topic Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help! in Electronics

Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

AngelPuppy1 — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:01:56 GMT

My husband and I are sick of paying high cable bills -- they are outrageous!

We heard that an amazon fire stick is an option.

Neither of us is particularly good with electronics - especially me!

Could some here give some info?

I heard that they are easy to install - just plug into the back of your t.v.? Is this true? Sounds too good to be true. Also, that you can move the stick from t.v. to t.v. with ease??

Also - other questions:

Can you get local new stations?

How about sports stations, so that DH can watch his favorite football and baseball games?

I watch Netflix and Peacock, would I be able to watch them?

Also, we record and lot of shows so that we can watch them later - is this something you can do with a firestick?

We also listen to various music stations, is this a feature with the firestick?

How do you know which firestick to order? I see on amazon that there are quite a lot of different ones? We just had to purchase a new t.v. and we got it from amazon.

What other things do we need to know? I know this is a lot of questions, but we have no idea what we are doing and we really want to "cut the cable" so to speak from our cable company.

DH wanted to get info from other places such as perhaps dish, sling, etc., but we don't know if any of these places are good or would offer what we want and for a good price.

HELP!!!

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

Ainhisg — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:11:52 GMT

@AZfem gives the correct information. To get live channels, you will either need to get an over the air (OTA) antenna or subscribe to a premium streaming service like Hulu Live or YouTube TV. Many of us on here have YouTube TV. I believe both offer unlimited recording; at least I know YTTV does. You can't record from an OTA antenna unless you also purchase a digital video recorder. Since you say you are technically challenged, I would suggest forgoing that and either selecting Hulu Live, YouTube TV, or maybe some of the others that are mentioned--will be much easier for you to learn with no additional equipment. If you could let us know what brand, model, and year your TV is, we could probably find a video or something to help you learn how to use the smart function of it. You truly already have everything you need to break away from cable as long as you have internet service.

In your smart TV apps, you will find whatever streaming services you want to use, and you add those to your home screen. We have YouTube TV, Netflix, Paramount+, HBO, Prime Video, and Apple TV. All you have to do is sign in to the ones you already have after clicking on their icons.

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

gardenman — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:30:24 GMT

You say you just had to buy a new TV, so it likely comes with or can download all of the apps you would get on a Fire Stick. It's hard to find a TV these days that isn't loaded with Smart features.

A Fire Stick won't let you save shows on it due to very limited memory. If you subscribe to a cable alternative like YouTube TV, you can record shows there for watching later. A Fire Stick is most useful on TVs that aren't Smart. My old Samsung and RCA being good examples of that. I have Fire Sticks on both because they have no other way to access the Internet.

To watch things like the NFL, you really need a cable alternative like YouTube TV or one of the others. There, you can get the NFL Network, ABC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, and NBC.

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

AZfem — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:02:21 GMT

If you have a new tv, you most likely have apps on it which is the same as what you get on a fire stick so you don't need it.

To get local tv you can install an antenna or subscribe to the streaming live tv platforms which will be on your apps. They are you tube tv, Hulu live tv, philo & direct tv streaming as far as I know. Google to check. You can try them free for a period of time just make sure you cancel if you want to try all of them. Sign up & check offers online.

On these live streaming apps you get local tv & many channels you had on cable. Check online & see the line up on each of them.

We have Hulu live streaming & we can watch live tv, record shows or stream all of hulus offerings.

We have a Samsung tv & receive tons of free channels there - mostly former tv shows & movies - this is free.

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

We rescue cats — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:34:36 GMT

@AZfem wrote:

We have a Samsung tv & receive tons of free channels there - mostly former tv shows & movies - this is free.

We have all Samsung tvs in our house but the motorhome does not. As long as your television is a Smart TV you can download the Samsung program to it and it is free.

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

FranandZoe — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:59:53 GMT

As others mentioned your new TV likely already has the apps for your streaming services. Anything you pay for now you still have pay for with a Firestick.

And yes you need an antenna for local channels.

I have two of them - I got them years ago as that was the only way to watch the ACC sports network as Xfinity didn't carry it at that time. Currently I use it to watch Court TV also not carried by Xfinity.

I was able to watch some TCM free on the Firestick too but not live programming. I have it now on Xfinity but had to pay extra. I don't have smart TVs but get the apps via Xfinity and my DVRs.

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

Zhills — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:41:58 GMT

@AngelPuppy1 Which TV did you buy? Knowing will help the information you ask.

You do realize that you will still need WiFi?

It doesn't save as much as you would think!

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

Kachina624 — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 19:25:56 GMT

@AngelPuppy1. Both Firestick and Roku do the same thing. I have one of each and find the Roku easiest to install and use. I'm not great with electronics but installed them myself (a senior) along with an interior antenna.

Both of these devices are just doorways into which you can enter streaming services, although they do have some content also. They're easy to hook up but you must also program the tv to which they're attached. It's self explanatory. Then you must learn a new method of using and finding programming on your tv. There's a learning curve and it takes awhile to become thoroughly familiar with it.

To get programming, you'll need to subscribe to a streaming service and pay a monthly fee which is considerably less than cable. I think the most expensive is YouTubeTV for about $90/mo. It includes all the local network stations. You can Google the services to see what programs they include. Most have a short free trial periods.

You can also see all your local stations by installing a simple interior antenna.

Let me know if you have questions.

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

Maizie Green — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 19:56:45 GMT

I subscribe to sling. They have a couple of different options and add ones. It has a limited amount of DVR but you can upgrade to unlimited. Some areas have local channels.

I also read the cord cutters forum on Reddit. They are quick to post current streaming deals. Recently I got AMC+ ad free for $29 for a year.

Cord cutter weekly dot com also lists streaming deals monthly.

The best deals are on Black Friday. I got a year of Starz ad free for $12.00 I just canceled all of my Black Friday deals so I have been gone long enough to be eligible next Black Friday. Since paying for them yearly I can still enjoy them.

Walmart+ includes free (with ads) Paramount plus or Peacock. You can switch every three months.

Fawsome and tubi have a lot of great movies and series.

I use a Roku and have no complaints.

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

Mz iMac — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 23:06:19 GMT

@Kachina624

"I think the most expensive is YouTubeTV for about $90/mo."

Not any more. YTTV is now a-la-cart w/different packages w/varying pricing. It has been like this for months once they released it country wide.

Settings / Membership / Manage / Explore

Once my twice a year 3-6 month $20 discount expires in a few months, I will check it out.

In spoiler so I can't hijack OP post.

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

sandy53 — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:02:18 GMT

Fire sticks work great for us. We use them with YouTube TV.

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

AngelPuppy1 — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:21:22 GMT

I am "hearting" all of your replies because I really appreciate everybody trying to explain all of this, but I have to admit I am still in the "weeds"! It sounds so incredibly confusing to me that I can't figure out or understand half of what you are all saying. I guess I don't get the jargon of electronic speak for one thing!

Someone asked what kind of t.v. we have and I will just say it is a TCL (don't know the particular model) purchased from amazon about 2 weeks ago. We have used our local cable company for years for everything including cable, phone and internet. Our bill just went up again and it is now up to $370 a month, which I think is just terrible! We do have Peacock and Netflix, which I guess are extra charges. Also, we have the ability to record shows whenever we want which is imporant to us. Also, DH wants to be able to watch his sports, such as football and baseball, and to watch local news.

So, after reading all of your posts, I don't know what would be what we need or how to go about what we need! Sorry to be dense, but it is, what it is, I guess you would say.

I guess this is why we have stayed with our cable company for so long, despite the high cost! We just don't know or understand all of this stuff, the streaming stuff, apps, and all that is involved in order to get what we want and need.

Thank you for your replies! I appreciate it!

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

gadgetgal613 — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:04:19 GMT

There really isn't that much to understand. All services charge a monthly fee to use them. What you need to do is get out a calculator, add up the cost for each streaming service you would subscribe and compare the prices. You'd be surprised how many chanels you can get with an antenna and the internet. If your husband likes to watch sport, look up the price for the differnet sports streaming services. If you like movies, look up the monthly price for them and the list goes on. If you are NOT tech savvy, you might be better off sticking with basic cable and adding streaming services to the mix.

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

Ainhisg — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:38:44 GMT

@AngelPuppy1 I will try to help you as much as I can. Go on Amazon, find your TV order, and take a screen shot of the exact one you purchased and post the screenshot here. Tag me, please. If you don't know how to take a screenshot and post it, then go to your order and let me know the complete title (for lack of a better word) of the listing and post it here. Or look on the listing or in your instruction book for the model number. Find something, because all smart TV's work similarly but still differently. Once I see what you bought, I will try to find a YouTube video that can help. I looked on Youtube already, and it appears that TCL TV's are all Google smart TV's, but I want to be sure, because the wrong video may not help you much to understand the process.

You will still need to keep your internet service with your provider or you can also switch to a new provider. Smart TV's require internet connectivity. We use Brightspeed for our internet provider, and 1g is $59 per month. We have to have that big of a package because we have over 30 smart home devices. If you don't have very many, and you probably don't, there are several cheaper packages than this.

For our internet and all the streaming services we subscribe to, we pay $160 a month just to let you know what your cost might look like--easily half of what you're paying! In our case:

Brightspeed internet: $59
YouTube TV: $83 (has live channels, sports, and anything else you could possibly want to watch plus unlimited recording--it does not have music channels like cable)
Netflix: $9 (with ads)
HBO $3 (with ads--Black Friday special)
Paramount+ (free with Walmart+)
Prime Video (free with an Amazon Prime subscription)
Apple TV $6 (Black Friday special)

Hope this helps, and again--let me know exactly what TV you have, and I'll see if I can find something for you to watch to help you understand the process.

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

Mz iMac — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:53:06 GMT

@AngelPuppy1

Ainhisg stated "Smart TV's require internet connectivity. "

If you have been w/your cable company for 5+ yrs, never or rarely late in paying your cable bill, call its RETENTION department & request an internet discount for being an "exceptional-good" customer.

If you decide to keep cable, use the same ruse to get a cheaper rate.

If there are multiple cable companies in your area, threaten to jump ship if you can't get what you want.

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

AngelPuppy1 — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:10:05 GMT

@gadgetgal613 wrote:
There really isn't that much to understand. All services charge a monthly fee to use them. What you need to do is get out a calculator, add up the cost for each streaming service you would subscribe and compare the prices. You'd be surprised how many chanels you can get with an antenna and the internet. If your husband likes to watch sport, look up the price for the differnet sports streaming services. If you like movies, look up the monthly price for them and the list goes on. If you are NOT tech savvy, you might be better off sticking with basic cable and adding streaming services to the mix.

@gadgetgal613

But you see, for one thing I don't understand what you are saying here - are you meaning - stay with my cable company, but just do the basic package and then get an antenna? And what does "get an antenna" mean? The only "antenna" I know is the old kind we had as a child that was on a pole outside and you had to turn it manually by hand - and I know this is not what you mean! And then you write, "stick with basic cabe", which I take it to mean, just stay where I am and just add - as you say with streaming services - but I don't even understand this - where do you get the streaming services? See, I told you all that I don't understand any of this. I am clueless!

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

AngelPuppy1 — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:14:23 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
@AngelPuppy1

Ainhisg stated "Smart TV's require internet connectivity. "

If you have been w/your cable company for 5+ yrs, never or rarely late in paying your cable bill, call its RETENTION department & request an internet discount for being an "exceptional-good" customer.

If you decide to keep cable, use the same ruse to get a cheaper rate.
If there are multiple cable companies in your area, threaten to jump ship if you can't get what you want.

@Mz iMac

We have had the same cable company for more years than I can even remember and as far as I know, this is the only one available in our area. We have never been late on our billr. I know next to nothing about all this stuff but I know that we need internet also because we get all of our services through them - t.v., computer and phone. I guess we can also tell them we are thinking of dumping them and going to dish or sling or something like that. Thanks!

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

AngelPuppy1 — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:15:56 GMT

@Ainhisg

I appreciate your info and I will see if I can find this because DH ordered it, I didn't. He probably squirreled it away some place and he is not well and I don't want to bother him. Thanks for your info!

Re: Questions about Fire Stick - Please help!

gadgetgal613 — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 20:36:10 GMT

If you can't understand the basics of streaming, using an antenna or basic cable, I'm not sure anyone can help you.