Best Black Friday 2019 deals for streaming and cord-cutting
You’re already saving money by cutting the cable-TV cord. Why not save some more by purchasing the requisite hardware during Black Friday? As usual, most major streaming players and some over-the-air DVRs are on sale during the annual shopping frenzy.
[ Want all the Black Friday deals? Check out TechConnect, our home for holiday deals hand-picked by the PCWorld, Macworld and TechHive editors. ]
Here’s a rundown of the deals that cord-cutters should know about:And today I’m going to show you how to set up an Amazon Echo.
Roku dealsRoku’s streaming players are a great option if you’re in need of something affordable and easy to use, and several models are getting big discounts on Black Friday.
Roku SE for $18: There’s no regular price for this Black Friday-specific model, but it looks similar to the $30 Roku Express, a 1080p streamer that earned a subpar review from us. If you insist, Walmart will have it online at 10 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, and in stores at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
Roku Streaming Stick+ for $29 (reg. $50): This is a record low for Roku’s solid 4K HDR streaming dongle. Get it right now from Amazon or Walmart. Best Buy and Target have it as well, but for a buck more.
Roku Ultra for $50 (reg. $100): Refreshed for 2019 with faster speeds and a new remote, the Ultra is a must if you need ethernet connectivity or USB media playback. The sale price runs from November 28 through December 2 at major retailers including Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Target.
Roku Smart Soundbar for $150 (reg. $180): Upgrade your TV’s audio and streaming chops at the same time with this hybrid soundbar and streaming box. This deal is available through December 7 from Best Buy or Roku.com. You can also throw in Roku’s wireless subwoofer (normally $180) and save an extra $60 at Best Buy.
Previous-gen Roku Express+ for $30 (reg. $35): This isn’t technically a Black Friday special, but it’s the only option for older tube TVs. Walmart is still selling it even though Roku has technically discontinued this model.
Fire TV deals
Not to be outdone by Roku, Amazon is slashing prices on its entire line of streaming players for Black Friday.
Fire TV Stick for $20 (reg. $40): This matches Amazon’s Prime Day pricing. The sale is happening now via Amazon, Best Buy, and Target.
Fire TV Stick 4K for $25 (reg. $50): Also a match with Prime Day pricing, this is much faster device than the standard stick. Get it from Amazon, Best Buy, or Target. (As of this writing, Best Buy is also offering a bundle with Amazon’s Echo Dot speaker for $42, which is $5 less than the Black Friday price of buying them separately.)
Fire TV Cube for $90 (reg. $120): The second-gen version is much faster than any other Fire TV, and has microphones for hands-free Alexa commands. It’s on sale now from Amazon and Best Buy.
Chromecast deals
Chromecast for $25 (reg. $35): Same deal as last year. The deal will be available at major retailers including Best Buy, Target, and Walmart, along with the Google Store.
Chromecast and Google Home speaker for $35 (reg. $74): The pre-Black Friday price is $45, but it’ll drop another $10 at Walmart when the big sale day hits.
Chromecast Ultra for $50 (reg. $70): For those who need 4K HDR video or Stadia support, this deal will go live at major retailers including Best Buy, Target, and Walmart, along with the Google Store.
Android TV dealsXiaomi Mi Box S for $40 (reg. $60): Not a fan of this one, but it is the cheapest Android TV device around on Black Friday. This deal’s already live at Walmart.
Unfortunately, we haven’t yet seen any deals for the far-superior Nvidia Shield TV.
Apple TV dealsApple TV 4K for $169 (reg. $179): It’s unclear if this deal will hold through Black Friday, but it’s available at B&H right now.
Streaming service dealsAll set on streaming devices? You can also save some money on several streaming video services:
Hulu: Get the ad-supported plan for $2 per month (regularly $6 per month) for one year.
Amazon Prime: Take 50 percent off select Amazon Channels add-ons for three months, including CBS All Access (commercial-free), Epix, and Noggin.
Over-the-air DVR deals
Tablo Dual Lite DVR for $100 (reg. $140): Record live channels from an antenna, then stream them to other devices around the house. Best Buy has this deal through December 2.
Amazon Fire TV Recast DVR for $130 (reg. $230): This box streams live and recorded TV from an antenna to Fire TV devices around the house. Amazon’s matching its record-low Prime Day pricing right now. The quad-tuner version with 1TB of storage is also on sale for $180.
Channel Master Stream+ for $89 (reg. $149): A simple, subscription-free DVR that’s also an Android TV box, albeit without some popular apps such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. Get it straight from Channel Master’s website.
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