Unlike previously for big events like the Olympics and the World Cup, there are solid free options for cord cutters looking to watch Super Bowl XLIX online -- and without having to log in with pay-TV account credentials.

This year, NBC is making a live stream of the Super Bowl -- including a total of 11 hours of pre-game coverage, the Katy Perry half-time show, and a post-game episode of The Blacklist -- available for free online at the NBCSports website, NBC.com, and the NBC Sports iPad, Android tablet, and Windows 8 tablet apps on Super Bowl Sunday.

And that's all without having to log in with any cable or satellite TV accounts. The one caveat is that you won't be able to stream Super Bowl XLIX on your smartphone, unless you are a Verizon Wireless subscriber with the NFL Mobile app, as the carrier has exclusive rights to the smartphone stream.

NBC is calling their special open access to the event "Super Stream Sunday," and it's partly to push viewers to try watching "The Blacklist" after the game. "'Super Stream Sunday' builds off of NBCUniversal's commitment to create broader TV Everywhere opportunities for our consumers," said Alison Moore, GM and EVP of TV Everywhere for NBCUniversal in the company's release. "We are leveraging the massive digital reach of the Super Bowl to help raise overall awareness of TV Everywhere by allowing consumers to explore our vast TVE offering with this special one-day-only access."

How to Stream Super Bowl XLIX to Your TV:

The Antenna: Free HD Signals in the Air

If streaming the game on your computer or tablet doesn't seem a "super" enough experience for the occasion, there are ways to take that livestream and throw it up on the big screen.

But first, since it's also "streaming" over the old-fashioned broadcast TV airwaves, you might consider picking up a special peripheral device for your TV called "an antenna."

Joking aside, modern antennae technology is anything but your parent's old rabbit ears, and many newer antennae, like the Winegard FlatWave Amped (read our hands-on review here) are sleek and high performance -- capable of picking up high definition signals from broadcast ranges unheard of in the days before most people switched to cable (and then subsequently cut the cord a decade or two later).

Most -- even some of the most premium variants -- cost less than many Internet-connected streaming boxes, and are a cinch to set up.

Roku 3

The Roku 3 is one of the best TV streaming boxes out there, and if you happen to own one, pick one up for $75, or have the cheaper Roku Stick, you'll be able to watch Super Bowl XLIX on the big screen, if you own a Windows 8.1 PC or a Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HDX tablet (remember, no smartphone streaming is available for non-Verizon customers).

Details on how to set up screen mirroring are available from Roku here, along with a list of compatible Windows 8.1 computers. The advantage of Roku is that it's pretty consumer friendly, complete with remote, and easy to set up.

Chromecast

Another low-cost option is Google's Chromecast, the HDMI streaming dongle that sells for $35 or under online and at electronics stores. The Chromecast is also pretty simple to set up, using the Chromecast app to connect it to your WiFi, plugging it into an open HDMI port, and then connecting the power cord to either an open USB port (on the back of most modern HDTVs) or into the wall, phone-charger style.

Once you've got a Chromecast plugged into the TV, you can either use screen mirroring from your Android tablet or get the official Google Cast extension for the Chrome browser, which runs on any laptop or computer.

A word of warning on the Chromecast option. It's still a bit of a tech geeky gadget, and might be too confusing to the less technically savvy: For example, the Chromecast comes with no remote -- it's basically just a receiver you operate from the Chrome browser or your Android tablet. On top of that, streaming from the Chrome browser isn't always smooth, so you might not get a full HD experience and, at the worst, your stream might chop or drop.

Apple TV

Another option for playing the NBC Super Bowl livestream on the TV is the Apple TV. AirPlay mirroring your iPad's stream is likely to work without much chance of technical issues. You can check out Apple's official instructions on how to do it here.

However, this option is only for those with an iPad 3rd generation or later, updated to iOS 8 and an Apple TV 3rd generation or later, updated to Apple TV system 7, which runs about $80 at most retailers.

No matter what devices or platforms you use, as long as you've got a TV, a decent connection and WiFi (or live in range of a broadcast and have an antenna) you should be able to find a way to watch the excitement unfold on your big screen.