If you are a football fan, sure, I can see where that’s an issue. I am not a football fan, but I recognize that it’s nearly impossible to get NFL games without a pay TV service.
But that’s not the reason for everyone. So I asked readers of my Roku blog, what keeps/kept them from streaming internet tv and here are the responses:
*Note – readers were permitted to choose more than one option*
67% - It’s pretty clear that cost of content is leading the pack, with bandwidth/data caps following at a considerable distance. This struck me as amusing actually, because I’m saving several hundred a year as a cord cutter – cost of content is negligible compared to pay TV packages. But I have so much to say about the cost comparison that it will be a whole separate article.
25% - Bandwidth and data caps are definitely a huge barrier for a lot of people. It means cord cutters need to be more selective in what they watch. Some people go into the Netflix settings and change their streaming quality to minimize their data consumption. Others avoid watching in HD. Some cord cutters upgraded to higher tier packages with higher/no caps or even traded up to business class.
20% - Not interested in available content – All I can do with this one is keep turning out info on what content is available on a Roku set top box. There’s more than most people think, and I will keep sharing it.
9% - Hardware limitations – I already did a post on how to use your old TV with a Roku. Apparently Apple TV needs a more modern TV and HTPC to TV – well I can think of a way to do it but it’s complicated. Frankly if you are a user of older hardware, Roku is the way to go. You’re still going to need a decent internet speed though.
6% - Service blocked by isp – this one is going to take some legal battles I suspect. Or at least a thousand voices crying out. Be the squeaky wheel, people. Tell your isp what you think of content blocking.
2% - Cost of hardware - When I asked in more detail during in person interviews, it turned out that most of the people who mentioned cost of hardware as a barrier hadn’t actually researched the cost of hardware, but had instead just assumed it would be expensive. There are so many choices and most of them pay for themselves if you are cutting the cord at the same time. That's another one that requires its own post, and there are already posts on this very site with some of that information.
2% - It must all be pirated content – it’s not the 90’s anymore. The big studios and networks are in on the streaming game and there’s so much legitimate streaming content that it’s impossible to list it all. Sure, there’s still pirated content and quasi legal torrents out there but it’s laughably easy to avoid the stuff that will get you in trouble.
2% - Fear of the unknown – Well that’s not you is it? Because you are here, now, reading this. You WANT to know more about streaming tv. Welcome to the party!
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