If you've made the decision to join numerous cord cutters and ditch cable
TV, congratulations! No one likes huge bills, especially not when you can find
most of your favorite content online for a lot less. But once you've made that
call, how do you get started — especially if you're not that tech-savvy? We'll
walk you through the process from start to finish.
INVEST IN AN ANTENNA
TV antennas have come a long way since wire hangers and tinfoil. Today, a
sleek and modern antenna can pick up HD-quality broadcasts from major networks
for a fraction of the cable cost. While the quality of the broadcast will depend
on where you're located, the price (free after you buy the antenna, which
typically cost around $30) can't be beat. If you're interested in watching
sports or other live events, broadcast TV is still the most reliable way go.
FIND YOUR FAVORITE STREAMING DIGITAL CONTENT
While watching broadcast television gets you a lot of content, the
selection is limited, and you don't have access to cable shows to which you're
likely addicted. Luckily, there are a lot of online options that provide
on-demand entertainment. The three most well-known are Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon
Prime. Each has strengths and weaknesses:
Netflix has a huge catalog of online movies, as well as television shows
and kids entertainment, which you can stream to your computer, television or
mobile device for $8 a month.
Hulu provides the best access to TV shows, offering the most shows online
the day after they air. Hulu Plus subscribers ($8 a month) get better access to
content, as well as the ability to stream to TV or mobile devices.
Amazon Prime subscribers ($79 a year) also get access to Prime Instant
Video, which has a broad selection of movies and television for streaming.
If you're looking for content you can't find on broadcast television or
streaming sites — and you can't wait for the end of the season to pick it up on
DVD or find it on Netflix — iTunes and Amazon both offer digital video downloads
for current television shows (new episodes are typically online the day after
they've aired) and new-release movies. Expect to pay $2 to $3 per episode or $30
to $60 for a season of television, with typical DVD or Blu-ray costs for
movies.
One word of caution: Keep an eye on how much you're spending per month on
this kind of TV and video content. It's easy to tap a few buttons and get
instant gratification on a show or two, only to get hit with bill shock when you
realize how much you have spent on a few episodes of Game of Thrones and a
season of New Girl.
There are also some new names popping up in the streaming TV and movie
market, such as M-Go and Vdio.
But the new player getting the most attention right now is Aereo
($8-$12/month). Aereo lets you watch regular TV on any device, and lets you
record shows with a DVR. It does it all without any additional cables, set-top
boxes or an antenna, because Aereo has created tiny antennas and connected them
to the Internet. The downside? Aereo isn't available anywhere on the West Coast
… yet. You can check the website for availability.
BRING TV BACK TO THE LIVING ROOM WITH STREAMING BOXES
Now that you have all this entertainment available on your computer,
chances are you want to bring that entertainment to your big screen TV.
Fortunately, this is easy with set-top media streamers. But before you buy, see
if you already have a streaming device in your home: Some televisions, Blu-ray
players, and game consoles will also connect to services such as Netflix, Hulu
and Amazon. If you don't already have something, here are a few options that
won't break the bank:
Roku: If you want content, Roku offers easy access to more online content
than anything else. Set-up is simple: Plug your Roku into your television and
connect it to your Wi-Fi network for instant access to streaming media content.
The new Roku 3 will cost about $100, while older models start at $50.
Apple TV: Though it doesn't have the variety of Roku, it offers iTunes
integration and AirPlay. If you're an Apple fan, both of these are great to have
— but if you don't use iTunes or other Apple products, we recommend Roku. Apple
TV is priced the same as the Roku 3 at $100.
FanTV: Newly announced Fan TV — expected to launch this fall — is the
latest set-top box to get a ton of buzz. It promises to provide streaming, DVR,
replace your cable and offer live television in one package. This, plus rumors
that both Amazonand Microsoft are launching their own set-top boxes this fall
underscore a major trend.
CANCEL YOUR CABLE SERVICE
If you've sorted out how to get great digital content, it's time to cut
that cable cord. Most providers will require a phone call to cancel.
If you're getting Internet from your cable provider, be aware that the cost
for service may go up without a bundle discount, typically between $10 and $20.
If you're told that your bill will go up more than that, it may be time to find
a different Internet provider, as well. While you're on the phone, find out what
exactly your future bill will be and whether you should expect cancellation
fees.
Next up in our four-part series — how to find your favorite shows, sports
and other entertainment.
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