Update on Cord Cutting (Cable TV) 2017 - 2020

[Cobra9777]

We live too far for OTA. When we first cut the cord in 2013, we kept an unadvertised "broadcast tier" TV service offered by Verizon FiOS. With the double-play discount, it was cheaper than internet alone and required no STBs of any kind. We used Windows Media Center on an old laptop for DVR and guide functionality. We enjoyed that pricing for several years and also used Netflix, Prime, and some other one-off streaming sources, like Curiosity Stream.

But shortly after the FiOS transition to Frontier, the price went up to $25 for the "broadcast tier." This was almost as much as many of the new live streaming services, which also offered an array of cable channels, cloud DVR, etc. So we dropped that and, for about two years now, we subscribe to Playstation Vue "Access," which is their lowest level package. During baseball season we upgrade to "Core" so that we can watch the Rangers on Fox Sports Southwest.

The one constant through all this is our internet service, which is FiOS 50/50. It's $54.99/mo (non-intro price; about $61 with taxes and fees) and is rock solid. No complaints since it was first installed in 2006. I could switch to Charter/Spectrum 200/20 for $45/mo (1st year price). But so far, I'm just not willing to give up the reliability of fiber for such a small cost difference. Our home phone is free using Google Voice plus an Obi-200 VoIP adapter.

Total monthly cost (including taxes/fees):

$61 Internet
$52 PS Vue (including seasonal baseball upgrade)
$12 Netflix
$125 Total

 

[StephieJean]

Cut-the-cord 3 years ago. Save us $90/month. The only thing I missed was able to DVR shows. Lots of devices & SW out there to do OTA recording. We get a lot of "free" OTA TV stations here in PHX and the HD quality is better then cable/dish. Will never go back to cable/dish TV. We find all the programming we need from OTA, Netflix and Amazon Prime. I do not understand why cable/dish TV providers continue to think we will pay for programming w/ commercials and pay for DVR and HD add-ons.. They need to find a new business model fast to compete with the cord cutting options.

Side note: Really liking my FireTV box (Amazon). Lots of flexibility with APPS and Add-ons. Should be able to move my OTA DVR capability over to the FireTV box. This way I have one box to do everything...

What is SW and OTA? cannot keep up with these acronyms. thanks.

 

[Midpack]

What is SW and OTA? cannot keep up with these acronyms. thanks.

Software and Over The Air (antenna). You can always just Google acronyms yourself.

 

[SmallCityDave]

I just downloaded PlayOn to my desktop. It cost $29.99 for a lifetime membership. (searching web, lifetime may not be a lifetime, but should at least be a year! i.e. new software with new features may have a cost) With this I can stream and dvr NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX. It will also allow you to dvr Netflix and Amazon Prime, however their user agreements may forbid DVRing their content. You use your computer as a server and cast to your TV on Chromecast or Roku. There is a ROKU app for PlayON. You can record single episode or an entire season. You can set it to record all new episodes. (I have not had it long enough to see this work) Recorded shows can be replayed without commercials. As they use their software to block commercials you have no mandatory commercial breaks. I recorded a Seinfeld's episode from Crackle, a free service with adds. It showed less than 2 seconds of ad, and appeared to start at the beginning of the next segment.

I first opened an account with PlayOn about five or more years ago. I never used their paid program. Their Lifetime membership was $100, and I was not willing to pay that on the chance the would be in business more than three or four years. Also they did not have the breath or recording they seem to have now. I figure for $30 I would take a chance.

After reading your post I'm trying them out for the last few days but it's been a bit of a pain. I tried the one month plan to see if I like but I keep getting an error "unable to notify server of previous purchase - contact PlayOn support" you can only email them they have been slow a molasses with a 48hr turnaround time....

 

[Ronstar]

Have you tried an antenna for your locals at your snowbird condo? That would include the Super Bowl on CBS. And costs 0.

I’m looking into an attic antenna. But I won’t get it done before the Super Bowl.

The HOA covenants say no antennas shall be erected, used or maintained outdoors on any portion of the condominium unless approved by the board. So probably no chance of an outdoor antenna. So an attic antenna would probably be the only option.

 

[Midpack]

I’m looking into an attic antenna. But I won’t get it done before the Super Bowl.

The HOA covenants say no antennas shall be erected, used or maintained outdoors on any portion of the condominium unless approved by the board. So probably no chance of an outdoor antenna. So an attic antenna would probably be the only option.

You probably know this, but we get over 40 channels, including all the majors & PBS, with our $15 cheapo antenna in an upstairs bedroom inside and we're 37 miles from the major network towers. Maybe you've already experimented, but FWIW. Every location is unique.

 

[davebarnes]

This time, the government is on your side

The HOA covenants say no antennas shall be erected, used or maintained outdoors on any portion of the condominium unless approved by the board. So probably no chance of an outdoor antenna. So an attic antenna would probably be the only option.

I am pretty sure that the FCC would tell the HOA to pound sand on this issue.
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/installing-consumer-owned-antennas-and-satellite-dishes

 

[Ronstar]

I am pretty sure that the FCC would tell the HOA to pound sand on this issue.
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/installing-consumer-owned-antennas-and-satellite-dishes

Interesting! I had no idea of this. There are only 2 small satellite dishes outdoors in our 170+ unit development. On balconies, they are painted to match bldg color. Maybe they threatened FCC action to get approval.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I’m looking into an attic antenna. But I won’t get it done before the Super Bowl.

The HOA covenants say no antennas shall be erected, used or maintained outdoors on any portion of the condominium unless approved by the board. So probably no chance of an outdoor antenna. So an attic antenna would probably be the only option.

HOAs can't enforce that covenant.

 

[Rustic23]

I’m looking into an attic antenna. But I won’t get it done before the Super Bowl.

The HOA covenants say no antennas shall be erected, used or maintained outdoors on any portion of the condominium unless approved by the board. So probably no chance of an outdoor antenna. So an attic antenna would probably be the only option.

FCC seems to say they can not prohibit the antenna. This is often quoted in our HOA as to why antennas must be allowed.


https://www.fcc.gov/media/over-air-reception-devices-rule#QA

 

[stephenson]

Ronstar,

I've been on a couple of HOA Boards.

What tends to work best is to be aware there are more attractive antennas and more attractive ways to mount them - try and be kind to your neighbors and aware of standards in your neighborhood.

Then make your decision, explain your equipment and installation in writing to your HOA, noting the FCC ruling (as others have provided in this thread), give them a few days, then go ahead with your installation.

You are likely not the first in your neighborhood to have an outdoor antenna.

Another option - and, what I have always recommended, is to try and use an antenna in the attic FIRST - then, determine if it will work well.

 

[Ronstar]

Thanks everyone for the OTA antenna advice. Definitely worth it to get an OTA antenna - save about another $40 a month. Found this to determine how well an OTA antenna will work at your address. https://nocable.org/hd-antenna-coverage-map

 

[Midpack]

Thanks everyone for the OTA antenna advice. Definitely worth it to get an OTA antenna - save about another $40 a month. Found this to determine how well an OTA antenna will work at your address. https://nocable.org/hd-antenna-coverage-map

Those are helpful, but unless there are NO obstructions around you or you're close to the broadcast towers, you won't know for sure until you try it. I get over 40 channels upstairs, and 9 downstairs with the same antenna, same house - though I am 37 miles from the main tower. So a difference in elevation of 9-10 feet. It can be that variable.

 

[MissMolly]

We have our antenna hooked up to a Tablo so it doesn't matter where the TVs are located (upstairs or down) since the Tablo sends the signal via WiFi to the Rokus on all the TVs. And the Tablo allows us to record OTA and only one Tablo is required for the entire house.

 

[Dave J]

I also have a Tablo hooked up to my attic antenna. I use ROKU's on TV's to get signal.I am happy with it so far(6 months in use) A couple added benefits are I can watch my TABLO from anywhere over the internet, live or recorded. I watched my local Missouri news live in the morning in my Florida motel room on a recent vacation. Something I wondered if anyone had tried was if a family member lived in an area with no OTA signal, get a close relative who lives close to towers to "host" a TABLO in their home for the rural relative to watch and control over the internet. Not as good as in your own home, but with unlimited bandwidth some places it would be a workaround for some.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

We have our antenna hooked up to a Tablo so it doesn't matter where the TVs are located (upstairs or down) since the Tablo sends the signal via WiFi to the Rokus on all the TVs. And the Tablo allows us to record OTA and only one Tablo is required for the entire house.

I will probably do a little more research on this, but was curious...does the Tablo also work with the FireTV/Stick?

 

[RonBoyd]

What tends to work best is to be aware there are more attractive antennas and more attractive ways to mount them - try and be kind to your neighbors and aware of standards in your neighborhood.

I find this antenna to be almost invisible and able to pickup very distance transmissions. https://www.amazon.com/Winegard-Eli...=8-1-spons&keywords=winegard+elite+7550&psc=1

 

[SoReady]

I have embarked on the cord cutting road. I currently have an indoor antenna and get quite a number of channels (Chicago area).
I bought AirTV which then sends via WiFi to other tv’s in the house that have fire sticks. I also have determined slingtv to be the best for me in what we want access to.
I have a 2tb hard drive connected to AirTV to record the AOTA channels. What I don’t like about it is the playback functionality. When ff it just displays a line at the bottom of the screen and the amount of time it is moving forward. I am now seeking a similar device (Amazon tv replay, tablo, etc) that does a dvr playback that either displays the frames as it ff, or can speed ahead in some way so I know when to stop.
I’ve gone to cord cutters YouTube to try and see if any demos show this capability, but so far no luck. Anyone here know of a device, short of the expensive tivo that does this?

 

[RonBoyd]

I will probably do a little more research on this, but was curious...does the Tablo also work with the FireTV/Stick?

As I mentioned earlier, I am patiently waiting for the Tablo QUAD to be released in March. https://www.tablotv.com/blog/new-year-new-tablo-quad-new-commercial-skip/

Tablo’s beautiful, easy-to-use apps all work with the new Tablo QUAD. That means you can watch your favorite TV shows on your favorite internet-connected devices, including:

iOS/Android smartphones and tablets
PC/MAC computers

Streaming media devices
Roku – set-top-boxes and sticks
Amazon Fire TV – set-top-boxes and sticks
Android TV – Nvidia SHIELD TV, Xiaomi MiBox
Apple TV – 4th Generation via native app, previous generations via AirPlay
Chromecast – casting from PC or Android mobile devices

Gaming systems
Xbox One
Nvidia SHIELD TV

Smart TVs
Roku
Amazon Fire TV
Android TV
LG WebOS 2.0, 3.0 & 3.5
Samsung TIZEN (US only)

 

[Ronstar]

Those are helpful, but unless there are NO obstructions around you or you're close to the broadcast towers, you won't know for sure until you try it. I get over 40 channels upstairs, and 9 downstairs with the same antenna, same house - though I am 37 miles from the main tower. So a difference in elevation of 9-10 feet. It can be that variable.

I’ll just get an antenna and check it out. If it doesn’t work, I’ll send it back.

A major concern is my detached workshop. I have a tv in there and it is on whenever I’m in there. Currently I have about 300’ of underground coax running to the workshop from a splitter inside the house. (House on Comcast). Once I pull the cord at home, I’ll need to figure out how to get tv to the workshop. I have no WiFi out there. An antenna seems like the best idea, but I’m about 50 miles from the transmitters.

 

[MissMolly]

I will probably do a little more research on this, but was curious...does the Tablo also work with the FireTV/Stick?

Yes, it does. I have only used it with Roku and it's a great experience. I have not used it with Fire TV so don't know if that experience is comparable or not. And there is an upgrade to all Tablos in March that will allow commercial skip which I am really looking forward to. We have the 4-tuner Tablo so we can watch/record on 4 different channels simultaneously.

 

[Rustic23]

I believe 300' is the limit for a cat 5 eithernet cable. If you are less than that, you may be able to replace the coax with cat5 and hardwire the router. You could then put another router in the workshop and go wireless or go direct to a roku.

 

[MissMolly]

I have embarked on the cord cutting road. I currently have an indoor antenna and get quite a number of channels (Chicago area).
I bought AirTV which then sends via WiFi to other tv’s in the house that have fire sticks. I also have determined slingtv to be the best for me in what we want access to.
I have a 2tb hard drive connected to AirTV to record the AOTA channels. What I don’t like about it is the playback functionality. When ff it just displays a line at the bottom of the screen and the amount of time it is moving forward. I am now seeking a similar device (Amazon tv replay, tablo, etc) that does a dvr playback that either displays the frames as it ff, or can speed ahead in some way so I know when to stop.
I’ve gone to cord cutters YouTube to try and see if any demos show this capability, but so far no luck. Anyone here know of a device, short of the expensive tivo that does this?

We use the Tablo on Roku and it displays the frames when fast forwarding.

 

[SoReady]

I’ll just get an antenna and check it out. If it doesn’t work, I’ll send it back.

To test this out I got my HD antenna for $5 at Goodwill. It was just luck they had one. but I took it home, connected it to my TV and am amazed at what I'm getting. Good quality and all the local channels. (Chicago area)

 

[SoReady]

We use the Tablo on Roku and it displays the frames when fast forwarding.

Thanks. I'll start investigating this and the costs.