I lived without a TV for a couple of years, around Katrina time -- I experienced that disaster only through radio broadcasts.
Later, I had a Blu-ray player and a combo monitor-TV where I watched OTA broadcasts after the Digital Transition. About 9 years ago, the TV broke, and was deemed unrepairable.
I chose not to replace any TV and I decided I was way better off without Jay Leno in my ear every night, and trash like Degrassi in my eyes every week. For a while, I was. I didn't play discs anymore, either, so my consumption of video content went down, and I was really immersed in interactive computer stuff.
Gradually I found myself to be a YouTube addict, and I've gone all-in with it. Over the years, the stuff they've added has made it a one-stop shop where I never miss TV programming.
At this point, YT has free films (just watch ads or pay Premium), it has on-demand streaming for rent or purchase, just about any major film you can name. They have TV-style packages offered. They are a gateway to other streaming services like Paramount+. There are even silly little minigames now. Mostly, though, I love music videos, and I curate dozens upon dozens of playlists for my tastes and moods. (Beware: user playlists are a legacy feature, and seem to get more inconvenient over time.)
YT has worked hard to become a hub for all things streaming, even as Netflix and competitors splintered into every studio's balkanized app. For someone like me, it's really a relief to just be loyal in one service, and not go chasing content over a dozen paid services or something. Being a low-income cheapskate, I mostly put up with a deluge of ads, because that's how folks get paid these days.
Later, I had a Blu-ray player and a combo monitor-TV where I watched OTA broadcasts after the Digital Transition. About 9 years ago, the TV broke, and was deemed unrepairable.
I chose not to replace any TV and I decided I was way better off without Jay Leno in my ear every night, and trash like Degrassi in my eyes every week. For a while, I was. I didn't play discs anymore, either, so my consumption of video content went down, and I was really immersed in interactive computer stuff.
Gradually I found myself to be a YouTube addict, and I've gone all-in with it. Over the years, the stuff they've added has made it a one-stop shop where I never miss TV programming.
At this point, YT has free films (just watch ads or pay Premium), it has on-demand streaming for rent or purchase, just about any major film you can name. They have TV-style packages offered. They are a gateway to other streaming services like Paramount+. There are even silly little minigames now. Mostly, though, I love music videos, and I curate dozens upon dozens of playlists for my tastes and moods. (Beware: user playlists are a legacy feature, and seem to get more inconvenient over time.)
YT has worked hard to become a hub for all things streaming, even as Netflix and competitors splintered into every studio's balkanized app. For someone like me, it's really a relief to just be loyal in one service, and not go chasing content over a dozen paid services or something. Being a low-income cheapskate, I mostly put up with a deluge of ads, because that's how folks get paid these days.