Cutting The Cable TV Cord

They say that one in 50 Canadians have cut the cable TV cord and I just happen to be one of them. After spending the summer without cable TV due to a bad connection down the street from me and dealing with poor customer service, I decided to cut my cable. I must say that once I got in contact with the right people I was able to get the problem fixed; it’s just too bad I had to go to that extreme to get it fixed. I realized that after two months of no cable the transition to getting my tv shows off the internet had already begun.
How do I do it? Well it starts with my internet connection. I have unlimited internet access which gives me the freedom to stream when ever and whatever I want, unlike some people who have a cap on their internet usage. Streaming internet content may not be for everyone especially with a 1 or 2 gigabyte cap on their internet monthly usage. Just how much data does streaming content use up? This website will give you a good idea… http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/tech-news/how-much-bandwidth-does-streaming-use/article7365916/
The two main websites I use to watch TV shows are located here….
http://www.couchtuner.ma/ and http://www.free-tv-video-online.me/ also known as Project Free TV.
I use the couchtuner.eu website more than the other one though, the quality just seems better. Of course the other way i watch TV content is through Netflix both the American and Canadian version. I get the American version of Netflix on my laptop by using a browser plug-in called Hola Unblocker that changes the IP address to make it appear that I’m from the USA. Another way to appear to be located in another country is with this website… http://www.opennicproject.org/ and changing your DNS settings.
Another program I use is called XBMC which is a media centre program that can be programmed with add-ons that will give you all kinds of content. One easy way to set up XBMC is to use an add-on called XBMCHUB that will preinstall the most popular add-ons giving you movies and streaming TV programs. One device I haven’t mentioned yet is the Android TV box which usually includes XBMC and other applications that would connect directly to your TV through an HDMI cable. These devices are becoming more popular and readily available especially on eBay.
Now that you have possible websites for content and programs to use the other question is how to watch that content on your big screen TV. With newer TV’s and computers that’s easy because you can use HDMI. If your computer doesn’t have HDMI you can always add an HDMI video card although for laptops that isn’t as easy but you can get adapters to change from DVI/VGA to HDMI. On my laptop and my TV I have s-video and RCA jacks which isn’t the best quality but it works.
So if you want to cut the cord as they say, do your research and see what would work best for your system. If you have any questions about XBMC please feel free to ask me.

 

UPDATE: Please note that I no longer use Hola as they have been known to sell user information and your privacy is not guaranteed with them.  There are a number of VPN services out there for a reasonable price.  Free VPN services may not offer the privacy you’re looking for. 

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5 Comments

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  4. Do you know if you can stream couchtuner using an android tv box? We have been using our laptop to view couchtuner for years, but like the idea of the android box if it works for this. Thinking of purchasing the
    VicTsing -Octa Core android 5.1
    We live in the US if that matters.

    1. Hi Amanda,

      I use CouchTuner as well but I’m not sure if it’s available on the Android boxes. I’m almost positive you can get it for Kodi though which the Android boxes usually have installed.

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