Cutting the Cable Cord...

This will be on the longer side because i want to explain some things before we get into all of the options that are out there. (links to products at the end)

​Bottom line, paying for cable is still the easiest option for access to everything on TV.  Depending what you watch it may or may not be the cheapest option.

That being said, I despise Comcast and hate paying them anything but at this point they are the only game in town.  So you are going to end up paying them for internet access at least.  It is possible to negotiate a decent internet and cable package from Comcast if you're willing to beg, plead and threaten them.  And then, you will have to have the same annoying conversation with them once a year to hold on to that negotiated deal.  Its a lot of work that most people don't want to deal with, therefore Comcast makes lots of money by slowly (or not so slowly) raising your rates. But, for the sake of learning, lets assume you would like to use streaming services for your TV watching.

Step 1:  Buy internet from Comcast:  Their online chat bot gave me a price of $29.99 for the Performance package.  That package allows for download speeds of 25mb.  I wouldnt go any slower than that or your streaming is going to suffer especially if you are streaming on more than one TV at a time.  This package jumps up to $75 after the first year.  Both of these prices are before taxes and fees and they will probably try to make you agree to a 2 year contract.

Step 2:  Buy your own cable modem and wireless router.  Comcast will happily charge you $10 a month to lease their equipment but purchasing your own is the way to go.  A modem will run you about $60 and a decent wireless router can be had for under $100.  That's $160 to buy your own equipment versus $240 to lease theirs for the contract period.

Step 3:  Decide what streaming services you would like to subscribe to.  Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime each run about $8-$10 a month.  Hulu is the best option if you watch a lot of network TV as they will have episodes available for streaming the day after they air.  Hulu is not a great outlet for movies at this time but they are getting better.  Netflix is the great for movies, original TV content and back catalog TV.  Netflix will not have the most recent cable TV material.  Amazon Prime is similar to Netflix but you would also have access to recent cable TV (for an additional price) and their free 2 day shipping.  If you shop a lot on Amazon, Prime is definitely something to look into.  All three services are investing heavily in original content.  In fact, some of the best TV and movies around right now are Netflix, Amazon and Hulu exclusives.

Step 4:  Streaming live TV.  Depending where you are, an inexpensive Over The Air (OTA) Digital Antenna will allow you to watch your local network stations in high definition for FREE.  But if you are in an area that does not get good reception you may consider a service like Direct TV Now, Sling, Playstation Vue, or (coming soon) Youtube TV.  It may be difficult to find all of the channels you want in the basic packages available from these providers however, things are improving slowly.  Youtube TV looks like it will have a very decent programming package for $35 a month when it becomes available.

Step 5:  Buy a streaming video player:  These are your Roku, Amazon Fire TV or Stick, Apple TV, Chromcast, Nvidia Shield or a gaming console like Xbox or Playstation.  These hardware options allow you to watch the streaming services you decide to subscribe to.  At this point they all offer a very high quality user experience.  If you are heavily invested in Apple, you might consider the Apple TV as it will integrate smoothly with your existing hardware.  If you're a big Google person (like me) you might go with the Shield.  I believe the Roku is the most universally friendly and easy to use option.  It has a fast and clean design and works with almost all of the streaming services available.  You will need a streaming player for each TV.  

So lets to some math:
Start up Costs: Modem $60 + Wireless Router $100 + Roku $50 + OTA Antenna $40 + Comcast Install (Demand Free) + Universal Remote $50 = $300

Monthly costs:  Internet $40 (guessing taxes and fees) + Hulu $8 + Netflix $10 + Sling TV Blue w/ 4 add ons $40 + an OTA antenna (FREE) = ROUGHLY $100

With a setup like this you will be jumping back and forth between your Roku and your OTA antenna when your looking for something to watch.  I highly recommend a decent universal remote to help streamline this process.  That was a very long winded way to say there isnt a great all-in-one service out there yet.  The big hangup is still live TV events (sports, the Oscars...).  If you get good antenna reception then you're all set but I haven't found that to be a realistic expectation.  

All of these options can be mixed and matched to work best for you.  I'm happy to clarify anything that may be confusing.  If you decide to pull the trigger on any of this I can also help you get it all set up and working correctly.  Hope this helps.

OTA Antenna Coverage
https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps


Streaming Services
www.hulu.com
www.netflix.com
https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Video/b?node=2676882011

https://www.sling.com/service

https://www.playstation.com/en-us/network/vue/channels/

https://directvnow.com/#tv-your-way

https://youtube.googleblog.com/2017/02/finally-live-tv-made-for-you.html

Hardware

Modem:  https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1469651198&sr=1-1&keywords=motorola+surfboard+modem

Wireless Router:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z0V2NQ8/?tag=thewire06-20&linkCode=xm2&ascsubtag=WC29013
OTA HD Antenna:  https://www.antennasdirect.com/store/ClearStream-Eclipse-Digital-TV-Antenna.html?cjid=5513721
Streaming Hardware:  https://www.roku.com/products/streaming-stick?utm_source=cj&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=cj_affiliate_sale&utm_content=3512519&utm_term=11771255&Ref=CJ
Universal Remote:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OVECU0/?tag=thewire06-20&linkCode=xm2&ascsubtag=WC21074