Published: Sunday, August 26, 2012, 12:01 a.m.
Options to cutting cable TV
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Roku
Streaming digital video players, including Roku 2 and Apple TV, expand the content available on your home television.
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Tired of cable? Here are five alternatives to cable TV, some of which are less costly:
Antenna: Young people might not believe it, but there was a time when this was the only way to get television. A preponderance of broadcast stations enables most residents to get a variety of TV offerings with a low-cost antenna. You can even make an HD antenna out of coat hangers.
Internet: Recent televisions with built-in online connections can get a lineup of Internet-delivered programming. Offerings vary by television brands, but some online programming is free. Hulu, for example, offers some free shows, with others on its paid service. Netflix streams unlimited movies and TV selections for a monthly fee.
Set-top boxes: The Apple TV box, which costs about $100, allows you to stream programming gotten for free or fee through Apple, or from services such as Netflix and Twitter. With the latest Mac operating system, it also can display your computer screen on the TV.
Google TV -- which comes via boxes selling for $100 or $200, and is built into some premium TV models -- also allows the streaming of free and paid content and displays the Web. Not surprisingly, you can do a Web search via Google TV.
There is also downloadable software like Vudu with which you can stream movies to your XBox360, Playstation 3, Blu-ray player, HDTV, iPad or computer.
And a Roku device provides access to Netflix, Amazon, HuluPlus as well as free programming.
Satellite: This is not a cheap alternative, but satellite-delivered TV does offer some services not available elsewhere.
Phone company: Also not particularly cheap, but major land-line phone companies often offer TV service, too. It's usually offered in package deals that can include phone, TV and Internet. Many cable companies offer similar packages.
Antenna: Young people might not believe it, but there was a time when this was the only way to get television. A preponderance of broadcast stations enables most residents to get a variety of TV offerings with a low-cost antenna. You can even make an HD antenna out of coat hangers.
Internet: Recent televisions with built-in online connections can get a lineup of Internet-delivered programming. Offerings vary by television brands, but some online programming is free. Hulu, for example, offers some free shows, with others on its paid service. Netflix streams unlimited movies and TV selections for a monthly fee.
Set-top boxes: The Apple TV box, which costs about $100, allows you to stream programming gotten for free or fee through Apple, or from services such as Netflix and Twitter. With the latest Mac operating system, it also can display your computer screen on the TV.
Google TV -- which comes via boxes selling for $100 or $200, and is built into some premium TV models -- also allows the streaming of free and paid content and displays the Web. Not surprisingly, you can do a Web search via Google TV.
There is also downloadable software like Vudu with which you can stream movies to your XBox360, Playstation 3, Blu-ray player, HDTV, iPad or computer.
And a Roku device provides access to Netflix, Amazon, HuluPlus as well as free programming.
Satellite: This is not a cheap alternative, but satellite-delivered TV does offer some services not available elsewhere.
Phone company: Also not particularly cheap, but major land-line phone companies often offer TV service, too. It's usually offered in package deals that can include phone, TV and Internet. Many cable companies offer similar packages.
Story tags » • Television • Personal Finance
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