Posted on 04/25/2021 9:48:51 AM PDT by TomGuy
Extra-cost-option based media isn't getting phased out, just the methods of delivery are changing.
But if you are watching a broadcast live, the DVR even on cable doesn't matter. That's only if you watch all of your programming pre-recorded.
Besides...I'd rather have all of those thousands in extra dollars not spent just to avoid commercials over the years to do other things - take nice trips, buy new appliances when needed, etc.
We no longer use cable or satellite. Just a big waste of money.
I had to drop xfinity because they would not sell me internet without a cable package as a bundle. The bundle of TV and internet was less than internet alone so TV would have been basically free, but I don’t want CNN ESPN MSNBC or any other network to count me as a subscriber. Luckily I didn’t have any important email accounts with them.
cut the cord 3 years ago. I have zero subscriptions. Over the air TV and
books, thats it. I love it!!!!!!
My brother bought a HD Antenna a couple of years ago. Brings in all the HD channels that are ‘behind’ the traditional network channels. Simple air antenna...no monthly fees for anything. Plenty of channels for free.
If I want to watch anything, I watch online. I haven’t had a TV since 2009. If I want to ‘watch’ what is on TV/Cable, I go to ustvgo.tv which has almost all subscription channels and has cinemax, hbo, starz, showtime, tcm movie channels. The one thing that is required by more and more of the channels is a VPN which, is a benefit to the user. My monthly bill is only for my internet.
Does ustvgo.tv have some programming in UHD?
another thread about people’s utility bills, and why everyone should give a damn.
“look, everybody! I just traded woke cable for woke streaming services, and I think I accomplished something!”
Yes, I also have the VPN and USTVGO, plus you can watch any local news broadcast on the local station’s websites.
I pay for YouTube premium which gets rid of the ads and includes YouTube music which I love. $12
I have Netflix mainly because the wife wants it, and my adult kids use my subscription, and I use their Disney+. $17 for both.
HBO max comes with my At&t cellphone plan. And I also have Apple TV for $5
I used to get DirectTV for essentially free but even with the retiree discount, it was going to be $140 per month. Nope.
We’re pretty happy with Roku and the free apps that come with it. It felt so GOOD to tell the AT&T/DirecTV rep why we were dumping them.
We do pay for Fubo, but we’re saving over $100/mo from with DTV. We have Prime but more for quick delivery than TV. Bosch’s last season will be coming soon, and we’ll see that.
“I also rip a lot of DVDs and Blu Rays to my home server.”
How do you do that?
My wife and I cut the cord years ago. We had Sling streaming service until last year solely for Pac-12 football. Last year we cancelled that. Now my wife watches conservative podcasts and occasionally old movies we get from a antenna.
I may look into replacing our internet (comcast, the only available) with star link.
Does anyone have experience using the new TV antennas 50 or more miles from stations? I’m tempted to try one, but am 60 or so miles from most stations and don’t know anyone who is using them.
anyone that spends this much time worrying about a $100 a month entertainment expense should have spent more time thinking about their career choices when they were younger.
Internet is down too much and too slow here. Too far out for any antenna. Have to have cable, which has gone way up in price. Had to drop down to basic a couple months ago and returned their $5/mo box and it’s still higher than before.
Had free Netflix but it was garbage.
I think taking time to consider whether you’re getting your moneys worth for common expenditures, and looking at alternatives, is a good practice at any income level.
It’s not complicated, but it is tedious and time-consuming...AND it can get expensive.
1. Get a DVD or BluRay disc
2. Get a DVD/BluRay player and plug it into your computer.
3. Use the MakeMKV software (free) to create an MKV file
4. Use Handbrake software (free) to create an m4v file from the MKV file
5. Now you need a place to store the m4v file so it can be played on your tv, phone, computer, tablet, etc. You can just plug a USB drive into your home router, store the m4v files there, and use “Universal Plug n Play” to play the file. I chose the more expensive approach of setting up a home video server (usually called “Network Attached Storage”). I bought a Synology NAS with room for four hard drives. The NAS and drives cost me about $1,000. But it gives me a place to store and access all my music files, tv show files, and movie files. I just drag/drop the file from my Mac to the NAS. I also keep a copy of both the MKV and m4v files on a separate backup drive.
6. I use the Plex (free or low cost) software to access the content files on the server.
7. I use an AppleTV box ($100) plugged into the tv. It also runs the Plex application.
When it’s all set up, I simply turn on the tv, go to the Plex input, and select the music, movies, tv shows, etc I want to play from my server.
Given the explosion of content available on streaming, I’m not sure I would do it again. But I like older and more obscure movies and tv shows which are not available on streaming services or on yet another streaming service I would have to pay for.
So it’s a trade-off. I spent a bunch of money to set up the server system, but I leverage my existing AppleTV, my existing MacBook Pro, and existing DVD/BluRay player. I spent little on software (I sent a contribution to the MakeMKV developer and bought a lifetime license to Plex). It’s a bit of a pain in the neck to bring out the DVD/BluRay player and rip the show, but it’s mainly setting it up. Once the software is doing its job, I go do some other chores (or go to bed) and let the software complete its work. There are two time-consuming software steps — 1) ripping the file to MKV and 2) converting MKV to m4v. Both are time-consuming.
You can buy software that will rip the file and create a playable m4v directly, but the software is largely made in China and I don’t trust it.
Others may have a shorter and easier recipe, but this one works for me.
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