Pub-D-Hub is one of my favorites

I've talked about this before, but I'm going to talk about it again. One of my favorite apps that nobody seems to know about is Pub-D-Hub. It's all public domain content, and all stuff you can find elsewhere, but they do put a lot together in easy to find categories. It's available on Roku and on Amazon Fire TV devices.

The service is free, which you might expect for public domain content. They also have a Gold and a Gold+ plan. They offer more content with those plans, and the price is really cheap. The Gold plan is $4/year. Not $4/month, but $4/year. That's cheap. I suppose it helps cover their server costs, and I'm fine paying a little to help out. I get a lot of enjoyment from the service, and it's well worth it to me, even if they didn't offer more content. I'd certainly pay $4/year to help keep it going.

The Gold+ add-on, which is about another $2/year, for Gold subscribers lets you add more devices to the account, and includes access to some live streaming content, plus some parental controls.

I love to watch the old commercials they have. Some are things I've never seen before about products I've never heard of before, but some are some that bring back memories. You may be too young to remember any of the commercials, but they are still fascinating to see. And, if you are too young to remember them, perhaps your parents or grandparents will remember them. Play them and watch the smiles.

Pub-D-Hub carries a lot of old moves, as you would expect. They add five movies to the lineup every week, occasionally skipping a week or two around holidays. During those times, they add special holiday-themed movies and TV shows.

If you used to watch the classic Mystery Science Theater 3000 TV show, you'll remember the shorts they'd riff. Many of those original uncut versions are available, as well as others that could have fit right in.

If you're a fan of military history, you'll see many old military training and news films from the 20th century.

Early space exploration films are a favorite of mine as well. It's fascinating to see the pioneers of the space program, not only of the U.S., but of the U.S.S.R. as well. During those years, we didn't know much about the Soviet cosmonauts, and the occasional Soviet film is fascinating to those that lived during that time.

There are many things I like about Pub-D-Hub, and not just the free price. As I said, I think the Gold and Gold+ plans are worth it.

Check it out. You may find it a welcome addition to your Streaming Live.

The best type of streaming device is ...

When you decide to start streaming, you have a few ways to go when it comes to getting a streaming device.

If you're looking for a new TV anyway, whatever you get will probably be a smart TV. It will have the ability to play apps and let you stream content.

If the TV is a Roku TV, a Fire TV, or an Android/Google TV, it will be a good streaming device. Quite honestly, though, I would focus on getting the best picture and not worry so much about the type of TV. If you narrow it down to two or more that are equally acceptable, then the platform should be the deciding factor.

Why is it not important to get a Fire TV powered device if you like Fire TV? Because if it doesn't have the platform you want, you can add it.

If you have a standard TV, or a smart TV that doesn't work the way you like, you can add a stick or a box very easily, and use that as your streaming device. And that's the way many many people stream.

Suppose you want the Amazon Fire TV experience, but your TV is some other streaming platform. Simply pick up a Fire TV device, perhaps a Fire TV Stick. It's a stick, as the name says, and is a very popular choice for many. It fits behind the TV, plugged into an HDMI port, and you don't usually see a cord protruding from behind your TV. Roku Stick devices and Google Chromecast devices are also like this. I know the current Chromecast isn't really a stick, but for this discussion, it acts like a stick.

Another option is to get a set top box. The Roku devices such as the Express or Ultra models are this type of device. Apple TV devices are too. And, Amazon makes set top boxes, though most think of the Fire TV Stick when thinking Amazon.

The upside of a set top box is that they are usually more powerful than sticks, often much more powerful. However, many modern sticks are powerful devices, so there's often not an advantage along that line in using a set top box over a stick.

So, which is the best way to go when it comes to getting your first streaming device. The answer is simple: it doesn't matter. Get whatever you want. It'll work.

If you need a new TV anyway, a Roku TV, a Fire TV, or an Android/Google TV device will get you a good quality device and have all the smarts of the platform, Roku, Amazon, or Android/Google.

No matter which way you go, you'll be set to enjoy your Streaming Life.

Streaming the British Open

The British Open, properly called The Open Championship, is one of the four major golf tournaments. The British Open starts today. If you're a golfer, this it's quite likely you're interested. Many non-golfers follow the majors. It's a big deal.

If you're looking to watch the British Open, you have plenty of options, including streaming options.

The British Open, as all major golf tournaments are, will be broadcast by NBC, and carried by to additional networks that are owned by NBCUniversal: USA and Peacock.

So, how can you watch the 150th Open Championship?

NBC

If you have an antenna, you can watch NBC for free. If not, there are streaming services that carry local NBC broadcasts.

• Sling TV (Blue) ($35/month) (11 markets only)
• Vidgo ($55/month; $67/three months)
• YouTube TV ($65/month)
• Fubo TV ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month)
• DirecTV Stream ($70/month)

USA

• Sling TV (Blue) ($35/month)
• Vidgo ($60/month)
• YouTube TV ($65/month)
• Fubo TV ($70/month)
• Hulu+Live TV ($70/month)
• DirecTV Stream ($70/month)

Peacock

This standalone service is $5/month for Premium (the free tier doesn't get you all the sports). It's also free to Xfinity Internet customers.

The British Open schedule is available on the Peacock Website. If the U.S. Open is something you want in your Streaming Life, you have plenty of options.

---

NOTE: Sling TV carries NBC in 11 markets only:

• Chicago
• Boston
• Dallas/Fort Worth
• Hartford/New Haven
• Los Angeles
• Miami/Fort Lauderdale
• New York
• Philadelphia
• San Diego
• San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose
• Washington, DC

IPTV cautionary tale

I haven't written about pirate TV services in quite some time. Now, am I about to call all IPTV services pirate TV services? No, not really. But I am calling many of them pirate services.

But how can you tell? Well, here's how I can tell.

Does the service offer thousands of channels for a very low fee? If so, it's probably a pirate service. Notice I said "probably." Here's why. There are services that offer legitimate content, and there are a lot of legitimate content services out there. However, you've probably never heard of most of them. If the ones offered are major cable channels, and the fee is low, then it's a scam. It's piracy.

Are all the premium channels included? HBO, Showtime, etc? It's piracy.

Do they offer a special box to pick up the channels? While this sounds reasonable to someone who is used to having a cable box in the house, with streaming, you don't have to buy a certain box. You need a streaming device -- unless your smart TV has all the apps you need -- but you can get  your own. Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Nvidia Shield, etc.

Okay, those last two are tricky. They run Android/Google TV. And, the pirate TV boxes that are sold by pirates are often modified Android boxes. That can make it seem legit. And, the fact that there are many legitimate Android TV boxes available makes it hard for new streamers to know if it's a legitimate box, or a box modified for piracy.

If you run into any of those things, it's a pirate trying to sell you something.

So, where's the cautionary tale?

Last year, or probably the year before, there was a local store that was selling pirate TV boxes. I knew about it, but I didn't take up pitchforks or torches about it.

Then, some Facebook friends (people I actually knew, not people you are only friends with in the Facebook sense) asked questions about streaming. I would mention Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and Chromecast as some things to consider. But, inevitably, someone (usually someone I didn't know) would chime in and refer them to this local retailer who was selling pirate boxes.

I would respond to be wary of pirate TV boxes and "too good to be true" services. That usually got a hostile response.

I understand that they quit selling those boxes, but I haven't been back in to very that. I meant to, but didn't.

So why haven't I? Well when I could, I just never bothered. But now, I can't. They are closed. I don't know if that's a permanent thing, but it sure seems that way.

They sold wireless Internet more recently, and got a shipload of complaints when all of a sudden all of their customers' Internet service stopped working. There were questions raised about why the carrier cut them off. Most seemed to indicate they wouldn't pay the bills to the carrier. People paid them for the service, but the service stopped working. Some say the local company didn't pay the carrier for whom they were reselling. I don't think that to be the case. I think service he was using may have gone out of business. However, if he was using the service I think he was using, they are still in business, but he was reselling in an area they don't officially serve. Either way, a lot of people got screwed.

Am I saying the guy is a crook? That's one option. Another is that he doesn't properly research the companies with whom he does business.

If you are dealing with a company that sells pirate TV service or devices, then you may find their unethical behavior (intended or otherwise) doesn't stop with streaming.

Stay away from piracy. And stay away from pirates. It will ruin your Streaming Life. And more.

What can Roku users teach Fire TV users?

A lot of people, including some family members, absolutely love Amazon's Fire TV platform. Me, not so much.

Now, to be fair, it's a good platform. But, I prefer Roku. But, Fire TV is a really good platform. And, by good platform, I'm referring to the interface.

The reality is that the Big Four platforms -- Roku, Fire TV, Android/Google TV, Apple TV -- are all good stable platforms with a lot of features and apps/services. Only in very rare circumstances would the platform make a difference apart from the interface. So, in general, get the interface you like.

As I said, I'm on Team Roku, but I'm not going to trash the others. They're good. And there's one other thing that makes the differences between them almost meaningless -- except for the interface. Almost any streaming tips will apply to any platform.

For example, recently, Roku Blog published "The best cord cutting tips according to Roku customers." Most of the tips can apply to Fire TV. And to Android/Google TV. And to Apple TV. Of course, they played up the Roku aspect, but Fire TV (and other) platform users can learn from Roku users. And Roku users can learn from other platform users. Any streamer can learn from other streamers. Here's an example:

Saving money

• "Never look back at those horrible cable bills. I’ve saved so much money. Wish I did it sooner!"
• "Take your cable listing. Figure out how many channels you actually watch. Divide that by how much you pay for cable and work out the price per channel. Realize how much more you are paying for channels you never actually watch."
• "Rotating services will save you money. Subscribing to every service every month just isn’t necessary."
• "Paying for cable is like buying $200 worth of groceries, but $150 of the items you don’t eat.
• "Our bill went from over $200 to just $99. Absolutely worth it!"

None of that is Roku specific. Any streamer, regardless of platform can learn from that. Particularly the third one.

There are more tips that go beyond saving money, and focus instead on finding content you like. Overall, the tips are good for any streamer who is looking to improve his Streaming Life.