Cut the additional DVR fee – Get a Roku

Savings Beagle | October 10, 2016 | Equipment, Uncategorized | No Comments

Cable and satellite companies like charging you for extras like an additional DVR. We like the idea of cutting the cord completely, but this article focuses on cutting back on cable fees if you already have a cable subscription.

Maybe you like the idea of a Tivo DVR. Yes, you can purchase a Tivo DVR and it will give you the full feature set a DVR should. However, this comes with a high price tag. HD DVRs from Tivo cost around $400 or $150 or more plus a monthly service fee. Not to say this isn’t a good option if you use the DVR a lot, but for secondary viewing like in a bedroom, we are trying to save you some money by suggesting a trimmed down option.

A Roku or other type of media player can give you a DVR-like budget option. I wanted to know if it was a good alternative, so I loaded up the Roku with all of the main apps I could think of and began adding my cable company username and password. If you aren’t aware, many channels that are available on a Roku or similar media player, will only allow you to view content if you verify you already have a cable subscription by entering that information. Some channels do offer some free content available without a cable or satellite subscription, but they usually offer limited viewing windows.

On Demand

Almost all content on these cable channel apps is on-demand. Sometimes shows are available the next day, but each channel has their own timeline as to when shows will be available on media devices. There is also a time limit to how long shows will be available. Some channels will make every episode of a season available, others will offer 5 or 6 of the most recent shows.

Live Stream

A few channels offer live streams, just like watching live cable. HGTV and Discover give you the option of both On-demand viewing or live. We believe live streaming will become more of the norm in the future.

DirecTV and Dish Apps

You can get live and On-demand from your DirecTV or Dish subscription. Both DirecTV and Dish have apps that will work on most devices other than Roku. These apps are IOS and Android based and you can view content just the way you would on your tablet or phone.

Local Channels

If you have read our articles on free TV, you know we love the idea of getting free network streams via USTVNow. ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, PBS and the CW are all streamed free from USTVNow. Roku has an app for USTVNow, so if you can’t get local channels in your bedroom because you don’t have or want an antenna, you can still access them with the convenience of your Roku. Most channel apps are available on almost every major media player, but not USTVNow. In order to view USTVNow on devices other than a Roku, Google TV or Apple TV, you will need to access the USTVNow Web site via a Web browser.

Conclusion

Using a streaming media device will deliver all of the big Smart TV apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crackle, etc. However, you might not have realized how many regular shows were available to you on a media player if you have a cable TV subscription. So ditch the extra DVR and the fees associated with it and get yourself a media streaming player or stick, set it up and enjoy the savings.