Low Cost Alternatives to Cable

I’m Emily Davenport and this... is Tech Know. Hulu, Crackle, Boxee, Roku … --no, these aren’t organic, high-fiber cereal names – these are simply new ways to consume your favorite movies and TV shows via the Internet. Along with other popular services, like Netflix, iTunes and Amazon Instant, these services are part of the revolution in streaming home entertainment services now available to you. But I already have cable and a million channels, you say. Why would I even consider something else? The answer boils right down to cost: many of these Internet-based services are a fraction of the cost of a standard cable TV package – some even completely ‘free.’ So unless you really watch all million of your cable channels, you may be able to get exactly what you need online and save some money while doing it! Let’s take a look at some of these lower-cost alternatives to standard cable TV. First up is Netflix. While Netflix began as physical movie rental-by-mail service, it now has a huge catalog of movies and TV titles available via unlimited streaming for only $8 a month. Despite a large total catalog, Netflix’s weakness is that only about one-third of its catalog is available to stream and TV shows are rarely are usually behind one season behind. If you have a DVD player, you can get access to the rest of their catalog by choosing the disc-by-mail service. It’s a speedy service and the streaming plus ‘4-DVDs-at-a-time’ plan is only $30 a month. Hulu picks up where Netflix leaves off, aiming at the TV crowd. This free service shows the last five episodes of many current TV shows. For $8 a month, you can step up to Hulu Plus which includes the full series (if available), and new episodes appearing usually the day after it airs. Because Hulu is a partnership among media companies, even Hulu Plus has some limited advertising during the video streaming, --but it’s hard to argue with that price! Amazon Instant doesn’t seem to have the same visibility that Netflix and Hulu enjoy, but it has a robust library of over 13,000 movies and TV shows that you can rent or download. If you sign up for their $7 a month ‘Amazon Prime’ program, you can stream an unlimited number of a select group of titles for ‘free’. The price of membership also includes free two-day shipping on many Amazon orders and free Kindle book to borrow each month from their lenders library. If you are an Apple fan, you’ve already got a video store built right into your operating system. Apple’s iTunes store lets users buy movies and TV episodes, that download into the user’s iTunes library and are playable on an Apple TV, iOS device,or any connected display that supports video playback from iTunes. But before you cut the cable TV cord, there are a few considerations to keep in mind, Connectivity. Because your video source is now coming from the Internet, you’ll want to ensure a reliable connection with enough bandwidth to carry your video and any other Internet data you require. Also, be sure you’re aware of any monthly data caps on your line – an unlimited video streaming plan could eat up your allotted amount quickly and incur overage charges. Some newer TVs have Internet connectivity built right in and even have ‘apps’ pre-installed for Netflix and Hulu services, but if you don’t have one of these TVs, you’ll need to invest in a stand-alone home theater PC, like Boxee, Roku, Apple TV, or a Google TV-enabled device. Another route would be to connect your TV to your home computer and use it as a second display for your video content. Whatever you choose, be mindful of this potential additional cost and total cost. While all of these online solutions may be inexpensive by themselves, together they’ll add up quickly. If you take Netflix’s unlimited streaming and two-DVDs at a time plan to have access to their whole catalog, then add Hulu Plus to get the latest and greatest TV show episodes, and then rent a few new releases from Amazon Instant you’d be looking at about $40. Knowing what you like to watch and where to get it online is key cutting the cable bill cord and saving money. While you won’t be alone if you do, you still won’t be in the majority – cable subscriptions are actually still growing, although in smaller numbers than in previous years. For Tech Know, I’m Emily Davenport. See ya next time.