Dropped Cable TV Today

[INTJ10]

This thread inspired me. We had a phone/internet/cable package from TWC. We bought a $12 antenna, put it in the attic and found we get about 30 channels over the air. We didn't want to give up our phone # so we signed up for Vonage Basictalk ($12/mth). Switched internet to Earthlink so we get the same internet speed. We are saving about $80/mth.


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[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by INTJ10 This thread inspired me. We had a phone/internet/cable package from TWC. We bought a $12 antenna, put it in the attic and found we get about 30 channels over the air. We didn't want to give up our phone # so we signed up for Vonage Basictalk ($12/mth). Switched internet to Earthlink so we get the same internet speed. We are saving about $80/mth.

Congratulations! It's amazing how much fun it is to have $80/month extra to spend on other things.

I don't miss cable TV a bit, and in fact I wonder why I even tolerated it before. In my case I am saving $110/month. I have a homemade OTA antenna and Amazon Prime, and that is enough TV for me.

[shasta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImThinkin2019 We will be trying to live with just the internet (cable 50Mb/s). Streaming video programs through a Roku 2 when we want. Subscribing to Netflix as the only paid service right now. Eliminated HBO and streaming Xfinity as well. Cut our cable bill from about $149/month to about $65/month. Comcast gets a lot of negative publicity but in this matter we found them easy and efficient to deal with. Are there any other paid streaming services you think are worth it? We're not sports fans....More ER fans. Planning to get there in 2 years, so preparing now. Hence the cable cutting.....

I have been all streaming services since the early 200X years but recently just added cable.

Out of my experience with Netflix, Hulu, VUDU, Playstation Network, iTunes store, XBOX video etc....

I say Amazon Prime is the best value.

The Amazon prime video selection is now as good as Netflix streaming / rotating library and you get that plus all of the other Amazon prime benefits for $100 / year vs Netflix $96 / year for just streaming.

I personally pay for

- Basic package cable TV + Broadband internet
- Amazon prime
- ala carte movies from iTunes store, XBOX video etc... before they hit Netflix / Amazon Prime video.
- Annual XBOXlive membership for digital content.

This is all I need.

[steelyman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelyman Last night I only used the TV with HDMI input. There is an older one I also like, but it has the three RCA-type jacks. I suppose I would need a converter - I am using a Roku 3. Any tips on those welcome.

My "problem" has been solved by taking the suggestions to add a Roku 2 to the mix. The HDMI-challenged hardware is now happy (w/new RCA-type composite cables included in the box!).

[Bamaman]

Every 6 months, I complain to Comcast and they cut my bills $30ish per month. We love their office personnel in our town, but they're quick to tell you they have limited authority to offer compromise deals. They say talk to the telephone people (from India and The Phillipines) to get better programs.

I'm hung on their fast internet service. But don't think it's unlimited internet. My daughter got into Netflix too much, and we got hit with $20 one month in excess data charges. You cannot look at internet television all day long or you'll experience very expensive surcharges.

As a young retiree, we have too much time to watch television. We still get our money's worth. I am considering installing a roof mount amplified antennae to see if our 60 mile away television signals are receivable.

[hesperus]

Cut the cord couple of years ago, but I am now seeing the cable company price creep on their internet only package. Charter just bumped their pricing by 10% to 60 bucks a month. These cable companies see the writing on the wall, and are now trying to protect their control in the broadband market. We need more competition and more choice for ISP's.

[Chuckanut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hesperus These cable companies see the writing on the wall, and are now trying to monopolize the broadband market to protect their ridiculous pricing schemes.

I am shocked! Shocked!

We need a healthy dose of free market capitalism and competition in this area.

[hesperus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuckanut I am shocked! Shocked! We need a healthy dose of free market capitalism and competition in this area.

You appear to be easily shocked

[fritz]

We've been using OTA (attic antenna) TV for a few years now and don't miss cable. Use Tivo for DVR and OTA programming as well as streaming music (free with subscription). Tried Netflix and Hulu, but found them lacking in current stuff we like. Might try Amazon one of these days, but get aro. 80 channels of free TV in the Chgo area OTA (several are movie channels).

Always get reminded how bad cable really is when we go south for the winter and rely on cable (no DVR here or streaming in rental). Have been finding this year that the allotted advertising time by cable channels is as long as regular programming. Timed it just the other night and it was 5~6 min of ads and around 5 min. of programming - pretty consistent. The local business ads are the worst (those inserted over the national ads). Don't see how people put up with it.

[NoiseBoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gotadimple That is exactly what I did with Comcast. I called and asked for basic cable which is about 20 channels - all the local ones, plus some shopping and weather channels. The difference from their non-HD digital starter package to basic cable (also non-HD) was a 60% reduction in the monthly cost. I don't use Comcast for internet access.

I agree that, if you don't need/want HD, Comcast offers an affordable basic TV option. Unfortunately, I really enjoy the video quality of live sports in HD, so I'm stuck paying for their digital starter tier to get it. I'm paying ~$45/month for cable and I don't get ESPN, WGN, TBS, ESPN2, FX, etc. Frustrating. More antenna experiments to follow.

[Corporate ORphan]

We got rid of cable about the time we retired 6 years ago. Now we use an attenna and DVDs from the library. (Much cheaper than cable!!)


I am looking for an internet supplier in St Louis other than AT&T and CHarter. Currently we have AT&T and every 6 months I have to complain because our rates go up. We had cable from Charter years ago and had issues with them not crediting our account with our payment but taking the $$$. ANy suggestions? WE still have a landline with AT&T.

[hesperus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corporate ORphan We got rid of cable about the time we retired 6 years ago. Now we use an attenna and DVDs from the library. (Much cheaper than cable!!) I am looking for an internet supplier in St Louis other than AT&T and CHarter. Currently we have AT&T and every 6 months I have to complain because our rates go up. We had cable from Charter years ago and had issues with them not crediting our account with our payment but taking the $$$. ANy suggestions? WE still have a landline with AT&T.

I'm not sure about St Louis, but many communities, especially larger cities, do have broadband alternatives to the the larger cable companies . However, these are often wireless or DSL connections, which typically are not as fast as cable connections. For streaming, they may not compare favorably to high speed cable. However, you don't know what they offer until you contact them. Google your zipcode or do a search in the yellow pages for 'broadband' or 'internet service providers'. You may be surprised with a few local providers.

[John Galt III]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fritz We've been using OTA (attic antenna) TV for a few years now and don't miss cable. Use Tivo for DVR and OTA programming as well as streaming music (free with subscription). Tried Netflix and Hulu, but found them lacking in current stuff we like. Might try Amazon one of these days, but get aro. 80 channels of free TV in the Chgo area OTA (several are movie channels). Always get reminded how bad cable really is when we go south for the winter and rely on cable (no DVR here or streaming in rental). Have been finding this year that the allotted advertising time by cable channels is as long as regular programming. Timed it just the other night and it was 5~6 min of ads and around 5 min. of programming - pretty consistent. The local business ads are the worst (those inserted over the national ads). Don't see how people put up with it.

Agree about the commercials. This is the death spiral for some segment of TV. More annoying commercials, therefore more cancellations of overpriced cable, therefore more cable price increases, and on and on. Sometimes I think I am the only person left who is not avoiding the commercials. I pay $93 per month for expanded basic. All I watch is college football in the Fall, but the gf watches a lot of game shows on the game show channel, Jeopardy, and lots of cop shows. My internet setup is from the Mesozoic era of computers: don't want to upgrade which I would have to do, to get all the newfangled stuff, to avoid cable tv. Plus the gf has to have her game shows. I get about 8 free channels OTA, but even with that, there are only a couple things worth watching, usually on PBS. We enjoy going out to good movies, for $8 each for senior tickets. Well worth it for the "night out" experience. But there aren't many movies worth seeing , only about 2 per month. As another poster mentioned, DVD's from library are a great idea. I'm currently watching Breaking Bad on a free DVD from the lib, and the lack of commercials is just sooooooooooooo delicious!

[davismills]

We're getting ready to drop DISH. The dreaded price increases every year are frustrating. Rokus on every TV, Netflix streaming, OTA antenna in the attic. Don't forget to sign up for coupons at Redbox. I usually only pay 54 cents for a blue ray disc with the coupons.

[Hyper]

Netflix -$8 mth. Nothing else. That way I don't have to watch the news and my blood pressure stays lower, plus we don't watch a whole lot of tv anyway. Too much life to live!!!!!!

[imoldernu]

Signed up to find out what it's going to be.

Sling TV - Take Back TV

FCC is interested, too...

FCC Wants to Know More About Dish’s New Web TV Service | Re/code

[Bamaman]

Sling TV is for the millentials who have young children watching cartoons--and adults watching ballgames. With it and Netflix, young adults are set.

Addition of a good antenna, and they'd have a bunch of channels available.

Too bad that the next generation won't take that money savings and put it into a Roth IRA for the future.

[ESRwannabe]

I have not had cable for over a decade. I have typically spent my free time reading, watching movies, and playing video games. I was just never that into watching TV shows. So I just paid for internet and not cable.

I now have Netflix and Amazon Prime and have actually been watching more TV series than I ever did before. I also continue to buy a ton of movies and video games. I've also gotten a lot of free entertainment out of youtube for many many years.

Generally the types of topics I'm interested in are in science/history, and so I have spent a lot of free time surfing the internet and reading about things the past 10+ years.

[laurence]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cobra9777 For those of you having difficulty receiving OTA signals with an antenna, you might try what I did. When I called my ISP (Verizon FiOS) to cancel TV and phone, I told them I'd be using Netflix and OTA for network TV. They informed me there was an unadvertised "broadcast tier" TV service that would give me a "double-play" discount, resulting in a LOWER cost than internet alone. The broadcast tier is actually much more than just the local network channels, as it includes WGN, the Weather Channel, etc... about 25-30 usable channels in all. I jumped on it. It was $5/mo cheaper than internet alone, provided more channels than I can get OTA, and saved the expense and hassle of an antenna. I get very reliable 1080p with 5.1 surround sound and no STB expense. I'm 35-40 miles from most of the transmitters and surrounded by trees and some hills. So, this saved me from my planned purchase of a very large antenna that I was going to mount on a 25-ft mast attached to the fireplace. May not be an option for you, but it's worth a phone call. DW was just happy to keep me off the roof.

Your deal beats me. I went almost two years without cable using OTA. My internet provider (AT&T Uverse) kept nagging me to get T.V. and finally sent me a deal I bit on. $29 a month but with $250 of visa gift cards. I am too far from the signal for CBS and my love of football is strong, so I am in my first week of being attached to the cord again.

[bizlady]

While not available to everyone quite yet, here is another streaming service that might be of interest: Sling TV - Take Back TV The FAQ seems promising