The cable box didn't disappear overnight — it was gradually replaced by a very different kind of technology.
For decades, the cable box was the standard piece of hardware sitting under the TV. Streaming technology has largely replaced that role, though the shift happened gradually rather than all at once.
It decoded a signal delivered through a dedicated cable line and translated it into a picture, tied to a provider-installed connection at a fixed location.
Streaming apps do the equivalent job using your existing internet connection instead of a dedicated line, running on a Smart TV or a small external device rather than a large provider-owned box. Our explainer on how online streaming actually works covers this in more detail.
The basic idea — a device that turns a signal into something watchable on your TV — hasn't changed. What changed is the signal itself, and the flexibility that comes with it. Our cord-cutting guide for beginners covers the practical side of making that switch.
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