trying to cut the cable

vanity ^ | 3/13/21 | Dad was my hero

[Ektelon]

I cut the cord 2 years ago and have NEVER regretted it!

I thought I’d miss having a DVR, but with everything having “on demand” options to view it really doesn’t matter. Nothing to record since I can watch anything I want whenever I want. Primetime shows are usually on Hulu the next day. I’d rather wait to watch it without commercials than watch it live.

I share Hulu/no commercials with a friend (can have 2 screens) and they share their Prime with me (2 screens), and I have CBS All Access/no commercials. My bill for Hulu/CBS each month is $20.

One thing that helps with a few channels is having my mom’s Spectrum account info which gives me an existing cable account to log into some channel apps.

One TV is a Roku TV, the other two I have a Firestick plugged into it.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Free options include Tubi.com, Pluto.tv and LiveNewsNow.com.

That gives you a pretty decent selection.

[redshawk]

Amazon prime is a added bonus. Good selection. TMC has a monthly streaming app I think. Not sure.

[Ektelon]

Why would you need Roku for every TV? I subscribe to several services and I have one Roku TV and two TV’s that use Firestick. My subscriptions work on all of them.

[stylin19a]

>>I recommend talking to a tech supervisor and explain that this is happening all over the neighborhood. Not a customer service rep—but someone responsible for the “lines.” They are usually different departments.>>

Interesting here - good advice there.

We were having the same problems. Driving us nuts. Had Comcast reps out a couple of times. The last time, Comcast sent out a sub-contractor and he couldn't find the problem. A Comcast tech supervisor was driving by and stopped because he saw the Comcast label on the truck. He "walked the wire" and found a covered connector coupling full of water. The wire in there was half-way eaten through by probably a squirrel. They replaced the wire, installed a new "coupling" and we've been golden ever since.

[redshawk]

Not sure about smart TVs. However a non smart TV needs a internet connection. Thus Roku or fire provide that internet connection to the non smart TV. One stick for each non smart TV. That’s how we do it.

[hercuroc]

Get a Firestick or Android box,install Kodi 18.9,download 13 Clowns app and purchase Real Debrid for a couple bucks a month.
All the shows with no commercials.

[Kazan]

You're not interested in streaming? That is where most of the real options are these days and you can save a lot of money by streaming.

Yes, Cloud DVR works the same as the DVR you get from Spectrum.

[AJ504]

I didn’t view all the replies, but I’ve gone through all the cable options in my area and dumped DirecTV in October. I went with YouTubeTV... supplement that with AmazonPrime and free apps like PlutoTV, Tubi, Peacock, etc. you’ll have more content than you care to watch.... on any device: TV, pad, phone, etc.

I love the fact that I can “DVR” anything and everything I want. In most cases, if a show expires after the 9 or so months, you can find it on-demand. For example, I started watching Chicago P.D. before Christmas. Once it was bookmarked, it “recorded” all the showings from the usual NBC, but also repeats that aired on the USA Network. In 3 months, we are all caught up on 8 seasons.

Another nice feature, when you go to your recorded shows, they are listed in alphabetical order. You can’t delete shows that you’ve watched, but you can see two weeks into the future when new episodes are recorded.

You are familiar with DVR’ing from DirecTV... if I chose to record ALL the Atlanta Braves games, it would record all the highlight shows, recaps, nonsense... just because Atlanta Braves were in the title. With YouTubeTV, I can record all the NASCAR races without getting the secondary shows recorded or getting the secondary league races.

From your laptop or mobile device you can choose which channels you want to show up on your TV menu. I’ve ‘unchecked’ CNN, MTV and all the other left channels and some that just don’t interest me.

All over-the-air network channels are available, as are the two PBS stations for South Carolina and Georgia.

Since baseball ended, the old Fox regional affiliate networks have gone to a Bally’s sponsorship. There is no word yet as to whether a deal could be made to carry those affiliates. So, there is no showing of the Atlanta Braves for us here that were aired on the old Fox SportsSouth channel.

They do NOT carry the History Channel... which is the only ex-channel I miss.

Politically, I am torn in using YouTube (aka Google) and Amazon, but they are better than getting screwed by Comcast/Xfinity.

[PAR35]

The Smart TV is likely the one that DOESN’T require a Roku/Apple/Amazon stick or a laptop. If you live close to a major city, a fairly inexpensive antenna might be useful for over-the-air. I have one TV that is only over the air and get over 80 channels (only missing the sub-channels of the ABC affiliate, although they rent a separate sub-channel for their main feed that I can get).

As for recording, there are still DVRs on the market. I don’t know if they will play well with the satellite system you are looking at; my recollection is that the satellite providers offer dvr products.

Going back to the ROKU etc. - you might have to manage more subcriptions - and you probably won’t save any money over what you pay now, but if you have high speed internet, you can probably pretty much replicate your current services without going with the satellite service. And it sounds like you are looking for reliability, not necessarily cost savings like most of us cord cutters are.

[Dad was my hero]

Another very helpful post.

So I can watch some of the shows I watch now, but with no commercials? That almost sounds exactly like what I’m looking for. Thanks.

[TermLimits4All]

We had cable and internet through att. Ditched the cable and kept internet. Use Hulu, tubi and Pluto for our viewing now. Saves us over 55.00 per month

[PAR35]

You need a HDMI port on them

Not necessarily. You can get HDMI to Coax adapters. Probably not worth the cost and effort, but an option. Lots of useful info in your post, however.

[KC Burke]

I have cable/phone/internet bundle that costs a lot and keeps MSNBC/CNN/etc in business. I live 45 miles for the broadcast antennas in the Phoenix valley. Like many AZ homes the mesh in stucco walls acts like a Faraday Cage.

I am considering keeping only the cable internet and getting (1) outside motor directional long range TV antenna, (2) two TIVO for the two inside TVs and using the Blue Ray players on each TV for internet streaming as I do now. Costs about 800 (?) for antenna installation and wiring, and 550 for two TIVOs. I will drop my cable phone line and use my cell number.

Anyone with opinions want to comment it would be appreciated

[Sans-Culotte]

Just an FYI - everybody keeps mentioning ROKU for a streaming player. Those are good, and I have an old one along with a TV that has it built in. My preferred streaming player is an Apple TV. Works just like a ROKU, but has iTunes. I have bought lots of cheap digital copies of movies and some TV shows from iTunes.

[Dad was my hero]

I love it, I will be rereading the posts on here for a while till I can grasp what it is I need to do. But yours is certainly one I will be checking as I go through this process. Thanks.

[The MAGA-Deplorian]

Buy a Roku. Get the Sling app. Can select orange or blue options for cable programs. They also have additional packages for $5 a month (movies, news, sports) and DVR cloud recording. About $60 a month

[Dad was my hero]

Interesting post, I will have to re-read that a few times to see if I can understand it, but it sounds like an idea.

[Dad was my hero]

Very helpful, thanks.

[wjcsux]

Later.