TV Without Cable: All About Watching Local TV
Cable TV has been on the receiving end as its bills continue to skyrocket, and more people are embracing cable TV cutting. New studies indicate that more than 33 million American households have opted to ditch cable TV and free over-the-air, preferring streaming services instead.
Of course, if you are thinking of canceling your cable subscription, then one question that you might be asking yourself is how you can continue to watch your local channels. The good news is that there are simple and relatively cheap solutions to access local broadcast stations without having cable. Here are some options to consider:
This is another option that you might consider if you are looking to get a Digital TV Antenna.
The best and easiest method of watching local channels without cable television is by getting a digital television antenna. An antenna can enable you to get the live television signals going around in your region from prime networks such as ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and PBS among others.
There are some things that you should consider while choosing the most suitable antenna: your geographic location, the distance to the broadcasting towers, and whether you live in a house or an apartment. There are a variety of affordable indoor and outdoor models to consider:
- Indoor antennas: Typically, small flat boards mounted close to a window or a wall, ideal for short-range use within 10-15 miles of towers. As proposed in the first part, amplification models are capable of increasing signals.
- Outdoor/attic mounted antennas: Often placed on roofs or in attics to get better reception. Are generally bigger and can select more channels, better for areas located 15+ miles away from the towers.
- Amplified antennas: Bring signal boosters to amplify reception, these are important in areas that are many kilometers from the towers or if the geographical features in the area are mountains.
When linked to your TV, an antenna will get all available over-the-air channels without requiring any monthly payments. You can use it alongside local and streaming devices such as Roku or Firestick for a mix of both forms of content.
Watch Live TV Online, Live Television
Choosing live TV streaming is considered a new cable substitute as they offer live local broadcast stations and famous cable networks through the internet. All the leading contenders such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream, and Foot are carrying all the major network channels including ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC in well over 85% of the markets across the United States.
It is important to note that most streaming TV services will provide a zip code look-up to see which locals are available in the desired area first. Besides local stations, most platforms also offer 20-100+ live cable channels, cloud DVR space, on-demand content, the ability to watch programs concurrently, etc., for $40-$75 a month. This can be up to 40% cheaper or more if compared to the usual cable TV subscription services.
Almost all streaming services also have free trials for first-time customers to try out local channels as well as a provider’s performance. In general, live TV streaming is quite comparable to having cable where you get a cable-like experience though at a cheaper rate.
Use a TV Antenna DVR to record specific programs to watch later.
A main limitation of only depending on over-the-air antenna channels is the absence of the option of recording shows for later viewing, as is the case with cable DVR boxes. However, you can make use of an antenna with an antenna DVR to record television programs as it has DVR capabilities.
Antenna DVR devices can be described as a device that provides the functionality of both a digital tuner and a recorder. These plug into your antenna and TV to offer free local programming while they enable you to record programs for watching later, like a TiVo, but without subscription fees. All the streaming devices we’ve mentioned above, including Tablo, Homerun, Fire TV Recast, and Plex, will let your antenna have free DVR.
An antenna DVR allows you to stop the antenna TV and even rewind it or set up the preferred program to be recorded. Some even allow on-device recording and streaming to allow for viewing of content recorded on Internet-connected phones, tablets, or media players when away from home. This provides you with most of the flexibility of a cable digital video recorder box at a price of only the initial equipment cost.
Try Locast (limited markets)
Another option that is worth a shot is Locast.org Currently operating in more than 35 stations of the American broadcast market, Locust is a nonprofit online streaming service that allows users to watch local TV stations online. In some parts of the country, users can watch ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS, and other channels for free over the internet by using apps such as Roku, Fire TV and Android TV, Apple TV, browsers, as well as Android streaming.
The only drawback, which is because Locust is a nonprofit organization, is it may pause the stream and ask for donations. But if it is available in your city then it serves the purpose of getting connected with the locals without having a cable subscription. It is advisable to visit their website or download the app to determine if they have broadcasts in a certain area.
Bundle Streaming Services
Last of all, another way is including a couple of streaming entertainment services together and getting much of what cable provides. For instance, Hulu + Live TV is a subscription service that offers more than 60 live programming programs, including many locals, on top of on-demand platforms such as Netflix, HBO Max, or ESPN+.
Some streaming avenues even come with free trials and cut-rate pricing if the app is bundled with others. This enables you to create a package of channels with the preferred news, sports, movies, and other programs without subscribing to other unwanted channels. Other examples of first-party pay-tv services also include Apple TV Channels or Amazon Prime Video Channels that make paying for several streaming apps easy.
This is especially possible owing to the advent of streaming in a time when cable has made it possible for cord-cutters to continue watching shows from ABC, NBC, and other local stations. With the proper antenna services and devices, you can watch what you need to watch from broadcast TV without the hefty monthly subscription fees.
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