Cut the cable! Stop supporting left-wing cable or dish providers, and stop supporting the propaganda networks that they bundle!
STEP 1: Buy Roku (if you don't have a smart TV or Roku TV).
STEP 2: Find out what local channels you are likely to pick up with an antenna. Note the type of antenna that may be required for each channel. Local channels are FREE!
STEP 3: Buy an antenna if you are happy with the local channels that an antenna will likely pick up.
STEP 4: Otherwise, for about $40 per month Sling TV may provide the local channels you want to view. Sling TV 'Blue' does not include CBS, which can be ordered separately for about $6/month -- but, hopefully you boycott CBS propaganda! You may also choose to pay nothing per month with Roku to view lots of older shows, watch YouTube videos, etc.
STEP 5: Subscribe to additional à la carte channels (not provided by Sling TV) as desired.
Roku users save an average of over $70 each month over cable according to a recent survey. Furthermore, by cutting the cable, you can help to stop financially supporting left-wing propaganda networks such as CNN, MSNBC, and ESPN, which typically come bundled with cable packages.
Direct TV is owned by AT&T, one of the WORST companies in America.
Roku might make sense for you if you can use it in conjunction with a digital antenna, so that you can hopefully receive your basic local channels, including network affiliates for free. You may not be able to receive all of your local channels. Use this site to predict, based on your specific location, which channels you are likely to receive with an antenna. Then you can use Roku to pay for à la carte channels.
Note that if you have a smart TV or Roku TV, this eliminates the need for an external Roku device. Smart TVs and Roku TVs are more reliable than using an external Roku device. External Roku devices are a little bit buggy, sometimes needing to be unplugged and then powered back on.
Roku is a small hardware device (one time purchase of about $40) that connects to your TV. Buy one for each TV (that is not a smarat TV) that you use. After you physically connect the device, you go through a setup process. Instead of using a coaxial cable to receive the video signal, Roku connects wirelessly to your router, and so you will need to enter the network name and password to connet to your router. It will take some time not just to get Roku initially set up, but to customize (by adding or removing) the channels that you want to appear on your start menu, to order subscriptions, etc. Some channels, such as your local TV networks, must be searched for, then added to the start menu.
UPSIDE: Instead of being at the mercy of whatever show happens to be airing live, with Roku you can select a specific show, episode, or segment to watch.
UPSIDE: With Roku, many channels are free, but you will have to pay for a monthly subscription to the most popular channels, or at least the current episodes. Subscriptions are typically about $5 per month. By paying à la carte for channels, you will still save over cable or dish.
DOWNSIDE: Unlike your old cable TV service, you can't quickly surf from channel to channel. To switch channels, you must click the 'home' button on your remote control, then select a different channel to view, then select a specific show or segment to view.
DOWNSIDE/UPSIDE: If you are not subscribing to a service such as Sling TV, typically, a commercial airs before each new on-demand program segment. This compares with cable TV, which has longer programming time followed by longer commercial breaks.
UPSIDE/DOWNSIDE: Lots of FOX News and NewsMax content is free, although if you want live streaming content then you must pay for monthly subscriptions. Lots of other content is free, in particular, old seasons of shows. For example, you can watch older on-demand episodes of various network programs without subscribing to anything. Examples: "American Greed", "Locked Up Abroad", etc.
UPSIDE: You can watch YouTube videos on Roku, although commercials may air, depending on whether the uploader chose to have ads play during the video. When you set up for viewing YouTube, you can use your existing YouTube account (along with your existing channel subscriptions) to help Roku provide recommended videos.
DOWNSIDE: Or, using Roku, you can view your usual local news channels with the free 'Haystack News' service, and then add whatever channels you like, including local news from any city in the country. Local TV stations, including local ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX affiliates usually are not available as a live stream without a paid subscription to Sling TV for about $35 per month. However, with a digital TV antenna, you may be able to receive these signals for free.
UPSIDE: Even if you decide to continue your cable subscription, with Roku you can watch episodes/seasons/shows on-demand, instead of being at the mercy of having to watch whatever happens to be airing live. Return your cable converter box, and the cost of the Roku box should be paid for within a year.
ALTERNATIVES:
Hardware: Do not use alternative products such as Amazon Fire Stick! Amazon is our #1 boycott target! We also boycott Google Chromecast, and Apple TV.
Live streaming: If you cannot receive live local channels (that you may want to watch) with an antenna, then we recommend Sling TV, which is merely the least offensive choice for live streaming. Please verify that Sling TV will indeed stream the channels that you want (Sling TV 'Blue' does not include the CBS propaganda network). Do NOT use Hulu, which is owned by Disney, one of the WORST companies in America. Do NOT use 'Direct TV Stream' either. Direct TV is owned by AT&T, another horrible company.
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