Can i watch regular tv on amazon prime

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If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber, you know that it includes tons and tons of streaming TV and movies, some of which is original and exclusive. You might know that you can subscribe to additional streaming catalogs, like HBO and Showtime. But did you know that Prime also has a bunch of live TV channels, available at no extra charge?

To be clear: these twenty-six channels are still streaming video, but they’re presented as set blocks of programming, like cable TV. It’s a lot like the freebie channels you can access over Roku’s digital service, in that there’s not a whole lot of premium content, and you can’t pause, rewind, or skip the (many) commercials. But just perusing the listings on a Wednesday afternoon, I spotted reruns of Bonanza, Evolution (that alien movie with Stoned Mulder), and My Favorite Martian. It’s far from a wasteland.

So next time you’re browsing the twentieth page of Amazon’s Prime Video catalog without any luck, give the live channels a try. You can find them at amazon.com/gp/video/epg. Note that the availability of the channels will almost certainly differ based on your country.

• There are several different ways to watch Amazon Prime Video on your TV.
• Rather than watching Amazon Prime Video in a web browser, you can watch it on your TV in a number of different ways.
• If you have a smart TV, it almost certainly includes a Prime Video channel.
• Older TVs can get Prime Video through a streaming device or even by connecting your phone or tablet with an HDMI cable.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Amazon Prime is Amazon's popular subscription service that gives members free shipping on many products in the store. But the subscription (currently $119 a year for most people, though there is a discounted student plan) includes a lot more than just shipping — you get a slew of discounts, streaming music, streaming video, and a lot more.

If you are an Amazon Prime subscriber and looking for ways to get your free streaming video on a television, you're in luck — there are a lot of options.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Amazon Prime subscription (30-day free trial or $12.99/month)

Amazon Prime Video (30-day free trial or $12.99/month)

Amazon Fire TV (From $14.99 at Amazon)

Roku Express (From $29.99 at Best Buy)

Apple TV (From $149.99 at Best Buy)

Google Chromecast (From $35 at Best Buy)

How to watch Amazon Prime Video on your TV

Smart TVs

First and foremost, most smart TVs — TVs with a built-in ability to display streaming services — support Amazon Prime.

If you're shopping for a smart TV, you should make sure that it has an Amazon Prime channel built in — but virtually all do, making this step pretty simple. Brands like Samsung, LG, TCL, Toshiba, Sony, and more include Amazon Prime Video.

Streaming players

If your TV isn't "smart" — or if you have a smart TV that doesn't, for some reason, include Amazon Prime, you can add Amazon Prime Video by connecting a streaming player to your TV. There are a large number of streaming players available, and like smart TVs, virtually all include the ability to play Amazon Prime Video.

Amazon sells its own family of streaming players, all of which feature Prime Video — the Amazon Fire TV. In addition, you can look for any of the Roku players, an Apple TV, and others.

In addition, some home theater components have streaming video built in as well. If you are shopping for a replacement DVD or Blu-ray player, be aware that many of these disc players also allow streaming video like Amazon Prime.

"Cast" from a Chromecast

Google's Chromecast is a unique device that lets you wirelessly "cast" content from your phone, tablet, or computer to your TV. Like most ordinary streaming players, the Chromecast plugs into an HDMI port on your TV. But it then plays video (and other content) wirelessly from your device.

While there is no way to access a dedicated Amazon Prime Video app via Chromecast, you can play content from Amazon Prime Video on your Android phone or computer and then "cast" it to your TV using a Chromecast.

Connect a phone or tablet to a TV

With the right cable, you can connect your tablet (like an iPad) or even your phone directly to a TV. For an iPad, for example, you need to get a Lightning to Digital AV adapter, which is available from any Apple store on online. For details on how to make the connection, read our article "How to connect an iPad to your TV in two different ways."

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• 'How much does Amazon Prime cost?': A breakdown of Amazon's membership plans, and whether they're worth it

• How to download Amazon Prime movies and shows to your phone or tablet

• How to get free stuff on Amazon without an Amazon Prime membership

• 'What is Amazon Fire TV?': Everything you need to know about Amazon's media streaming devices

Dave Johnson

Freelance Writer

Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.

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