Learn about streaming TV

Any time you watch TV on the internet instead of through a traditional television signal, you're streaming TV. There are options for both live channels and video-on-demand platforms. These services let you watch your favorite shows, movies, and channels whenever you want, on virtually any connected device.

You can watch TV on a streaming service using your mobile device, tablet, or smart TV. You can also use a regular TV with a connected streaming device like a Roku, Amazon Fire stick, or Apple TV. These devices are usually simple to set up yourself. Keep in mind that specific device compatibility varies by provider.

We recommend a minimum speed of 20 Mbps for reliable HD (high-definition) streaming on one device at a time. For concurrent streams on multiple devices, just multiply. So, 40 Mbps for two devices at a time, 60 Mbps for three, and so on.

Channel availability, including local channels, varies by provider. We recommend looking closely at which online TV providers carry the channels you want to watch. 

Cloud DVRs work just like old-school DVRs—they let you record your favorite shows and movies, store them online, and watch them whenever. But with more storage (on the cloud) and the ability to record multiple shows at once, you never have to miss a game, movie or TV show again. Plus, with cloud-based DVR services, there's no need for any extra equipment.

This term refers to streaming TV to multiple devices at the same time on the same network connection.