Yes, starve the beast.
We can do without our former comforts for the sake of this war.
And it is a war in every sense of the word.
We cut the cable in February. Don’t miss it at all. We kept the Comcast internet and bought a ROKU 3. We got Netflix, HULU, Amazon Prime and Sling TV. Tne only thing we can’t get without the cable is Fox News Channel, although we can get clips of various shows like Fox & Friends, The Five and Brett Bair on Roku.
We have found most of our favorite shows. Look up Roku3 . Hat tip to freeper A Morgan, who recommended it!
I have heard that there is a movement ongoing to have congress pass legislation allowing consumers to choose their channels. Anybody hear of the movement?
What is this “cable” of which you speak?
TV Free since 1984.
I have 3 Roku’s. I suggest the version 2’s, not 3’s. They still have analog as well as hdmi outputs. 8$ per month for netflix, another 8$ for hulu (all the tv series I used to watch when I was a kid). Never going back to cable.
I do not miss my Direct TV at all. Had it for 10 years and cut it off 4 years ago. I saved coupons thinking I would go back and that did not happen.
Netflix ($8 a month) & Amazon Prime ($100 annually includes free music and ebooks) and Roku 3 (1 time only $100).
Get an indoor digital antenna if you want local channels news. sports too. They are A LOT better than the old school rabbit ears. You either have a picture or you do not.
Agreed. TV is always the least productive thing you can be doing. Trying to make the plunge myself.
http://www.xfinity.com/internet-service.html
Internet Plus
$39.99 per month for 12 mo.
No term agreement
25 Mbps
Local TV Channels
Showtime® included
Apple TV
Might want to check out Apple TV or Amazon “Fire” TV - I cut the cable 2 years ago and I’m fine - total bill for TV services is 24.00 / month
Suggestion #1: Read all the previous FR threads on cord-cutting...
https://www.google.com/search?as_q=cable+roku+cut+cord
I have Roku, Apple TV, TIVO, Panasonic TV, and DVD player — every item is connected to the net. I had to buy an 8-port switch to connect all of them (outgrew my Linksys 4-port switch). Since dumping DSL and switching to Comcast Blast service a couple years ago (initial 50 Mbps, then bumped to 100 Mbps and just got notice from Comcast yesterday that it is bumped again to 150 Mbps.
We’ve had Amazon Prime since Year 1 of the service mainly for the low-cost shipping benefits. They really sweetened it when they tossed in video and then added music. Also have Netflix streaming with one DVD because there is still so much content not yet available on streaming (or it can be streamed for a few months and then disappears).
I hardly ever watch DVDs any more. Watch the TIVO for the occasional movie (but HATE the infernal, frequent, and long commercials I have to fast forward through) as well as a couple of home shows (TOH, Hometime). Probably 95% of my viewing is shows and movies I’ve selected on Prime and Netflix.
By the way, a friend at work recommended “Damages” with Glenn Close, a 2012 TV series. Highly recommended. There are some really nasty manipulative people and an innocent naive new law grad learning how to be a vicious lawyer. Incredible plot twists.
Try turning your TV off for a week.
I haven’t had a TV in years. There’s nothing heroic about that. If you have a family with kids, you probably should have one.
Even though I am front of a computer all day trading, I find information conveyed through a TV to be buzzy, rattle-y, sheer neural agitation for the sake of agitation. When I had one, the tendency to veg out and go gaga in front of the thing was strong. And sometimes useful, more often, time-wasting, I think.
In short...for me....there’s nothing there to miss.
Ditch cable, satellite, whatever. Haven’t had any of that in my house since early 2008. Ride bike, go on a walk, do arts and crafts, lift weights, work out, read a book - the list is endless. My daughter and I occasionally watch rented movies but that’s it.
I cut the cable two months ago and could care less about ever having a TV again.
Sports was the only thing I cared for anyway and they have ruined all those also.
I feel liberated not having any of that programming beamed into my home.
Do it, you will go through a period of ‘withdrawal’ but eventually you will be happy.
I pulled the plug 2 years ago and I’ve not regretted my decision. I ditched the cable box and instead upgraded my internet plan. I still cut my bill by more than 2/3. I also realized how much tv I had been watching are how much time I was wasting that I could devote to other things. It’s been great because I’ve gotten back into several of my old hobbies and find my time is better spent. When you ditch cable and subscribe to services like Netflix or Hulu, your viewing habits change. Your watching becomes ‘focused’, you turn on the TV because you want to watch something specific.
Be warned though, while new services are starting to appear. It can still be difficult to find sports stations, which is big reason many can’t drop cable.
I pulled the plug two years ago. Get every thing from these links.
http://news.sky.com/interactive/1345361/watch-sky-news-live
http://www.wherever.tv/tv-channels/BBC-News-24.jsf
http://www.zahipedia.net/2009/07/01/watch-online-fox-news-live-free/
http://www.primewire.ag/?search
Cut my cable about 2 years ago.
I like baseball on radio (theater of the mind vs. mindless staring at the pitcher, batter, then somebody in the dugout).
I visit relatives on Sunday, so I get to mooch off their TV for football.
Nothing else I really care to watch on TV.
I cancelled Hulu (too many ads). Netflix is ok, but I could do without. There’s plenty on Youtube (install Ad Blocker first).