We all watch television. While some have taken certain amounts of pride in resisting the overwhelming presence of television commercials, the effort often seems futile in the face of an omnipresent advertising industry. When it comes to television, the streaming services offered today are equally attractive to viewers attempting to avoid traditional television packages, but they rarely offer a media library capable of satiating my entertainment appetite. However Cord Cutters everywhere are aiming to change that, and they’re now closer than ever before.
For the uninitiated, the internet is no longer just for watching cat videos. Legal and nefarious streaming services are better than ever, and Netflix is no longer the only player in town. Amazon Video, Crave TV, Hulu, Playstation Vue and many others are competing for viewers of alternate video services, and there are more devices than ever to run these players. But who is offering the best content? And what’s the best system for prolonged couch lounging? Explore these options as gateways into the world of cord cutting so you’ll be ready to stream with success when your favourite show returns for another season.
Android TV
Android TV is an operating system designed for set-top television boxes, which provides video entertainment via native applications (Netflix, Youtube) and streaming services. And while these set-top boxes have previously proved incapable of providing consistent viewing entertainment, recent iterations of Android TV boxes have broken the barriers of convenience, challenging traditional television viewing with alternative distribution systems. Of the Android TV offerings currently available, several options provide apps and streaming services (Netflix, Amazon Video) that rival or surpass their Smart TV competitors. Building on the Android TV infrastructure, the ability to “sideload” third-party applications is where Android TV sets itself apart from the competition. In particular, Kodi comes to mind.
Kodi
Kodi began as an Xbox add-on that allowed users to stream IP TV and other video to their device. Today, Kodi lives on as the most powerful multi-platform streaming applications available. Part media center, part video streamer, Kodi has become a must-have application for cord-cutters everywhere, whether you wish to stream sports, watch old television shows, or catch last night’s new episode. Utilizing plug-ins and add-ons created by the online community, Kodi allows for its users to watch the media they desire in a variety of different ways, transferring the power of choice back to the consumer. In one evening you can seemless decide between catching the big game, streaming the latest music video, catching up on a quick episode of your favourite show, or streaming your favourite podcast, all from the same app. The good news? It’s free. The bad news? It might be illegal, depending on where you live and when you read this post.
The Cord Cutter’s pitch may sound too good to be true, and depending on your technical capability or region this may indeed be true, however relative to traditional cable packages streaming alternatives offer cost-effective options for the savvy streamer. Personally I’ve purchased the nVidia Shield, an Android TV based device that provides more than enough entertainment options via Netflix, Amazon Video, Kodi and Youtube for me to have happily cut the cord. And while I do miss the smooth comfort of a fully-functional PVR, I am here to say I prefer saving the majority of my television budget every month.
To get started with Kodi and experience the cord-cutting experience for yourself, visit the Kodi website here: https://kodi.tv/