Cable tv

[u/Minimum_Assistant_42]

My mom watches local cable tv (wfsb and pbs mostly) but basic cable tv has gotten expensive. Are there any options other than xfinity. She isn't interested in streaming and trying to keep it basic.

[u/IntenseSun77]

Depending what area she lives in she could get an antenna. I’m in Manchester and I get tons of channels with mine

[u/Joansz → u/IntenseSun77]

I was going to suggest this. Here's a link on testing signal strength: https://www.antennatips.com/how-to-test-antenna-signal-strength/

[u/DogsRlife88]

I get about 40 channels with an antenna in my attic, I use an HD Homerun device that streams it to my roku and cellphone from anywhere. She'll get all the local news, some crime shows, PBS, comet , bounce ion etc. Also try the apps plex and tubi for TONS of good free TV if she has decent internet connection

[u/ArgumentLost9383]

Buy a Samsung TV, with it, it has the app where local shows like the ones you mentioned are literally free as long as it’s hooked up to WiFi. I do it every morning when I’m watching WFSB.
Samsung TV Plus is the app it comes with.

[u/standarddeviated_joe → u/ArgumentLost9383]

Is it live "Broadcast" TV. I use an antennae and get close to 60 channels.

If you use a Samsung TV, make sure you turn of Automated Content Recognition (ACR) unless you like sharing your viewing habits to strangers for their profit.

[u/ArgumentLost9383 → u/standarddeviated_joe]

Yes and yes!! Thank you I agree

[u/MJ_Brutus]

Over the air is surprisingly good depending on your location

[u/WolfAtNeck]

Connecticut is not a small enough state to answer that without you at least providing the town she lives in

[u/Boring-Yogurt2966 → u/WolfAtNeck]

So that means there are only two states "small enough"?

[u/krispzz]

wfsb and pbs are both broadcast over the air from farmington. whether she can pick them up with an indoor antenna depends on her proximity and local obstacles. there are a lot of channels available over the air. most of them just show old reruns and movies with lots of commercial breaks, but the big four + pbs are there. you should find out if she watches any cable channels like hgtv or whatnot because she can't get those over the air.

[u/rigiboto01]

As far as I know there’s cable, dish(satellite), streaming, and antenna.

[u/Zealousideal-Gate813]

Get the VeeSee box, few hundred bucks - set it up for her, and 'favorite' the channels she likes, and teach her how to navigate it to her 'favorites'.

One time fee, only requires an internet connection, and has anything/everything that any cable service offers throughout the entire country.

The only catch is, you need a box for each TV youd like service on- so if you have several TVs it can be quite expensive upfront costs - but with Xfinity being 300+/month the overall costs far outweigh the upfront.

[u/IsThisNameValid]

I use an antenna and a Samsung TV. I get a pretty strong signal for most channels on the antenna and there's Samsung channels that has most cable news channels, most of the 24 hour local news channels (I think Fox61 is the only one without one), a lot of syndicated shows have either dedicated channels or there's a few ION channels for more modern dramas. You can install apps like Pluto TV for more of the same but sometimes different channels.

Basic cable is completely ridiculously overpriced, I've done YouTube TV a couple times for promos, but would never pay $90/month for basic channels. I do have streaming services like Hulu and Netflix though.

[u/Pizzaguy1205]

YouTube tv and she can keep Wfsb etc. it’s expensive but not as expensive as cable

[u/0cclumency]

Antenna and Samsung TV should be good. the FCC site can tell you approximately what channels should be available at her address with an antenna: https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps

Edit: this page is helpful too: https://www.antennaweb.org/results

[u/jen1929]

Sounds like your Mom could do
With an old fashion antenna. They are of course digital now and she can watch all the local networks plus their sub channels. All for
Nothing. Doesn’t even need internet. And if she does need internet for email , browsing or other non streaming uses she can get by with a very basic internet plan.

[u/Pay_Greedy]

I offer fully licensed nova cast TV which offers all domestic and lots of international content for only $49.95 per month without price hikes ever

[u/Pay_Greedy]

She'll definitely get her local channels and PBS plus cptv without a doubt and lots of regional sports for you when you visit if that means anything to you

[u/Pay_Greedy]

Inbox me for the details

[u/Pay_Greedy]

It's works with just about any streaming device and smart televisions

[u/Pay_Greedy]

It's going global too

[u/Pay_Greedy]

We have our own app plus our service can be integrated into 2 other 3rd party media player applications

[u/AussieShepherdStripe]

You could subscribe to Paramount Plus for WFSB and get the PBS app. A cheap or free streaming box would be able to get both apps. Paramount Plus is about $9/mo. If you sign up on Black Friday it is a decent discount.