A Roku Box Versus Cable or Satellite Television

Gone are the days of free television programming, but now people have many more options for at-home entertainment. These days, people subscribe to satellite or cable television, or they use a digital receiver combined with a rooftop antenna. In major metropolitan areas they can pull in upwards of seventy channels for free, but this affordable luxury is not available for all. A Roku box can solve the problem of high cable or satellite bills in addition to many more options.

I recently cancelled my costly cable TV subscription and hooked up a Roku box after trying out my boyfriend's new Roku XD. My cable bill was approximately $100 a month with absolutely no premium movie channels and a lower-end programming package. With the Roku box I am paying about $16 a month for Hulu Plus and Netflix, and I am enjoying movies and more. Although I cannot watch all of my favorite shows, it is a fantastic alternative to expensive cable and satellite programming.

DIY Personalized Setup

Switching from satellite or cable television to a Roku box is very easy. Absolutely anyone can set it up by simply plugging it in and connecting the box to a wireless router. Roku provides hundreds of channels. Each streaming channel offers individual shows from news to fitness, and the options go on and on. Users of the Roku box can scroll through an icon-style list of channels. Some are free while others require a monthly fee. This is a great way to enjoy quality TV without the expense of satellite or cable since the monthly subscription rates are cheap in comparison, especially since many channels and shows are free.

No Service Contracts

Unlike satellite television, contracts are not required with a Roku box. Subscriptions to specific channels can be discontinued whenever desired. Best of all, if subscriptions are ever cancelled, plenty of shows are still available. After the initial expense of the Roku box, much of the programming is free, and countless shows and channels are frequently added.

Facebook on Your TV

Cable and satellite receivers without applications simply bring television programming into the home, but with a Roku box you can view Facebook photos and videos. This is not something available with ordinary cable or satellite television. It is also included at no extra charge.

Many more free and low-cost applications are available with Roku. In addition to movies, news, weather and network shows, you can also watch funny prank videos, how-to videos and much, much more. Games are included with the higher-end Roku boxes including Angry Birds, Mahjong, Pac-Man and many more. In addition to the extras, using Roku instead of cable or satellite television programming will help my family save at least $1,000 a year.