# Tell me about online TV. Anyone using a provider? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2012, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-online-tv-anyone-using-a-provider/618249 "2012-04-09T12:33:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-online-tv-anyone-using-a-provider/618249/1 "2012-04-09T12:33:18Z")
I’m thinking about cutting the cord to my cable service, and I want to see how much content I can replace more cheaply thru online streaming. I know most networks, and many individual programs, have websites where you can go and navigate through a maze of crap to get to whatever actual episodes they make available, but that’s a huge hassle. I’m more interested in some kind of bundled service, more like a cable or satellite provider that runs channels and offers On Demand programming. I’ve seen ads for a few. As it’s very hard to judge, I love to get some opinions from folks who’ve tried them. One other question – I’ve tried and failed to find any avenue to get HBO (which I have now) online, without a cable or satellite provider. I know about HBO go, but that requires a cable/sat provider intermediary. Am I missing something – does an online service bundler provide HBO? ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-online-tv-anyone-using-a-provider/618249/2 "2012-04-09T13:07:14Z")
[Hulu](http://www.hulu.com/) is the only major “bundle” service out there. You can use it to watch shows from most of the major broadcast networks (NBC, Fox, ABC, etc.) There’s a free version but you can only use it on your PC. With the “plus” version, $8/month, you can watch on any number of devices that you can plug into your TV, like game consoles or the [Roku](http://www.roku.com/). Both versions include some ads, but it’s less than you get with normal TV. Beyond that, you can purchase a-la-cart episodes of many shows from either Amazon Streaming or Itunes for about $2. That’s how I’m currently watching Mad Men and Mythbusters. Again, you can watch these episodes with devices that plug into your TV, like the Roku, or the Apple TV if you want to stick with Itunes. Currently, HBO and the other “premium” networks don’t offer any way to stream their shows without a cable subscription. (IMO they’re going to be left behind if they don’t make HBO Go available to people without cable). There’s also Netflix Streaming, which doesn’t have any current TV shows, but it has a huge back-catalog of old episodes. It’s also $8/month. Between Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon, I can watch anything I want for $16/month plus another $8-$16/month for a-la-carte episodes. (And you’ll need a good broadband connection, too.) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-online-tv-anyone-using-a-provider/618249/3 "2012-04-09T13:30:20Z")
A quick Google search brings up Hulu, as well as; [Satellite Direct](http://www.satellitedirect.com/?hop=tekinturk#howitworks) [TVU Networks](http://www.tvunetworks.com/) [http://www.viewmy.tv/](http://www.viewmy.tv/) > **[wwiTV.com - The ultimate guide to online live TV webcasts.](https://wwitv.com/)** > > Huge collection of Live Internet TV channels. Just choose and play your favourite TV stream. > **[FreeeTV.com - The full and most complet live online Channels guide](https://freeetv.com/)** > > Find quickly and easily live TV channels on the Internet. Watch TV Broadcasts from USA, India, Europe & all other countries on your PC / MAC, Phone, or Tablet. and a bunch more. Some have fees, some don’t. I’m hoping to find some folks already checked them out. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-online-tv-anyone-using-a-provider/618249/4 "2012-04-09T14:56:02Z")
AFAIK Hulu is the only official, legitimate streaming service out there. It’s backed by a consortium of major networks. The rest of the services that you link are of questionable legitimacy (at best). Basically, they’re based overseas, and re-broadcast a pirated cable or satellite feed over the internet. And none of them (again AFAIK) will play on a Roku or any other common streaming media device. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-online-tv-anyone-using-a-provider/618249/5 "2012-04-09T15:57:33Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I know most networks, and many individual programs, have websites where you can go and navigate through a maze of crap to get to whatever actual episodes they make available, but that’s a huge hassle. Um…what? Go to [NBC.com](http://NBC.com) - notice the big giant “VIDEO” at the top? Click it. That gives you a big giant list of shows you can watch. Now go to [CBS.com](http://CBS.com). There’s a big giant “Watch” at the top. Click it. At [abc.com](http://abc.com) there’s a big “Watch episode” button at the top. This is not “a huge hassle”, and couldn’t be more simple. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-online-tv-anyone-using-a-provider/618249/6 "2012-04-09T16:05:58Z")
Ok, that’s good to know, though I haven’t looked for a while. Still, I’d much prefer a single consolidated system that has viewing schedule and access to the individual shows on multiple networks to watch on demand. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-online-tv-anyone-using-a-provider/618249/7 "2012-04-09T16:15:33Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Ok, that’s good to know, though I haven’t looked for a while. Still, I’d much prefer a single consolidated system that has viewing schedule and access to the individual shows on multiple networks to watch on demand. They call that “cable.” ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-online-tv-anyone-using-a-provider/618249/8 "2012-04-09T16:36:01Z")
Hulu is entirely “on demand”. No schedule at all. Usually episodes are available the day after the first broadcast date, and stay available for at least a few weeks. And again, if you want to watch from your PC, it’s free. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-online-tv-anyone-using-a-provider/618249/9 "2012-04-09T16:41:29Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > They call that “cable.” Yes, but maybe there are other comparable, and cheaper, options online. Like I said above, there are a bunch of services being advertised, and I’m hoping some folks have tried more than one of them. My hopes are beginning to fade, however. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-online-tv-anyone-using-a-provider/618249/10 "2012-04-09T17:06:03Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > My hopes are beginning to fade, however. Hulu (plus [CBS.com](http://CBS.com)) does everything you’ve asked, other than provide HBO Go, which is not available to people who do not have (or know someone who has) HBO as a paid provider.