9 cool streaming TV features you can’t get with a cable box

While TV isn’t quite as simple as it was in the cable era, cord-cutting has also introduced plenty of benefits.

Beyond just the potential to save money and watch on your own terms, modern smart TVs and streaming players enable features that simply aren’t possible on a cable box. Some make watching TV more enjoyable, while others stretch boundaries of what a TV can do in the first place.

It’s easy to lose sight of these perks amid all the grousing about the current state of streaming. So consider this a reality check, covering the things you couldn’t (and, in many cases, still can’t) do with cable:

Play from your phone

Sometimes the best remote is the phone that’s already in your hand. With Apple AirPlay (on Apple TV and Roku), Chromecast (on Google TV and Android TV devices), and the Roku mobile app, you can use your phone to send content to the TV. This comes in handy not just for video, but for music and photos as well.

Listen privately

Want to watch TV without disturbing the rest of the house? Fire TV, Android TV, Google TV, and Apple TV all support Bluetooth headphones for private listening. Roku also supports private listening through its mobile app, through Bluetooth on the latest Roku Ultra or through any Roku remote that has a headphone jack.

Split-screen viewing

The March Madness app is a great example of how the streaming experience can trump cable. On supported streaming devices, you can watch two games at the same time, while also viewing live scores from around the tournament.

On Apple TV devices in particular, you’ll also find split-screen viewing options in the ESPN app and on FuboTV; plus, you can use picture-in-picture mode to watch any two apps at the same time. In doing so, they’ve essentially revived a feature that most cable boxes have abandoned.

Multi-room audio

With major streaming platforms, you can use your TV as part of a multi-room audio system with other smart speakers around the house.

Apple TV and Roku players, for instance, can sync up with other AirPlay speakers through Control Center on any iOS device. Amazon’s Fire TV devices can play audio in sync with Echo speakers by setting up speaker groups in the Alexa app. The Chromecast with Google TV can be part of a speaker group with Google Home and Nest speakers. If you have a decent soundbar or surround system hooked up, this is a great way to take advantage.

Smart home controls

Got any smart light bulbs, plugs, doorbell cameras, or other connected gadgets at home? You may be able to control them from your streaming player:

• On Apple TV, control HomeKit devices by holding the home button and clicking the Home icon, or just ask Siri.
• On Fire TV, click the Alexa button and select the smart home dashboard, or hold the Alexa button to control devices with a voice command.
• On Google TV, hold the Assistant button to control smart home devices by voice.
• Roku’s smart home controls are more limited, though the company has started dabbling with a handful of devices that you can control by voice.

Personal photo slideshows

With the right smart TV or streaming player, your television can double as a digital photo frame (check out my recent TechHive article at the preceding link for instructions). You can set up slideshows that appear automatically when the TV is idle, or use your phone to cast specific photos and videos.

Get a workout in

If your streaming habit is feeling overly sedentary, you can turn your TV into a fitness tool by downloading some workout apps. Check out services like Peloton, Apple Fitness+, DailyBurn, and CorePower Yoga, or just peruse the vast catalog of exercise videos on YouTube.

Play some games

As streaming devices have become more powerful, they’ve also become capable gaming systems. Peruse the app stores on Fire TV, Google TV, or Apple TV devices and you’ll find large libraries of casual games to play with your remote or (ideally) a separate Bluetooth game controller. Apple’s Arcade service even offers a bundle of high-quality games to play for $5 per month.

Alternatively, you can use Amazon Luna or Nvidia GeForce Now to stream console-quality games from the cloud, or use Valve’s Steam Link app to stream games from your PC.

Customize everything

For savvier users, streaming also offers the ability to build exactly the kind of TV setup you want. With Channels DVR, for instance, you can set up your own custom channel guides and playlists that stretch well beyond a traditional cable package, while also skipping through commercials.

All these things are possible because modern streaming devices are smarter and faster than a typical cable box. While saving money is still the best part of cord-cutting, you might find that a world of other possibilities awaits once you’ve made the jump.

To learn more about how to cut cable and save money on your TV bill, sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter.