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• Streaming Video for home Streaming TV What do I need for Streaming TV? You need 3 things, 1) High speed internet service  2) Smart TV and/or streaming device and TV  3) Streaming service provider(s)  Streaming TV is an option to view internet provided content such as news, sports, TV shows, movies and more on your TV. The advantage is access to much more content than local TV can provide and you can watch when you want to watch. You decide what to watch and when to watch instead of cable or satellite TV forcing you to watch on their schedule. You need fast home internet service, at least 25Mbps download speed, Wi-Fi and/or Ethernet communication with your home network and a TV streaming device if the smart TV is limited in the speed or operation of the user interface. If I have a smart TV, do I need a streaming device? Most smart TV owners also use a streaming device. Why? Because the smart TV often does not offer all the content access you desire. Music services are often only available with a streaming device. Also smart TVs usually are not updated as fast or as often as streaming devices. Streaming devices are portable, unlike a big screen TV. The TV is more expensive than a streaming device and as technology moves rapidly forward, you can buy a new advanced streaming device and get the new features for far less than a new TV. High speed internet service Check your local area to find out which providers are available. You may have more than one. All providers listed below offer speeds of at least 100Mbps or higher, which should be ample speed for streaming of any quality. Internet service providers: 1) AT&T 2) COX 3) Spectrum 4) Xfinity 5) Verizon 6) Frontier With your internet service, you will need a wireless router (Wi-Fi router) that has at least 802.11ac technology to ensure that your Fire Stick, Google TV, Apple TV, or other streaming device gets fast streaming speeds. You do not want any lag or drop outs in your video. You will get a modem and a router or a modem/router combo unit when you sign up for service with an internet provider. Your smart TV and/or your streaming device will connect to the router through the internet to a streaming service content provider. Streaming service content providers 1) Netflix 2) Amazon Prime Video 3) Hulu 4) Tubi TV Tubi is available for free on Android, iOS, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Xfinity X1, Xbox, Samsung Smart TVs, Sony Smart TVs, PlayStation and the web. Tubi is the most watched free TV and movie streaming service in the U.S. 5) Philo 6) YouTube TV 7) Crackle 8) Pluto TV 9) Paramount+ 10) Disney+ 11) MAX 12) Peacock 13) Apple TV 14) ESPN+ 15) STARZ • Amazon FREE streaming Do I need a smart TV to stream? No, you can use a non-smart TV, however you will need an adapter for the streaming device and you may have some limitations such as video resolution. Why a Smart TV? Basically the idea is to have a much broader content offering than broadcast (antenna) TV or cable TV. You are limited to your local TV channels or your cable or satellite TV channels. The internet gives you so much more access to viewing content. Smart TV makers each use their own internal code to control the TV interface. Q: Can I use a Smart TV without internet service? Yes, but you will only have antenna and paid cable/satellite TV channels and DVD/Bluray sources. Q: Do I have to pay for internet content? Some content is free while other content is paid such as Netflix. Q: Can a Smart TV spy on me? There can be some privacy concerns such as content providers tracking your viewing habits. Q: Do I need a TV stick? Only if you think your smart TV is limiting your viewing. Q: Who makes the best TV sticks/streaming devices? ROKU, Amazon, Google, Apple. Q: How long do TV sticks last? 3 to 5 years, by then most likely they are outdated anyway. Q: How do the TV sticks connect to the TV? HDMI is used typically. Q: Do Smart TVs have built-in Wi-Fi? Yes, almost all of them do, but make sure it is compatible with your home wi-fi. Q: Do I need Wi-Fi to use streaming TV? No, there are devices that connect using Ethernet cable. Q: Can I use voice control to select content? Yes, Amazon, Google and Roku have this built-in to their latest devices. Q: What are some free content providers? Crackle, Pluto, Tubi, Filmrise, Kanopy, IMDb TV, with some commercials. Q: What Smart TVs are the best? Samsung, LG and Sony make the best TVs. Q: Can I get surround sound? Yes, most services offer Dolby Digital Plus surround however the program content must offer surround and some do not, only stereo sound. Q: Can I get Dolby ATMOS? Yes, if the program content has ATMOS and your home devices can process ATMOS. Q: Is Bluetooth wireless audio available? Yes, most smart TVs offer wireless Bluetooth and most streaming devices have Bluetooth. Q: How do I add apps to my smart TV? How to Add Apps to a Samsung Smart TV If you have a Samsung Smart TV and want an app that is not on your Smart Hub, download it from the Samsung App Store. Here's how: Navigate to your HOME page or press your remote's Smart Hub button. Select Apps from the menu bar. On the My Apps screen, you will see your preloaded apps and other app categories. Browse to find an app you want to install, and then select the app's icon. When you select an app, you will go to its install page. Select Install, Download, or Add to Home. The steps for adding apps to your smart TV depend on your TV brand, but most models have an option to search for apps on the home screen. You can download apps for free, but you may need to set up an account to use some streaming apps. Q: What is an app? You can think of an app as an internet TV channel. Streaming Devices ROKU ROKU, with over 50 million accounts, has released many TV streaming devices beginning in 2008. Roku released the 10th generation of devices in Sept. 2021. Roku has a free channel of content with movies, TV shows, News, kids programs and also partners with content providers. ROKU has been the best overall experience and the least brand affiliated platform. for more info see ROKU.com  Amazon Fire TV stick released in 2014 has been upgraded every few years since. Affiliated with Amazon Prime Video.  Amazon product box contains remote control, A/C adapter with USB, TV Stick with HDMI, USB power cable, HDMI adapter, batteries. The HDMI adapter is used if your TV HDMI input port is not easily accessable. The A/C adapter is used if USB power is inadequate. The latest Fire TV sticks will support 4K TV (3840x2160) while earlier versions support up to 1080p (1920x1080). Supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac wi-fi networks. The streaming device plugs into the back of your television using an HDMI input (either with the stick itself or using the included adapter), and it connects to your home WiFi router to deliver media straight to your television using apps, just like a smartphone. The device is powered using the included micro USB cable, plugged into the back of your television USB or an AC wall adapter, The device takes up very little space behind your television and remains out of sight. The remote was updated and can now control your television’s power and volume, in addition to the typical play/pause and navigation options on the remote. You can use Alexa by pressing a button on the remote. Chromecast released in 2018 and Chromecast with Google TV released in 2020 has voice control with remote, interactive user interface, A/C adapter for power, dongle with HDMI connection. The ability to cast from your Android phone to your TV. Sold at Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Google Store.  see more Google TV Apple Apple TV for Apple users. 5th generation 32GB - 64GB, 1080p and 4K models, Connect to TV with HDMI from Apple TV box. Remote control.  see more Apple TV Q: What can I watch? Movies, TV shows, News, Sports, kids programming and more. Q: What streaming service providers are the best? Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video. Q: How much do content providers charge? Paid content ranges from about $7 per month to $80 per month. Q: How much data usage? 3GB to 7GB per hour. Q: Can I get free content? Yes, there are free classic movies, free classic TV shows, news, weather, and more. How to sign up for Netflix You are charged once a month on the date you signed up. There are no contracts, no cancellation fees, and no commitments. You have the freedom to change your plan or cancel online at any time. 1. You must create a Netflix account if you do not have one already, using one of several options: On your laptop or PC, visit Netflix Sign-up • Netflix Login For a Smart TV or Streaming media device: Open the Netflix App. Press the Netflix button on your remote control or select the Netflix app on TV screen. Enter your email address and create a password for your Netflix account 2. Sign in and Choose your Netflix plan, Standard (1080p) or Premium (4K) No ads. 3. Select your payment method (credit or debit card or PayPal) Enter your first and last name, credit card number, expiration date, security code Start Watching On the Netflix Home screen, you can search for movies. Navigating the ever changing landscape of streaming TV There is much to consider when deciding which smart TV or streaming device to purchase. Access to apps, user interface as well as the TV technology itself. Most will have the major apps such as Netflix and Hulu but keep in mind, will you be able to access those apps you want on your TV or device. So it is not just the TV you research but what is available given the apps content store for that TV. Every Smart TV and streaming device has a processor which runs code to handle the user interface and functions for presenting video and audio. The software program code or operating system is specific to a TV or device. Smart TV operating systems basically come in one of two forms. They are either built in to the TV, like LG's WebOS, or they can be integrated using a streaming stick or streaming device that plugs into your TV. Just like your smartphone has an “app store” for installing new applications, Smart TVs and streaming devices also can load apps such as Netflix. For example you can access the Roku® Store on your Roku streaming player or Roku TV™ to add new “channels.” You can also add channels to your Roku streaming device through channelstore.roku.com or the Roku mobile app. The Roku store has popular premium subscriptions and free TV, as well as access to channels for sports, news, weather, music, travel, education, shopping, photo streaming, personal media, games, and more. Some channels require a paid subscription or a one-time charge, while many others, such as The Roku Channel, are free. Browse the Roku Store directly from your Roku device or by visiting channelstore.roku.com on the web. Most Smart TV makers use their own operating system such as Tizen OS which runs on Samsung Smart TVs. SONY is one exception as those smart TVs use the Google TV operating system. The one advantage here is SONY TVs can access the thousands of apps in the Google Play Store.
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