First of all, and right out of the gate, lets start with the hassle-free and straight forward things, you can begin with actually no new equipment whatsoever! Yep, you most likely have one or more devices in your own home that you can use as we speak, right now, to switch the cable box.
If you have a personal computer, laptop, tablet or a smartphone, you’re ready and all set! You can stream your most loved TV programs, films, or audio on any of these devices, you don’t need to pay for any new gizmos to start streaming TV. However, if what you are trying to do is to sit back and watch that same TV content or movies on the big TV screen, most likely with loved ones and close friends also watching with you, then you will need to look at one of the following streaming devices:
1. HD Antenna: not a streaming device per se, but you can still use as a substitute to the cable box, it makes it possible for you to get plenty of over the air networks (depending on where you are located), not having a bill every month from the cable company!
2. Smart TV: is a TV that makes it possible for you to stream online TV content, straight from the internet, using apps included in the TV, this is possibly the best strategy if you are in the market for a new TV set anyhow.
3. Smart Blu-ray Player: almost all new Blu-ray players do have online video streaming abilities, not the most versatile devices for media streaming, nevertheless it’s a choice that you may want to explore, if you are looking for a Blu-ray player anyway.
4. Video Game Console: lots of the most recent video game consoles can stream online video content. Personally, this choice is an over-kill if we’re just wanting to watch television.
5. Media Streaming Device: Media streaming devices are most likely the most popular way to stream online TV content, on your own personal existing TV set, while not needing to purchase another TV, or needing to get an expensive video game console if you don’t want one!
Media streaming devices are used to do one thing and one thing mainly, stream online video content and music to your own TV. Once plugged in and connected, they allow you to make use of a few apps or channels, some are paid, many are zero cost (Netflix, huluplus, YouTube, etc). The main 4 contenders in the media streaming devices market are: Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast.