Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 5: Assessing Your Preferences
• Part 2 of 5: Selecting a Device
• Part 3 of 5: Choosing a TV Service
• Part 4 of 5: Choosing Specialized Programs
• Part 5 of 5: Canceling Your Cable TV Provider Agreements
• What do you need

About 10 percent of American television viewers have abandoned cable television to cut down on household spending, and statistics show that the number is doubling each year. If you are tired of constantly switching between hundreds of channels and high subscription fees, evaluate how you currently use your TV, buy a streaming device and choose to use media streaming on your TV or computer.

Steps

Part 1 of 5: Assessing Your Preferences

1. 1 Make a list of the programs you watch regularly. Do this for each family member, so you can make sure that giving up the cable is painless for you.
2. 2 Check if your favorite shows are available online. Check findinternettv.com for a list of popular cable shows.
   • Many channels post new episodes of popular shows on their websites.
   • Also check Netflix, Hulu, iTunes, and Amazon Video On Demand to see which shows are available using those services. Most shows from HBO, Showtime, AMC and similar channels can be bought in episodes or entire seasons on iTunes and Amazon.
   • It is estimated that 90 percent of ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox shows can be found on the Internet.
3. 3 Decide if you are ready to wait for the shows that are currently not available online.
   • In most cases, you have to wait six months to a year for a full season of the show to appear on Netflix at no additional cost.
   • Some shows (often some of the more popular episodes) do not provide streaming rights on Netflix. In this case, you will have to purchase such shows from Amazon, iTunes or other services.
   • You can watch new movies using game consoles, Amazon and iTunes if they are not available with your Netflix subscription.
4. 4 Find out how much you pay for the Internet. Cable TV users often bundle cable and Internet services together.Call your cable TV provider and find out how much Internet without cable will cost you, and find out what other Internet providers are in your area.
   • In some cases, you may not be able to save money by ditching cable TV. You should estimate how many services you need to subscribe to and compare their cost to the cost of cable TV minus the cost of the Internet.

Part 2 of 5: Selecting a Device

1. 1 Purchase an antenna. If among the channels you selected were news channels or major networks like ABC or NBC, then the first step should be to connect an indoor or outdoor antenna.
   • Antennas can be bought for 700-2000 rubles in an online store or an electronics store.
   • You might consider using a small indoor antenna like the Mohu Leaf, which is smaller and less imposing than other models.
   • The antenna usually picks up channels that are broadcast from a distance of no more than 56 kilometers. Channel availability and image quality will depend on your location.
   • This is especially important for fans of local news and sports broadcasts.
2. 2 Purchase an Internet TV device. Before purchasing any new device, check if your TV is capable of receiving internet streaming over the main interface.
   • If you have Internet TV, you can watch movies and TV shows from Netflix and Hulu Plus, although this will not apply to other TVs and specialty channels.
   • If you buy a new TV, you can buy Internet TV at the same time, so you can access movies and TV programs using these services.
3. 3 Buy a Roku player. If you have a high quality wireless network, then Roku streaming is the cheapest and easiest way to set up video streaming using regular TVs.
   • A Roku device costs between 1,500 and 3,500 rubles. The price depends on the required signal processing speed.
   • Buy Roku if you want to receive sports channels. Apple TV and Roku are the first devices to support sports and movie streaming.
   • If you have more than one TV in your home, you can buy Roku for each one. Oftentimes, the price of a Roku player is equal to or less than the monthly cable TV fee.
   • Roku is best suited for those who don't want to use a computer or other device to receive a video stream. Older viewers can find that Roku does not require a lot of configuration and training to use it.
   • If you just want to use Netflix and Hulu Plus to watch shows, seasons of cable TV shows and watch movies, then this is the cheapest choice with very simple settings.
   • Another Roku-like device is the WD TV Play, manufactured by Western Digital. Its price is about 2,500 rubles, and it supports Netflix and Hulu Plus services.
4. 4 Buy an Apple TV if you already own multiple Apple devices.
   • Apple TV costs about 3,500 rubles.
   • While the Apple TV connects to your TV in the same way as the Roku does, it works with your Apple ID to ensure that the stream is received across all your Apple devices.
   • If you have an iPad, iPod, or Apple computer, then Apple TV is your best bet.
5. 5 Buy a Google Chromecast digital media player. If you are used to streaming content on your computer, you can simply plug it into your TV.
   • The Google Chromecast only costs around Rs 1,200, making it the cheapest option on the market.
   • It connects directly to your HDTV via the HDMI port. Once you connect this unit to a wireless network with Internet access, you can watch online broadcasts on your TV.
   • Unlike Roku and Apple TV, which use “channels” to serve Hulu, Netflix, and others, Chromecast simply uses your computer as a controller.
   • This may be the best solution for teenagers and students who already have access to television and movies using a computer.
   • Chromecast has benefits for sports fans. You can watch live streams of games when you subscribe to the service on the corresponding site.
6. 6 Play the stream on the game console. If you or your family have an Xbox, PlayStation or Wii, then you can use this device to watch mainstream TV channels and movies.
   • Game consoles cost from 7,000 to 14,000 rubles. It would be wise to buy it only if you already thought about buying a game console.
   • If you have one of the above models, you can access TV streaming through the corresponding interface.
   • Ask to download TV “channels” and movie channels from this device's online store. Then you can attach the icon to your account.
   • PlayStation 3 is the ultimate gaming console for sports fans willing to pay to access NHL, NBA or MLB games.
7. 7 Invest in a DVD or video player with stream playback functionality.
   • DVD and Blu Ray players cost from 2,800 to 7,000 rubles.
   • These devices can easily stream from Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand and Hulu.
   • They offer a limited selection of other channels.

Part 3 of 5: Choosing a TV Service

1. 1 Sign up for Hulu Plus. After purchasing the device, sign up for a week's free use of the service before finally giving up on cable TV.
   • Hulu Plus streams hundreds of cable and network TV shows, old movies, overseas TV channels, and more.
   • After free use, subscribe to the service with a monthly fee of about 280 rubles.
   • If you have a Chromecast player, you can simply use Hulu.com to watch some of the streams, and Hulu Plus to access more shows.
2. 2 Get a Netflix account. All Netflix DVD accounts have free access to online streams.
   • If you don't have a Netflix DVD account, you can create an account to watch online broadcasts for 280 rubles per month. Before doing this, take advantage of the free trial period.
   • Netflix offers access to movies, TV channels, and Netflix's own channels.
   • Netflix channels are available on all streaming devices.
   • Netflix profile allows you to create up to 4 separate profiles per account, so different family members will have tailored offers for them.
   • You can create profiles for children that will block access to inappropriate content.
   • Download the Netflix channel from the app store for your device. Enter the activation code into your account from your computer, then sign in with your Netflix account using your streaming device.
3. 3 Sign up for Amazon Video On Demand. If you have an Amazon account, then you most likely already have access to this service.
   • Amazon's video service is a great way to watch TV shows and movies created by giants like HBO, Showtime, Bravo, AMC and more.
   • Amazon sells these shows by release and by season.
   • Movies are also available for viewing - for 140 rubles and for purchase - for 525 rubles
   • This service is the best choice for getting access to the very best latest movies and TV shows.
4. 4 Use iTunes. If you've chosen Apple TV, then you can buy current TV seasons and current movies.
   • This service works in a similar way to Amazon Video On Demand. This option is more suitable for people who have a lot of Apple devices.
5. 5 Download the Vudu app. If you have a PlayStation or Internet connected TV or Blu Ray player, you can use Vudu to access new and old movies.
   • Vudu is not available on most streaming devices, but may be supported in the future.
   • At the same time, 70 rubles are charged as a fee, free content is offered and quite reasonable prices for new films.

Part 4 of 5: Choosing Specialized Programs

1. 1 Register with Aereo if you live in a large American city. Aereo broadcasts local news and sports channels in most major American cities.
   • If your antenna is ineffective, you can replace it with an Aereo.
   • You can use Aereo with a Roku player or Apple TV. You can also use this site to receive a stream playback using a Chromecast.
2. 2 Register to receive online sports broadcasts. MLB, NBA, NHL and NFL fans can register to receive broadcasts of any season of games.
   • You can access your subscription using Roku, Apple TV, or Chromecast.
   • Sports fans will need to pay from 2,100 to 5,300 rubles annually to gain access. You should do a cost analysis if any sports channels are already included in your cable TV tariff plan.
3. 3 Select specialized channels using the interface of your streaming device.
   • On many devices, you can subscribe to TED Talks, news services, old movie channels for free or for very little money.
   • If you know what channels will be available, then check the list of channels before buying a device.
   • If you get used to the device easily, you may notice that it will become much easier for you to adapt to watching TV programs and movies than with cable TV.
   • The choice of dedicated channels is very dependent on the streaming device you have.

Part 5 of 5: Canceling Your Cable TV Provider Agreements

1. 1 Call your cable TV provider before cutting the cable. Usually a warning about the intention to refuse their services forces them to give you a discount for several months.
   • Call when you're already using the free trial of Netflix, Hulu and others. See which of your favorite TV shows are available using these services.
2. 2 Ask for advice from those who have already given up on cable TV. Ask your friends what streaming device they are using and ask them to use those devices.
   • Experimenting with devices is the best way to make an informed decision.
3. 3 Ditch cable TV, but keep high-speed Internet.
   • Streaming devices require high quality connections, so make sure not to drop the entire package.
   • Search online for lower prices if you think your cable provider is costing you too much.
4. 4 Before returning to cable TV, try streaming for at least 3 months.
   • Understand that it takes some time to adapt to a new way of using television.
   • Since abandoning cable TV requires additional investments in streaming devices, you will not be able to recoup the required amount within 6 months to a year.
   • Follow shows you can't find and try to find them on new streaming channels.
   • Make a list of the prices of all the services you subscribe to and review it after three months. If the total cost is the same or higher than using cable TV, then it might be worth returning to it.
5. 5 If you are going to use cable TV again, try the services of a new provider. Take advantage of newbie offers if streaming TV isn't right for you or your family.

What do you need

• Roku player
• Game console (PlayStation, Wii, Xbox)
• Google chromecast
• Apple TV
• Internet TV
• Blu ray / DVD player with streaming interface
• Computer