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BEYOND CABLE TV

Are you still watching?

Watching cable TV, that is. If you have kept

up with the news lately, or have overheard

others talking about their experience with

cable TV and the high costs associated with

it, you may have heard them talk about

something called cutting the cord.

These “cord cutters” are moving away from

traditional cable TV subscriptions and

seeking out thriftier alternatives.

If you are wondering about cutting the cord

or think you might be ready to do it, this

guide will show you what it takes to go

Beyond Cable TV!

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BEYOND CABLE TV

Notes

The rising costs of

cable subscriptions,

coupled with

disappointment in the

options available, has

driven many people to

cut the cord. They are choosing to cancel

their cable TV and switch to streaming

services.

Streaming services are internet-based

services you can sign up for in order to

watch TV shows and movies. These services

use an internet connection to deliver video

content from the web to your computer,

tablet, phone, or special streaming device.

Before you make the choice to cut your

cable subscription, there are some things

you may want to consider: content options,

price, and your internet.

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THINGS TO CONSIDER

Content Options

When considering switching to streaming,

be sure to research the different services to

find the one (or more) that offer the shows

and channels you want.

Price

There are two costs

that are often forgotten

when making the switch

to streaming:

• Subscription Fees

• Streaming services charge a

monthly fee, which can be free or up

to $80 or more a month! If you

choose multiple services or an

expensive package, your costs may

be as much as a cable TV package.

• Internet Prices

• To watch content from any

streaming service, you must have an

internet service with connection

speeds capable of handling

streaming video.

• If you have cable TV and internet

bundled., check to see how much

standalone internet service would

cost from local providers.

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THINGS TO CONSIDER: SPEED

Just having an internet connection may not

be enough to make your home ready for

streaming TV. Internet speed is extremely

important for streaming video.

Slow internet speeds can lead to video

playing poorly or not playing at all. To

avoid this, ensure that you have enough

bandwidth to stream.

Bandwidth is a measure of your internet

speed. It is measured in Mbps (megabits

per second). Each device you connect to

the internet (tablets, streaming devices,

computers, etc.) uses a portion of your

home’s bandwidth.

Think of it like a family meal where there is

a fixed amount of food available. As each

person takes food, there is less to take. You

have a fixed amount of bandwidth; each

device connected to it takes some of that

available bandwidth.

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THINGS TO CONSIDER: SPEED

Tip: Already have home internet? You can

test your bandwidth at fast.com or

speedtest.net for free!

Basic streaming often

takes between 5-10

Mbps per streaming

device. For higher

quality video, it may

require up to 25Mbps.

On average, a small

household (1-2 people)

will be okay with a 15 Mbps connection,

larger households (3-5 people) may want to

look for 25-40 Mbps connections.

Notes

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THINGS TO CONSIDER: INTERNET

Notes

Depending on your

area, you may have

several or very few

internet options. These

could include:

• Cable Internet

• Fiber Optic or

Fiber Internet

• DSL

• Satellite

• Dial-up

Cable and fiber internet offer some of the

fastest speeds at the lowest prices. DSL and

satellite can offer high speeds (around 40

Mbps) but often charge more than cable or

fiber. Dial-up is the oldest and slowest

connection available today, and often

cannot handle streaming.

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STREAMING DEVICES

Once you have made the decision to cut

cable TV and switch to streaming, you need

to decide how you are going to watch your

streaming video. Many people choose to

use streaming devices.

These are small boxes or streaming sticks

that plug into the HDMI port on the back or

side of your television. There are several unique streaming devices

available including the following:

• Amazon’s FireTV Cube and FireTV Stick

• Roku’s Express, Premier, Ultra, and

Streaming Stick

• Apple TV or Android TV

• Nvidia Shield TV

• Google Chromecast

Tip: You can buy streaming devices from

the brand’s website or often in stores like

Best Buy, Wal-Mart, or Target.

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STREAMING DEVICES

If the idea of plugging in a box or stick

doesn’t appeal to you, you may want to

consider a smart TV.

A smart TV is a television that is Wi-Fi or

internet enabled. This allows you to connect

to streaming services and surf the internet

without additional hardware. Some are even

able to integrate with smart speakers, like

the Amazon Echo or Google Home.

There is one downside to smart TVs—they

tend to be expensive.

Some popular models available are:

• LG’s B8 OLED TV

• Samsung’s NU8000

• Sony’s X900F

• TCL’s R617 or S405

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STREAMING APPS

One of the best aspects of switching from a

cable TV subscription to streaming, aside

from saving money, is that you are not tied

to a television!

Almost all streaming services can be

accessed through the web or through apps

that can be downloaded onto your

cellphone, tablet, and notebook computers.

Although you are in front of a television,

many streaming services have apps

available on gaming systems like the Xbox 1

or the PlayStation 4.

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There are many

different streaming

services available

today. Many services

offer “on-

demand” content (TV

shows and movies

that are available at

any time), while

others offer live TV, providing access to

channels more like cable TV. Some services

offer a wide variety of content, while others

offer very specific content. It is best to

research several services to determine

which one(s) will best fit your needs and

your budget!

When selecting a service, keep in mind that

prices and content availability can change.

For services like Netflix or Hulu, content

changes/additions happen often.

Notes

STREAMING

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THE BIG THREE

There are three streaming services whose

names have become synonymous with

streaming video: Netflix, Amazon’s Prime

Video, and Hulu. All three services offer a

wide variety of popular movies and TV

shows and growing collections of movies

and TV shows created by the service.

Netflix: Offers three different packages.

Monthly Fee: $___

Amazon Prime Video: Is included with an

Amazon Prime membership or you can opt

for their standalone subscription

Monthly Fee: $___

Hulu: Offers live TV packages in addition to

on-demand video.

Monthly Fee:$___

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LIVE TV

If you are looking for something similar to

your cable subscription, there are some

streaming services that offer live TV. Live

TV streaming services offer packages of

channels similar to cable TV.

AT&T TV Now: Provides access to channels

through several different packages starting

with 45+ channels all the way up to

packages offering 125+ channels.

Monthly Fee:$___

Sling TV: Offers two different packages:

Blue and Orange. Each package costs

contains a different set of channels.

Monthly Fee:$___

YouTubeTV: Offers a single package of

popular channels for several users.

Monthly Fee:$___

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SPORTS TV

If you are worried more about how you’re

going to watch the Chiefs take on the

Raiders or can’t bear to miss a single Royals

game, some of these sports-centric

streaming services may interest you.

FuboTV: Is a unique sports-driven live TV

streaming service offering a wide range of

popular sports channels alongside several

regular channels.

Monthly Fee:$___

ESPN+: ESPN’s live and on-demand

streaming service offers live coverage of

many popular sports events as well as

on-demand viewing of ESPN originals.

Monthly Fee:$___

DAZN: Is a unique sports channel, in that it

focuses solely on the boxing and MMA

world. It offers over 100 fights a year.

Monthly Fee:$___

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Don’t feel like spending money on a

streaming service? There are a surprising

number of free streaming services available.

Their unique collections are an excellent

option for anyone seeking entertainment

while trying to save a few bucks!

Sony Crackle: Provides streaming TV shows,

movies, and even some original content for

free with ads.

PlutoTV: Offers a mix of live and on-demand

streaming, including a few familiar channels

and channels dedicated to a specific show.

Tubi TV: Boasts that it has the largest library

of modern classics and cult favorites

available. It offers on-demand streaming of

tons of TV shows and movies.

FREEBIES

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FREE FROM THE LIBRARY

Don’t forget the Library! MCPL is proud to

offer some free alternatives to streaming

services and cable. We also offer thousands

of DVDs and Blu-Rays including recent

releases, popular TV shows, and even

exercise videos!

OverDrive Video: Offers a wide variety of

on-demand films and documentaries as well

as a few TV shows.

Access Video On Demand: Offers excellent

on-demand documentaries, educational TV

shows, and independent films.

Just For Kids Access Video: Is a unique

resource that offers a huge collection of

children’s TV and educational series.

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Don’t have (or want to get) an internet

connection? No problem! There is one other

way you can watch some live TV.

The antenna has been around for a long

time, but modern antennas are capable of

picking up HD quality channels from

longer distances.

A new antenna can be plugged into your

TV’s HDMI port, just like the streaming

devices, and picks up over-the-air channels.

Typically, an antenna can pick up local and

public broadcast stations near you. For the

Kansas City area, this could include the

following channels:

• KCPT

• KCWE

• KCTV 5

• KMBC

HARDWARE — ANTENNA

April 23rd, 2019