Why Would Someone Need Cable TV Service?

[Qs Laptop]

Right now the only thing I can think of that requires cable TV service is the local sports team's broadcasts. I'm aware that in some areas of the country there are (pay for) streaming options available but for me, in Minneapolis, there is nothing for the Minnesota Twins.

Another reason is to have cable TV is to have a simple method to DVR programming to watch later so you can skip commercials. Yes, I know there are ways around this with over-the-air recording equipment, but I'm looking for simple methods here, like pressing the record button on the cable TV schedule guide.

What about access to streaming services? Right now I have Paramount Plus so I have all the CBS shows plus the local CBS affiliate station. I have Peacock Premium so I have most of the NBC programming but not the local NBC affiliate station. If I want to stream ABC shows I have to have an ABC app account and that requires me to enter my Xfinity Cable credentials to gain access. I think the same thing with Fox TV and Fox Sports. I presume if I don't have a TV service provider I have to create a pay account for these individual channels. Or am I incorrect here?

What other streaming services require credentials from a TV service provider to gain access? AMC? Turner Classic Movies? Hallmark? Lifetime? Bravo?

What do I NEED cable TV for?

 

[PaunchyPirate]

If you don’t want to hodge-podge various apps (pay or otherwise) to get what you want, I would investigate Hulu’s Live TV or Google TV. My good friends just halved their Comcast bill (was $240 per month) by switching to Verizon FiOS fiber internet + Hulu Live TV. They get pretty much anything they want to watch.

Bottom line, there is not much NEED for cable TV anymore. There are alternatives.

 

[aaronc879]

If you don’t want to hodge-podge various apps (pay or otherwise) to get what you want, I would investigate Hulu’s Live TV or Google TV. My good friends just halved their Comcast bill (was $240 per month) by switching to Verizon FiOS fiber internet + Hulu Live TV. They get pretty much anything they want to watch.

The "Live" part of Hulu Live TV is a deal breakers for me. I watch nothing live except sometimes sports.

 

[RunningBum]

Nobody NEEDS cable TV. Or streaming.

The thread title asks why "Someone" would need cable. Your post asks "What do I NEED cable TV for?" Which is it?

 

[yhoomajor]

Nobody NEEDS cable TV. Or streaming.

The thread title asks why "Someone" would need cable. Your post asks "What do I NEED cable TV for?" Which is it?

+1
I don't need cable and I don't need streaming either.

 

[Qs Laptop]

OK, I don't NEED cable. Someone/I, whatever. Pedants gonna pedant.

I want to get rid of cable and I would like to do all my TV viewing using my Roku via streaming services.

The ONLY thing I watch on cable that I can't get elsewhere is baseball games involving the Minnesota Twins. I can watch all other baseball games involving any other team via my paid subscription to MLB.TV but the local team is blacked out.

However, as I understand it, if my wife wanted to watch TV shows on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, PBS, or Bravo, AMC, INSP, etc. and we don't have cable she can't watch them via a streaming service because any streaming app for these networks is going to ask her to enter her username and credentials from our TV service. In our case that TV service would be Xfinity cable. Other people might get these channels using Hulu Live, YouTube TV, Sling, etc. I don't want to buy Hulu Live, YouTube TV, or Sling.

My point is I don't want to pay for any TV service provider, i.e. one that provides an aggregate number of channels.

Now, I could get the local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS stations with an over-the-air antenna. That means commercials and no easy way of recording content to skip those commercials.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

OK, I don't NEED cable. Someone/I, whatever. Pedants gonna pedant.

I want to get rid of cable and I would like to do all my TV viewing using my Roku via streaming services.

The ONLY thing I watch on cable that I can't get elsewhere is baseball games involving the Minnesota Twins. I can watch all other baseball games involving any other team via my paid subscription to MLB.TV but the local team is blacked out.

However, as I understand it, if my wife wanted to watch TV shows on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, PBS, or Bravo, AMC, INSP, etc. and we don't have cable she can't watch them via a streaming service because any streaming app for these networks is going to ask her to enter her username and credentials from our TV service. In our case that TV service would be Xfinity cable. Other people might get these channels using Hulu Live, YouTube TV, Sling, etc. I don't want to buy Hulu Live, YouTube TV, or Sling.

My point is I don't want to pay for any TV service provider, i.e. one that provides an aggregate number of channels.

Now, I could get the local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS stations with an over-the-air antenna. That means commercials and no easy way of recording content to skip those commercials.

Then I believe you will need to install and probably pay for multiple apps. One for each thing you DO want to watch. I believe all the networks have an app.

 

[Luvtoride]

Local sports. Devils, Rangers, Islanders, Knicks and Nets. All 5 teams made the playoffs this year (first time since 1994) so they all had good exciting seasons.
Plus….
Yankees and Mets baseball.

During the regular season (not talking playoffs), other than a few nationally televised games, there is NO WAY to watch these teams without cable. Period.

 

[Midpack]

Another reason is to have cable TV is to have a simple method to DVR programming to watch later so you can skip commercials. Yes, I know there are ways around this with over-the-air recording equipment, but I'm looking for simple methods here, like pressing the record button on the cable TV schedule guide. Hulu+Live & YouTube TV both have this.

What other streaming services require credentials from a TV service provider to gain access? AMC? Turner Classic Movies? Hallmark? Lifetime? Bravo? Any worth watching except limited PBS

However, as I understand it, if my wife wanted to watch TV shows on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, PBS, or Bravo, AMC, INSP, etc. and we don't have cable she can't watch them via a streaming service because any streaming app for these networks is going to ask her to enter her username and credentials from our TV service. Yep Other people might get these channels using Hulu Live, YouTube TV, Sling, etc. I don't want to buy Hulu Live, YouTube TV, or Sling.

My point is I don't want to pay for any TV service provider, i.e. one that provides an aggregate number of channels.

Now, I could get the local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS stations with an over-the-air antenna. That means commercials and no easy way of recording content to skip those commercials.

Then I believe you will need to install and probably pay for multiple apps. One for each thing you DO want to watch. I believe all the networks have an app.

You’re not going to get everything you want without cable, Hulu+Live, YouTube TV or another aggregate streaming app - and you’ve ruled them all out.

You can install all the separate apps to get the channels your wife wants, but you’ll have to pay for each (without a service provider in all cases). It will probably cost more than cable, Hulu+Live or YouTube TV. And if you do that you don’t get a channel guide, or a (cloud) DVR. Finding programs will be (way) more challenging, so would recording. Happy wife?

The providers aren’t stupid…

 

[Montecfo]

OK, I don't NEED cable. Someone/I, whatever. Pedants gonna pedant.

I want to get rid of cable and I would like to do all my TV viewing using my Roku via streaming services.

The ONLY thing I watch on cable that I can't get elsewhere is baseball games involving the Minnesota Twins. I can watch all other baseball games involving any other team via my paid subscription to MLB.TV but the local team is blacked out.

However, as I understand it, if my wife wanted to watch TV shows on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, PBS, or Bravo, AMC, INSP, etc. and we don't have cable she can't watch them via a streaming service because any streaming app for these networks is going to ask her to enter her username and credentials from our TV service. In our case that TV service would be Xfinity cable. Other people might get these channels using Hulu Live, YouTube TV, Sling, etc. I don't want to buy Hulu Live, YouTube TV, or Sling.

My point is I don't want to pay for any TV service provider, i.e. one that provides an aggregate number of channels.

Now, I could get the local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS stations with an over-the-air antenna. That means commercials and no easy way of recording content to skip those commercials.

What is so different? Streaming and cable are both subscription TV services.

And the streaming services are all raising prices aggressively now. You know, like cable did for years.

Not sure streaming is the holy grail. But OTA antenna? Yes.

 

[Midpack]

And the streaming services are all raising prices aggressively now. You know, like cable did for years.

Aggressively? I’d call it steadily since we cut the cord in Feb 2018. And streaming aggregate providers like Hulu+Live and YouTube TV are still way cheaper than cable/satellite unless you’re a single TV household and you could live without internet maybe. If you have multiple TVs, cable/satellite isn’t even close.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

OK, I don't NEED cable. Someone/I, whatever. Pedants gonna pedant.

I want to get rid of cable and I would like to do all my TV viewing using my Roku via streaming services.

Now, I could get the local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS stations with an over-the-air antenna. That means commercials and no easy way of recording content to skip those commercials.

Tablo is the answer!

 

[Graybeard]

I like cable, I know how to use it and it is pretty easy to use. I have a DVR from Spectrum in the house where I can store shows forever not in the cloud where they might be deleted after X days. I don't watch anything live, I record anything I want to watch and FF through the ads. I don't understand streaming or apps or how to make that work on my TVs, which can be tuned to different channels at the same time, so I have no interest in them. I don't watch any sports so I don't have cable for that. I get a promo for a reduced rate and when that expires I ask about what new promos they have. Right now, cable TV (IIRC Spectrum Choice where I picked 15 channels from a list plus all the local channels), phone (land line only) and internet (300 mbps) is $162 and that is with the 5 million different taxes they add to the bill so I don't find it expensive. If you don't want cable then don't get it, personally I like it.

 

[W2R]

Like everything else, it all depends on what you personally need/want.

I haven't had cable internet since 2016, and I also don't subscribe to any streaming services. Well, I do have Amazon Prime, but I never use it for streaming; I like it for shipping.

There is more than enough video for me on free youtube and on our local OTA television channels which I receive via a homemade antenna that Frank gave me. I guess I'm easily entertained. I can't imagine wanting any more.

 

[bobandsherry]

The challenges you describe keeps me firmly planted with cable until they pull the cable card from my TiVo and dead hand. Lol. And that with bulk rate in my community where I get the full Spectrum cable package included in my HOA fees for all in $30/month.

Someday hopefully we'll have a consolidator of streaming like we do for cable channels today to avoid jumping through hoops to watch programs.

 

[easysurfer]

I dropped cable many years ago. For streaming, I rely on Amazon Prime Video with the exception of Paramount Plus now to catch a couple of "must see" programs.

The biggest challenge for me cutting the cord is getting a reliable signal (especially CBS) which has me having reposition my antenna then rescan for better reception. Which actually, I can see why someone might want to stick to cable. To no have to fiddle around with poor OTA reception.

 

[RunningBum]

OK, I don't NEED cable. Someone/I, whatever. Pedants gonna pedant.

Well, if it's you, then your specific issues can be addressed. Looks like others have made suggestions, but you seem resistant to some of the solutions, like YTTV or Hulu+.

It doesn't really sound like you care about the generic someone, so I'll just say there are plenty of valid reasons. I'm not going to waste my time elaborating just because you want to be vague about it.

 

[Montecfo]

Aggressively? I’d call it steadily since we cut the cord in Feb 2018. And streaming aggregate providers like Hulu+Live and YouTube TV are still way cheaper than cable/satellite unless you’re a single TV household and you could live without internet maybe. If you have multiple TVs, cable/satellite isn’t even close.

Nitpick the words all you want. Prices will continue to rise just like cable. And they have risen a lot.

Doesn't mean streaming doesn't make sense. It can. It is just tradeoffs.

What is cheaper depends on the package.

 

[Teacher Terry]

You tube tv has the benefits of cable such as dvr and a menu. However, the price is 74/month and they allow you to share it with a friend so the cost is actually half which is great.

 

[Midpack]

The trend is clear, and if not for the (resistant to change) generation here it would be much lower…

https://techjury.net/blog/cable-tv-subscribers-statistics/

 

[marko]

I should change my name here to "Outlier".

Fifty years ago, I swore that I would never pay to watch TV, yet $250 a month, here I am.

I pay for cable for one reason: I try to keep my life as simple as possible. I need cable for my internet connection anyway and my town does not allow any other cable providers, just Comcast.

I don’t want to deal with jumping around with different apps or various remotes. I have tons of easy to use features: record, back up, pause, local news and sports as well as watch remotely on my phone when away from home.

Maybe this is one of my many BTDs, but this is simple: I just want to pick up my remote, press one button and watch TV. At this point, it's like the electric bill...I don't like to pay for it but life would be difficult not to have it.

Like driving around to find the cheapest gas or paying parking meters, I'm at a point in my life where saving a few bucks is just not worth going out of my way.

 

[Luvtoride]

I should change my name here to "Outlier".

Fifty years ago, I swore that I would never pay to watch TV, yet $250 a month, here I am.

I pay for cable for one reason: I try to keep my life as simple as possible. I need cable for my internet connection anyway and my town does not allow any other cable providers, just Comcast.

I don’t want to deal with jumping around with different apps or various remotes. I have tons of easy to use features: record, back up, pause, local news and sports as well as watch remotely when away from home.

Maybe this is one of my many BTDs, but this is simple: I just want to pick up my remote, press one button and watch TV. At this point, it's like the electric bill...I don't like to pay for it but life would be difficult not to have it.

marko, well described. We all need to Pick our Battles...in this case to save money or "screw the man". I agree, as much as we might dislike the cable companies, their pricing models (and ability to continue to raise prices) the alternatives to drop them are not very convenient and won't save a whole lot of $$ in the long run. Unless we take up reading paper newspapers or books from the library as a means of news, knowledge and entertainment we need to have internet and cable to enjoy these pursuits.

 

[target2019]

Right now the only thing I can think of that requires cable TV service is the local sports team's broadcasts. I'm aware that in some areas of the country there are (pay for) streaming options available but for me, in Minneapolis, there is nothing for the Minnesota Twins.

Another reason is to have cable TV is to have a simple method to DVR programming to watch later so you can skip commercials. Yes, I know there are ways around this with over-the-air recording equipment, but I'm looking for simple methods here, like pressing the record button on the cable TV schedule guide.

What about access to streaming services? Right now I have Paramount Plus so I have all the CBS shows plus the local CBS affiliate station. I have Peacock Premium so I have most of the NBC programming but not the local NBC affiliate station. If I want to stream ABC shows I have to have an ABC app account and that requires me to enter my Xfinity Cable credentials to gain access. I think the same thing with Fox TV and Fox Sports. I presume if I don't have a TV service provider I have to create a pay account for these individual channels. Or am I incorrect here?

What other streaming services require credentials from a TV service provider to gain access? AMC? Turner Classic Movies? Hallmark? Lifetime? Bravo?

What do I NEED cable TV for?

I have basic service to get local teams, and have a primary or secondary feed if service falters.

That has happened on several occasions with NFL games on Amazon, ESPN, etc.

However, it is less useful than in the recent past. For example, all MLS games are now on AppleTV.

I just installed xfinity app on my phone, and that gives me some content.

 

[target2019]

The challenges you describe keeps me firmly planted with cable until they pull the cable card from my TiVo and dead hand. Lol. And that with bulk rate in my community where I get the full Spectrum cable package included in my HOA fees for all in $30/month.

Someday hopefully we'll have a consolidator of streaming like we do for cable channels today to avoid jumping through hoops to watch programs.

You got a spare room or two?

 

[Philliefan33]

I should change my name here to "Outlier".



Fifty years ago, I swore that I would never pay to watch TV, yet $250 a month, here I am.



I pay for cable for one reason: I try to keep my life as simple as possible. I need cable for my internet connection anyway and my town does not allow any other cable providers, just Comcast.



I don’t want to deal with jumping around with different apps or various remotes. I have tons of easy to use features: record, back up, pause, local news and sports as well as watch remotely on my phone when away from home.



Maybe this is one of my many BTDs, but this is simple: I just want to pick up my remote, press one button and watch TV. At this point, it's like the electric bill...I don't like to pay for it but life would be difficult not to have it.



Like driving around to find the cheapest gas or paying parking meters, I'm at a point in my life where saving a few bucks is just not worth going out of my way.

As far as simplicity goes, don’t assume that streaming means more remotes. We solely stream our programming. We have one remote for our Fire Stick, that remote also controls the television and sound bar. We push one button to turn the system on/off, and use the same remote to change channels and adjust volume. In fact, we can use voice commands such as “tune to NBC” to change channels. We also have all of the record/pause/backup functions.

My parents still have cable and they need three remotes to control their system.