Cable

[My Dream]

We presently have TV & Internet Cable, and although it's not digital cable, we still pay approximatly $110.00 per month incl. tax. We're located in Ontario Canada, and since our kids still live at home we have several tv's through out the house what other options do we have?

First off, doesn't that seem like alot per month?

 

[Deetso]

I recently moved and dont have any sort of television besides over the air and I love it. I pay about 25/m for my internet and it does great for me. So of course the one option I would recommend is just dumping the television.

I think 110/m sounds like a lot but I wouldnt want to pay for television at all anymore. Just think of what you could do with that extra $85 a month! (I couldnt imagine giving up internet so Ill presume you are exactly like me and will just stop watching TV )

 

[peggy]

Las Vegas, NV - we pay about $103 per month for cable (expanded basic; no premium channels) and cablemodem internet (same provider).

I'm not sure what the current exchange rate is, so I don't know how it actually compares. And I can't even begin to think what other options you might have, not being Canadian. Sorry.

 

[Zipper]

We are with Rogers Cable in Ontario. We have deluxe digital all channel all movie universe, internet, 2 cellphones with unlimited minutes and long distance land line @ 5 cents/minute, 10% discount on the shopping channel and $5/mo off the National Post newspaper.

All in ~$190/mo.

 

[DRiP Guy]

I recently moved and dont have any sort of television besides over the air and I love it. I pay about 25/m for my internet and it does great for me. So of course the one option I would recommend is just dumping the television.

I think 110/m sounds like a lot but I wouldnt want to pay for television at all anymore. Just think of what you could do with that extra $85 a month! (I couldnt imagine giving up internet so Ill presume you are exactly like me and will just stop watching TV )

I guess I have been a cheap SOB in that I have not had cable ever. I had a 36" TV that finally went on the fritz in Nov of last year. The vertical hold went out, so it was rolling sometimes. Finally, right after Christmas I saw some good deals on LCD HDTV units and bought an RCA to replace it. I felt guilt for not troubleshooting the old one, but it seemed the time to upgrade, the old set was ten years old, and technology had changed enough to do it.

Holy Toledo, I loved the output from my DVDs on the new LCD! I wondered if I would have to finally break down and get cable in order to enjoy it properly.

Just for the heck of it, I went ahead and let it autotune using just a little UHF loop antenna.

I now have 24 digital tuned stations locked in, many of them broadcasting in HD.

Needless to say, I am happy as a pig in slop, and there is no way I am going to pay for cable.

 

[dex]

I don't have a TV - only internet DSL. I watch DVDs on the laptop.
I'm trying my best not to get a TV. I think life is better without it.

 

[DRiP Guy]

I don't have a TV - only internet DSL. I watch DVDs on the laptop.
I'm trying my best not to get a TV. I think life is better without it.

You are probably right. and I'm not trying to convert you, but to show what a Luddite I had became myself, at least in entertainment stuff, I did not realize that PBS (my favorite over the air channel) not only had gone Digital, but it has 2 'subnet' channels as well, so between the Miami and Palm Beach stations, I get like 5 PBS channels for free, many programs in digital, usually with non-overlapping content. I especially love NOVA. I know that many programs are streamed to the 'net these days, so you might (if you had the urge) be able to see a lot of content that way, too.

 

[wabmester]

You might also check out FTA (free-to-air) satellite receivers. Plenty of free content comes through the air, and some of it is even legal to get.

 

[VoyT]

Not sure what your options are there ... do you have sattelite service such as DISH or DirectTV available? (we pay $49 US for DISH's lower tier service, but it offers more channels than a compatible cable plan.) You'll probably have to pay for extra receivers if you have more than 1 TV hooked up. Do you have to have cable internet, or could you get DSL or dialup?
You may want to talk to friends, co-workers, etc to see what's available and do some number crunching.

 

[OAG]

We pay $89.95 plus tax for a total of 95.18 per month for HS Cable Internet, Expanded Basic Cable and Phone Service ("free" 24/7 Long distance (US and some other country).

They raised the price from $99.95 last month but I called and was going to cut some services to reduce the bill. They said "we got this special price for a year if you keep the services you have". As can be seen the price was a $10.00 month reduction for 12 months. Still plan to cut services but will now wait a year. DW loves the "free" LD as she uses it about 25 hours a month talking to family. Would be upset if I get rid of that particular service.

 

[bruce1]

My Cousin pays aout $85 plus tax for non digital cable and internet access in Hamilton. Another, also in Ontario has expressview at $55 month (tax in ) and DSL at 55 tax in. I use and antenna and dial up. The dial up will change soon as it seems DSL now available in my rural area.

Bruce

 

[dex]

You are probably right. and I'm not trying to convert you, but to show what a Luddite I had became myself, at least in entertainment stuff, I did not realize that PBS (my favorite over the air channel) not only had gone Digital, but it has 2 'subnet' channels as well, so between the Miami and Palm Beach stations, I get like 5 PBS channels for free, many programs in digital, usually with non-overlapping content. I especially love NOVA. I know that many programs are streamed to the 'net these days, so you might (if you had the urge) be able to see a lot of content that way, too.

I may sound like a nut about not having a TV but here it goes. I think having a TV in the house is like having cocaine in the house if you are a drug addict. You will use it. I'm not saying there are some good programs on TV - just as the high from drugs is a "good" feeling.

Like drugs you start out for the good part (PBS shows) and then you find yourself spending a lot of time in the bad times (Jerry Springer). The drug anology is not that far off. Studies have monitored the brain waves of people watching TV and they are similar to those on opiates.

So don't self medicate, get the monkey off your back, get rid of your additiction and trash the TV - or just use it for rental movies.

It will be difficult at first the phases are:
Energy - do everything on your "To Do List"
Boredom - nothing on your "To Do List" - a lot of time on your hands
Relaspse - you go to the bar to watch TV or the movies more than normal - this is the danger point
If you get past the Relaspse phase you are free and have realised that the boredom of not having a TV allowed you to again to use your imagination and do things that make you more interesting.
You know that you will never go back when you do watch TV over a friends show and you are insulted by the program or do not relate to it at all.

 

[My Dream]

Las Vegas, NV - we pay about $103 per month for cable (expanded basic; no premium channels) and cablemodem internet (same provider).

With the exchange it comes out to more then $110. Can

We are with Rogers Cable in Ontario. We have the deluxe digital all channel all movie universe, internet, and 2 cellphones with unlimited minutes and long distance land line @ 5 cents/minute.

All in ~$190/mo.

We're also on Rogers, and with the cell phone it's still cheaper than $190. but then we don't have all of those features.

Just for the heck of it, I went ahead and let it autotune using just a little UHF loop antenna.

I now have 24 digital tuned stations locked in, many of them broadcasting in HD.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I was under the understanding that HD which is approximately 1080 lines of resolution can only be received by satellite, digital cable and such. I didn't think you can receive that signal with just a loop antenna.

I don't have a TV - only internet DSL. I watch DVDs on the laptop.
I'm trying my best not to get a TV. I think life is better without it.

Not sure what your options are there ... do you have sattelite service such as DISH or DirectTV available? (we pay $49 US for DISH's lower tier service, but it offers more channels than a compatible cable plan.) You'll probably have to pay for extra receivers if you have more than 1 TV hooked up. Do you have to have cable internet, or could you get DSL or dialup?

The problem I see with satellite is the addition receivers would out way the cost. Not worth it if you have too many TV's.

I I think having a TV in the house is like having cocaine in the house if you are a drug addict. You will use it. I'm not saying there are some good programs on TV - just as the high from drugs is a "good" feeling.

That can be said for internet, food or anything for that matter. There are good educational channels on TV, e.g., The Home, Food, Speed, Network channel. It's up to every individual to police themselves. Most anything can be addictive. The cable is here to stay; I'm just trying to get some feedback on pricing.


Thanks.

 

[REWahoo]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I was under the understanding that HD which is approximately 1010 lines of resolution can only be received by satellite, digital cable and such. I didn't think you can receive that signal with just a loop antenna.

HD is available over the air using a standard TV antenna. Like DRiP Guy, that's how I'm getting my HD programming.

 

[My Dream]

HD is available over the air using a standard TV antenna. Like DRiP Guy, that's how I'm getting my HD programming.

Just so I don't missunderstand, all you need is a HDTV, and a compatable TV antennae outside or inside your home to receive 1080 lines of resolution? Do you need a seperate receiver, or any other external components? Does it matter whether you're located in the US, Canadan, etc?

Thanks REWahoo.

 

[REWahoo]

Just so I don't missunderstand, all you need is a HDTV, and a compatable TV antennae outside or inside your home to receive 1010 lines of resolution? Do you need a seperate receiver, or any other external components? Does it matter whether you're located in the US, Canadan, etc?

You do need an HD reciever if it isn't built in to your HD-capable TV, and I don't think the Canadian system is any different from the US, so that shouldn't matter.

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx will tell you the direction, distance and availability of every HD and regular TV channel within receiving distance of your location using an over-the-air antenna. Unfortunately, this site does not provide information for addresses outside the US.

 

[FinanceDude]

I may sound like a nut about not having a TV but here it goes. I think having a TV in the house is like having cocaine in the house if you are a drug addict. You will use it. I'm not saying there are some good programs on TV - just as the high from drugs is a "good" feeling.

Like drugs you start out for the good part (PBS shows) and then you find yourself spending a lot of time in the bad times (Jerry Springer). The drug anology is not that far off. Studies have monitored the brain waves of people watching TV and they are similar to those on opiates.

So don't self medicate, get the monkey off your back, get rid of your additiction and trash the TV - or just use it for rental movies.

It will be difficult at first the phases are:
Energy - do everything on your "To Do List"
Boredom - nothing on your "To Do List" - a lot of time on your hands
Relaspse - you go to the bar to watch TV or the movies more than normal - this is the danger point
If you get past the Relaspse phase you are free and have realised that the boredom of not having a TV allowed you to again to use your imagination and do things that make you more interesting.
You know that you will never go back when you do watch TV over a friends show and you are insulted by the program or do not relate to it at all.

Well, it is your opinion.................

I haven't had cable since 1987, but my DVD and VHS collections are pretty nice......

 

[unclemick]

Hmmm

I usually check into rehab AFTER football season.

heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh - go Saints.

 

[My Dream]

Thanks for the info REWahoo!. I've gone over it quickly once but feel I need to read it again to get a better understanding. Hopefully that site with acomidate Canada sometime soon.

 

[DRiP Guy]

Just so I don't missunderstand, all you need is a HDTV, and a compatable TV antennae outside or inside your home to receive 1080 lines of resolution? Do you need a seperate receiver, or any other external components? Does it matter whether you're located in the US, Canadan, etc?

Thanks REWahoo.

I bought a set with tuner built in, just to avoid the hassle of ever having to look for one to add as a component. I already went through my 'audiophile' phase, and was not going to go 'videophile', so integrated was what I wanted.

Here is a quick grab of some of the specs. I paid $900:
Formats 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i
Resolution 1366x768
Built-in HDTV/QAM Tuner for Access to Digital Programming
Widescreen 16:9 Display
High Contrast Display and 3D Digital Comb Filter
Digital Connections Include HDMI™, VGA/PC and Component Inputs
Listen to TV Audio in PC Mode with MultiTask Audio™
VESA Compatible Wall Mounting

Again, I am no expert, don't know all the ins and outs, and was frankly, just pleasantly surprised to get anything better than analog over-the-air, but there it was!

I just checked antenna guide for my area, and it looks like I am getting all the channels I should - 20 something digital, of which a little less than 1/2 are HD.

Lots of good technical info here:

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/info.aspx?page=FAQ#_DTLPCA

DTV is the umbrella term used to describe the digital television system adopted by the FCC in December 1996. HDTV is a type of DTV service. HDTV provides high resolution programming in a widescreen format. A current analog TV picture can provide resolution of up to 480 horizontal lines. An HDTV picture can provide resolution of up to 1080 lines, providing improved picture detail. Aspect ratio is a comparison of screen width to screen height. Analog TV has an aspect ratio of 4 by 3, which means the screen is 4 inches wide for every 3 inches high. Widescreen HDTV format has an aspect ratio of 16 by 9. HDTV programs include Dolby digital surround sound, similar to the sound used in movie theaters and on DVDs.

Currently, the vast majority of TV stations broadcasting in digital are using UHF (14 and up) channels to do so. This is not due to any technical requirement of digital broadcasting, however. It is mostly because the UHF channels were more likely to be available in most markets. Eventually, after the digital transition is complete and TV stations no longer need to broadcast in analog, they may switch and use their current analog VHF channels for digital instead.

 

[Zipper]

Hey dex , if it wasn't for my cable I couldn't get "Dexter", my favourite show of the year.

By the way, do you live in Miami?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Just so I don't missunderstand, all you need is a HDTV, and a compatable TV antennae outside or inside your home to receive 1080 lines of resolution? Do you need a seperate receiver, or any other external components? Does it matter whether you're located in the US, Canadan, etc?

Thanks REWahoo.

You also need the tv stations to broadcast in HD.

As of this time in my area, only two do so.

Digitals inevitable, but not necessarily HD. A fair number of markets may see a lot of digital SD, at least for the short term.

 

[Cut-Throat]

I live in Minneapolis and get about 8 HD channels over the air for free! - No cable here! - The best thing is that the over the air pictures are usually much better than cable.

Most all stations now broadcast 2 signals - 1 High Def and 1 Std Def.

I have 1 TV with built in HD tuner - Most new ones have this. And an older one (2 years) that I needed a separate tuner. Hint: If it says HD ready you need a separate tuner.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Here in the state capital of California, we get two HD channels broadcast and not all the material they broadcast in HD is originally HD content. They might have added a third by now, havent looked in a while. Any which way, i'm too far away to get the signals without an antenna the size of rhode island.

In summary, the original program material must be HD, it has to be transmitted/broadcast in HD, you have to have an HD tuner or tv set with a tuner built in, and your HD tv has to support the specific HD broadcast resolution. There is also no "good" or "bad" picture with digital. You get a digital lock and the whole thing or you get nothing. One nice benefit to over-the-air HD, if you can get it.

Do also note that while HD televisions will take an analog tv connection from your old tv antenna, non-HD cable and non HD satellite but that many of the available HD televisions display the old style 240/480 line analog/SD signals poorly. Its not uncommon for someone to buy the latest and greatest HD television only to be disappointed with how lousy the non-HD picture looks when they get it home.

Consumer reports has a category for this phenomena when they rate HD tv's, showing display quality in standard def. Since many channels, and a fair bit of the programming on even the HD channels is SD, getting a set that does as good a job displaying that material as your current crappy tv is a good idea.

Since I have the current CR buyers guide for '07 right here, on a quick look it appears that only a couple of lcd's rate "very good" for SD content display and no plasmas were rated better than "good". None are rated "excellent" and most are rated "good" or "fair". For LCDs the toshiba 37" 37HLX95 and the 32" sharp aquos lc-32da5u were rated "very good". Other toshiba and sharp lcd models didnt rate as well, so its not brand specific.

Buyers remorse can be fairly strong here. I used an early plasma set with some good results with DVD's and satellite, but it looked awful with cable. I also bought and returned an LCD set because it looked fairly lousy with satellite SD signals.

You can use an external scaler or upconverter/line doubler but they're often expensive. I used an inexpensive Viewsonic VB50 box that took in a coax or s-video signal and produced a db-15 output at a selectable resolution (800x600 or 1024x768) to a computer monitor or HD set with a db-15 input. Its not a great line doubler but it made the cable tv signals look substantially better on the plasma. Kind of a hack though.

 

[DRiP Guy]

[snip cautionary info]

Thanks for providing the info. For what it's worth, while not negating one bit of your excellent info, for me (specs were provided above) I am ecstatic with the quality, built in HD tuner, LCD, availabilty of programming over the air (10 HD and 20 digital), as well as performance on DVD and older media like videos. It is still stunning to me, so I am a happy convert, with zero buyer's remorse. I admit I did not research carefully before buying, and so might easily have fallen foul of some of your cautions (too low res spex, unavailable HD on air in my local area, etc), but God watches out for drunks and fools!