We've been researching streaming options instead of paying the equivalent of a second mortgage to Xfinity every month just to see the same old, tired shows every day. I have questions.

1. Yes, we have to use Xfinity. It's the only option in our area. BUT what we want to do is use their internet service only, and not their cable TV services.

2. We've narrowed it down to two options: Hulu and YouTube TV. This is based on the types of things we want (like HBO, which I refused to call "Max"), live sports, etc. Does anyone have any pro's or cons on these, or are we missing a great streaming service that we're just too dumb to know about?

3. We have a 100% stupid TV. It has no bluetooth, no built-in apps, no internal internet. Will we have to upgrade to a smart TV, with these things built in? Note that we are not super inclined to go to a solution that would require a dedicated computer/notepad to cast programs to our stoopid TV. (For example, right now I do cast from our Mac to the TV to watch non-US based programs that require VPN access.

4. Are there any ways to get VPN as an app on a smart TV, other than to connect via some sort of embedded internet? I guess what I'm asking is whether any Smart TVs might have a VPN service that you can download or somehow use.

5. Is there any way to stream PBS (especially things like evening news shows live) except through your local PBS streaming service on an internet? (Is there anything that PBS streams live to?)

6. Any other things we should know about?

I'm getting all sorts of mixed results, from "just turn off your cable TV service and start streaming" to "you'll need a TV with all those apps built-in or downloadable."

Help!

I will just give my thoughts on your stupid TV. I have a stupid TV which I use for streaming with a Roku device . very simple, and I actually much prefer to what I see when I look at my friends smart TVs.

for pbs, I use both my antenna to get live broadcast and their subscription service to stream.

A stupid tv with Roku should have an HDMI
input for Roku.
Other than that I must agree with Doug. Damn, that hurts.

We cut the cord in November...there were so many channels on Xfinity, but seemingly never anything we wanted to watch...and the price kept going up...

1. Xfinity internet here, too, but we have other choices like AT&T fiber and a few 5G services (Verizon and T-Mobile). We can't get a consistent cell signal, so the 5Gs are out for us. We have had good luck with Xfinity for years so decided to check out their prices first.

We had cable TV and internet with them, and our previous promotional rate was up. We had the highest level package, no add-on channels, two cable boxes, and our own modem and router. I worked with the Xfinity customer service people on the Xfinity subreddit. Our bill had been around $168 a month and was going up to close to $200. I'm sure in January, when they raise those stupid Broadcast and Sports fees, it would have been over $200.

It's really nice on Reddit because the asynchronous communication of private messaging means you can take your time and figure out how to back them into a corner for the best deal. They get abused a lot, so if you're super nice they really do try hard to find a deal. PM me for tricks if you go this route.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Comcast_Xfinity

We dropped the TV part, which cut a huge part of the bill. I managed to get 200 Mbps internet service (a downgrade from our previous 400 Mbps that was part of a bundle) for $35 a month for a year. It goes up to $50 a month for year 2. I think Steve called it a killer deal. It would be $5 cheaper if I had them debit my bank account instead of billing to my credit card.

2. We checked Hulu+Live, YouTube TV, and Fubo. I think Fubo is a sports-heavy service. There's also Sling.

We went with YouTube TV based on the stations they carry vs what we found we watched on Xfinity. Regular monthly price is $72.99. There was a deal for 10 days free, then $22 off a month for three months. I think that deal is still available.

https://tv.youtube.com/welcome/

It has a bunch of PBS stations (Chicago, Gary, Milwaukee) and all of our local CBS/NBC/ABC stations, along with WGN, which we watch a lot but that often doesn't get included in local service on these various streaming services. You also tend to lose the "extra" PBS stations like Create, but I think they're available on PBS Passport...see #5 below.

All of these services have free trials so you can try them on for size.

We're totally satisfied with YouTube TV. Unlimited DVR and reasonable selection of stations. I got back TCM (yay!), which four years ago, Xfinity moved out of our (premium!) channel lineup to a package with a separate $15 a month charge that I refused to pay.

3. Keep your TVs. You can buy a streaming device like a Roku, Chromecast, Amazon Fire, Apple TV., and they'll turn any TV with an HDMI port into a smart TV.

We have a bunch of Rokus installed, including on our smart TVs. We did it for uniformity (Mr wtg is a Luddite). Also, we have an old Samsung smart TV that can't handle any of the major streaming apps like Hulu + LiveTV, Netflix, etc.

I avoid Amazon and Google hardware, so the Fire and Chromecast were non-starters for me. Apple is pricey. Here's the Roku we have:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/r...9078.p?skuId=6479078

4. I don't do VPN, but found this article about how to do VPN with Roku:

https://www.techradar.com/how-...et-up-a-vpn-for-roku

5. PBS Passport is the app you want for live streaming. Donate to your local PBS station (maybe $5 a month/$60 a year?) and you get access to all the on demand stuff.

https://www.pbs.org/passport/learn-more/

How to watch live stream:

https://help.pbs.org/support/s...eam-on%C2%A0PBS.org?

6. If you get a clear antenna signal, you can do a Tablo to watch your local stations. It's a gizmo you connect to an antenna (indoor our outdoor, whatever you need to get stations in your area).

It has a built-in DVR, and it will also connect wirelessly to any TV you have that can run the Tablo app. Nice because you don't need an antenna for every TV.

And guess what? Roku supports the Tablo app. Really nice if local channels are important to you. With the current version of Tablo, you can watch programs on two different TVs. I think they're supposed to come out with a four tuner model next year.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/t...4313.p?skuId=6554313

https://www.tablotv.com/blog/b...tablo-ota-dvrs-2023/

Mik has one and has said he's really happy with it.

6. Philo is another cheap streaming option, that if coupled with a Tablo for local stations, could work for some folks.

https://www.philo.com/login/subscribe

6. You can subscribe to other streaming services like HBO, Netflix, etc. directly. Or you can do it via Roku, and just have one payment method stored with them. Centralizes your subscriptions.

6. Lots of free ad-supported streaming services. Our faves are Pluto TV and Roku Channel. I ditched Amazon Prime, so I don't watch Prime Video anymore.

If you're a major movie buff...I like Kanopy, which is a movie streaming service that I access via my library. And I'm not certain, but I think I remember reading that some universities provide access to the Criterion Channel.

It’s easier than you think

1. Look on the back of your TV. If there’s a jack marked HDMI you’re golden. If not new TVs are dirt cheap. A TV without an HDMI jack would be very old indeed and I’ll bet yours has one.

2. Get an internet service. If it’s Xfinity that’s fine. 100 MBPS is plenty fast.

3. Get a Roku. The 4000K plus is the current model. Works perfectly- about $30 on Amazon, about the same at Best Buy. Now you have a smart TV. I’ve tried the others - Chromecast, Fire stick, Apple box, and it’s the best, especially at the price. Easy to set up, too.

4. The Roku will give you access to all of the streaming channels but if you want local programming and Network TV in real time you’ll need to get an app. From what I can tell there are two - YouTube TV (was ATT I think) and Spectrum. YTTV is slightly more expensive but they both do the same thing. Both can be accessed from the Roku or streamed from a phone.

Easy enough!

Steve, I think I looked into Spectrum, and I believe you have to be a Spectrum internet customer to use their TV app.

DirectTV is another streaming service, but it's spendy.

https://streamtv.directv.com/

Could be. YTTV is very similar just in case.

Direct seems to be a throwback. No need to mess with them.

We bought an extra RoKu for travel...

Just sign in to the wifi and all of your saved shows are there.

We even use it when we go over to babysit the grandson - easy to plug in and use just like at home!

we also use Roku. Though there are still plenty of channels through Roku that you have to pay a subscription for. If there's a show we really, really want to see and it's on a channel that requires a paid subscription, we just sign up for a free trial and hurry up and watch the show, then cancel.

Also note that AppleTV is incompatible with Roku. Watching Ted Lasso, for example, can be a real chore because the screen keeps freezing and then going black. There are workarounds, but it still is a pain.

Get a smart TV and a digital antenna. Most all of the apps will be on the TV, (and you can upload the ones you need that aren’t). Then just pay for the streaming services you think you would use. We just do netflix (and Amazon Prime).

We had not trouble with Roku and Apple TV.
Watched Ted Lasso, were disappointed with their other offerings and cancelled.

I do have an HDMI port (maybe even two) so we're all good there.

I have an old firestick sitting around somewhere, but haven't used it because the UI was unbearably bad.

Do you need a Roku (or whatever) attached to every TV? At $30-$40 per it won't break the bank but I don't want to buy extras only to find out I didn't need to (assuming I do the Roku thing).

But Jodi's point is also good - TVs are becoming so cheap that the best thing might be to just get a Smart TV. We're up against a mountain and I'm not sure if a digital antenna will work - but we might get lucky and not be in a shadow. I can ask around in the neighborhood and see if people are able to get "regular" TV without cable.

Oh, and thanks for the advice! Seriously - this really helped clear things up for me.

You need some way to stream apps on every TV. That could be a Roku/Chromecast/Fire (external) or a smart TV (internal). There are smart TVs with a Roku built in.

One of our TVs is a Sony that has only one HDMI port. It was one of the first flat screen TVs and even has an analog tuner because the digital television transition hadn't happened yet (that occurred in 2009, and we had this TV several years before that). Not surprisingly, I recommend keeping your TVs if you're happy with the picture. Especially true for kitchens and bedrooms.

As for the cost of the streaming device....we were paying $20 a month for the two cable boxes we had. I got our two Rokus during a Black Friday sale for $30 a pop...they pay for themselves in pretty short order because we dropped the Comcast TV.

Regarding an antenna...If you want to check what stations you might get, take a look at this website. You put in your address and it shows you what stations you might be able to get, and what kind of antenna you might need to get them. Also has a map with the locations of the various transmitters, and where your house is located. Kind of tells you what direction to point your antenna. It also tells you the type of antenna you might require to get the stations, like whether you need an outdoor antenna or can get by with an indoor antenna. You can also get antennas with amplifiers to help boost the signals. We have a little flat antenna with a booster that I picked up at Costco some years back. I can get most of the local stations. Last time I looked into using an antenna was pre-Tablo, and I didn't want to futz with antennas on every TV, or to have one put up on the roof and all the coax run to various places in the house.

If all the transmitters are clustered in one area and aren't too far away, an antenna works pretty well. If they're scattered around you, you have to move the antenna around. Up in Door County we had a signal booster and rotor on an antenna on a mast on the roof. Despite all that, it was a total PITA trying to find a signal and lock in. Or you'd get a great picture on a clear day and halfway through a show, it would disappear.

I think markj went the antenna route a number of years ago; maybe he'll chime in.

https://www.antennaweb.org/