Thanks - I cut the cord, here's how the phone call went down - Page 5

But you could say the same thing about a lot of different things. Airlines - so have you stopped taking vacations? Electric company - are your kids doing their homework by kerosene lantern?

There's three providers in my area and in most (not including OTA).

CATV
Uverse or FiOS
Satellite

There's competetion and still high prices with bad service. Uverse has a better line up and is month to month with no lock ins for either party. Charter has a terrible HDTV line up for nearly the same price as Uverse. Satellite.. I haven't even gone there because I hate being on contract.

I picked the lesser of three evils to get the programing we want which is limited in delivery any other way.

Things like Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN. You can get the whole show each night.. What 40 minutes after deducting the commercials? CNN has a podcast that is 10 to 15 minutes long. This is just one example. Some of the content we want is just not available any other way so we pick the least worst provider of that service.

Cable tv is a luxury most of us take for granted, and it has become a huge part of modern life. I don't have kids but watching tv for hours/day is destructive no matter what. Some of you may have friends who don't watch tv at all, so when you talk about a popular show they'll say 'I've never seen it', and you shake your head in disbelief. But more often than not, these people have very productive and happy ways of passing their time.

I happen to live in an area with good public libraries. I was amazed at just how much content there is - lots of excellent documentaries, history, even movies and tv shows. I also have Netflix, and for $10/month there is more than enough variety.

Unfortunately the price gouging by the cable companies isn't going to stop as they're protected (and in bed) by our government, and FCC specifically has rules to prevent competition. Cable companies and ISP's are a protected monopoly.

lol.

I thought I needed to post that. hahaha.

NHL, like other sports leagues such as the NFL, aren't really targeting joe schmoe at home. Typcially, they're concerned about places where the public are showing the games. If caught, they usually sent a cease and desist letter (bars showing blacked out games in San Diego (NFL).

If you're paying for something, such as an online sports package, you're not stealing. You're using a product in a manner that owner of the content does not want. NHL has the right to determine how their product is to be used.

As someone who has been using VPN for almost two years to watch various sports events that would not be available (NFL Game Pass, BBC iPlayer, STV) and sports games (local team and national broadcasts), I haven't been that worried about it. Is there a risk I could get popped sure. But when it's just myself, family, and maybe a friend or two, it's not like I'm making any kind of profit, so how am I going to get caught or bring attention. Heck, I've even used the service at the stadium of the blacked out game (via smartphone).

I prefer to use online service with a VPN than some feed on JustinTV, Ustream, LiveTV, and so forth. Plus the quality is a lot better and reliable.

And the termination and fee thing, all the sports I've subscribed to (NFL, NBA, MotoGP, MLB, and NHL), all say it. The only thing that's different is the fee.

150%

Wow, really? With gas approaching $5/gal nationwide, and assuming you get an average of 30mpg, that's $167 for fuel alone plus two solid days of driving. Add $100 for hotel, another $50 in meals, and use the 50c/mi wear-and-tear rate, and you've got over $800 and two days of travel. I'd much rather put up with the TSA and get there in four hours for half the price.

Not only that, but it may be suprising to people to know that there are amazing places to visit inside the triangle of Disneyworld, the East Coast and California.

Take a vacation to actually see your country. You might be suprised at what you find.

-Suntan

Driving can be a pleasure, it all depends on what you get out of it. Long road trips can be a vacation by themselves, not just a means to get to the destination.

I did assume that you wanted to get there. I agree that the journey is sometimes the true pleasure.

Anyway, we're getting way off-topic.

I cut the cord 3 months ago and no regrets so far. One caveat - I don't watch sports. I went with high speed cable internet, a magicjack for phone and am going to install an antenna for the networks soon. Once thats don't then I'll work on building an HTPC that can double as a DVR. I'm saving about $60/month which will pay for all the other hardware in less than a year. Also, I got Amazon Prime and have been impressed with the free streaming. It was really a bonus for me on top of the shipping but there's some good stuff on there.

I'm not a lawyer, and I don't pretend to be. However TV, cable, and satellite laws I'm not sure apply to streaming video. I'll give you generic communications, but I have never seen nor heard of laws like you state exist.

NHL is the one streaming the video to you, it's not someone else streaming it without the NHL's permission. I would want to see some type of case law or the actual regulations that indicate that your real address/location is legally required or else it's a criminal offense.

I realize I'm jumping in late here. I loved the OP and his immediate follow-up. Well written.

I cut the cable many years ago now. I just wish MLB would get off of their lazy butts and rework the blackout crap.

That's the only thing that still hacks me off about TV.

not quite, it's being explored/looked at. And probably to maintain it, they'll use some contract conflict situation anyway.

It makes not sense.

If you don't show it on the home turf on TV how are you going to create more fans?


If I started watching a team- and became a fan I might go to the game.

They have it totally wrong and backwards.

Well, it's an old mentality from back in the 60s and 50s. The thinking is, if you can watch on the game on TV for free, then why would you want to go to the game? The NFL for example, would not show ANY home games before the blackout regulations came in. Did not matter if the game was sold out or not. So NY did get the see games such as the Heidi Bowl, 58' Gaints vs. Colts Championship game, and so forth.

Unfortunately, the sports leagues haven't changed this mentality. And despite their thinking, you see a whole lot more of the game on TV then in person. These rules don't keep up with the technology behind it.

And then there are licensing issues that prevent games from being televised. The NFL is a prime example of this. They actually have a whole online streaming service that can show both live and replay games. In the US because of the deal with DirectTV to be the ONLY place to show multiple live games, the are not able to offer the service within the US. Thus, the US only get the replay portion.

Sports is really big business in the entertainment world. And the blackout rules, I think, will always be here in some form or another. Although, I think it will be more about licensing issues, which is about money.

When calling to cancel, you should not explain anything. Every reason you provide gives more ammunition for them to use against you, and if you are not firm, you may end up staying with them.

Also, they do research on the reasons for canceling, and add responses to their call scripts.