When I moved into my apartment I discovered neither broadcast nor cable TV (or the new digital channels) were available. My only two options were DirectTV or DishNetwork. I signed up for the basic package and was soon paying $45 a month. Because I had a roommate I considered this an acceptable expense. When my roommate moved out I began to resent the $540 a year bill. SoI began to research different options.
Since college I have used the Internet to download and stream television. However using my 15 inch laptop as both my computer and my television is problematic. I often use the television to drown out the deafening silence of my empty apartment. This is a job ill suited to my laptop. Also I am a big fan of the "two screen experience" ie watching TV while surfing the Internet (sometimes as background noise).
I began to search for a solution that was inexpensive and allowed me to use my television. I found several great hacks (linked below) but most of these required me to use my laptop in some shape or form. For a long time I wanted to turn my TV into a second monitor. With a new LCD tv this is a good option but it didn't easily work with my current television. It was while browsing through Netflix that I finally found my solution.
I am an unabashed fan of Netflix. For a small fee I have access to a wide variety of movies and television shows. I actively use both their mail delivery and their Watch Instantly online streaming service. I was aware of the ability to stream Instant online content to a television via a receiver but waiting for a TV show to go to DVD before watching it seemed like a special form of torture. So when I discovered that I can also stream new television episodes from Netflix the day after they air I was sold on getting a Roku receiver.
The Roku is a small receiver that has built in wi-fi capability. You hook it up to your television and it uses your Internet connection to stream Netflix straight to your television. It can also stream from Amazon's Unbox service and is continuing to expand. Pricing in at $99 it is a much cheaper solution than a new laptop or television.
In an increasingly budget conscious society that wants to "have it your way", satellite television with its bloated prices and extraneous channels should be nervous. If my solution works out I don't plan on ever paying for television again.
Other Non-Satellite Options
