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We did it.  My husband and I cut the cord to cable last week.  That’s right.  We cancelled cable and said goodbye to our $75 per month cable bill.  Before you cut the cord, learn about our experience with two streaming devices:  Roku and Streamsmart.

Roku and Streamsmart each have their pros and cons

*Please note that this post contains affiliate links.  At no extra cost to you, I receive a small commission when you use them.  Thank you in advance!

Ease of use:  Roku wins hands down.

 

Live TV (including live NASCAR):  Streamsmart.

Disclaimer

This review isn’t intended to be a full market comparison of all streaming devices available.  I’m simply sharing my experience with the devices we have in our home and you can decide what could work for your household.

Streamsmart-My first attempt to cut the cord

About four years ago I heard people talking about how they had “cut the cord” to cable.  That was intriguing to me as I’ve always thought that cable is expensive.  I would much rather read than watch TV and when I do watch TV, I basically watch 1 of 3 networks:  HGTV, Food Network, and Bravo.  Since our cable company doesn’t give us the option to pay for the networks we want, a-la-carte style, I began to explore other options.

Two years ago I met an individual who was a rep for Streamsmart.  She assured me it was easy to use and that it wouldn’t take long for me to recoup the cost of the device by not paying for cable.  I bought the unit, cut the cord at my office, and was able to watch financial networks live.  My thought, “Wow, this is great.  I’m streaming live TV!”

Live and Learn

However…Buyer Beware!  Streamsmart was not easy to use!  Hooking the unit up took about an hour.  The box came with a simple guide.  What I needed was a detailed instruction manual along with FAQs and “What to Expect.”  After a call to the 800# for support I was able to get to the TV shows wanted to watch.  I wouldn’t have been able to figure out all of the steps without the help of support.

When I work, I like a quiet environment so I can focus.  I came to realize I didn’t like the distraction of the TV in the background, so I stopped using it.

One day my son came to the office with me and wanted to watch TV.  When we went to turn the Streamsmart on we got a message indicating that we needed to do a reset.  Frustrated about the challenge of doing the reset, I procrastinated.  I didn’t feel like spending another hour to do the reset, so I didn’t do it that day, or any other day.  It was somewhat frustrating that I had a device that I wasn’t using.  Frugal me, I rationalized to myself, “at least you’re not paying for cable.”

Frugal Living-Cut the Cord

My husband and I are both frugal.  When I suggested that we cut the cord to cable, I thought he would be just as excited as I was to save money each month.  He must have been considering and researching the idea before I brought it up.  I was informed that while he liked the idea of saving money, he didn’t want to give up live NASCAR.  He further informed me, that local news and certain live sports aren’t available on that streaming device without subscription(s). I began to do more research.  Here is a link to a blog article that talks about live TV options on Roku:  Watching Live TV.

Determined to cut the cord and overcome his “live NASCAR” objection, I set about learning our options.  Watching NASCAR live from our computer wasn’t going to work either.  I kept thinking, “There has got to be a way.”

Looking for ways to watch live NASCAR led me to Kill the Cable Bill.  There is an antenna that could be a possibility.  I also found this article:  NASCAR Live Steam which gave several ways to get live NASCAR.  As I was doing my research, it occurred to me that I had watched live TV with the Streamsmart device in my office.

I asked Ryan what networks broadcast NASCAR.  Fox and NBC.  Hmmm…We may have a solution!

Streamsmart:  Round #2 to Cut the Cord

The next day I brought the Streamsmart home from my office and went about the work of setting it up.  We plugged the power cord into the wall, connected the HDMI cable to the TV, and three hours later we were able to watch TV from our Streamsmart device.

You may be wondering why it would take 3 hours and if I felt it was time well spent.  I can’t get my time back, but we do have the ability to watch live TV.

Use an Ethernet Cable if Possible

Before we even started the process of trying to learn and use the Streamsmart we had concerns about the ability of our internet to be able to support the live steam.  The instructions suggest using an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi if possible.  The living room is at the opposite end of the house from the modem and the house isn’t wired with an Ethernet cable so I thought I would give it a go with Wi-Fi.

It did work eventually, after my three hour investment.  However, the connection was spotty.  During the week of trying to watch TV with the Streamsmart we became very frustrated.  We experienced long wait times for shows to load.  We would get a message: “working.”  Also, in the middle of an episode the TV would freeze:  “buffering.”

With the Streamsmart working, although somewhat spottily, I set about researching streaming devices for our other TV.  I googled “streaming device reviews 2017.”  Here is the PC Magazine review:  The Best Media Streaming Devices of 2017.  Note:  Streamsmart didn’t make the list.  

My mother-in-law has had a Roku for a long time.  She’s been suggesting that we get one for months.  Based on her suggestion, the reviews, and my research, we bought a Roku Premier+.

It is a good thing I installed the Streamsmart first.  Had I installed the Roku and then tried the Streamsmart, I would have thrown the Streamsmart out the window and either reconnected cable or sent my husband to the sports bar on Sunday afternoons.

ROKU

The only challenge we had with our Roku was connecting the HDMI cable to the TV.  The TV is 10 years old and heavy.  The weight of the screen causes the screen to lean forward, away from the stand.  This put pressure on the TV stand and made the panel connecting the stand and screen pull away, just enough where the HDMI port was blocked by a panel on the back of the stand.

We managed to maneuver the cord into the TV’s HDMI port.  That night we couldn’t get the Roku to work.  Frustrastion!

Determination

The next day, filled with determination, I assessed the situation with the Roku and TV.  Overnight the HDMI cord pulled out from the connection piece that was still in the TV’s HDMI port.

I sent Ryan a text asking him to pick up a new HDMI cord on his way home from work.  I explained what had happened and suggested we remove the TV from the stand or cut an opening in the plastic so we had access to the HDMI port.

Roku Success

Husband Hero!  He bought a new HDMI cord on his way home and cut an opening in the plastic.

8:43pm Cut complete

Screws for stand reinserted

TV is on TV cabinet

HDMI cable is connected to TV and Roku

Roku has power

Roku instructs us to go to Roku website and follow instructions

Netflix username and password are entered

8:54pm Watching Blue Bloods

 Streamsmart or Roku?

The Roku was extremely EASY to install and use.  Roku, hands down, is the winner in my book.

Relocation of the Streamsmart and living room TV

I like to find solutions.  After the frustration with the Streamsmart (on Wi-Fi in our living room) I decided to move the Streamsmart to the basement and connect the Ethernet cable to the Streamsmart to test the speed and reliability.

Success!

Instantly!  No “buffering” or “working” messages!

Live TV!

There is still a time delay when you click on a new channel for the first time as the data is loaded into the device, but after that, smooth sailing.  Some of the channels we watch on our Streamsmart on a regular basis are:  Tennis, History, Discovery, NBC, FOX, HGTV.

Let me just say, if you have any questions about the strength of your Wi-Fi, save yourself time and headaches and connect direct from your modem to your Streamsmart.

Location, Location, Location

My next challenge was getting my husband to agree to watch his NASCAR on the TV I’d just connected direct with the Ethernet cord.  Hubby doesn’t want to watch NASCAR in the basement.  Like most basements, ours is dark and not the ideal place for TV.  As a result this limits our Steamsmart viewing hours.

In the end, hubby compromised.  We were able to watch The Master’s and NASCAR, live!

Cut the Cord and Get Other Benefits

When you decide to cut the cord to cable you may also want to consider redirecting your savings.  Have you considered how cutting the cord to cable could help you plan your dreams?  If you have a Dream Board, take a look at it again.  What could you achieve with the money you save on cable?  Would you spend more time with your kids?

I teach my financial planning clients to be intentional about redirecting dollars.  When they’ve achieved a goal, such as having paid off a debt, or they’ve found a way to save money, they are wise to redirect those dollars toward a new and specific goal.

It is easy to save systematically with an automatic transfer.  Your outflow of cash is the same, you just get to do more with your money! A blessing right?

I’m following my own advice.  Instead of leaving the money that we will have saved on cable sit in our checking account, I’ve set up a systematic transfer into an account that we’ve designated for our retirement dream trip:  America’s Great Loop.  While our dream trip account is growing, we are saving money, watching what we want to watch on TV and enjoying each other as a family.

Have you cut the cord to cable?  What was your experience?  Please share your experience and favorite streaming device below in the comments section.

 

 

 

 

 

Melissa Myers

Melissa is Sunkissed and Blessed.  She shares her experiences and ideas for living a blessed life full of abundance and gratitude.  Connect with Melissa at sunkissedandblessed@gmail.com.

 

 
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