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How Do You Mostly Receive Broadcast TV? - Page 3

Poll Results: How Do You Mostly Receive Broadcast TV?

 
  • 41% (211)
    Terrestrial OTA
  • 27% (142)
    Cable
  • 21% (111)
    Satellite
  • 4% (22)
    Online
  • 4% (22)
    I don't watch broadcast TV
508 Total Votes  
post #61 of 164
2/21/13 at 10:40am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Equifan View Post

Hello all,

Brand-spankin' new to AVS.
'Came looking for an answer to a graphics question and ran into this thread.
I recently cut the cord on U-verse. I live alone and at 70+ there's a whole lot
of teevee that is irrelevant to me. I went commando from around '95 to 2008.
'Had a grandson coming to visit so I purchased an LCD television and tried
Direct. That lasted a couple of years 'til the switch to ATT. (gotta have Internet).
I think I can survive with the network sites (USA, et al.) and Hulu.
I've added and OTA tuner and a cheap laptop and am exploring the possibilities.

Regards,
Eq

Hey Eq, welcome to AVS! You'll find tons of interesting stuff here, so enjoy! And thanks for responding to this poll...

 

Best,

 

Scott

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post #62 of 164
2/21/13 at 10:42am

Mostly online, most t.v. channels upload shows now, and i'm no hurry to watch them and i can wait a day or so.

Even though the quality is a bit lower but i can always buy it on dvd.  Not really a big fan of sports so cord cutting is okay for me :)

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post #63 of 164
2/21/13 at 12:15pm
OTA for 24 years now. Saved a lot of $$
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post #64 of 164
2/21/13 at 1:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BiggAW View Post

That's pretty bad eating up carriers for 8VSB over cable...
I'm not sure what you are saying, could you explain? I never saw 8VSB and cable together in one sentence.
Edited by JoeKustra - 2/21/13 at 1:52pm
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post #65 of 164
2/21/13 at 4:38pm
OTA for 6 years and I have 2 HDHomerun devices to record OTA signals using MythTV. Cut the cord and haven't regretted it at all. I pay a $25 annual subscription fee to get the TV listings.
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post #66 of 164
2/21/13 at 5:37pm
I have a Comcast bundle:

Cable internet
free long distance
digital cable/HD (I think I have the biggest non-specialty package; I get everything but some of the Indian and Spanish channels)
HBO
Showtime
Starz/Encore
2 HD boxes/remotes

I also get Netflix

It costs me $180 a month. I'd like it to be cheaper, but for now I just bite the bullet.

I guess I should add - I watch maybe 5-10 hours of sporting events on my PC a month.
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post #67 of 164
2/21/13 at 6:36pm
Try this for what it cost only $180 but per year is only 2,160.00 or just $21,600 ever 10 year or new car rolleyes.gif
Quote:
Originally Posted by breezy2012 View Post

I have a Comcast bundle:

Cable internet
free long distance
digital cable/HD (I think I have the biggest non-specialty package; I get everything but some of the Indian and Spanish channels)
HBO
Showtime
Starz/Encore
2 HD boxes/remotes

I also get Netflix

It costs me $180 a month. I'd like it to be cheaper, but for now I just bite the bullet.

I guess I should add - I watch maybe 5-10 hours of sporting events on my PC a month.
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post #68 of 164
2/21/13 at 6:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeKustra View Post

I'm not sure what you are saying, could you explain? I never saw 8VSB and cable together in one sentence.

You said your cable company uses 8VSB over cable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smithdoor View Post

Try this for what it cost only $180 but per year is only 2,160.00 or just $21,600 ever 10 year or new car rolleyes.gif

But that's internet, phone and TV. You need internet no matter what.
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post #69 of 164
2/21/13 at 7:59pm
OTA!!!!! I also stream Netflix and have a 2TB hard drive full of movies and tv shows. I have kids and its tough to want to pay for cable/satellite to watch cartoons on most days, so 8 bucks a month for netflix and $40 a month for 30mbps internet and free uncompressed HD channels cannot be beat.
Edited by spimm - 2/21/13 at 8:05pm
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post #70 of 164
2/21/13 at 8:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smithdoor View Post

Try this for what it cost only $180 but per year is only 2,160.00 or just $21,600 ever 10 year or new car rolleyes.gif

You want to know the really funny part?

My bill used to be:

$60-$70 a month for home phone (through Frontier)

$30 a month for DSL

$120 a month for less cable than I get now (no HD).
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post #71 of 164
2/21/13 at 8:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FreyTheater View Post

Lol - I'm probably in the very small minority, but I do not receive any TV at all - Zip, Zilch, Nil. For me, there is no longer anything of interest to watch on either broadcast or cable channels. I finally dropped my satellite service altogether months ago, since I never really watched anything when I had it - just a waste of money paying for the service. I have not even bothered to install an indoor OTA antenna for basic TV reception. 9 months ago I had the cable company remove their line from the telephone pole to my house because I never used cable in my home in the 5 years I've lived there (and because I needed to remove a very large broken branch from a storm-damaged tree that was laying on the line!) - so now my house does not even have a physical connection to the local cable service. No OTA, no cable, no satellite - and I really have not missed watching television at all...

Instead, I have an internet radio in my bedroom, an AM/FM radio in the kitchen, and a Ham radio transciever at my computer desk. cool.gif

Quote:
Originally Posted by lovinthehd View Post

How do you get internet?

I have 12Mb DSL for internet, and I live only 2 blocks from the phone company's CO, so I do at least get the full usable bandwidth out of it. And no, I do not do any streaming across the internet to view movies or television shows either. I am officially TV-Free! smile.gif
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post #72 of 164
2/21/13 at 8:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FreyTheater View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by FreyTheater View Post

I have 12Mb DSL for internet, and I live only 2 blocks from the phone company's CO, so I do at least get the full usable bandwidth out of it. And no, I do not do any streaming across the internet to view movies or television shows either. I am officially TV-Free! smile.gif

D'oh forgot about DSL. Never was an option for me. I use a cable internet (D* for tv) and pay "extra" for the better speeds around 18-20 I think they sold me (just did a test, 18.5 with only my laptop in use....enjoying a BR so will test while streaming later...

PS No movies? I don't connect those together...tv and movies (altho sure sometimes they cross over)
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post #73 of 164
2/22/13 at 4:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeKustra View Post

Cable. No chance for OTA in my location. Small cable company with 22 vsb and 140 clear QAM channels with NY and "locals" in HD. When all you have is lemons....

Quote:
Originally Posted by BiggAW View Post

You said your cable company uses 8VSB over cable.
I think that was vsb or NTSC if you wish. Like some cable companies that haven't gone all digital, someone with a non-digital TV won't need a DTA. I never heard of a cable feed using ATSC/8VSB and I doubt it would work. If I could erect a 500' tower I might get NY stations. wink.gif
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post #74 of 164
2/22/13 at 6:20am
At one time I use 1.5 Md work good on on NetFlix but for just few dollars more I got 6 Md works great for both NetFlix and Phone still some can use the Internet at the same time. I found from the Phone company they slow up the Modem at you home.
This one got into is the bundle will end and you are paying the full price and still have contract for year where is the saving now.
FYI for any doing bundling I have the best is ATT this what I have today for Internet. I just got my mother in-law out of Comcast they start at just $29.00 by time the contract end she was paying $72.00 a month on a fix income.
.
This was is look any contract what will cost by the year never look at it as how will cost per day. Try this it only cost $2.00 per day sound great think what you do with $730.
This is how a good sale person works just look at just one day .tongue.gif
.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovinthehd View Post

D'oh forgot about DSL. Never was an option for me. I use a cable internet (D* for tv) and pay "extra" for the better speeds around 18-20 I think they sold me (just did a test, 18.5 with only my laptop in use....enjoying a BR so will test while streaming later...

PS No movies? I don't connect those together...tv and movies (altho sure sometimes they cross over)
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post #75 of 164
2/22/13 at 6:59am
Verizon cable tv 100%.............
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post #76 of 164
2/22/13 at 7:47am
Cut the cord 2 years ago and haven't looked back. Replaced tv with Netflix and also free Blu-ray/DVD rentals from our local library. Occassionally we pick up a Redbox movie and the wife uses airplay to watch some shows on the ABC app.

Wish we lived closer to a bigger city that way we could get a good over the air signal though...

$38 bucks for 18Mbps uverse internet and our $8 netflix account saves us a whole lot of coin
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post #77 of 164
2/22/13 at 8:45am
Is Verizon FREE
I agree with aydterracer2005 cut the cord and just use the internet and OTA. I agree that there are some show that come on cable that can not download or get off the OTA but unless you have a lot money burn its just does not pay.
Cable 30 years ago advertisement. no commercials just $5.00 and no cost for viewing OTA channel today Comcast was builing my mother in-lay $2.00 starting Jan 2013 for OTA channels plus $70.00 she cut the cord after 25 years with Comcast.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bullpuss View Post

Verizon cable tv 100%.............
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post #78 of 164
2/22/13 at 10:54am
Verizon FiOS for the main HD TV.
Some use of Amazon Video for streaming via Roku. I buy a couple of show's seasons so I don't miss any episodes and don't have to put up with the commercials.
OTA roof antenna for TVs in bedrooms and basement. These TVs are not used that often.

I've thought about bagging FiOS TV, but it's just not worth it given the de-bundled costs of retaining FiOS internet. There are enough cable shows that keep the Mrs. and I watching to keep FiOS TV.

There is usually no appreciable difference between OTA and FiOS TV picture quality, IMHO. It's nice to have the antenna as a backup and to use when the DVR is tied up recording two shows.

George
Clifton, VA
Washington DC metro area
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post #79 of 164
2/22/13 at 11:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by scJohn View Post

OTA for the last 4 years for the locals(ABC,NBC,CBS,FOX,PBS,CW). I also have a dual TV tuner in my computer and using WMC can record tow addiotional OTA channels at the same time. I just canceled DIRECTV which I had been using since 1994. The few shows that I had to watch on DirecTV , I will now get either from VUDU or Amazon. I figure a net savings of at least $190.00 a year by dropping DirecTV with additional net savings of at least $24.00 in succeeding years.

Sorry my friend....but are you sure you only paid $190 a year for DirecTV ? $190 a month seems high though.
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post #80 of 164
2/22/13 at 5:21pm
when I was in Ca. I had 80 or more OTA channels I watched after 15 years dish.
14 of those were HD and some spanish but had sports on it.

now in the country south of Nashville, got cable. but what is not bad is 60Mb download
speeds testing it. now I just need to get myself set up with online TV.
I also had a satellite dish for the free spectrum. there are over 100 free channels there
and mostly watched PBS or hot wild feeds from many networks....
just need to get a dish set up in a neighborhood that does not like to see any antennas
from the street.
only 23 OTA stations from my new location.
workin on it
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post #81 of 164
2/22/13 at 5:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by barneypoo69 View Post

Sorry my friend....but are you sure you only paid $190 a year for DirecTV ? $190 a month seems high though.
That's about what I used to pay for my annual a la carte programming on the old C-band dish. Now I pay about $80 a month with taxes for the Dish 200 package minus local channels which saves me $5 a mo., an old deal they don't offer any more. I got the no local channels discount by arguing they couldn't touch the 80+ OTA channels I get with my antenna. So, I have 2 Dish DTVPal DVRs that handle all the OTA broadcast programs and a Dish 722 for the optional programming (that just went up $6 a month! mad.gif).
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post #82 of 164
2/22/13 at 9:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundAdviceDC View Post

Scott -
Apropos of your survey:
I am interested in the best way to go about "cutting the cord" and relying on streaming video and OTA content. I am pretty comfortable with the process of installing an antenna and I know that it is somewhat of a hit or miss affair. My main insecurity relates to trying to improve internet and wifi performance. I have done a lot of research on this subject but most of it is in technical terms that I am not able to understand. I am wondering if you know of a website or resource where I can get a basic explanation of the following:

1. How to I test the performance of my ISP? Do I just connect my laptop to the modem and go to a website that can measure it? What kind of numbers do I need to be seeing to be able to stream video efficiently?
2. If I find that my service from Comcast is poor how do I know if it is the signal or the modem? If it is the modem can I purchase a better modem and how do I know what type will work with Comcast?
3. If I find that the service from Comcast is ok but wifi is sporadic do I need to purchase a new wifi router? If so how do I know which one will work with my modem?
4. If the ability to run cables is not an option, is it best to tweak the wifi or to try powerline or some other technology?

In the frustrating ISP/CATV world of monopoly and duopoly I am reluctant to chase down a better provider since the consensus of opinion seems to be they are all pretty similar. So I am attempting to find out if there are equipment solutions that I can purchase myself that will improve my service. Unfortunately, I am not tech-savvy enough to know which (if any) devices will help me in my quest.

Any help that you can give will be much appreciated.

Thanks

See pittsoccer33's responses to your questions. They are very close to what I would say...

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post #83 of 164
2/23/13 at 6:07am
I did forget to mention. since I moved to the country my cable internet was about 60Mb download
so all I need to do is get some online TV stations set up. a friend of my brother in-law has 31 online
TV channels he watches/no dish, no cable no antenna.
this I need to explore.
PS this sure beats the 1.5 DSL that stalled every day at lunch time (for about 1 hour).
besides never got much better than 800Kb testing it.
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post #84 of 164
2/23/13 at 10:16am
I can't cut the cord for family reasons (WAF, etc) but back in the old days of SD, found the SD signal OTA was way, way better than my cable co's blur o vision. Ditched Cable and subscribed to Dish + OTA, as you could not get locals via Dish back then.

Used OTA when HDTV was experimental, and now, still use OTA for the 'broadcast' channels, over the cable co connection. (Went back to cable as it is cheaper than FiOs or dish plus a phone bill, and since we have competition on my road, a triple play is way cheaper than Verizon FiOs. (Three phone lines with 'call features' from Verizon were a short path to bankrupt) In normal use, Fios vs. docsis 3.0 is not much different for us-I still get full HD Netflix with no buffers)

OTA still looks better than the Cable Co signal, and allows me to get some weird TV from some subchannels that cable co does not carry.
Edited by speedlaw - 2/23/13 at 10:25am
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post #85 of 164
2/24/13 at 5:45am
I think the big question maybe a poll
Why do I have Cable/Satellite
1. DVR
2. Programs
3. Sports
4. Like paying out money ever month

My self it was DVR and programing today the just repete ever thing
So I found a DVR for OTA and cut the cord
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post #86 of 164
2/24/13 at 2:24pm
OTA for about 12 years. With about 15 different channels. More than I need, and one less bill to pay.
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post #87 of 164
2/24/13 at 2:30pm
DirecTV. I must say that I have thought about OTA but what I remember of it, back in the day (wink.gif) we had just three channels to choose from. I live in a major metro area (Charlotte). I just recently dropped some premium content so it now looks like mostly major broadcast channels - so it might be worth a look again once I make up my mind about NFL Sunday Ticket. Personally, completely uniformed about this, I don't see how an attic antennae within my house, will give me better picture PQ vs the DirecTV antennae I have outside my house. confused.gif
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post #88 of 164
2/24/13 at 2:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by finsup View Post

I don't see how an attic antennae within my house, will give me better picture PQ vs the DirecTV antennae I have outside my house. confused.gif

The Direc TV is over 12,000 mil away your local channel is less than 100 mil with bigger Antenna the best part local channels are FREE:D:D:D I have a old radio shack antenna paid for a long time ago and works on HDTV too
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post #89 of 164
2/24/13 at 2:59pm
D* 80%
OTA 20% since the wife discovered COZI TV
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post #90 of 164
2/24/13 at 3:01pm
I am from China and currently learning Japanese.

I used to have DISH which cost about $60 per month. To end the contract early I had to pay about $200. I had DISH for 5 months so that's another $300. So, $500 spent and I hardly watched DISH TV.

US cable industry sucks. DISH and most other cable companies are super expensive and provide horrible services.

For me the only channels worth watching daily are CNN and CNBC. But I can get information and news online for free. Some documentaries from Discovery, History, and National Geographic are pretty good, but I can just buy blu ray discs.

Now I use:

(1) Crunchyroll (animes video on demand), $8 a month

(2) CNTV, where I can watch about 150 channels from China for free. It is not HD but good quality like Youtube 360p or 480p. CNTV is only accessible on a PC but I have a PC hooked up to my TV. So, you cannot access youtube in China but you can watch 150 channels for free. Talking about comparative advantage....

(3) Dokodemo Terebi, where I can watch about 35 Japanese channels, in HD, with a setup box. It cost $30 a month when the yen was 80 yen per dollar. With the sliding yen, it is becoming cheaper and cheaper.

(4) Amazon instant Video. Being a prime member I can watch some stuff for free. I shop a lot on Amazon and often get Amazon credits for movies and music. About half of the movies I rent on Amazon Instant Video are paid for by credits.
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