So, I don’t have cable or satellite TV at home. I cut the cord about two years ago, and big thanks the switch to digital television in the United States in June 2009, like many other Americans who could no longer afford the triple digital cable bill, I cut the cord and went old school. The rising costs of pay TV providers along with the weak economy, made me give this old technology a second chance. There are millions of Americans now who watch TV over the air using an antenna and supplementing it with on demand programming such as Netflix and Hulu Plus through set-top boxes like Roku. That’s pretty much what I did like a lot of other people, and this is basically the free and cheap alternative to cable and satellite.
Keep in mind, this does require a high-speed Internet connection in your home, so if you’re looking to sever all ties with your pay TV provider, you will not be capable of streaming the latest movies and shows through on-demand programming when using a set-top box or your smart TV. This also requires running extra cables plugged into your TV set and running additional hardware. If you have a modern television set and broadband Internet connection at home, you’re all set. Before you make your trip to your local “big box” store or shopping for what you will need online, here’s what you should do to cut the cord.
Antenna
Remember when you could watch television over the airwaves for free before cable? (If you’re under 25, ask you parents). These channels are still available to you at no cost…if you have an antenna. The design and performance of antennas have changed substantially over the last several years. Antennas are now 10% the mass they were decades ago. So we’re not talking about the clunky rabbit ears of the old. Antenna manufacturers like Mohu and Antennas Direct are creating high performance long-range units that are pleasing to the eye visually as home decor, resulting in smaller creative and industrial-like designs. Thanks to the transition to digital signals in June 2009, the technologies and performance of free digital TV has also drastically improved.
The thing about OTA (over the air) TV going from analog to digital really set the free TV experience free again. This new technology allowed broadcast stations to add sub-channels on what used to be one analog channel. Which basically increases our choices in programming. Instead of just having the major networks like ABC and CBS, now we have sub-channels that features movies, lifestyle programming, classic TV shows, music videos, and children’s channels depending where you live. Along with Spanish and Chinese language broadcasts. You won’t be getting cable networks like MTV, ESPN or Comedy Central, but OTA TV channels now somewhat duplicate the content of programming you see on cable and satellite. The picture and sound is actually better than what you’re getting on cable and satellite, since most pay television providers have to deliver hundreds of channels, plus broadband and phone service so the TV signal is compressed to conserve bandwidth. All the major networks are broadcast in HD. Outside of a Blu-ray movie, this is the best output I’ve ever seen on my TV set, and did I mention it’s free?
Before cable, watching OTA TV with an antenna had its vulnerable moments, resulting in ghosting and noise. One of the major selling points of cable TV in the analog era was that it was the only reliable way to get a clear signal from the free network channels. Because of the switch from analog to digital signals, we’ve seen improved picture and sound quality. And more channel choices. With improved features and technology, OTA is basically becoming the “new” basic cable. The only thing I pay from Comcast these days is high-speed Internet at home every month.
I highly recommend the Mohu Leaf indoor antenna if you’re planning to cut the cord. It’s currently one of the top indoor HDTV antennas in the market. There are two different types of Mohu Leaf. There is the standard indoor antenna from Mohu, which is good if you are 30 to 35 miles away from broadcast towers. And the amplified version which can also pull in more channels out of reach from the regular antenna and the amplified Mohu works within a 50 mile range. Depending on your location, how far you are from broadcasting towers and the design of your home, you can pull in a surprising number of OTA channels. I pulled in 35 from my Mohu Leaf antenna, and I live in San Francisco. Typically major cities carry more networks and programming choices, but free OTA TV is still expanding. I wouldn’t know too much about outdoor antennas, but they can pull in signals from 70 miles away. But if you (or your significant other) are more into industrial design, and live beyond the reach of broadcast towers in your area, an outdoor antenna is recommended for getting the most out of your free digital TV experience.
I wouldn’t know too much about other indoor antennas. I don’t recommend getting an older rabbit ears antenna on eBay that people used during the analog era, since there’s so many modern antennas on the market today that are better. I do like Antennas Direct’s Clearstream Micron. But I’m more of a Mohu Leaf guy. But it’s all about your preference and people’s first hand experiences with which modern indoor antenna they use. All television sets made since 2007 (when built-in digital tuners became a federal requirement) and if you don’t have one, in order to watch free TV you will need a converter box to receive digital signals from your analog television set.
Renting DVD’s
Another thing I recommend is checking out your local library. Did you know your library in your town has many movies on DVD that you can borrow for free? The library here in San Francisco carries a countless number of movies and TV shows on DVD and I highly recommend going to your local library to borrow a DVD copy of a movie you want to watch in case they have it. Be sure to check your local library’s website to see the list of DVD’s they do carry that you can borrow and bring home to watch on your DVD player or gaming console. Also try trading DVD’s with your friends and family.
Set-Top Box
By supplementing your TV experience, the next step is to choose your hardware for on-demand programming delivered via your Internet connection. You may already have this capability in an existing device if you own a gaming console like Xbox 360, Sony Playstation 3 or Nintendo Wii. Or perhaps you’ve bought a Smart TV or Blu-ray player with built-in Wi-Fi. But if that doesn’t work out, you should get yourself a set-top box. Remember, in order to make this work you have to continue subscribing to high-speed Internet services from your cable provider. If you have to supplement your TV experience by buying yourself a set-top box like Roku or Apple TV on your TV (via HDMI), you should most definitely do it.
The rise of Internet video also eased the pain of losing your favorite cable channels. Internet video providers such as Hulu and Netflix carry a vast library of movies and TV shows you can choose and watch. And it costs only $8 a month. Although some movies and TV shows you love might not be available to stream, it’s tough to beat the price.
If you own an older analog TV set without an HDMI port, it won’t be possible to turn your older TV into a smart TV with a set-top box. Chromecast and Apple TV will only work for modern TV sets that includes an HDMI port, so I wouldn’t recommend getting any of those. But various models of Roku, from the $50 Roku LT and other mid-tier models contain a composite A/V cable so it will be able to work on an older TV set. The $99 Roku 3 only uses HDMI so I wouldn’t recommend getting it if you own an older TV without HDMI ports. But if you own a television set with built-in digital tuners made since 2007, you should be fine.
Apple TV and various models of Roku are great alternatives from buying yourself a brand new 55 inch Smart TV from Best Buy during the Holiday season. Apple TV and Roku both contain a wide variety on on-demand programming you can stream onto your TV. If you’re a big Apple fanatic yourself and would like that “Designed in Cupertino” finish in the comfort of your own living room, then you would love the Apple TV. Apple TV also contains an iTunes app, something which Roku lacks. But Roku makes up for it by including an Amazon Instant video store, which is unavailable on Apple TV.
I use Roku and Chromecast on my TV. Chromecast is limited in content, making it more of a curiosity than primary option for mainstream customers. But it’s worth definitely keeping an eye out on. Roku is currently one of the best set-top boxes out there with more than 1,000 channels to choose from to stream video. There’s a lot of free content and some paid subscriptions services like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, and Hulu Plus. I personally like the Roku, except my gripes with Roku is that they don’t have a YouTube channel. But there’s a lot of content on Roku even though most of it is of limited appeal. I personally like Chromecast because it has the ability to stream online video from YouTube while using my laptop onto your TV via HDMI, while Roku lacks a YouTube channel currently. But I use both set-top devices through my TV for the most part.
Most of the best stuff on Roku does require a subscription, but it’s far cheaper than paying the triple digital cable bill every month. But please remember to keep in mind on how many channels you subscribe to. Roku even has a PBS and PBS Kids channel. Using just Netflix and Hulu Plus (each require $8 per month subscriptions) gives you a good variety of popular programming. Between the two, you can binge on previous seasons from everything of Downton Abbey and Breaking Bad, watch current episodes of The Daily Show and Parks and Recreation and make a dent in your bucket list of must-see film classics.
There are drawbacks however. Most having to do with content licensing restrictions. Netflix still has a good number of films in its vast library that are unavailable for streaming. With Hulu Plus, TV shows are generally embargoed until at least the day after their original programming network air dates. And there can be some restrictions on which seasons of a show are available. Perhaps most frustrating is that licensing terms for some shows stipulate that they can be viewed through on a computer or mobile phone for free, but are restricted from being viewed on a TV even with a paid Hulu Plus subscription. But remember, you have an antenna and it gives you free OTA network channels. If you’re able to work your schedule around the networks (like the old days) might be able to minimize this inconvenience.
I’ve been using Roku LT to stream the latest recommended movies and binge through the latest episodes of The Walking Dead on Netflix. It’s been quite a traditional TV experience, with the bonus of being able to rewind and pause what I’m watching. The best thing about on-demand programming and streaming videos through a set-top device like Roku is that I get to choose what I watch on my own schedule, juggling the demands of work, friends and family. Other than streaming the latest episodes and seasons I’ve missed from cable network shows on Netflix or Hulu Plus, I enjoy listening to recorded music from my favorite rock bands while using my Roku LT. Roku also has a Facebook and Spotify app, so you can dive into the social-networking experience through the expense of your own TV rather than just using your laptop or smartphone.
Live Sports
Live sports tends to be a difficult option what many people think about before legitimately dropping their pay TV package.
Licensing and other restrictions make watching live sports more complicated through a streaming device. Live sports such as professional wrestling mostly gain their revenue through pay TV, and cutting the cord might not yet be a feasible option if you’re a die-hard Wrestlemaniac. It might not even be a reasonable option if you’re as sports junkie who really needs to get the latest updates through ESPN or EPSN 2. But remember, with an antenna, you get OTA broadcasts of big sporting events such as the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, and the Olympics. If you’re able to arrange your schedule just in time to catch the latest New England Patriots game, like the old days, as long as there are no blackout restrictions in case the stadium doesn’t sell out, you should be able to watch your favorite football team play a game on your local OTA channel.
Thankfully, Apple TV and Roku does offer sports channels for the NBA, MLB, and NHL for streaming. However, they’re not cheap and single season could cost you about $200. But if you can’t get enough of your Boston Red Sox if you live in L.A, and want to keep up with baseball season, I would recommend it.
Final Words
Since these are my personal recommendations for free and cheap alternatives to cable and satellite TV, what do I personally think about pay TV? I thought it was great personally when my parents first got cable through Comcast back in the early 90’s growing up. But with the growth of new technologies in the digital age, rising prices, weak economy and getting tired of paying $100 a month for 200 channels which 97% of them I would never watch, I cut the cord. Also, there were too many trashy reality shows, repetitive reruns of syndicated sitcoms I could get on The CW or MyNetworkTV and I saw no interest in paying for that every month.
90% of Americans still use pay television services, but a lot of them don’t know that there are legitimate free and cheap alternatives to pay TV. Pay TV is undeniably a richer experience, but it is worth the 330% premium? Not for me. You get better picture quality and sound compared to cable and satellite by just using a modern indoor antenna hooked up on the coaxial port through your TV set.
You can access movies and cable network shows on the Internet and through streaming video providers such as Netflix and Hulu Plus. And watching it on a TV through a set-top box like Roku is much more satisfying than watching it through a small computer screen or mobile phone. And watching the latest syndicated episode of Big Bang Theory in stunning HD is better than watching the compressed version of the same program I was getting on cable. That makes it nearly impossible for me from going back to a cable TV subscription.
It’s ultimately everyone’s choice whether to cut the cord or not. But thinking of the money you’re saving especially in this tough economy, I pay $96 a year for Netflix to stream the movies and sitcoms I want to watch. Which is saving big time compared to the $1,932 every year I was paying for cable from Comcast. Such as taxes, fees, and set-top rental. I dropped the TV package and I am basically right now using their Internet-only plan for $40 a month. My total spendings from one-time hardware purchase (I spent $54 on Roku LT counting taxes), buying an indoor HDTV antenna, and subscribing to Netflix and Hulu Plus every month, my recurring bills add up to $616 this year. A huge savings!
Right now in the digital TV age, TV antennas are making a surprising comeback. Supplemented with Internet video such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, and YouTube. Some people don’t cut the cord. But if you don’t want to because you love watching live sports, sometimes you can negotiate with your cable or satellite company in getting your monthly bill lowered. It can happen by threatening to leave your cable or satellite TV provider for a competitor, and sometimes they can give you a reasonable rate on your next cable bill. But cutting the cord can you save you over a thousand dollars every year and with these new technologies they now have in the digital age, there are free and cheap alternatives to pay TV providers.
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