D
ue to the way live TV video-streaming services obtain streaming rights
for cable channels, most subscriptions cost as much as a traditional
cable bill. Many people end up paying for channels they don’t want to
watch, too, which partially defeats the purpose of cutting the cord. Locast can
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the local channels you would pick up with an antenna into a digital signal and
makes them available in a video-streaming interface. Locast lacks some
common features of other live TV options, such as DVR recording and on-
demand content, but we wouldn’t expect those features for such a low price—
you can get service for as little as $5 a month. Furthermore, Locast delivers
solid streaming performance and is easy to use.The service faces considerable legal challenges, however. Locast (which is run
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GLVSXWHZLWKDOOWKHPDMRUEURDGFDVWQHWZRUNV$%&&%6)2;DQG1%&RYHU
its right to retransmit broadcast TV for free. The Electronic Frontier Foundation
())UHFHQWO\MRLQHG/RFDVW¶VOHJDOGHIHQVHIXQGDQGOLWLJDWLRQLVRQJRLQJLocast: Inexpensive Local
TV Streaming
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