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There's No Longer Any Reason to Have a Cable Box

By Dustin Rowles | Streaming | February 14, 2018 |

By Dustin Rowles | Streaming | February 14, 2018 |


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Last week, I ran down the current streaming cable options available, and ultimately landed on YouTube TV, which is not only the best streaming cable option, but it is actually much better than cable. It provides network television. It has a better interface. It’s easier to navigate. The DVR service is substantially better, and Live TV and recorded shows are available on any device (Laptop, TV, Smart Phones), wherever you choose to watch (and it can be accessed by up to six users).

It genuinely is a much better product than cable. Less clutter, more efficient, easier to navigate, fewer commercials, more viewing options. It probably sounds like I’m a pitchman for YouTube TV now, but honestly, I just really like it. For someone who watches TV as much as I do, it’s a life changer.

The one drawback to YouTube TV for some is that while it offered access to almost all of the important channels, they did not have agreements in place for the Turner Networks (TBS, TNT, CNN, TruTV, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, etc.). Starting today, that has officially changed (in fact, I just added a season pass for The Detour — took me all of 2 seconds).

However, YouTube TV will also raise the price from $35 to $40 a month.

It’s worth it. There really is very little reason to have that cable box anymore, unless it’s cheaper, which is a very real possibility for many, even with an expansive $40 cable package. The damn bundling gets you every time because while Internet service may only cost you $40 with cable, it might cost you $70 without cable, which would eat into all the savings you might get from switching from cable to YouTube TV. For me, the difference is marginally cheaper, but the product itself is much better, so even if I’m not saving much, I prefer YouTube TV to that goddamn cable box run by evil corporate overlords (as opposed to that streaming app run by a different set of evil corporate overlords).

It’s also worth noting, for sports fans, that NBA All Access and MLB.TV will be added as options for an additional charge in the coming months.

I also believe that, if you sign up for YouTube TV now, you still get the $35 per month fee, which will be grandfathered in for existing users when the price hike takes effect.

Of course, even YouTube TV is probably only good for a few more years because cable television networks will probably be irrelevant by 2024.