Cutting the cord on your cable TV is not for everyone. You may be thinking, that’s a strange way to open an article on cord cutting, but it’s true. We’ve all become accustomed to surfing the massive number of channels offered in our cable packages regardless of the fact that we watch a select few of them often. In my experience, cord cutting appeals the most to people looking to save money, that are willing to change their TV watching habits. What does this mean? In some cases it will mean fewer channels to surf via an over-the-air TV Antenna, and/or utilizing a new service and interface that provides a broad assortment of TV and movies via online streaming.
Everywhere you look or listen, you will read about or hear people talking about “Streamingâ€. Streaming is the future of entertainment and it’s already here. Below are the essential things you need to start streaming video.
High-Speed Internet access required
The internet isn't just for web surfing and email, it's now the pipeline for video, VOIP phone calling and more. For all of these services especially streaming video, you’ll need high-speed bandwidth.
Your network needs a Dual-Band "N" Router
To distribute your high-speed internet access throughout your home, you need a router. Most will have both Wi-Fi and wired networking options. We recommend going with an “N†speed router that will handle today’s higher definition video streams.
Get a Streaming to TV device
There are many ways to get streaming to your TV, and there are even more devices beyond your TV than ever that will allow you to enjoy streaming content. For the sake of this article we’ll focus on devices for TV connectivity. In each case, decide which service you plan to use and then pick a device that is compatible.
Many new TVs have internet connectivity built-in with onboard apps for streaming services. We expect this trend to continue, but TV sales are pretty slow as most people that adopted big flat-screen TVs in the last few years are not ready to upgrade yet.
At the high end of external devices, you can go with a Home Theater PC (HTPC) connected to the TV (any PC or Mac that allows you to connect or project to your TV ideally via HDMI).
Most popular video game consoles have streaming capability which can make them a great entertainment value.
Many Blu-ray players are also providing built-in access to select streaming services and apps.
Stand-alone streaming boxes from companies like Roku, Apple and Sony provide an entry-level price point and access to various popular streaming services.
Antenna TV is free content
Over-the-air Antenna TV content is widely available. Antennas are inexpensive and will allow you to access local news, live sports and network TV shows, often in high definition. Take time to scan for Antenna reception and determine which type of Antenna is right for your location (this takes a little research).
Is your TV less than 6 years old?
Check to make sure you have a TV with ATSC tuner. This type of tuner allows the reception of digital television (DTV). TV’s over 25†(screen measured diagonally) built since March 2006 will have an ATSC tuner.
Shop around and do your research on TV Antennas and Streaming hardware and then prepare to save some money.
Everywhere you look or listen, you will read about or hear people talking about “Streamingâ€. Streaming is the future of entertainment and it’s already here. Below are the essential things you need to start streaming video.
High-Speed Internet access required
The internet isn't just for web surfing and email, it's now the pipeline for video, VOIP phone calling and more. For all of these services especially streaming video, you’ll need high-speed bandwidth.
Your network needs a Dual-Band "N" Router
To distribute your high-speed internet access throughout your home, you need a router. Most will have both Wi-Fi and wired networking options. We recommend going with an “N†speed router that will handle today’s higher definition video streams.
Get a Streaming to TV device
There are many ways to get streaming to your TV, and there are even more devices beyond your TV than ever that will allow you to enjoy streaming content. For the sake of this article we’ll focus on devices for TV connectivity. In each case, decide which service you plan to use and then pick a device that is compatible.
Many new TVs have internet connectivity built-in with onboard apps for streaming services. We expect this trend to continue, but TV sales are pretty slow as most people that adopted big flat-screen TVs in the last few years are not ready to upgrade yet.
At the high end of external devices, you can go with a Home Theater PC (HTPC) connected to the TV (any PC or Mac that allows you to connect or project to your TV ideally via HDMI).
Most popular video game consoles have streaming capability which can make them a great entertainment value.
Many Blu-ray players are also providing built-in access to select streaming services and apps.
Stand-alone streaming boxes from companies like Roku, Apple and Sony provide an entry-level price point and access to various popular streaming services.
Antenna TV is free content
Over-the-air Antenna TV content is widely available. Antennas are inexpensive and will allow you to access local news, live sports and network TV shows, often in high definition. Take time to scan for Antenna reception and determine which type of Antenna is right for your location (this takes a little research).
Is your TV less than 6 years old?
Check to make sure you have a TV with ATSC tuner. This type of tuner allows the reception of digital television (DTV). TV’s over 25†(screen measured diagonally) built since March 2006 will have an ATSC tuner.
Shop around and do your research on TV Antennas and Streaming hardware and then prepare to save some money.
