Cutting the Cable Cord

[Little Whiskey]

I''ve been thinking about getting rid of cable. damn comcast is costing me more than 100/month and all i have is one step above basic cable. (no premier channels)

The main reason we haven't fully dumped it yet is the fact that it is real convienent to get a show for the kids to watch. The "on demand" feature is nice.

has any used any of the internet TV services like Roku? any suggestions?

[MJZiggy]

I haven't used internet TV, but I can get Netflix and Hulu and youtube and a ton of other stuff on my Blu ray player.

[Upnorth]

Do you kids a favour and get rid of cable. We did and now lots of people, especially teachers comment on there ability to concentrate. You will go through withdrawals but at night you and the wife will have to fill time with other activities. Also dvds cost like 5 bucks now so you could buy 20 movies a month for the same cost and there is no way you could do that.

[MadtownPacker]

I broke up with DTV before last season. I had been their bitch for over 10 years. I stayed because of the Sunday Ticket but the constant bill errors and time wasted dealing with it made me say fuck them. Funny thing is all but one game in 2010 came out on regional TV or was on ESPN/NBC in Primetime. This season all but 3 where on. Agreed with UPN, you find you have way more time on your hands.

Only thing I need now is a hook yup for Starz so I can watch Spartacus: Vengeance.

[MJZiggy]

I broke up with DTV before last season. I had been their bitch for over 10 years. I stayed because of the Sunday Ticket but the constant bill errors and time wasted dealing with it made me say fuck them. Funny thing is all but one game in 2010 came out on regional TV or was on ESPN/NBC in Primetime. This season all but 3 where on. Agreed with UPN, you find you have way more time on your hands.

Only thing I need now is a hook yup for Starz so I can watch Spartacus: Vengeance.

Hulu?

[Patler]

Do you kids a favour and get rid of cable. We did and now lots of people, especially teachers comment on there ability to concentrate. You will go through withdrawals but at night you and the wife will have to fill time with other activities. Also dvds cost like 5 bucks now so you could buy 20 movies a month for the same cost and there is no way you could do that.

A friend of mine doesn't even own a TV. Never has owned one. Raised a couple kids without a TV in the house. They listen to the radio a lot, including talk radio programs, but as he said, the radio is in the background while they actually do things.

[Freak Out]

The best HD there is you can get with a rooftop antenna. Oh and Madtown....You ever hear of Pirate Bay?

[red]

Only thing I need now is a hook yup for Starz so I can watch Spartacus: Vengeance.

netflix mad

the online streaming thing lets you watch the starz channel live

[Little Whiskey]

I've never used Netflix before. I have DSL. is it fast enough to stream netflix?

[red]

I've never used Netflix before. I have DSL. is it fast enough to stream netflix?

should be

[MadtownPacker]

netflix mad

the online streaming thing lets you watch the starz channel live
Again you confirm your ignorance. They broke up with Netflix and wont be showing the new season on there.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/netflix-starz-to-break-up-one-crazy-ride-ahead-to-feb-28/57156

[MadtownPacker]

Hulu?
Does it have the new season or the old one? Or do you have to get the paid service?

[MadtownPacker]

The best HD there is you can get with a rooftop antenna. Oh and Madtown....You ever hear of Pirate Bay?
No but how about Parrot Bay?

http://www.thepartysource.com/express/images/inventory/PARROTBAYCOCONUT90.jpg

Guessing you are talking about torrents but I hate dealing with that shit. I can get the shows I want but I wait until someone does all the dirty work and hooks me up with the .avi file.

[MadtownPacker]

I've never used Netflix before. I have DSL. is it fast enough to stream netflix?
Yeah but they dont have much KKK or hunting shows so you might want to save your $$$.

[Little Whiskey]

Yeah but they dont have much KKK or hunting shows so you might want to save your $$$.

when you live it you don't have to watch it. I imagine you don't watch much of the gardening channel.

[red]

Again you confirm your ignorance. They broke up with Netflix and wont be showing the new season on there.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/netflix-starz-to-break-up-one-crazy-ride-ahead-to-feb-28/57156

huh, thats funny

i could have sworn i watched friday nights episode on netflix while it was airing live

[pbmax]

Apple TV. Watch what I want in terms of reruns whenever I want through Netflix. If I HAVE to see something in real time (my kids like Dr. Who, I like the Doctor's companion) I buy it from iTunes and watch it over the TV. Costs $100 plus Netflix subscription. Netflix has a lot of kids stuff but is losing Disney when Starz agreement expires this year.

Netflix is $18/month and I spent less than $30 on iTunes for the season of Dr. Who. In addition, if something isn't on either plan, you can have up to 3 DVDs from Netflix for as long as you like. I plan to retire on the money I am not sending to Charter. Not sure about DSL, but the quality from that box, especially over iTunes makes porting video through the computer look terrible in comparison.

Have heard good things about Boxee, though more about the software than their ready made boxes. Roku will get you Hulu Plus and a Web Browser if you need it. Apple TV can be hacked to include both. I have not tried it so cannot report.

[Freak Out]

I have Amazon Prime so I watch a bunch of stuff on that...I have a Roku which gives me a bunch of free stuff. I dumped Netflix....I can download new stuff WAY before Netflix ever gets it.

[MadtownPacker]

huh, thats funny

i could have sworn i watched friday nights episode on netflix while it was airing live
I looked and dont see shit. If I recall correctly it was never on live to begin with. Always the day after. Thats means you are lying or stupidly mistaking the old season for the new one. I got my money on stupid. So are you watching "Blood & Sand" or "Vengeance"?

[red]

I looked and dont see shit. If I recall correctly it was never on live to begin with. Always the day after. Thats means you are lying or stupidly mistaking the old season for the new one. I got my money on stupid. So are you watching "Blood & Sand" or "Vengeance"?

its there

i looked the whole thing up and see that the contract expires on the 28th of this month

you won't be able to find it by looking for the title

go to "watch instantly" the you get the menu at the top that says, "genres, new arrivals, starz play, instantly to your tv)

select starz play

you'll see the starz logo at the top, next to it you will see -

Live Starz Channel (http://movies.netflix.com/StarzLive) | About Starz (http://movies.netflix.com/WiMessage?msg=97)

Approximately 1,000 titles available from Starz Play
Recent Hollywood hits, contemporary favorites, and classics
Original series, specials, and more

click live starz channel, i think you need to be running IE

[MadtownPacker]

WTF?? Shit saying I dont have rights to it. Netflix is fucking racist.

[George Cumby]

We're gonna' ditch our DishNetwork and go with AppleTV.

Has anyone gone that way?

[Freak Out]

So you can get the NFL Sunday Ticket on the the PS3 through the Playstation Network....anyone ever used it? I would pay the $299 to get all the games but I've heard it was buggy last year. It's the only way I know of to get the Ticket without having to get SAT TV.

[Freak Out]

This is the way to get the Ticket.

http://www.amazon.com/Madden-Anniversary-Edition-Sunday-Xbox-360/dp/B00CF7KVMI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377833469&sr=8-1&keywords=madden+25+anniversary

[Little Whiskey]

It looks like you still need to be a direct tv subscriber or live somewhere you can't get direct tv. Looks like its another year of watching games in the tavern.

[Freak Out]

Not according to everything I read. I'll find out here soon though.....the game will arrive in the next day or so.

[mraynrand]

Freak: why did you change from Netflix to Amazon Prime. I have neither but am really tempted to get prime because I already use Amazon like the Sears Roebuck Catalog. What does Amazon do that Netflix doesn't in practice, your experience (that means if others are tempted to post generic info, I don't want that).

[Zool]

Freak: why did you change from Netflix to Amazon Prime. I have neither but am really tempted to get prime because I already use Amazon like the Sears Roebuck Catalog. What does Amazon do that Netflix doesn't in practice, your experience (that means if others are tempted to post generic info, I don't want that).

I have both actually. Netflix app is way better on iPad over apple TV but Prime is free 2 day shipping and the video comes free with Prime.

[mraynrand]

I have both actually. Netflix app is way better on iPad over apple TV but Prime is free 2 day shipping and the video comes free with Prime.

Is the vid selection better or worse would you say?

[Zool]

Is the vid selection better or worse would you say?

Worse on Prime than Netflix, but not by a wide margin.

[Freak Out]

I have both as well. I shop Amazon like it's right down the street....and streaming Netflix is cheap enough so I get it as a supplement. Both have their strengths in content. Torrents for everything else.......:satan:

[Freak Out]

Whats sad is that I have a Blu-Ray player I never use anymore.....expensive to buy and rent. I get a disc occasionally from Redbox but Netflix just got way to expensive for the BR content.

[mraynrand]

Thanks for the feedback Zool and Freak. I use bluray for the collection of discs that I have. Nice to have and I believe you can pick up a pretty decent one these days for about 67 cents.

I have the DirecTV for the NFL package, but I'm irritated at how hard it is to save content long term. I guess the best workaround is to take out the hard drive and transfer files using LINUX, but I'm not all that interested, and it violates the lease if they figure out you've opened their receiver. For everything else you have to record at the same transfer rate as viewing, which is tedious. Same old story - I have to put up with crap because too many people are stealing/selling content (Torrent, Torrent, Torrent!)

[Freak Out]

http://kotaku.com/the-cheapest-way-to-watch-the-nfl-this-year-1041559197

[MJZiggy]

Whats sad is that I have a Blu-Ray player I never use anymore.....expensive to buy and rent. I get a disc occasionally from Redbox but Netflix just got way to expensive for the BR content.

My blu ray player gets netflix, youtube, hulu and a couple of other things. I never have it on anymore....

[mraynrand]

http://kotaku.com/the-cheapest-way-to-watch-the-nfl-this-year-1041559197

let us know how it works out. Already forked out for DirecTV; would like to know the Madden-based platform limitations (saving games, recording permanently to disc, displaying on plasma or other screens/devices)

[Freak Out]

let us know how it works out. Already forked out for DirecTV; would like to know the Madden-based platform limitations (saving games, recording permanently to disc, displaying on plasma or other screens/devices)

Will do. My worry is resolution limitations. I have a great 30 inch monitor plus I can output to a 50 inch LCD TV but am wondering what the stream is limited to. gotta be better than the crap streams out of the EU. :)

[digitaldean]

Freak: why did you change from Netflix to Amazon Prime. I have neither but am really tempted to get prime because I already use Amazon like the Sears Roebuck Catalog. What does Amazon do that Netflix doesn't in practice, your experience (that means if others are tempted to post generic info, I don't want that).
Had Netflix after I cut cable. Have a Roku box to watch Netflix but dumped it for Amazon Prime. I order stuff on Amazon a lot, so Prime was a no brainer. I felt Netflix's rotation of movies was pretty stale as well. Only thing I will miss from Netflix was House of Cards, a very good Netflix original series with Kevin Spacey. Still can get some TV series also.
Only miss some live sports and Turner ClassicMovies. Otherwise, time Warner was a ripoff.

[MadtownPacker]

DirectTV with Sunday Ticket is the crack cocaine of TV services. I took me 10 years to put down the remote and walk away from them. Even now 3 years later I still suffer withdraws when I see the guide showing all the games on Sundays. But I cut off the connection and will never go back to those junk pushers. Amazon or Netflix, both suck other than the occasional movie I want to REWATCH but really they are shit. Nothing really new or something you haven't seen already. IMO reserving a Redbox Bluray online (don't go and hope they have your movie) is worth the effort for the $2.

[digitaldean]

DirectTV with Sunday Ticket is the crack cocaine of TV services. I took me 10 years to put down the remote and walk away from them. Even now 3 years later I still suffer withdraws when I see the guide showing all the games on Sundays. But I cut off the connection and will never go back to those junk pushers. Amazon or Netflix, both suck other than the occasional movie I want to REWATCH but really they are shit. Nothing really new or something you haven't seen already. IMO reserving a Redbox Bluray online (don't go and hope they have your movie) is worth the effort for the $2.

Redbox also has a streaming service that includes 4 free DVDs per month. Both amazon or Netflix have their share of crap, but then again so does cable or satellite.

[MJZiggy]

You guys aren't helping...

[Bretsky]

you should find a rich hot lesbian and move in with her and her other girlfriend so money is of no object and you would not have to worry about costs

[MJZiggy]

you should find a rich hot lesbian and move in with her and her other girlfriend so money is of no object and you would not have to worry about costs
I can't say for certain as I've never actually sought one out, but I might suggest to you that rich, hot lesbians who have girlfriends, but are still on the market might be a little difficult to come by.

[Upnorth]

I can't say for certain as I've never actually sought one out, but I might suggest to you that rich, hot lesbians who have girlfriends, but are still on the market might be a little difficult to come by.

And with one simple sentance you have destroyed the rich fantasy life of so many of us on packerrats. Sigh.

[George Cumby]

And with one simple sentance you have destroyed the rich fantasy life of so many of us on packerrats. Sigh.

No kidding. What a buzz-kill.

[MJZiggy]

I did say I can't say for certain...lol.

[Freak Out]

let us know how it works out. Already forked out for DirecTV; would like to know the Madden-based platform limitations (saving games, recording permanently to disc, displaying on plasma or other screens/devices)

Just tested the DirectTV supplied email and password and it works great on the ipad (app) and the desktop PC. Looks like the ability to save games is included. I will test that out and let you know.

[Jimx29]

http://www.reddit.com/r/cordcutters

http://www.antennapoint.com/
http://www.antennaweb.org/
http://www.antennahacks.com/
http://www.antennasdirect.com/
http://thebeersoncomcast.wordpress.com/about/
http://www.solidsignal.com/
https://www.simple.tv/

[Cheesehead Craig]

Have been in an apt for a month and a half w/o DirectTV (formerly a subscriber). Just going with an HD antenna. So far I'm finding out that I'm spending much less time just blindly surfing the channels, obviously as there's fewer of them. Had to do the ITunes for the last episodes of Breaking Bad, but otherwise not missing DirectTV too much. We'll see how things go once we move into our new home in 2 mo, but for now cutting the cord has been ok.

[SnakeLH2006]

If you live in WI anyone knows how much Charter sux. I got sick of promos running out and hassling over channels/deals. I cut the cord a year ago and went with Netflix. AWESOME. Went from $130 to $55 + $8 for Netflix (all you need is a smartphone or ANY videogame system to use Netflix) for just 30mb Internet.

I'm rarely home and rarely watch Netflix at my house...but the biggest adjustment was for NFL games..instead of a DVR (which is great..but costly and goes out overheating which I've dealt with many times) I've been watching them LIVE. Kinda sux with commercials and wasting the day away..but then again I'm saving money bigtime and only really only used it to watch the NFL/HBO/Showtime shows.

Snake is a tech guru and has 6 HDTV's..but only 5 I rarely use now and then...but have learned to utilize free shit...such as ANY MODERN HDTV will get OTA (over the air) HD signals from many networks. I get over 15 HD signals from my 60" including ALL major networks...so no you don't have to pay for it. Other than ESPN/NFL Network...all NFL games are free in HD OTA. Just a heads up. Save your money.