ROKU Today's Special

if I weren't so electronic challenged I would purchase it....I would like to get off cable, too...

We have AppleTV, not Roku, although all of these streaming devices work the same way. Easy as can be (true plug and play). We dropped our cable, bought a $40 antenna to pick up all live stations, and couldn't be happier, literally saving 1000K per year. But, we watch very little TV, so for us it was a no brainer. For people who watch a lot of shows on different cable channels, it's important to check ahead of time to make sure they're available without cable. You can do that by searching Hulu, Netflix and other websites that stream shows and movies, to make sure yours will be available without cable.

I too was interested in knowing about ROKU and if it is a good thing. I've never heard of Apple TV and am interested in knowing more.

AspenGrove, you mentioned that it was easy, are you able to access a lot of channels?

On 7/18/2014 isaboo said:

I too was interested in knowing about ROKU and if it is a good thing. I've never heard of Apple TV and am interested in knowing more.

AspenGrove, you mentioned that it was easy, are you able to access a lot of channels?

isaboo, First, you can learn all about AppleTV here. Since I have been an Apple computer user since 1984, I stick with what works! AppleTV seamlessly communicates with my computer, laptop, iPad, iPhone, etc, so that's why I choose to use it instead of Roku or other devices. Keep in mind that although I get a ton of free stuff with it, I still do choose to pay for Netflix ($7.99/month) to get additional content.

Second, it really depends on where you live to know how many free channels you can pick up with your antenna. And, different antennas work better in some parts of the country than others. I'm in a mountainous area (in CO), so my antenna only picks up about 40 free stations, but that's more than enough for us. (I know others who live in more metropolitan areas can get closer to 100.) I get all the local networks, of course (because by law, they all have to provide free access) - ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, etc. and although I don't actually watch QVC or HSN, those come in also. There are also many Spanish language and religion channels that come in that I don't watch. This is a great site to check your area's antenna access.

And finally, this is a really good article that can help you evaluate whether or not you should consider dropping cable, depending on your viewing habits.

Thanks AspenGrove and isaboo for the antenna advice.

We're in a rural area now. With a "regular" antenna could only pick up PBS. (I had aluminum foil on it too!)

After the roku experiment, I'll look into a better antenna because I cannot miss my Ravens football! LOL

Getting roku for DD also. She is in a city and should be able to get all local stations.

I'm pretty sure all the trial subscriptions are available for free anyway so don't buy on account of them.

On 7/18/2014 seehorse said:

Thanks AspenGrove and isaboo for the antenna advice.

We're in a rural area now. With a "regular" antenna could only pick up PBS. (I had aluminum foil on it too!)

After the roku experiment, I'll look into a better antenna because I cannot miss my Ravens football! LOL

Getting roku for DD also. She is in a city and should be able to get all local stations.

seehorse, that's pretty funny about the foil. Keep in mind that when I say antenna, I'm not talking about the old rabbit ears we all used to have (well, those of us old enough to remember such things)! My antenna is actually a sleek, flat 10" square that lays down behind the TV, out of view. No wires or metal "ears" comes out of it! I'm guessing that with a newer digital antenna, you'd be able to pick up way more than you can now.

Seehorse, research the Leaf antenna which would be like what AspenGrove describes. I know they sell them on Amazon, but you might look around for the best price. One of my co-workers who lives in a condo hooked up a Leaf antenna a couple of years ago & has been happy with it. Speaking of rabbit ears & foil made me laugh & remember those days & my dad was always "yelling" at us to not touch the rabbit ears because he always fiddled with it to get the reception exactly the way he wanted.

Keep in mind, antenna's only get stations within 30-40 miles from your house. So if you live near a big city, it should work well. High def broadcasts actually look better than the high def through satellite or cable. Unlike the old analog broadcasts and TVs (snowy if the signal wasn't good), if the digital signal isn't strong enough, you won't get a picture.