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The Official "I dont have dish or cable" anymore thread - Page 2

post #31 of 1683
4/25/11 at 7:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lsilvest View Post

Wish someone would come up with a sports only package at something resembling a reasonable price.

The merciless pkg format is designed to keep you in for 1 or 2 items. A la carte is what everyone wants and likely everyone would buy.
Imagine hitting the uncheck bullets on 250 music, cooking, cartoon, etc channels and watching your bill reduce to 14 bucks. Many more would buy it.

Of course, the bstrds at d/c would love to convince us 45, 60 & 100 is a la carte.
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post #32 of 1683
4/25/11 at 8:33am
Thread Starter 
I have Dish and they are usually cheaper than D*. My package was good and they dont have it anymore. It was just $35 (got local, but no regional sports), then they went up $5 last month and they give everybody free Starz for 1 yr and I didnt even watch a single movie. 3 mth old movies vs $1.50 for a blu-ray per night at every corner kiosh? Plus I remember HBO have contract with xyz and no other pay can get that move for 1 yr? Come on.

I actually didnt pay much attention to HD OTA and I was suprised at how sharp and clear it was.

So I record anything on my WMC. I have a dual TV tuner that use ethernet. I didnt even have to open up my PC.

I use WD HD TV Live + to play. This tool is great. It plays everything that so far. I did have 1 movie that didtn play. Foreign subtitles will be a challenge.

So I use it to play anything I record on WMC. But guess what? WD HD will not play .wtv format that WMC use. Nobody can. Microsoft say NO. Nobody can use this format but damn.

So I got another toy that convert it to other format. And this toy has something to get rid of the comercials while converting. (It works FAIR. Sometime it didnt find the commercials). It keep checking this folder and convert it when it find something new.

I have a super fast computer, but never figure it out why I need to overclock it. Now I do when I edit out commercials.
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post #33 of 1683
4/25/11 at 9:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rammitinski View Post

Actually, they do show a decent amount of Pro baseball here in Chicago OTA, spread amongst three (HD) channels. Between the Sox and the Cubs, it's not unusual to be able to see games 4 times a week total.

(Although the way both are playing right now, it's a bit of a stretch to call it "Professional" Baseball.)

I thought most of them were shown on CSN. Does WGN really carry that many?
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post #34 of 1683
4/25/11 at 9:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by chong67 View Post

So I use it to play anything I record on WMC. But guess what? WD HD will not play .wtv format that WMC use. Nobody can. Microsoft say NO. Nobody can use this format but damn.

So I got another toy that convert it to other format. And this toy has something to get rid of the comercials while converting. (It works FAIR. Sometime it didnt find the commercials). It keep checking this folder and convert it when it find something new.

I have a super fast computer, but never figure it out why I need to overclock it. Now I do when I edit out commercials.

For me TV should be convenient and easy. A big chunk of my viewing is time delayed (but still airing) long enough to skip commercials. For this a TiVo with Lifetime ($500) is well worth it. Also, should you decide to go elsewhere they hold their value nicely. In the past I have upgraded their drive and sold them for more than the original investment and upgraded drive cost.

Misc. other items...

- OTA quality. With so many sub-channels often it's nothing to brag about. Especially our local PBS as it looks SD (at best).

- A la carte. If it ever happens the net difference would end up being very little. The must have channels would increase wildly to recoup their lost revenues from the lost package subscribers.
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post #35 of 1683
4/25/11 at 10:32am
over 3 years for me, from paying over a hundred dollars a month to Comcast to zero.

Never got much love from Comcast.

Best thing about it is all that money saved. No longer have the frustration of having a hundred channels and still nothing worth watching.

Worst thing is college football. #$%$#!!!. ESPN has colluded with the NCAA to take college football off of free TV. At one point I looked at the TV schedule for the bowl games and it was like 23 pay TV versus 3 free. The championship game was not available OTA! I was going to take them up on one of their cheap teaser deals for basic cable when I thought to ask if ESPN was in the basic package...
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post #36 of 1683
4/25/11 at 11:21am
I try to cancel but they keep giving me great deals so I can watch sports like the Cubs, Bulls, Blackhawks and Sox.

You would miss half of the games without cable you know.
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post #37 of 1683
4/25/11 at 12:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jedi Master View Post
If you were paying only $41 a month for pay TV you were lucky. Most pay TV prices are over $100 a month these days.
I was also paying only $41 (actually, $41.99) a month, too, until they just raised it 3 bucks this year. Still, it's only $45.00 (with no taxes).

Just how in the heck many extra receivers are you considering?

You can get the "Dish America", all-HD package (with the ESPN-HD's and TBS-HD, but no RSN) from Dish, to two TV's (HD to the main one, SD to the 2nd), with locals, for only $35.00, regular price.

And you can get their "America's Top 120 Plus" package, with the locals, ESPN 1 and 2-HD, your local RSN-HD, TBS-HD (Sun. MLB) and Fox Soccer Channel-HD, and "Free HD for Life", to 2 TV's (HD/SD) for only $50.00 a month (albeit with a 24-month commitment and auto-pay).

Even adding a couple of extra, HD receivers and/or a DVR to that still wouldn't put you anywhere near "over $100".
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post #38 of 1683
4/25/11 at 12:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jedi Master View Post
I watch football....and if I need to see more I can watch it on ESPN3.com.
I like football plenty, but I only care to watch Pro.

Glad it's good enough for you, but being able to "get sports for free" means absolutely nothing to those of us who don't care anything about what it is they'd actually be getting.
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post #39 of 1683
4/25/11 at 1:19pm
all i really want from the cable/dish offerings are the espn channels and golf channel in quality hd. well maybe versus hd also - i enjoy the bull riding . it's frustrating that you can't buy only what you want. but after reading this thread, i am tempted to go cable/dish during football season only. i will have to reconsider my options when my directv contract is up.
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post #40 of 1683
4/25/11 at 1:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lkr View Post
I thought most of them were shown on CSN. Does WGN really carry that many?
Yes - most of them are.

When I say "4 games a week", I don't mean from each team - I mean between the two.
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post #41 of 1683
4/25/11 at 2:04pm
I dropped DirecTV about 10 months ago (after 7 years) and rarely miss it. I agree that occasionally it would be nice to watch college basketball but I can survive without it. All the other programming seems to show up on DVD/Blu-ray eventually.
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post #42 of 1683
4/25/11 at 3:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by chong67 View Post

Almost all your home city sports is televised OTA free.

NFL football MAYBE if they sell out. As far as the other sports, hardly. Most other sports broadcast games through cable channels. The number teams in MLB, NHL or NBA that show local games via OTA is very small.
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post #43 of 1683
4/25/11 at 3:22pm
I live in the boonies so any option other than cable/satellite has its limitations. No internet unless I buy it from AT&T, so OTA is the only option and I must admit it's hard to think of giving up live sports and TCM.

I talked to a guy I've known for years who is just about the only OTA antenna installer around and he says that for a good antenna, rotor, booster, etc. it would cost me about $1500, or 2 1/3 years worth of satellite subscription.

I'm mulling it over now.
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post #44 of 1683
4/25/11 at 3:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cinema13 View Post
So can you watch, say, BOARDWALK EMPIRE?
Even with cable I can't watch that since I refuse to pay $20 a month for HBO. That show isn't that good as to pay $240 PLUS TAX per year to watch 13 episodes.
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post #45 of 1683
4/25/11 at 3:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by N.B. Forrest View Post

I live in the boonies so any option other than cable/satellite has its limitations. No internet unless I buy it from AT&T, so OTA is the only option and I must admit it's hard to think of giving up live sports and TCM.

I talked to a guy I've known for years who is just about the only OTA antenna installer around and he says that for a good antenna, rotor, booster, etc. it would cost me about $1500, or 2 1/3 years worth of satellite subscription.

I'm mulling it over now.

He's ripping you off. Go to the link and post your results.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29

use your address. it's hidden in the results.
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post #46 of 1683
4/25/11 at 4:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BCF68 View Post

Even with cable I can't watch that since I refuse to pay $20 a month for HBO. That show isn't that good as to pay $240 PLUS TAX per year to watch 13 episodes.

As much as I enjoy BOARDWALK, I agree with you about no show being worth that much. But I just used that as an example. And of course, the HBO policy of cropping movies is even more of an incentive NOT to subscribe. But for me, there's also GAME OF THRONES, REAL TIME, maybe the final season of ENTOURAGE, and I enjoyed the CINEMA VERITE flick (about filming the Loud family for AN AMERICAN FAMILY). But even those combined aren't really worth what they charge. BUT not being able to see them in HD might be, depending.
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post #47 of 1683
4/25/11 at 6:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cinema13 View Post

As much as I enjoy BOARDWALK, I agree with you about no show being worth that much. But I just used that as an example. And of course, the HBO policy of cropping movies is even more of an incentive NOT to subscribe. But for me, there's also GAME OF THRONES, REAL TIME, maybe the final season of ENTOURAGE, and I enjoyed the CINEMA VERITE flick (about filming the Loud family for AN AMERICAN FAMILY). But even those combined aren't really worth what they charge. BUT not being able to see them in HD might be, depending.

Well except for Real Time if you are willing to wait you can get those shows on blu-ray.
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post #48 of 1683
4/25/11 at 6:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BCF68 View Post

Well except for Real Time if you are willing to wait you can get those shows on blu-ray.

Or boxing, which HBO & Showtime seem to have the corner on these days.
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post #49 of 1683
4/25/11 at 6:53pm
I just hit year 3 of no cable or satellite. I gave up Dish when the bill hit $85 a month for the HD package with no premium channels. Shortly before I cut the cord, I had erected my antenna (total outlay of about $250 including rotor, preamp and hardware). I then discovered that a) the HD quality was better OTA and b) OTA was more reliable than Dish during storms, etc. Cut the cord thereafter.

I use a Dish DTV Pal DVR for the main tuner. Works great! I also subscribe to Netflix, and my DSL service is good enough for streaming up to standard DVD quality. I have a PC hooked my flat panel set for Hulu, etc. Granted, I have to plan my viewing a little more to look for programming, but that is the only disadvantage for me. I catch back TV series via BluRay.

Overall, I don't miss cable or satellite. However, I don't watch sports either. If there's nothing on, my savings on television (about $2800 to date) enabled me to buy a Kindle. That's right... if there's nothing on, I read a book! Or surf the web. My Sony 46" set makes for a fine computer monitor as I type this.
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post #50 of 1683
4/25/11 at 8:04pm
I only pay $30 bux a month for Hd and dvr by threatening to cancel and getting a package deal.

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post #51 of 1683
4/25/11 at 9:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken H View Post

Or boxing, which HBO & Showtime seem to have the corner on these days.

Who watches that anymore? And I believe it's Showtime that has boxing.
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post #52 of 1683
4/26/11 at 12:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BCF68 View Post

Who watches that anymore? And I believe it's Showtime that has boxing.

I wouldn't miss boxing. And yes, HBO has boxing along with Showtime commercial free. ESPN offers "Friday Night Fights" which is a throwback to the Gillette fights which were on each Friday on NBC.

I'm an Ohio State grad retired to Florida. I saw every Buckeye football and basketball game last season. Also, every Browns game (except the opener against Tampa whose games were blacked out all year) and Indians games as well as the Cavs (until Lebron deserted).

Without sat. I would have missed the excellent original programming not available OTA. I won't bother with examples.

Finally, I couldn't live without O'Reilly.
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post #53 of 1683
4/26/11 at 9:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikey mo View Post

I'm an Ohio State grad retired to Florida. I saw every Buckeye football and basketball game last season.

Many of the football games were on OTA many of those that weren't and the some basketball games were on ESPN3.com

Quote:
Also, every Browns game (except the opener against Tampa whose games were blacked out all year) and Indians games as well as the Cavs (until Lebron deserted).

If you're talking about Sunday Ticket, they now offer that online. NBA and MLB also have online streaming.

Quote:
Finally, I couldn't live without O'Reilly.

I hope that sarcasm or at least you watch for the entertianment value and not take that idiot seriously.
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post #54 of 1683
4/26/11 at 9:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BCF68 View Post

Many of the football games were on OTA many of those that weren't and the some basketball games were on ESPN3.com

The experience isn't even closely related. I know I have tried ESPN streaming on a Boxee Box.

Quote:


If you're talking about Sunday Ticket, they now offer that online. NBA and MLB also have online streaming.

If you pay to stream for even a small portion of what you typically lose you'll end up possibility spending more for a lot less. Online can't replace cable/satellite rather it's a lifestyle change. One some are more than happy with... however cable/satellite just had a fantastic last quarter.
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post #55 of 1683
4/26/11 at 1:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by chong67 View Post

Almost all your home city sports is televised OTA free. Maybe not for the first round playoff, but those semi or final, yes its there.

Half of my home team baseball game is free OTA.

Unless you are sports fan fanatic, then you sure do need cable or dish.

Almost all my local baseball, hockey and NBA games are televised on a regional sports network. Even college football is televised by ESPN, or an RSN, etc. I get the weekly SEC game on CBS, Pac-10 or Big 10 on ABC.

I'd say less than 10% of the sports I watch is on over the air TV.

Thank god for DirecTV.
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post #56 of 1683
4/26/11 at 1:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thedeskE View Post

The merciless pkg format is designed to keep you in for 1 or 2 items. A la carte is what everyone wants and likely everyone would buy.
Imagine hitting the uncheck bullets on 250 music, cooking, cartoon, etc channels and watching your bill reduce to 14 bucks. Many more would buy it.

Dream on.

The problem is the financial structure the channels operate on is already set in stone. If true a la cart came to HD channels, you'd find yourself paying more for fewer HD channels.

Quote:


Of course, the bstrds at d/c would love to convince us 45, 60 & 100 is a la carte.

And the bastards would be right.
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post #57 of 1683
4/26/11 at 6:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by N.B. Forrest View Post

I talked to a guy I've known for years who is just about the only OTA antenna installer around and he says that for a good antenna, rotor, booster, etc. it would cost me about $1500

That much? Three years ago, I completely renewed my setup for about $600. Separate VHF and UHF antennas, rotator, pre-amp, 30' telescoping mast mounted next to one end of my house, and about 50' of RG6. I hired an installer and his assistant. He provided the mast, and I bought the rest of the equipment myself.
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post #58 of 1683
4/27/11 at 3:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles R View Post

The experience isn't even closely related. I know I have tried ESPN streaming on a Boxee Box.

That was your problem right there. It could also be your connection. ESPN3 on my TV via XBOX 360 on my 37 inch TV vs watching a game via ESPN HD via my cable company on the same TV is indiscernable.

Quote:


If you pay to stream for even a small portion of what you typically lose you'll end up possibility spending more for a lot less.

Hardly. MLB.tv is $100 a year and is in HD. MLB Extra Innings via my cable provider is $200 a year and not even in HD. Which is the better deal?

Quote:


Online can't replace cable/satellite rather it's a lifestyle change. One some are more than happy with... however cable/satellite just had a fantastic last quarter.

If TV is one's life and one has nothing better to do with it and if spending thousands of dollars a year on TV is what makes one happy I'm not going to tell one otherwise. I think it's kind of sad but to each his own.
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post #59 of 1683
4/27/11 at 4:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rammitinski View Post

I like football plenty, but I only care to watch Pro.

Glad it's good enough for you, but being able to "get sports for free" means absolutely nothing to those of us who don't care anything about what it is they'd actually be getting.

On Sunday there are 4 NFL games on from 1pm to 11:30pm for free OTA in HD. On Saturday there are college football games on from 12 noon to 11:30pm for free OTA in HD. If I want to watch Thursday Night college football or the BCS Bowls I will watch them on ESPN3.com. Football is the main sport I care about. I watch some hockey on NBC. It gives me some sports to watch after football season ends.
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post #60 of 1683
4/27/11 at 4:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BCF68 View Post

If TV is one's life and one has nothing better to do with it and if spending thousands of dollars a year on TV is what makes one happy I'm not going to tell one otherwise. I think it's kind of sad but to each his own.

I agree. I also think that ESPN3.com in SD for free is better than ESPNHD for $100 a month that adds up to $1200 a year.
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