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Cutting the Cable cord


praise_gibbs

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I am interested to hear your experiences and hopefully success stories about cutting cable TV out of your life..

 

I am paying about $200 a month for Comcast (phone, internet, and phone), Netflix, and WWE Network. For my wife and I, that $200 is stressing our wallets. With the amount of channel surfing my family and I do, is it worth it? I feel like I am paying a $.50 per click.

 

I want to continue to use Netflix and WWE Network but also add Hulu Plus for our TV show viewing.

 

The downfall? Sports. I live in South Jersey ("Eagle Country") so I get few Redskins games anyway so I find myself streaming them online. But, I really want the best affordable legal way to watch NFL games without using cable/satellite.

 

So, what do YOU use:

 

to watch movies..

 

to watch tv shows..

 

to watch sports..

 

Additionally, does anyone have experience with using the Vizio Co-Star? 

http://store.vizio.com/co-star

 

 

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Netflix movies. Hulu plus and Netflix for tv shows. Apple tv as the medium. It works pretty well.

basic channels and internet through Comcast for now. It works and a lot cheaper than before.

Downsides are you cant depend on it for sporting events so you have to watch them elsewhere. Also im picky on my movies so I quickly exhaust the Netflix queue.

But it's worth it for me to not pay $200/month.

$40 for NFL game rewind for skins games as im in Texas, though I do find it hard to wait till 11pm on Sunday.

Edited by sportjunkie07
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I have 3 boxes (1 DVR, 2 regular), HBO, Starz, Showtime... I've fought my case numerous occasions but, I do not watch much of anything on Cable to warant more than $50.00...

 

The issue is that what I do watch requires higher pricing. If they were a la carte it would be a lesser issue..

 

My aunt is good friends with someone in comcast and she had me "cancel" and then she called her friend and he put me in under a new customer Triple Play package for $99.99 (included the works) but, that expired and added nearly $70 plus fees.

 

Additionally, nothing Comcast offers is $400 worth of anything unless you have 15 dvr boxes/remotes, multiple modems, each and every package including the adult content.. and that even can't cost $400..

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Now, for Hulu Plus:

 

How quickly are episodes added for viewing? My wife is set on watching "her shows" as they air but, if they are added, say a day after or so, it could work in her and I benefit as we would have something to watch every day. That would certainly help our extremely busy schedules.

 

 

Apple TV:

 

I am very anti-Apple product. How does that compare to Google TV?

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I've seriously considered cutting the cord over the past few years but couple of things keep holding me back

 

- Basketball.  My understanding is that league pass blacks out local games so that's not an option either.  I don't think MLB league pass blacks out locals and OTA has me covered for football

- Food network.  Other than kids shows and sports, it's the only other channel that gets regular viewing at my house (which is not a lot to begin with.  Sometimes days go by without the TV coming on and I keep thinking, why do I pay for cable again? SMH)

- For Verizon, bundle package with basic cable and other services is not that much more expensive then internet alone.  If I cut the cord, I'll probably switch to Cox as their internet standalone is cheaper.

 

If I could get local basketball and food network without cable, I would cut the cord, switch to Cox, order Netflix and Amazon for movies and Kid's Show, get league pass for MLB and NBA, and get a HD antenna.  Not here yet, but that day is coming.

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I've been cable-free since summer and I suggest the following:

 

- Pick up a solid digital TV antenna so you can get all the channels available locally.  It's more than you think, as digital signals have longer range than the analog channels you remember from the pre-cable days.  This website will help you: http://www.antennaweb.org/  Also, I use this window-mounted antenna at home (in Chicago) and have been pretty happy: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0063705PE/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

- Subscriptions to streaming services:  I get almost all of my network TV through HuluPlus, and I'm into documentaries, so Netflix is good for that;  I'm also a pretty big O's fan, and subscribe to mlb.tv;  I'm debating whether I should pick up the NHL package at some point, but I can't get into hockey until the playoffs come around

 

- Integrating it to your TV:  I'm not an Apple Fanboy but I've ended up with quite a few apple devices so AppleTV works for me (plus I like being able to airplay mp3s from my phone directly to appletv when I'm working around the house).  Since you're not a huge apple fan, I've heard the new Roku boxes are amazing, and actually have more options for other things you can stream (often free) to them.

 

EDIT: I should add that being out of market helps me in this situation, as local games still get blacked out.  I'm out of luck when the O's are playing the White Sox or Cubs, unless I'm at the stadium.  But yeah, if they're playing the Sox in Baltimore, and I really want to watch, I have to find a bar.

Edited by balki1867
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- Basketball.  My understanding is that league pass blacks out local games so that's not an option either.  I don't think MLB league pass blacks out locals and OTA has me covered for football

 

Just FYI, MLB actually does do blackouts on all of their platforms, and their coverage area is much bigger than other sports because they want to get so much coverage for their TV deals. For example, I live in Charlotte and Braves, Nationals, Orioles and Reds games are blacked out. It's annoying...it's not like I am going to pack up the car and head to Cincinnati for a weeknight game. Oh well, I only really care about the O's, and since I finally got MASN two years ago, I am fine with it. 

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When we were moving last July, we had our cable cut early in June.  During that about 2 month period without cable, I realized something.

 

Cable. Is. Overrated. 

 

We've been in our home since July 20th, and there is still no cable.  Yes, we do have Fios internet, but in 2014, that's all you need.  Between Netflix, WWE Network (I just signed up too), YouTube, and "other" sites that allows me to stream cable shows, along with live sports that are on cable, I haven't seen the need to get cable.  Like previously suggested, I also have a digital antenna in both of our TVs, and I was amazed to find that the same 1080i HD I was paying around $120 a month for at my apartment, was once again on my TV screen for the price of a $15 antenna I bought from Walmart.  Yes, a little part of me misses DVR and the ability to pause live TV....but that's a technology that wasn't even around until about 4 years ago in my life, so it's not really that huge of a setback. 

 

If you have a really good data plan on your phone, you can even use that as your primary ISP, and not even worry about getting one for your house.  It's funny, because I actually had a Verizon guy come up to me, and try to push the whole bundle deal on me.  When I told him we already have cellphones,  he suggested that I get the telephone service, and not actually get a landline telephone.  So, you're going to charge me for a service that I'm never going to use?  That makes PERFECT sense!

 

When I think about it, when we had cable, the only stuff I watched was whatever sports stuff was on TV, WWE, and Speed Channel.  Maybe a little Spike TV or truTV here or there.....and that's it.  I may never go back to cable.

 

Most HDTVs these days are equipped to display VGA, so it's easy to hook your computer or laptop to the TV.  In fact, I'm currently using a 27inch Sharp HDTV to type this.  It's made the transition even easier.

Edited by IceDragon38
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www.couchtuner.eu is the best site to watch most shows 15 mins after they air. If you don't mind watching on a laptop or hooking it up to a tv. This site is has let me catch up on all types of shows Ive missed over the years. Hope it helps someone like it did for me.

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www.couchtuner.eu is the best site to watch most shows 15 mins after they air. If you don't mind watching on a laptop or hooking it up to a tv. This site is has let me catch up on all types of shows Ive missed over the years. Hope it helps someone like it did for me.

 

Maybe I am one of the few that choose to not participate/support illegal activities on the internet.

 

You probably won't ever get caught, but if you do.....

 

And since you are anti Apple, you really should avoid the site, it's a haven for viruses.

 

And Google monitors your every move.

 

Stick with cable :D

Edited by chipwhich
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We're probably 4 months into cutting the cord. We love it. We get our TV through a mix of Hulu Plus, Netflix, and Amazon video as well as Google Play and iTunes store. 

 

I think the trick is to not expect to get the same things you were getting with cable. You're going to a new delivery system so don't look for the stuff you liked on "old tv" necessarily. Most of it is probably available streaming too, but you'll be better served finding what "non-cable" has to offer versus comparing it to cable. 

 

We come out about 60-100 bucks ahead by having cut the cord--which I enjoy more than anything. 

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Maybe I am one of the few that choose to not participate/support illegal activities on the internet.

 

You probably won't ever get caught, but if you do.....

 

And since you are anti Apple, you really should avoid the site, it's a haven for viruses.

 

And Google monitors your every move.

 

Stick with cable :D

 

 

Get a good ad blocker and no viruses after using for about a year. I respect your non pirating opinion. I just don't understand how it would be illegal watching a show on an internet site. If you were downloading and making dvds and selling them at the flea market then yeah. Just giving people a heads up on the best site out there to catch shows they might have missed or can't see.

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Maybe I am one of the few that choose to not participate/support illegal activities on the internet.

 

You probably won't ever get caught, but if you do.....

 

And since you are anti Apple, you really should avoid the site, it's a haven for viruses.

 

And Google monitors your every move.

 

Stick with cable :D

 

is that illegal?

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Get a good ad blocker and no viruses after using for about a year. I respect your non pirating opinion. I just don't understand how it would be illegal watching a show on an internet site. If you were downloading and making dvds and selling them at the flea market then yeah. Just giving people a heads up on the best site out there to catch shows they might have missed or can't see.

 

A good adblocker only stops threat's it knows.  Spend any time there and your chance of getting infected is high.  Unless you use a Mac :P

 

You won't find it hard to believe when the FBI comes a knocking.

is that illegal?

 

Nahhhh, streaming copyrighted shows for free, how could that be illegal.

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A good adblocker only stops threat's it knows.  Spend any time there and your chance of getting infected is high.  Unless you use a Mac :P

 

You won't find it hard to believe when the FBI comes a knocking.

 

Nahhhh, streaming copyrighted shows for free, how could that be illegal.

Yeah using a mac. but really if the fbi is coming to my house for watching game of thrones then there a bunch of morons. So be it.

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Nahhhh, streaming copyrighted shows for free, how could that be illegal.

 

Watching is not streaming is it?

Watching my neighbors tv isn't....unless he is charging me, but then that is on him

 

how could watching someone elses screen on yours be different?

 

Is google a accomplice?

 

I need to write these down for when the suits show up.

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Yeah using a mac. but really if the fbi is coming to my house for watching game of thrones then there a bunch of morons. So be it.

 

Well you gotta make an example out of a large group of people to make a point.

I hear ya, probably nothing will ever happen to you.  I just prefer to keep it legal.  You never know when it might matter.

Watching is not streaming is it?

Watching my neighbors tv isn't....unless he is charging me, but then that is on him

 

how could watching someone elses screen on yours be different?

 

Is google a accomplice?

 

I need to write these down for when the suits show up.

 

Hey in Texas with all of them illegals ya might get off because there is a lot worse going on.

What I hear you should do is install powerful magnets in your door jams, which are available on the interwebz.  When the suits take your computer out the door, the magnets erase the hard drive.  Problem solved.

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There are apps on my android phone . I can download any song for free. How would they even begin to regulate that when everyone is doing it. I understand what you are saying chipwich but I will take my chances on this one. Now if you are making excessive downloads and selling them for profits you better be careful. I really don't feel like I am doing anything morally wrong. If you do. I respect that

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I cut the cord over four years ago when I moved and started seminary.

 

If you have an Xbox 360 and a PC with Windows 7 Home Premium or higher I would recommend getting a TV tuner for your PC.

 

We have an antenna connected to tuners on my home network.  My desktop PC records the shows and then we use the Xbox 360 to watch them on our TV at our leisure.  It has a nice, clean DVR TV listing to set up the recordings and everything.

 

We use a Roku to watch Netflix and other assorted media.

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And Google monitors your every move.

 

Stick with cable :D

 

Someone's already developed a cable box that monitors what shows you watch in order to route advertising optimally.  So it won't be long until the day you get done cleaning up from Thanksgiving dinner and turn on the Thanksgiving night NFL game-- and right at the first commercial break an ad will come on for the hot new 'Bob the Builder' Christmas toy (and your cable box already knows you DVR that show religiously for your son).  Meanwhile your neighbor, who has a 4-year-old daughter, is seeing an ad for a new 'Dora the Explorer' toy.

 

Seriously, the pro-cable arguments I always hear involve dividing the price by the amount of TV you watch to show that you're paying less than $1/hour for it, making it one of the cheapest forms of entertainment.  My counter-argument is that the amount of time you lose watching garbage is actually an added cost (above what you're already paying for the cable connection).

 

I made decision to cut the cord after an evening where I realized that I'd just spent 3 hours watching a reality show where they follow around repo-men to document all the crazy stuff they have to go through.

 

Oh and praise_gibbs, with respect to how quickly new shows get on Hulu-- I'd say its almost always within 24 hours.  I travel a lot for work, so its usually my Thursday night routine to fly home, get a cab back to my place, order delivery, do laundry and watch everything I missed during the week on Hulu.  Lately, I've been traveling much less, so I typically watch the previous night's Daily Show Tonight Show monologue on Hulu every evening as I'm making/eating dinner.

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Balki, not pro cable at all.  I have cable because I get what I can't get anywhere else.  Lot's of sports.

 

I only threw in Google because of the Apple comment earlier in the thread.  I find it amusing that the most intrusive, tracking, invasion of privacy company on the web, Google, never gets any bad press.  I guess people don't care that google is in your bedroom ;)

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I have had Directv for the last year and have been paying just $63.99 per month for TV and $51 a month for Time Warner high speed internet. That being said, we have to move and the new apartment complex doesn't allow dish, so I have to drop $360 for early cancellation to DTV on our 2 year agreement. I already pay about $150 a year for NHL Game Center, $125 a year for MLB.tv, and $300 a year for NFL SUnday Ticket on PS3 (this year I got it free with signing up for DTV). So that being said, we literally only watch TV when it's a sporting event. That $360 has me a little soured and hesitant to fork over another $130 a month for cable/internet (what our only cable tv option is here locally with TW). So here's what I am doing, and I know this isn't totally legal, but whatever.

 

My parents have HBO Go, Watch ESPN, etc. They don't even touch their online capabilities with those services. In fact, I set it up for them a few summers ago when I was home from college. I still have the login information, so I can access that.

I have just enough lying around in Apple gift cards to buy Apple TV. I just bought this Mohu leaf antenna (http://www.amazon.com/Mohu-Leaf-Paper-Thin-Indoor-Antenna/dp/B004QK7HI8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393427338&sr=8-1&keywords=leaf+antenna) for local programming. I'm "cutting the chord" ... we are going to keep or maybe even slightly upgrade our internet speed (It's already quite fast) at our new place. I am going to use Apple TV to access MLB.tv, NHL Game Center, HBO Go, Netflix and Watch ESPN, which I already use now in addition to Directv. 

 

So I'll be paying for the Apple TV ($100) aka free with gift cards, Indoor HD Antenna ($40) ... then using all my online subscriptions to watch essentially what I already watch. The only tricky thing will be come football season, what I do with NFL Sunday Ticket. I got it in 2012 through the PS3 for $350, but I heard it wasn't offered in 2013. Fortunately, I got it free through DTV last year. I might take advantage of the Madden special if it is offered again ($100 game w/ Sunday Ticket subscription).

 

So instead of paying $83 a month (what it was going to be this year for DTV in year 2) + $150 for NHL, $125 for MLB and $350 for NFL ... I'll be paying a "flat rate" of $40.

 

I probably wouldn't be doing this if we weren't moving, obviously, as I'm under contract with DTV. The cancellation fee hurts, but the fiance and I literally only watch sports, HBO and netflix. This made the most sense to me.

 

The way it works out on paper: Directv was going to cost me $996 for the next 12 months. I'm paying $360 to do early cancellation. Time Warner would cost me about $80 a month for TV as well or $960 for the year. These would be in addition to what I pay for sports subscriptions.

 

So while I'm down $360 out of pocket for cancellation (no choice there) and $40 for the antenna/AppleTV ... that $400 up front negates about $960 I'd be paying for cable.

 

Before: $996 for DTV, $150 for NHL, $125 for MLB, $350 for NFL = 1,621 annually

After: $360 cancellation, $150 NHL, $125 MLB, $350 NFL, $40 equipment = $1,025

Edited by JamesMadisonSkins
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