Online tv question

[reb]

I am a retired electrical engineer, but not up to speed on modern electronic devices; for instance, I have no idea how to download an "app."

I am trying to figure out how to stream tv programs. I have a smart tv, but the controller lists only a few sources, none of which I think I want. What do I need to be able to do that?

 

[Menagerie-Manor]

I am a retired electrical engineer, but not up to speed on modern electronic devices; for instance, I have no idea how to download an "app."

I am trying to figure out how to stream tv programs. I have a smart tv, but the controller lists only a few sources, none of which I think I want. What do I need to be able to do that?

The addition of an Amazon firestick or a Roku controller (all inexpensive) generally makes the process rather simple but most Smart TV's should have settings to add channels or providers. What TV are you using.

 

[reb]

The addition of an Amazon firestick or a Roku controller (all inexpensive) generally makes the process rather simple but most Smart TV's should have settings to add channels or providers. What TV are you using.

Thanks for the reply. I have a Vizio, probably 4 or 5 years old. One reviewer on Amazon says Roku won't work with Youtube TV, which I am considering.

 

[seville009]

Timely question......I just made a change on my tv's. I have older Sony flatscreens (ten years plus old), but they have usb and Ethernet ports.

I subscribe to Spectrum (Time Warner) for cable, and had cable boxes at each tv at a monthly cost of $9 each.

I bought three Roku streaming devices (basically wireless usb sticks) at Target for $40 each and returned my three cable boxes to Spectrum. The cost of the Roku devices will be recouped in four months.

the Roku devices basically let me access my same Spectrum cable tv channel subscription - it does it via wifi instead of through the cable boxes. You do need to have internet/wifi at the house.

the Roku devices come with a remote.
Works great.

hardest part is getting used to using a different remote.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

My brother just called and wants me to look over a log loader swap he is doing. He can watch u tube on his TV and I'll ask him in a few.

 

[Dftodd]

I would recommend the fire stick over the roku stick. Our local cable TV is streamed through an app now instead of using a cable box.

Got a roku stick to start with and the local TV app was extremely clunky to use. Was getting frustrated to the point where I was about to cancel the TV service, but decided to try the firestick first.

The app through the fire stick was much more user friendly and less issues over all.

Both sticks have a bunch of free stuff you can download. We also have about 300 channels just over the internet using the Pluto TV app on our smart TV.

Wife and I have an Amazon prime account which includes TV streaming. And we also have a Netflix account we use.

 

[Menagerie-Manor]

Thanks for the reply. I have a Vizio, probably 4 or 5 years old. One reviewer on Amazon says Roku won't work with Youtube TV, which I am considering.

As far as I know that was a contractual issue earlier this year and that was straightened out since.

I have a Roku tv in my shop and Fire tv control in the house and I find the amazon firestick very friendly. I will say the 53" Roku tv was $329 at Walmart and a great buy though.

 

[dodge man]

We have a fire stick for the local cable and it will download apps. My daughters TV came with some apps installed and it appears there is no way to add any without something like Roku or a Firestick.

 

[Snobdds]

buy fire stick.
Download youtube tv
log in*
done.

*Youtube tv requires a google account aka gmail account. Get that first.

 

[reb]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like it will be a fire stick and youtube tv. Gotta get a cell phone first, tho, to set up a google account.

 

[Snobdds]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like it will be a fire stick and youtube tv. Gotta get a cell phone first, tho, to set up a google account.

You don't need a phone to set up a google account. Since your posting, I assume you have wifi and a computer. That is all you need.

Just go to google.com
Top right of the screen there are 9 dots in a grid pattern
Click on that and go to account
Go through the steps to set up an account and you can also get youtube tv purchased there as well.

I got fed up with spectrum and did a family youtube tv account. I have my dad on it as one of the five family members they allow.
It took him a few weeks to learn to navigate it, but he is a pro at it now and he is tech illiterate. Plue he dosen't have to pay for cable anymore which he loves.

 

[Oaktree]

I am a retired electrical engineer, but not up to speed on modern electronic devices; for instance, I have no idea how to download an "app."

I hear ya. I personally find smartphones quite non-intuitive.

I bought three Roku streaming devices (basically wireless usb sticks) at Target for $40 each and returned my three cable boxes to Spectrum. The cost of the Roku devices will be recouped in four months.

the Roku devices basically let me access my same Spectrum cable tv channel subscription - it does it via wifi instead of through the cable boxes. You do need to have internet/wifi at the house.

When Spectrum started requiring cable boxes for even the most basic tv package, that's when I decided to get a Roku. I don't know what other cable providers they interface with, but Spectrum was one of them. The only catch is some streaming channels don't work if those services (USA network for example) aren't already part of your cable package.
We don't have wi-fi here, and the boxes that will work with an ethernet connection are a bit more pricey, but still reasonable.

A couple others mentioned the Pluto channel. There is a lot of interesting stuff there, though keep in mind it's on a schedule like "regular" tv, not on-demand. So if you're watching a series, it's catch as catch can, you can't pick and choose episodes.

You don't need a phone to set up a google account. Since your posting, I assume you have wifi and a computer. That is all you need.

Did they change something? Last time I tried to set up a new Gmail account (within the past year), they required a cell #. It would not let you set up an account without one, nor would it accept a landline #. Some BS about "so we know you're really you" or something like that.
I Googled ways to try and circumvent that, but none of them worked.

 

[dodge man]

Our cable service from our local phone company is going away. I’ve also looked at Philo and Fubo TV. YouTube looks good also.

 

[Snobdds]

Did they change something? Last time I tried to set up a new Gmail account (within the past year), they required a cell #. It would not let you set up an account without one, nor would it accept a landline #. Some BS about "so we know you're really you" or something like that.
I Googled ways to try and circumvent that, but none of them worked.

They might have changed it since I have done the process...it's been a long time since I set up my gmail account.

 

[Oaktree]

They might have changed it since I have done the process...it's been a long time since I set up my gmail account.

Yeah, you used to be able to but not any more. Tried just now and it requires a cell #.

 

[reb]

Yeah, you used to be able to but not any more. Tried just now and it requires a cell #.

Tried to go through that process. They wanted to text a number for verification. Landlines don't accept text messages, at least the last time I checked.

 

[k0ua]

Downloading an app on your smartphone is about the same level of difficulty as going to the kitchen to get a drink of water. or maybe not quite that complicated if you don't know which cabinet to look for a water glass.

Seriously fellas, it is the 21st century, and if you are here with a pc and a web browser, you are doing tasks at least if not more difficult than operating a smart phone. You have at your fingertips the ability to summon help from the largest library the world has ever known (the internet) and if need be you can actually get people from across the globe to give you personal assistance and advice from thousands of users portals and self help groups. Heck you can even get help from this forum if you want it.

 

[Oaktree]

Tried to go through that process. They wanted to text a number for verification. Landlines don't accept text messages, at least the last time I checked.

Correction to my upthread post. It IS possible to set up a Gmail account using a landline #. There is a link to have it send a voice confirmation to the number you enter. It will immediately call you and read a 6 digit number you can enter on the setup page. Once the account is set up you can delete the number.
Maybe Google got enough complaints to change this. Previous time (a year or so ago) I tried it gave me an error and said (landline #) was not an acceptable number.

 

[Diggin It]

I completely and totally stopped watching TV. Haven't watched a single program in close to ten years now, not even ones on DVD or other recorded media.

With broadcast TV or satellite, I was a channel flipper. Rarely ever wached a program from start to finish without interruption. Commercial came on, I'd flip. Dead/boring spot in a show, I'd flip.


One day, I realized I'd flipped though the entire menu screen six or eight times without finding anything to watch. I settled on one of the 200 or so music channels ... audio only, no video other than the name of the track floating around the screen to prevent burn in. After a couple of weeks of that, i cancelled the service.


I tried a couple of types of streaming services. But they were all the same boring shows that had been on satellite and I couldn't channel flip. I had to hunt something down, log in, select, download, wait to buffer, then play.

Only took about a week of that and I shut the whole mess off. I was surprised how much my electric bill dropped. Between the TV, home theater amp, DVRs, computer to connect to the services and other devices, it was all burning a few hundred watts. Turning it all off saved me almost $20/mo just on my electric bill.

And no, I will NOT provide any personal information at all to get a 'free' email address from a service that collects and sells personal information.

 

[GeneV]

I looked up Youtube TV, it was like $65. Wow, that's pricey, that's really no savings over cable, at least by me.