For ways cord-cutters can resolve streaming frustrations

Last week, Accenture published a survey that expressed widespread annoyance with streaming TV.

Consumers are frustrated, the firm said, with having to manually browse through lots of different apps and menus to find what they want, and they pine for smarter recommendations that account for their viewing habits across all apps. Respondents also chafed at “inefficient” subscriptions full of content they’ll never watch.

None of this is surprising. For years, I’ve written about the overly siloed nature of streaming TV, and how we need better universal guides to make sense of all the options. But as we head into 2022, much of what users claim to want does, in fact, already exist. With just a bit of up-front effort, you can solve some of streaming-TV’s biggest frustrations today.

Here’s how to do that:

Build a search habit

Figuring out how to stream a particular movie or TV show to stream isn’t the huge challenge it’s often made out to be, as most streaming devices already let you search across all the major video services.

If have an Amazon Fire TV device, Apple TV box, Google TV device, Android TV device, or Roku player, just look for the voice search button on your remote. Search for a movie or show, and you’ll see exactly where to watch it. (I suggest avoiding Roku’s $30 Express player in large part because its remote doesn’t offer voice search.)

Jared Newman / IDG

The challenge is more about remembering to use voice search in the first place, as it may not come naturally if you’re accustomed to clunky cable remotes. But once you get in the habit, it might become your favorite way to navigate.

Make a watchlist

Jared Newman / IDG

Most major streaming platforms let you create a list of movies or shows to watch, regardless of which streaming service they come from. Being mindful of these watchlist features can save time later, when you’re unsure what to watch next.