Making the change to streaming!

[csziggy]

I posted last month asking about Netflix. Now we have three TVs doing streaming.

I started with a Roku Express for the TV closest to the WiFi router. It's working great. So far I have subscribed to Netflix and Sling with the news add-on so I can get MSNBC. For free throughput I have added TubiTV and Crackle, Vudu (which I will never use for pay programming), and the Roku Channel (not much on there but it comes with the Roku).

My biggest complaint about the Roku Express is that it does not control the TV. So I found the Insignia multi function remote that can control the TV, the Roku, and the DVD. If I can figure out what kind of sound bar I have it might be able to control that, too, or it can control a receiver or other sound product.

Meanwhile we splurged and bought a 65" LG 4k Smart TV for the living room! It has built in streaming and the LG WebOS has Channel Plus which has a lot of content. Adding our existing streaming accounts to the TV was a breeze.

Now that we are near to cutting the cord, we needed another streaming device for the TV in the family room - another Roku - this one is the Roku Streaming Stick. The Stick is purported to have a stronger WiFi signal so I figured it would be good for the TV further away from the router. The hardest part about hooking up another Roku device is entering the ridiculous WiFi password. The remote with the stick has audio control built in so right now we don't need a multifunction remote for it.

We haven't yet disconnected our PrismTV - I'm giving it until Monday. When I do I will upgrade our DSL to 40 mbps, the fastest speed we can get at our location. With the DSL and landline our monthly bill will be $95 - plus $30 for Sling (with news), $14 for 4k Netflix (which gives us 4 channel throughput), and probably soon $6-8 for Hulu. Our current bill is over $250.

So far I am enjoying streaming - and I am finding shows I'd never heard of, shows I'd forgotten, and series I'd never finished. For the last week I have been binge watching Longmire. I just got to the episodes filmed for Netflix and will be caught up in time for the new season to start on November 17!

[bigbrother05]

1. As an Anglophile, would suggest checking out Acorn TV

Lots of the UK shows as well as Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian shows. All manner of mysteries, detective, comedy, and thoughtful dramas. Now keeping up with the latest series of Doc Martin, streamed the day after it's live in the UK.

For us, it's $5.99 well spent.

[csziggy]

2. Thanks for the suggestion - I'll have to check that out later

Back on one of the satellite services we got a Canadian channel that had a wonderful Canadian mystery/Mounty series. I don't remember the name, but would love to see that one again. I think it was on DirectTV when we first got it, but we changed to DISH for a while. When we went back to DirectTV that channel was gone.

Right now I want to learn the basics of what we have before my next operation on November 29.

I just got skunked by Hulu - they list MSNBC as one of their channels. While they seem to have some MSNBC clips Hulu does NOT have MSNBC streaming the way that Sling does. We're on Hulu's free trial then for a year it will be $5.99 a month with limited commercials, so I will keep it for a while to see how much I watch of it.

Frankly, I am getting overwhelmed with the massive amounts of content even with just the free streaming services! I added Tubi and Crackle and look forward to watching Merlin again as well as some of the old movies one or the other of those services offer. Plan 9 from Outer Space! I haven't watched that since our Betamax VCR died!

I think I will have to pick one day a week for each streaming service and watch their programming all day!

[flying rabbit]

3. Trust me,

You wont look back. Cord free for 3 years.

[csziggy]

4. So far, I'm liking it!

My biggest worry is the DSL signal from CenturyLink. We're pretty much stuck with them but after the last bands from Irma had passed by, everything from CenturyLink went down - landline, DSL and PrismTV. Since I get no cell signal worth talking about inside the house, that left me with no way to communicate.

Apparently it was a system wide outage but CenturyLink pissed me off. They have NO WAY to simply take an outage report without being transferred five times and sitting on hold for forty five minutes. In order to call them I had to go outside and walk to the top of the ridge to get a cell signal. In the rain, sixty degrees and dropping.

It will be a pleasure to cut my fees going to CenturyLink to a minimum!

[Go Vols]

5. cut the cord 5 years ago

check out android boxes and search youtube for free kodi apps or pay apps.I can watch more live TV/movies on demand than any service cable offers.

I have 3 roku boxes that get little to no use since android.