Update on Cord Cutting (Cable TV) 2017 - 2020

Status
Not open for further replies.
I just switched from Vue to Sling's $20 Orange package. Plus $5 more for their sports addon. Sling is much better than it was over a year ago when I had it. Dropped a channel or two that I liked with Vue, but picked up a couple that I like just as much with Sling. So for $25 plus Netflix and Amazon Prime, I have more than I can really watch.
 
Bamaman said:
I wish some technically savvy millennial would setup a business advising individuals on setting their homes up electronically but on a reasonable budget. That would include setting up antennas that could acquire a UHF signal 65 miles away.
Click to expand...

+1. Waaaaay too much to choose from. It would be good just to enter your interests into a website (movies, specific sports, certain TV series, etc) and get a recommendation of what services offer that, and at what price.
 
Interesting tool. I just ran it for us.

It didn't make any good recomendations but we have a fairly unique situation in that we can't get OTA (big mountain just behind us directly in line with the transmitter) and we insist on having our local news... this tool recomends CBS All Access in lieu of our local CBS affiliate so we sould not be able to get our local news. Also, with Dish we have a central DVR that any of the 4 TVs in the house can access that we really like. Finally, from my aborted experiment earlier this year to us PS Vue, I know that DW insists on simple... if she has to change sources it is an instant turnoff.

Also ran it for our winter home but it doesn't save us any money there because the HOA fee also includes free basic cable so all the recommendatons exceed what we pay now for internet and lots of channels.
 
Last edited:
Nightcap said:
Andrew Tobias recently wrote about a startup (in which he has a small interest) called Bundler. https://www.bundlertv.com
Click to expand...

I owe some of my early retirement to Mr. Tobias. His book "The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need" kept me on the straight and narrow path.

I tried the Bundler, but it is obviously not intended for people like me who use an antenna.
 
Last edited:
Dawg52 said:
Bundler came up with a more costly alternative. I'll stick with what I have.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it didn't work for me either. I've already built my bundle. But it might be good for someone just now looking at his $200+ monthly Comcast bill and wondering how to reduce it.
 
Stopped at the comcast store today and dropped off all tv receiving/decoding gear. Kept internet and phone.

Have not watched tv in over two months at home. If I was in an establishment with tvs all over the place, then made good effort to ignore. Some darn places have over twenty of danged things.
 
I'm also very happy post cord-cutting. I watch TV for only a couple of hours at night and am perfectly happy with Netflix only. I spent yesterday afternoon confined to bed after banging my knee when I fell off my bike (well, maybe I shouldn't have finished the last 20 miles of the 34-mile ride but pedaling didn't hurt) and was in so much pain I couldn't do much else. I happily went through several episodes of my favorite series. How did I ever put up with commercial breaks and not being able to Pause while I refilled my drink? I'm definitely not going back.

Also happy to report that, 24 hours later, my knee is not back 100%, but it's functioning again. Big sigh of relief.
 
athena53 said:
I'm also very happy post cord-cutting. I watch TV for only a couple of hours at night and am perfectly happy with Netflix only. I spent yesterday afternoon confined to bed after banging my knee when I fell off my bike (well, maybe I shouldn't have finished the last 20 miles of the 34-mile ride but pedaling didn't hurt) and was in so much pain I couldn't do much else. I happily went through several episodes of my favorite series. How did I ever put up with commercial breaks and not being able to Pause while I refilled my drink? I'm definitely not going back.

Also happy to report that, 24 hours later, my knee is not back 100%, but it's functioning again. Big sigh of relief.
Click to expand...

Athena53, good luck with the knee healing.

You are a few years younger than I am and when I recently banged up my knee, I tore both meniscus's and had to get my knee scoped. :( Funny thing is I am in very good physical shape and I was surprised I did the damage I did given that I was Ok for weeks afterwards but the pain didn't go away. :confused:

I waited about two months before I gave in and saw the knee Doc.
 
athena53 said:
I'm also very happy post cord-cutting. I watch TV for only a couple of hours at night and am perfectly happy with Netflix only. I spent yesterday afternoon confined to bed after banging my knee when I fell off my bike (well, maybe I shouldn't have finished the last 20 miles of the 34-mile ride but pedaling didn't hurt) and was in so much pain I couldn't do much else. I happily went through several episodes of my favorite series. How did I ever put up with commercial breaks and not being able to Pause while I refilled my drink? I'm definitely not going back.

Also happy to report that, 24 hours later, my knee is not back 100%, but it's functioning again. Big sigh of relief.
Click to expand...
Glad that your knee is functioning again! :)

As for cord cutting, I am very happy with it too. I seldom even think of turning on the TV. I have become all too reliant upon YouTube, though. If they ever start charging for just basic, everyday access to www. youtube . com, I might have to either pay for that or go back to TV. I like the content at youtube, including a plethora of very thought provoking talks and historical stuff, as well as comedy and quite a bit of music that I actually like (as opposed to music I can't stand).
 
Sling blue..including Twins ,Timberwolves,and Wild...what a good value 25 bucks a month..
 
Nightcap said:
Andrew Tobias recently wrote about a startup (in which he has a small interest) called Bundler. https://www.bundlertv.com
Click to expand...

Heh, that tool came up with the exact Comcast double play bundle we already have, at almost exactly the same price we're paying (including taxes and Comcast's below the line, probably-illegal-in-another-FTC's junk fees).
 
When I had dish network it was frustrating that I had to buy package of 150 channels just to watch few that I really wanted. Eventually ended up going Off The Air antenna for all local channels (with HD quality). Cost $0. Added Sling ($20/mo) and also added app Pluto app via Roku. Pluto provides great live programming and it's free. All in all, cord cutting has saved me hundreds of $$ for the last few years.
 
W2R said:
I have become all too reliant upon YouTube, though. If they ever start charging for just basic, everyday access to www. youtube . com,
Click to expand...

Me too. Youtube has worked great for almost all I want to watch including DIY videos.
 
So PS Vue canceled my account with no notice because my CC expired. I have plenty of online accounts and all of them, except apparently Sony, notify when a CC expires. I was going to drop them anyway on October when "slim" pricing expires.

Oh well, on to Directv Now - and a free Roku!
 
Tailgate said:
Currently subscribing to the whole cable enchilada.. HBO, Showtime, Red Zone.. cable would be an ok value for me if it wasn't for all the fees they stick you with.

Right now, I have a Roku loaded with trial versions of PSvue, Hulu, Sling and DirectvNow.
I'm leaning towards PSvue by a hair over DirectvNow. Hulu and Sling don't cut it for me.

Next I will have to choose my devices.. stick with Rokus or go with Fire TV. Will probably miss my Tivo, but I'm ready to make the jump and will save about $100 a month.
Click to expand...

I have Roku and seems to work great performance wise. I also tried Fire TV and the wireless performance wasn't as good. Sling also did not cut for me. Never looked at PSvue. I'll check it out. For now I'musing Pluto for programming.
 
USGrant1962 said:
So PS Vue canceled my account with no notice because my CC expired. I have plenty of online accounts and all of them, except apparently Sony, notify when a CC expires. I was going to drop them anyway on October when "slim" pricing expires.

Oh well, on to Directv Now - and a free Roku!
Click to expand...

Similar for me a couple of weeks ago. Only my cc didn't expire. Email just said unable to process payment. Like you I planned to cancel anyway. I went with Sling and it's doing fine. Half the price of what Vue was going up to.
 
ESPN's politics is tempting me. I don't watch it for their political opinions.
 
For those of you who live in an area with descent TV antenna reception, here is a Black Friday deal on the Tivo Roamio OTA with the new voice control remote. Scroll down to Raomio OTA with Vox. It includes lifetime guide service, so no monthly fees.

https://www.weaknees.com/tivo-roamio-series5.php

I have a Tivo and it is simply the best way to record and watch FREE OTA TV, IMHO.
 
MissMolly said:
We have Tablo. Only one box needed and serves all our TVs. Paid for the lifetime guide - a one time cost of $149. Tablo + $149 the same as the Roamio, but only one device needed. We absolutely love our Tablo.
Click to expand...

So how does the Tablo communicate with all the TVs. Are cords strung out through the rooms?
 
Chuckanut said:
So how does the Tablo communicate with all the TVs. Are cords strung out through the rooms?
Click to expand...

No. No cords anywhere :) We have Roku sticks on all the TVs ($29) and Roku has a Tablo app. We had the Rokus before we had the Tablo, but even if you have to buy them at the same time you buy the Tablo, still a better deal than having to buy Roamio minis for all the TVs.

The Tablo is hooked to the antennae and then sends the signal to all the TVs over our WiFi. I can even watch shows I've recorded on my Kindle Fire, my laptop or my phone when I am away from home since it connects over the WiFi. It's great!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Z
Streaming Package for Football and College Basketball
Replies
14
Views
622
Franklin
Franklin
Qs Laptop
Why Would Someone Need Cable TV Service?
4 5 6
Replies
149
Views
10K
badatmath
B
S
Televisions - last ditch effort
2
Replies
45
Views
3K
Koolau
Koolau
Midpack
  • Poll
Poll: When Did You Cut the Cord (Cable and/or Satellite)?
3 4 5
Replies
106
Views
7K
Skitso999
S
E
Finally installed Apple TV 4K
2
Replies
35
Views
2K
eytonxav
E

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom