We cut the cord about a month ago. It has been awesome. Love controlling what my kids watch by only getting DVDs from the library that I want them to watch. I have to get an antenna for the TV so we can watch regular TV. But I am also going to get a streaming device like Roku or one of the others. We do have a Wii that we could watch Netflix on but looking at other things like Hulu or things like NickJr etc. For those of you that have a streaming device, do you have to be logged into the computer and keep it on to watch TV? Can you do that and do other things on the computer--like homework?
I do have a cable to hook from the computer (desktop) to the tv but when we tried to watch , it did not play on the TV.
Well, I got a free 30 days from Amazon prime so my kids are able to see some movies and old shows with a cable from the computer to the TV for now. We were paying almost $100 per month just for TV and that is just ridiculous. My husband misses the soccer matches. But so tired of paying a lot of money for this type of thing.
I will be getting the Roku before end of month and looks like it will work perfectly for us. No data ceiling to worry about.
i was just about to answer that we don't need to be logged into the computer to watch the roku or apple tv, but then i remember that we stay logged on pretty much all the time.
this completely useless and no-info response has been brought to you by S. and the mercury retrograde.
:) khairete
S.
I am answering based on the Roku we just got for Christmas. Do you have Wi-Fi in your house? The Wi-Fi needs to be on or a cord from your Roku device to your router - with the router turned on but what the computer is doing or whether the computer is turned on makes no difference. So, yes I can be working online on the laptop and kids watching Roku on TV and it does not matter.
There is some free content on the Roku - PBS kids is pretty good and there is some Nick Jr. I think that is free. I haven't explored as much as maybe I should.
You can use Netflix if you have a subscription, I think Hulu is $7.99 per month, Netflix is $7.99 per month, SlingTV is $20/ month but includes some of the cable channels you can't get otherwise. I was told that I might like Amazon Prime @ $99 for the year but haven't gone there yet. On my free month of Netlfix trial - it is good with kids shows but am disappointed in the movie selection. I am not sure we will keep it.
Feel free to message me if you have a Roku question. C.
We have Netflix and Hulu accounts. For device-to-tv, we stream through a PS3 in one room and a Roku in another.
Modern streaming devices work with wifi. Some can also be wired if you choose to run lines. In either case, they don't go through your computer, so you don't have to have it on to stream things.
Using your computer to do other things while someone is streaming doesn't normally impact anything unless you have a slow connection. If you have high-speed internet there should be no problems.
Added: After reading the other replies, I wanted to expand on Gamma's comments about how streaming works to clear things up -
1 - "ANYTHING that you stream is like pouring money out of your pocket into the internet providers pocket."
This is a Maybe, not an absolute. We don't pay anything extra to our ISP for streaming.
Streaming uses quite a bit of data so if you have a limited access internet plan with a data cap, or if you use your cell phone service for internet, then you can eat up your allowance quickly and end up paying more in add-on data and fees. If you're going to stream it is best to have a high speed connection with unlimited data.
2 - "It's flat out cheaper to have a provider for your TV."
This could vary by area, but I can tell you that our *combined* cost for our internet, Netflix and Hulu is significantly less expensive than the cheapest low-level cable and satellite packages offered in our area. We ditched the cable years ago and the cost savings is enormous.
3 - "...you also have to pay fees to the companies you stream from."
Yes, sometimes. Netflix base price is $8.99 if you're not grandfathered. Hulu has both Free service and paid service. Roku has a lot of free channels, as well as optional pay channels.
4 - "Like if you want to watch NCIS you have to pay a membership fee each month to the major network to get access."
It is true that some networks do this but you don't have to pay if you're patient. Past seasons for most things show up in full for no added cost on Hulu or Netflix. Then you can binge watch at your leisure. Using the NCIS example, Netflix has seasons 1-12 available to stream. The current Season 13 will probably be available in July.
We really can't watch anything streaming at our house because the internet is just so freakin' expensive. If anyone reads my post and can give me a suggestion to lower my cost, I am all ears!!!
We live in the country, so we have very few choices for internet. We pay a flat rate for a certain number of gigs, and the overage charges are $15 per gig.
My point in mentioning this is that you want to make sure you know what your internet package is. I have to assume we have a really rotten deal, because we could only watch maybe 4 hours a month before going over.
We have Apple TV and you stay logged in through the devise not the computer. They have added a lot more channels in their menu some paid (Netflix, Hulu) some not (like PBS, YouTube). I like that we can take it with us when we travel, I only need to plug it into a TV and have an internet connection.
We have cable only because my husband can only get the soccer channel that way. We also have Hulu and Netflix. Our kids usually watch things on the iPad or computer--Netflix, PBSKids app. We don't stream to the TV. We did buy a Smart TV last year and we can watch Netflix and Hulu on that and don't need to go through the computer. We could also access Netflix through our Wii, but we've never done that.
ANYTHING that you stream is like pouring money out of your pocket into the internet providers pocket. It's flat out cheaper to have a provider for your TV. If you can afford to spend a lot of money though then it's fine to do the streaming stuff, but you also have to pay fees to the companies you stream from. Like if you want to watch NCIS you have to pay a membership fee each month to the major network to get access.
If you do ROKU it's no different than watching TV. All the shows are still on there. My friend has it and she watches a lot of stuff, nothing really new though. She watches stuff that is older because they were her favorite shows then.
The most important reason I have my internet and satellite connections is so I can keep an eye on the weather. I want to instantly know what is outside my house. I have to know if we need to head to the shelter. So I will never do without either one.
If "I" choose to limit the kids TV I will simply put locks on channels on their TVs. That way I do control what they watch or don't watch.
