There’s only about two months left in the year, and they’re going to be busy ones. They always are. As 2023 gives way to 2024, it’s time to think about how you’ll spend your time. It’s also time to think about how you’ll spend your money, because it seems like everything costs more now than it did last year at this time. You’ll have to be smarter before letting go of those dollars if you want to be able to enjoy life.
In 2024, you’ll have more choice than ever when it comes to watching TV. And let me be clear, I’m calling it “watching TV” even if you’re using a phone, PC, or tablet. Watching video is watching video. There’s no real difference anymore. You can get the same great content anywhere, if you plan ahead. So, let’s take a look at the options:
Over-the-air antenna TV
Over-the-air TV is the oldest form of TV. It’s what your grandparents watched, back when there were only 3 channels and you had to catch everything live. Over-the-air TV is better than ever, and it’s gotten a “glow up” to help it compete in the 2020s.
TV today is all digital. That means not only is it high-definition with super-great sound, it means you can get dozens of channels just by putting up an antenna. If you haven’t checked out what’s available over the air, you really should. There are whole channels just full of older content that you remember, as well as news, sports, and local interest pieces. There are also channels for shopping, gaming, and praying. It’s all there for free and you probably didn’t realize it.
A TV antenna is a one-time purchase with nothing else to buy. It’s a great way to keep under budget, and even better for those rare days when the internet goes out. Shop for the great selection of antennas at Solid Signal. If you don’t want to be limited to just sitting in the living room and watching live (and who does?) then check out the AirTV Anywhere. It will let you stream your local channels anywhere in the world and even record shows so you can watch later. It costs less than 2 months of pay television, and you never have to pay another dime.
Free Advertiser Supported streaming TV (FAST)
This is the big growth sector for television in 2023, and it’s expected to get even better in 2024. You may not know the term, but you know the product. Apps like Pluto, Tubi, The Roku Channel, and more offer hundreds of channels of live TV along with tens of thousands of on demand programs. Best of all, these apps are free! Of course, there’s a hitch. There always is. There are two hitches, actually.
First, these apps have commercials. There aren’t as many as there are on antenna TV, though. You’ll generally get about 8 minutes of commercials per hour, as opposed to 16 minutes of commercials in an hour of broadcast TV.
The other is that since they’re live, you’ll need good stable internet to watch. If you find your internet slowing down, call the experts at Signal Connect! We can recommend other options, no matter where you live. The number is 888-233-7563 and we’re here during East Coast business hours.
Traditional streaming apps
These days, streaming apps are getting a bit pricey. Netflix and Hulu were both free when they launched, and look at them now. If you want a commercial-free experience, you’ll pay $125 or more a month for a bundle of the most popular apps. Of course, many of these apps have ad-supported plans and you can also cancel the app easily if you’re not using it.
After about a decade of slow growth, a lot of people are getting wise to Live TV streaming packages like DIRECTV and Sling. Thanks to local cable companies giving up on TV so they can focus on internet, a lot of folks are choosing a live TV streaming package that looks and acts like traditional cable. You can sign up for these packages by yourself, but if you really want the premium experience, you’ll want something like DIRECTV’s Gemini Air or DISH’s AirTV Mini to give you the most cable-like experience. These devices let you run nearly every streaming app out there and they also give you the feeling of a remote you understand, a guide, and a traditional DVR experience.
Cream of the crop: stay with satellite (or come back to satellite)
It’s true that satellite TV, like everything else, has gotten more expensive over the years. But, recently DIRECTV and DISH have pushed back aggressively against price increases from content providers. There’s still a yearly bump in your bill, but it’s nowhere as big as the bump in your streaming bill. That’s why a lot of people are taking a fresh look at satellite TV. It offers hundreds of channels of popular entertainment along with the ability to add premium channels that do double duty. See, if you add Max as a standalone streaming service, you get a lot. But if you add HBO through your satellite provider, you get more. You get the Max app for free, plus thousands of shows that aren’t on Max anymore. And you get about a dozen live channels, too. Best of all it’s about the same price as the standalone Max app. The same is true with all the other premiums.
Solid Signal is a DIRECTV and DISH dealer. We’ve won awards from both companies for serving our customers. If you want to come back to satellite, or just upgrade the system you already have, call the experts! We’re here at 888-233-7563 during East Coast business hours. If it’s after hours, no problem! Fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you, usually within one business day.
