Cutting the Cable

You've probably heard of people who are canceling their cable or satellite TV services. The idea of giving up hundreds of channels and their associated convenience is too much for many people, which is why they're willing to pay $60 to $150 per month (or more for premium packages) to providers. The downside is that you may be laying out a lot of money for only a few regularly-watched channels. The good news is that you can enjoy much of what you already watch at very little, or even no, cost to you and just a little work. On top of that, you probably already own some of what you need to get free or "deeply-discounted" (from cable or dish rates) content. Here are the fundamentals of making the switch:

1. Over-the-air Broadcasts: TV Antenna
Your home setup should start with a TV antenna so that you can get the local channels (the networks, PBS, etc). Vist the FCC's website to find out exactly what kind of antenna you will need and head over to Antenna Web to plug in your address and get even more specific information about what you need for you location. 

You can pick up the digital antenna you need from Radio Shack or most hardware stores or search online for a wider array of antenna choices. Check out Deep Surplus and Monoprice; they stock all kinds of home entertainment hardware for incredibly low prices. Once you've got your antenna, visit Antenna Web or TV Fool, where you'll find a wealth of information about the do's and don'ts of antenna placement and how to make the best of HDTV over the air. *Bonus: If you already own a TiVO, you can still use it. Just run your antenna to it and record as usual.  **Extra Bonus: The picture and sound quality of HDTV broadcasts beat the cable company's product like a drum.

2. Internet-Ready Streaming Device
There are a few of these on the market, and they deliver content from sites like NetFlix, Hulu, MLBTV and many others. Since each of these devices essentially do the same thing but deliver it in different ways, you'll want to do some research on your own to pick the one that's right for you. Some of the more popular models are the Apple TV 2, Roku, Boxee and Google TV. The Xbox 360 Console can also stream internet content.  Bonus: The Apple TV can also stream music to your home stereo and play music. All you need is a computer with iTunes that's connected to a wireless router.

3. The Computer You Already Own
You probably already know at least a little about this part. Free TV and movies abound on sites like Hulu or any of the networks' official web sites. For a small monthly charge of about $8, you can get NetFlix streaming on your computer.  Shows that can't be had through either of these sources can usually be found in the iTunes store (accessed within the iTunes application on your computer, iPhone or iPad) or Amazon's free Instant Video or paid Prime Instant Video services. Bonus: You can watch this right on the computer or hook your computer up to your HDMI or DVI compatible TV. You'll need to find the cable and (possibly) adapter that is right for your computer to TV hookup. Check out retailers like Deep Surplus, My Cable Mart or Radio Shack, among many others.

4. Take it Up a Notch: A Home Entertainment Server
Having your own home media server is the ultimate setup - it allows you to access all of your movies, music, photos and any other files you have stored on it, whether you're at home or across the country. Pulling this off is not for the faint of heart, though, and to really maximize the benefits of this setup, you have to have at least some technical know-how or ambition. The possibilities and and types of home servers are too many to go over here, so here is an excellent intro to home media servers.

The Downside
If you're going to take the plunge and create your own entertainment system, you're going to give some things up. There are shows, events and other content out there that simply aren't available for free. HBO, Showtime or HGTV die-hards might not like this approach, as canceling cable TV basically means saying goodbye. Then there are the kids. The Disney Channel doubles as a virtual babysitter in many homes. Take it away, and your formerly docile children might make you wish you hadn't. Last, but far from least, to think about is sports. If you or your significant other live and die on the 20-yard line, you might want to rethink canceling satellite or cable, which often provide specialized channels and networks for viewing sports of all kinds.

So What Should You Do?
The key to the decision is simple: know thyself. If you are tired of paying out thousands of dollars per year to the providers then this is for you: most of the content, when you want it, for next to nothing. If you (and/or your kids and significant other) can't imagine a world without the Disney Channel and CNN, however, then you might want to consider some other way to cut costs. Either way, these options are available to you, no matter what. Good luck!

Howard Buddin has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and a Neuropsychology Fellow at the University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita. When he isn't spending time with his wife and son, or doing neuropsychology things, he does research things over at The Buddin Research Dynamo. When he's not doing any of that, he's running cables all over the house in an attempt to create the World's Greatest Entertainment System.