![]() After a month or so of using the Apple TV as our main source, we knew we would be fine without cable. We essentially were able to replace our cable box with our Apple TV. Since it was through the Apple TV, we could seamlessly switch between those channels and Netflix or HBO. With the Tablo set up, we were able to watch and record 30 different channels. The guide (which is necessary for the DVR feature, unless you want to manually program all of your recordings) is free for a month and then costs either $5 a month or $149 for lifetime access. Tablo also has a great Apple TV app which acts like a traditional TV guide, allowing you to see what is on every channel and set recordings. So learn from my mistake and just start with the Ethernet connection. I did a little research and found that it’s best to directly connect everything via an Ethernet cable. The results were awful! Live TV would constantly freeze and the picture quality was subpar. At first I had my Apple TV and Tablo connected via a wireless connection. Since Tablo is solely a streaming device, having a good internet connection is key. The whole thing set me back $300, a small price to pay to watch TV without a monthly cable bill. So I purchased a Tablo and a hard drive, along with the antenna. ![]() What sealed the deal for me was the added benefit of being able to attach a hard drive to Tablo to turn it into a DVR. I was fine with streaming since we had an Apple TV, plus I would be able to stream to my iPad at home and on the go. It only works with streaming devices (Apple TV, Roku, etc), so if you want something to connect directly to your TV, Tablo is not for you. Through various Google searches, I stumbled upon Tablo. While I could use the antenna to watch live TV without cable, I still wanted a way to record it. Turns out we were within 30-40 miles of about 30 channels, so I found a 50 mile range antenna from Amazon for about $30. If you’re curious how many channels you could get via an antenna, just plug your address into this website and you’ll see what channels are in range. Luckily, all of the network channels broadcast free over the air (OTA) and all you need is an antenna and a tuner to receive them. Cord cutting was supposed to save me money after all! Keeping our Netflix and HBO subscription made sense because of all the original content, but I was determined to find another way to get the network channels for free. ![]() While these were all viable options and even offer live TV, I wanted to save as much as possible and I didn’t like the idea of simply moving my monthly cable bill from Verizon to a streaming service. One way to watch all TV shows on a streaming device is with a service like Hulu, CBS All Access or Sling TV. So I just needed to find a way to watch all of the network channels without cable, plus to be able to record them since we rarely watch live TV (except for the news or sports). We already had a subscription to Netflix, HBO Now, and Amazon Prime Video so it wouldn’t be an issue to keep those. Most of the shows were on Netflix, HBO or the major network channels (NBC, FOX, ABC, CBS, etc). Since we already had an Apple TV for streaming, the first step for us was to review what we watched. The answer to those questions are what saved me and my wife over $700 a year. But what if it didn’t have to be? What if you could watch all of your favorite shows for free? Those questions are what led me down the path of cord cutting. Staying current on all your favorite TV shows can be pretty expensive. ![]()
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