Getting Comfortable With The Basics

Streaming Video Your Best TV Entertainment Value

Live TV Streaming – Hardware Needed – Over The Air TV

Streaming video is content sent in compressed form over the Internet and displayed by the viewer in real time. With streaming video or streaming media, a Web user does not have to wait to download a file to play it. Instead, the media is transmitted in a continuous stream of data and plays as it arrives. The user needs a player, which is a program that uncompresses and sends video data to the display and audio data to the speakers. A player can be either an integral part of a browser, a set-top box, or built into a Smart TV.

On-demand Streaming TV Services we use

  • Netflix Unlimited Movies & TV episodes $9.99 to $19.99 a month
  • Prime Instant Video unlimited instant streaming of movies and TV shows. Anywhere, anytime, included with the Amazon Prime service.
  • Hulu is a premium streaming TV destination that offers hundreds of thousands of hours of the best of the best television programming and movies to subscribers, with limited commercials for $6.99 per month or with no ads for $12.99 per month.
  • HBO Max is the streaming platform that bundles all of HBO with even more of your favorite movies, TV series, and new Max Originals. $15.99/mo
  • Acorn TV streams world-class mysteries, dramas, and comedies from Britain and beyond. $6.99/mo $69.99/year
  • CuriosityStream Watch award-winning science, technology, history, and nature documentaries, worldwide, on demand. $40/year
  • STARZ Exclusive Originals, Hit Movies! $8.99/mo
  • SHOWTIME official site featuring Homeland, Billions, Shameless, Ray Donovan, and other popular Original Series. $10.99/mo
  • BritBox Binge mystery, comedy, drama, docs, lifestyle, and more, from the biggest streaming collection of British TV ever, 7.99/month or $79.99/year

Some Additional Streaming TV Services

  • Peacock:  Stream TV and Movies Online, Watch Live News (Free–$9.99/mo.) – With Peacock, you can stream hundreds of hit movies, iconic TV shows, current NBC hits, and Peacock Channels
  • ESPN+ Live Sports Streaming, Original Shows & Award $5.99/mo
  • Disney+  $7.99/month or $79.99/year.
  • Paramount+ CBS streams live TV shows, sports events like NFL games, and over 12000 on-demand CBS episodes without any delays in programming. $4.99/month with no ads $9.99/month
  • Apple TV+ is an ad-free subscription video-on-demand streaming television service of Apple Inc. $6.99 per month


Privacy.com Virtual Credit Cards

  • Take Back Control of Your Payments – Privacy Cards put control in your hands when you make a purchase online. Business or personal, one-time or subscription, now you decide who can charge your card, how much, and how often, and you can close or pause a card at any time.

Best TV streaming service 2021: where to get the best online TV by TechRadar – TV streaming services compared so you can find the best


The best cord-cutting comparison site – By Jason Snell sixcolors.com
Suppose compares billions of combinations of TV services and find the best for you.


Live TV Streaming Options

  • Hulu with Live TV  – More Than Just Live TV. Watch your favorite live sports, news, entertainment, and more. Plus, get unlimited access to the entire Hulu streaming library. Stream full seasons of exclusive series, hit movies, current episodes, premium Hulu Originals, and more. $64.99–$70.99/mo
  • YouTube TV   Finally, live TV made for you – Stream ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC & more. Never run out of DVR storage space. Six accounts, Cancel anytime. $64.99/mo.
  • Sling TV  a La Carte TV is a choice in an industry that prevents it. Personalize your channel lineup. $30 –$45/mo.
  • AT&T TV NOW has merged with AT&T TV to bring you the best live and on-demand experience! HBO Max included $70–$140/mo.
  • Fubo TV –  Live sports & tv without cable 100+ channels. Live and on-demand. Cloud DVR included.  $64.99–$79.99/mo.

The Best Live TV Streaming Services for 2023 by PCMag​ – Have you ditched your cable provider but still want to watch primetime network shows and sports? Subscribe to one of these top live TV services and get all the coverage you wish over your internet connection.

Best live TV streaming services for cord-cutters in 2023 by CNET – Sling TV, YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, and others let you ditch your cable company but keep the live channels and DVR. Here’s how they stack up.



Best Streaming Video Services 2023 by Tom’s Guide – To help you get the most out of your smart TV, game console, set-top box, tablet, smartphone, or computer, Tom’s Guide has broken down our favorite streaming media services. Whatever you like to watch, there’s a service with your tastes in mind and your price range.


Hardware Needed to Access Video Streaming Services

  • Most Smart TVs have Netflix and Amazon already on them—ready for you to watch. There’s no need to add another device.  Look for smart TVs with the Netflix Recommended TV logo.
  • Roku $30 to $99 I like the Roku Ultra – The original, best-selling streaming player. With Roku, it’s a snap to enjoy the best movies and TV shows, live sports, music, games, and more – all instantly on your TV whenever you want it.
  • Chromecast with Google TV  Stream entertainment in up to 4K Ultra HD and HDR. A streaming device that plugs into your TV’s HDMI port, Chromecast Ultra provides fast, reliable 4k video with minimal buffering and smooth streaming.
  • Fire TV Stick streaming media player with Alexa –  Fire TV Stick streaming media player with Alexa built-in, includes Alexa Voice Remote, HD, easy set-up.

Over The Air TV

If you are in an area with over-the-air TV, use an antenna to get the n network programming for free. Besides, the quality will usually be better than possible by cable or satellite. Here are a few resources to check availability and what type of antenna you might need.

  • Interactive TV Coverage Browser by TV Fool – This mapping tool will let you browse the TV transmitters in your area and see their coverage maps.
  • AntennaWeb is the Authority of Digital Home Entertainment. Cut the Cord Discover how many FREE over-the-air channels are available from your local television broadcasters.

DVR for recording over-the-air TV

Watch TV on your terms with Tablo – Tablo is a DVR for cord-cutters. Discover, record, and stream free, local Over-the-Air TV broadcast programs on any device, anytime, anywhere in the world.

I use the Electronic Master ANT5001 Digital Outdoor Amplified HDTV Antenna, compact size and easy to install, high performance for digital TV signal reception, and with dipole inbuilt for the excellent UHF band signal. Buy it at homedepot.com – Amazon


I just installed a Google WiFi mesh router; it’s easy to set up and works great.

What is a mesh home network? 

Mesh networking is a way for information to pass through several nodes that are connected. A mesh WiFi router and its satellites act as extenders that allow you to get better WiFi signals encompassing a larger area. With Google WiFi, the satellite mesh units connect wirelessly to the base unit but can also be connected using Ethernet cables.  My system has four Google WiFi units, all connected to the base using Ethernet cables. I bought the  Google WiFi system, 3-Pack, at Amazon.
My home network diagram.

Mesh Networking for the Masses – Google WiFi review: A perfect mesh router for most people. Google’s latest home product brings plug-and-play wireless networking to any sized house.



TYPES OF COMPUTER CABLES AND THEIR USES

The Most For Your Money – Monoprice is a premier manufacturer of high-quality computer and consumer electronics cables, components, and accessories. It’s not just about getting a reasonable price. There’s no sense in buying a product that doesn’t perform or won’t last. Quality is a high priority at Monoprice.

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