Changing TV habits

I don't watch TV like I used to. And, yes, as a cord cutter, I'm aware that statement can have many meanings. So, which do I mean? All of them.

Having dropped cable in early 2011, and streaming most everything since them -- watching over the air antenna channels isn't really streaming -- I certainly don't watch TV like I used to. I watch it a totally different way.

But, the other meaning applies, too. I don't watch as many TV shows as I used to. I'm not sure if that's because my personal tastes in TV have changed, or if the stuff they're putting on TV these days just doesn't appeal to me.

I do watch some current shows. I'm awaiting the return of The Orville and Better Call Saul, for instance. And maybe some other shows, but those two are the first to come to mind. I'm hoping Doctor Who gets good again, but I'm starting to lose hope about that. And there are a few other shows I watch. So, I do watch current shows, but I still don't watch as many as I used to.

I still use my Roku regularly though. I find that I watch a lot of YouTube videos. Bad movie reviews -- Dark Corners, Cinematic Excrement, etc. -- are a favorite. There are a lot of other things too, such as science videos, history videos -- I love The History Guy -- and more.

The commercials on YouTube are getting more and more annoying. And, that's someone who normally doesn't mind about commercials saying this. But still, I've enjoyed watching YouTube.

So, I don't watch TV like I used to. But I watch TV like I want to. That's what streaming does for me. I didn't cut the cord for this reason, but rather to save money. I'm saving money, but my viewing habits are changing, and they're changing to suit me. My Streaming Life is good.

Sports frustration

In the 10+ years that I've been streaming as my primary method of watching TV, there have been little frustrations along the way. The biggest frustration for me has been accessing sports.

Now, I know, for college football it's not that difficult to watch a game. But, if I want the ability to watch every game that's available, I have to pony up a bit of money each month. I looked it things regarding watching last week's games, and the total to get access was at least $87/month. That seems like a lot.

You see, I don't want access to a bunch of live streaming channels. Hulu is $6/month and gets me the regular TV shows I want. No, not live, but I don't care. A few hours later, just like as if I recorded it with a DVR, gets me what I want. I don't need the channels from a $25/month Philo package, which does not include sports. For me, the content from the free TV services -- Pluto TV, IMDB TV, The Roku Channel, Stirr, Crackle, Tubi, Xumo, among others -- get me what I want. Maybe not the same channels, but the same kind of content. Throw in my over the air antenna, and I can watch what I want.

Except for sports, and that generally means college football.

ESPN does not have a standalone sports service. No, ESPN+ doesn't count, because it's a supplement to ESPN, not a replacement for the service. Standard ESPN content is not included with an ESPN+ subscription.

Then there is CBS Sports Network, and the other conference networks, to deal with, and the cheapest way to get them are through a large live streaming service.

You remember the days when you had cable? Of today, if you still have cable? You have a lot of channels, and you only watch a few. That's me with streaming. If I pay for a live streaming service to get a handful of sports channels, I'm doing the same thing. I don't want or need the rest of those channels, because the free ad-supported or over the air content gets me what I want.

I do so wish there was a way of getting just the sports services I want. The closest is Fubo, which is a live streaming service. I may end up switching from Sling TV to Fubo because of this. But if the sports channels were available standalone, that would make my Streaming Life so much easier.

To get a new streaming device, or not?

Recently, Amazon announced the new Fire TV Stick 4K Max. That's supposed to be an upgrade to the high end stick.

Also recently, there was speculation that Roku was about to release new devices. There has been no official announcement, but the September/October time frame is when Roku normally releases upgraded devices.

I'm waiting to see about Roku, and not relying on speculation when it comes to getting a new Roku device. My gut tells me I won't, but I'm waiting to see what actually happens.

What about the new Amazon device? If I need to get a new Amazon device, I expect I'll get one of those. But just to get one? No. Just like Roku, I need to see a compelling reason to get one.

That doesn't mean I won't get one. I might. I always like to have the latest and greatest device, but I won't just to say I have one. There needs to be something about the device that grabs my attention.

Right now, I'm happy with the devices I have. My current Roku device works great. The Fire TV Stick 4K (not the brand new one, but the one that was the latest before the "Max" version) is good. The Chromecast with Google TV is good. The Apple TV is good. The others? TiVo Stream, Onn Stick and Box, and whatever else I have? They're in the box. And they'll stay there.

I'll keep those top devices ready for use. But I am excited about new devices that are coming out -- yes, only the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is official, and the Roku is just speculation -- so I may be upgrading. I'll make a decision like that ... later. My Streaming Life is good right now, and I'm not looking to make any changes. But I might.

Cutting back even more

The primary reason I cut the cord back in 2011 was to save money. As the years have gone by, there are now more and more options for watching streaming content. And while there are a lot of free options, there are a lot of subscription services that have come along.

I've tried many over the years. The first was Hulu Plus, now simply known as Hulu. I have been an Amazon Prime subscriber for years, before they offered Prime Video, so when that came along, I already had it. Then, Sling TV came along. Then more and more services.

Free trials for extended periods of time for Apple TV+, Disney+, and more added to the list of services. You may have experienced the same thing. You look around one day, and you have more subscriptions than you realized.

So, I recently cut back, mostly because I wasn't watching the content. Oh, and one for a reason I talked about recently.

I've canceled Hulu, since none of the shows I watch are on right now. I'll subscribe later when the shows return.

I've canceled Apple TV+. I had an extended free trial, but that's over now, and there's not enough to keep my attention. I don't watch it, though I did enjoy some shows. I'll probably subscribe later, binge, and then cancel again.

I canceled Netflix years ago. I subscribed again to watch new episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000, but canceled when I was done. Which was one of the first apps/services where I canceled, and resubscribed temporarily to watch something specific.

I recently dropped Frndly.Tv. I haven't been watching it lately, so I dropped it. It is the one live streaming service I've kept, but if I'm not watching it, I'm wasting money.

I have used Paramount+ during football season in the past. It was known as CBS All Access back then. I subscribed recently to watch some shows, but I finished and canceled. I have an antenna with DVR, so watching college football doesn't require CBS through Paramount+.

I kept Peacock TV, even though I rarely watch it. It's free, since I'm an Xfinity Internet user, but if I wasn't, I would have canceled.

And I canceled Sling TV. Yes, I just recently subscribed, in order to watch college football. But, I'm not sure I picked the right service, as I said the other day. When the subscription ends, I'll decide what service to use for the following 30 days.

The only subscription I currently have are Amazon Prime, which included Prime Video. All the rest have been canceled, with one continuing until the end of the current subscription. I'll probably keep Amazon Prime, for the Prime benefits. The Prime Video library is simply something that is included.

Oh, and I do have PBS Passport. I support PBS, and that allows me to have PBS Passport. I'm keeping that, as I will continue to support PBS.

You may want to consider if you're really using all the apps and services to which you're subscribed. If not, you may want to do as I did and cancel any you aren't really using. You can always resubscribe when enough content you want is available on the app/service, then cancel when you're done.

It's a way to save money, and knowing that helps my enjoy my Streaming Life even more.

9/11