How Can I Ditch Cable and Watch My TV Shows and Movies Online?
Hulu – Unlike television shows, current popular movies generally will take a while to turn up on Hulu. If you like to channel surf for movies until something catches your eye, then this is a great place to start. There are zillions of flicks to choose from and they’re all searchable by name or genre.
Netflix – Although much of the Watch Instantly movies at Netflix are titles that date back six months to a decade or more, there are a few newer movies if you hunt around a bit, and they’ve been improving their Watch Instantly service regularly. With unlimited streaming for subscribers and a handy queue feature to remind you of what movies you want to watch, this is a great substitution for paid movie channels from your cable company.
iTunes – As with television shows, you’ll pay per movie at iTunes. Buy a flick for about $15 or rent it for 24 hours for about $3 ($4 if you want it in HD). Most movies are available at iTunes the same day as the DVD becomes available in stores.
Amazon Video On Demand – Like iTunes, Amazon offers lots of newly-released movies for purchase or rent. You’ll find lots of independent and niche films here, as well as the option of pre-ordering flicks a few weeks before they become available.
Are You Addicted To Cable?
Television Addiction – What are the Effects?
In 1997, 700 Japanese children were rushed to a hospital to be treated with epileptic seizures. These seizures were later attributed to a program which was aired that involved an exaggerated version of the Pokemon game that had flashing colorful lights.
Laboratory experiments1 have also been done to study people’s reactions to TV by monitoring brain waves by the use of EEG (electroencephalograph). Those who participated in the study carried a beeper. They were signaled six to eight times a day randomly over the period of a week. When they heard the beep, they were to write down what they were doing and how they were feeling. People who were watching TV when beeped reported feeling relaxed and passive. The studies showed less mental stimulation as measured by alpha brain-wave production during viewing TV than if these participants had been reading. After the television set was turned off, this study showed the participants were still very relaxed and passive as if all energy had left them.
This suggests1 that TV viewing has a numbing effect, and reaction to the body is likened to that of a tranquilizer. Drowsiness occurs, and one may even experience depression as the viewing continues. A person actually disengages from real life becoming immersed in what is being shown on the screen which, in turn, causes excessive viewing; more so than anticipated in the beginning.
How Can I Ditch Cable and Watch My TV Shows and Movies Online?
Watching professional sports without cable is a tougher nut to crack and, depending on the event, you may have no choice but to head to your local sports bar. Even with cable, however, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to access your favorite team’s game. Fortunately, professional sports associations are getting in on the online action and streaming some or all of their televised games via paid subscriber network.
Watch Sports Online
MLB.TV – Baseball fans can watch every regular season game live or on demand, and more than 150 spring training games with no blackouts. Viewers also get access to game day audio, game archives, and real-time stats.
NFL Network – Though this is actually the National Football League’s official cable channel, its website has a ton of post-game video footage for fans to check out. Due to licensing and TV restrictions, finding a legal way to live stream NFL football is next to impossible unless you live outside the US, but at least you can listen live to every game of the season with an NFL Field Pass.
NHL Game Center Live – Watch up to 40 live hockey games, including some of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with a subscription to this service. It streams live in HD (when available) and includes DVR functionality so you pause, rewind, and fast forward during games.
NBA All Access – Basketball fans can choose from two types of season passes: unlimited for access to all teams, or a league pass to follow only seven teams. Watch three games at once, and control the live action with full DVR controls.
Yes, subscriptions that let you watch professional sports still cost you some coin, but a one-time fee of $50 – $150 per season to catch your favorite games is better than paying $50 or more a month all year for cable. Of course, some events, like the Olympics, will have several viewing options to choose from.
Where Can I Watch the Olympics Online?