[RKDinOKC]

My entertainment devices were fine until upgrading to the new AppleTV.

Devices...I have 5 sources that can be switched between with the TV remote.

1. The SonyTV's antenna TV, local broadcast channels. (also available on cox cable.)

2. The SonyTV's Smart TV, internet services... Amazon, netfiix, crackle, crackle, and more. It had a Sony Pay per view source they called Video Unlimited which Sony killed for PlaystationVue.

3. Cox Cable Box that has a bunch of network channels including local broadcast networks, plus a pay per vue. They used to have some networks with on-demand shows and movies, but haven't watched any of them in a while.

4. AppleTV with Apples movie and tv rentals, also has other internet services some pay, some not, like netflix, hulu, etc. and can stream movies and music from my computer or iPhone. Can also use it to stream my computer display and sound if i just want a 65" monitor. And now the new AppleTV does DirectTV Now streaming of all their network channels like cable.

5. Mac Mini with Kodi, finds and lets me stream movies, music, TV serials from the internet. Can also be a media viewer for Movies, TV, music stored on my Mac.

The sound output from my TV goes to my Receiver which is my 5.1 surround sound system.
The TV is used as my Source hub. All the devices are plugged into the TV with HDMI for video and sound. I can use the TV remote choose which source the TV displays.

Used to have a 34" CRT with my reciever as the hub for my Cable, VCR, and DVD.
Then I got a 54" DLP with HDMI. Had to replace my receiver to fit my new TV Stand.
With the new HDTV, Receiver, and TV Stand I boxed up the VCR and DVD.

Found my iPhone could stream music to my receiver and got the hankering to stream my Laptop.
Got an AppleTV to stream music and videos from my laptop to the TV. Still using the Receiver as my hub. The new receiver did HDMI. This let me watch Movies on demand from either Cable, or the AppleTV and the AppleTV also had TV shows.

The DLP started messing up. And I had just entered the time of the sitting around with my Foot up so I got a bigger LED TV. It was a Sony Bravia Smart TV. This let me hook up the receiver as just the sound processor and use the TV as the hub instead of the receiver. Discovered that the movies on demand from the Sony Bravia internet movie on-deman was usually $1 cheaper. And it would also let me rent movies at SD instead of HD for $3 or $4 dollar cheaper. Some of the older movies it didn't make any difference so why pay more. Also each of the ondemand systems, Cable, Apple, and Sony, had programming the others didn't.

Then my Receiver died (Pioneer's quality really went down). Got a Sony to match the TV and now it's volume is controlled by the TV and will power on and off with the TV. All I ever do with it is use as the surround processor and amps for the TV.

Had an extra Mac Mini with HDMI output. Installed Kodi on it and am able to stream movies and TV over it. So mostly stopped renting movies.

Now trying to decide if I want to go with direct TV Now or stay with Cable.

I would love to come out with my own Streaming Service. Instead of having to choose between different packages to get the channels you want, you just choose only the channels you want access to ala carte. Or even better it keeps track of which channels you watch and you only pay for those! You would make less per subscriber, but be everyone would switch to that service and you would be printing your own monies.