It may seem like a contradiction coming from the Product Evangelist at the best TV company in the business, but when I talk with my kids about “what they’re watching,” at some point the phrase “OK, Boomer,” gets used by one of them.

That’s because the idea of “what’s on TV tonight” is a totally foreign concept to them. Whenever I hit the “guide” button, I can hear them signing in my head. But the following is for us, boomers!

While there is virtually limitless content available to watch, and TV programming can be seen shortly after it was broadcast on streaming channels such as on Hulu, or the network streaming channels themselves (NBC, Fox, etc.), there’s something satisfying about watching that latest episode of Survivor as it’s being broadcast.

It’s satisfying to stay on the pulse of what’s happening and to be able to talk about what happened on Tuesday night’s episode of Curse of Oak Island with your buddies first thing Wednesday morning, or see the Sox game live as it’s happening.

There are a TON of live TV streaming services out there that do many great things, including: help you cut the cord, ditch expensive monthly cable bills, allow you to “watch TV” where you never did before, and much more!

The great thing about a TCL Roku TV, is freedom of choice and freedom to find the right services for your budget or entertainment preferences. We don’t care from whom you get your content, we just want you to enjoy it on a beautiful TV!

Here are a few tips to help you find the right streaming services for the way you watch TV.

Make Notes

When deciding which service is best for you, what I tell folks is to start by asking yourself what you want to watch. Over the course of a few days, make notes on what channels you spend time watching. While selection is generally great, not all services offer all the channels that you care about, so it’s important to know what you want and what you don’t want. 

Set a Budget

Budget is critical. While cutting the cord can save you loads of money over cable, remember that adding that “sports package” can make the cost of that seemingly great deal balloon. Research thoroughly!

Watch Later with DVRs

Did you know that most live TV streaming services such as YouTube TV or Hulu Plus Live TV, also offer Cloud DVRs?  This means that if you are a creature of habit when it comes to watching live TV (OK, Boomer!), but expect to be busy during this week’s episode of Chicago PD, you can “record it” in the cloud, and watch it any time (sometimes at an additional cost, or upcharge for more storage).

Don’t Forget your Antenna

All TCL Roku TVs have built-in tuners for watching local channels. So, watching live broadcast TV is as simple as connecting an antenna. Plus, with our latest software updates, you can also pause/rewind up to 90-minutes of Live TV, as well as use our free smart program guide! 

Having all this streaming content available means more entertainment and greater convenience! Having an outdoor gathering this summer and want to catch the Sox (yes, I wrote that again)? Just bring your TCL Roku TV out to the patio, plug it in, and stream away—without a clunky cable box or coax cable to run!

As always, one of the “challenges” of “endless entertainment” is deciding how to get it. But, when it comes to live TV, with a little homework, you’ll be watching what you want, when you want, and where you want!