Cutting the cable cord

**Danno** · 10-22-2021, 09:07 PM

Does anyone use Xfinity's Flex box?

I got a new Roku TV (after having a roku box for years), and I have no desire to change my streaming setup. But Xfinity gave me this Flex box a couple of months ago, and it includes Peacock for free. Can I connect this box to one of my HDMI inputs on the TV, and just switch to that input when I want to watch Peacock? But otherwise do all of my streaming through the integrated Roku? Or is connecting this box to my TV going to somehow screw things up?

I apologize if this is a dumb question, I am not very AV-savvy.

**riser4** · 10-22-2021, 09:25 PM

I hope they update Peacock because the only time I ever tried to use it the interface sucked green donkey dick.

**prsboogie** · 10-23-2021, 05:19 AM

Originally Posted by Danno

Does anyone use Xfinity's Flex box?

I got a new Roku TV (after having a roku box for years), and I have no desire to change my streaming setup. But Xfinity gave me this Flex box a couple of months ago, and it includes Peacock for free. Can I connect this box to one of my HDMI inputs on the TV, and just switch to that input when I want to watch Peacock? But otherwise do all of my streaming through the integrated Roku? Or is connecting this box to my TV going to somehow screw things up?

I apologize if this is a dumb question, I am not very AV-savvy.

You can just use it for Peacock when you want. It's what I do. But I have found the video quality is much better then my 1.5 yo Amazon fire TV adapter on my 8 year old Samsung.

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**prsboogie** · 10-23-2021, 05:21 AM

Originally Posted by riser3

I hope they update Peacock because the only time I ever tried to use it the interface sucked green donkey dick.

They day I received the box and connected it nothing worked well. So bad I was ready to send it back but I gave it a couple days and it works very well now. If I could get YouTube TV on it I would use it exclusively.

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**schindlerpiste** · 10-23-2021, 08:16 AM

I do Apple TV (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and Youtube TV). Youtube TV sucks!

**HellgateBasement** · 10-23-2021, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by Danno

Does anyone use Xfinity's Flex box?

I got a new Roku TV (after having a roku box for years), and I have no desire to change my streaming setup. But Xfinity gave me this Flex box a couple of months ago, and it includes Peacock for free. Can I connect this box to one of my HDMI inputs on the TV, and just switch to that input when I want to watch Peacock? But otherwise do all of my streaming through the integrated Roku? Or is connecting this box to my TV going to somehow screw things up?

I apologize if this is a dumb question, I am not very AV-savvy.

Yes you can absolutely do this with no issue.

Originally Posted by prsboogie

You can just use it for Peacock when you want. It's what I do. But I have found the video quality is much better then my 1.5 yo Amazon fire TV adapter on my 8 year old Samsung.

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Make sense if your Fire TV device is one of their cheaper TV sticks - Flex box is a 4k device with much more powerful internals.

Originally Posted by prsboogie

They day I received the box and connected it nothing worked well. So bad I was ready to send it back but I gave it a couple days and it works very well now. If I could get YouTube TV on it I would use it exclusively.

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Are you married to YouTube TV? Comcast views the virtual pay-tv providers as competitive to their core cable business and won't put them on the Flex Box - but Hulu with Live TV is comparable to YouTube TV and available on the Flex box. Also all of that may change when Comcast launches their own brand of XClass smart TVs.

**prsboogie** · 10-23-2021, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by HellgateBasement

Yes you can absolutely do this with no issue.

Make sense if your Fire TV device is one of their cheaper TV sticks - Flex box is a 4k device with much more powerful internals.

Are you married to YouTube TV? Comcast views the virtual pay-tv providers as competitive to their core cable business and won't put them on the Flex Box - but Hulu with Live TV is comparable to YouTube TV and available on the Flex box. Also all of that may change when Comcast launches their own brand of XClass smart TVs.

So we had Hulu live but it was more money than YTTV. Then we starting getting an additional $10 off through our cellular company. Of course like all things YYTV increased their rates prior to the $10 discount so it is still just a $10 savings per month. With the extras we pay for now, Disney+, Netflix, YTTV plus the HS internet I'm pretty sure we could have a bundle package from Comcast.

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**EWG** · 10-23-2021, 10:52 AM

You don’t have to use the Xfinity box to get free peacock. Just use the app on your tv

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**prsboogie** · 10-23-2021, 12:07 PM

Does anyone know of a device that will stream a cable TV signal to a TV without a HDMI cable. Essentially like the Flex box but for standard cable broadcast?

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**RShea** · 10-23-2021, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by prsboogie

Does anyone know of a device that will stream a cable TV signal to a TV without a HDMI cable. Essentially like the Flex box but for standard cable broadcast?

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It is now discontinued but Roku had a version that used only the 3 RCA Composite video cables for older TV's. See if there are any on Ebay. It was a Roku Express Plus and only sold through Walmart towards the end of it's lifecycle. https://www.roku.com/products/roku-express-plus-2018

There are HDMI to Composite video converters out there also, but probably not very cheap option compared to the prices of the entry level streaming sticks and devices sold....

**prsboogie** · 10-23-2021, 01:59 PM

I guess I wasn't clear or asking the right question. What I'm inquiring about is a way to wirelessly send the singal from a cable box to a TV. Similar to how a router sends wifi to a device.

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**RShea** · 10-23-2021, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by prsboogie

I guess I wasn't clear or asking the right question. What I'm inquiring about is a way to wirelessly send the singal from a cable box to a TV. Similar to how a router sends wifi to a device.

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Wirelessly- many factors like is the TV a smart TV? The cable box would usually depend on the box- and I've never had a cable box but they usually do not include wireless. There are ways to cast video wirelessly- smart TV from a computer or tablet. There are also the DVR or Plex Servers that can many times be set up to connect to those devices via wifi....

**HellgateBasement** · 10-25-2021, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by prsboogie

I guess I wasn't clear or asking the right question. What I'm inquiring about is a way to wirelessly send the singal from a cable box to a TV. Similar to how a router sends wifi to a device.

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There are a few devices that will route an over the air antenna signal to your TV, but I'm not sure about full-fledged cable package. Maybe TiVo? Other than that, Comcast (and maybe a few other providers) have wireless set-top boxes or in some cases you can just use their app to watch and ditch the cable box. What are you trying to solve for?

**Danno** · 10-25-2021, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by EWG

You don’t have to use the Xfinity box to get free peacock. Just use the app on your tv

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I thought you had to go through the flex box to set up the account (and then after that could use the app on the tv)?

**MyNameIsAugustWest** · 10-25-2021, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by schindlerpiste

I do Apple TV (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and Youtube TV). Youtube TV sucks!

Have been using YTTV for 3+ years and never had any cause to look elsewhere...but since their falling out with Roku, it seems only a matter of time before I'll either have to get a new streaming service or get new streaming devices (have 4 devices divided between 2 houses).

So what's better than YTTV? I almost dropped it when they stopped streaming NESN (New England Sports Network) but at that time didn't see any other service that had NESN. My wife needs/wants Food Network and HGTV plus the local network stations for news and Jeopardy. I generally watch content from Amazon or Netflix but do watch some football on ESPN/NBC/CBS/Fox/NFL Network, all of which are included with YTTV.

**schindlerpiste** · 10-25-2021, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by MyNameIsAugustWest

Have been using YTTV for 3+ years and never had any cause to look elsewhere...but since their falling out with Roku, it seems only a matter of time before I'll either have to get a new streaming service or get new streaming devices (have 4 devices divided between 2 houses).

So what's better than YTTV? I almost dropped it when they stopped streaming NESN (New England Sports Network) but at that time didn't see any other service that had NESN. My wife needs/wants Food Network and HGTV plus the local network stations for news and Jeopardy. I generally watch content from Amazon or Netflix but do watch some football on ESPN/NBC/CBS/Fox/NFL Network, all of which are included with YTTV.

I don't like the AppleTV remote and how it interfaces with YTTV. I am forced to scroll every time that I want to change channels. (E.G.: It is a drag going from Network to TBS to ESPN to The Olympic Channel. No numbers on AppleTV remote. No alternate remote that I am aware of. It would be OK if I were watching on the computer, but with the actual TV it is a hassle. I can't memorize the YTTV channels, so I am doing a lot of surfing.

**prsboogie** · 10-25-2021, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by HellgateBasement

There are a few devices that will route an over the air antenna signal to your TV, but I'm not sure about full-fledged cable package. Maybe TiVo? Other than that, Comcast (and maybe a few other providers) have wireless set-top boxes or in some cases you can just use their app to watch and ditch the cable box. What are you trying to solve for?

So I currently stream TV through an Amazon Fire TV adapter (not a stick) to a TV on a wall that is nearly impossible to get coax and HDMI cables to. I converted an old sconce into a power outlet for the TV power and Fire power source - the only wires from the TV are a Blu-ray and sound bar wire.

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**PNWbrit** · 10-25-2021, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by prsboogie

So I currently stream TV through an Amazon Fire TV adapter (not a stick) to a TV on a wall that is nearly impossible to get coax and HDMI cables to. I converted an old sconce into a power outlet for the TV power and Fire power source - the only wires from the TV are a Blu-ray and sound bar wire.

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Isn't there an amazon comcast app?

**Supermoon** · 10-25-2021, 08:23 PM

We use Xfinty app on our Samsung instead of the box because the cable Jack is across the living room. It’s fine and we have the app on our roku tv in the guest room too.

**prsboogie** · 10-25-2021, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by Supermoon

We use Xfinty app on our Samsung instead of the box because the cable Jack is across the living room. It’s fine and we have the app on our roku tv in the guest room too.

You get everything on the app that's on the box?

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**EWG** · 10-26-2021, 06:43 AM

Originally Posted by Danno

I thought you had to go through the flex box to set up the account (and then after that could use the app on the tv)?

I set it up either on my phone app or on the Roku tv (can’t recall), but definitely not on the flex box since I never hooked it up and later returned it.

**riser4** · 10-26-2021, 08:57 AM

What's a flex box? I have an x1 box that's probably way out of date.

**Danno** · 10-26-2021, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by EWG

I set it up either on my phone app or on the Roku tv (can’t recall), but definitely not on the flex box since I never hooked it up and later returned it.

cool, good to know and I just did that. At the store, they made it sound like you needed the flex box to get peacock. And elsewhere online I read about someone who used the flex box to sign up but then used the roku to keep watching. But you were right, I went online to peacock, signed up, and had instant access to peacock premium. Went on the roku tv and signed in and I'm all good.

Riser, the flex box is xfinity's attempt at a roku-type device that allows you to stream through it. And maybe it would be useful if I had a non-smart TV and no roku, but I had a roku device and now have a TV with Roku installed.

**riser4** · 10-26-2021, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Danno

cool, good to know and I just did that. At the store, they made it sound like you needed the flex box to get peacock. And elsewhere online I read about someone who used the flex box to sign up but then used the roku to keep watching. But you were right, I went online to peacock, signed up, and had instant access to peacock premium. Went on the roku tv and signed in and I'm all good.

Riser, the flex box is xfinity's attempt at a roku-type device that allows you to stream through it. And maybe it would be useful if I had a non-smart TV and no roku, but I had a roku device and now have a TV with Roku installed.

Does it also take your coax and doubles as the converter? Because the X1 does both jobs. Its got TV, its got apps like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, peacock, etc. The peacock app on the x1 sucks green donkey dick and its much better to watch past episodes and movies thru on-demand.

Personally, I want as much traffic as possible using the TV side of my bandwidth and not counting towards my data, since I'm paying for both.