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(Continued from page 10) This selection requires some shopping to get
the unit you like to match the streaming service
(2) Paying for a monthly streaming service using that carries the channels you want. Like offering
internet from your internet service provider, de- from Apple (AppleTV), Amazon (FireStick TV),
livered through your smart TV or another device. Google (Chromecast), or the platform agnostic
Roku just to name a few of a dozen or more out
In answering question 2, if you generally watch
just local TV channels for news, local sports, there to consider. All of the devices are just a
and network programs they offer, and you are one-time purchase; any ongoing costs are for
not into national sports or specialty channels, the streaming service to which you subscribe to
then watching ‘over the air’ is for you. Best, it is watch TV through the device.
the least expensive. Remember the days of rab-
bit ears to receive TV signals? Newer and better If you wish to record shows to watch later, many
antennas that you can hang almost anywhere services offer the ability to record your pro-
can easily access 25 plus local channels in the grams ‘in their cloud’ which you can pick a time
Lexington area (more or less depending on your to watch. It’s like having a cable box DVR, but
location) will provide you high definition signal they have the box, not you.
on modern TVs. It involves a onetime cost about
$30 for the antenna, and no monthly bills.
Do the research: Choose the channels you
want to watch, choose the streaming service
If, however, you watch lots of sports, cooking that offers those channels, and choose a device
and home improvement shows, cable news, that allows you to run that streaming service.
movies, or other cable-only networks you can Note: Firestick (an Amazon device) won’t play
still save money by getting your TV over the in- YouTube TV (a Google brand) and Chromecast
ternet. There are three things you need.
(a Google device) won’t play Amazon Prime
video; while Apple or Roku will play either.
When you cut the cable, you should find it sim-
(1) You still must purchase your internet connec-
tion from a local provider such as Spectrum, pler and less expensive than you might think.
Windstream, etc. Super high-speed internet is
not necessary, in most cases 15 Mbps Reference documents:
(megabytes per second) or higher is sufficient.
Choosing a service that carries the channels
(2) You need to subscribe to a streaming service you want:
like Hulu, YouTube TV, SlingTV or others to pro-
vide you the channel package that includes the https://www.techhive.com/article/3211536/
channels you commonly watch. There are about streaming-services/best-tv-streaming-
a dozen of these, so some homework will be re- services.html
quired.
Deciding among various streaming devices
(3) If you don’t already have a smart TV, or net- https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-streaming-
work connectable Blu-ray player, you’ll need to players,review-2140.html
purchase a device to convert the internet
(network) signal back into a TV (HDMI) signal. Comparing Smart TVs: https://
www.lifewire.com/best-smart-tvs-4135681
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