Quick update - I am test driving a streaming service and so far am really pleasantly surprised. Quite by accident I discovered a website (cablecast.ca) they like to use android boxes but will also use an app called Smart-stb - already on the TV waiting to be downloaded. the app costs about $2.25 per month or $27 lifetime and the service is $15 per month (or cheaper for 3 or 6 month terms)
I get 245 english channels, 142 sports channels, 20 baseball channels, and 7837 movies or TV series by name (Foyle's War/ the Simpsons etc.) it also has African, Haitian, Spanish, French, Russian, Turkish, Balkan, Romainain, Polish, Filipino, Portuguese, Brazilian, Israeli, Italian, Afghan/ Persian, Arabic Grrek, Chinese, Korean Vietnamese, Hindi, Punjabi, Bangla, and Urdu channels - on a one week free trial but, so far, so good.