According to the NY Times and US News there were 600,000 people that left cable in the first two quarters of 2015. This year is shaping up to be a pivotal year for Cable TV. I am cutting the cord this month after over twenty years subscribing to cable. The price is simply out of control. There are many streaming options that make it worthwhile to switch:
Roku 3 – This is a tiny streaming box that has Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, PBS Kids, History Channel, NBC News, Fox News, CBS All Access, and thousands of other Roku channels.
Tablo – This is an over-the-air DVR. It is viewable through Roku. Buy an antennae & hard drive and you now have all the major networks at no monthly fee. There is a lifetime fee for the Tablo guide.
V-Tech Connect To Cell – This replaces your old land line and connects to up to two cell phones via Bluetooth.
Sling TV – Dish Network came out with a package of popular streaming channels for $20/month, far less than normal packages. You can add other groups of channels for $5. The downside is that the content cannot be recorded or paused to view later. This may be an option for sports lovers. This also works with Roku.
PlayOn – This is a software package that integrates with your PC and Roku. It allows you to stream from websites to the Roku. For example, the HGTV website has episodes of Flip or Flop that you can now watch on the Roku.
Plex is a software package that allows you to view your collection of pictures and home videos on Roku. A bonus is that it also has channels like Food Network and Comedy Central. Plex has a free version too.
The shift away from live content to on demand content is accelerating. This is as dramatic as the change from Music CDs to MP3s. Consumers want to pick channels a la cart with instant content. Providers need to adapt.
If they do not adapt, I can see Netflix as the sole vendor of all video content in the world. Are you sticking with cable or cutting the cord? Why?