Droping my high dollar TV boxes and going to an Android box

[Flench]

I see I can watch more channels and not have to pay the unreal money these companys charge by just getting an Android box and run Zodi and a few other's to get free TV ,   Do I need to run  a VPN service if I do this ? I pay $80 a month and get less than 30 chanels . Now that's a rip off . I am new to all this so please any help would be great . Thx

[Skuzzy]

When I 'cut the cord', I went with a Roku device, which seems to be one of the best supported streaming devices around.  Then I added an over the air antennae with a Tablo DVR.

The Tablo has a Roku channel, which allows all of it to be controlled using the Roku remote.

I really like the search capability of the Roku as it will search all the channels you have subscribed to for the content you want, by actor or by title. 

I added Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime for the premium streaming content channels.

And that's it.  It is a different world, but once you get used to it, it is hard to go back to regular broadcast television.

[Flench]

Thank you Skuzzy .  These satalite people are just a rip off and my contract is up . This is the kind of info I have been looking for . Thanks again.

[Skuzzy]

Good luck with it.

By the way, I started slowly.  First adding the Roku to one television, then to the other one.  Then the antennae, then the Tablo.

The only reason I have over the air channels is for sports.

[Shuffler]

Hulu is coming out with their own setup now too. It is all coming to a head as far as having 200 channels and only 10 or less are worth watching. Such a waste supporting garbage TV.

[Serenity]

Is roku a streaming on demand service? Or does it have channels that play on a schedule like normal cable?

I know it's a bit absurd, but the reason I pay for cable (having a Netflix and Hulu account as well) is because quite often I don't want to have to think about what to watch and would like to just go with "whatever is on"

[Skuzzy]

Hulu is an interesting company.  ABC, Fox, and NBC (working from memory here.  I know CBS is not part of the group) have a stake in Hulu so they have some big money behind them.  I am watching their content roll out to see how well it does.

The thing that has me paying attention to it all is the quality of the native content coming from Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.  They are doing things broadcast television in the U.S. will never do.

Is roku a streaming on demand service? Or does it have channels that play on a schedule like normal cable?

I know it's a bit absurd, but the reason I pay for cable (having a Netflix and Hulu account as well) is because quite often I don't want to have to think about what to watch and would like to just go with "whatever is on"

Roku is a streaming device which acts like a portal to the world of streaming content.  They list hundreds of channels (they have the largest catalog of channels) and you can pick whatever you want to subscribe to.  Many are free, some are not.  The Roku itself has no recurring charge.

You can manage all your streaming channels via the Roku.

[Flench]

Your so right Shuffler , All 200 I get are trying to sell something .  While the Guys that are with Diretv and Dish is setting on a boat somewhere enjoying life to the max .

[Hungry]

I don't get it, I've wanted to cut the cable for awhile, but, you still need "Comcast" to drive the internet to drive a Hulu or Roku no?  I'm so confused!

PS the antennas don't work in my area (west of Chicago) to much interference even with the amplifier, I always laugh when I see the commercial that pictures the guy out in the boat saying "see you can even get reception out here" well duh that's the best place for it not much inference over the water

PPS Our local Comcast used to have TV as a separate line on the bill about 40% of the total bill Cable Internet being the 60%, nowadays TV is $2.99 internet is the balance, they've taken away the incentive to switch.

[Skuzzy]

The Internet service, without the television subscription is much, much cheaper, here.

Yes, you need high speed Internet in order to use a streaming device, but having an Internet connection is going to happen anyway, so it is not an adder.

There are streaming solutions to not being able to use an antennae.  None of them are free.  SlingTV is about the best alternative if you cannot get over the air broadcasts.

Cutting the cord saved us about 85% of what it used to cost to have a subscription service.

[JimmyC]

Kodi

[Hungry]

The Internet service, without the television subscription is much, much cheaper, here.

Yes, you need high speed Internet in order to use a streaming device, but having an Internet connection is going to happen anyway, so it is not an adder.

There are streaming solutions to not being able to use an antennae.  None of them are free.  SlingTV is about the best alternative if you cannot get over the air broadcasts.

Thanks, the only other alternative would have been ATT's U Verse but for some reason they've never brought it to my area, so only standard low speed DSL is here.  Comcast owns my block

[Skuzzy]

Kodi

Kodi is more a media player and does not offer much in the way of streaming service/channel access, unless a lot has changed recently.

I did a ton of research trying to figure the landscape of streaming services and channels.  My personal goal was to bring together a seamless solution for over the air broadcasts and streaming content.  Roku was a no-brainer.  Best supported streaming device there is.  Everyone supports it.

Tablo, due to it working over the network and not relying on a television connection.  It also requires me to provide the hard disk storage, which is the component most likely to fail.  So when it does, I can fix it myself.

[Shuffler]

I have looked at cutting the cable a few times. Eventually I will. I have directv where 35% of the channels are spanish, 30% are just advertisements all day and night, 30% are just garbage that you can't really put in a group, 5% is watchable.

I have Ruku and forget about it from time to time. I use it to watch movies....... lots of movies. I do not pay for any content over it.... yet anyway.

More power to those of you who have taken the step!!!

[Skuzzy]

It is not for everyone.  You have to make the decision if losing certain channels is a deal breaker, or not.

I miss the SyFy stuff as they do not stream their popular shows until the season is over, but I am glad we made the switch.  I am seeing stuff I never would have seen had I not made the switch.