Cable TV Devices

Guide to the Best Streaming Devices

For many years we’ve dreamed of becoming cable cutters. We’d become the first in a long generation of consumers who cut the cord from cable or satellite TV and now choose how we will consume content and how we will pay for it. But what are the alternatives to cable TV and what type of device would allow us to pull this off?

Enter the Streaming Video Device

Similar to, there is a growing number of streaming devices on the market and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Whether you want to watch the latest TV show distributed on Netflix, Hulu, or any other online content provider, a streaming device (and high speed wireless connection) is the only thing you need to transform your life into a portable home entertainment center.

Meet the streaming video device. Meet your new alternative to cable TV.

However, deciding what streaming video device is right for you, may feel a bit daunting. You may be new to the TV without cable scene and everybody and their mother now sells streaming devices. Which one is the right one for you?

Have no fear. The FTR crew has all the answers for you in our streaming device guide.

Top Streaming Device Guide – Alternatives to Cable TV

The following is a curated guide to some of the best streaming devices on the market. By the end of this guide, you will:

• Learn the difference between set top, mobile and other types of streaming devices
• Explore the pros and cons of each device
• Review the major brands in the streaming device space
• Understand the importance of internet speed on your device
• Identify the streaming device that meets your needs

Getting Started

So you’re ready to go. You need to buy a streaming device, but don’t know what is the best device for you. That’s why your here. But before we can figure out the best streaming device for you, we need to understand the content you’re interested in watching.

We strongly recommend you start with our Understanding Your New Content strategy, as we’ll help you understand the different types of content packages available. This is an important first step, as some content is easier to get on some devices…

…Ok, now that you understand what content you need access to, let’s proceed with our streaming device guide.

SET TOP STREAMING DEVICES

Set top Streaming devices are the closest thing to those big ugly cable and satellite TV boxes. Of course, the key difference is they don’t have that big nasty coaxial cable that has to plug into a cable or satellite line, because they’re wireless (yes, you can also connect via ethernet cord). Most streaming devices area also much smaller in size, though they’re normally built for one television and aren’t super easy to move from room to room.

Below we’ve identified three of the more popular set top streaming options on the market today. We’ve also provided our favorite out of the three that we reviewed.

Enjoying great popularity in the market right now, the Apple TV is on par with all other Apple products in the Apple ecosystem. As a streaming device, it seems to have it all, and its small size makes it easy to accommodate in any home entertainment center setup. Apple TV may be a bit more restrictive in the content they currently offer, but this is an ever-changing dynamic.

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