How to Watch the 2022 Oscars Online Without Cable

It’s that time of the year again. The 94th Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, is scheduled to air on ABC on March 27 (Sunday) at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT. 

With actresses like Ariana Debose and Kristen Stewart receiving their first-time nominations, and best actor nominations like Denzel Washington (his 10th Academy Awards nomination), Oscars 2022 is packed with an exciting line-up of nominees. But what if you don’t have cable? Where should you watch the Oscars?

Can You Watch the Oscars Without Cable?

The short answer? Yes, you can.

If you’re in the U.S., the easiest way to live stream the Oscars is on ABC.com or on the ABC TV channel. 

However, if you’re a cord-cutter or will be traveling outside the U.S., you might not be able to watch the Oscars on ABC’s website. The reason is that you’ll need your cable login credentials to use the ABC website for streaming. Plus, if you’re outside the U.S., you might need to get past geo-blocks.

You can watch the Oscars online regardless of where you are. You don’t need cable, just a good VPN and subscription to a streaming service like Hulu+Live TV, FuboTV, or YouTube TV, on which you can watch the Oscars.

Where Can I Watch the Oscars Online?

Excited to watch your favorite nominees walk down the red carpet at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles this March? Well, you either:

• Need to be in the U.S. and have cable 
• Have a subscription to a streaming service that allows access to ABC so you can watch the Oscars on demand

With cable: If you want to watch the Oscars live, you’ll need a cable or satellite subscription and be in one of the select few cities where live streaming is available. If you fulfill these conditions, you can watch the Oscars on ABC.com or the ABC app for Android or iOS. Note that you’ll need cable provider credentials to log in.

Without cable: If you don’t have cable, or want to watch the Oscars live from anywhere in the world, you’ll need to go a different route. You’ll need a subscription to a streaming service that offers access to ABC. Currently, the following services include ABC in their package:

• Hulu + Live TV: 7-day free trial, $69.99/month
• Fubo TV: 7-day free trial, $69.99/month
• YouTube TV: 7-day free trial, $64.99/month
• DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV): 5-day free trial, $69.99/month

How to Watch Oscars from Outside the U.S. and Without Cable?

If you’re outside the U.S., you might not have access to one or more of the streaming services mentioned in the previous section, depending on where you are. The easiest way to watch the biggest names in Hollywood at the Oscars from outside the U.S. and without cable is using a VPN.

A VPN (virtual private network) lets you acquire a U.S. IP address by tunneling your traffic through a U.S.-based server. When you access a website, it looks at your IP address to determine your location. 

If you’re in a geo-blocked region, the website won’t let you access its content. Acquiring a U.S. IP using a VPN will make the website think you’re physically located in the U.S., and give you access to its content.

If you want to watch this year’s Oscars from outside the U.S., here’s how you can use a VPN:

1. Sign up with a VPN service provider like ExpressVPN or NordVPN.
2. Download and install their app on your device. ExpressVPN has an app for most devices, including Android, iPhone, Amazon Fire TV, and Amazon TV Stick. However, if your device isn’t supported, you can always set up ExpressVPN on the router.
3. Once you’ve installed the app, launch it and connect to a U.S. server.

You should now be able to access streaming platforms that are geo-blocked outside of the U.S. 

Different VPNs support different sets of devices. If you want to use a geo-blocked service on an unsupported device like Apple TV or Roku, check if you can install the VPN on your router. Setting up the VPN on your router will allow all devices connected to it to use the VPN.

VPNs don’t cost a fortune, but if you’re unwilling to spend money on a VPN just to watch the Oscars, see if your VPN service provider offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Most good VPNs do, and you can claim a full refund after you’ve watched the awards show, if you don’t have any other use for the VPN.

Note that you should consider using a VPN regardless because it keeps you secure when using public WiFi and allows you to access geo-blocked content on Netflix and other streaming platforms.

Use HDTV Antennas to Watch the Oscars 2022

The primary purpose of an HDTV antenna is to receive electromagnetic signals from a television station and convert the signals into audio and video content. HDTV broadcasts can deliver better (or at least equally good) picture quality as cable or satellite, but more importantly, they don’t come with a monthly fee.

If you want to watch the Oscars without cable, you might want to consider an HDTV antenna like Sling TV’s antenna. It gets you access to channels like ABC, CBS, and FOX, among others, for free.

Full List of Oscar Nominations and Hosts

Now that you know how to watch Oscars without cable and from wherever you are, you might want to get a headstart for the awards ceremony by looking at the nominees.

Following are the nominations for the Best Picture category:

• Belfast
• CODA
• Don’t Look Up
• Drive My Car
• Dune
• King Richard
• Licorice Pizza
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power the Dog
• West Side Story

If you want the full list across all categories, you’ll find it on the ABC website.

Regina Hall, Wanda Sykes, and Amy Schummer are hosting the Oscars 2022. The presenters haven’t been confirmed yet, but historically, they have been past winners in their respective categories.

Ready for Oscars 2022?

The pandemic isn’t going to keep your favorite stars from creating history. Come March, your favorite stars and their films are about to earn some much-deserved praise. If you’re biting your nails in anticipation, you’d want to prepare well for the occasion. Hopefully, you now know how to watch the awards ceremony without cable, regardless of where you are on March 27th.