presents The Essential Guide to Internet Entertainment on Your TV
A DECADE AGO, TELEVISION ENTERTAINMENT LOOKED LIKE THIS: You tuned in at certain times every week for your favorite shows and news programs. If you weren t at home to catch the latest American Idol or watch the news, you could even set up your TiVo to record automatically. A decade ago, you could spend hours channel surfing, sometimes even finding a show you enjoyed, like Arrested Development. It s really funny, you enthused to all who would listen. I bet it will have lots and lots of seasons and never get canceled! * FAST FORWARD 10 YEARS: Today, you don t need cable TV to stay connected or to watch new episodes of Arrested Development, for that matter.** That s because TV is changing. Or rather, the way we as consumers experience TV is changing. No more passive channel surfing. No more missing shows because you re not home. The one-size-fits-all TV experience is no longer the norm as more and more people begin using subscription services like Hulu Plus and Netflix to stream entertainment directly to their living room TVs. These streaming services are smarter than cable TV too. The software knows what you watch and can recommend other content you might enjoy. Use Netflix to watch movies and revisit your favorite TV programs like The Andy Griffith Show or The Rockford Files. Use Hulu to watch shows both old and new like I Love Lucy or Nashville. There are even subscription services for streaming live network TV, news and sports. With the speed and reliability of fiber optic Internet, these video streaming options are even more possible and affordable. In fact, by switching from cable to Internet entertainment, you can save hundreds of dollars a year.*** But there are a lot of options. To help you navigate this new era of web-based, tailored-just-for-you content, we ve created this guide that introduces and explains the popular services, devices, and marketplaces for getting the entertainment you want, right when you want it. * Arrested Development was cancelled in 2006 after three seasons. ** Netflix bought the rights to Arrested Development, and the fourth season premiered in 2013. *** Replacing cable TV, Internet, and phone with Trailwave Internet and web-based services could save you around 17 each month. In the second year, you ll save even more around 41 each month. Cut Cable. Start Streaming. Save Money. Visit Trailwave.com to get started è
SUBSCRIPTIONS BEST FOR LIVE TV 8/month BEST FOR CURRENT TV 7.99/month If you re not ready to give up live television just yet, then Aereo is your best bet. It lets you stream live network television right to your TV. Launch Aereo on any compatible device and watch from anywhere in your home. It operates like a DVR, and you have the option to record a show, then fast forward and rewind as you like. You can watch on your computer (compatible browsers include Firefox, Safari, Chrome, and Internet Explorer), on smart phones and tablets like the iphone, ipad, ipod Touch, and Android devices, as well as on TV-connected devices including Apple TV and Roku. Hulu Plus is an online streaming service that allows you to watch unlimited television shows and movies. For about eight bucks a month, you can watch current-season episodes of many of the major networks like Fox, ABC, Comedy Central, and USA through just about any Internet-connected device, from phones to tablets, HDTVs to video game consoles, and of course your home computer. Hulu has an estimated 43,000 TV episodes and 2,500 films. TV shows include current episodes and full seasons of past shows, as well as original content. Even with a paid account, you ll have to sit through commercial breaks. Thankfully, Hulu makes an effort to keep the ads shorter and more relevant to your interests than cable commercials. BEST FOR MOVIES Netflix is the largest Internet television network, with a rotating catalog of 3,000 movies and 20,000 TV shows. Don t look to Netflix for current television, though. It releases TV series by season, not by episode. However, you will find Netflix-only original TV content like Orange Is The New Black, House of Cards, and Arrested Development, which received 14 Primetime Emmy nominations. For many, Netflix s biggest perk is commercial-free streaming. 7.99/month
MARKTETPLACES itunes AMAZON PRIME itunes isn t just for tunes. You can purchase TV shows and movies through the itunes Store as well. Apple s entertainment selection boasts over 250,000 commercial-free TV shows. You can buy just one episode or the whole season. The movies section features a little over 65,000 titles from every major Hollywood studio. The primary benefit of itunes is the ability to stream all of these TV shows and movies on any itunes compatible device, from your iphone, Mac, PC, to your Apple TV, or Roku. Most of the films can be rented anywhere from 0.99-5.99 a pop, making it pricier than a subscription service, but the selection is much larger. 4.99-5.99 / HD MOVIE RENTAL Amazon Prime is similar to Netflix and Hulu Plus in that it qualifies as a subscription video streaming service, but it includes a few other perks as well. As a yearly subscription, it rings in at 79 per year (around 6.50 a month). Prime Instant Video has thousands of movies and TV series available, in addition to free two-day shipping on millions of items through the Amazon store with no minimum order size. 3.99-5.99 / HD MOVIE RENTAL GOOGLE PLAY Google Play s catalog of music and movies doesn t match the comprehensiveness of Amazon and Apple itunes. The television selection is less broad, but you ll find almost all the popular current TV series. (Think: Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Doctor Who, Big Bang Theory.) On the pro side, it works seamlessly with Google products, including the affordable and easy-to-use Chromecast. 3.99-4.99 / HD MOVIE RENTAL
DEVICES MOST AFFORDABLE: GOOGLE CHROMECAST BEST FOR APPLE LOVERS: APPLE TV 35 99 Unique features: From the Google Chrome web browser, you can cast a tab, allowing you to use your TV to surf the web and display photos. If you re not yet ready to cut cable entirely, this moderately priced device is a great place to start. Keep in mind: Google Chromecast was released in 2013, but Roku and Apple TV have been around for years. It s likely the capabilities and channel options will expand as the device gains more users. Unique features: Integrates with AirPlay and icloud features on your Mac, ipad, iphone, or ipod Touch. You can show off your family photos on the TV or mirror your ios device on the big screen. You can even play games on your TV while using your iphone as the controller. If you re heavily invested in Apple products, it s worthwhile to research how you can get the most out of your Apple TV. Keep in mind: While the channel options don t yet match the selection of Roku, the convenience and ease of use with integrated Apple products makes this the right choice for Mac users.
DEVICES BEST ALL-IN-ONE 50-100 What truly sets Roku apart from all other streaming devices is it s centralized search feature. If you re looking for a particular movie, Roku will search through your channels and subscriptions to find it, no matter if it s on Hulu Plus, Netflix or any of the other 1000+ channels that Roku offers. This streamlined approach makes it the best option if you truly want to cut your cable ties. The soupedup Roku 3 comes with some cool features, like a motion-sensor remote for gaming. Marketplaces: M-Go for pay-as-you-watch movies and TV. Channel Store for apps like PBS, WatchESPN, and NBC News. Keep in mind: The Roku 3 is the fully-loaded streaming device of your dreams, but there s actually four different versions of Roku boxes to choose from. Make sure you check for TV compatibility and consider your options before purchasing.
DEVICES You may already have a device that s streaming ready. These options are great for Netlifx but aren t the best options if you want to totally replace cable. Either way, Trailwave Internet service will let these devices stream video without buffering. VIDEO GAME CONSOLES SMART TVs Many newer televisions have built-in Internet connections, meaning they come with the ability to stream Netflix and Hulu+ right out of the box. Depending on your streaming needs, a Smart TV may be all you need, but make sure you research customer reviews before making a purchase. The most common complaint about Smart TVs is clunky user interfaces that make it difficult to find the content you want.