After much soul-searching.......... (Phoenix: to rent, home, buy)

[westcoastbabe]

I cut the cable cord.....I finally did it. As of now I just have the HD Antenna. But looking at obtaining more options....What's the most cost-effective route to take these days....Roku, Sling TV....Those are the only (2) that come to mind. Any others out there worth taking a look at????

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by westcoastbabe

I cut the cable cord.....I finally did it. As of now I just have the HD Antenna. But looking at obtaining more options....What's the most cost-effective route to take these days....Roku, Sling TV....Those are the only (2) that come to mind. Any others out there worth taking a look at????

Congrats! We made the same move a couple of years ago and have not missed cable. We got Amazon Fire which allowed us to purchase Sling and have been sufficiently satisfied.

[AZ Manager]

Roku isn't the same thing as Sling. Roku is just an app place to allow you access to HBOGo, Hulu, Sling and the rest. I've had my Roku for 4 years now and use Amazon, Hulu, HBO, Netflix, Starz, and rarely Showtime. The movie channels I use for about 3 months at a time since they don't rotate often enough to justify keeping it long term. I don't like Hulu and Netflix but they have decent kids programming and Amazon Prime for that too. I spend about $30 a month but if it wasn't for my wife I wouldn't have any of that.

Fox has a free app on Roku and so do a few other network channels like PBS and CW. I'm not a big TV watcher though so my experience will be different than yours most likely; it's 5 pm and my TV hasn't been on yet today.

[Minntoaz]

Netflix, Amazon, Hulu.

[PhureeKeeper]

Roku with Amazon Prime.

[stevek64]

- Netflix

- Buy a Roku Stick or box where you can download apps to it that stream free movies/live tv like Plutotv, Crackle, popcornflix, etc. to your tv.

- streaming live tv services like Slingtv, Directv Now, Playstation Vue, etc. that have various channel packages that start at only about $20 per month with no contracts required, cancel anytime.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by stevek64

- streaming live tv services like Slingtv, Directv Now, Playstation Vue, etc. that have various channel packages that start at only about $20 per month with no contracts required, cancel anytime.

The catch with these services is that $20 price you are quoted applies to only one device/TV. You can't Slingtv to multiple tv's in your home for only $20. Playsation Vue, Directv all have that catch. So it's not like you are really paying $20 per month unless you have one TV in the home and most don't. That is something they don't tell you.

Also, most people pay more than $20 for Sling. When you look at the packages that are most closely related to cable, you are realistically looking at $50 per month for one TV. This doesn't include a DVR service. That is separate.

I think the best way is to cancel your Cox TV for a month or two and then call back and re-establish service. They will give you a better deal.

[stevek64]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

The catch with these services is that $20 price you are quoted applies to only one device/TV. You can't Slingtv to multiple tv's in your home for only $20. Playsation Vue, Directv all have that catch. So it's not like you are really paying $20 per month unless you have one TV in the home and most don't. That is something they don't tell you.

Also, most people pay more than $20 for Sling. When you look at the packages that are most closely related to cable, you are realistically looking at $50 per month for one TV. This doesn't include a DVR service. That is separate.

I think the best way is to cancel your Cox TV for a month or two and then call back and re-establish service. They will give you a better deal.

It does depend on the level of slingtv on how many streams one can have at once. Just took a quick look at the faq's on slingtv and the $20 package is limited to one stream like you mention but the sling $25 package, sling orange, you can get 3 streams at once. The $40 package, you get 4 streams. We have Directv Now and got the special $35 rate for 100+ channels and we can have 2 streams at once. But yes, I agree, it depends on viewing habits of one's household and for some, 1, 2, or perhaps even 4 concurrent streams aren't enough. Each service, cable vs streaming both has their +/- and what's best depends on one's viewing habits. For us and our watching habits and are light tv watchers in regards to mainstream cable channels, don't have the need for DVR(though there's quite a bit of on demand shows on directv now after a show airs a few hours later/other shows) or need high concurrent streams at once, streaming tv fits the bill for us, especially with netflix and all the other tv option apps on devices like roku.....viewing choice overload really! And not having to rent those boxes/pay the monthly fees for them/make space for them is enough to keep me away from mainstream cable companies. Some households might find another valid cost effective option to get more streams is to sign up for another account in an online streaming package to get more streams/double the streams and still be ahead of the $ game by not renting cable boxes/paying that monthly fee, taxes, base cost of the service, etc.

Given competition is increasing nicely in streaming tv, I think in the near future some of the things you mentioned like more streams, DVR options, etc. will begin to appear. I read HULU will announce a live stream option in the near future and perhaps some others. That's certainly something I think will be/is great for the consumer as finally now one can have other options besides usually just one local cable company and a satellite company or two. If only broadband internet service could get some more competition in the Phoenix metro, that would be nice. I think the next competition will be wireless, perhaps 5G when it comes into production in the coming years, but time will tell.

[Bondurant]

Does anyone have an HD antenna that can pick up NBC? I have two standard HD antennas. One is RCA the other I don't recall. I can't pick up NBC on either. Drove me nuts during the football season.

[CSD610]

Originally Posted by westcoastbabe

I cut the cable cord.....I finally did it. As of now I just have the HD Antenna. But looking at obtaining more options....What's the most cost-effective route to take these days....Roku, Sling TV....Those are the only (2) that come to mind. Any others out there worth taking a look at????

You did not cut the cord you merely changed it. Cutting it completely is no television at all and the most
*cost effective* is no television at all.