Will you cut the cable?

(Talk about streaming via Netflix, Hulu, Apple iTunes…vs paying for cable)

Cable tv came about to offer more entertainment options to viewers, with companies offering varying cable packages for a recurring fee. Consumers can subscribe for a customized number of channels, depending on the company, but viewing is limited to real-time live streaming and only via television sets. An alternative to cable tv is online entertainment offered by companies such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. These services require an Internet connection and can only be viewed on a tv if it has SMART capabilities.

There are many pros and cons to choosing which option is more suitable and most consumers usually subscribe to both options to enhance their viewing choices. But with the wide range of online services available now, does it make sense to cut the cable service?

First, the pros and cons of Online Entertainment’s Cable Tv are discussed below:

Portability:

Online entertainment does not have to be viewed only on a television set, it can be viewed on any smart device with an Internet connection. If you do not have a smart tv, you may have to purchase a device that would allow smart capabilities or you might as well upgrade the tv itself. With cable tv, the company provides you with a cable box so there is no need to upgrade anything, however, you would not be afforded the portability option of viewing on devices other than a television set.

Viewing Content:

Several options are available for online entertainment depending on the provider but content can vary from being limited, live-streaming and/or on-demand. Limited means that viewers are only limited to the viewing library offered by the provider, for instance, the popular tv show Game of Thrones is not available on Netflix. Cable tv only allows live-streaming but their packages offer more channels than anyone online streaming company.

Fees:

Like cable, most of these online service providers charge a fee. Netflix costs between $8-$12 a month whereas Hulu is offered at $8-$40 per month. You would have to search around for the varying prices. In addition to the subscription fee, you may need to pay for Internet. Cable tv companies also charge a monthly subscription fee and may not charge for installation, that is, hooking up the television set to the cable box. The cost of packages varies according to the company.

Internet:

Online entertainment requires an Internet connection which means that without it, you cannot view content. Streaming also requires a good enough bandwidth so if your bandwidth speed is too slow, you would be viewing content with a lot buffering which is extremely annoying. In addition to speed, your Internet should be reliable. You may not have to deal with the customer service of the cable tv company but you would have to deal with it at your Internet service provider. No Internet is required for cable tv so viewing quality would not suffer as much.

In the end, choosing the right option varies on the user’s preference of price, affordability, quality, variety and most importantly, the frequency of use.