Thursday, October 29, 2015

Watching what you want for free

Have you heard of Roku? It is a steaming video player that you plug into your TV and allows you access to lots of free channel - including Mom's favorite PBS in high definition. There are many other similar devices such a Google Play, Amazon Firestick and so on. When we moved to Florida Mom and Dad decided just get basic cable & internet and it has saved then $120 a month doing so but for a one time purchase of $69 they got the little Roku and can watch all sorts of wonderful things for free (plus you can plug headphones into the remote for quiet listening at night time!)  Now there are subscriptions available through Roku and the other players  too if you want them - like Amazon, Netflix, Hulu and so on and through those you can watch all the latest releases. This week we have been watching two awesome PBS series - one called "The Brain" and the other "How we got to now."

We are especially loving the "How we get to now" which looks at how every day simple concepts have changed our entire world. The connections are quite amazing - in the first episode "clean" they looked at how the building sewer systems in our cities changed everything. Did you know that in Chicago they actually raised entire buildings and blocks of buildings so they could build the sewer systems underneath them? Those sewer systems also lead to a new development in clean water treatments which led to a boom in swimming pools, people learning to swim, new fashions in swim wear and so on. It even impacted on our need to be clean and to keep everything clean - thus lessening diseases that previously plagued the human race. Even more minding blowing is that nearly all the things we take for granted today have only been developed in the last 150-200 years. Planes, cars, computers, electricity, medical advances, phones, radio, TV and so on. If you love old shows from the 60's and 70's - you will love this option as all these old shows are available to watch for free. Dad is also super happy as a number of ESPN channels are available free too so he has been able to watch his beloved Penn State play - go Nittany Lions. And here is the one and ONLY time I have every worn something - this a flashback to 2008 and Dad bought me a Nittany Lion Shirt - my fur stuck out all over the place and Mom said I looked like I was exploding out of it - that is when I laid down the paw and said I would NEVER wear clothes again :)


24 comments:

  1. Oh but you do look very debonaire in you shirt Reilly
    I luffs watching TeeVees, especially the adverts 'cos they oftens haf animals in!
    Loves and licky kisses
    Princess Leah xxx

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  2. That show sounds amazing. I love learning history and fun facts like that. We still have regular old cable, but Roku sounds very cool. Have fun!

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  3. Squeals - but you look so darn cute in your shirt my friend - I love it! XOXO - Bacon

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  4. many thanks for the idea with the Roku, we will look at amazon if we can get one! We had the firestick and my momma jumped with joy.... till she noticed that efurrything is with french language... my dad said now she can really WATCH tv... and maybe she can learn to read the lips of the actors :o)

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  5. I wonder if that is the same Brain show we have seen the past week? We wondered what the big difference was between that and Netflix.

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  6. We only have basic cable and run it threw a PlayStation the cable company gave us for free when we signed up. What a difference! We stream Netflix and Amazon and just love it!

    Monty and Harlow

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  7. Yeah, but if you've gotta wear something -- as my mom says, WE ARE -- PENN STATE!!! I think you look wonderful!
    Cammie!

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  8. We may have to look in to that. The peeps recently dropped cable TV and went to antennae. But we are very limited in channels available. so they signed up for a Dish Network special price for 2 yrs. After that we will have to reevaluate
    Thanks for the info
    hugs
    Mr Bailey, Hazel & mabel

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  9. I've heard of the Amazon Firestick but not Roku, it looks pretty good!
    Dip and Elliot x

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  10. SHE loved that series How we got to Now--it was on regular telly here. We only have an old telly. And we agree with you about clothes. We can't move when we have them on.

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  11. That's a great idea! We have satellite TV that is a lot cheaper than cable and we have a Roku too. It works great. The only time we have any trouble is when there's a big windy storm. Then the satellite reception gets a bit off. Ghostwriter hardly watches any TV, but she was interested in the show you recommended. Dad watches TV all day long, and loves to catch old movies.

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  12. We have never heard of Roku, Google Play or Amazon Firestick. Our peeps are way behind the times but what we do know is that you look great in your Penn State jersey, Reilly!

    Love ya lots♥
    Mitch and Molly

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  13. WE ARE! My Granddaughter is in year two at Penn State York...headed to State College next Fall!

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  14. We've had a roku for years. Haven't watched those PBS shows yet, we'll have to give them a try. Always looking for good shows to watch. I rarely watch the major network shows anymore. Just PBS and netflix series.

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  15. Ma got that years ago, butts it was in it's infancy and they didn't have good audio or CC, so she got frustrated with it. I bets it's better now...she'll have to plug it in again and see. Those shows sound interestin' fursure!
    Kisses,
    Ruby ♥

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  16. I'm glad to hear about that series! I'll have to look for it, sounds like something we'd really enjoy. As for wearing clothes, Toby agrees with you 100%. He says, let the cats wear clothes.

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  17. That sounds like a great gadget. It does seem incredible how far we have come in just over 200 years! Heck, it amazes me how much has been developed in the past 30 years. ☺

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  18. You look so pawsome in your shirt!

    Ziggy Out!!

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  19. I am so glad you told us about your experience with Roku. We too have moved and had to switch cable companies and can't seem top find our favorite programs. Granny and Grandpa are retired and have to be very careful how they spend their money - gotta keep me in spa days and peanut butter biscuits, you know! I agree with you about the silly costumes. I would be terribly embarrassed if Granny got a crazy idea like that, although I do like a little bling on my collar. Lovies from Jolie Amie

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  20. We have Aple TV...which is kinda like Roku....Mama and Daddy finally got rid of our Cable TV cause they mainly watch Netflix :-).

    Bilbo is sooooo with you about the clothes thing!!
    Smileys!
    Dory, Jakey, Arty & Bilbo

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  21. There are so many different ways to watch TV these days, it is really difficult to sort all the options out.

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  22. That's very interesting Reilly! We think you looked very cute in your shirt but we understand if you'd rather not wear clothes! Katie won't either.

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  23. Mom does be looking into the Roku or Sling, which I think also lets them watch their football games. Very important! But you do look dashing in that shirt!

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Thank you for woofing at us - we read each and every one of them