Ok- I’m back for reals now. Maybe…
Anyways, this is an idea I’ve wanted to write about for a long time. It is how I consume television media using the latest trends on the internet instead of paying for cable. Cuz, you know, I am broke. If you consider all of the components of this plan, I don’t think it actually comes out to be cheaper. However, a lot of the items I would have anyways, so you can think of this as more of “how to avoid cable.”
First of all- TV with a VGA/HDMI input. This is critical, because a lot of this involves streaming media from your computer. Most TV’s now a days come with a VGA input, and most laptops have a VGA output so I chalk this up as “you would have this anyways.” HDMI is a little nicer, but optional. Cables are also necessary, but these are like, $5 at the most. DO NOT pay $30 for an HDMI cable, no matter what the Geek Squad says.
XBox 360 with XBox Live Gold Membership (~$400) - This is kind of expensive, but again, this falls under YWHTA. Because what self-respecting college student doesn’t have one of these? This is also important for streaming media. Gold memberships now include a free subscription to ESPN3, so you can now watch a significant amount of sports.
Netflix ($7.99/mo, $9.99/mo with DVD’s) – I have always been a big supporter of Blockbuster, but the time has come to move on. For a mere $8 a month, you get access to Netflix’s comprehensive instant que, streaming directly to your computer or XBox. While this is not great for watching the latest and greatest movies and tv shows, there are plenty of gems here (I recommend Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse”). Lost, Dexter, SNL, Top Gear, Weeds, Skins, and more are all available here. For an additional $2 , you get the DVD service, which covers everything you’re missing.
Hulu (Free) – Seriously, who doesn’t know about this yet? While Netflix is great for watching what you missed, Hulu is for staying caught up. Plenty of the hottest shows today are here and stay here for 3-5 weeks. Why did I have to tell you this? There is also the premium, “Plus” edition, but frankly I don’t know anything about this, so research it!
Various bootleg streaming sites- Legal? Probably not. High quality? Definitely not. Free? Absolutely. A few smart Google searches and you can watch pretty much anything on tv you want. I use these to watch sports games I can’t find elsewhere, especially soccer matches (no one broadcasts Real Madrid around here…). Sometimes teams will tweet urls to follow their games, which is a great service. I would tell you some of my favorites, but I don’t want to get them caught in the net of trouble that these .tv streaming companies have to deal with.
And now the kicker-
Slingbox ($179 solo, $299 Pro-HD) – Ok, so this is way expensive and still requires you to pay for cable, so I will list this as optional. That being said, my roommate has one these hooked up to his family’s DVR back home. This is a great for filling in all of the cracks that my methods miss. You can watch live tv legally, or utilize the on demand feature to watch shows you couldn’t find elsewhere. So if your family is already paying for cable, this would make a great birthday/holiday gift.
So there you go. This is how my house survives without paying a single cent for cable tv. Honestly, it works pretty well, and we get really into forgotten older series. Yeah, it still isn’t the same, but if you NEED to be more connected than this, please turn off your television and go outside. Just make sure to put on sunscreen, cuz you’re probably pretty pale.
See you soon?
-Andrew Mederos
