How To Stream With Spectrum

These days, just about everyone with a cable subscription is also dabbling with some sort of streaming service, whether it’s Netflix, Disney+, Peacock, Paramount+, or HBO Max. And while all those services give subscribers greater access to programming than ever before, as well as copious customization opportunities, the cost of accessing everything—cable, plus however many streaming app subscriptions—can really add up fast, especially as rates on most services continue to rise.

While ditching cable and leaning into cord-cutting can be appealing, Spectrum is doing what it can to keep subscribers signed up for its services, from adding on-demand programming to offering packages that bundle some of the bigger streamers into its traditional cable pricing. You won’t find everything in a Spectrum bundle, but the service offers its subscribers access to some of the biggest streaming apps out there, provided they’re willing to pony up a little extra cash to access them.

As a Spectrum cable TV subscriber myself, I’ve wrestled with both the cost of traditional cable and the increasing prevalence of streaming apps. While I’ve wondered if my family still needed cable—and my husband still seems convinced we don’t—I like the convenience of accessing live TV and a full range of channels, some of which may or may not be on traditional streaming services. But since I both need and want to subscribe to Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and a few other streamers, I looked into Spectrum’s streaming bundles to see what would work for me. Here’s what I found!

Spectrum Cable’s on-demand options are good, not great

In its purest form, cable TV streaming can essentially mean access to on-demand programming. These are shows you won’t have to go to Netflix or Disney+ to find, but rather shows that might be airing currently on, say, Bravo, and that you’ll be able to access through your Spectrum TV subscription if Bravo is included in your package.

Spectrum TV’s On Demand programming is pretty solid, offering viewers everything available to them within their cable package. For $40 a month, you can sign up for Spectrum’s TV Stream package, which gives users access to more than 85 channels, plus all the on-demand programming those channels offer. Generally, you’ll have to watch some commercials when you watch those on-demand shows, but it’s a nice option to have if you, let’s say, forget to tune in for the latest episode of The Masked Singer or want to go back and watch past seasons of Pawn Stars.

For $100 a month for the first year, Spectrum’s TV Select Signature plan will give you access to more than 150 channels, plus access to HBO Max, ESPN+, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, Fox One, AMC+, and Vix. At $110 a month, the TV Select Plus package gives you access to 160 channels, all the previously mentioned streaming services, and the Tennis Channel. And for $145, you’ll get access to Spectrum’s highest tier Platinum package, which gives you more than 240 channels, plus all those streaming options.

If you’re interested in Spanish-language programming, you could also choose TV Stream Latino for $25 a month, which gives you an additional 45 channels or Mi Plan Latino for $70 a month, which includes 170 Spanish and English channels, plus access to the Vix and Paramount+ streaming services.

With Spectrum On Demand, the shows you have access to are the ones made available by the channels you subscribe to. So, if you have the TV Stream package, your On Demand offerings will be pretty basic. They’re enough to get you by, but if you want to watch more premium content On Demand—like, say, the new season of some prestige HBO series—you’ll need to step up to one of the higher-tier subscriptions. One way or another, though, if you eschew streaming apps but still want access to thousands of TV episodes and movies at your fingertips, Spectrum’s On Demand service should serve you well.

Streaming through Spectrum is intuitive and easy

Streaming through Spectrum’s TV interface is also pretty self-explanatory. Using the Spectrum app, users can navigate to screens for On Demand programming or for the service’s Video Store. Everything in the On Demand section is categorized for you depending on your interests, with categories like “New & Trending” and “Free Movies” showing up at the top of the page.

You can easily stream or purchase content through the Spectrum TV app. Image credit: CableTV.com

Everything available on Spectrum Cable’s On Demand service is also findable through the app’s search function. If you want to watch The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City, for instance, you could type that into the search bar, and you’d find both upcoming episodes, which you could choose to record to your DVR, or older episodes, which you could watch instantly on demand.

Spectrum TV’s Video Store, by contrast, gives subscribers access to video on demand for purchase including movies that may have just left the theaters. Costs are fairly standard for the industry, meaning what you pay to stream Zootopia a la carte on Spectrum is just about what you’d pay if you bought it on Apple Movies or Prime Video, and it’s nice that it’s all in one location. I haven’t used the Video Store feature personally yet, but I plan to in the near future—especially after missing some of this year’s summer and fall blockbusters in theaters. I have plans to watch Edgar Wright’s The Running Man soon, which should cost me just $14.99 to rent for a day or two.

Adding streaming services through Spectrum could save you money

$100 a month might seem like a lot for cable, but if you do the math, it’s a great deal. If you were to purchase a Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ bundle subscription on its own, it would cost $35.99 a month for the ad-free service. HBO Max without ads would be an additional $18.50, Peacock is $16.99, and Paramount+ is $12.99. AMC+ is $9.99, Fox One is $19.99, and Vix will run you around $10, depending on how many ads you want to see. Add that all up, and that’s an a la carte cost of $124.45 just for streaming services alone. With the Spectrum bundles, you’ll get cable TV plus all those services, which is a great deal.

If there’s one drawback, though, it’s this: Spectrum only allows you to add the ad-supported version (i.e. the cheapest subscription version) of each app to your account. That means that if you want Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, or any of the other services offered without ads, you’ll have to pony up for those subscriptions on their own, rather than bundling them into your account. If you’re someone who’s been drawn to streaming services strictly because you don’t like watching commercials, then Spectrum Cable’s bundle might not be for you.

Frankly, that’s why I haven’t opted for the bundle: personally, I’d rather pay a little more rather than endure the commercials. It’s a personal choice and it might not be the best financial decision, but after years of watching cable with a DVR, it’s just what I’ve gotten used to in general, so it’s what I’m sticking with.

Streaming Spectrum TV has never been easier

One thing I’ve always really loved about our Spectrum TV service is that it’s all internet-based. That means no pesky cables running to my TV or coaxial outlets that I’ve had to worry about in random bedrooms. I stream all my Spectrum TV through the Spectrum app on my Apple TV box. You can get the app on iOS, Roku, Xbox, Android, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast, LG Smart TV, and Vizio TV interface, making it pretty accessible through appliances most of us already have at home.

And if, let’s say, I didn’t already have a Roku or Apple TV, Spectrum also offers its own proprietary streaming box, the Xumo. Shaped, essentially, like a Roku or a Fire TV cube, the Xumo comes pre-loaded with the Spectrum TV app, as well as a ton of other options. It’s easy to set up, and if you’ve used a Roku or anything else with a tiny little remote with buttons that take you directly to Netflix or YouTube or anything else, then you’ll pick up the interface really quickly.

Unfortunately, getting a Xumo from Spectrum isn’t free. Your first box comes with your Spectrum Cable subscription, but a second box—like for another TV—will run you $60 or $5 a month for one full year. It’s not insanely expensive, especially when you compare it to something like an Apple TV, but if you’re willing to wait for Black Friday or a similar holiday, you might find a better deal on a Roku or the like instead.

Spectrum TV Streaming Packages are great—for the most part

Looked at from a wide angle, Spectrum TV’s streaming options really are great. I love the convenience of being able to access On Demand programming and my DVR from anywhere I can get on the web, for instance, and I love that I could add streaming services onto my subscription.

But unfortunately, some of those perks come with caveats that make them ultimately not a great fit for me, personally. If you’re someone who doesn’t mind watching commercials or who might do most of their streaming through Disney+, for instance, then Spectrum TV’s streaming bundles and services could be a great fit for you. If you’re a customer who prefers an ad-less experience, or who wants to watch shows on services the company doesn’t offer, like Netflix or PBS Passport, then a more a la carte approach to streaming might be for you, coupled with the company’s basic $40 a month cable package.

For cost- and cord-cutters, though, it’s hard to find a better deal than Spectrum TV’s streaming bundles, which save you not only time, but also offer up the convenience of putting everything under one predictable payment, rather than a randomly fluctuating series of neverending autopayments from all manner of different accounts.

Spectrum TV streaming FAQ