Your most common cord cutting questions answered [guest post]

Here at Roku we get a lot of questions from customers about cord cutting. We thought what better person to answer those questions than Luke from Cord Cutters News!

Here are some of your most commonly asked questions:

Q: If I cut the cord, can I still watch my favorite channels?

A: YES! I estimate 90% of your favorite channels are available without a pay TV subscription (I’ll tell you what can be done about the other 10% in a minute).

Your favorite channels like AMC, TLC, TBS, HISTORY and 100+ others are available without a long-term contract. Sling TV was the first service to bring a live TV package for viewing solely over the internet – including the channels listed above.

These services start at just $20 per month and give you access to a wide range of channels without a long-term contract. Just want to watch The Walking Dead without waiting until the next day? It’s easy to sign up as soon as a new season starts. Another great perk is that all of these services offer a free trial period, which allows you to give them a test drive before subscribing.

Many channels, like HBO NOW, STARZ and SHOWTIME, have their own stand-alone streaming services as well.

What about the ~10% of channels that you cannot get live? I suggest you conduct a Roku Search to find out where the specific TV show or movie you want to watch is streaming and at what price. Channels like Hulu, Amazon Video and Netflix have vast TV show and movie offerings. You will also be surprised how affordable a season pass to your favorite shows is on Amazon Video. An added bonus to the season pass is you can always access those episodes in your Amazon Video account.

Q: Can I stream live sports?

A: YES! For most sports you can happily cut the cord and still watch your game. Between Sling TV and PlayStation Vue you can stream FS1, FS2, Golf Channel, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, NBC Sports, all of the ESPN channels and more. Add in a home antenna for local channels and you have an abundance of sports at your fingertips.

There are also many streaming services such as NBA, WWE Network, UFC and more which allow you to pay only for the sports and leagues you like.

So, yes, with a bit of looking around for the right service you can still watch the live sports you love.

Q: What about local channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC; can I watch them as a cord cutter?

A: With the help of an antenna you can watch them for FREE! Local channels are still 100% free over-the-air. However, this is not your grandpa’s over-the-air TV. With the move to digital over-the-air TV in 2009 not only do you get the Big 4 networks free but you can also access a ton of other networks airing their content over-the-air. Visit antennaweb.org to see which channels you can get in your area.

Q: So what about a DVR; how will I record my over-the-air TV shows?

A: We’ve got you covered here, and the best part is you can even watch them through your Roku player or Roku TV. All you need is a DVR that is made for over-the-air TV. There are two great options for Roku owners: Tablo TV and Simple.TV (additional hardware is required). Your recorded content will stream through their respective Roku channels. Learn more on the Tablo TV and Simple.TV websites.

Q: What about live news; can I watch Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and more?

A: YES! Fox News, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC and more are all available live through Sling TV and PlayStation Vue.

The following news channels are available for FREE in the Roku Channel Store as well:

• NewsON brings you live local news from 130+ news stations around the United States. Previous broadcasts are available on demand as well.
• CBS News has a great Roku channel that brings you live 24/7 coverage and on demand video from CBS programs, including CBS Evening News, CBS This Morning and 60 Minutes.
• Sky News is a UK-based news station that offers a live 24/7 stream and on demand video covering world, US, business, politics and more.
• WeatherNation is a superb weather channel that delivers live weather newscasts and forecasts based on your location.

The list goes on and on, so check out the News & Weather category in the Roku Channel Store for more first-rate news options.

Q: Will I save money cutting the cord?

A: A recent informal survey of Cord Cutters News readers shows an average viewer saves over $1,000 per year after cutting the cord. I personally calculated that I’m saving $1,200 per year. With that said, everyone’s experiences will be different based on how many services are chosen. Some people are happy with free over-the-air TV and Netflix, while others choose to add on two or three additional services such as HBO NOW or SHOWTIME. My recommendation is to sit down with your last pay TV bill and a list of the streaming services you want. Compare the two and see if it makes sense for you. You are likely already paying for one or two streaming services such as Netflix or Hulu – and if you’re an Amazon Prime customer don’t forget about all the movies and TV shows available to you through Amazon Video.

Q: I’m not ready to cut my cable/satellite, but I love my Roku device. How can my Roku player/Roku TV add value to my pay TV subscription?

A: Pay TV subscribers have access to 40+ TV Everywhere streaming channels including WatchESPN, HISTORY, FXNOW, WATCH ABC, WATCH HGTV and more. TV Everywhere channels give subscribers the ability to access their pay TV package from any room in your house without an extra set top box – you just need to add the channel to your Roku device.

Time Warner Cable and CenturyLink Prism subscribers with a Roku device are in luck (and Comcast Xfinity in the fall)! Subscribers who add the provider’s respective channel to their Roku player or Roku TV will have access to stream their live TV package.

I hope this has answered many of your cord cutting questions. If you have any questions post them here and I will do our best to answer them over the next few days.