There are many things that I find substitutes for:

* Linux / LibreOffice instead of Windows / MS Office
* Bandcamp / Music library instead of Spofity
* DRM-free books / MP3 audiobooks instead of Amazon / Kindle

So it should come as no surprise that I've figured out how replicate the experience of basic cable:

Over the air antenna and a Roku emulates about 36 channels of programming I couldn't care about and most of the content I do care about.

It even has odd artifacts.