Say goodbye to cable TV

Consider what people face when they want to end their TV subscriptions – what’s called cutting the cable cord. There are several streaming services and bills to juggle. And there are plenty of streaming gadgets to choose from.

So, to make it easier for you to get away from cable cords, we’ve teamed up with the Wirecutter, the product recommendations website, to compile the definitive guide to cord cutting. The Wirecutter tested services, streaming devices and antennas to offer cable cutter packs for different types of people in 2016: moviegoers, sportspeople, fans of premium TV shows, binge watchers and families with children.

For Movie Fans For movie fans, there are plenty of cord-cutting options that will make any transition painless. Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu all have large libraries of movies for streaming – Amazon alone holds 18,400 titles, although the selection changes regularly due to agreements with content providers.

Netflix’s library has shrunk over time; the company no longer tries to deliver the glut of old catalog movies that every department seems to have. But Netflix has tried to compensate by focusing on films it has exclusive licenses for, including those from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Lucas Film.

Amazon is more focused on quantity, but without the exclusive titles offered by other services. Amazon, iTunes, the Google Play Store, and Vudu typically get digital versions of recent movies which can be purchased for $ 15 (Rs 1,001) to $ 20 (Rs 1,334), or rented for around $ 5 (Rs 333), before they are even available. on disk.

For most people, Netflix will offer the best selection of new movies and original programming – and Google, Amazon, or Apple will offer the best selection for renting or buying. n Best service: Netflix plus pay-per-view rentals / purchases ($ 8 or Rs 533 to $ 12 or Rs 800 / month) n Best hardware: Roku Streaming Stick ($ 50 or Rs 3,336) n Most affordable: Roku Streaming Stick n Also works with: Apple TV ($ 149 or Rs 9,943), other Roku models

For Sports Enthusiasts: A subscription to PlayStation Vue or Sling TV gets you ESPN and Fox Sports 1, depending on the package. And each system offers additional sports channels, depending on your interests.

You can also watch live broadcast channels, especially for NFL games. Most TVs have a built-in over-the-air tuner that integrates with major local area networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC) using your TV hardware and an inexpensive antenna, such as Antennas Direct ClearStream Eclipse ($ 40 or 2,669).

n Best service: PlayStation Vue ($ 30 or $ 2,002 to $ 45 or Rs 3,003 / month) n Best hardware: Fire TV ($ 40 or $ 2,669 to $ 100 or Rs 6,673 or 6,673) or Google Chromecast (35 $ or Rs 2,335) n Most affordable: Google Chromecast n Also works with: Apple TV ($ 149 or Rs 9,943), Roku ($ 50 or Rs 3,336)

The Premium network shows No problem. HBO, Showtime, and Starz can all be viewed on a phone, tablet, or streaming device with a direct subscription – no cable or satellite subscriptions or long-term contracts required. This allows access to each network’s original programming and the movies each streams, and you can watch them from anywhere.

n Best hardware: Roku Streaming Stick ($ 50 or Rs 3,336) n Most affordable: Roku Streaming Stick or Google Chromecast ($ 35 or Rs 2,335) n Also works with: Apple TV ($ 149 or Rs 9,943), other Roku models

For TV frenzy viewers, Netflix and Amazon Instant Video are your best bets for watching frenzy TV shows. Each features award-winning original content, including “House of Cards,” “Orange Is the New Black,” “Master of None,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” and “Making a Murderer” on Netflix; and on Amazon, “Transparent”, “Mozart in the Jungle” and “The Man in the High Castle”.

All episodes are uploaded at the same time. Each service also offers recent TV series, such as “Better Call Saul” and “Mr. Robot”, shortly after the DVD release date. If you don’t want to wait, you can usually buy a “season pass” for current TV shows through iTunes, Amazon, or Google Play for $ 20 or Rs 1,334 to $ 30 or Rs 2,002 per season. generally. Google Play is generally the cheapest, offering savings of around 15-25% – and watch new episodes the day they air on TV. Hulu Plus focuses on current TV seasons, letting you watch them right after they air instead of the season’s end. But many current popular shows are missing.

n Best service: Netflix ($ 8 or Rs 533 to $ 12 or Rs 800 / month) or Amazon ($ 99 or Rs 6,606 / year), or seasons to the cart n Best hardware: Roku Streaming Stick ($ 50 or 3,336 Rs) n Most Affordable: Roku Streaming Stick

Also works with: Fire TV ($ 40 or $ 2,669-100 or Rs 6,673), other Roku models, Apple TV ($ 149 – Google and Amazon require iOS or macOS device)

For kids and families, Netflix offers a wide selection of content, both educational and entertaining, as well as original children’s programming like the recent reboot of “Voltron”. It also offers the option to create a children’s profile which allows you to limit viewing to particular grades or age levels. Additionally, Netflix has a new partnership with Disney that will make more Disney movies available to stream.

PBS Kids Now lets you stream recent episodes of PBS shows, and the selection is updated weekly with the latest episodes from most shows. Amazon Instant Video also offers children’s content and its own personalized children’s programming, as well as FreeTime Unlimited, a selection of children’s shows, apps, and games for a monthly fee ($ 3 or Rs.200 for Amazon members. Bonus, $ 5 or Rs 333 for non-members). However, FreeTime Unlimited is only available on Amazon’s own hardware.

Sling TV also offers a kids’ package for those who want to stream Nick Jr., Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Cartoon Network and more.

n Best service: Netflix ($ 8 or Rs 533 to $ 12 or Rs 800 / month) n Best hardware: Roku Streaming Stick ($ 50 or Rs 3,336) n Most affordable: Roku Streaming Stick (except for FreeTime Unlimited), Amazon Fire TV ($ 40 or $ 2,669-100 or Rs 6,673 n Also works with: Apple TV ($ 149 or Rs 9,943), other Roku models

Why it’s still not perfect There are still downsides to cutting the cord. JD Power & Associates, a research company that collects consumer feedback on brands and products, said two factors made cable cutters less satisfied: customer service and value, according to JD Power. For customer service, cable cutters may experience problems more often than traditional TV subscribers, said Kirk Parsons, senior director of telecommunications research at JD Power. The streaming content provider may have issues. Your Wi-Fi connection may be spotty or your internet service provider may be having issues. It’s hard to say.

For value, cutting the cord isn’t very cheap if you then subscribe to multiple services to access a diverse set of content. For cable subscribers, paying a single bill is less complicated than juggling multiple bills. And even after subscribing to multiple streaming services, there is still content that you may miss out on because it is only available through cable or satellite.