Cable alternatives

littlestjerry

We have Direct TV but really need to save money. We're thinking of getting Apple TV?

Does anyone have a Roku or Apple TV or something like that? Pros and cons? 

theseaword

I have Apple TV. It's not really a cable alternative IMO though. It houses apps, so if you have Netflix, Hulu, hbo, etc you can access them all in one place. You can also buy and rent movies in the App Store. I love our Apple TV, but its best feature for me is that DH burned all our movies into a hard drive. We can turn on "home sharing" and stream all the movies we own rather than having to insert manual disks. It's awesome for lazy people like myself, and for box set binging. We also sold the physical copies back and earned some cash and freed up space.

littlestjerry

I feel like I'm about to ask some grandma questions here...

So when you say you just use Amazon Prime...are you watching "TV" on your computer or on a TV?

If on a TV is there a traditional remote control type situation going on?

We really don't watch much TV. The only shows we watch are Psych which is over forever and Bates Motel. And Murder, She Wrote before bed, but I could learn to live without that (with great sadness). DH has to watch sports for his job, but can usually get that stuff online. Most important, however, is access to Disney Jr. stuff for DS. This is a must, but I want to, like have it on the TV, like we do now.

I feel like people are probably reading this and thinking "Oh, wow, she doesn't shit about modern technology," but, yeah, I'm pretty grandma-ish, so I'm sorry for questions that are the probably the equivalent of those old lady meme's on Reddit. 

littlestjerry

This one.

theseaword

Apple TV is attached to the tv so you watch all the apps on your tv. It comes with its own remote and there is also an app that will let you use your phone as a remote.

klondikebar

We use Nextflix and Amazon Prime mostly on our tvs. Out main tv is a smart tv that I control with my kindle fire. We have another tv that can stream through the PS3. We can use the PS remote or my kindle. DD uses Chromecast for her tv. She can't access Amazon Prime through it, but it's only $30.

Amazon just released Fire Tv which is a box that connects to the tv and has a remote. It's $100 and can stream Nextflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime etc.

theimpossibleastronaut

We use H's Xbox downstairs and have a smart TV upstairs. We don't have cable anymore. We have Netflix streaming, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime as well as an antenna for local stations.

MrsCodeMonkey

Can you hook up a computer to your TV? That's what we did.

[Deleted User]

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DreadLoc

We have a digital antenna and had a smart tv with amazon, netflix, and hulu apps.  My favorite was and always will be permanently hooking the old computer up to the tv with a wireless keyboard and mouse.  That way we could access the shows/episodes available only on computers and stream what wasn't available anywhere (arggggg).

Karadee1

We love our Apple TV. For whatever reason, Roku doesn't have a YouTube app (last I checked), Apple TV does.

Apple TV has a good movie renting feature. I also like being able to airplay from my phone to the tv. You can also mirror your iphone on the tv which is cool.

littlestjerry

Thanks, everyone! It sounds like either Apple TV or the new Amazon TV thing are the best bet...it's $100 once right? And you also then subscribe monthly to Prime, Hulu, etc?

littlestjerry

@BunkinMama, answered!

littlestjerry

I'm LOL-ing at how so much of what you people is whooshing over my head. Apple TV and Chromecast are different things, right? 

klondikebar

You pay a one time fee for the Amazon box and monthly subscriptions that you prefer. It has voice search, games and you can create a FreeTime account for children.