Cable or satellite tv with no contract
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Eric is always on the lookout for creative products and ideas that make life better and might even help save a little money.
Television has come a long way in the past several decades, and it seems impossible to go without cable or satellite these days. Some people younger than 40 may have trouble believing it, but there was a time not so long ago when most homes only got the three main networks, and maybe public broadcasting. There was no cable TV, and the signal came via an antenna mounted on top of your house. Sometimes if you wanted to change the channel, you had to move the antenna too!
Then came cable, and suddenly we had dozens of channels instead of four. It seemed to snowball from there, to the present day where most homes get hundreds of channels via a satellite or complicated cable setup. This is great for some people, especially families with kids of different ages who are all interested in different channels. But for others it might be a little overwhelming. In my home it is just my wife and I.
We had a popular satellite system installed a few years back, and grew increasingly frustrated with it as the months passed. In some cases we were paying for channels that went against our personal beliefs and lifestyle, and would never have financially supported if given a choice. There were other channels we would have liked but did not get, and to see those channels meant signing up for a more expensive package, which, of course, meant paying for even more channels we did not want or need.
We were simply paying way too much for too many channels we did not want, and not getting access to what we did want. Unfortunately, there really is no alternative to the huge packages satellite and major cable TV networks force you to sign up for if you want to use their service.
They lock you into a contract, and you get what they give you and you like it. But how could we still have some kind of access to the shows, news and sports we wanted? Did you know there is free TV floating around out there right now, just bouncing around for anyone who wants it?
If you have a high-definition TV, in most areas all you need to receive over-the-air programming is the proper antenna.
Some people who live close to broadcasting towers can get by with a small antenna in their living room. We tried small, indoor options but had little success. Apparently we're too far away from the towers, or the landscape is preventing a strong enough signal. Like me, you might find you have to mount a more powerful antenna on the exterior of your home or roof.
Eventually I discovered the ClearStream 2V pictured at the top of this article , and it gets the job done. Of course we had to buy the antenna and the cable, but it was only a fraction of what we were paying for one month of our satellite package.
We get local news and weather, plus the major network TV programming. Whether or not you have success with the ClearStream 2v will depend on various factors, such as the distance between the broadcast towers and your home, and the surrounding landscape. There is also the more powerful ClearStream 4v, which has a longer range. I've considered the upgrade, but not found it necessary so far. Without your fancy TV hookup you might miss the movies, documentaries and reality programming available on some of the networks that do not broadcast over the air.
This was one of our major hang-ups as well. How would we get our MythBusters fix? Fortunately there is a cool device called the Roku that saved the day. You can also sign up for Sling TV. More on that in a bit! You can still watch movies and shows through free channels like Crackle. The Roku is a fantastic little device, and even if we were going to keep the satellite we probably would have got one. Without the satellite or cable, it really fills the void. Once you've got your Roku or other streaming device set up you may want to check out Sling TV.
We've been using it for a few months as I write this, and I am definitely happy with it. Sling TV is live, streaming television. While I like Sling TV quite a bit, there are cons here. There is a cost to it, so if you are looking to go totally free this isn't the way. But it is much, much less expensive than most satellite and cable services.
You are also relying on your internet connection for service, so if you lose internet you lose your access to Sling TV. And, if you don't have a great internet connection to begin with, the quality of your picture won't be so great.
I do think the positives greatly outweigh the negatives, though, at least for me. Sling TV comes at a great price for what you get. There are also several optional add-on packages for even more channels. Including our HD antenna channels, we get something like 70 channels in total, no satellite or cable required. You also get mostly channels you'll actually watch. Unlike satellite, where for every one channel you've heard of there are three shoved at you that you don't want.
Sling gives you very few oddball channels you've never heard of, and many of the big names you know you'll watch. I eventually incorporated a device called AirTV which lets me send signal wireless from my antenna to the Roku, and even includes my antenna channels in my Sling lineup.
Finding a way to watch sports was a big issue for me, NFL football especially. As for other sports, the antenna is actually better than the satellite for my local teams. To see my favorite hockey team I had to upgrade to a special package, and if any of my teams happened to play on a channel I did get the game was blacked out.
So, if you absolutely must be the first person at the watercooler talking about a game this might not be the package for you, but for my purposes it is perfect. And, a year subscription to each individually costs less than a month of what we were paying for our satellite service. Plus, just about every major network, and every sport, has a website packed with news, clips and scores.
Satellite TV and cable might be exactly what you need when it comes to home entertainment, and you might find it worth the price. Personally, I loved it from a functional standpoint. There is nothing wrong with satellite and cable.
Just know there are other choices. Only we can decide if their system is in our best interest, and worth the cost. Sling has a cloud-based DVR option that allows you to record shows. I haven't tried it, so unfortunately I can't offer an opinion. There are a lot of on-demand shows for many channels as well. When a show airs it often appears in the on-demand section a day or two later.
In those cases, you wouldn't need to worry about recording anything. Not all channels have the on-demand offerings but many do. You can always try the free trial for Sling and see if it works for you. If he is a fan of a nearby team there is a good chance they broadcast their games in your area.
Which antenna you need will depend on your surrounding landscape and how close you are to the towers. You may be able to get away with a simple indoor antenna, or you may need a larger one mounted outdoors. It's a little tough on a tiny screen but better than nothing. Sign in or sign up and post using a HubPages Network account. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites.
I worked for cable starting in the early '70's and loved it but as the years rolled on Cale became a total sad ripoff and that is putting it mildly. I apologize because I got swept up in the "hype " of new technology and am now searching for newer tech. Dennis: You can't be sure, but you can check the locations of your local towers online to get an idea.
Then it is just a matter of getting a powerful enough antenna. Keep in mind your local landscape matters too - so if there are a lot of trees, hills, etc that affect your signal.
I live in a remote location. If I buy an antenna how can I be sure it will pick up stations. Peggy: Where I live we have an over-the-air channel that features that genre almost exclusively.
So, I'd say it depends on where you live. You also may be able to get some of those shows using the Roku or another streaming device. My husband and I watch a lot of old western like bi valley, rawhide, gunsmoke, etc. It's called poor Service due to not being able to comprehend the Value to cost ratio's. However, the exec's that make the decisions do. I find they really don't care as they "Think" they have a monopoly on an what they consider an essential service to working class American.
What they fail to realize is working class America is what made this country what it is today. Powered by innovation and a willingness to sacrifice in order to improve in the long run. Therefore I am withdrawing my monetary support from them and giving it to such innovative companies willing to offer service, competent equipment, and support to their consumers So I don't even have to be a technological wizard.
One time set up and addition for support when needed. Responsive when called and still a significant savings even if I used them 4 times per year to fix or tweak the system. Their needs will be met as well as Mom and I.
In the battle of cable vs. satellite TV service, there is no absolute winner. For 12 months with a 2-year contract, paperless bill, & autopay. Satellite TV is more prone to service interruptions than cable or fiber These options vary by location but may include no-contract plans.
When it comes to services that help you save money, cable is never on that list. Most people despise that monthly bill, even if they enjoy watching television, as the cost often seems extreme compared to the value. This general disdain for the price of television services spurred a new market of options that function as alternatives to cable and satellite tv. Over time, people have adopted these cable alternatives, officially ditching cable and satellite television cord cutters! To be considered a great alternative to cable and satellite tv, the service needs to be affordable and offer a reasonable amount of programming for the cost.
Eric is always on the lookout for creative products and ideas that make life better and might even help save a little money.
We're Giving Away Cash! Enter to Win. We know—nothing beats kicking back on the couch and getting lost in your favorite show.
Cutting the cord: Streaming instead of cable TV means complicated choices, and some trade-offs
New and qualifying former customers only. All offers require credit qualification, 2-year commitment with early termination fee and eAutoPay. Prices include Hopper Duo for qualifying customers. Upfront fees may apply based on credit qualification. After 3 mos. Power Residential Television Service Provider Satisfaction Studies of customers' satisfaction with their current television provider.
15 Best Alternatives to Cable TV for 2020
Where do you begin? All three options require a high-speed internet connection. For cord-cutters on a tight budget, start with the Extreme Saver track. I have a Mohu Leaf antenna with a mile range. If all you care about is the channels that you can pick up with an antenna, then you may not even need to pay for internet. To supplement the content that you get with a digital antenna, there are several free ad-supported Netflix alternatives that you can use to stream movies and TV shows. They offer a mix of TV shows, movies and even live news in some cases, but much of the content is dated. Roku has come up with a way to highlight the best free streaming options with its Featured Free section. Read More: Philo Review. These on-demand streaming services have their pros and cons.
Share Apr 23, With shelter-in-place laws in effect across the country, Americans everywhere are turning more and more to TV for news and entertainment.
Share Apr 29, View Package. If this article were a storefront, it would have white marble flooring and glass display boxes.
Free and Low-Cost Cable TV Options 2020
TV, internet, phone plans — these are a few of our favorite things. If we are going to keep it, it better have the channels we actually want to watch and come at a reasonable price. Availability and pricing of TV packages and providers vary by location. This makes finding your best cheap TV service difficult, but not impossible. Availability relies on infrastructure for cable and signal access for satellite. Some providers may only service a couple of states, while others are available nationwide. To make this review helpful to the most readers, we focused on providers that cover large sections of the country or service highly populated areas. We dug into the fine print to uncover potential rate increases after promotional periods end and extra costs like installation fees, activation fees, early termination fees, and equipment fees. We found the cheapest TV providers by basing our comparisons on those actual, final costs. To sift through channel line-ups, we set a base level expectation for what we should receive when paying for standard packages.
Best Alternatives to Satellite TV and Cable
Xfinity vs. CenturyLink, Roku v. Hulu vs. YouTube TV and others — cutting the cord requires planning, decisions and flexibility. And you may save some money. But the bills kept going up. Cord-cutting — dropping cable, phone-company or satellite TV in favor of streaming live TV over the Internet — sounded fantastically liberating. No more contracts, no more nickel-and-dime taxes and fees. No more dealing with the impenetrable bureaucracy of a de facto monopoly.
