Roku Digital Video Player Review

A great alternative for movie watching without cable is the Roku Digital Video Player. This little box can only stream video from services like Netflix or Amazon. What it does very well is allow you to rent movies and play them back on your TV. The cost is only $99.00 and you can get up to 40,000 movies and TV shows from Amazon or 12,000 titles from Netflix. You do need to pay for the services, but again it cost much less then cable. A Netflix streaming account can be as low as $8.99 a month plus they always have free trials. There are many titles in HD and the box has an HDMI output along with standard cables. The unit also includes a remote. The main screen is easy to work with and you will be watching movies in just a few minutes after set up. This is a real bargain and a great addition to your setup. If you want movies and you are without cable this is money well spent.

Roku Full Details Click Here!

CNET Video On How to Cut Cable Bill

CNET had a nice video on alternatives to cable TV. The cost is broken down by alternative services to cable watch video here. Hit the back button to return here or please bookmark this page.

Get More Televison Show At No Cost or Low Cost

There are many television shows that you might not be able to watch if you cut your cable and are using free HDTV local programming. That is what the cable companies want you to believe. When in fact you can get most shows though a few different ways. With cost in mind the best way is to get show from the library. The library is a great source for TV box sets; they have everything from HBO shows to classics. All you need to do is reserve a copy and your selections are sent to the local branch. If a show you want is not available thought the library then you might have to buy it. You can buy the DVD box set of your show new or used if you look online there are many great deals. Then once you watch your show you can sell it on a site like eBay or Amazon. At least you will get some money back this way. If you still want more choice then iTunes from Apple has all the popular shows at a reasonable price. The iTunes store also has many shows in HD. There is no reason you need HBO or any other paid channel all these shows will be available to you in many formats and if you wait long enough they even end up on regular television.

Free Cable Project Update

This is just a quick update on how life is going without cable. The truth is I have not noticed any change. With my HDTV antenna I have been able to watch all my local stations. The most important was to be able to get local news which I get from three channels. The other shows I watch are show like TMZ and Family Guy. When it comes to movies I have been getting movies online and by asking friends if they have any move that I can borrow. The library has also been a great source for new movies and TV box sets. With the TVU player on my computer I was able to get Fox News and Sky News from the UK along with many networks. There are times that it takes a little effort to get Internet TV working and to change channels. Then I think that it is worth it as I am saving about $90 a month. There are many sources for entertainment that you can live without cable and will not miss it. The other non TV entertainment I have been using is the good old fashion book. With all these choices I would say in the first few weeks of being cable free the project is going well. If you have not cut off the cable what are you waiting for. If a couch potato like me can do it then so can you.

Hulu It's Great

The coolest way to watch Internet TV has to be HULU. This is a great site, but to get it from Canada take a little effort. If you are in the US then you are missing out if you do not watch TV through HULU. There are great movies and all my shows. The site does play some commercials, but not anymore then a regular television station. The idea of Internet video is perfect as alternative to cable TV. As more an more of us move away from cable the future will be a mix of Internet video and regular over the air television. The next generation might not even know what cable is other then for their Internet.

HDTV Tuners

If you live in the US then by now you know that you need an HDTV Tuner to get channels on an older set. The HDTV will turn the signal back into analog and you can continue to watch all your free station in even better detail. The Canadian change over will take place in the next 2 years and if you are in Canada you might want to pick up a HDTV Tuner in order to get US stations if you are near the border. It is very simple to convert the signal from HDTV to the old system. These tuners are perfect for those who do not have a new television with an HDTV tuner or those who still want to use their older television in addition to a new set. There are many HDTV Tuners on the market and I put together a small list to help narrow down the choices if you are in the market for one of these devices.

Tivax STB-T8 Digital to Analog TV Converter Box
Magnavox TB100MG9 Digital to Analog TV Converter Box, Silver
Digital to Analog TV Converter Box (with Analog Pass Through) ATVC102
Lasonic LTA-260 ATSC Digital to Analog TV Converter Box

Cogeco Cable New Terms

If you are a Cogeco cable user in Ontario take a careful look at your terms. The Internet is very limited and any little thing in the terms can cause your account to be charged extra or terminated. As an example did you know that if you run a fund raising campaign with Cogeco Internet that it is agains their terms. Wow imagine if you did a Church a favour by sending out an email news letter and find your account canceled. Not cool Cogeco, now we see why more and more users are going with Bell and other providers and getting their television free over the air. If you are with Cogeco for Internet look into some of the DSL providers there are some great deals and those companies want your business more then Cogeco.

TV on Your PC

My friend Tony in Boston has been using this new software to catch TV on his PC. He gave me a great review and said that you will get many of the channels that are not over the air. There is a small cost for the software, but it will pay for it's self. If you are in a building and can not get a strong over the air television signal, you might need to use Internet TV. As I find more services to review I will pass it on. The software that I use is perfect to catch the networks that I can not get over the air. It has really been a blessing to catch some of these networks through the PC. Like I mentioned in a previous post most new HDTV allow for a computer to hook up which make the use of this type of software an even better value.

Learn more about this software here!

Stack Of Movies

The last few days I was able to borrow movies on DVD from some friends. This is another great resource to add to my free cable project. Since most people only watch a movie once, they won't mind if you borrow a few movies. You can also join a service like Netflix and get a number of DVD's sent to you in the mail each month. The choice is yours on how to get movies. There are so many options that you will find a few sources. When I had the premium movie stations on cable I was lucky if I watched 3 movies a week. The number of movies worth watching was limited. The movie network had new titles each month, but the rest of the movies were stuff you would never rent or older titles. With my free cable project I have been able to find other sources for movies and have more selection then I ever did with cable. If you find that you want a constant number of movies coming in then a paid service like Netflix might be the best way to go. It is still cheaper then the cost of the movie channel. You can try Netflix for free which is a great way to watch a few movies and try out the service.

Coby DTV-140 ATSC High Definition Set Top Box

If you do not have an HDTV then this is the best option to convert HDTV back to analog. It is simple to set up and hook up to your older television. All you need to do is add the antenna to the input and do a channel search. Once the Coby High Definition box finds the signal it converts it back to a normal picture to be viewed on older television sets. This product works in both Canada and the US and includes a remote control. If you want a great set top box the price is right for this unit.

You can find out more about the Coby DTV-140 ATSC High Definition Set Top Box Here!

HDTV Antenna Pointing

In order to get a strong signal you will have to point your antenna in the right direction or in various directions. As an example in Southern Ontario where I am located there are about three directions to get a signal. The most powerful signals come from the CN Tower in Toronto. The way to tap into those signals is to place the antenna in a high position pointed to the CN Tower. The best place to position an indoor antenna is near a window in the direction of the tower You might also pick up signals through walls, but I have had not luck with this method. If you live in an apartment and have a balcony facing in the right direction then you can try an outdoor antenna if your build allows for this or try to hide it if possible.



The best chance of getting a strong signal are for those who can place an outdoor antenna high enough not to get blocked by building or trees. The outdoor antennas can produce many more channels and can be rotated with the right equipment to tune in channels from many directions. You might also have to play around with new antennas until you get the strongest signal. There are many channels hidden in your TV tuner. The television that I have had 2 channels not visible and I had to set them manually. It pays to read the instruction for your TV or to play with the settings, you might find some hidden channels that need to be add manually.

New TV Tuner USB Stick

The PC TV tuner stick is the best way to get PVR functions from an antenna. When I had cable I also had a subscription to TIVO. The TIVO service is amazing and I will never bad mouth their product. The TIVO service also works with an HDTV antenna and you can record over the air broadcast just as you would with cable. The only thing with using TIVO is that you would need to pay for the service. If you do add TIVO to your free cable project then you can also use it to get on demand movies from Amazon. Since this project is about going without cable and finding ways to save money I had to find a free PVR solution. Looking online I found great reviews for the Kworld USB TV Tuner. It was easy to install and the unit picked up a few extra channels that my TV's built in tuner could not find. If you are looking for a way to record television with an antenna then give this unit a try. The software is also able to get a tv guide based on the channels that it tuned in without you having to tell the software your location. The USB stick was perfect for using with my laptop or for my desktop PC. Once you have the tuner set up, you can record programs pause live TV and burn your recording to a DVD. The software was easy to use and has a very nice interface. This is the best way to record programs in HD.

Downloading TV Show Dollhouse

With cable gone I set a budget for downloading TV shows on iTunes. The amount I set for downloads was $20.00 this also includes movies. The first show I downloaded was Dollhouse a Fox show. Must admit I never watched this show on TV and the description in iTunes sounded like something I'd like. After about 20 minutes of downloading I had 3 episodes for a total of $7.47 which is about 3 hours of TV viewing. If I spread out this show out for a few months I have something to look forward to watching. If I can get this box set from another source then I will rent it which might cost less. Overall I would say that getting TV shows from iTunes is a good choice. Now this is going to make me want an Apple TV unit to stream videos from the PC to TV.

Is this Fake 52" LCD 1080p HDTV!

A few readers passed this contest to me for a 52" LCD 1080p HDTV! It just asks for a zip submit, but I am in Canada and can not enter. If you are the use let me know if this works. Results will be posted. Sure would be nice to win a 52" LCD TV. Would be cool to get free TV on a new HDTV.

More details here!

Cable Is Now Cut Off

Today the cable was officially cut off that means I am on my own for television viewing. The last few days I was preparing for this day and am ready to start watching free television. With my antenna and Internet TV there is more then enough programs to watch. Tonight I tuned into the CBC in HD picture looks amazing and the programing is fine. The only thing I miss is not having a television guide. This means I will need to go online to find out what is on. Other then that I just keep thinking of the money I am saving and how Cogeco my cable provider is losing over $1000 a year from me. They still have a great number of customers perhaps they might not even care, but at least I have my money. The money I will be saving can go into new technology to make watching Internet video a better experience on the TV. Looking at more online programing and will report back as soon as find some more sources.

Satellite Instead of Cable

If you are in a location in the US that is not properly covered for free over the air TV. Then you might want to consider a Satellite Dish. On average Satellite programing can cost less and offer more then cable. Looking online I found this deal for US readers.

DISH Network and Showtime starter package for only $9.99 with 3 months of Showtime FREE
Get HBO and Showtime with a new Dish install—FREE. Dish Network has been a very popular choice for those looking for alternative to over the air television and cable.

You can find out more about Dish Network here!

This promotion also includes the installation of the Dish, so you do not have to get up on your roof and do it yourself. That's a great deal here in Canada it can cost $99.00 just for the install, so getting it free is a very nice touch from Dish Network.

Getting Used to Free Cable TV

Today was my official first day with the HDTV antenna. It was what I was expecting, not to get
many HD channels. With the channels I did find there was enough programing to satisfy my TV viewing. The live TV channels are perfect for the local news and movies. There is a good number of movies on these channels. The networks have all my favourite shows and the signal is strong enough that I won't miss some of my favorites. Doing a little more research I found the the stations owned by CTV network in Canada have many online on demand videos of their most popular shows. These are full shows, for some reason they do chop up the video streams into parts. One show I was watching was in 5 parts. Going through some more Canadian networks to find more shows. The way I found these shows today was kind of like having TIVO or cables on demand service. It's going to take me a little while to get used to switching from antenna to laptop. There might be a better solution if I buy a dedicated PC just for media and leave it hooked up to the TV. The new netbook PC are cheap enough to work out as a media PC.

HDTV Antenna Arrived

My new HDTV antenna arrived and I was able to test the signal in my area. At first I was only getting one channel when I had it low to the ground. Once I place it at another window and at a higher level I got 4 digital HDTV channels and 16 regular channels. That's 20 channels for free without a bill from the cable company. In addition to all the stations I get online. In total with the antenna and the stations online that's about 100 free channels to pick from. There are also many free video on demand service and video content that I won't count as a station. Now the next step for my free cable project is getting a dedicated PC for video streaming. There are a few small PC's running Windows XP and the Intel Atom chip. These are like the netbooks, but have a little more power and cost in the $250 to $400 range. With one of these computer hooked up to the TV I would be able to stream and play back almost any media type. The prices of these PC's will be dropping as more companies come into the market I will keep looking for the best deal. In the meantime I have more TV to watch then ever before and it's all free.

HDTV is FREE Don't Pay Rogers Bell Cogeco

If you live in southern Ontario you are in one of the best spots in North America to get free HDTV. As I mentioned in an earlier post all you need is an HDTV antenna or UHF antenna. If you have a clear line of site to the CN Tower you would be surprised at how many TV stations you can get. If you are paying Roger Bell or Cogeco stop paying them. You do not need a service to get these channels. There are also a good number of stations from Buffalo and Rochester New York that broadcast in HD. All you need is to point a quality antenna in the right direction.

Joost Video Today

Today I went through the Joost video selection. They do have many programs to pick from. The cartoon section had some old show, but they were entertaining. It's been years since I watched Fat Albert and He Man those were favorites of mine growing up. It's nice to see these show on Joost. The full screen mode of the browser built player does work well and the video did not stutter. In the next few days I will check out their retro television selection. The are some older shows that are still fun to watch. Since I started my free cable project I have found so many sources for entertainment that I do not have time in my day to get to everything online.

Xbox Movies

The Xbox 360 also has a movie service built in. If you gave up HBO or another movie station when you gave up cable, you can use your Xbox to buy or rent movies online. Your Xbox 360 is also a media player, if you have movies downloaded in the right format then you can play them back with the Xbox. The cost of renting movies or buying is almost identical to the iTunes music store. If you own an Xbox play around with the supported movie files. You can also use the Xbox as an up scaling DVD player if you have it connect to an HDTV with and HDMI cable.

TVU Player

If you want to watch even more channels online then the free TVU Player will get you some great programs. This player is a download which means all video plays inside the player. The player brings up an ad every time you change the station. It can take a few seconds for video to start, but once it does the quality is low. This player is a great way to get extra station and they do have some major stations. The TVU Player should be part of your free TV gear. What I liked is all the news networks. If you are looking for movies then this player does not have any current movies. The stations I found for movies were all b-movies and very old. Overall you need this for networks and news stations.

HDTV Antenna

A few days ago I ordered my HDTV antenna, but I did find another great source. This site has HDTV antennas starting at $0.01. If you are looking for a low cost antenna give this site a look.

HDTV Antenna

Made It Through First Day Cable Free

This was my first day of being Cable free. The only thing that I needed to do was hook up a laptop to my LCD TV and I was ready to watch Internet video. The quality was great considering the source and the age of the laptop that I used for this project. In the next week I should have my antenna to test out and should get some free HDTV stations in my area. The only thing that I found a little troublesome was changing content to watch on the laptop. Since you do not have a remote control to change channels you need to find web sites and get the program you want to watch.. Once you do have your program set up you might want to stick to the program or stream. This is the only problem with watching Internet video, changing programs is much harder then just flipping through the channels. Other then that this first day has been a blast wathcing free video from the internet. Some time this week I will look into wathcing movies and what sources are available for free or very little cost.

More Free Online Videos Joost

If you want to watch older television show and movies then Joost is the answer. This site has been around for a few years and is legal and free. The Joost service has permission to use videos from a number of providers. You will find highlights from CBS shows and a few more networks. If you like old cartoons I even found Heman and a few more classics like G.I Joe. The older movies are not that great, but it can kill a few hours on a Sunday. The web site is very user friendly and you can make the video full screen. Overall I think for those looking for free programing online that Joost is a very worthy site to visit.

Can You Believe I Used To Pay For Cable

It's hard to believe that I was paying for cable just a few days ago. The Internet has changed everything. In less then 24 hours I went from cable to the world of online video and I must say I was surprised as to the number of free services online. In my last post I mentioned YouTube, but what about movies. Well there are a few options in this post I will mention the legal way of getting movies online. If you are in the US you can get videos on demand from Amazon here are a few titles that I found doing a quick scan of their service.

Knowing
Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Taken
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

There were thousands to pick from these were just the top movies listed. The cost per movie rental is $3.99 and you can download the movie to your computer or a media streaming device that I will review in a future post. This is a great deal since you got rid of cable and are saving on average $60 to $100 a month, even if you pay for a few rentals you are still ahead and it's 100% legal.

Online Stations

If you search online there are many free streaming TV services in many languages. You can watch TV from all over the world. While I am waiting for my antenna I am going to hook up my lap top to my flat screen and try to watch a few shows. My first choice was YouTube there is so much free programing on YouTube that it can fill hours of TV viewing. On average I would say I can spend maybe 2 to 4 hours a night watching television. Since YouTube has so many music videos and fresh home made content it will take me a few days to get bored and move on to a new video service. The nice thing about YouTube is that you can get videos on almost any topic and at leat you can learn something. Still not missing the cable.

About to Get Rid Of Cable

Ok today is the start of my project. The first step is to cancel my cable and find alternative ways to watch TV. The next part of this process is getting an old school antenna. In my local area I should get about 10 to 30 channles I am near the border and will get a mix of US and Canadian stations. Doing a quick search online I found this antenna from Terk it's an HDTVa Indoor Amplified High-Definition antenna and cost only $36.66. It will take a few days to arrive in the meantime I will find some online stations to watch.

Free Cable TV Project

This blog started out of a need to find FREE TV online. After many years of paying for cable to the tune of over $1000 a year something had to be done. This blog will provide updates as to how I am getting free television or programing at no cost. If you are tired of paying for cable and not getting much value then join the revolution and get rid of paid television.