Cut the Cord

E

very month when you get your cable bill, do you curse out the company, lament that you don't even watch most of the channels, and wonder why you're still connected to it? If so, there are a few alternatives that you should look into so you can consider cutting ties with your cable company. Some of us here at Web2Carz have already done so, and we can't help but sing its praises.

The simplest method of getting rid of your cable is just to do it without replacement. If you want to keep up with current shows, you can find streaming or download links on the internet (we won't tell you where, but a simple Google search will help you). But if you want something a little more tangible than watching Breaking Bad on your laptop screen (been there!), there are a few consoles you can buy that offer similar qualities to cable, without the outrageous cost.

Services like Hulu Plus and Netflix serve up plenty of content, but it's nice to be able to watch them on your television rather than on a small computer screen. Boxes like the Boxee Box, Roku, or Apple TV are consoles that you hook up to your internet and your television, and they allow you to stream content.

The Boxee Box. Boxee Box comes preloaded with popular apps like Netflix, Pandora, and more, and provides an excellent method for streaming. While you still have to pay for the services like Netflix, the box itself is a one-time fee of $179.99, and there's no monthly service fee to run the box itself. It runs wirelessly, too—you don't need to hook it up via ethernet cable.

Roku. Roku is a similar device to Boxee, but comes in different models. While Boxee's Box offers HD, only two of Roku's four devices offer HD video capability. It is also wireless, and the one major advantage it has over Boxee is that it offers Hulu Plus support; Boxee announced nearly two years ago that it was working on bringing Hulu to the Boxee Box, but we've yet to see it added, which is a pretty big disappointment. The most expensive version of Roku is also considerably cheaper than Boxee, clocking in at just $99.

Apple TV. Apple TV is another way to avoid the cable bill, and along with the standard Netflix support, it also offers HD video streaming of movies and content from Hulu Plus, Vimeo, and YouTube. It retails for $99 and also has capability of streaming content from your other iOS devices, like your iPhone or iPad.

The various devices all offer the same services, so choosing one is largely dependent on whether you like supporting startups like Boxee, whether you're an Apple devotee, or whether your primary concern is price. They're all so similar that regardless of which you choose, you'll get a quality alternative to that monthly bill.