If you're like me, then you've probably stuck with cable or satellite. You call and renegotiate yourself back into a contract with satellite or you threaten to go to cable...or vice versa. Telling the cable company that you want to go to satellite might get you a slight price break, but 6-12 months later you're right back where you started plus some. If you're tied to a satellite company, you can't call for 12 months after that "cool" 12 month price break ends in your 2 year contract. One of the satellite companies had me at about $160 a month about 3 years ago. So I switched to cable. It dropped to like $80 a month. Then one day I realized I was back up to $150 a month. It's like the never ending succubus of television hell.
Admittedly, I hem hawed like you probably are. Unless you're a boob tube addict, you probably only watch a handful of shows. If you're like me, you're discovering that there are only like 3 or 4 you want to watch regularly. So what are you going to miss out on? Well, cable will give you local channels, but satellite companies are wanting too much money from local channel affiliates and periodically you're being fed commercials for you to pressure the local affiliate to capitulate to their demands. You can still get these channels for free though if you want them--all you need is an old fashioned antenna. That's right and you can buy one online or wherever you buy your electronics. Of course, the only reason I watch the local channels really is for the news. Okay, not really--more like just for the weather when I wake up in the morning. I don't even need an antenna really. I can stream their news on my phone. I can even watch it on my TV if I have the right equipment.
What television channels do you watch the most? Fox, NBC, ABC, CBS? TNT, TBS, Cartoon Network, Disney? Sports channels--ESPN, Fox Sports, NBC Sports? Make a list of what TV shows you watch regularly. I watch a lot of TNT shows. I watch "Designated Survivor" on ABC. I watch "Empire", "24", "Blackish", "The Man in the High Castle", "Supernatural", "Elementary"...okay so I get home and I want to vegetate or read or type this blog while listening to some drama or sitcom. I want to watch the race on the weekend or Premier League. Well, I can watch sports at a bar. "Supernatural" and other CW shows are all free via the CW website/app. All those other shows are on Hulu within 24 hours of airing. EXCEPT CBS. CBS has it's own app and you can pay direct online to watch CBS or wait until the next season comes out and watch the last season on Hulu. This was all perfect, except...my sci fi addiction to "Doctor Who". A true Whovian I must, absolutely have to watch, the current season of the Doctor as it airs. I can wait for CBS's Sherlock Holmes for next season to come out so I can watch this season on Hulu. Screw CBS. But the Doctor? Sigh. What's a girl to do?
A girl needs her BBC America and Sling TV doesn't even offer it. Sling toots off being the cheapest...and they are. But if you are into sports, you'll spend $40 a month for it and only 40-ish channels. But channel for channel, the lowest DirectTV Now package at $35 a month is way more bang for your buck with over 60 channels. Now DirectTV has eaten some crap, because Sling was first. I'll admit the complaints that the streaming didn't work gave me pause. But there was the thing that Sling requires you to have the larger package or you can only use it with one device at a time. So, I opted for DirectTV in spite of the complaints.
What about those issues with operating with DirectTV? (Sorry, can't speak to Sling.) Well, I'll admit with the first generation Amazon Fire stick, periodically it was coughing. BUT, with the free Amazon Fire Stick that DirectTV included with me agreeing to sign up on the spot rather than a free trial, well, all those glitches are gone.
Well, yea, but what about my DVR or OnDemand options. DirectTV offers replay for about 3 weeks of new episodes of shows that have gone by. You're going to have to watch commercials, but here's the thing, it's like your OnDemand already. It's a little less than watching live. This option will not work well with the original Fire stick, but you can also stream DirectTV from a phone or tablet with a Google Chrome.
Now, here's the major limitation with the streaming services: They only have Fox of the "major" networks. Hulu offers all but CBS shows the day after airing and the whole season, including Fox. Of course, if you have an antenna, you won't care anyway, except that you can't watch at your leisure. With the antenna, you're tied to watching when the shows air.
BUT you want your sports. With the exception of NFL Sunday Ticket, if you are a sports addict, all the major sports offer online streaming packages. I have NHL Center Ice. I can watch it on my phone and I can cast it from my phone to my TV via Google Chrome. Problem solved.
Here's the final scary problem for most of us. Which hardware to use? You can Google Chrome and cast from your tablet, computer or phone to your TV. Or you can purchase the Amazon Fire Stick or console. I own both the Google Chrome and the Amazon Fire Stick. These both have their positives and negatives. Amazon offers all kinds of apps for the Fire Stick and sometimes the apps aren't completely debugged. Google Chrome is only limited by the device you are casting from. If you are an Amazon Prime member and you order the Fire Stick from Amazon, when it is delivered and you plug it in, they will have already set it up for your account. You just have to put in your passwords for your wi-fi and Amazon account. Google Chrome needs you to download the app to cast from your phone or tablet and you'll need that to set up the Chrome stick also. The Fire stick is easier to set up in my opinion even if you didn't get it via your Amazon Prime membership. The Chrome will cost you $35 at Walmart or Google shop. The Fire stick will cost you $40. If you're like me, you can have both for less than half of one month of what you are paying the cable or satellite company.
The hardest thing is admitting you are wasting money. And you are. I took my bill from over $150 month for cable to $43 a month for Hulu and DirectTV Now. I recommend keeping cable internet. DSL can be expensive. Of course, if you have AT&T as your cell service provider, there are a couple of bonuses to consider. One, you get DirectTV Now's lowest version for $10 a month. AND you also can get "unlimited" streaming to your phone. (This would be a time that you would want the Chrome over the Fire stick.) A friend told me there's some limitations to that streaming to your phone, and of course, these deals could go away and have you tied to AT&T for your cell service. So I'm not advocating this. Just if you already are with AT&T, you should take advantage if you are taking my advice about dumping cable or satellite.
Now, the final question. What about multiple TVs in the house? Well, I kept my internet with the cable company. We stream music, shows to two TVs simultaneously and surf the internet from 2 or more devices...with no issues. You won't have to watch the Disney channel because the kids or grandkids are.
The basic recommendations: Hulu, $7.99. DirectTV, $35. Amazon Fire Stick (the newest generation), $40 (one time per tv).
Add for the sports fanatics: Google Chrome and sign up for the streaming offered by your favorite sports--or go to a sports bar.
AT&T cell customer: stream from your phone--opt for the Google Chrome.
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