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When I signed up for Spectrum TV and internet, they leased me a router and a cable TV set-top box, the latter of which I didn’t end up using.
It wasn’t because I found Spectrum’s cable TV to be wrong, but it was all down to how it added another box to my entertainment system, which I was trying to keep as minimalist and clean as possible.
I wanted to know if there was any way I could watch cable channels, Spectrum or otherwise, without the cable box.
So I went online to find out more about this, and in my several hours of research on Spectrum’s support pages and multiple user forums, I was able to get all the answers I needed.
This article is a compilation of everything that I found about bypassing your Spectrum cable box so that you can also do the same within minutes!
You can bypass the Spectrum cable TV box by installing the Spectrum TV app on your own devices. Remember that you need to be signed up for TV and internet from Spectrum to use the app.
Keep reading to find out how you can watch local free-to-air channels and how to install the Spectrum TV app on your devices.
The Spectrum Cable Box
The Spectrum cable box is a DVR-enabled cable TV receiver that connects to the cable TV line that comes to your home.
You can watch live TV and record, and playback shows that you’ve recorded on the DVR.
The cable box gets added to your account, which lets you remotely reset or refresh the box by logging in to your Spectrum account.
Once you’ve signed up for their plans, you can watch Spectrum TV content on devices other than the cable box with the Spectrum TV app.
This means that you don’t need the Spectrum cable box to use most of their services, and in most cases, the Spectrum app is enough.
Spectrum Plans
The Spectrum plans in the region you are in might be different, so make sure that your plan allows you to use the Spectrum TV app.
The app lets you stream 250 live TV channels anywhere, even without the cable box, so it opens up an avenue that would let us bypass the Spectrum cable box.
Contact Spectrum support to know if your plan lets you use the Spectrum TV app.
If it does, then you can proceed to install the app on any device that you want to watch the live TV from Spectrum.
Using Spectrum On Streaming Devices
Streaming devices like the Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV have the Spectrum TV app in their app stores and have the same functionality that the app on the phone offers.
You’ll need to be signed for Spectrum TV and internet to stream on other devices, so make sure your internet is from Spectrum before proceeding.
You can use this app basically as a replacement for your cable box and watch most of the content that Spectrum TV provides.
Fire TV
- Launch theAmazon App Store.
- Use the search bar to find theSpectrum TVapp.
- Install the app.
- Launch the app when the installation completes.
- Sign in to yourSpectrum account.
Roku
- Launch theRoku Channel Store.
- Search for theSpectrum TV Channel.
- Add the channel to your Roku Channels.
- Launch the channel after it gets added.
Apple TV
- Launch theApple App Store.
- Use the search function to find and install theSpectrum TVapp.
- Launch the app after it finishes installing.
- Log in with your Spectrum account to start watching live TV.
Using Spectrum On Smart TVs
The Spectrum TV app is also available on most smart TV platforms like Tizen,webOS, and Google TV and is available for download on the app stores of those platforms.
You only need to be signed up for Spectrum’s TV and internet plan to use the Spectrum TV app and skip the cable box altogether.
Leave the cable box disconnected if you don’t want to use it because it isn’t required to watch any content on the Spectrum TV app.
Bypassing Spectrum With A Digital Antenna
All TV broadcast stations broadcast free-to-air channels that don’t need you to be subscribed to a cable TV plan to watch.
Most of these free channels are local news or more local niche channels, and sometimes Spectrum won’t have them on their cable TV network.
If your TV allows you to connect an antenna to it, you can get an antenna for yourself and install it on the TV.
After making the TV scan the airwaves for any channels, you can start watching the channels found by switching to the TV input.
I would recommend the Gesobyte Digital Antenna because even though it looks big, it is thin enough to be tucked somewhere high to stay out of sight but still be able to receive signals.
Final Thoughts
TheSpectrum TV app isn’t available yet on the PS4, but the Xbox does have the app, which shares almost all of the features that the apps on other devices have.
To reduce the costs of your cable TV, you can ask Spectrum to take the cable box away and remove the monthly fee for it.
You can alsoget rid of a special broadcast feethat Spectrum charges by negotiating with customer support if you are looking to save more money on your bills.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can you watch Spectrum without a cable box?
You don’t need a cable box from Spectrum to watch any of their content.
All you need is the Spectrum TV app, which you can access if you’ve signed up for Spectrum’s TV and internet.
Do I need a cable box if I have a smart TV?
A cable box isn’t required to get the most out of your smart TV.
Your smart TV can play content from most streaming services, and unless you want cable, you won’t need a cable box.
How do I get rid of cable and still watch TV?
You can ditch cable and watch live TV by using a streaming service like YouTube TV, which offers live TV channels streamed online.
You can also use a digital antenna to watch the local free-to-air channels without a cable connection.
Can I cancel my cable and keep the internet?
Knowing if you can cancel cable and keep the internet connection depends on what ISP you are currently contracted with.
Usually, most service providers do allow this but contact their customer support to know for sure.
