Cut the Cord
When we first moved into our home about six years ago, we ordered up a satellite-based service that was offering fantastic incentives. After the installation we were rocking the latest digital recorder, a gazillion channels, and superb picture quality. A few months later I began to observe two things: our bill was getting steadily more expensive and my kids were recording the same shows over and over.
I began to wonder why I was paying so much money when were only using a fraction of the services for which we were paying. By the time the bill broke the $100 mark three months in a row, my wife and I decided we were ready to “cut the cord” and embrace internet-based streaming for our two televisions.
We were already using our Apple TV for movies occasionally so it wasn’t a stretch to start using it for Netflix. We have two televisions in our home so we needed an affordable solution for the second one as well. We have been Amazon Prime customers for years. Given the amount of shopping we did on Amazon, especially while living overseas, the annual fee more than paid for itself. Since we had Prime, we thought we would give the Amazon Fire Stick a try. (The first version was actually the larger Fire TV.) This turned out to be one of the best buys we’ve ever made.
For starters, the technology is uber-simple to use. The device also has a voice-activated component so you don’t have to click your way around a virtual keyboard. Take note the Alexa voice function does not work inside other apps though. Secondly, the available show and movie selection in Prime is impressive. If you add in the enormous Netflix library (or Hulu, HBO, CBS, etc.) you’ve got enough TV to last a nuclear winter – EMPs aside of course.
Keep in mind you do not have to have an AmazonPrime account to use the Fire TV Stick. This is from Amazon’s product review of the device, “Amazon Prime is not required to use Fire TV Stick. You can access Netflix, Hulu Plus, and even your Amazon Instant Video purchases, all without having an AmazonPrime subscription.” As I mentioned earlier though, if you shop Amazon even sporadically the shipping savings essentially covers the cost of the annual subscription.
In addition to a device like the Fire TV Stick you’ll also want to get an HD antenna for local channels. If you’re in a rural location, you might have some difficulty getting a signal. For those of us in suburbia there’s no shortage of local channels. They simply plug into your TVs coaxial connection and then you mount it to a nearby wall. Here’s one from Amazon if you’re interested.
If you want to check on station availability in your area visit the FCC digital TV reception page. You plug in your zip code and it gives you a color-coded chart on which stations are available and their relative broadcast strength in your area.
If you’re thinking about ditching the cable or the satellite, here’s a good article on how to do it with a few more details and ideas. If you decide to go cable-less and purchase a Fire TV Stick, HD antenna, or even AmazonPrime, I would really appreciate it if you used the links on this page as we’ll get a small commission on the sale.
Good luck!