TV Streaming Services

[Amos Otis]

I cut ties with television almost 3 years ago, bu I suspect it's going to be a long and boring winter.. I've heard that streaming services are the best way to go if I plug back in, but honestly I know nothing about them - what does the hookup involve and what service provides the best options and value, term commitments etc. Any and all info is appreciated.

 

[PlumberSoCal]

We went with Roku boxes
$30 for each tv, and paid for sling Sling TV: Stream Live TV, Sports, News, and Movies Online $50 a month
No local channels but plenty of shows and movies and I've got Amazon Prime (I've had it got years) and it comes with a bunch more movies and shows.

This is the basic package and from here you can add Netflix, YouTube, Disney, Paramount+ etc etc etc

We had Hulu but never watched so cancelled but pretty much they're all month to month so easy to add and subtract.

You do need a good internet provider and I've found TMobile's 5g $50 month works well in my area so $100 month for tv and internet and when I switched our cell service to Tmobile they gave us Netflix for free (I never watch but my wife likes a few things).

To me it's way better then cable but it does take a bit to get use to. It's different and not as polished as cable but the selection is amazing.

Research them all and see which one/s would work best for you and go for it?

 

[Amarok]

I still paddle along the torrents.

I use Kodi as a player and the only Kodi add-on I really use is pseudo-tv. It takes my media and builds channels based on definable criteria. I can scroll through the listings or just channel surf if I choose.

To hell with netflix deciding to pull a series when I'm halfway through watching.

 

[Bodean]

I think we use a Amazon fire stick. Plugs into the TV. Then same as Plumber you choose Apps like Disney + , Hulu , Netflix, HBO Max. Which each have subscriptions. Some times you can get free trials for a bit. The Amazon prime Has some cool new shows and movies to view/rent.
We utilize Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO Max, paramount +, and Disney + the most. A lot I know. But still way less than the cable package we were on.
Still waiting for equivalent internet service options so I can drop them completely.

 

[Hugh Jass]

We use Roku here, too, except we did buy one smart tv. We subscribe to Netflix and Hulu and get Amazon Prime by default. If I were to recommend just one streamer to start, it'd be Netflix.
They have a robust foreign catalog that we watch continuously, and just more content in general. We're waiting for our internet to go fiber so we can cut ties with Dish Network. We still have DSL internet service out here in BFE.

 

[Willie]

I cut ties with television almost 3 years ago, bu I suspect it's going to be a long and boring winter.. I've heard that streaming services are the best way to go if I plug back in, but honestly I know nothing about them - what does the hookup involve and what service provides the best options and value, term commitments etc. Any and all info is appreciated.

View attachment 137136

If you don't have Netflix currently............you would easily have a winters worth of binge watching to look forward too.

on the free front...check out Tubi.......I believe they even have the Brisco series

 

[spyralout]

I still paddle along the torrents.

I use Kodi as a player and the only Kodi add-on I really use is pseudo-tv. It takes my media and builds channels based on definable criteria. I can scroll through the listings or just channel surf if I choose.

To hell with netflix deciding to pull a series when I'm halfway through watching.

Kodi is awesome, ever since the XBMC days. It has a hacky feel to it, and takes a bit to get set up, and then there’s the learning curve. Most Smart TVs will have an App Store that you can install Kodi on, but often the built in processors are slower than stand alone units such as Fire Stick and Roku. I’ve tried most of em, hacked a few.
Kodi’s “The Crew” add-on is great. It has been around quite awhile and is actively maintained. It has absolutely everything. I even found oldskool obscure TV classics like BJ and the Bear, Gilligan’s Island, 6 Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman, Knight Rider, Quantum Leap, the A-Team, you name it … entire series on there, all in quality you’ve never seen or heard before back in the tube tv days (you’d be amazed at some of the detail you missed compared to watching them back in the day). Almost every movie is available, even some still in the theaters - these are typically CAM quality so I just wait a bit until the 1080P or 4K versions get uploaded. But even then I prefer using Newshosting for movie downloads due to its sheer speed and variety of video quality. A combination of both Kodi and Newshosting and you’d have more content than you could ever watch in a lifetime. Get a 5TB portable hard drive for under $100 these days and save an archive of movies and TV series that you can serve from one computer to all of the computers in the household. Want it on a bigger screen? Get a Google Chromecast and cast the movie or show from your PC or mobile device to the TV. I’m by no means a pro at this, just a scrappy hack like w many things I do lol.

Lots of great options that several ppl have already suggested. I have never paid for cable, Dish Network, or Direct TV. I find that there are thousands of channels on there but half of them are in Spanish, Home Shopping Network. Or some ESPN offshoot broadcasting world ping pong championship or smth lol

 

[Amarok]

Get a Google Chromecast and cast the movie or show from your PC or mobile device to the TV.

I have KODI on a PC in my living room but my streaming server is a Raspberry Pi with LibreELEC and KODI. It works great with all my android devices where messing with linux networking on my living room PC is still a struggle for me.

Which repo is The Crew on?

 

[Dino Party]

Samsung Tv's have SamsungTV built in (free tv) and I also downloaded Pluto onto it, more free streamig TV) and then theres Plex (free movies) between all that I dont see why you'd need to pay a dime for entertainment (more than the basic level at least lol)

 

[Dino Party]

Oh I do pay for a yearly Shudder subscription cause I love horror.

 

[spyralout]

I have KODI on a PC in my living room but my streaming server is a Raspberry Pi with LibreELEC and KODI. It works great with all my android devices where messing with linux networking on my living room PC is still a struggle for me.

Which repo is The Crew on?

https://team-crew.github.io

I have yet to delve into the realm of Raspberry PI but have always wanted to ever since it came out years ago.

 

[Amarok]

https://team-crew.github.io

I have yet to delve into the realm of Raspberry PI but have always wanted to ever since it came out years ago.

Thank you for the link.

It's a bit more work, but really wasn't that tough. I consider roku and firesticks and all those to be spyware so I needed an alternative.

 

[JollyPete]

Samsung Tv's have SamsungTV built in (free tv) and I also downloaded Pluto onto it, more free streamig TV) and then theres Plex (free movies) between all that I dont see why you'd need to pay a dime for entertainment (more than the basic level at least lol)

I watch the hell outta the Rifftrax and Bon Appetit channels on the Samsung TV

 

[Skunky Dunk Farms]

 

[Amarok]

View attachment 137373

Yup, and if you want to use it without a google account:

FreeTube - The Private YouTube Client

FreeTube is a feature-rich and user-friendly YouTube client with a focus on privacy.

freetubeapp.io

Finding apps like these made YT usable for me.


FreeTube is Free and Open Source Software under the AGPLv3 License

 

[Dino Party]

I watch the hell outta the Rifftrax and Bon Appetit channels on the Samsung TV

Bon appatit is the de facto show thats on for the dogs when we leave the house and as our backround noise, I love it. Except that fat fuck that brad hangs out with, what an obnoxious piece of shit. Not cause hes fat cause he's annoying.

 

[Skunky Dunk Farms]

Yup, and if you want to use it without a google account:

FreeTube - The Private YouTube Client

FreeTube is a feature-rich and user-friendly YouTube client with a focus on privacy.

freetubeapp.io

Finding apps like these made YT usable for me.


FreeTube is Free and Open Source Software under the AGPLv3 License

That an a antenna for the last 6 years.
Life "IS" differant since breaking the addiction.
No more being concerned about fake people with fake lives in fiction scenarios lol.
Even books, I need real life, not imaginations of someone's interpretation of a imaginary thing or thought or person.
Me be personally involved in life. I get the entertainment aspect but there's plenty of entertainment in my life!
I got to kill this pygmy rattler on my front porch.
If I need entertainment I just go outside lol.

 

[Amos Otis]

on the free front...check out Tubi.......I believe they even have the Brisco series

This **** is an excellent referral. I just spent an hour browsing the free stuff and it's online. Perfect. Big thanks !

 

[Rosinallday]

If you like watching sports get ESPN+. Disney sucks but it's cheaper if you get Disney+, then you get Hulu and ESPN+ along with the shitty Disney channel. They show college sports that you will never get on cable. Tons of football, baseball, and plenty of international sports. The NCAA Women's Volleyball is all I've been watching...highly recommended. Netflix is okay, if you've never had Netflix there is a shit ton of good stuff to catch up on.

 

[Hugh Jass]

The NCAA Women's Volleyball is all I've been watching...highly recommended.

Long legs + Short shorts = Great TV