We're thinking about ditching cable, and going with Netflix and whatever else we can find online. If I get a Roku, how much content is available for free? Are there sites that serve up good content for free, or all they all behind paywalls? Would we be able to watch stuff from the Food Network or HGTV? Or old sitcoms?
Thanks

Something I have been looking at is DirectTV Now and the free AppleTV 4k offer.

Looks like you can prepay for 3 months of the $35 service and they send you the AppleTV free. It is normally $180. With that deal you would get it for $105 plus 3 months of their streaming service.

I'm still trying to decide, but if there are no hidden catches, that would be a good way to get a nice device even if you do not stick with them.

I do not think Apple has as much free stuff as Roku, but there are free tv apps like PlutoTV that you can watch. You can preview from the web. It's like old cable with a guide.

There are others with similar older content. Crackle is one. I'll try to think of some others.

I've been meaning to try these free channels: http://www.flickstream.com/#about


I have not seen a good overdubbed kungfu movie since I was a kid.

Roku has its own channel as well, but it sounds like more of the same

Depends on what you are looking for. I can at times entertain myself for hours for free on youtube, but that takes work and sorting through garbage. I'm not aware of "good" content not behind a paywall that you can get ethically. If you are looking for a cheap cable-like alternative, DirectTV Now, Playstation Vue, Sling TV and youtube TV are reasonable options. I started with Sling TV and a Roku 3, changed to Direct TV Now, and am currently using DTN (added HBO to it) on an Apple TV 4k. Each change has been an improvement, but it's still not as trouble-free and polished as cable/satellite. I also use Netflix and Amazon Prime on Apple TV.

You will likely hear from someone that with the right device, you can get anything for free. The requires ethical, uh, compromises, to put it in the nicest terms I'm capable of on the topic.

There's lots of free channels on Roku but you'll spend as much time finding something worth watching as you do the watching itself. There can be some gems that pop up occasionally but there's tons of cereal filler to slog through. Also, many "free" channels insert so many commercials it's hard to make it through to the end of a program or movie, especially when it's the same friggin' commercial shown every 8-10 minutes. I've had a Roku for about 5 years but 90% of my time watching is on paid channels (Starz, Epix, Amazon, etc.). They're nice little streaming boxes and mine have been reliable but there's no free lunch when it comes to content.

quote:

Originally posted by 4x5:
Would we be able to watch stuff from the Food Network or HGTV? Or old sitcoms?
Thanks

Most of the big TV channels have their own Roku apps. From what I have seen, by default, you can usually only see a few episodes of each show from that channel.

Once you log in to the app using your cable/satellite account, you can typically view all, or at least many, episodes of each show - but that doesn't help you if you're trying to cancel your cable/satellite service.

The Roku apps generally mirror the Android/iOS apps as far as availability, I think.

Try installing the Food Network app on your phone. I just installed the Android version to check and it does the same thing - there a little bit of content you can stream for free, the rest requires you to log in through your TV provider.

It sort of depends on what you mean by "good", but I am currently using a Roku and my only pay service is Netflix.
Youtube has lots of free content.
The Roku channel is older movies for free.
LOTS of older movies and TV for free.
I get a lot of entertainment value from "Pluto TV" (free)
And Amazon Videos has a lot of free, but you can also choose to purchase videos also.

I spend most of my time watching "educational" stuff on youtube: free how-to, guitar lessons, philosophical discussions, etc...

I tried pretty much all the big ones; Crackle, Pluto, Roku Channel, Paramount. Lots of commercials and older stuff, naturally.

All I have is Amazon Prime and Tune In. I've got my PC with Plex and the Plex channel on the TV. There's indie channels-even some ports of old arcade games played with the controller. I know there's Prince Of Persia and Donkey Kong.

I've added channels to mine (bought it for the same reason noted). Down side with some of the channels; they have commercials in "unique" places during the show. I did add the BBC network, it's a live feed.

The Fox News channel along with CBS only have clips, not a live feed.

Some of the hunting channels are pretty good as is the Nature channel.

Good stuff is all relative. Most all channel based stuff will ask for your cable subscription so no cable subscription no access.

That being said there is actually a ton of free content. Movies, tv shows etc. YouTube of course.

There are some theme channels like the war movie one etc.

Just don’t expect to have all your cable wants met without having cable.

HETV on RokuTV and EyeCandy on Pluto TV.

You're welcome.

Lots of free movies on Roku itself and on some of the services like Crackle. As already mentioned, they all come with a ton of commercials so that's the trade-off. Generally they won't have very much content that's current/new either. Sling TV is one option for traditional "channels", it runs $20/month for the basic set (look at their web site for details) and I think another $5 or $10 for an expanded set. I subscribe to it during football season because it's the only way I can get ESPN without a cable subscription, then cancel it as soon as the bowl games are over in January.

quote:

Originally posted by Audioholic:
There's lots of free channels on Roku but you'll spend as much time finding something worth watching as you do the watching itself. There can be some gems that pop up occasionally but there's tons of cereal filler to slog through. Also, many "free" channels insert so many commercials it's hard to make it through to the end of a program or movie, especially when it's the same friggin' commercial shown every 8-10 minutes. I've had a Roku for about 5 years but 90% of my time watching is on paid channels (Starz, Epix, Amazon, etc.). They're nice little streaming boxes and mine have been reliable but there's no free lunch when it comes to content.

Well said. We added Roku to our a year or two ago, and the only thing we use it for now is to access Netflix...all the other channels Roku offers have even less interesting/watchable content than NetFlix (which, admittedly, has some good content (mostly their original stuff, but most...meh)) and far too much advertising. The YouTube access channel takes forever to search, so rarely seems worth the effort. I may be missing something...after several nights when we first bought it of skimming around the different channels and being consistently disappointed, I haven't gone back to check in on any of them...now it's just Netflix or nada.

Still looking for a way to ditch cable TV, but Roku is definitely not the solution.

quote:

Originally posted by at-home-daddy:
Still looking for a way to ditch cable TV, but Roku is definitely not the solution.

I think for a lot of folks, myself included, Roku/Appple/Amazon Fire device/Chrome device, are the solution, but you gotta pay for a cable-like subscription service, and expect a less polished experience.

Some families share a single steaming service login or other credentials to various things. Netflix reportedly allows/promoted it and you can even pay for a higher number of simultaneous connections.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Some families share a single steaming service login or other credentials to various things. Netflix reportedly allows/promoted it and you can even pay for a higher number of simultaneous connections.

True. I do have Netflix via shared account, but I never watch it.

Share netflix and HBO now account lowers price.

I have a britbox and PBS subscription
For about $13 a month.

Amazon has some free stuff too if you have Amazon prime.

I mainly watch youtube though.

All the gun channels

Favorite is forgotten weapons.

It's been pretty good so far.

quote:

Originally posted by rusbro:
I think for a lot of folks, myself included, Roku/Appple/Amazon Fire device/Chrome device, are the solution, but you gotta pay for a cable-like subscription service, and expect a less polished experience.

By "Chrome" ITYM "Android TV?"

Otherwise pretty much right on, IME and IMO.

As for local channels, if you want them: Your only option is an antenna and the TV. If you want a DVR, well, good luck. Unless you're willing to pay for a Tivo subscription, everything out there is pretty lame, right now. Lots of good ideas, but weak execution.

The ChannelMaster DVR+ was pretty decent, and affordable, but that's been discontinued and the device CM has come up with to replace it is pretty bad, from what I've been reading.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by rusbro:
I think for a lot of folks, myself included, Roku/Appple/Amazon Fire device/Chrome device, are the solution, but you gotta pay for a cable-like subscription service, and expect a less polished experience.

By "Chrome" ITYM "Android TV?"

I was thinking of the Chromecast. I didn't recall the details, but quick research indicates it allows you "cast" video from your mobile device to your TV via the Chromecast device. I don't see what the advantage would be over the other options (Roku, Apple TV, Fire) other than initial cost, and maybe more travel friendly due to its size.

If the relatively computer literate, you can use something like PlayOn to stream anything that's available over the Internet. For the networks that's usually the last few episodes of current showed and maybe some old series. Unlikely to satisfy all your wants without a subscription to something, but still should be less than even basic cable.

quote:

Originally posted by rusbro:
I was thinking of the Chromecast.

Oh, those. Had one of those. Karma'd it here.

I guess they're a kind of streaming device--in a way. But it's actually the mobile device casting to it that's doing the streaming.

I experimented with it. Found I never used it. That's part of why I gave it away.