Cutting the Cable Cord: a Practical Guide
For many years, if you wanted tv you had this:
Now however, you can have this:
Which leads to this:
...a Practical Guide By 2021, 30% of Americans will not have traditional cable. Cord-cutting is accelerating faster than anticipated An individual choice Not for everyone! This class: How cutting the cord works How to make the choice: a walkthrough and a case study of two geeks Review of common streaming channel choices
What is it? 1. 2. 3. Stopping TV service through a cable company BUT continuing Internet service All TV will be delivered to your house via the internet or an antenna Does not mean that you...:...will pay nothing...will ditch your tv
What do you need? FAST Internet A local home Wi-fi network (a Router that is wi-fi enabled) TV If you can t stream youtube videos, forget it The more people using it, the faster you will need Either a streaming device Or an Internet enabled TV Lots and lots of lots of Digital Channels-which you pay for Optional: a Digital Antenna Optional: A streaming device to make it easier
Antenna Digital Antennas are much more powerful More channels available too Channels broadcast at different strengths ABC-Philadelphia only http://www.stationindex.com/tv/markets/philadelphia May have to set-up your tv to see Digital channels
How do you start? The three questions: Who? What? How? How many people do you have watching? (Who) What do they watch? (What) Do they have to watch immediately after it broadcasts? (What) Are their shows available in streaming channels? (How)
A Tale of Two Geeks Who? Kay: Watches sci fi & fantasy shows Addicted to BBC Detective Shows (Netflix & Acorn) Watches less than five shows live Bryan: Watches sci fi & fantasy shows, but different ones than Kay Addicted to Anime (Japanese animation for adultscrunchyroll, Funimation, Anime Network) Rarely watches live tv except for football, which he turns off halfway through in disgust
Notes on Who It s harder to cut the tv cord when More people watching tv People watching different things You watch a lot of tv live You watch things that are expensive to replace (sports) Tale of two geeks Only two people who watch tv=good They don t watch a lot of live tv=good Their shows can be sourced from the internet=good They watch completely different things=bad
What? You need to do a usage survey Exactly what shows do you watch? How much do you care about them?
A Tale of Two Geeks 2017: 2018:
Notes on What Get down everything you watch and would miss-even if it s I turn on the Baseball Channel for background every evening The goal of this is to replace what you actually watch, not suffer More than one page? Too many shows...
How (and how much?)
How much, updated
How (and How Much?) Notes Can you replace everything that s a 5 easily? Can you eventually find the shows that are lower rated? Research Is it on one of the common streaming channels? https://www.justwatch.com/ Canistreamit does not work Alternatively If the channel is not common: sign up for a trial Ask around with your friends Or call me at work
The final tally
Equipment to make it Easier Roku Chromecast: No Netflix! Can also mirror your computer s Chrome browser Apple TV
Streaming Sources Roundup Streaming Channels: Netflix Amazon Prime Hulu Reproducing the Cable Experience Sling TV DirectTV Now Playstation Vue Hulu TV (Brand new) Antenna
Things to consider-streaming channels Not programming-just shows How often do they change their content? Do they have original programming? How many people can stream at one time (or sign up at one time)? Is it a monthly or yearly fee? Does my device support their channel?
Netflix Pricing $7.99 a month: 1 stream at a time, Standard Definition $10.99 a month: 2 streams at a time, High Definition $14.99: 4 streams at a time, HD & Ultra HD A ton of new original programming to drive sign-ups Current non-netflix shows a year behind
Amazon Prime $119 a year/$9.92 a month (Or $12.99 if you pay monthly) 2 devices at a time Specializes more in movies Backlist items Adding new original programming Counts by Show, not by episode
Hulu 7.99 a month (without specials) or add Showtime for $8.99/month more $11.99 for an ad-free experience The same ads air again and again and again. New shows a day after they air Works with most major channels 1 stream at a time No CBS shows
Replacing Cable with OnlineTV (sort of) Replay is hit or miss Don t get too far behind some channels allow and some don t many channels only replay up to 3 days On demand not universally available Some channels don t give you all rights to programs Commercials included Options: Sling TV, Hulu TV, DirectTV Now Changing all the time
Sports Most sports have their own channel Once again, it depends on what you care about A Cable replacement may work best here (Hulu live better than Sling) There may be a delay on showing the game Hulu does not have access to NFL network games Antenna (1 or 2 NBC vs. Fox) https://www.howtowatch.com/sports/ NFL game pass (delayed in the US)
Putting it All Together Complete your Usage Survey Try out a few services and see if they work for you before cutting the cord Do a stress test : Have everyone bring up something and try to stream at once Compare the services: https://www.cnet.com/news/playstation-vue-vs-sling-tv-streaming-live-tv-comp ared You don t have to do it immediately...
Thank you! Kay Klocko Head of Reference & Digital Literacy Upper Dublin Public Library kklocko@mclinc.org 215-628-8744 x3344