You can watch your actual cable/antenna live TV on Android TV (with a compatible TV tuner) via the Live Channels app, or watch live TV via one of the many internet TV services (PS Vue, Sling TV, etc).

Hulu is a service. When you buy a device to watch Hulu, you don't get access to their service for free. Same reason you don't buy a PC and get to a free Netflix subscription.

As far as just wanting something as background noise for 5-10 minutes, maybe buying an antenna would be cheaper.

• for channel surfing I use PS Vue. For $35 a month I get tons of live channels and all the ESPN's and FX's I want. There is a "Live Channels" app that incorporates tons of stuff too, but I don't use it, so you may want to just google "live channels for android tv"

• You need to have subscriptions for Hulu, Netflix, and the like... unless you want to pirate, but that's illegal.

I live in Asia so obviously we even have fewer choices for IP based subscription service. We do enjoy Netflix here now but that's about it. However I have managed to still "cut the cord" because simply my own children don't watch live TV and their source of content is mostly youtube. I and my wife get by with Netflix but I won't be a hypocrite and say I don't use Kodi w/ unofficial add-ons. I use those for TV shows not on netflix. For Live TV, I use haystack, puppetmaster tv & pluto. Surprisingly I am content because at these times, I can't spend as much time watching TV anyway w/ social media also eating into recreational time that used to be satisfied by TV.

There's built in PVR function. Connect a compatible USB tuner and 64GB+ (think it's 50gb actually) and it'll allow you to record whatever the tuner can pick up. Haven't used it, but a shield pro sounds like the better investment if you want to go that route.

If you don't like that there's tvheadend which blends with live channels app built into Android TV very well. If you have a crappy tuner card nextpvr works very well in Windows but you'll need a Plex add-on or Kodi/spmc to watch.

If your TVs have a builtin digital tuner then you can go ahead and get an OTA antenna for reliable, high quality HD video from the major networks, for live events (SuperBowl/Olympics), news, or emergency weather/disaster situations. This is also a good way to offload your TV viewing from your broadband connection.

Go to TV Fool and post a link to your report in /r/OTA for antenna suggestions. Be sure to mention if you have an an unused satellite dish or want an indoor, outdoor, or attic antenna and if you want single or multi-room viewing or DVR suggestions. In many situations you can reuse the existing coax cables in your home.

For a builtin DVR, Tablo should be releasing the Tablo OTA Tuner and Tablo DROID sometime this year . It's also compatible with the HAUPPAUGE WinTV-DualHD Dual USB 2.0 HD TV Tuner (same tuner as the Tablo Tuner).

You can watch some free live TV and curated content using the Pluto TV app. Assuming an Android TV app is available, for pay TV and sports you can look into Sling, DirecTV Now, PS Vue, or upcoming Hulu "Live" and YouTube TV.

Look into SPMC (Kodi for Android) or Kodi + Exodus add-on for on-demand content.

PlayStation Vue is really good. In many areas have local channels and has regional and national sports channels You do NOT need a PlayStation to use that service.

There is also SlingTV, DirectTV (not sure if app is out yet), Hulu TV and Google TV (I believe starting soon and in select cities respectively).

Check out Vue though. It's personally my favorite because of local channels, regional sports and DVR for $35/month.

I use it on the Mi box flawlessIy so I'd expect Shield would be just as good with them.

Haystack TV is a great app for 5-10mins of content for news/sports etc. It curates content from the internet based on your preferences and cues them up daily ready to play with no subscriptions required. Basically 30sec+ clips.

For free stuff you can add on an OTA tuner. Or you can install the Pluto app which has a lot of free channels to watch.

For subscription stuff there is PSVue and Sling right now. DirecTV Now is supposed to come out with an AndroidTV app but no timeframe when. PSVue is king on the block for now for Android TV.

Appreciate the response, I'm going to look into those other alternatives, I checked out Pluto and the channels seemed a bit random - but I guess for background noise it doesn't matter

i use an ota antenna, (im in niagara area so i get toronto and buffalo channels) or use pluto tv, i think there is also haystack tv and bloomberg but i havnt tried them, even just a few youtube videos arent a bad idea.