Or, you can make an in-person return at an Xfinity store location near you. If you still haven't ditched cable, our step-by-step guide will walk you through the process. Just don't expect it to be free. For premium shows, HBO ($15 a month), Showtime ($11) and Starz ($9) all have standalone services, too. You can watch every live NFL game every week, for example, with no cable box required. I looked at several solutions, including SiliconDust HD HomeRun Prime, building my own HTPC, buying boxes from hddvrs.com, and cutting the cord altogether with something like SlingTV or PS Vue. Live TV streaming servicesservices like Sling TV and YouTube TVstart at $25 a month and can stream most of the live channelsavailable on your cable box with no contracts to sign, so you can cancel anytime. In the end, we proved that its possible to get a fully featured TV plan for less than $25 per month. Here are our picks for TV and movies you can stream on each of the main streaming services: The best option to replace your cable box directly is with a live TV streaming service. For those of us looking for ways to trim our monthly expenses, ditching costly cable or satellite TV services is a great place to start. This simple process will save you $10/month ($120 per year) per TV box, and is one of many judicious ways to cut your Comcast bill down to reasonable levels. You can buy any supported gateway or modem + router combo and follow these Comcast modem self-install instructions to get it working. Weve picked Trio Basic, but if you dont care about sports, you can go with the Duo Basic plan, which will save you $3 a month. I have the same issue, I submitted a ticket via xfinity support and it was closed within a few hours however my issue is still not fixed. Picture 1 of 3, Picture 1 of 2. Hello @user_54193c, thank you for taking the time to reach out to us today. This model, priced at $69, comes with an Ethernet port, point anywhere remote, and a quad-core processor ensuring a responsive, lag-free environment. And because its in an easement I should be concerned. I believe almost all markets have this. You'll still have to deal with a ton of advertisements on Hulu programming, and if you want fewer of them, you'll have to pay $13 more per month. Unfortunately, it costs $8 per monthwhich had been the price of its ad-free plan. Connect your new Xfinity TV partner device to your Xfinity WiFi, make sure your firmware is up to date, and install the Xfinity Stream app on that device to log in and activate. Can you still find a compelling assortment of content complete with local broadcasts? Sports fans have an increasing number of streaming options that show live games, but depending on which sport(s) you follow, the local team(s) in your area and how many games you want to watch, it can get costly. Certainly not cable, and your money is going to the same company, but you do get the best of both, full 5 tuner DVR whole home DVR service, plus on the go streaming. Xfinitys own speed test typically shows nearly a gig download speed. Live TV streaming service DirecTV Stream's $90 plan is often the only option if you want to watch your local RSN via streaming, although in some parts of the country a somewhat cheaper service (namely YouTube TV or Fubo TV at $65 or $70, respectively) will carry your channel. Add that to the outlet charges, and costs could come close to, or even exceed, $20 a month. Do you use your cable box's DVR a lot? If you can live with a few advertisements, the Essential plan costs only $5 per month ($50 for a year if you pay up front). This article will detail how to get rid of that TV box rental fee completely. Compared to the above options, it's a big heaping bowl of "meh." But if you need all of your available local broadcast channels ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC your choices move away from Sling TV to all of its competitors. A $99 service fee will apply to claims on products with a purchase price of $500 and up. Peacock now has a deal with Universal that sees that companys new movies stream exclusively on Peacock after leaving theaters. The payment for your account couldn't be processed or you've canceled your account with us. Juggling different services to find the shows you want to watch can be more effort than some people are willing to put in. If none of the options above are quite what you want, you may wish to take a look at this document, which provides a comparison of all Roku models. Unlike the services above, Peacock had offered a free ad-supported tier in addition to two paid tiers ($5 per month with ads, $10 without) that feature more robust content options. How much does comcast charge for the replacement of an unreturned hdTV box? We did the math, and the exact answer ranges from $30 to more than $100 every month, depending on what you actually watch. It wont fit every need, and it doesnt allow you to watch every popular show out there. Its called Fetch. Given Comcast's FAQ, though, it appears the cost-savings might not be what they seem. I dont know about all cable companies but Comcast (AKA Xfinity) now charges $14 a month to rent a cable modem. This means I will have paid for the devices after 5 months. Heres how it works. Currently, I am with Directv Now and I've been extremely happy with them. To get started, youll need to purchase a Roku device. A drop-down list appears. Live TV streaming services offer a "cloud DVR," but they do have some limitations compared to TiVo or the DVR from your cable company. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. The Roku Express plugs into the back of your TVs HDMI port and is powered by a micro-USB connection. 2. This DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem with voice supports all of today's Internet service plans and is designed for the high-performance Internet in the future. can use a computer for downloads. I have four cable-connected TVs in my house, for which I was paying $22/mo ($264/yr) in additional box rental fees. Beyond the savings, you get the freedom of being able to pick and choose the service you want -- and drop it like a hot potato if you don't like it anymore, your favorite show ends or something new comes along. Every major sports organization offers some kind of streaming package, from MLB.TV to NFL Live to. Comcast published an FAQ on using Roku devices (opens in new tab) in place of its cable boxes this week, in which the cable provider said it won't levy an equipment charge if you're using a Roku device with its Xfinity TV app during the current beta testing period. Hulunow wholly owned by Disneyfills a pretty big hole with content from popular broadcast and cable channels. All of these solutions had trade-offs: SiliconDust and rolling my own HTPC were more technically complex replacements which may stop working at some point; Amazon Fire and Apple TV offered a bunch of channels, but didnt have live TV or all of the channels I was already paying for through Comcast; SlingTV and PS Vue were more akin to replacements of Comcasts TV service, but did not offer all of the same content. So much for them being safety conscious and trying to get it fixed right away. Starting Price (per month): $40 | Channels (in entry-level package): 31 | DVR: 50 hours (200 hours for $5 per month) | On-Demand: Yes | Device Support: Amazon Fire, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, Chromecast-enabled TVs, Computers, iOS, Roku | Simultaneous Streams: 1 ($40 per month); 3 ($40 per month); 4 ($60 per month). That means Sling Orange & Blue will cost up to $60. In other words, Roku owners will still need to have a box, which costs $10 per month to use Roku. Sling TV, also on our best streaming services list, is the cheapest service with either ESPN or FOX and NBC ($40 per month, following a recent price hike) and its first month is half-off right now. This Disney movie is reportedly the biggest box office flop of 2022, iPhone 15 Pro Max could get Apple's first variable zoom camera, Samsung may bring back Exynos chips for the Samsung Galaxy S24, Forget the iPhone 15 the Pixel Fold is the most exciting phone of 2023, I test laptops for a living and this changed my mind about budget gaming laptops, iPhone 15 new color just leaked along with frosted glass design, Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus review, Apple just launched Apple Card savings accounts what you need to know, The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviews, Try a single issue or save on a subscription, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. I replaced a cracked coaxial wall plate now my modem won't connect to ISP. My first ROKU - https://amzn.to/38CmyyK Overall, easy to use and a low price starting at 29.99 US. For more details, including lineups and pricing and more, check out our What Is Sling TV? Video quality has had some issues. YouTube TV also has key plays which is a great feature for watching key highlights in minutes, in sports matches once they are recorded on the DVR. I was an early user and subscriber for a couple of years. Update: in January of 2023 Comcast Xfinity raised their TV box rental fee to $10 per month per box ($120/year). Paramount+ also has a growing number of original shows, such as The Offer, based on the making of The Godfather; 1923, a series starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren thats derived from the popular Yellowstone series; Tulsa King, starring Sylvester Stallone; several series based on Star Trek; and The Mayor of Kingstown., Current big movies include "Top Gun: Maverick, The Lost City, and the horror film Smile. This summer, Mission: Impossible 7 will hit the service after it appears in theaters. Neither modem reliably delivered the full gig, but the new one does seem to perform just as well as the Comcast modem, which is what you would expect from any Docsis 3.1 modem. This meant spending less than $264 on equipment. All of these live TV streaming services offer some sports content, but FuboTV is one of the best cable TV alternatives because it has practically every single sport you could ask for. Click the "New message" (pencil and paper) icon. Those channels are locked in the $90 per month tier. Once you sign into your account on your computer or mobile device, your Roku screen should load the Xfinity Stream app within 30 seconds, You gain access to content than is not available on the $6/mo Digital TV converter box from Comcast, such as Netflix and HBO Go, You gain access to channels that arent available available from Comcast, including foreign TV networks, educational programming, documentary, and movie channels. How much cheaper is streaming compared to cable TV? I already use my own cable modem, which saves $120/year and is easy to set up, so using my own set-top boxes, in theory, should be easy too. Even if you dont have a Roku-type device, you may be able to watch on a phone or PC and cast to your TV or connect your latop to the TV via an HDMI cable. Those in Fresno, Houston and Raleigh will get ABC on Sling TV for free, while those in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and the San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose region will be spending $5 more. Considering you can buy a Netgear cable modem for $99, you'll start saving money in 10 months! DTVN has all of the channels I need. Through the negotiation process, I was able to drop the total price of my cable TV, HD DVR, high-speed (Blast) internet, and Xfinity Mobile (see my Xfinity Mobile review) package to under $95 per month roughly a 34% cost savings versus my end-of-contract price. You just need to a good internet connection and the apps built into your smart TV or running on an inexpensive streamer, such as a Roku or Amazon Fire TV. They often have storage limits, shows that expire after a certain time, limitations on which channels can be recorded, and some even force you to watch commercials. Cutting cable is all about choice and if you do it right, you'll never miss that old cable box. Xfinity says that they reserve the right to start charging for this at some point. My current cable box is not working, but all the routes I've tried lead to RETURNING the box (as in returning and canceling the service), not REPLACING the box? Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. How dependable are the steaming services? You can get both plans as part of a bundle with Showtime, Paramounts premium channel, for either $12 (Essential) or $15 (Premium) a month. Some streaming services also offer multiple packages, so we take that into account before arriving at our rating. Channels devoted to NBA basketball, NHL hockey and MLB baseball teams, known as regional sports networks, are available on most cable networks but are rare and expensive on streaming services. Comcast outlet charges come in at $7.45 per month. Cutting cable TV can save you money every month, and provides more freedom to pay for the TV programs you actually watch. To do that, you need only to download the Xfinity TV app beta to your Roku device, connect your account, and you'll be good to go. Depending on where you live, you might be able to do that for free by using an antenna. Great suggestions, if you're an American. The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die just hit No. The top cable TV alternatives services based on our testing and reviews. All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story. And its other plans try and lure you into an annual contract the last thing you want to get. When I needed to change out my cable box, I took it to a local Xfinity/Comcast store. If your bundle is $130 a month, maybe you'll have to pay $60 for just internet. The general answer, however, is that cable is almost always more expensive than streaming, especially once you figure in all the taxes and fees that get added to your monthly cable bill. And live TV services such as YouTube TV and Sling TV offer a lot of on-demand shows, and you can often pause or even skip commercials. Required fields are marked *. 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