than other platforms.
