Today, the younger generation is known as the “cord cutters” because they easily navigate technology and gravitate towards wireless gadgets. And many people, both young and old are wondering if it is time to snip the cable cord next. After all, why pay for cable when you can watch the same shows online for free or a fraction of the price?
Maybe that’s because Internet TV seems too good to be true. And in some cases, it actually is. Although cutting the cord on cable results in less monthly expenses, online streaming has its own fair share of problems that do not appear to have any impending solutions.
But satellite TV might present a solution to both these issues. Here’s a simple comparison of satellite, cable and streaming to help you decide what entertainment platform seems right for your lifestyle.
Streaming v Cable And Satellite
First things first, what specifically is the difference between Internet streaming and cable and satellite? Unlike cable and satellite, which provide live television, Internet streaming companies such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon or primetime channel websites offer TV shows online anywhere from days to months after their original live TV airdate.
Cable and satellite offer packages that present streaming options as well as the ability to watch shows from remote locations without Wi-Fi. But Internet streaming services must be attached to a network in order to work.
Both streaming and live TV do, however, offer their services from all locations, meaning [tp lang=”en” only=”y”]New York direct TV[/tp][tp not_in=”en”]New York direct TV[/tp] is the same as west coast direct TV just like east coast Netflix is the same as San Francisco Netflix.
Price
Netflix originally began as a replacement to video rental stores, but its platform has morphed into a solid source of competition for live television and other streaming sites. And Netflix has maintained their low price for digital streaming, as have Amazon and Hulu.
For the younger generation who is constantly on the move but never without their technology, digital streaming is a great price in comparison to cable and satellite that charge more than twice that of streaming and typically must be viewed from home.
But, the small price comes at a potentially significant inconvenience. Customers have few options when it comes to networking their digital streaming. Even though they are paying for a service, the service is relatively limited. Customers are restricted from accessing certain shows after their release date, fast-forwarding through commercials, and watching shows from a few specific channels that refuse to release their shows’ rights.
With cable or satellite, not only can customers DVR their favorite shows (and be certain they will be able to watch the show whenever they have the time), they can also use the On Demand feature that houses most current shows and movies for an extended period of time.
Even though it is more expensive, cable and satellite provide customers with a far more options than any streaming company is able to right now.
Network
Unfortunately for Internet TV companies like Netflix, none of them have created a perfect network platform. Whereas cable and satellite offer practically flawless service apart from a power outage, Internet TV relies upon the strength of a customer’s Wi-Fi to work.
Until Internet TV companies can work with Internet providers to supply viewers with smooth service, Internet TV will always be competing against itself. Without Internet, these streaning companies would be nonexistent. Yet, because of patchy Internet connection, they sometimes struggle to provide customers with a clean stream.
So there are many things to weight when considering becoming one of the “cable cutters.” Depending on what, when and where you want to watch, you can choose between satellite, cable or streaming.