Goodbye Cable: These Compact Devices Open the Door to Thousands of Free Movies and Shows

Arnaud Pontin (Image : AI / )

For viewers trying to escape increasingly expensive cable subscriptions, television can now begin with a small device and a Wi-Fi connection. A Roku Stick, Fire TV Stick or Google TV Streamer plugs into an HDMI port, connects to the home Internet network through a username and password, and provides access to a wide range of applications, movies and television programs. The access is free when the services themselves are free, and it is legal.

I had considered switching to streaming television after years of paying for cable, but I knew little about the technology. I assumed that services such as YouTube were the main option and that additional content would require payment. A friend introduced me to the Roku Stick, and I discovered that no long cables, set-top boxes or small computers were needed.

These devices are sold at different prices, depending on their resolution and features. The following amounts are approximate prices in Canadian dollars and may vary by country.

Devices that connect to a television

A television can also come with the streaming platform already installed. Roku, Google TV, Fire TV, Tizen and other systems are available in Smart TVs, meaning that no additional device needs to be added.

Smart TV alternatives

My own setup consists of three televisions, each connected to a Roku Stick that cost $40. After two years, I continue to watch classic movies and hundreds of classic series, along with science fiction, Little House on the Prairie, The Love Boat and other programs. I have not received a bill for any of it, which represented a considerable saving from the first month.

There is, however, an important limit to what these devices provide. Their hardware may work internationally, but the available television service is regional. A Roku Stick bought in Canada gives access to many streaming services, yet the selection of free channels, movies and series changes according to the country. Broadcasting rights are negotiated by territory, so a movie offered free in the United States may not be available in Canada or Europe.

These products are best understood as gateways to the Internet. Once connected, a Roku Stick, Fire TV Stick or Google TV Streamer lets viewers install applications, but the actual programming depends on the country, the user’s account, broadcasting rights and, at times, the regional version of an application. Two people using the same Roku Stick in Montreal and Paris can therefore receive very different television offerings. Roku says its search engine reaches more than 500,000 movies and episodes from more than 500 streaming channels, although the selection still depends on the market.

LGBTQ+ programming in Canada

Free services supported by advertising are also creating more options for viewers looking for LGBTQ+ programming. In Canada, Tubi has a dedicated LGBTQ+ category that currently includes The Birdcage, But I’m a Cheerleader, Maurice, Carol, Transamerica, Paris Is Burning and Wynonna Earp, along with documentaries and newer productions. Tubi is free and financed through advertising.

OUTflix Movies is another free channel devoted to LGBTQ+ cinema. It is available in Canada and the United States, including on Roku in Canada, and can also be found on Pluto TV, Plex, Samsung TV Plus, Xumo and other platforms, depending on the territory.

The United States

The selection is broader in the United States. Pluto TV offers free LGBTQ+ programs such as RuPaul’s Drag Race, The L Word, Queer as Folk, Faking It and Project Runway. It also carries a Logo channel dedicated to part of this programming. Tubi likewise offers a large free LGBTQ+ section in the United States.

Different options across Europe

European viewers are also seeing new possibilities as advertising-supported streaming expands. The available content is not uniform, however. Rights agreements with producers, broadcasting arrangements and platform availability differ between France, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Nordic countries and other parts of Europe.

The United Kingdom offers a particularly notable example through OUTflix Proud, a free channel devoted entirely to LGBTQ+ content. It is available without a subscription, notably through Freeview on channel 288, as well as Netgem, Channelbox, wedotv and other platforms. It follows the FAST model, or Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television, and includes series, documentaries, movies, reality television, drag culture and original LGBTQ+ productions.

The broader OUTflix service includes LGBTQ+ series, movies, documentaries and original programs, but this version requires a subscription rather than being entirely free. It is available in the United Kingdom and Ireland. In Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, viewers can notably access it through Allente.

The essential point for European viewers is that purchasing a streaming device does not guarantee access to the same LGBTQ+ channels throughout the continent. A Roku, Fire TV or another device may function technically in several countries, while the applications and programs available on it remain territory-dependent. Television technology is becoming increasingly international, but its content is still strongly regional.

For LGBTQ+ viewers seeking to reduce or eliminate traditional subscriptions, the amount of free programming is nevertheless growing. FAST services such as OUTflix Proud show that a channel devoted to LGBTQ+ content can be offered free of charge and financed primarily through advertising. After years in which specialized subscriptions were often necessary to access this type of programming, some viewers can now discover LGBTQ+ movies, series and documentaries without paying for the service.

ADVERTISING