Thanks to the Internet, there are so many things people can do like shop, listen to music, and of course stream TV shows and movies via paid and free TV apps.
However, there are a few issues that can make the Web unreliable at times….
For one, you might get behind on your bills and have it shut off. Or, you could experience an outage that’d leave you hours without Internet access.
Some people deal with this by taking their laptops to their local library or coffee shop to use their free Wi-Fi. But those places tend to impose time constraints and leaving your home every time you want to surf the Net gets tiring after a while.
Others opt to use data from their mobile phones. Nevertheless, this method typically includes data caps, plus it can be expensive if you subscribe to an unlimited plan. (Many data plans cost between 25 and 80+ dollars per month!)
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All is not lost, though. You can learn how to watch TV without the Internet through these 19 methods. Additionally, they will help you save tons of money on your bills in the long run.
Table of Contents
Streaming TV Without Internet Via Smart TV
Many people nowadays own a smart television. They’re pretty cool since they allow you to carry out tasks that are impossible to do on a regular television like surfing social media and playing music.
But like everything in life, it has its downsides, particularly when it comes to its Internet connection. Heavy rain and other inclement weather can interfere with your show or movie. And there’s nothing more annoying than freezing or crashes.
So the question is, “can you watch a smart TV without internet?
Yes, you can!
Fortunately, there are a few non-Internet alternatives available if you’re reluctant to give up your smart TV:
1. Transfer videos from a Flash Drive
Provided that you have legal permission to do so, you can transfer shows or movies downloaded to a flash drive and connect it to your smart TV.
Just make sure that the flash drive in question works on your television since not all smart TVs with USB ports are compatible with every flash drive.
2. Install a cable or satellite TV service
What’s great about possessing a smart TV is that you can convert it into a regular television.
Contact services like DirectTV or Comcast/Xfinity to order and set up your cable box or satellite.
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3. Attach your DVD player, Blu-ray player, or VCR
The use of videotapes, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs is becoming less common due to streaming and other digital technology, some people still enjoy these types of media, and you might be one of them.
Smart TVs possess HMDI connections, making it simple for you to install your tape or disc player and watch your favorite flicks or episodes.
Making it Old School
Buying a smart TV will cost you about $777.00 on average. Unless you have money to burn, this could take a bite out of your checking account.
However, there are cheaper albeit somewhat outdated suggestions worth considering:
4. Purchase a regular television
Have you considered buying a regular, aka “dumb TV?” While it’s not high-tech like a smart TV, it’s much cheaper. (Expect to pay around $95.00 to $1,030.00 for a set.)
In addition, it’s more user-friendly for those who aren’t very tech-savvy.
To get the best deal be sure to read my post on the best time to buy TV.
5. Connect an antenna
Though this is an old-fashioned way to watch television, the only money you have to spend with this option is on the equipment.
Some antennas come in the typical rabbit-eared style, while others are flat. Additionally, they come in outdoor and indoor versions.
Make sure to purchase an antenna with the strongest frequencies for the best results.
6. Buy a portable DVD or Blu-Ray player
Remember these? It so happens that you can still purchase these gadgets through stores like Walmart and Best Buy.
DVD/Blu-Ray players are very convenient for long trips because all you need to do is pop in a disc and watch without worrying about Internet issues. Plus, you can recharge them, which comes in handy during a temporary period of electricity loss.
Streaming TV Without Internet Via Mobile Device
With so many cable TV alternatives, you have a lot of options.
Now, let’s suppose you’re taking a long bus or train trip to another city or state. Some public transportation systems possess low-quality Wi-Fi. (And this can be a real pain when your favorite scene is buffering.)
You can avoid this by using these TV streaming options for your Android, iPhone, Windows, and/or Mac. While it requires Internet access to download them, you can watch a TV show or film saved on your hard drive or internal storage offline through the following:
7. Amazon Prime Video
Though Amazon Prime Video requires a subscription at about $180.00 a year, it’s worth the price. In addition to viewing hundreds of movies and shows, you receive orders for books and other products within a couple of days. Talk about a win-win!
To download an episode of a show, click the downward arrow next to it. (You can download movies from the “Details” page.)
8. Apple TV Plus
What you pay for Apple TV Plus is based on your purchase of a monthly subscription, Apple One, or an Apple device.
You’ll pay $9.99 per month for the subscription, but you get to try it out for free via Apple TV Plus free trial.
Apple One bills you for only $14.95 a month when you bundle up to five Apple devices. It also offers a 30-day free trial.
If you purchase an Apple device, you’ll receive Apple TV Plus for three months absolutely free.
When you’re ready to download a show or film, click or tap on the arrow next to it. Then, you play it by visiting the Library tab and clicking “Downloaded.”
Unfortunately, most of its downloads are available for 30 days or less, so choose your movies or shows wisely.
9. Crunchyroll
This app’s a must-have for anime fans! Besides being a haven for anime shows, Crunchyroll provides manga, games, news, and more.
You can sign up through any of its three premium plans: Fan ($7.99 per month), Mega Fan ($9.99 per month), or Ultimate Fan ($14.99 per month).
If you’re not ready to commit to a certain plan, you can take advantage of Crunchyroll’s 14-day free trial. (You can opt for a free account, too. But you’ll be bombarded with ads, plus you can’t download and view anime offline.)
To watch anime movies and shows offline, you have to be a Mega Fan or an Ultimate Fan member.
First, you need to click the download button. (This action syncs chosen episodes to your device.)
After selecting the episodes, go to “My Lists” and click “Offline” to watch them.
Once you sync your episodes, you should view them ASAP because they expire after a week. (They expire two days after you begin the play them.)
10. Disney Plus
Disney Plus doesn’t only give you access to movie franchises like Toy Story and Frozen; You can view Marvel films, Star Wars movies, and other content.
You can subscribe to its monthly plan at $7.99/month, its yearly plan at $79.99/year, or its bundle that includes Hulu and ESPN Plus for $19.99/month. You can also get it with a bundle promotion for various companies like Verizon who offer free Disney Plus as a part of their promotional package.
Disney Plus offline viewing is only available for Android and Apple devices. You just need to tap the Downloads symbol and press “Play” near the episode or movie you want to see.
11. ESPN Plus
If you’re a sports enthusiast, you’ll love ESPN Plus. You can watch games ranging from soccer matches to college football games as well as documentaries.
Depending on which subscription you pick, you’ll pay approximately $10.00 a month or $100.00 a year. Furthermore, you can purchase the ESPN/Hulu/Disney Plus bundle for about $14.00 a month.
Like Disney Plus, you can only download ESPN Plus shows offline via your smartphone.
To accomplish this, tap the download image next to the title and locate it in the ESPN Plus Library.
It doesn’t appear to have any downloading limits, which should be music to your ears if you can’t get enough of sports.
12. Google Play Movies and TV
What’s great about Google Play is that the app itself is free to own. Nonetheless, any TV or movie you purchase from it varies in price.
When you want to download a video, tap “Library,” and touch the downward arrow.
13. HBO Max
HBO Max is home to hit movies and TV shows, and you can even watch Warner Bros. films 45 days after they premiere in theatres.
Best of all, free HBO Max gives you access to some episodes you can sample until you feel ready to buy a subscription.
There are three different subscription options you can purchase:
- $9.99/month with ads
- $16.99/month ad-free
- $20.99/month ultimate ad-free
As of now, you can only download a video to your phone. Also, offline videos are only available via ad-free plans.
After opening the HBO Max app, select the film or episode before tapping the downward arrow. Each video you choose expires after two days, and you can only have 30 downloads at a time.
14. Netflix
Netflix has come a long way from being a company that offered a DVD-only plan in the 1990s to a service that provides streaming options, too.
As a matter of fact, it still offers a DVD-only plan if you want that option. After all, the point of this article is to learn how to watch TV without Internet, and this is a good choice since there’s free shipping and no late fees.
Netflix’s streaming service allows you to try it for 30 days before signing up for one of its three plans:
- Basic- $9.99/month
- Standard- $15.49/month
- Premium- $19.99/month
When you feel like watching a Netflix show or film through your smartphone or Windows computer, just press the downward arrow next to the title. You’ll find your videos under “Downloads” after logging in.
Not all titles are available for downloading, and you can only keep 100 videos at a time.
15. Hulu
Hulu is one of the best Netflix alternatives. Through Hulu, you can view over 75 channels featuring movies, news, and live sports.
You have six different plans to choose from after your month-long free trial ends.
Two of its base plans include a $6.99/month plan (ads) and a $12.99/month plan (no ads).
Three other Hulu plans offer the Disney/ESPN Plus bundles:
- Hulu/Disney/ESPN Plus- $13.99/month
- Hulu/Disney/ESPN Plus (Ad-Free)- $19.99/month
- Hulu/Disney/ESPN Plus (Including Live TV)- $69.00/month
The last one benefits college students. If you’re enrolled in school, you’ll get a student discount of $1.99/month.
With your iPhone or Android, you can download a video by locating it through Hulu’s search bar. Then, touch “Downloadable” and tap on the downward arrow. Access your shows and movies by opening the app and pressing the “Downloads” tab.
16. Paramount Plus
Paramount Plus truly lives up to its motto as a “A Mountain of Entertainment.” It has a smorgasbord of movies and shows from popular channels like Nickelodeon, MTV, and CBS.
Feel free to watch some of its free episodes or sign up for a seven-day trial before choosing a subscription plan.
Paramount Plus comes with an Essential plan and a Premium plan. The Essential plan lets you pay $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. The Premium plan, which includes your local CBS station and fewer advertisements than the Essential plan, costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year.
Are you currently attending school? Students get a 25 percent discount after signing up for a plan.
As a Premium member, you can download videos to your Android or iPhone. Titles available for download have a downward arrow next to them. Press it to begin and then touch the “Complete” button when finished.
17. Vudu
Fandango, the movie ticket-selling company, operates this site. Vudu offers several well-known and independent films and TV shows you can rent or buy. You’re even granted early access to new theater movies.
With your iPhone or Android device, you can download more than one video at the same time.
18. YouTube Premium
YouTube Premium provides ad-free videos, music, and even a kid-friendly channel, YouTube Kids.
It has a free trial that ends after 30 days (three months for students), and you have a choice of three plans:
- Individual- $11/month or $119/year
- Family- $17.99/month
- Student- $6.99/month
To download it on your computer or smartphone, visit the Watch page and click or tap the “Download” button.
You can also try these free YouTube Premium hacks if you are feeling lucky!
19. WiTV Viewer
WiTV Viewer allows you to view thousands of channels from many regions of the world. It costs you nothing, and you can use it to record shows or change channels.
That said, it’s crucial to note that it’s available in every country except the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Watching TV without Internet: Final Say!
The Internet is a wonderful tool, but it’s far from perfect. That’s why it’s essential for you to have a backup plan in case you run into a problem with your Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection.
Now that you know how to watch TV without Internet access (a forgotten art by the way), you can apply what you learned to any sticky Net-related situations you might find yourself in.
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