Why Do You Pay For Cable? I Cut The Cord For A Week And It Wasn't A Total Disaster

Every year it feels like we hear the same story: This is when we'll finally be able to break away from cable or satellite companies and stream all the shows we want to watch when we want to watch them over the web instead.Every year that doesn't happen.Click here to see what happens when you cut the cord for a week >Are we getting closer? Definitely. The most recent step forward is the new live TV integration from Boxee, the guys who put together the Boxee Box for streaming web content from services like Netflix to your TV.Thanks to a software update and a $50 dongle that lets you attach an HD antenna to your Boxee Box, you can now pull in live network TV over the air for free. The advantage here is that you get to use Boxee's fancy interface and guide on top live TV. You won't have to fumble around with your TV's confusing settings.Boxee is also using the dongle as a way to convince people to "cut the cord," or cancel their cable or satellite TV in favor of streaming stuff over the web. Cord cutters have the advantage of saving hundreds of dollars in cable bills a year while still getting most of the same programming online.So I took Boxee up on their challenge and cut the cord for a week. Keep reading to see what happened and whether or not it was worth it.First of all, how is Boxee able to get live TV?Last month, Boxee released a new dongle that hooks up to an HD antenna and lets you pipe in live network TV from over the air. It may seem odd in this era of cable and satellite service, but network TV like NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX all broadcast their shows over the airwaves for free.The dongle plugs into the USB port on the back of your Boxee Box. Then, you screw in the HD antenna with a coaxial cable. (That's the same kind of rounded cord you plug your cable box in with.) A new free software update from Boxee automatically detects the antenna. Just enter your zip code and you'll get a listing of channels and the shows currently playing on them.But $50 is a lot to ask for the dongle.While Boxee's software update for live TV may be free, the dongle that lets you hook your box up to an HD antenna will cost you $50. That feels like a lot to ask on top of the $167 you already spent on the Boxee Box. As a comparison, you can get an Apple TV ($99) and an HD antenna ($20 or less) at a cheaper price than just the Boxee Box alone.It's nice to be able to watch live TV via Boxee's interface, but it's not that difficult to switch your TV over to your HD antenna if you already have one. Fifty bucks sounds like a lot to save you the five seconds it takes to grab your remote and switch modes on your TV.Boxee's live TV interface is an excellent alternative to the crappy one most TVs ship with.Once you input your zip code, Boxee takes a few minutes to gather all the channel data in your area. Once the download is complete, you can access a nice menu that lays over the show on your screen. It's easy to quickly scan through what's playing and switch channels. There's no need to enter a channel number like you do on a traditional remote.See the rest of the story at Business InsiderPlease follow SAI: Tools on Twitter and Facebook.See Also:If You Love Movies, You Shouldn't Be Using NetflixHere Are A Bunch Of New Apple TV Rumors You Need To Know AboutApple Might Lose A $1.6 Billion Lawsuit For Using The Word 'iPad'

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