WHAT YOU CAN DO
• Turn your old TV into a smart TV for under £40
• Record and rewind live TV without a set-top box
• Watch free TV without adverts using a browser extension
• Watch recent and classic films and TV shows for free
• Tune into hundreds of channels from around the world
• Enjoy unlimited content without signing up for an account
• Never pay full price for a streaming service again
As the cost-of-living crisis continues, many of us are saving money by cancelling our memberships to streaming services. A recent report by the market research company Kantar (www.snipca.com/43911) found that the number of UK households with at least one streaming subscription fell by nearly one million between January and September, as people prioritise paying for essentials such as food and energy over their home entertainment. Sales of smart TVs have also stalled, as more viewers stick with older, ‘dumber’ sets.
The good news is that it’s possible to pay less for streaming without sacrificing quality, by switching to cheaper – and often better – devices and services. There’s a common misconception that, aside from UK broadcasters’ catch-up services, such as BBC iPlayer, All 4 and ITVX (formerly ITV Hub), free streaming content is poor quality. But, as we reveal on page 53, there are now lots of great free options to choose from that don’t just show dreadful films no one’s ever heard of – and their ads are no more irritating than those on commercial terrestrial TV.
We also look at the best new streaming devices you can buy to expand and enhance your viewing, so you can bag a TV bargain in the Black Friday and pre-Christmas sales. And if you want to stick with your current streaming services, we explain how to cut the cost of your subscriptions.
SWITCH TO A CHEAPER STREAMING DEVICE
Buy a standalone streaming device
Chromecast with Google TV
From £34.99
Google’s latest Chromecast dongle lets you turn any television into a smart TV for just £35 – about a tenth of the price of buying a new set – simply by plugging it into an HDMI port. The new device lets you stream shows and films at 1080p HD quality and costs £20 less than the existing Chromecast with Google TV, which supports 4K streaming. It’s otherwise the same size with the same soap-on-a-rope design, and offers the same features. These include a unified home screen that lets you browse all your entertainment in one place; a remote control with dedicated buttons for Netflix,
