TV shows and/or live TV streaming (1 Viewer)

So lately I have been wanting more than what netflix offers for TV shows. I have quite a lot of shows on netflix I can and want to watch. However, there are a few shows I have season(s) to watch that are not available at this time to stream on netflix. Also I've heard that you can stream live TV but I have no idea where to look. And with the popularity of roku I would think there would be things I can add to my roku to watch live TV local and possibly network channels. And also good free sources for streaming TV shows similar to how hulu used to be before they went sub based. That I may be able to have on roku as well.

Thanks

Maybe you need to formulate your questions as questions???. Seems you should have recieved some replies by now. I'm looking for similar information...

Dave

The Roku has tons of content. To compliment Netflix for tv shows I would recommend Amazon prime, that is how we watch almost all of our tv.

Something like Aereo? It is a service where you rent a tv antenna and get a online DVR. You can stream live programming or have your online DVR record it. They do have a Roku app but the service is only available in a limited number of cities and they have been repeatedly challenged in court, although I think they have been winning.

Another possibility would be to get something like the HDHomerun to record over the air programming on a Windows or Mac system then use Plex to stream the recorded content to the Roku. This wouldn't work for streaming live content.

There is a new product called Simple.TV that I am not familar with however it looks like it would do what you want. Just need to buy their hardware, attach some storage and a TV antenna and you are good to go with network streaming and recording.

-Keith

I almost forgot I posted this I guess with the holidays and all. But anyways I'm not lookin to buy any hardware or anything like that since the channels are broadcast for free. So far the few things I have found are for just a few out of state ones (ex. fox or abc). But then only 2 or 3 of them. Which throws me for a loop after reading reviews of how great these free options are. How can something be so great if one can only see 2 or 3 broadcast channels of the possibly hundreds of them out there in just the US. Here in my local area there are a couple dozen broadcast channels. But I'm beginning to think this is a futile effort. I thought hey it's broadcast over the air so it must be something simple to have as accessable as streams over the internet in much the same free way. Or even transmitted over the internet from a low cost device like the $10 digital antanae one had to buy for broadcast TV when it went digital. I'm not sure I can justify subscribing to hulu or amazon for the small fraction of TV content I'm not able to get on netflix. I guess you can probably tell I've gotten frustrated trying to find a solution to this as a suppliment to netflix.

Except for some Bad Robot productions, what can't You find on the networks website?Unless you are talking Showtime/ HBO content.

This thread seems to be close to asking what I want to ask. I've only dabbled in streaming. I've got an AppleTV, DTV, a Samsung TV that will stream, also a Oppo 93 which streams, I think. I also have Amazon Prime.


I'd like to be able to stream past and current major network series and cable channel series. The Premium (HBO, SHO, etc) are not a major concern.


Is there a service that offers all or most of this? Do I have to find it piecemeal?

JasonLa said:

How can something be so great if one can only see 2 or 3 broadcast channels of the possibly hundreds of them out there in just the US.

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This is where you confuse me - the only broadcast channels I can think of are CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, etc. I'm sure I'm missing a couple but not hundreds...

Can you give us some examples of a show or channel you would like to get to supplement Netflix with?

Johnny Angell said:

I'd like to be able to stream past and current major network series and cable channel series.Is there a service that offers all or most of this? Do I have to find it piecemeal?

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Right now Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu Plus would be it as far as subscriptions go. Otherwise purchasing each show is the only way to go...

Patrick Donahue said:

Right now Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu Plus would be it as far as subscriptions go. Otherwise purchasing each show is the only way to go...

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HuluPlus seems to specialize in network shows, while Amazon only seems to have the Viacom channels, PBS, and the History/A&E/Food's parent company.

While Netflix is right in the middle, and doesn't seem to bother with loyalties, beyond their exclusives...Not to mention, a better selection of Classics.


Also, the current problem with Amazon right now is that, like the British and Canadian shows on Hulu, they've gone rather whole-hog into Original Programming (to make up for their complete lack of other networks), are currently in middle of their second Amazon Pilot season, and appear to be rather overly pleased that their last winner of the Original Pilots "audition" went on to win the Golden Globe.

Which they remind us of, by having Abe Vigoda in Drag staring at us with those big puppy-eyes on almost literally every single page you go to on Prime.

"Ber-nice, I can't find my high heels"....PLEASE, AMAZON, in the name of human mercy, show us something ELSE on your pages! A dog, a waterfall, some clouds, Grumpy Cat, anything!! I promise I'll actually WATCH an episode of Mozart in the Jungle, if you'll just give us one moment's blessed relief!

Ejanss said:

Which they remind us of, by having Abe Vigoda in Drag staring at us with those big puppy-eyes on almost literally every single page you go to on Prime.

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Please tell me you mean Jeffry Tambor cause Abe Vigoda in drag would be waaaay disturbing

Patrick Donahue said:

Please tell me you mean Jeffry Tambor cause Abe Vigoda in drag would be waaaay disturbing

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Half of me right now is saying "Oh, so that's whatever happened to Jeffrey Tambor...", and the other half of me is saying "...Oh, dear gods. "


(Y'see, they don't want to antagonize the mainstream straight audience, so, the fact that the character is unconvincing in drag is supposed to make him more of a sympathetic dreamer....I don't care, at least when they tried to ram Alpha House down our throats as the big Network Exclusive, I could look at John Goodman!)

JasonLa said:

I have quite a lot of shows on netflix I can and want to watch

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Remember show on Netflix today are not necessarily going to be on there tomorrow. The rights expire and several shows vanish from the lineup every month. Its not a permanent repository.

Towergrove said:

Remember show on Netflix today are not necessarily going to be on there tomorrow. The rights expire and several shows vanish from the lineup every month. Its not a permanent repository.

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That makes watching their TV shows kinda risky, doesn't it? Unless you are a Netflix vet, aware of how recently that TV show was added and how long the rights generally last, there is always that risk that it'll be pulled before you finished with it.

Ejanss said:

HuluPlus seems to specialize in network shows, while Amazon only seems to have the Viacom channels, PBS, and the History/A&E/Food's parent company.

While Netflix is right in the middle, and doesn't seem to bother with loyalties, beyond their exclusives...Not to mention, a better selection of Classics.

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It might be too much to hope for, but is there a site which keeps a current list of movies and TV shows on Hulu/Netflix/Amazon?

Ejanss said:

HuluPlus seems to specialize in network shows, while Amazon only seems to have the Viacom channels, PBS, and the History/A&E/Food's parent company.

While Netflix is right in the middle, and doesn't seem to bother with loyalties, beyond their exclusives...Not to mention, a better selection of Classics.

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What do you mean Netflix is in the middle?

bruceames said:

It might be too much to hope for, but is there a site which keeps a current list of movies and TV shows on Hulu/Netflix/Amazon?

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Oh yes, this is what I'd really love to have.


I keep reading about cord cutters and those who never had a cord. They don't have to pay for cable/sat. What good does that do you if you have to pay multiple subscription fees?

Johnny Angell said:

I keep reading about cord cutters and those who never had a cord. They don't have to pay for cable/sat. What good does that do you if you have to pay multiple subscription fees?

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It does you plenty of good if you are like me and just don't spend that much time sitting in front of a TV. With an antenna to get broadcast networks for free and a Netflix subscription I have more programming than I need for $8 a month...

Johnny Angell said:

What do you mean Netflix is in the middle?

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While Netflix has some "exclusive" studio deals (Disney, Dreamworks), they don't seem to have many regarding their TV series, and pretty much have a wide standard cross-section of most of what's out there in the Showtime/HBO/AMC cable and network-series ether.


Although thanks to a deal with Paramount/CBS a while ago, they're also probably the best place to find classic rerun series, like X-Files, Star Treks, Cheers, etc.

Amazon and Hulu are both so focused on what they have, they're criminally neglecting what they haven't.


(Although shows don't eventually expire off of Amazon Prime like they do off of Hulu and Netflix, they just stop being free.)

Johnny Angell said:

I keep reading about cord cutters and those who never had a cord. They don't have to pay for cable/sat. What good does that do you if you have to pay multiple subscription fees?

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When you're asked to pay $99-$150/mo. for cable/Internet package deals that load you down with unwanted broadcast channels and VOD's of movies you can already find on Blu-ray, and THEN the option to download them whenever you want (plus hidden charges, if you get your modem, Tivo and Wi-fi from them), $8/mo. plus Internet starts to look pretty good.

If you're really that interested in the identical reality-series that most cable networks have descended to, they're already licensed out to most of the streaming services, so you're not missing out on saving $90 just to watch them at a particular time--Not to mention, if most cable networks are going to binge-air their shows in big blocks anyway, having all the episodes at once saves the cost and offers the advantage of bathroom breaks.


(And that's assuming you live in an area where you can get HD broadcast off the air, and don't have to subscribe to premium packages just for the privilege of getting THAT. Lucky bum, we're in a mountain village out my neck of the woods. )

I just eliminated the premium channels and added Netflix. I already had Amazon Prime for the shipping and I recently added Warner Archive Instant because I got restless of Warner Archive Blu-ray's glacial output pace. That channel is way worth it.

I just signed on for the Hulu one week free trial and did some research on the programs they have. They don't have all the series I want but quite a few. What is disappointing is that most of the series are incomplete. They are only making available the last 5 or 6 something like. Not the whole series or even the whole season. There are a few exceptions, but they are exceptions.


I guess this is a licensing issue.