Topic: Converter box or fire stick or ???

[Scott S]

 We have a bonus room that's only used for guests and only two or three times a year. I had an ancient tube TV in there until last year when my GF replaced it with her flat screen.
 With the tube TV, I was able to get basic cable...just the 20-25 channels that come right out of the wall, no converter box....but with her flat screen, I get nothing.
 Did a little research and her TV is one of those Walmart Black Friday $75 deals and it doesn't have an internal tuner or whatever. It needs a converter.

 I don't want to pay the cable company to rent a box for that room since it's so rarely used. I see converter boxes on eBay, etc., for less than $25. How do I know if it will work with the cable service from my provider? I think I need a Qam converter, whatever that means.
 Or....what other options do I have that are cheap and one time expense? A Fire Stick or something like that? I have Wi-Fi and a pretty decent router.
 I just want to get some basic TV in that room at the lowest cost possible without adding to my monthly cable bill.

[Steve F]

If you have a VCR, try using that as a receiver and do the tuning with the VCR's cable inputs.

[333]

I doubt that a VCR would have a digital (ATSC) tuner.  I'd go for the converter box. That way, you'll get the local channels.  I have a Chromecast, which I've used a little, and an Apple TV, which I haven't tried yet. And a friend has a Firestick, which seems okay.  Chromecast is cool for putting my laptop up on a big screen wirelessly. I'm not all that enthusiastic about the others probably because I don't need them, as I have Fios for cable.  The Chromecast and Apple TV were gifts.

[trenchgrinder750]

get an apple tv and use yours or a family's cable info. gets access to quite a bit.  you can also stream from computer to apple tv using the mirroring.