Do You Really Need a Cable Box

If you are a cable TV subscriber, paying monthly rent for cable boxes is the most frustrating thing ever. I mean every cable provider charges you $10 to $14 for one box monthly. Every year, you end up paying $300 for two or three boxes. The price is not justified because you are paying for something that should be free in the first place.

In the midst of all his frustration, you will seek alternatives to a cable box. Honestly, these cable boxes tend to be an eyesore when you have to flip through hundreds of channels. Worst of all, they charge you extra for the DVR service.

The good news is that the primacy of these boxes is finally in decline and we cannot thank cord-cutters enough.

The backstory behind the cable boxes

The Federal Communications Commission, commonly known as FCC, regulates interstate and international communications by television, radio, and satellite. Back in the past, we had analog broadcasting and FCC made sure all the TV stations switch to digital broadcasting in 2009. Cable providers were not included in this deadline and they implemented their own schedule to eliminate non-scrambled cable services.

This means that your older “cable-ready” TV is good for nothing. All the content is now copyrights protected and to get access to all the content, you need an external box provided by your cable company. Since the tuners we had in the past are not compatible with the wireless TV broadcast and the ones by Spectrum TV are offered at less exploitative terms. Cable boxes are rather inevitable for cable subscribers. However, the question still stands; can you do away without having a cable box?  Let us understand how!

The Streaming App Hack

This is something that will not eliminate the usage of a box but it will surely help you save some bucks. Many service providers give the customer an option to stream their cable on mobile phones and other smart devices.

Not many people know how they can add this to their own benefit. For example, if you have four Smart TVs in your home and you are renting four cable boxes from your service provider.

Unbelievably, you need to return three boxes and save $30 per month. Download the streaming app on your Smart TVs and stream cable right away! You will need at least one box but it is better to pay for one instead of three.

Cord-cutting hack

I have always been against cable boxes as it is a blatant moneymaking scheme for cable companies just like modems and routers. All these equipment incur a hefty rental fee for customers. Whenever you cancel your services, you have to return the equipment, which is deliberately difficult, and if you keep any, they charge you with an exorbitant unreturned equipment charge.

This is the primary reason why people are switching to streaming services in large numbers. Cord-cutting movement is at large in the US and why not? The streaming services are better adapted to consumer demand and deserve all the credit for it.

These streaming services are cheaper than what you pay already for cable. You can get all the services at under $50.

Secondly, these streaming services, in contrast to cable, offer you great ease of access. They are user-friendly and you can do everything quite easily. The major issue with cable is that there are tons of channels you do not ever watch. The streaming services give you an option to regroup your favorites and let you access them whenever you want.

Most importantly, who wants to carry a huge box with them whenever going on a holiday or shifting? These streaming services are portable and you can take them to any corner of the world but require internet access. You do not need a cable outlet even a TV for watching your favorite show.

What is next?

Can we imagine a world without cable boxes? Will the cord-cutting movement be successful in overtaking cable services? Some enlightened few think positive. Time Warner Cable CEO admitted that they have to get rid of the cable boxes and the future is box-free.

This vision is clearly indicated in Spectrum’s cable streaming feature. Using the app you can easily stream cable on your Roku, gaming consoles, and Smart TVs but you need one box to do so.

Final Verdict!

Although streaming services are the future of cable they have a long way to go. Till then, you either need to have a cable box or switch to these services completely!