The majority of our content comes from streaming services, primarily Netflix & Amazon, but we also utilize a few other sources, including Hulu+. One thing is for sure, there are plenty of options. The only challenge is getting everyone in the family to agree on what to watch.
Our antenna & TiVo service are important and enable us watch our local stations, including the news, with DVR functionality. I was really excited about TiVo, and with respect to an over-the-air DVR, it doesn't disappoint. However, their integrated search and streaming applications leave a lot to be desired. I was hoping that the TiVo device would be able to handle all of our over-the-air content as well as streaming content, but that wasn't the case.
Another complaint I have about TiVo is how expensive it is to stream your over-the-air content to other rooms and other devices. You have to purchase additional hardware and pay additional monthly services charges for this service. At $15 a month for a single DVR service, TiVo is already more expensive than their competitors and I doubt anyone is interested in paying another $10 to $15 a month (plus cost of hardware) just to add DVR functionality to an additional room.
The good news is that there are some very innovative TiVo alternatives out there. I've got my eye on Simple.TV. It's a small device that plugs into your home network and your antenna and then streams over-the-air content (with DVR functionality) to your tablets, computers, and Roku devices. There are a few things that set Simple.TV apart from TiVo. Both devices cost about the same, but the monthly cost for Simple.TV is only $5 verse $15 for TiVo. Also, Simple.TV will let you stream to any TV with a Roku connected to it, and on tablets and computers, both at home and on the road. I look forward to giving Simple.TV a try as my year-long TiVo commitment comes to and end.
Another over-the-air DVR service to keep an eye on is Aereo. It is only available in select markets, none of which are in Northern California, but essentially provides over-the-air DVR functionality via "the cloud". What makes it even cooler is that the antenna used by Aereo lives at their data center rather than your house. This allows people who have trouble picking up TV signals at their house the ability to cut-the-cord and still receive local channels (with DVR functionality) for about $8 to $12 per month. Aereo can display over-the-air content on Roku as well as tablets, smartphones, and PCs.
So I've talked about some over-the-air DVR options but what about streaming devices? Apple TV easily has the best interface around but unfortunately, the content is somewhat limited. My recommendation when it comes to streaming is Roku. We'd been using Roku all along in our bedroom but added one to the living room as well. For us, a major advantage of Roku over Apple TV is support for Amazon (both pay-per-view/purchase and free Prime content) as well as a ton of other "channels" like Spotify and iHeartRadio. Plus, both Simple.TV and Aereo can work with your Roku device to deliver over-the-air content.
We didn't watch a ton of TV before, but we watch even less now, which is a good thing. Given our experience so far, we don't plan to go back to cable anytime soon.
My previous blogs on this topic can be found at:
Thinking of Cutting the Cord? (Part 1)
Thinking of Cutting the Cord? (Part 2)
I'd love to hear about your cord-cutting experience and/or questions in the comments.
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