Most liked posts in thread: Cutting the Cable TV Cord - I have Questions

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  1. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    #38 Nathan, Jan 8, 2015
    It's been about 3 months now without cable. I've done a few Netflix and Amazon binge watch events. Don't miss the talking heads I used to sit there an watch.

    Someone actually sent me something from my Amazon wishlist, an over the air antenna. A scan after hook up found 32 channels. Visually checking found about 10 in English. The picture quality on the major network channels in incredible. Doesn't hurt that I live within about 3 miles of all the transmitters.

    All in all I'm happy with the decision to cut the cable.
     
  2. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    #27 Nathan, Oct 15, 2014
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2014
    I'm two weeks into not having cable TV. I'm getting a lot more stuff that I did want to do but wasn't doing cause I was doing TV, done. Snacking less too.

    I didn't even feel like I missed F1 over the past weekend.
     
  3. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    #35 Nathan, Oct 17, 2014
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2014
    I have spoken to the retention department in the past. In a very polite and appreciative manner I might add. They cut the bill quite a bit.

    For me it's not the 30 bucks a month I'm now saving. It's getting my butt off the couch and doing things. That is my main reason for cutting the cable.
     
  4. docv

    docv Well-Known Member
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    #10 docv, Nov 29, 2013
    Just purchased a TV for our guest bedroom, the TV I purchased was a smart TV. The only thing I did was plug it in, connect to router, sign in to Netflix, Boom have TV.
     
  5. 05r50

    05r50 Well-Known Member

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    #15 05r50, Nov 30, 2013
    Not sure if Meth should be allowed to be combined with FIOS. :)


    Just sayin. Maybe it's time to spread the love.
     
  6. Dave.0

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    #31 Dave.0, Oct 16, 2014
    Good luck with that. :lol::nonod::incazzato:

    My wife would go crazy without the food network and the cooking channel.

    Long shows on those networks equal my quality time in the garage with my MINI. (Cleaning or Driving) :Thumbsup:
     
  7. DneprDave

    DneprDave Well-Known Member
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    #2 DneprDave, Nov 29, 2013
    I have a Samsung Smart Blueray player, with wifi, that has Android apps built in for Youtube, Hulu, Netflix and others. I don't need cable TV with that set up.

    There are many other wifi capable DVD/Blue Ray besides Samsung.

    Dave
     
  8. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    #14 Dave.0, Nov 30, 2013
    I love my Verizon FiOS Quantum service 150 /65 fiber Internet speed. :Thumbsup: both my wife and I work from home so we need the speed.

    I also have 4 TV's and the 3 Samsung LED's are all on FiOS HD and the picture is unreal during any sports event.
     
  9. Zapski

    Zapski Well-Known Member

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    #26 Zapski, Oct 15, 2014
    Good news! HBO joins the 21st Century!

    HBO is finally going to let you watch its shows without cable | The Verge

     
  10. GokartPilot

    GokartPilot Well-Known Member

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    #32 GokartPilot, Oct 17, 2014

    LOL... the wife has three that she is hooked on, needless to say the idea of dropping cable was not meet with enthusiasm I was hoping for. :incazzato::mad5::incazzato:
     
  11. Spa2k

    Spa2k Well-Known Member

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    #34 Spa2k, Oct 17, 2014
    Before you totally give up on your cable company, call the toll-free number and ask for the customer retention department. I explained that I was really tired of cable rates going up - and, that as a loyal, longtime customer, I was especially irritated about all the special offers being made to new customers that were much lower than I was paying. By the time we were done, the very nice (really) customer service representative had cut my bill by a third - and switched me to the company's top-tier Internet service, which more than doubled the speed. She also was able to give me just BBC America as a standalone channel, instead of having to pay for an entire (and otherwise worthless) 20-channel package just to get it. Finally, I bought my own cable modem (top-rated Motorola Surfboard, on sale for $60), so I wouldn't have to pay the cable company's modem rental fee every month.

    My total savings will be around $850 per year, and I believe one reason I got the deal was because I was so nice about it. These cable folks are used to getting yelled at all day long, so I think they instantly put up a wall if you just start screaming at them. (This works: "Please notice that I'm not yelling at you - the cost has gotten beyond what I can afford, and I'm just really frustrated. I've been a good customer for XX years, and I want to see if we can work something out so I don't have to shut down the service.")

    As much as I hate being that nice, sometimes it pays off. :wink:
     
  12. eMINIparts

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    #3 eMINIparts, Nov 29, 2013
    Same boat here.....Everytime I call ComCast and tell them I want to quit cable , they hook me with a new package .....I want out !! But now there are too many options..cant wait to hear what people recommend.....:D
     
  13. 05r50

    05r50 Well-Known Member

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    #4 05r50, Nov 29, 2013
    I have Hulu and Netflix on both SmartApps on the the TV and also Roku. They work just great. I can pick up NBC/ABC shows the next day most of the time. Also some of the cable channels like USA etc.

    CBS is a problem. They like to keep their content on their website. My son just convinced me to get a Chromecast today. ($29 on Amazon). I can stream the CBS content from the laptop browser straight to the ChromeCast.

    I am also getting to my limit on cable prices. This is ridiculous. I will have to shop around for sports but there are streaming sites that carry the games. My nephew was streaming the Lions/Packers game from a website yesterday.
     
  14. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    #5 Nathan, Nov 29, 2013
    Hmm, never did think about a WiFi capable Blue Ray. I don't have player of that type, no DVD, no BlueRay, no gaming system.

    Hmm, have to look at that option too.
     
  15. Steve

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    #6 Steve, Nov 29, 2013
    For over the air, you might want to check out the Mohu Leaf. Go to their site and enter your location info and you'll see a list of channels theoretically in range based on the different models. Scroll down that page for a map of local antennas and their ranges to help you decide what sort of antenna/model you might need (which will also help if you're looking at other antennae).

    I'm quite far from the best towers anywhere near me so I bought the Ultimate model which is the basic Leaf plus a signal amplifier.

    As to streamers, when I researched this some months ago (things may have changed a bit) Roku came up top of my list mainly because you get a much longer list of channel options than any other client device and the list continues to grow. Most channels are free and the pay channel options are no different through Roku than others, other than that Roku offers pretty much all of them.

    It also seems to be well supported and the service and options most likely to adapt over time.

    I have the LT model because it was cheap and I still didn't care about HD (for TV) and I didn't think I needed any of the additional options offered by the more expensive models. Other than my warming attitude toward HDTV, the other bit I wish I had is the option to load an SD card which allows the device to retain more channel info and therefore load things a bit more quickly.

    Keep in mind that in order for any of the streaming devices to work well, esp. with HD movies, etc, you need a good router and good signal strength, etc, wherever you plan to place the client. OR you need to pick one that will accommodate a hard wire and run a line.
     
  16. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    #7 Nathan, Nov 29, 2013
    Mohu thinks Columbus Ohio is not in the US.

    That's funny.
     
  17. Steve

    Steve Administrator
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    #8 Steve, Nov 29, 2013
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2013
    Yep, same here, very strange. Switch to zip code, it's less accurate than a street address to see actual range(s) but you can still see what channels are available in the area and learn where the antennae live.
     
  18. DneprDave

    DneprDave Well-Known Member
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    #9 DneprDave, Nov 29, 2013
    Another idea. If your computer has an HDMI port, you could plug it into an HDTV and stream shows from your computer.

    Dave
     
  19. Spa2k

    Spa2k Well-Known Member

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    #11 Spa2k, Nov 29, 2013
    If you think the cable service is worth saving, call the company's customer service line and ask for the customer retention department. Tell that rep you no longer can afford to pay their rates - and that you've been a good customer for a long time and that you're tired of the company offering all the good deals to new customers instead of the faithful customers they've had for years. (Here they've been advertising $9.95 for the same Internet service that was costing me $59.95 a month.) I managed to get my total monthly bill (basic cable TV plus some premium channels plus Internet) reduced by about 30% for a 2-year extension - I've done this a couple of times, and I'm about to do it again. I hate feeling like a good customer who's getting screwed.
     
  20. c0op3r

    c0op3r Active Member

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    #12 c0op3r, Nov 29, 2013
    Here is the simplest question you need to ask yourself, to see if you can do without cable TV.

    DO you watch sports? If yes just keep the cable, if no you can do with out it.

    It really is that simple, I download everything I watch and I watch it without commercials! But my answer to sports - Dont give a damn.
     
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