The Cord Cutters holiday gift guide

No matter whether you want to give someone the gift of cable-free TV fun, or whether you are still looking for the perfect present for your own TV needs, weve got you covered with our Cord Cutters holiday gift guide. Check out our video highlighting our three favorite products for this holiday season, or read on for additional gift ideas.

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Seven gift ideas for cord cutters

Roku

Pricing: $49.99-$99.99
Content: Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime and VOD, HBO GO (with HBO subscription), Pandora + a few hundred additional channels.
More info: Our review, Roku website

Rokus family of media streamers offer a lot of value for price-conscious consumers. The Roku LT intro model only sets you back $50, and offers access to Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazons VOD services and a bunch of other content channels. Spend more, and youll even be able to play Angry Birds on your TV. And the best thing: Its really easy to use, so your parents will have fun with it as well.

Boxee Box

Pricing: $179
Content: Netflix, Vudu, Spotify, YouTube, Pandora, a few hundred additional channels plus a full-blown web browser.
More info: Our review, Boxee website

Boxees media streamer is a bit more expensive than a Roku, but the money is well spent if you want to find the perfect gift for the geek in your life: The Boxee Box integrates with Twitter and Facebook, plays video from Netflix and VUDU and comes with more than 200 apps for additional content. It also features a full-fledged web browser to watch video on almost any website and one of the coolest remote controls on the market. And the Box is gonna get even better soon: The next system update will feature a complete visual overhaul as well as an option to add free live over-the-air TV through Boxees interface.

Amazons Kindle Fire

Pricing: $199
Content: Amazon Prime Instant & Amazon VOD, Netflix, a full-blown web browser and various video apps through Amazons Android market.
More info: Our review, Amazon website

No, the Kindle Fire doesnt replace the iPad but for $199, its a great value, offering access to both Amazons VOD titles and Prime Instant video subscription service as well as to Netflix. With the integrated web browser, you can easily watch videos on YouTube, and Android apps like Plex are going to offer access to your local media and countless other! online video sources as well.

HD HomeRun

Pricing: $80 to $140
Content:Live TV from major broadcast networks, often in HD. Actual content depends on TV reception in your house.
More info: Our review, Elgato website, SiliconDust website

Turning your computer into a DVR for free over-the-air HD content is great, but plugging a bulky rabbit ear antenna into your laptop is not so hot. Thats where the HD HomeRun comes in: This TV tuner can be placed next to your home router and then stream live HD TV programming to any PC in your house. And software like Elgatos EyeTV can even beam your favorite TV shows to your iPad, where ever you are. Its TV Everywhere, but without the subscription fees.

WD Livewire powerline adapter

Pricing: $80
Specs: Streams data with theoretically up to 200 Mbps.
More info: Our review, WD website

Watching HD video streams is no fun if the local Wifi network cant keep up with the action. Thats where a powerline adapter set like the WD Livewire comes in: One adapter gets plugged into the home router, the other one connects to the Roku, Boxee Box or gam! e consol e and the data flows through a homes electric circuitry. The WD Livewire adapter with its four Ethernet ports is especially handy for advanced cord cutters that have more than one device to connect, and its HomePlug AV standard is good enough to stream even uncompressed HD video.

Amazon Prime Instant subscription

Pricing: $79
Content: A couple thousand movies and TV show episodes.
More info: Our review, Amazon website

Amazons Prime subscription started off as a way to get two-day shipping for a flat yearly fee of $79, but the company added access to thousands of TV shows and movies earlier this year. Amazon has been buys adding new content to its Prime Instant service, including shows like The Tudors and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The company recently also added the ability to borrow thousands of books for free, and free two-day shipping for all your cord cutting needs (or anything else from Amazon) is still included. Amazon doesnt offer an easy option to buy a Prime subscription for someone else, but you can always give someone a $79 gift card.

Netflix subscription

Pricing: $8 per month for online streaming
Content: More than 53,000 movies and TV show episodes
More info: Our coverage, Netflix website

Netflix may have taken some heat in recent months, but its still the best premium online video service out there. Not only does it offer access to tens of thousands of movies and TV shows online, but the company is also increasingly investing in exclusive content, like a whole new season of Arrested Development. And the best thing is: Netflix makes it easy to give the service as a present by offering gift certificates for subscriptions of up to one year.

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