Choosing a live streaming service

Many people who cut the cord want to keep cable, or the familiarity of cable. This isn't something that I care about, as when I cut the cord, there were no live streaming services that mimicked cable.

However, there are several such services available today. As a result, several will choose to use a service to ease their entry into streaming. So, how to choose which one?

Antenna Man Tyler has some thoughts:

[YouTube]

Tyler offers lots of good advice on streaming, with a focus on over the air antenna. He is the Antenna Man, after all. He offers good advice on ways to improve your Streaming Life.

Comcast and Charter struggles

One of the things about the recent re-acquisition of Cord Cutters News by Luke Bouma is his passion and knowledge about cord cutting was lost. Even though those running things did a good job (for a while) it wasn't the same in certain aspects.

Recently, Mr. Bouma ran an article where he talked about the things he saw as a big thread to Comcast and Charter (Xfinity and Spectrum) in 2023. The biggest challenge is inflation:

The number one reason new cord cutters cancel cable TV has always been to save money. With inflation making almost everything more expensive, especially many of the everyday necessities like food, gas, and utilities, more expensive cable TV has become a luxury many cannot afford anymore.

Now, many cable companies, including Comcast, have announced price hikes for 2023.

As inflation continues to grow, it has left many Americans looking at their cable TV bills and asking if they are really worth it. For many of them, the answer recently has been no and more are likely to say no.

I find that a big interesting, as inflation has really taken off in the past two years, after politicians supported by Comcast and Charter have taken office. I don't like to get political here, but you can't deny the facts. Inflation has taken off since the White House changed parties and that party controlled those two branches of the government. Those companies are well known supporters of that party. And now it's biting them in the ass. I take no pleasure in it, because it's impacting me as well.

Another interesting thing is that Comcast and Charter are joining together to launch Xumo branded venture.

Mr. Bouma has other reasons for the challenges in 2023, and you can read more there. The insight and analysis offered by Cord Cutters News is a good resource for those with more than a passing interest in their Streaming Life.

Netflix buffering?

The focus of this is Netflix, but the ideas are applicable to all streaming services.

With that out of the way, I wanted to point you over to the TV Answer Man by Phillip Swann. He covers a question about Netflix buffering pretty well.

A reader of his Website asks about why there is so much trouble with the picture on Netflix so often. And Mr. Swann's answer is a good one.

There’s an obvious reason for this problem. Your Internet service’s speed varies and sometimes it will dip below the minimum requirement for a high-def or 4K picture.

(Netflix says you need a minimum speed of 5 Megabits (Mbps) to watch high-def and 15 Megabits to watch 4K programming.)

When this occurs, Netflix may post an on-screen message asking if you want to change the HD setting to SD, or the 4K setting to HD. I would not advise doing this very often. You are paying for HD and/or 4K and you want to watch your show or movie with the best picture quality possible.

He also points to another article he wrote about improving the situation regarding buffering.

I'll jump in and tell you how I solved the problem. I got a good network setup. You see, many times the equipment that ISPs provide is not good quality, and can impact the wireless signal. I got a good mesh network setup and solved all my problems. Good coverage means good coverage. No, it's not cheap. But it works, and my Streaming Life is the better for it.

Music streaming

I've not done a lot of music streaming. When I bought a new Chevrolet several years ago, it came with XM Radio. Later, XM and Sirius Radio merged to form SiriusXM. I've had XM Radio/SiriusXM Radio ever since.

In the last several years, there have been many music streaming services to emerge. I've tried a few, but have been happy with none of them. Tidal, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, Deezer, Qobuz, LiveXLive, YouTube Music, Idagio, iHeartRadio, and Pandora are among the most popular. Oh, and SiriusXM has a streaming service as well.

I only listen to a few SiriusXM channels, and $15.77 is not a bad price. Sure, it's possible to get a lower price with a retention plan, and I might try that one day, but I'm pretty much okay with the price. Of course, if there's a cheaper service I like, I might change. But for an automobile radio, SirusXM is a convenient way to go.

Perhaps one of the streaming music services would be a better option. Of course, that would mean using a mobile device, and that would mean data usage. I don't have an unlimited data plan on my phone, but I never run over my plan. Then again, I don't do a lot of mobile streaming.

I'm thinking about using YouTube Music for a while. You see, I really don't like the commercials that YouTube has, and have tried YouTube Premium before. I like it, but it's kind of expensive. But, it does include YouTube Music, making the price a little better. So, for the price only a couple of dollars more than some streaming services, and less than some others.

That means I could get YouTube without commercials, and an unlimited music streaming services at a relatively good price. So, I think I'm going with that. YouTube Music, as included with YouTube Premium. Whether or not I stick with it, I don't know. But I do want to find a good music service to add to my Streaming Life.

TV Antenna scams

Back when I was a child, it was easy to watch TV using an antenna. I say that because, well, I was a child. I didn't have to deal with all the adult things. Everything was easier when I was a child. For me, that is.

Somewhere along the way, cable TV took over as the way to watch TV. Along with that way, many TV antennae came down and that technology was considered old technology, from the past. It was, but it wasn't dead technology.

Today, as cable TV use shrinks, more and more people are streaming, and are finding out that they can save money. I save money by not subscribing to a live TV streaming service -- essentially cable services delivered via streaming -- and a TV antenna helps.

But what about someone for whom a TV antenna is "new" technology? How do they navigate all the claims about a TV antenna and cheaply, freely, watch local TV? Well, Tablo, a quality OTA DVR has some suggestions:

Modern, quality antennas are designed to focus on today’s broadcast TV spectrum and limit interference from adjacent frequencies.

Older or lower quality antennas can still capture signals but may be less effective, so try to deal with reputable companies that specialize in TV antenna technology like Mohu, Antennas Direct, Winegard, and Antop.

Questionable TV Antenna Marketing

The more mainstream cord cutting gets the more TV antennas we’ve seen with wacky, and even all-out false claims on their packaging or in their marketing materials which can potentially lead consumers astray.

Avoid TV antennas with the following bogus claims...

It's a good article worth reading if you are looking to get a TV antenna. I'm glad I knew a little of this when I was shopping for mine. I certainly didn't know it all, because when I grew up, I didn't have to deal with it. My parent did, and then cable took over. But a TV antenna is an important part of my Streaming Life, and could be a part of yours.