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I have a 2013 Samsung Smart TV and presently set up with Comcast cable and Comcast Internet. Just bought A Roku Express to do streaming on this TV. The TV is presently using the Xfinity remote and set top box for cable. I own my own Arris Surfboard Router/modem.
My goal is to successfully first set up the Roku Express for streaming while I still have a few days before I contact Comcast to cancel cable and arrange to return the set top box and Xfinity remote. When I do that I will need to use the Samsung remote for the TV.
I will be keeping my Comcast internet only.
I need some moral support and help to accomplish this because I don't want to mess this up.
I will have more questions as I go along, but, the first one is should I try setting up Roku while I still am using the Xfinity set top box and remote with this TV? I live in a condo, so no outside antenna and not close to any window to use an indoor antenna with this TV if that makes a difference.
My advice - and I am one with only Xfinity internet using streaming and OTA - is to keep your Comcrap for at least a month while you are using only Roku and OTA. I have known too many people that only considered what you can watch with streaming not how you watch it, then just hated the streaming experience. Cable is channel based, streaming is app based. Streaming offers more choices and solutions but integrating them all and navigatingis much more difficult. Watch the responses here, every person will have a different solution.
In addition to Roku, get a good outdoor/attic antenna and you'll be amazed at how many local channels you can get. That is important if you watch local channels because you can't get them from streaming sources without paying for a package (Hulu/Youtube/etc) which sorta puts you right back in the same situation.
In addition to Roku, get a good outdoor/attic antenna and you'll be amazed at how many local channels you can get. That is important if you watch local channels because you can't get them from streaming sources without paying for a package (Hulu/Youtube/etc) which sorta puts you right back in the same situation.
I have a 2013 Samsung Smart TV and presently set up with Comcast cable and Comcast Internet. Just bought A Roku Express to do streaming on this TV. The TV is presently using the Xfinity remote and set top box for cable. I own my own Arris Surfboard Router/modem.
My goal is to successfully first set up the Roku Express for streaming while I still have a few days before I contact Comcast to cancel cable and arrange to return the set top box and Xfinity remote. When I do that I will need to use the Samsung remote for the TV.
I will be keeping my Comcast internet only.
I need some moral support and help to accomplish this because I don't want to mess this up.
I will have more questions as I go along, but, the first one is should I try setting up Roku while I still am using the Xfinity set top box and remote with this TV? I live in a condo, so no outside antenna and not close to any window to use an indoor antenna with this TV if that makes a difference.
I agree with you about keeping your current setup for a bit as you play with the Roku.
It isn't that hard, but a reliable wifi connection will be important for stressless streaming.
What kind of content do you like to watch? That'll be important in deciding on if you'll need to pay for a streaming service.
You can get lot's of free content (but, there will be commercials) with the Roku and some apps like Pluto, Tubi, Roku Channel. So much in fact, that you can be frozen in indecision as to what to watch.
Depending on where you live, you could get good reception with a simple and cheap OTA antenna - even on the first floor. That would be a cheap way to fill in what the Roku can't get you for live/prime time content.
I agree with you about keeping your current setup for a bit as you play with the Roku.
It isn't that hard, but a reliable wifi connection will be important for stressless streaming.
What kind of content do you like to watch? That'll be important in deciding on if you'll need to pay for a streaming service.
You can get lot's of free content (but, there will be commercials) with the Roku and some apps like Pluto, Tubi, Roku Channel. So much in fact, that you can be frozen in indecision as to what to watch.
Depending on where you live, you could get good reception with a simple and cheap OTA antenna - even on the first floor. That would be a cheap way to fill in what the Roku can't get you for live/prime time content.
Good luck!
The Xfinity wifi has been pretty reliable. An indoor antenna does not work with the TV in my living room. To test how an OTA antenna would work I bought a small Smart TV I could place in my bedroom near a window. I got several local stations and set up streaming on this TV as it already had some streaming functions built it. To work the OTA antenna must be close to the window - does not work unless it is next to the window and pointed in a specific direction.
Presently cable on the main TV in the living room I watch local news stations, national news stations and PBS stations the most. I also watch discovery and history channels and the national weather station. The double play package includes limited basic, kids and family, entertainment, sports & news. That was the least expensive package that included the weather station and the news channels I wanted. What I object to is not the cost of the package, but, the added Broadcast fee, a regional sports fee and will also soon include a TV box and remote fee for additional $25 per month in addition to the double play bundle.
Stations that I would like to watch, but, require a much more expensive Xfinity bundle would be National Geographic and various series offered on Brit Box. I have zero interest in Sports and only a casual interest in movies.
I can always get the local news and PBS stations on the small TV in my bedroom using my indoor antenna. It would be more comfortable to be able to watch TV for any length of time on the larger TV in the Livingroom. I think streaming on the Livingroom TV would allow me to get more stations I am actually interested in watching that are not available via cable unless I were to pay for a much more expensive cable bundle.
There are lots of ways to attack the OTA issue. First, I'd check with condo association about a roof antenna feed. Such a feed could be split to serve multiple condos. If that's not feasible, you can capture the OTA signal wherever you can - such as bedroom window, and deliver it to anywhere in the condo through devices like HD Homerun or Sling AirTV.
There are lots of ways to attack the OTA issue. First, I'd check with condo association about a roof antenna feed. Such a feed could be split to serve multiple condos. If that's not feasible, you can capture the OTA signal wherever you can - such as bedroom window, and deliver it to anywhere in the condo through devices like HD Homerun or Sling AirTV.
The condo does not permit outside antennas, but, I am very interested in exploring the HD Homerun or Sling AirTV you mentioned. First time I have ever heard anything about these options. I will do some more research on this - thanks!
UPDATE - I did a little research and this will not work for me - since based upon my location it would require an outdoor antenna to get the local stations I want. It could only pull in 2 stations with an indoor antenna. So, it will not work for me, but, your information might help someone else. For others if interested I searched for Sling AirTV and found a site where you can enter your location and it will tell you based on your location which local channels it can receive based upon an outdoor antenna and which are available with an indoor antenna.
The condo does not permit outside antennas, but, I am very interested in exploring the HD Homerun or Sling AirTV you mentioned. First time I have ever heard anything about these options. I will do some more research on this - thanks!
I probably used the wrong term, we have an HOA AND a Condo Association. The HOA does not control what can or can not be done to the exterior of the building. The condo documents control what can or cannot be done to the building and what can or can not be placed outside of the building. The HOA in this community covers single family homes and condos in this community. The single family homes can install antennas as they own their lots. Condo owners do not own the building, just their interior space. So, I suspect the fact that is it a condo and not a town home or a single family home makes a difference.
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