I’m testing Globe StreamWatch powered by Roku and loving how I can #WatchLikeABoss

I just recently got a Globe StreamWatch that is Roku-powered. I am currently testing it but from the little that I have seen of it so far, it looks like I will need cable less and less.

Disruptive technology has affected the cable industry significantly. Just this week, I downgraded our cable plan by almost half of what it used to cost us. Not only have my kids stopped watching TV but even my own TV watching is limited to just a few favorite channels. It used to be that cable companies would attract subscribers with “more (channels) is better” marketing strategies but now, with so much content on YouTube, Vimeo, and other mobile-based apps with on-demand features, the future of wired cable channels is now a big question.

Roku is a pioneer in TV streaming. It connects content publishers with users, offering both free and subscription-based channels, while providing another platform for advertisers. Globe is Roku’s first partner to offer streaming content in a USB streaming stick form factor.

You will need a TV with an HDMI port. You will also need to connect to a home broadband network. Any telco’s broadband actually works with Globe StreamWatch but it works best with Globe At Home plans. As of this posting, here are the available Globe At Home plans:

The Globe StreamWatch box comes with a USB streaming stick and a remote control. The app StreamWatch can also be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. This turns your smartphone into a Roku remote control device.

My son helped me set up Globe StreamWatch and it was pretty straightforward. Instead of setting it up in the living room where the kids have their PS4 and Google Mini connected, we decided to connect it to my bedroom TV.

After we connected the Globe StreamWatch to our home wifi network, it began downloading the channels available. Right now, my Globe StreamWatch shows 97 channels across different categories that include lifestyle, news, fitness, food, travel, kids, and more. There are some channels that give a free trial like Netflix (we already have a Netflix account), Disney (my kids love it that Ducktales is featured!), Fox, HOOQ and a few more. Hey, I was so happy to find that they even had a free yoga channel! And when my apo (grandson) comes to visit us, I can make him watch Elmo on Disney Junior. Yay!

So far so good. I have been watching some videos already and did not experience buffering (I guess it is because I have a 50mbps plan). I also normally watch when my kids are out of the house. Of course, your experience will depend on the speed of your wifi so watch only with wifi speeds that support streaming.

Will cable eventually be replaced by content streaming? I think not just yet. Cable offers a lot of advantages that make streaming challenging.

One, there are still a lot more content options now via cable channels. I feel that there is a need to increase the movie channels and movie content available for streaming and add local channels, like ABS-CBN, GMA News, CNN Philippines if streaming is to totally replace cable. So far, only Bloomberg is part of the News channel and it is mostly business news. I would miss ANC and CNN since they are not part of the streaming content and that is where I get updated on what is happening real-time.

Two, it is much nicer to watch the news channels on the HD channels of cable companies.

Three, the streaming experience is best with high speed internet. I have not tried Globe StreamWatch with slower speeds but I believe it is still possible if the user/s take additional steps such as stopping downloads in the background to preserve bandwidth.

However, the future of streaming content is bright. Globe StreamWatch is already creating inroads in the cable market. I know several friends who have given up their cable subscriptions because they already have Netflix. Content streaming, if it comes with really good and popular content providers, may become a clear (and possibly much cheaper) alternative to cable subscriptions down the road.

I’ve been enjoying Globe StreamWatch from the comfort of my bed. Makes me #WatchLikeABoss!

What next? Mobile content streaming on our smartphones?