Update on Cord Cutting (Cable TV) 2017 - 2020

[statsman]

Cutting the cord as of last night. Since Mrs Scrapr passed it really makes even less sense to pay $187/mo. She liked several cooking channels and would DVR daytime talk shows. I wasn't willing to die on that hill to make a change.

I'm sorry for your loss. I'm currently in the same boat as you were. By the time I add in the full suite of Discovery and Travel Channel variants plus the ease of DVR use, cutting the cord is no trivial matter. Might save $20 or so a month.

If the cost difference w/Internet were $50 or more a month, I might push it. But it's not for my wife, and life is too short to be dealing with this small amount of recurring expenses. I guess for some people it is.

 

[ivinsfan]

I'm sorry for your loss. I'm currently in the same boat as you Were. By the time I add in the full suite of Discovery and Travel Channel variants plus the ease of DVR use, cutting the cord is no trivial matter. Might save $20 or so a month.

If the cost difference w/Internet were $50 or more a month, I might push it. But it's not for my wife, and life is too short to be dealing with this small amount of recurring expenses. I guess for some people it is.

Where do you come up with the 20 bucks a month figure for savings? you can spend 150 a month only streaming? Hulu lets us DVR 50 hours at a time for no extra charge.

 

[statsman]

Where do you come up with the 20 bucks a month figure for savings? you can spend 150 a month only streaming? Hulu lets us DVR 50 hours at a time for no extra charge.

For us, we would need Hulu + Live TV + the Entertainment Add-On + DVR for my wife. $63/mo. Internet service (AT&T Internet - no other real option in our area) is $70/mo for 300Mbps (1 TB data limit) or $90/mo for 1000Mbps (unlimited data).

So, $133 or $153 plus taxes if we went with Hulu plus AT&T Internet. Our last bill, with 1000Mbps and AT&T U-verse U-300 TV plan cost us $146 with taxes (two TVs + DVR). We signed up for a short one-year deal because we were renting temporarily, and the service transferred with us last month when we moved. Not sure what kind of deal we can get with AT&T if we had gone with the two year agreement.

 

[pb4uski]

Given that streaming only prices are creeping upward I'm not sure whether we will ever cut the cord.

We have no OTA in our location and currently have Dish to get our locals... their skinniest programming package is $30/month and our equipment cost for a centralized DVR serving 3 TVs is ~$32/month.. add in taxes and fees and we are at $65/month.

A similar streaming package for 3 tv's with a DVR would be $55/month... it isn't worth changing for $10/month of savings given that DW is used to and likes Dish.

 

[MichaelB]

Given that streaming only prices are creeping upward I'm not sure whether we will ever cut the cord.

We have no OTA in our location and currently have Dish to get our locals... their skinniest programming package is $30/month and our equipment cost for a centralized DVR serving 3 TVs is ~$32/month.. add in taxes and fees and we are at $65/month.

A similar streaming package for 3 tv's with a DVR would be $55/month... it isn't worth changing for $10/month of savings given that DW is used to and likes Dish.

I thought Fitzy was an option for you.

So, from the posts in this thread, it looks like one divide between streaming and traditional cable is DVR and the number of viewing points at home. Cable is more price competitive where multiple DVRs and TVs are required. Houses with families, for example.

Streaming is advantageous where there is a single viewing point or viewing is on a mobile device. This would explain in part the generational difference between traditional cable and streaming. If this is the case, one would expect millennials to migrate to more traditional cable as they marry and have families.

 

[pb4uski]

I thought Fitzy was an option for you. ...

If we were willing to give up our local Vermont news and sports then we probably could jettison Dish and just put Fitzy on each TV and use our Florida Xfinity credientials... but we both grew up here and have lived here most of our adult lives so our local news and sports is important to us. The $65/month is only for 6-8 months and the other months are $5/month for seasonal hold. While we are only here for 6 months we extend Dish for Nov/Dec since it is the only way for us to watch Sunday afternoon NE Patriots games that are not nationally broadcast while we are in Florida. Dish Anywhere is unique in that you can get local broadcasts for where your Dish is... all other streaming provide locals based on your IP address (I guess I could spoof my IP address with VPN if I was desperate).

We do use Fitzy while we are up here for channels that our skinny Dish package doesn't have like NBCSN for NHL playoffs and ESPN, etc. but we haven't yet subscribed to the Fitzy DVR so it is live only.

It would be much easier for us to cut the cord the other way and keep Dish at home and use Fitzy for Florida but basic cable is included in our HOA fee (~$33/month). Our HOA's contract with Comcast ends in another year... we are trying to convinve the Board to just let it go and let everyone figure out their own TV and internet... it is a real disadvantage to half-year seasonal members who end up paying $396/year for 6 months of service that is used... effectively $66/month for basic cable.

You're right that viewing points is an issue... we have 3 TVs at home and only one that we use regularly in Florida (and a guestroom TV that we could just put a Firestick in).

Also, if DW were more technolgically proficient we could go with Fitzy and out Xfinity credentials and CBS All Access ($6/month) and just flip between Fitzy with a cloud DVR and CBS All Access for our local news but that would mess up Patriots games because when we view CBS All-Access in Florida it would give us the Florida CBS affiliate. Food for thought.. first world problem.

Of course, we could always go to a sports bar to watch Patriot games, but that would eat up any savings.

 

[bobandsherry]

Given that streaming only prices are creeping upward I'm not sure whether we will ever cut the cord.

Agree. Anyone wondering why there hasn't been more fuss made by cable and network operators over cord cutting? They see this as a way to get out of being highly regulated and see that there is more profits to be made by cutting the cords as well.

I pay $72/mo for full offering of cable channels through Spectrum, includes all but the "premium" channels such as HBO, etc, which I never watch. Connect through my TiVo which has one of the best user experiences for using the DVR. Long paid for now over 6 years ago and no fees. I have found nothing that gives me what I look for in channel packages and for less. And all the various "solutions" are pretty clunky to use compared to TiVo.

 

[pb4uski]

....I pay $72/mo for full offering of cable channels through Spectrum, includes all but the "premium" channels such as HBO, etc, which I never watch. ...

I'm surprised that you can't drop HBO and save $10-15/month since it is a premium channel in most places.

 

[aja8888]

Of course, we could always go to a sports bar to watch Patriot games, but that would eat up any savings.

Yeah, that's what we do around here (Texas) and it is way more fun than sitting at home watching the game on TV.

BTW, I am a Pats fan...

 

[pb4uski]

Cool. I have a sister in Houston and am thinking of flying there for the Dec 1 Sunday night game. We drove to the Miami game last Dec and had a blast (other than the ending ).

Unfortunately, in this year's schedule they moved the Pats game in Miami to Sept, before we are down in FL.

 

[Chuckanut]

We have no OTA in our location and currently have Dish to get our locals... <snip>

IIRC, back in the 'old days', lack of a good OTA signal was exactly why cable and satellite TV were developed.

 

[ivinsfan]

Given that streaming only prices are creeping upward I'm not sure whether we will ever cut the cord.

We have no OTA in our location and currently have Dish to get our locals... their skinniest programming package is $30/month and our equipment cost for a centralized DVR serving 3 TVs is ~$32/month.. add in taxes and fees and we are at $65/month.

A similar streaming package for 3 tv's with a DVR would be $55/month... it isn't worth changing for $10/month of savings given that DW is used to and likes Dish.

Point taken, however with Hulu you can pick and choose your service and any add ons monthly. If you snowbird just cancel for the months you are gone If you don't watch premium channels in the rerun season, just cancel by the month so it could be well more then 10 bucks a month. Famliy harmony is worth something too....

 

[bobandsherry]

I'm surprised that you can't drop HBO and save $10-15/month since it is a premium channel in most places.

I have "all but the premium" channels. So already saving the $15. I get 720 channels (Spectrum Premier package), most that I never watch and dupes with SD and HD, but for $72 I'm OK with the price/benefit.

 

[MichaelB]

If we were willing to give up our local Vermont news and sports then we probably could jettison Dish and just put Fitzy on each TV and use our Florida Xfinity credientials... but we both grew up here and have lived here most of our adult lives so our local news and sports is important to us. The $65/month is only for 6-8 months and the other months are $5/month for seasonal hold.

Makes sense

It would be much easier for us to cut the cord the other way and keep Dish at home and use Fitzy for Florida but basic cable is included in our HOA fee (~$33/month). Our HOA's contract with Comcast ends in another year... we are trying to convinve the Board to just let it go and let everyone figure out their own TV and internet... it is a real disadvantage to half-year seasonal members who end up paying $396/year for 6 months of service that is used... effectively $66/month for basic cable.

Seems expensive for an HOA deal. Our HOA just went the other way. Last year the contract came up and they negotiated a deal where Comcast added Internet and the total cost went up by a small amount - between $5-$10 per month per home. We were paying $60 for Comcast Internet at the time and AT&T had just finished burying some fiber in the entire complex.

It also works better for us because Fitzy gives us most of the programming we want and we get local Chicagoland broadcast channels when needed. Fitzy is still buggy, but we don’t watch enough for it to be a showstopper.

 

[Chuckanut]

One of the keys to being able to drop cable or satellite TV, IMHO, is the ability to bring in OTA TV via an antenna, and access to a good DVD collection from the local library. If you have both, that opens the possibilities to a lot of 'free' content. If not, then the case for cutting the cord is much weaker. How's that for stating the obvious?

 

[REWahoo]

One of the keys to being able to drop cable or satellite TV, IMHO, is the ability to bring in OTA TV via an antenna, and access to a good DVD collection from the local library. If you have both, that opens the possibilities to a lot of 'free' content. If not, then the case for cutting the cord is much weaker. How's that for stating the obvious?

We have no interest in DVD movies from the local library, but I do agree the ability to get OTA programming is a big plus in the cut-the-cord equation.

And when it comes to stating the obvious, cord-cutters must have the ability to change what may have become lifelong habits. But for many, inertia is simply too difficult to overcome. For example...

Retired friends down the road are spending $160+ a month for Dish. I've discussed now that we have fiber internet they can get rid of Dish, stream all the programs they currently watch and save $100 month. When they expressed concern about not knowing how to stream, I helped them connect their smart TV to their wi-fi network, and showed them how to stream Prime Video since they were already Amazon Prime members. They loved it.

End result: They loved it so much they decided they should also subscribe to Netflix - and keep Dish. Now they are paying even more.

Hey, it's their money.

 

[aja8888]

Retired friends down the road are spending $160+ a month for Dish. I've discussed now that we have fiber internet they can get rid of Dish, stream all the programs they currently watch and save $100 month. When they expressed concern about not knowing how to stream, I helped them connect their smart TV to their wi-fi network, and showed them how to stream Prime Video since they were already Amazon Prime members. They loved it.

End result: They loved it so much they decided they should also subscribe to Netflix - and keep Dish. Now they are paying even more.

Hey, it's their money.

They are paying for having options, some that they will only use once or twice.

 

[RonBoyd]

PRO:

The Stream+ device serves the same function as a Roku or Fire TV, but also has a built-in tuner that allows you to attach an OTA antenna to get local channels AND to record those programs for future viewing..

I have a Tablo Quad and SageTV for OTA TV so can't speak to the Stream+ but this is from the CordCutters website (https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/my-...devices-i-personally-use-updated-june-2019/):

DVR

A DVR for over-the-air TV is an awesome cord cutting tool that too many overlook. I ended up going with the Tablo DVR for two reasons. First, I love the ability to have one DVR that all my TVs can access in my house without the need to buy a second device. Second, I love the ability to access my DVR when I travel.

I almost went with the Channel Master DVR, but the two reasons listed above pushed me to the Tablo. Both DVRs are great, and the Channel Master has its benefits.

Streaming Players

In my house every day I use two types of streaming players: the Fire TV and Roku players. The device I use first most often is the Roku. Why Roku first? Several reasons. First, it is so simple to use, my 6-year-old daughter can watch what she wants when she wants it.

My question is how does the Stream+ duplicate the ROKU unit.

 

[REWahoo]

My question is how does the Stream+ duplicate the ROKU unit.

It functions as both a DVR and also as a media streaming device.

 

[AnneG]

Well it looks like Spectrum caught on to the fact that people were dumping them for other live streaming services. I got a letter today with an offer for their new streaming-only package with 60 channels for $14.99 a month. It also includes on demand programming but cloud DVR service is an extra $4.99 a month. The channel lineup is very similar to what I’m getting on Philo and no local channels.

Not really inclined to replace Philo at the moment.

I wanted to mention something else. The newer Roku TV's have a live pause feature that records up to 90 minutes of programming on a thumb drive attached to the TV. We've been watching AMC's The Son and you can’t fast forward through the commercials even if you save it to the cloud DVR. However, if we start the show and pause it before we want to sit down and watch it, we can fast forward through the commercials. Takes a bit of pre-planning but it works!

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I came across a channel on the free Pluto streaming office that brings me back to my childhood..."Doctor Who Classic" The "latest" episodes that I have watched are with Tom Baker and Jon Perwee and I think these are so much better than the newer renditions.

 

[audreyh1]

One of the keys to being able to drop cable or satellite TV, IMHO, is the ability to bring in OTA TV via an antenna, and access to a good DVD collection from the local library. If you have both, that opens the possibilities to a lot of 'free' content. If not, then the case for cutting the cord is much weaker. How's that for stating the obvious?

Not for us. No broadcast/OTA TV here at all. No antenna. Can’t stand the commercials anyway and want on demand only programming.

We’re not interested in replicating the cable offerings. Two to four streaming channels are plenty for us, and we routine turn off what we are not watching. So our internet’s+content cost dropped significantly - like in half. And we’ve enjoyed these costs savings for many years.

 

[jim584672]

Today I picked up the "Mediasonic - Digital Converter Box with DVR" for $30. It is an OTA tuner with DVR capability. It has an HDMI out and USB in for the hard drive. I have the Hauppauge 1212 HD PVR and the software is so bad that it has never worked correctly for timed recordings.

 

[REWahoo]

Today I picked up the "Mediasonic - Digital Converter Box with DVR" for $30.

I looked at that before going with the ChannelMaster. The price was tempting but the reviews on Amazon (25% gave 1 star) were enough to make me look elsewhere.

Let us know how it works for you - maybe you'll be in the 56% that gave it 4 or 5 stars.

 

[RonBoyd]

It functions as both a DVR and also as a media streaming device.

Cool.