Disadvantages: Don't expect any deeply integrated Internet features in your cable TV service anytime soon--no Web browser or fancy remote with a keyboard for quickly searching for Web content. Also, services can get fairly expensive: $70 per month might not seem so bad at first, but that's $840 each year (not counting taxes or installation fees)--enough to buy a budget 42-inch TV, a Roku, and a Netflix subscription.

Advanced tips: While the cablelike services don't offer much Web content, most are focusing on the "TV everywhere" concept. That is, they're moving to make their material viewable on a finite number of stationary and mobile screens. All of the major TV providers offer Android and iOS mobile apps that let you browse TV listings and schedule DVR recordings, and some have apps that let you stream video (generally both live TV and DVR recordings) to your tablet or smartphone.

If you get landline phone service from your TV provider, you might also have a few neat features that connect the two, such as voicemail management or caller ID through your TV.

Future-proof? The great advantage of the triple-play services is that the TV programming usually rides into the home on the same pipe as the Internet service (and the phone service). This setup creates a huge potential for integrating Internet features (such as apps, chat, music, and video) into the curated cable content. At present, however, TV providers haven't gone a long way toward realizing that potential.