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    Guide to Streaming Video Services

    Here are all the details on where to stream movies, TV series, sports, and more

    AMC+, Apple TV+, The Criterion Channel, Direct TV Stream, Discovery+, Disney+ ESPN+, FuboTV, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, Paramount+ Peacock, Philo, Amazon Prime Video, Showtime Now, Sling and YouTube TV Steaming  apps icons on TV screen with blue background.
    CR has the details including prices and programming on the best streaming services from giants like Netflix and Hulu to niche services like BritBox.
    Graphic: Consumer Reports, Getty Images

    Every year, more people ditch cable and satellite TV service and rely on streaming services, which isnā€™t surprising given the ever-escalating costs of traditional pay TV. In fact, a new report from Samba TV, a company that makes automatic content recognition software that tracks what youā€™re watching on smart TVs, says that more than half of all Americans no longer pay for cable or satellite TV service.

    One reason is the exploding number of streaming options now available. Those numbers rose sharply over the past few years, as many of the countryā€™s largest media companies launched their own streaming services featuring popular original content, and stopped licensing shows and movies to services like Amazon Prime and Netflix.

    more on TVs and entertainment

    The traditional big threeā€”Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflixā€”have been joined by dozens of additional services, including Apple TV+ and Disney+, Paramount+, and Peacock. You can choose niche services, like BritBox, or sign up for services like YouTube TV, which offer live TV channels, just like cable TV. And a number of services now have ad-supported tiers. Agree to watch some ads and you can pay less each month.

    There are also growing numbers of streaming services that are just plain free, which can help make all of this more affordable. (CRā€™s strategies for saving money on streaming services can help you control your entertainment budget, as well.)

    This guide to the major streaming services should help you sort through the choices. Scroll through all the listings or jump to the category of service.

    Big and Bigger (Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix, etc.)
    British Fare (Acorn, BritBox)
    Cable-Replacement Services (Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, etc.)
    Free Services (Pluto TV, Roku Channel, Tubi, etc.)
    Network Services (ESPN+, Paramount+, Peacock, etc.)
    Niche Services (Criterion Channel, PBS Passport)
    Premium Channels (HBO Max, Showtime Now, Starz)

    Consumer Reports also has advice on selecting a streaming media device. And CR members can search our TV ratings, which have test results on hundreds of models.

    Big and Bigger

    Newer services, such as Apple TV+ and Disney+, have now joined Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Netflix as primary streaming choices for many people.

    Amazon Prime
    Price: $139 per year or $15 per month, with free shipping on Amazon Prime purchases. A video-only subscription costs $9 per month.

    Prime Video delivers a large library of TV shows and movies, plus a solid roster of original shows, including a new season of ā€œThe Marvelous Mrs. Maiselā€; ā€œWheel of Time,ā€ an epic fantasy adventure starring Rosamund Pike; and ā€œReacher,ā€ based on the popular Lee Child novels. Fans of epic adventures can now watch the much-hyped ā€œLord of the Ringsā€ prequel series, ā€œThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.ā€

    Amazon finalized a previously announced acquisition of MGM, bringing 4,000 additional films and 17,000 TV shows to Amazon Prime (and some to its free ad-supported Freevee streaming service, described lower down). In January, the company rebranded Epix, MGMā€™s streaming platform, as MGM+. The service costs $6 a month, or $50 annually.

    Amazon also has a deal that brings new Universal movies to Amazon Prime Video four months after they appear on NBCUniversalā€™s new Peacock service.

    In addition, the company has been bumping up its sports coverage recently. Last year Amazon streamed 21 New York Yankees games and it became the exclusive home of ā€œThursday Night Footballā€ NFL games. It recently launched a live daily sports talk network on weekdays.

    Sign up forĀ Amazon Prime.

    Apple TV+
    Price: $7 per month.

    Apple TV+ is a good bet for viewers interested in Appleā€™s new original programming and those who want the convenience of adding more premium channels, such as HBO Max and Showtime, through the serviceā€™s app.

    The Apple TV+ subscription streaming service, which is now going on 3 years old, recently raised its price from $5 to $7 per month. Apple TV+ is included in Apple One, which bundles up to five other Apple services into a single monthly subscription, with plans starting at $17 a month.

    Series include ā€œSeverance,ā€ a dark original drama series from Ben Stiller. The service also has "Sharper," starring Julianne Moore and Sebastian Stan, Joel Coenā€™s ā€œThe Tragedy of Macbethā€ starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand, "Emancipation," starring Will Smith, and ā€œCODA,ā€ the Academy Award-winning movie about a teenager who is the only hearing member of her family.

    The service offers original series including ā€œThe Morning Showā€ starring Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, and Steve Carell, and ā€œTed Lasso,ā€ the Emmy-winning Jason Sudeikis comedy about an American football coach hired to run a British soccer team.

    The company also has a $15-a-month streaming service for Major League Soccer called MLS Season Pass. It includes every live MLS regular-season match, the entire playoffs, plus the Leagues Cup.

    Sign up forĀ Apple TV+.

    Disney+
    Price: $8 per month with ads, $11 a month without.

    Given its vast library of content, Disney+ is a no-brainer for many families. Disney owns all the ā€œStar Warsā€ movies, as well as Marvel Studios and Pixar. Its most recent acquisition is 20th Century Fox, now renamed 20th Century Studios. That brings subscribers movie franchises such as ā€œAvatar,ā€ ā€œDeadpool,ā€ and ā€œX-Men,ā€ and TV shows including ā€œThe Simpsonsā€ and ā€œEmpireā€ā€”as well as National Geographic shows.

    The big news is that Disney recently started offering a less expensive, ad-supported plan. It costs $8 per monthā€”which had been the price of its ad-free plan. For ad-free Disney+, you now have to pay $11 a month, or $110 if paid annually.

    There are also three bundle plans. Duo Basic, which costs $10 a month, gives you the ad-supported versions of both Disney+ and Hulu. Trio Basic adds ESPN+ with ads for $13 a month. A premium version of the bundle, called Trio Premium, has ad-free Disney+, ad-free Hulu, and ESPN+ for $20 a month.

    The serviceā€™s high-profile content includes ā€œThe Beatles: Get Backā€ from Peter Jackson; Disneyā€™s ā€œEncantoā€; a new series, ā€œWillow,ā€ that takes place 20 years after the events of the eponymous movie; and a new Star Wars series, ā€œStar Wars: Andor.ā€ New original series include ā€œNational Treasure: Edge of History,ā€ plus a third season of the popular series ā€œThe Mandalorian,ā€ also set in the ā€œStar Warsā€ universe. Coming shows include ā€œAgatha: Coven of Chaos,ā€ a Marvel series starring Kathryn Hahn.

    There have been reports that Disney is considering selling Hulu, and might license some of its content to other streaming services. Other rumors include having Disney launch its own free ad-supported streaming service. Some reports also indicate that Disney has been in talks with streaming services to sell some of its back catalogs. This would be a major change for Disney, which pulled back their content from Netflix and others just a few years ago.

    Sign up forĀ Disney+.

    Hulu
    Price: $8 per month with ads ($2 a month for students) or $15 per month without ads. Prices increased in October.

    Hulu is a good option for cord-cutters who donā€™t want to miss out on broadcast TV. But the cost of Hulu, now owned by Disney, went up on Oct. 10, when the ad-free premium plan went from $13 to $15 and the ad-supported option jumped from $7 to $8 a month.

    Huluā€”now wholly owned by Disneyā€”is a good way to get programming from ABC, AMC, Bravo, Big Ten Network, CBS, E, ESPN, Fox, Fox Sports, FX, NBC, NFL Network, Oxygen, PBS, Syfy, and USA Network. Note, however, that many NBC shows, such as "Law & Order" and "Chicago Fire," are no longer available since parent company NBCUniversal moved them to its own Peacock streaming service. Earlier this year, NBCUniversal moved next-day access to Bravo shows from Hulu to Peacock. Some NBC shows that no longer air new seasons will remain on Hulu, though.

    Hulu originals include ā€œFleishman Is in Trouble,ā€ based on the novel; ā€œThe Handmaidā€™s Taleā€; and ā€œThe Patient,ā€ with Domhnall Gleeson and Steve Carell. Other Hulu originals include ā€œNine Perfect Strangers,ā€ starring Nicole Kidman, and ā€œOnly Murders in the Building,ā€ starring Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short. You also get exclusive access to films such as ā€œPreyā€ and ā€œThe United States vs. Billie Holiday.ā€

    Hulu is now the streaming home for FX shows, with exclusive rights to more than 40 original offerings. It will also be the new on-demand streaming home of ā€œSchittā€™s Creekā€ in the U.S., and an exclusive deal with AMC Networks is bringing ā€œFear the Walking Dead,ā€ theĀ spinoffĀ toĀ ā€œThe Walking Dead,ā€ to Hulu. The deal also givesĀ HuluĀ exclusiveĀ rights to new and coming scripted programming from AMC, BBC America, IFC, Sundance TV, andĀ WeTV.

    As noted above, Hulu can be bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+ for $13 per month with ads or $20 per month without them. You can also add several premium services. HBO Max, for example, costs $15 per month, while Showtime is $11 extra each month.

    Sign up forĀ Hulu.

    Netflix
    Price: $7 a month for ad-supported tier; $10 per month for standard-definition video on a single screen; $15.50 per month for high-def video on up to two screens; and $20 per month for 4K ultra-high-definition video on up to four screens.

    Netflix is still the king of binge, with a vast library of movies and TV shows, plus now-classic original shows (ā€œStranger Things,ā€ ā€œBridgertonā€) and newer ones (ā€œWednesday,ā€ ā€œSandman,ā€ ā€œSquid Game,ā€ ā€œThe Witcherā€). It also has a growing library of original movies, such as ā€œDonā€™t Look Upā€ and ā€œRoma.ā€ But Netflix has lost access to some Disney titles and Marvel and Pixar movies, which are now part of the Disney+ service.

    The company says it has added spatial audioā€”using its own 3D immersive audio technologyā€”to about 700 titles. Theyā€™re only available to Netflix Premium subscribers.

    Like other services, Netflix raised prices earlier this year, but the company now has a lower-priced ad-supported service, called Netflix Basic with Ads. It costs $7 a month, with 4 to 5 minutes of ads each hour before and during programming. The ads are typically 15 or 30 seconds. The video is HD quality, not 4K.

    But not all of the Netflix content is available with the cheaper service; it says that 5 to 10 percent of the shows available to other subscribers arenā€™t on Netflix Basic with Ads service due to licensing restrictions. These include shows such as ā€œHouse of Cardsā€ and ā€œPeaky Blinders,ā€ and movies such as ā€œQuantum of Solaceā€ and ā€œMorbius.ā€ Netflix is reportedly negotiating with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Sony for licensed content.

    Right now Netflix Basic with Ads isnā€™t supported on Apple TV streaming players, and itā€™s only on Chromecast with Google TV; you canā€™t get it on Chromecast or Chromecast Ultra. You can access it from most other major streaming players.

    Netflix may also be considering a free, ad-supported service to compete with services such as Pluto TV, the Roku Channel, and Tubi. (See Free Services, below.)

    The company has recently begun charging customers in some countries extra if they share login credentials with people outside their households. The "extra member" sub-accounts are launching in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain. The program hasnā€™t yet hit the U.S., and the company hasnā€™t said what it will charge here.

    To make it easier for customers whoā€™ve been sharing an unauthorized account to set up their own legitimate one, Netflix has unveiled an account-migration tool that lets you transfer your account info, such as viewing history and program recommendations, to a new subscription.

    The company also recently reached a deal with Universal to bring animated titles from that studio and DreamWorks Animation to the service this year after a four-month window on Paramount+ expires. An arrangement with HBO Max for all new releases has expired.

    Sign up for Netflix.

    British Fare

    Anglophiles looking for regular doses of popular British TV shows, police procedurals, and movies now have several great options, among them Acorn and BritBox. Hereā€™s a look at each.

    Acorn TV
    Price:
    $7 per month or $70 per year.

    Blessed with a very deep catalog of older shows, such as ā€œAgatha Christieā€™s Marple,ā€ ā€œMidsomer Murders,ā€ and ā€œFoyleā€™s War,ā€ Acorn is now creating its own original programming with shows such as ā€œBloodlands,ā€ a police thriller; ā€œDalgliesh,ā€ based on the P.D. Jamesā€™ character; ā€œAgatha Raisin,ā€ about a public relations specialist turned amateur sleuth; and ā€œQueens of Mystery,ā€ in which a perennially single detective and her three crime-writer aunts solve murders in the countryside.

    The service recently increased its monthly price by a dollar.

    Acorn also offers shows from Australia and New Zealand, as well as the complete season 15 of the popular Canadian TV series ā€œMurdoch Mysteries.ā€ It has picked up Channel 4ā€™s ā€œHelp,ā€ a 90-minute drama about the U.K.ā€™s poor response to care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, written by ā€œHis Dark Materialsā€ and ā€œEnola Holmesā€ writer Jack Thorne and starring Jodie Comer and Stephen Graham.

    Sign up for Acorn.

    BritBox
    Price:
    $8 per month or $80 annually.

    BritBox is a joint venture between the BBC and ITV. Unlike Acorn, BritBox focuses exclusively on British shows. The service recently raised its monthly price by a dollar.

    Some of the more popular series on BritBox include ā€œEastEnders,ā€ ā€œCoronation Street,ā€ and ā€œAntiques Roadshow,ā€ plus older classic episodes of ā€œDr. Whoā€ (the first through seventh Doctors) and two seasons of ā€œFawlty Towers.ā€ New original shows include ā€œThe Cleaner,ā€ about a crime-scene cleaner; ā€œStonehouse,ā€ about the aftermath when a high-flying politician fakes his own death; ā€œSister Boniface Mysteries,ā€ starring a moped-riding nun; and ā€œHope Street,ā€ about the arrival of the first Muslim officer in a small Northern Ireland town.

    Sign up for BritBox.

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    Cable-Replacement Services

    These services look to replicate what youā€™d get with a traditional cable TV or satellite plan for less money. Most include local broadcast channels and an assortment of cable stations, plus the ability to add some premium channels. All now include a cloud DVR for recording shows.

    DirecTV Stream
    Price: $75 to $150 per month.

    AT&T has been doing a lot of rejiggering lately, including spinning off its DirecTV satellite and streaming businesses into a new entity, also called DirecTV. DirecTV Stream, essentially the DirecTV satellite service minus the satellite dish, is the new name for its AT&T TV and AT&T TV Now streaming services, and its plans are among the most expensive out there.

    The company raised prices on all plans at the beginning of the year. The Entertainment plan now costs $75 a month, a $5-a-month price hike, while the Choice planā€”the cheapest plan that provide regional sports networks, jumped $10 to $100 a month. The Ultimate plan (with Starz) now costs $110 a month, while the Premier plan (with HBO Max, Cinemax, and Showtime) is $155 a monthā€”those both represent $5-a-month increases.

    Customers with legacy plans also got hit with monthly price increases either $5 or $10, with plan prices ranging from $85 to $115 a month.

    HBO Max, which remains a separate entity within the new Warner Bros. Discovery company, can be added to plans that donā€™t include HBO.

    You can get DirecTV Stream service using an app on streaming players and on some smart TVs, but DirecTV also sells its own Android-based player, which costs $120 upfront or $5 per month for 24 months. Thatā€™s much pricier than most stand-alone streaming media players, but it does support 4K videos and has a voice remote and Google Assistant built in.

    Sign up for DirecTV Stream.

    Fubo TV
    Price: $75 to $100 a month.

    FuboTV is a cable-replacement service targeting sports fans; it recently raised prices on two of its plans by $5 a month. The base Pro plan ($75) has about 150 channels with local stations in most markets, plus lots of sports networks (BeIn Sports, ESPN, FS1, MLB Network, NBA League Pass, NHL Network, NFL Network), and many cable channels (AMC, Bravo, FX, Syfy, USA), though not Turner channels such as CNN, TBS, TCM, or TNT, and A&E networks such as A&E, History Channel, and Lifetime.

    Stepping up to the $85 Elite plan gets you Fubo Extra, with 42 more lifestyle and sports channels, plus 130 events in 4K. The Premier plan has even more channels, as well as Showtime.

    You can add several premium channels, though not HBO Max. One plan combines Epix, Showtime, and Starz for $20 per month. Separately, Showtime costs $11 a month; Starz is $9 a month. Sports fans can get Sports Plus with NFL Red Zone, with NCAA games and RedZone from the NFL Network, for an extra $11 per month. An $8-per-month Fubo Extra plan adds more TV shows, movies, news, sports, music, and kidsā€™ entertainment. There are also several Spanish-language plans and add-ons.

    Fubo recently added the Bally Sports Networks, which are regional sports networks. The company also recently went back to allowing month-to-month billing for new members after a period of forcing them to sign up on a quarterly basis.

    Sign up for FuboTV.

    Hulu + Live TV
    Price: $70 per month with ads and $83 per month without.

    Cord-cutters who want yet another option to reproduce most of a traditional pay-TV package should take a look at Hulu + Live TV, which offers about 75 channels, including the major broadcast channels in most markets. You also get cable channels such as A&E, BET, CN, Comedy Central, CNN, Disney, Fox News, FX, TBS, and TNT, among others, plus everything in the Hulu library. It also has CBS Sports, ESPN, and Fox Sports, plus some regional sports networks.

    Hulu + Live TV now includes both Disney+ and ESPN+, though the price is now $5 higher. Hulu with ads + Live TV, Disney+ with ads and ESPN+ with ads costs $75 a month. (As per above, note that Disney+ with ads isnā€™t currently supported on certain Apple and Chromecast devices.) Ad-free Hulu + Live TV, ad-free Disney+ and ESPN+ with ads costs $83 a month.

    You can also get Live TV Only, which provides subscribers with access to live content only but not the Hulu streaming library or access to Disney+ or ESPN+, for $69. Given its price, it doesnā€™t make any sense.

    Though Hulu reached a deal with Discovery to keep several channels, including Food Network, HGTV, and TLC on the service, some shows, such as ā€œ90 Day FiancĆ©ā€ and ā€œFixer Upper,ā€ remain on the companyā€™s newer Discovery+ service. It also lacks a few networks, including AMC, though it has recently added 14 new channels, include Hallmark and The Weather Channel.

    There are also several add-ons. For example, an enhanced cloud DVR with 200 hours of storage, and the ability to zap through commercials on recorded shows, is $10 extra each month. Unlimited use also costs an extra $10 a month, but you can bundle it with unlimited screens at home, plus access for three mobile users, for $15 per month, a $5-per-month savings.

    Sign up for Hulu + Live TV.

    Philo
    Price: $25 a month.

    Philo can be a great option if you get local channels via an antenna. Itā€™s a sports-free streaming service backed by several cable networks, including A&E, AMC, Discovery, Scripps, and Paramount (formerly CBSViacom). In addition to lacking local channels, it doesnā€™t offer live news (CNN, Fox News) or sports networks such as ESPN or NFL Network. But for just $25 a month, you get access to more than 60 channels from partners including Discovery, Paramount (CBS and Viacom), and AMC Networks.

    The company recently added the Smithsonian Channel and POP, which airs older network shows such as "House" and "NCIS: New Orleans."

    In addition to the cable channels, Philo now has a few original series, including ā€œBoss Movesā€ withĀ ā€œLove and Hip-Hopā€Ā star Rasheeda Frost. It also recently signed a deal with Kin Community for access to that companyā€™s female-focused lifestyle content.

    You can add premium channels, such as Epix ($6 a month) and Starz ($9 a month).

    Last year Philoā€™s price for new subscribers went from $20 to $25 per month, but those who signed up before the price hike have been able to keep the lower price. As part of the new $25 package, Philo is extending the time it keeps recordings in its unlimited DVR from 30 days to a year.

    Sign up forĀ Philo.

    Sling TV
    Price: $40 to $55 a month.

    You might consider Sling TV if you can find another way to get CBS and ABC local channels, because the service has lacked them until nowā€”although ABC is coming to some regions (see below). The Orange package is now $40 and includes about 30 cable channels, including Disney and ESPN, plus A&E, the Food Network, and TBS, but no broadcast TV. It supports one user at a time. Sling Blue, also $40 per month, supports three users and has a different mix of about 40 channels, including local broadcasts and regional sports. (Among other differences, Sling Orange includes ESPN.) A combined plan costs $55.

    In late January, the company announced that Sling TV would start carrying ABC-owned stations in eight cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, in the Sling Blue and combined Sling Blue and Orange plans. However, Sling is hiking the cost of its Sling Blue tier in those markets by $5, to $45 a month. The price of the combined Orange/Blue tier is also going up $5 in those markets, to $60 a month.

    You can add premium channels, including Showtime, $10, and Starz, $9. Sling TV offers a large number of add-on packs, which provide extra genre-based programming (sports, news, lifestyle, Hollywood, etc.). They cost $6 to $21 (for a bundle with several packs) extra each month.

    Sling raised prices on its plans by $5 a month and upped the prices for its themed add-on packages, though only by $1 per month. But the good news is that Sling has beefed up its cloud DVR. Everyone now gets 50 hours of free DVR storage, up from 10 hours. You can also get 200 hours of storage, up from 50 hours, for $5 per month with the DVR Plus add-on.

    Sling now has a deal with Barstool Sports for a channel dedicated to sports and pop culture. The Barstool Sports Channel features live content, including video podcasts, blogs, and video series.

    Sign up for Sling TV.

    YouTube TV
    Price: $65 per month.

    YouTube TV is a solid option for cord-cutters looking to save money without giving up sports or major cable channels. It offers access to more than 85 channels, including all the major broadcast networks, cable channels (AMC, Bravo, Disney, ESPN, FX, Fox News, Fox Sports, MSNBC, National Geographic, Turner, USA), and major sports networks such as CBS Sports, ESPN, and Fox Sports, along with the MLB, NBA, and NFL league networks.

    HBO Max, Showtime, Starz, and a few other channels can be added for an extra fee. Thereā€™s also a Spanish-language plan that costs $35 a month. Thereā€™s also a 4K add-on plan, which gives you additional channels in 4K, for an additional $20 a month.

    Perhaps the biggest news, though, is that parent company Alphabet (Google) has reached a deal with the NFL to give YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels the exclusive rights to NFL Sunday Ticket starting with the 2023 NFL season. NFL Sunday Ticket had been a DirecTV exclusive for decades; that deal expired after the 2022 season.

    The company says YouTube TV subscribers will get special pricing for NFL Sunday Ticket, but hasnā€™t provided details. It says that NFL Sunday Ticket will have split-screen options so you can watch multiple games at once.

    The company will also reportedly offer some less expensive NFL Sunday Ticket options.

    YouTube is rolling out an updated user interface for its live TV guide and library. In the Live tab, youā€™ll see a more condensed version of the programming, with curated recommendations at the top. A new favorites area is being added to the Library tab for recommended programs and events, with filters that let you fine-tune them. There are now also overlays that show program summaries without having to to leave the page youā€™re viewing.

    Also new, on regular YouTube, is the ability to subscribe to additional streaming services, including AMC+ and Paramount+, plus several other smaller and/or niche services. YouTube TV subscribers have been able to do this, but now anyone can access the Primetime Channel hub on YouTube.

    Sign up for YouTube TV.

    Free Services

    A growing number of ad-supported services let you watch free of charge. The list below includes the major ones, and we also maintain a more comprehensive list of free video streaming services.

    Amazon Freevee
    Previously called IMDb TV,Ā Amazon FreeveeĀ is an ad-supported service that offers a mix of live channels, on-demand classic TV shows and movies, and some original content. Youā€™ll find shows such as ā€œLostā€ and ā€œMad Men,ā€ alongside real oldies such as ā€œBewitched,ā€ ā€œColumbo,ā€ and ā€œAll in the Family.ā€ Movies currently available include ā€œThe Night Before,ā€ ā€œEmma,ā€ and ā€œMission Impossible 2.ā€ Licensed content rotates in and out from month to month.

    Original shows include ā€œJudy Justice,ā€ starring Judge Judy Sheindlin; "Alex Rider"; and ā€œBosch: Legacy,ā€ a spinoff of the popular Amazon Prime series.

    This spring, Freevee will debut a new hour-long music performance and interview series, "Monumental: An Artists Den Experience." It will showcase popular recording artists at iconic locations throughout the world. The first special will be "Monumental: Ellie Goulding at Kew Gardens."

    Sign up for Amazon Freevee.

    Crackle
    Crackle, which used to be Sonyā€™s ad-supported streaming service, hosts a library of mainstream titles that include popular older TV shows such as ā€œBarney Millerā€ and ā€œThe Dick Van Dyke Show,ā€ as well as some popular newer series, including ā€œSherlock,ā€ starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Movies include everything from ā€œMidnight Expressā€ and ā€œDas Boot (Directorā€™s Cut)ā€ to somewhat more recent fare, such as ā€œThe Expendables 3ā€ and ā€œThe Lobster.ā€

    Crackle is now owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul and is part of a bigger brand called Crackle Plus, which operates several ad-supported and subscription networks, including EspaƱolFlix, FrightPix, and Popcornflix, among others. The company also recently acquired Redbox (see below).

    Crackle exclusives include four seasons of ā€œSherlock,ā€ all five seasons of ā€œRipper Street,ā€ and a documentary series called ā€œA Life in Ten Picturesā€ that profiles important cultural figures, such as Elizabeth Taylor, Freddie Mercury, John Lennon, and Tupac Shakur. The service is also adding a new series from the BBC library every month.

    Crackleā€™s original content already includes ā€œSnatch,ā€ a series based on the now-classic movie; ā€œLes Norton,ā€ a 10-episode series starring Rebel Wilson; ā€œThe Uncommon History of Very Common Things,ā€ an entertaining and often irreverent history of everyday objects; and season two of ā€œIn The Vault,ā€ a suspense series set at a fictional college. ā€œEat Wheatiesā€ is a movie starring Tony Hale and Elisha Cuthbert.

    Sign up for Crackle.

    Hoopla and Kanopy
    If you have a library card,Ā HooplaĀ andĀ KanopyĀ might be your ticket to free movies, music, audiobooks, and comics. Getting started is pretty simple. Just go to the site, create an account, and find your local library. You check out TV shows and movies as though they were books, using your library card.

    The main difference between the two services is that Hoopla tends to focus more on popular entertainment than Kanopy does, and it includes other types of media beyond videos, such as audiobooks, comics, e-books, and music.

    With either service, once youā€™ve signed up you can browse by title or genre, or get recommendations based on what youā€™ve previously borrowed and whatā€™s popular. With Hoopla, you have 72 hours to watch a movie. (Your library sets the limit on how many movies you can borrow each month. In my case, it recently jumped from four to eight.) Your movie will start streaming once youā€™ve made a selection.

    Sign up for Hoopla and Kanopy.

    Peacock
    Bad news for new subscribers: Peacock is no longer offering its free tier, instead shifting its emphasis to its two paid Premium services. Anyone currently using the free tier can continue to use it, and paid subscribers who cancel their subscription will automatically be downgraded to the free plan.

    The free tier lets subscribers watch new NBC broadcasts a week after they air, plus a mix of classic TV shows, movies, news, and sports programming from several of the parent companyā€™s properties. But it doesnā€™t provide live sports events, most blockbuster movies, or original Peacock programming such as ā€œYellowstone,ā€ ā€œLove Island,ā€ and ā€œBel Air.ā€

    In recent months it appeared that the free tier had an increasingly limited library of content, though it included popular shows such as ā€œ21 Jump Street,ā€ 10 seasons of ā€œLaw and Order: Criminal Intent,ā€ and several seasons of ā€œCheers.ā€ Free movies include ā€œSherlock Holmes,ā€ ā€œThe Amityville Haunting,ā€ and ā€œPride and Prejudice.ā€ Some current NBC shows are available a week after they air, but with many others, you can only access one or two early episodes.

    Sign up for Peacock.

    Pluto TV
    Pluto TV, owned by Paramount, has about 250 curated channels, drawing content from its own Paramount properties (BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Pictures), plus networks such as Bloomberg, Cheddar News, CNN, NBC News, and Fox Sports. Pluto TV also has a decent library of on-demand content, including now-classic moviesā€”ā€œBefore Sunrise,ā€ ā€œPurple Rain,ā€ ā€œThe Age of Innocenceā€ā€”and newer fare such as ā€œKubo and the Two Strings.ā€ TV shows run the gamut from ā€œThe Andy Griffith Showā€ and the original ā€œGunsmokeā€ to ā€œCopsā€ and ā€œCriminal Minds.ā€

    In addition to genre-based channels, Pluto TV has added channels powered by other providers, including CBS (ā€œNCIS,ā€ ā€œFBIā€), AMC Networks (ā€œThe Making of the Mob,ā€ ā€œNOS4A2: Ghostā€), and Showtime (ā€œDexter,ā€ ā€œBillionsā€).

    Recently added channels include "BBC Top Gear," "Blue Bloods," and Dateline 24/7.

    Thereā€™s also now a Pluto TV Latino service, with 11 curated Spanish- and Portuguese-language channels covering categories including comedy, movies, music, reality TV, sports, telenovelas, and true crime.

    Sign up for Pluto TV.

    Redbox
    Best known for its rental kiosks at grocery stores and shopping centers, plus a newer video-on-demand streaming rental and purchase service,Ā RedboxĀ now has a free, ad-based live service as well, which gets some of its content from Xumo. Thanks to the Xumo partnership, Redboxā€™s free service includes Magnolia Picturesā€™ new CineLife ad-supported channel, which features top-rated independent films and award-winning documentaries from the Magnolia Pictures catalog.

    Redbox was recently acquired by Chicken Soup for the Soul, which also owns Crackle. The company says for now the streaming service will continue to run as a separate entity.

    Sign up for Redbox.

    The Roku Channel
    Thanks to a rapidly expanding roster of programming, you can watch free shows and movies via the companyā€™s ad-supported Roku Channel, which is now available outside of just Roku streaming players and TVs.

    The Roku Channel has a lot of licensed TV shows and movies, plus some live channels from ABC, AMC, Fox, NBC, Hallmark, and others. One big focus going forward will be Roku Originals, which will roll out 50 new shows over the next few years. Roku also purchased the content from Quibi when that short-lived service went under. Current Roku Originals include ā€œReno 911: Defundedā€; ā€œThe Fugitive,ā€ starring Kiefer Sutherland; ā€œThe Newsreaderā€; and the movie ā€œWeird: The Al Yankovic Story,ā€ a biopic based on the life of Weird Al Yankovic that stars Daniel Radcliffe.

    New original series include ā€œFight to Survive,ā€ ā€œReptile Royalty,ā€ and ā€œUFO Cowboys.ā€ The company also recently added second seasons for original food series starring Martha Stewart and Emeril Lagasse, part of co-production deals with Marquee Brands and Milk Street Studios that brings over 3,000 episodes of library content.

    Recently, Roku (and Tubi) licensed hundreds of movies and TV shows, including "Westworld" and "Cake Boss," from Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.

    In addition, Roku has a multiyear deal with Lionsgate that gives it rights to stream Lionsgateā€™s theatrically released films. Exclusive to Roku, itā€™s the first time titles are available free anywhere. Roku is also teaming up with a private equity company to acquire up to a 20 percent stake in the premium channel Starz, which was acquired by Lionsgate in 2016.

    Roku also lets you access AMC Networksā€™ paid streaming servicesā€” AMC+, Shudder, and Acorn TVā€”through the Roku Channelā€™s Premium Subscriptions.

    Sign up for The Roku Channel.

    Sling Freestream
    Sling Freestream is a new ad-supported service from Sling TV. The service has more than 210 channels and 41,000 on-demand titles, with genres ranging from news, sports, game shows, and crime dramas to sitcoms, home improvement, cooking, and more. Popular channels and programming include ABC News Live, CBS News, ESPN On Demand, FilmRise: ā€œHellā€™s Kitchen,ā€ ā€œHeartland,ā€ ā€œForensic Files,ā€ and The Walking Dead Universe and VH1 I Love Reality.

    Through Freestream, youā€™ll be able to subscribe to more than 50 standalone streaming services, including AMC+, Discovery+, and Showtime.

    Freestream is available through the Sling app on all Roku devices, and is rolling out across LG, Samsung, and Vizio devices.

    Tubi TV
    This ad-supported service has more than 40,000 titles, including selections from the libraries of Lionsgate, MGM, Paramount Pictures, and Warner Bros., plus networks including A&E, Lifetime, and Starz. The options range from old (and probably best forgotten) Chuck Norris films to classic indie titles (ā€œRequiem for a Dreamā€) to somewhat more recent movies such as ā€œLa La Land.ā€ Youā€™ll also find full seasons of TV shows ranging from oldies (ā€œThe Honeymoonersā€) to more recent fare (ā€œThe Masked Singerā€).

    Recently, Warner Bros. Discovery licensed hundreds of movies and TV shows, including "Westworld" and "Cake Boss,ā€ to Tubi (and Roku).

    Now owned by Fox,Ā TubiĀ is ramping up its original content with 100 new film and TV titles slated to appear over the next year. Tubi offers streaming access to many Fox shows, such as ā€œHellā€™s Kitchenā€ and ā€œLogo Masters,ā€ after they are broadcast. It also has a lineup of newer originals, including ā€œPrisoner of Loveā€ and ā€œCorrective Measures,ā€ the latter starring Bruce Willis. These join other Tubi Originals, such as ā€œ10 Truths About Love,ā€ ā€œWar of the Worlds: Annihilation,ā€ and ā€œMysteries From the Grave: Titanic.ā€

    It has several programs based on the Lego franchise, specials starring Garfield, and some Pokemon programs. The company also has a deal that brings eight seasons of ā€œBarney & Friendsā€ to the service. It has several live local and national news channels from outlets including ABC, Black News Channel, Bloomberg, CBS, Cheddar, Fox, and NBC.

    Sign up for Tubi TV.

    WBTV
    This new ad-supported service, from Warner Bros. Discovery, hasnā€™t yet launched. Not a lot is know yet about the planned service, but it will probably leverage content from Warner Bros., including HBO Max, Discovery, and Scripps. Warner Bros. Discovery recently licensed hundreds of movies and shows to Roku and Tubi, but those types of deals may end when it launches its own free service. So far, no launch date, or content, has been announced.

    Xumo
    Xumo, a joint venture between Comcast and Charter, is an ad-powered streaming video platform that offers live and on-demand content from more than 190 channels across multiple genres, including sports, action and drama, news, kids and family entertainment, live events, comedy, lifestyle, and movies.

    Content on Xumo includes news programming (ABC News Live, Bloomberg, CBS News Latest Headlines, LiveNow from Fox), movies from FilmRise, Hallmark, and Crackle, TV shows ranging from classic (ā€œThat Girlā€) to more current (ā€œNCISā€), and sports (CBS Sports HQ, Fox Sports). Movies also run the gamut from classics (ā€œCharadeā€) to modern classics (ā€œThe Pianistā€).

    It also has channels created specifically for Black and Latino audiences. A recent deal is bringing three new curated channels from Telemundo, which will include over 3,000 hours of Telemundo scripted shows, reality TV, news, sports, and more.

    In addition, last summer the service struck an exclusive deal with Magnolia Pictures that will have Xumo stream a new Magnolia movie almost every month, with a three-month exclusive window.

    At CES 2023, Xumo announced that it was partnering with Element Electronics to launch a line of 4K Element Xumo TVs in the U.S. later this year. Earlier, Comcast and Charter announced that theyā€™d be rebranding XClass smart TVs as Xumo TVs. The Flex streaming player will be rebranded as the Xumo Stream Box.

    Sign up for Xumo.

    Network Services

    AMC+
    Price: $9 a month. Some promotional pricing is available when you sign up through one of the serviceā€™s partners, such as Amazon, Apple, and Roku.

    AMC+ is one of the newer ad-free streaming subscription services. It includes the best of AMC, such as "Better Call Saul,"Ā ā€œMad Men,ā€Ā and exclusive series including "Interview With the Vampire," ā€œGangs of London,ā€ a British action crime series, plus shows and movies from BBC America, IFC, and Sundance TV, with full access to Shudder, Sundance Now, and IFC Films Unlimited. New exclusive movies are added every Friday.

    Among the new programming is a new series, Anne Riceā€™s "Mayfair Witches," starring Alexandra Daddario and Harry Hamlin, plus a new horror series, "Chucky."

    Like HBO Max, one perk of AMC+ is early access to some shows, as well as some streaming exclusives that arenā€™t available elsewhere.

    Sign up for AMC+.

    Discovery+
    Price: $5 per month with ads or $7 per month without. Students can get a discounted $3-per-month rate.

    Discovery+ targets those who like to watch Discoveryā€™s assortment of channels without subscribing to a full cable-style replacement service such as Hulu + Live TV, Sling, or YouTube TV.

    The companyā€”perhaps best known for ā€œShark Weekā€ā€”has an extensive collection of content. That includes more than 55,000 episodes from 2,500 current and classic shows in Discoveryā€™s portfolio of networks, which includes Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, and TLC. The service also includes content from the BBC Natural History Collection, plus nonfiction programming from A&E, The History Channel, and Lifetime.

    Last year, Discovery and WarnerMedia completed their merger; the new entity is called Warner Bros. Discovery. Company executives have said the long-term plan will be to combine HBO Max and Discovery+ into a single streaming entity. The company recently announced it will move the launch of the combined service from the summer to the spring of 2023.

    However, in a slight change of course, the company recently decided it will also keep Discovery+ as a lower-cost standalone service, for people not interested in the scripted entertainment programming.

    New original shows will feature programming starring or created by Martha Stewart, Kevin Hart, David Schwimmer, Sir David Attenborough, Bobby Flay, and Giada De Laurentiis. However, the parent company recently shuttled shows from Chip and Joanna Gainesā€™ Magnolia Network from Discovery+ to HBO Max.

    Sign up for Discovery+.

    ESPN+
    Price: $10 per month or $100 per year for the basic service.

    ESPN+ is best for hardcore sports junkies looking to add out-of-market baseball and hockey games to their menu, college sports fans who want a broader assortment of sports than they can get with traditional TV, and those with an interest in niche sports, such as rugby and cricket. The service will also offer documentaries and scripted series.

    Shows include ā€œPeytonā€™s Placesā€ with Peyton Manning, ā€œMan in the Arenaā€ with Tom Brady, and ā€œMore Than an Athleteā€ with Michael Strahan. Thereā€™s also a library of original ā€œ30 for 30ā€ documentaries, including ā€œVick,ā€ about the rise and fall of the quarterback Michael Vick.

    The bad news is that Disney recently hiked the price of ESPN+, up $3 from $7 to $10 a month, or $100 a year. As mentioned above, you can also get bundled plans with Disney+ and Hulu, with ads, for $13 a month. Another plan, with ad-free Disney+ and ad-free Hulu, plus ESPN+, costs $20 a month.

    Sign up for ESPN+.

    Paramount+
    Price: $5 per month or $50 annually with ads, or $10 per month or $100 annually ad-free.

    Paramount+ is the replacement for CBS All Access and provides full-length episodes of CBS programs and new original programming, plus livestreams of local CBS affiliates in many markets.

    The big news for the company is that it is merging both the Showtime cable channel and the Showtime Now streaming service into Paramount+. The new cable network is called Paramount+ With Showtime, while the streaming service is Paramount+ Premium With Showtime.

    Parent company Paramount (formerly ViacomCBS) offers two plans. The $5-per-month ad-supported Essential tier mirrors what you used to get with CBS All Access: movies and TV shows from CBS and Viacom properties, including BET, CBS, Miramax, and Paramount, as well as live sports, including NFL games, soccer matches, and PGA golf. This plan doesnā€™t include live local CBS stations, but the NFL on CBS is available via separate live feeds. Verified students are able to get a 25 percent discount on the Essential plan.

    The Premium tier, previously called Commercial Free, costs $10 per month. Itā€™s mostly commercial-free (except for live TV streams) and features the same content as the ad-supported tier but includes your live local CBS station. It also has shows and movies in 4K with HDR (including Dolby Vision), plus mobile downloads. The rebranded Paramount+ Premium with Showtime will include all the original Showtime series, which you donā€™t get with Essential. But the company just announced that it will be raising the price of Essentials from $5 to $6 a month, while the Premier plan goes from $10 to $12 a month. It didnā€™t say when the price increases will take effect.

    Paramount+ original content includes ā€œ1923,ā€ a companion to the popular ā€œYellowstoneā€ series (which, thanks to an oddity of licensing deals, is on Peacock) starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, and shows such as ā€œSeal Team,ā€ ā€œThe Good Fight,ā€ ā€œThe Mayor of Kingstown,ā€ and ā€œEvil,ā€ some of which used to be on CBS. There are also a growing number of series based on the ā€œStar Trekā€ franchise, and a reboot of the popular comedy ā€œFraserā€ā€”with Kelsey Grammer returning in the title roleā€”will air later this year.

    New blockbuster movies include ā€œTop Gun: Maverick" and the horror film "Smile,ā€ available now, and ā€œMission: Impossible 7.ā€

    Sign up for Paramount+.

    Peacock
    Price: Free, or $5 per month with ads, $10 without.

    NBCUniversalā€™s Peacock lets you access NBC shows and Universal movies, as well as licensed content, original programming, and live sports events.

    The service has had free and paid tiers, but the company recently stopped offering the free tier to new subscribers. Those who have the free tier can keep it. All include current-season NBC broadcasts, plus a mix of offerings from NBC, Universal Studios, USA Network, Syfy, Bravo, Telemundo, and Universal Kids. The service also licenses shows from other networks, including A&E, ABC, and Fox, as well as Paramount. There are deals in place for movies from Universal Pictures, DreamWorks, Focus Features, Illumination, Warner Bros., and Blumhouse.

    The Peacock Premium paid tier gets you exclusive next-day access to current NBC and Bravo shows now that those deals with Hulu have expired. You also get access to original series, including ā€œThe Resort,ā€ ā€œLove Island,ā€ and ā€œYellowstone.ā€ A deal with Universal brings that companyā€™s new movies, including ā€œJurassic World: Dominionā€ and ā€œMinions: The Rise of Gru,ā€ exclusively to Peacock for 45 days after leaving theaters. Other new movies include the Jordan Peele horror film "Nope," the religious comedy ā€œHonk for Jesus: Save Your Soulā€ and ā€œThey/Them,ā€ a horror thriller about campers at an LGBTQ+ conversion camp.

    A multiyear deal with Lionsgate brings all its theatrically released films (including ā€œThe Unbearable Weight of Massive Talentā€ starring Nicholas Cage, and ā€œJohn Wick: Chapter 4ā€) to Peacock starting in 2024.

    For sports fans, Peacock will stream Premier League soccer games, golf tournaments, and WWE Network matches. It also recently signed an extension with the NFL through 2033 to show Sunday night NFL games that air on NBC.

    Sign up for Peacock.

    Niche Services

    The Criterion Channel
    Price: $11 per month or $100 for an annual subscription.

    Rising out of the ashes of the now-shuttered FilmStruck, the Criterion Channel classic movie streaming service offers ā€œcontinuous access to Criterionā€™s streaming library of more than 1,000 important classic and contemporary films, plus a constantly refreshed selection of Hollywood, international, art-house, and independent films,ā€ according to the company.

    The stand-alone Criterion Channel is the result of a special deal with WarnerMedia, which shut down the FilmStruck streaming service in late 2018. Parts of the Criterion Collection film library, which had been included in that service, are also available on the HBO Max service.

    Among the titles recently added to the Criterion Channel are the Beatles film ā€œA Hard Dayā€™s Nightā€; the Coen Brothersā€™ ā€œBlood Simpleā€; "Pillow Talk," with Rock Hudson and Doris Day; and ā€œTootsie,ā€ starring Dustin Hoffman.

    Sign up for The Criterion Channel.

    PBS Passport
    Price: At least $5 a month, or $60 a year.

    While a free version of PBS is also available, PBS Passport unlocks additional programming thatā€™s no longer available for streaming to nonmembers. The PBS Passport library features episodes from popular programs, including ā€œAmerican Experience,ā€ ā€œAmerican Masters,ā€ ā€œAntiques Roadshow,ā€ ā€œNature,ā€ ā€œNOVA,ā€ and Masterpiece shows such as ā€œAnnika,ā€ ā€œAll Creatures Great and Small,ā€ ā€œDownton Abbey,ā€ ā€œGrantchester,ā€ and ā€œSanditon.ā€

    On the PBS streaming service, episodes that are only available for viewing by Passport members sport a blue ā€œcompass roseā€ Passport icon in the upper left-hand corner of the program.

    Sign up for PBS Passport.

    Premium Channels

    HBO Max
    Price: $10 a month (or $100 annually) with ads, or $16 per month with no ads;

    HBO Max offers everything you used to get with HBO, plus a lot more content from WarnerMedia properties, for about the same monthly price, though HBO Max now costs $16 a month since its $1-a-month price hike in January. HBO Max is also included some top-tier DirecTV and DirecTV Stream plans.

    In addition to regular HBO channels, HBO Max includes a slate of new original programs and titles from the Warner Bros. TV and film library. The service also has content from Warnerā€™s Cartoon Network, CNN, DC Entertainment, TBS, The CW, TNT, and Turner Classic Movies. But a deal with Universal that brought movies to the service has expired; they now go to Peacock (see above).

    HBO Max has a number of exclusives, including the streaming rights to every episode of ā€œFriendsā€ and ā€œThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,ā€ and exclusive domestic rights to all 12 seasons of ā€œThe Big Bang Theory.ā€ Newer movies include ā€œBlack Adamā€ and ā€œAmsterdam,ā€ and original series include "White Lotus," ā€œThe Gilded Age,ā€ ā€œSuccession,ā€ and ā€œEuphoria.ā€ Newer series include "The Last of Us," based on the video game; and the ā€œGame of Thronesā€ prequel, ā€œHouse of the Dragon.ā€ A second season has already been approved.

    For those on a budget, thereā€™s now also a less expensive, ad-supported version of HBO Max called HBO Max With Ads. It costs $10 per month or $100 a year, but it doesnā€™t include the Warner Bros. movies that appear on HBO Max the day they launch in theaters, such as last yearā€™s blockbusters ā€œDuneā€ and ā€œThe Matrix 4.ā€ It also doesnā€™t offer movies in 4K, and you canā€™t download movies for offline viewing.

    As we noted above, Warner Bros. Discovery executives plan to combine HBO Max and Discovery+ into a single streaming entity, with Discovery+ continuing as a lower-cost standalone service for people who donā€™t want the scripted programming.

    The company says it plans to launch the new service in the spring of 2023.

    Sign up for HBO Max.

    Showtime Now
    Price: $11 per month.

    Like HBO Max, this service lets you watch a cable network without the cable. You get all of Showtimeā€™s movies, plus original shows such as "George and Tammy," ā€œYour Honor,ā€ ā€œDexter: New Blood,ā€ and ā€œBillions,ā€ documentaries, and sporting events.

    Showtime Now is Showtimeā€™s streaming service, not to be confused with Showtime Anytime, the companyā€™s ā€œTV anywhereā€ app that lets those already paying for Showtime through a TV provider access it on other devices when away from home.

    As we noted above, parent company Paramount is merging both the Showtime cable channel and the Showtime Now streaming service into Paramount+. The new cable network will be called Paramount+ With Showtime, while the streaming service becomes Paramount+ Premium With Showtime.

    Sign up for Showtime Now.

    Starz
    Price: $9 per month.

    Like HBO and Showtime, you can now get Starz without a pay-TV subscription. Content includes shows (ā€œSpanish Princess,ā€ ā€œOutlander,ā€ ā€œPower Book III Ghost Seasonā€) and movies (ā€œThe Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,ā€ ā€œFallā€). It also had the streaming debut of the ā€œVenomā€ sequel, ā€œVenom: Let There Be Carnage.ā€

    Starz ended its agreement with Sony Pictures, but a deal with Lionsgate brings movies like ā€œJohn Wickā€ and ā€œKnives Outā€ to the service. It also launched a new season of ā€œOutlander.ā€

    Starz also has a number of original TV shows, including ā€œThe Serpent Queen,ā€ ā€œHightown,ā€ about a Cape Cod woman struggling with sobriety, and ā€œWho is Ghislaine Maxwell,ā€ about Jeffrey Epsteinā€™s cohort. Newer ones include the horror/comedy ā€œShining Vale,ā€ with Courtney Cox, and ā€œDangerous Liaisons,ā€ based on the movie.

    Roku recently announced that it was partnering with a venture capital firm to acquire up to 20 percent of Starz.

    Sign up for Starz.

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    James K. Willcox

    I've been a tech journalist for more years than I'm willing to admit. My specialties at CR are TVs, streaming media, audio, and TV and broadband services. In my spare time I build and play guitars and bass, ride motorcycles, and like to sailā€”hobbies I've not yet figured out how to safely combine.