My Streaming Life

A lot of people have visited a post I wrote a while back about Tablo . The information is outdated, and I no longer use Tablo. I switched to AirTV. Let's rewind a bit. I used to be a big Tablo fan. It was a reliable DVR with a user-friendly interface. The best part? The "Tablo Connect" feature, which allowed me to stream my antenna TV from anywhere. Taking my Tablo to a family member's place and enjoying my home TV setup on a different device there was a breeze. But then came the big letdown. Tablo discontinued Tablo Connect with their new devices. It's still functional on older models, but they've completely removed it from their current lineup. They even sent me an email back in the summer of 2024, celebrating the anniversary of these out-of-home-streaming-less devices and offering a discount. No thanks! This is what pushed me to AirTV by Sling TV. I made the switch in August of 2024, and it's a decision I haven't regretted. AirTV had a rocky sta...

Streaming sticks remain incredibly popular for adding smarts to your TV. I've got Rokus, Amazon Fire TV Sticks, and even a Chromecast scattered around my house. While my main TV setup is a bit more advanced these days, I still use sticks often, and they're undeniably convenient. But here's the thing: how you power those sticks matters. You might be tempted to just plug them into the USB port on your TV, and Roku even suggests this in some cases. But trust me (and a growing number of users experiencing issues), this can be a recipe for trouble. Why You Should Avoid TV USB Power Here's the deal: Unreliable Power: TV USB ports can be finicky, especially on older models. They might not provide enough juice, leading to performance problems, random reboots, or even damage to your stick. Voltage Fluctuations: TVs sometimes have fluctuating voltage in their USB ports, especially when turning on or off. This can wreak havoc on sensitive electronics like streaming stic...

Are you tired of sky-high cable bills that seem to climb higher every month? Do you feel like you're paying for a ton of channels you never even watch? It might be time to join the cord-cutting revolution! More and more people are ditching traditional cable and satellite TV in favor of streaming services, and it's not hard to see why. Here are some of the biggest perks you can expect when you truly cut the cord: Take Control of Your TV Spending (and Avoid Bill Shock!) While live TV streaming services seemed like a great deal at first, they've been steadily increasing their prices, creeping closer and closer to those dreaded cable bills. But here's the good news: you have more options than ever! Instead of mirroring your old cable package with a pricey live TV service, you can pick and choose exactly what you want with on-demand streaming. Ditch the Live TV Trap and Embrace True Freedom. Think about it: how much of your TV time is actually spent watching live ...

It's a new year, and that means it's time for everyone to make some resolutions.  But instead of focusing on ourselves this year, let's give some much-needed advice to our beloved (and sometimes frustrating) streaming services. Here are 10 resolutions they should really consider if they want to keep us cord cutters happy in 2026: "We will stop adding new channels/tiers and raising prices every other month."  Seriously, we left cable to get AWAY from this madness. "We will stop removing shows and movies without warning."  Don't make us play content roulette! "We will make our interfaces less cluttered and easier to navigate."  We just want to watch something, not get lost in a maze of menus. "We will stop auto-playing trailers and previews at maximum volume."  Our hearts (and ears) can't take it anymore. "We will offer a 'truly unlimited' plan with no restrictions on simultaneous streams."  Le...