If you have been wondering about which is the best between cable TV and streaming, you are reading the right article at the moment.
Both cable and streaming provide platforms through which people can watch their favorite TV shows and movies, they are based on different foundations.
Streaming services have become quite popular and some can be found in almost every country you visit.
They offer an alternative to cable and satellite service. Cable has been around for more than a decade.
However, some people have a hard time choosing between the two.
In this article today, we will look at how both cable and streaming compare with each other in Canada.
We will also take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of cable and streaming.
Please note that in the analysis below, cable TV comes first, followed by streaming.
How Cable TV Works
Almost everyone will know cable TV which has been in existence since the 1950s.
What the cable does is to broadcast the network onto a provider’s dedicated network and it uses coaxial cables to operate the transmission of shows.
Apart from coaxial cables, fiber optic cables are also sometimes used in the transmission of shows and movies in the form of data.
This makes cable TV more reliable due to its infrastructure.
Channels
The most comprehensive channel list can be found on cable. There are a lot of channels that allow for greater choice in what people watch on cable.
This is one of the biggest benefits to people who have families who love to watch a variety of entertainment shows.
The availability of many channels is mainly due to how long cable TV has been around.
There is also a strong relationship between the networks and this allows cable to provide more content for users to watch.
Contracts
In terms of contract, you will normally find yourself in a contract when you are using cable although this will depend on the service provider.
This shows that you should always check a provider out before you get it to make sure that you do not get locked inside a contract.
However, if you are looking to stay with one service for about a year, you can then decide to enter into a contract that will allow you to save some money. This will also allow you to take advantage of special offers.
Connection Quality
A cable is a broadcast medium that uses coaxial or fiber optic cables in the transmission of data.
Due to this, you can keep watching your favorite movies and TV shows unless there is an interruption in your electricity.
This makes cable much more reliable to use. You will also have a high-quality experience for your viewing section.
Experience
Cable TV is not easy to stream where you like. However, cable has been raising its game lately as most providers are now offering dedicated apps that can allow users to stream their movies and TV shows wherever they go.
When it comes to streaming experience, streaming platforms are ahead as it is easy to stream content anywhere one may be.
They can even stream movies and TV shows on their devices such as mobile phones and tablets anywhere they go from a dedicated app of their streaming service.
This makes it easier to watch any movies and TV shows and continue them later when you feel like it.
Both cable and streaming allow their users to get access to on-demand content, pause the shows they are watching, and many more features.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Cable
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of cable TV
Advantages
The main advantage of cable TV is that it offers a wide variety of content when you compare it to streaming TV.
You can get access to all your favorite premium channels along with international ones on cable.
This includes sports and several other channels. You also get access to HDTV channels, allowing you to enjoy a high-quality viewing experience.
Disadvantages
The main disadvantage of cable TV is that you need to sign a contract before you can start watching your favorite channels.
What this means is that, if you decide to cancel your subscription before it ends, you will face termination fees from the provider.
Another potential disadvantage is that cable TV can be quite expensive when compared to streaming TV, depending on the provider and package you choose.
How Streaming Works
Streaming is a newer way of watching TV shows and movies. This form does not use any cables for transmitting shows and movies.
As long as a person has access to the internet, they can get access to streaming services in any part of the nation they may be in.
Although streaming seems to be more affordable for startups, it comes with fewer channels when compared to cable TV.
However, it will not be more than what you may pay on streaming.
People turned to cord-cutting as a way of saving money on what they paid for their TV.
However, they tend to pay more now for streaming services. The premium plans and various add-ons offered by streaming platforms can sometimes raise the price of subscription plans quite high.
Let us take for example Hulu which has a subscription plan that starts at $6.99 per month.
However, you will need to get Hulu + Live TV if you feel like watching Live TV and that will cost you even more at $69.99 per month.
That is a big gap. Due to this, users always have to make sure that they understand exactly what they need. This shows that streaming costs more than cable TV.
Channels
On streaming, you will encounter many of the major networks. However, the number of channels overall is normally small.
On streaming, you will need a service for each one that you would like to watch.
For example, you will need to get a service for children’s content and another service for adult content.
The addition of these services eventually increases the price the people have to pay.
Contracts
On the other hand, streaming normally allows users to use the service on a month-to-month basis.
Some streaming services also offer year-long plans users can choose from and these normally come at discounted prices. You get 16% off the subscription plan fee on Hulu when you sign up for the year-long plan instead of the monthly plan.
Connection Quality
Streaming depends on the availability of the internet and having a bad internet connection means that you will not be able to stream your shows and movies.
So to use streaming services, you will have to make sure that your internet connection is fast enough.
The speed of your internet connection will determine the quality of the movies and shows you watch.
Having a slow internet connection will cause your movies and shows to lag and freeze.
The streaming quality may be slightly lower even when the internet connection is fast although most people will not be able to see this easily.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Streaming
Below are the advantages and disadvantages of streaming TV.
Advantages
The main advantage of streaming is that it is more cost-effective than cable.
There are normally no contracts or fees for installation and services such as Hulu and Netflix come with customizable options and a wide range of content to watch.
Some streaming service also allows 4K streaming of content along with 4K compatibility for ultra-high HDMI viewing.
Some services also have built-in wifi and Bluetooth capabilities.
Disadvantages
One of the main disadvantages of streaming TV is that you may not get some popular channels due to the service you choose.
Streaming may also be unreliable at times because it relies on the internet.
Having a slow internet connection would mean that your streaming quality would be low and you may sometimes need a component like an HDMI extender before you can connect properly.
Conclusion
So in this article today, we have seen how cable and streaming stack up with each other.
Each service has its advantages and disadvantages over the other. People who have families with different interests would be better off with cable.
However, if you are looking to watch movies on a tight budget and do not mind about smaller channels you will get, then you can hop over to streaming.
Other streaming platforms and how to watch them in Canada:
- How to watch SuperSport in Canada
- Live streaming services in Canada
- Affordable streaming services in Canada
- How to watch Acorn TV in Canada
- How to watch Tubi TV in Canada
- How to watch Stack TV in Canada
- How to watch Shudder in Canada
- How to watch Paramount Plus in Canada
- How to Oxygen TV in Canada
- How to watch Viaplay in Canada
