HOME TECH: Save $$$ by Streaming Live TV!

In February 2022, we told you about the benefits of moving to fiber internet if it’s available in your area. If you already made the move, you’ve probably been reaping the benefits of both a faster AND cheaper internet plan (yes, it’s possible!).

Now we’re here to tell you how you can save even more on your monthly entertainment bill by dropping your expensive cable plan for a live, streaming TV service like YouTube TV or Hulu Live TV.

Traditional cable services tend to be fairly expensive. If you’ve moved to a super high-speed internet service with unlimited data (such as AT&T fiber or OEC fiber), then it’s a no-brainer to stream your live TV over your fiber internet connection instead of a cable box.

NOTE: Flotilla has received no compensation for our opinion. It is based our actual past & present use of these products.

WHAT IS LIVE STREAMING TV?

Streaming your cable TV essentially means your live TV channels come in over your internet connection rather than a separate cable line or satellite. Live local stations like KFOR, KOCO 5, KWTV 9, and Fox 25 are all still available in addition to 85+ to 100+ other well-known channels on their base plans.

The two primary streaming TV providers are YouTube TV (a different service than regular YouTube) and Hulu Live TV (a live TV add-on to Hulu’s regular streaming plan).

Their base-plan costs are competitively priced at about $70 each, and additional channel packages can be added for $3 to $15 per month depending on the package. All in all, the price tends to be more competitive than what cable providers charge, and there are no contracts or confusing “bundle pricing” with limited-time discounts.

WHAT KIND OF INTERNET DO I NEED?

You’ll want a fast, reliable internet connection, preferably with unlimited data built-in. We DON’T recommend satellite internet service as it’s usually too slow with high latency. We also don’t typically recommend Cox unless you’re not going to watch a lot of TV—Cox speeds are more than fast enough, but they don’t include unlimited data (each plan as a 1.25 TB monthly data cap), and unlimited data comes at a monthly fee of $50 which practically negates the cost-savings. You should look at your monthly data usage first, if you’re a Cox customer.

We HIGHLY recommend AT&T fiber or OEC fiber plans as they’re incredibly fast, cheaper than even other companies’ slower speed plans, and all include unlimited data. Even AT&T’s fastest DSL plan (100 Mbps) is fast enough for streaming TV and includes unlimited data—it’s a contender for switching to streaming TV, too.

If you’re not on fiber internet already, check to see if it’s available from AT&T or OEC in your area and make the switch! If you’re happy with it after a month, then drop your old cable plan, and switch to streaming (you can always cancel and go back to cable if you don’t like it).

CHECK OEC FIBER AVAILABILITY • CHECK AT&T FIBER AVAILABILITY

PRICING COMPARISON

WHAT KIND OF TV OR BOX WILL I NEED?

You’ll either need a smart TV with your streaming providers app built-in (YouTube TV app or Hulu app), or you can use a streaming device plugged into your TV such as an Apple TV, Chromecast, or Roku device.

We don’t recommend using your smart TV’s built-in apps. Smart TVs are slow & clunky, and so are their remotes.

Our recommendation 100% goes to the Apple TV. For $130 you can have an extremely powerful device plugged into your TV for the best, smoothest experience & user interface with a great touch remote. In addition, an Apple TV can play videogames from Apple’s App Store and Apple Arcade, display your photos & videos from your phone, and can stream your other services such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Twitch, Hulu, and free “cable-like” service such as Plex and Pluto. (You can even view your home’s cameras compatible with Apple’s HomeKit).

NOTE: If your router is outdated or delivers poor wifi signal, you may want to upgrade for better home wifi. We recommend the Asus RT-AX86S for most homes. Also, you should make sure your router is centrally-located in your home for optimal coverage.

WHAT ARE THE PROS & CONS OF STREAMING LIVE TV?

PROS

• Stream TV in your car or anywhere with phone apps (listen to extreme weather & traffic events on the go!)
• For those moving from satellite-based TV, there are no weather-related drop outs!
• Unlimited DVR (YouTube TV)
• Skip commercials (for most shows)
• Scrub through episodes with touch remote (Apple TV) instead of fast forward button
• Customizable channel line-up (re-order, remove/hide channels)
• Possibly cheaper, easy to understand pricing with no contracts: Cancel or change channel packages any time
• Get rid of unsightly, power-hungry cable boxes & DVRs

CONS

• Limited simultaneous streams (3 for YouTube TV, 2 for Hulu TV)
• Limited/simplified remotes: no number pad or voice channel changing
• Will eat up data usage if your internet plan doesn’t include unlimited data
• May need to upgrade your home’s wifi router & place in a central location for reliable wifi streaming (we recommend the Asus RT-AX86S)

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