Cutting the Cable Cord, need suggestions - Page 4

 

By devices I meant the Netflix app... not the TV's resolution. Last I saw only a few TV lines supported Netflix 1080p encodes. Here's a list although I think a few are reported as supported and it never arrived and or was cancelled.

 

http://www.techofthehub.com/whats-best-netflix-player

 

If both are using the 1080p encodes since the content is identical if there is a difference I'm guessing someone messed up big time and a firmware update would be on the way. :)

That's a great link. Thanks for posting. It seems that the problem was indeed that the App in the TV does not support 1080p video, despite the fact that the panel is 1080p and it accepts 1080p input from other sources. I guess I can add this to the list of reasons I don't care for smart TVs...

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I like "dumb" TV's better. I've got other devices for Oldflix, Hulu, Vudu and Amazon if I want to access those.

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Good choice. I feel the same and get worked up about cable like no one. To me the worst part is that I have to pay premium price to watch commercials. On non premium channels, a 1.5 hour movie lasts 4 hours!!! Who has time or patience for that? News channels sucks any way, internet beats them any time. I also feel that I should pay for what I want to watch. Why would I support Fox news, when, if it is up to me I would prevent them by the law to be in the news business? Congrats on your choice.

Made arrangements to have cable turned off the day after the Olympics are over.

They tried to talk me into all kinds of discount pkgs. but, I do not watch 99% of the channels no matter what the pkg.

The rep. tried to tell me my Roku XD/s would stop working afterword, no explaination why though !

When asked if the Terk HDTVa would stop working also, I received no answer.

Well if it's anything like dealing with Charter and you have internet service with them as well he probably set it up to cancel your internet service also. The rep's are the best minimum wage can buy, the tech's they send are barely much better. Good luck and let the games begin!

Cablevision is the one I choose to pick my pockets !

He was a little pissy after finding out I had already dumped their phone and opted for Ooma.
$4.26 instead of $19.95mo.

So now only have "net @ 15+Mbps for $49.99mo.

"Til now I let them write a check for $154.mo.

Hopefully we will both get used to the new arrangements !

Questioning the Rep about your Antenna was classic!!!!

After the line he gave about the Roku, I just had to.

I cut the cord about four years ago without really doing my research. I thought since I could easily find all the regular things I watched on the net or OTA, I could do the same with sports. I am a big college/pro football and basketball fan and live in an area where the local teams are not my teams. ESPN 3 has been great but it does not give me every game. The money I saved in cutting the cord went to time, gas, and Sports Bars trying to catch the games. I am strongly considering jumping back onto the cable/satellite bandwagon just so I can sit in my own home and watch the games.

Like many have said in earlier posts, determine your viewing habits and then decide from there. If most of the shows you watch are on the major networks then you might want to invest in a good antenna. Also, you might want to invest in a HDHomeRun and a HTPC. This way you can record and store your local channels.

Cleaned up the thread. Next member to go off topic will be removed.

Kyser

I will be cutting my dish on Friday when my new TV shows up. I've thought it through for the most part. I have MLB subscription to cover baseball. For any football I may want to watch I will still have local channels as I get the basic package for free with my Comcast Internet. I like the reminder posted above of a terrestrial antennae. I will have to go pick one up. Then I can get my local stuff in HD. The few "cable" shows I like will eventually be on Netflix, or Hulu. The Walking Dead wont be on Dish this coming season anyway, so I will just continue to buy the season pass on iTunes. I'm sure at some point something may pop up that I will "miss", but I doubt it will be anything to earth-shattering.

Congrats on doin' the cuttin' Friday !

Doing the same with Cablevision on Monday 13th. Just keeping "net @ $50.mo. I have a Terk HDTVa for OTA, gives up 18 channels. Do have a Roku XD/s but pre-ordered a Vizio Co-Star to add Google TV and Chrome browser for fully functional 'net wondering on the LG.

Tonight will be watching NASA TV on the Roku to see the Mars landing, Can't get that on cable !

HDTV antenna + Netflix + Xbox video (though have been considering getting Apple TV).

Have been cable-free for nearly 8 years. In fact, watching Breaking Bad on Windows 8 Xbox Video right now.

This is so tough. Things I watch...almost nothing, but the TV is always on. I never use the phone, I suppose Ooma or whatever would work fine. If you try to cancel from cable it never pays off. I also have the highest tier internet speed from Brighthouse which I heard can run $75 if you cancel all cable. So basically I just leave it all alone but I am not getting much out of this deal.

Let's see if I am a candidate to cut...

I live in Orlando, and do not follow any kind of local sports such as Magic or any of the baseball teams. So on top of expensive digital cable with HBO/Max/Showtime/Starz (expensive) I pay for:
mlb.tv - watch through three Roku's, or Xbox or PC (android phones also)
NBA package
Netflix - streaming only
UFC - we buy almost every fight

So what kills me is my favorite sport is college football. I don't care if I miss NFL games I am a Browns fan and pretty ticked at their inept org and don't bother watching anyone else play so I can do without NFL. My kids watch Dexter and Game of Thrones (they are older, one is just about 18). Both of those could be done in some other way. Roku/Playon

The killer is the wife. She absolutely cannot get into the concept of watching an entire season of a show she likes on Netflix over 10-20 hours. Nope she'd rather just flip around mindlessly at stuff like Bravo, cooking reality shows. Even stuff like those moms that whore out their daughters for those pageants. I hate all that crap, but what can I do? Make her learn to use Roku? She hasn't once used the Roku, she just lays in bed and flips. (in fairness she is going through Chemo and quite exhausted mentally, but I don't think that is the issue here).

I haven't even checked into Amazon they rent entire seasons of shows as well? I did rent a movie once to test it out on the Roku2 but haven't browsed them much.

Sounds to me like giving up college football is the choice are those college games worth it? If my total bill is $234 and I cut it to cable only let's say it's $80, now you are talking $154/month (given that I am paying for all this other crap anyway). So is college football costing me $154X12?

Can you access the games you want with an OTA antenna

Not sure if they show any games you'd care about, but ESPN3 shows quite a few during the season.

 

The Vizio Co-Star, or Sony Google TV streamer will get you that for no extra cost (like you'd have with PlayOn), as long as your internet provider allows it.

Edited by Rammitinski - 8/10/12 at 5:28pm

Does the Internet provider allow ESPN3 if you aren't a cable subscriber? I've been pretty happy with my internet service (Brighthouse), excellent speed and not a lot of interruption. Rather this whole idea is about cutting stuff I don't use. I am not aware of any college football package similar to mlb.tv they are very much directly tied to the cable systems if I am not mistaken.

I don't think ESPN3 to Xbox 360 ever did get set up, or if it did I am not aware of it. Clearly I would need to use PlayOn or something like that with the Roku..

Sometimes the teams you want to watch will be on OTA channel but not always. I am a Buckeye fan so a lot of the games are on ESPN or BTN. The problem for me is addiction to all Saturday football ESPN always has two or three great SEC matchups on Saturday night. Sounds like you'd almost need a decent HTPC to really pull this off

I like others are weighing out cutting the cord. My only concern is my Epson projector, what can I do to get TV thru this as I still want to be able to watch local football games..

Few people have mentioned a tv amplifier and OTA antenna...anyone have this type of configuration?? Results, comments?

You will need an ATSC tuner and most often an antenna on the roof to receive the local channels although in some cases it is possible to get local channels with a small indoor antenna. The ATSC tuner I use comes with TiVo which is still the best DVR for my money.

My cord cutting solution includes quite a number of different boxes scattered about the house. Each room and the various boxes and primary uses for the boxes:

Home Theater w/Projector:

TiVoHD with lifetime used with an antenna on the roof, 1.16 TB storage
Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray/DVD/SACD/DVD-A/CD/Vudu
LG BH200 Blu-ray/HD DVD/DVD
Logitech Revue Google TV, Crackle, YouTube, ESPN3, many sites accessible by the web browser for public domain movies and a few sites/apps for more recent programming
PS3 Blu-ray/Games/Vudu

Master Bedroom:

TiVoHD with lifetime used with an antenna on the roof, 660 GB storage
Laptop with 1.1 TB PlayOn/PlayLater (can be accessed by any DLNA client in the house) used for Hulu and other sites blocking Google TV, SD only and PlayLater is a DVR to record Netflix, Hulu, etc.
Toshiba HD-A30 HD DVD/DVD
LG BD590 Blu-ray/DVD/Vudu
Logitech Revue Google TV, Crackle, YouTube, ESPN3, many sites accessible by the web browser for public domain movies and a few sites/apps for more recent programming

Den

TiVoHD without subscription with an antenna on the roof
Sony NSZ-GT1 Blu-ray/Google TV, Crackle, YouTube, ESPN3, many sites accessible by the web browser for public domain movies and a few sites/apps for more recent programming

I don't currently use any of the pay streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime or Hulu Plus but I do use Vudu a few times a month, only for 99 cent rentals, I check everyday to see if it is something I want. Vudu HDX is the best quality streaming service I have seen. We have no problems finding more than enough to watch but we watch Blu-ray/DVD a lot, far better quality than OTA or streaming. In my opinion Google TV is far and away the best smart TV platform, the walled garden approach with Apple TV, Roku, etc. with the limiited apps might be prettier and easier but is far too limited for what I want from the internet. A keyboard and full featured browser is how I find most of what I watch from the internet. If Hulu, ABC, CBS, Fox, etc. didn't block Google TV, I wouldn't need the laptop but I can live with things as they are and use a Logitech Revue K700 keyboard with the laptop used for internet sites blocking Google TV. I much prefer the Google TV UI and operating system, browser and little box compared to the Windows laptop and much prefer TiVo to a Windows Media Center. I don't stream from the laptop to Google TV or the other DLNA clients much because playback using the PC itself and PlayPlayer is better, with trick play and easy commercial skipping but I do use DLNA some.

I use YouTube more than another internet TV service, free movies and TV shows are widely available on YouTube now and the Google TV YouTube app offers suggestions and keeps the bookmarked programs I plan to watch easily accessible. Most of my web browsing and forum participation is also done using Google TV.

Depends on your region and blackout rules, but for NFL Games, you will be able to access live NFL Regional and National coverage on Fox, CBS, and NBC (Sunday Night Football), it just depends on the station. For College Football, you will be able to access games on ABC, NBC (Notre Dame), CBS (Mainly SEC Games), and possible Raycom feeds from one of your Local Affiliates (ACC Games for me in SE Georgia). My local Fox Affiliate shows HD Feeds from the SEC Network. These games are in HD and free OTA.

If your ISP is an affiliate with ESPN3, you will be able to watch a good chunk of College Football games from various regions, and Divisions as well (not just Division I). One thing to take into consideration, especially games coming from a Regional Network such as Big Ten, ACC, and SEC Networks, if the game is a live broadcast from a local affiliate, it will more than likely be a Standard Def stream on ESPN3.

Brighthouse came up as an ESPN 3 eligible service on the WatchEspn app. I believe it is the ISP not the TV that is the focus. I think that will get you the ESPN games you want. You are right it would probably have to be some kind of HTPC to do, but worth it.

Anyone tried buying a used TIVO, without the subscription to use as a tuner?

I cancelled my cable subscription 2 months ago, best decision ever.. I got a TIVo premiere using OTA and is working great.. I think something like 80% of what people record on their DVRs is mostly from free networks. I do pay $15 month for the TiVo service, but that is less that paying for the crappy DVR service from Time Warner and not to mention 12 dollars monthly fee for the HD cable box! I also have jail broken AppleTV adds online streaming from cable channels, free PPV events, free HD movies and many other things you shouldn't do!. And as somebody mentioned before they don't have the best quality. I have Netflix but no Hulu, I think with DVR service u r OK with just Netflix. I have an AIOS HD for stuff from external drive. Amazon for on demand stuff sometimes.
I have a PS3, I wish it had more apps, no internet box will ever work as great as the PS3, it is impossible for a roku, WD TV, boxee to match PS3's processing power, Netflix, Hulu, YouTube apps work great on PS3..

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but nobody has ever died from dropping cable. Too much is being made of this subject. If you feel cheated or insulted by the cable companies in either your time and money, your intellect, or your morals, then don't have cable (I fall in this category). You personally would be better off without it. If you enjoy watching cable and can afford the fees without depriving yourself or your family, then use it. Either way does not make you a better or worse person.

This is the time of year I absolutely wish I had cable because ESPN has locked up all the college bowl games and I can't get ESPN3 because my ISP will not come to terms with them, so I have suffered for the last two years. The other 11 months of the year I have absolutely no use for cable, so the value of it is just not there for me, and speaking from experience (I've been without cable for 15 years), the sting of missing the bowl games will fade after another year and I will no longer care about watching college bowl games.

I stopped the cable TV service when Comcast wanted to charge a premium for basic digital cable. We now get much of our content OTA using a SiliconDust tuner in an HTPC. The HTPC also functions as a DVR. The Silicon Dust solution is a plus because the tuner sits on my network. Any PC can "check out" a tuner and watch/record a show. We usually don't start watching until the show is already underway or recorded, that makes it easy to skip commercials.


I have a projector as one of the display choices for the HTPC; the other is 50 inch plasma. Shows like Dancing with the Stars or Smash we watch on an 11 foot screen with the projector.


For shows that we want to watch that are not available OTA, I have found that I can often check the series out from the library. Mad Men is an example -- we're current through season 4. We do the same with movies.


It's rare that we want to watch a game that's not OTA. We don't feel the need to watch very many. But for those that we do, there are several sports bars within a couple of miles.


We tried Amazon Prime streaming and didn't like the picture quality compared to OTA. OTA depending on the channel, can be 1080. Streaming tends to be 720. I intend to give Netflix a try, but frankly don't have enough motivation. We have more content available to us than we have time to watch.

My monthly cost is simply my cable internet connection. Other posters have detailed what you give up w/o a cable subscription, so I won't repeat. We don't care about the "give ups," so our solution works well for us!

i recently purchased an indoor antenna called Mohu LEAF. just hang it high on your wall. it's excellent, picking up 22 regular and subchannels. i live about 30 or so miles from the local channel transmission towers. the LEAF is available in several types. i have the standard. got from amazon for $35 as i recollect. it's now $39.99 tho u m ight shop around and get it for a little less. the more expensive amplified models dont seem to rate as well as my non-amplified.leaf.