Cord cutting

[Reb]

Just curious of those out there that have turned there backs on satellite TV companies from high costs and piss poor reception. What alternatives do you use to get some channels?

I dropped my Xfinity package but kept internet and can stream most of my top channels online through my Xbox. If I dont have access to something I usually piggy back of off my sisters direct TV subscription.

Is hulu, firesticks, and all that other jazz worth while?

[Serk]

I bought a decent antenna, and the spousal unit insists on a Hulu subscription.

I also acquire some TV shows and movies through more nefarious sources, but I wouldn't recommend such things unless you're comfortable with things like using anonymizing VPN tunnels and such to mask your identity.

[Bighead]

I have an antenna and use a roku stick to stream sling. There are many free sites with the roku also.  Been two years now and havent missed anything at all.

[..]

I stopped paying for regular TV over 10 years ago.

Netflix via a Roku. Netflix has more content than you can shake a stick at. NETFLIX HAS NO ADS. YEE-HA!

The Roku unit itself has access to hundreds of channels. Most are crap BUT there are a few diamonds.

Youtube also has a lot of free content not just animal videos.

I don't know how one watches sports without a cable/satellite payment.

I have used an indoor antenna for local TV stations but there are so many ads on regular TV I don't use it anymore.

[fudgie]

I've had the "farmer 5" for yrs. I moved into the house in 2015 and use antenna only. I get 15 or so channels with it. Had to get a huge attic antenna since Im in the low laying area. I use Frontier as internet so I also have Netflix. $8 a month. I'm not home enough to justify satellite. Jamie has never had a tv in her house since she bought it 10 yrs ago.  ???

[Bighead]

I stopped paying for regular TV over 10 years ago.

Netflix via a Roku. Netflix has more content than you can shake a stick at. NETFLIX HAS NO ADS. YEE-HA!

The Roku unit itself has access to hundreds of channels. Most are crap BUT there are a few diamonds.

Youtube also has a lot of free content not just animal videos.

I don't know how one watches sports without a cable/satellite payment.

I have used an indoor antenna for local TV stations but there are so many ads on regular TV I don't use it anymore.

Paul sling is like $24 a month and with an extra $5 for the sports package you have all the sports one wants.

[..]

I stopped paying for regular TV over 10 years ago.

Netflix via a Roku. Netflix has more content than you can shake a stick at. NETFLIX HAS NO ADS. YEE-HA!

The Roku unit itself has access to hundreds of channels. Most are crap BUT there are a few diamonds.

Youtube also has a lot of free content not just animal videos.

I don't know how one watches sports without a cable/satellite payment.

I have used an indoor antenna for local TV stations but there are so many ads on regular TV I don't use it anymore.

Paul sling is like $24 a month and with an extra $5 for the sports package you have all the sports one wants.

That must be causing the cable/satellite people to have a fit.

But does that include NFL, basket and base ball?

[RDKLL]

Roku with Netflix, Amazon and Acorn (UK, Aussie and New Zealand) and an HD OTA antenna. Been doing that for about 4 years now

[cookiedough]

I switch off from dish to directtv every 2 years  under contract unless they keep for another 2 years the 30 bucks off per month pymt they give newbies.  Still is like 70-80 bucks per month which is more than I care to pay to watch basically 2-3 hours at night weeks and say 5-6 hours each day on weekends.   Over the air antenna does not work in rural WI where I live and no other alternatives either besides like netflix and others since no other satellite companies come to this one horse town unfortunately.  If I lived in one town closer to Madison I would probably do cable TV out of Madison since they also have cheaper and faster internet/TV pkgs.  

I do like my DVR recordings though able to record TV shows and watch when I can with dish or directtv.    One thing dish network has though which is ticking me off the past few months is channel 27 being the entire ABC network is NO longer being broadcast and is blocked entirely.

[hubcapsc]

I have poor Internet... 1.3 or so download... but I can still
stream Standard Definition content from youtube and
Amazon and Netflix. I also have an antenna for over
the air teevee. No cable out here. No desire for satellite...

There's ESPN apps on my roku and firestick, I wonder if
most of the sports you'd want are available there?

-Mike

[Bighead]

I stopped paying for regular TV over 10 years ago.

Netflix via a Roku. Netflix has more content than you can shake a stick at. NETFLIX HAS NO ADS. YEE-HA!

The Roku unit itself has access to hundreds of channels. Most are crap BUT there are a few diamonds.

Youtube also has a lot of free content not just animal videos.

I don't know how one watches sports without a cable/satellite payment.

I have used an indoor antenna for local TV stations but there are so many ads on regular TV I don't use it anymore.

Paul sling is like $24 a month and with an extra $5 for the sports package you have all the sports one wants.

That must be causing the cable/satellite people to have a fit.

But does that include NFL, basket and base ball?

You get espn,espn2,sec,fs1&2 espn news and many pac10 channels,nfl network,nba channel.

[..]

I stopped paying for regular TV over 10 years ago.

Netflix via a Roku. Netflix has more content than you can shake a stick at. NETFLIX HAS NO ADS. YEE-HA!

The Roku unit itself has access to hundreds of channels. Most are crap BUT there are a few diamonds.

Youtube also has a lot of free content not just animal videos.

I don't know how one watches sports without a cable/satellite payment.

I have used an indoor antenna for local TV stations but there are so many ads on regular TV I don't use it anymore.

Paul sling is like $24 a month and with an extra $5 for the sports package you have all the sports one wants.

That must be causing the cable/satellite people to have a fit.

But does that include NFL, basket and base ball?

You get espn,espn2,sec,fs1&2 espn news and many pac10 channels,nfl network,nba channel.

Makes me wonder why and how the cable/satellite companies are still in business.

[RP#62]

I'm in the process of doing it now.  Roku box with a Sling subscription.  I'm getting an OTA antenna to get the local networks (I'm only about 16 miles from the antennas).  I upped my internet to unlimited highspeed because if you do a lot of streaming, you can hit your limit pretty quick.  I figure all total, the equipment is paid for after 2 months, and then I'm saving $50 a month even with highspeed unlimited internet and Sling.  I'm getting way more watchable channels now.  The only downside I've seen so far is channel surfing is not as convenient as everything is not in one place, that is I'll see what all is on the Sling listings, then get out of that and go to FoxNow and see what is on all the Fox channels and then get out of that and see whats on Discovery, etc.   You've got a lot of choices so it takes a while to figure out what you want to watch.  Some of the cool things are that on many of the platforms, you can pause live tv and then pick it back up where you left off.  If you've selected a show that's in progress, many times it gives you a choice of watching it live or begin watching at the beginning.  It takes a little to get used to, but I can see I'm not going back.

-RP

[carolinarider09]

Cord cutting is sort of a misnomer these days. 

Cutting the cord implies no "cables" or connections via wire to the outside world.  Everything is One the Air (OAT) via "free" services.

I dumped DirectTV four or five years ago after I put up and outside antenna and got a good TiVo box to be able to record stuff (series and some special programs ).

I also have internet service and subscribed to PlayStation Vue.  But technically that means I did not cut the cord since I need internet service.

The advantage of using internet steaming services is that you get to pick what you want and when you want it.

I have several Roku Devices but the one I use most is a Roku 4 Ultra. 

There are many services you can "subscribe" to but, generally there is a cost associated with them.

DirecTV Now (the internet Direct TV is one), as is playstation vue and Sling and Hulu and Netflix. 

Right now I only use Playstation Vue, Hulu, and Amazon (because I have purchased the Amazon Prime Membership).  If you look at the monthly costs for these services it tends to add up.  Total cost for me (not counting the Amazon Primer membership is about $60.  Add in Amazon prime and its cost to $60. 

The benefit is, you can start and stop these services almost anytime. 

I have never used the Apple streaming device. 

[old2soon]

            Told both satellite outfits to come git there stuff and I've NEVER looked back. Off my free antenna I have ABC CBS NBC but no fox. Currently I have 13 free channels and soon as they get the tower built I'll have my 3 public channels back. I duz MISS Antiques Road Show. No way in hell am I gonna PAY fer T V anymore. Both satellite companies and mu internet provider keep tryin to convince me to purchase "stuff". Snuggle em all I AM an expert at ignore.  RIDE SAFE.

[Atl-Jerry]

The OTA hi def is outstanding quality.  With a decent antenna and a little elevation you can often pull in a signal, all for free.  Check out this FCC site for your area.

https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps

[scooperhsd]

The OTA hi def is outstanding quality.  With a decent antenna and a little elevation you can often pull in a signal, all for free.  Check out this FCC site for your area.

https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps

Better - easier to use, more detail -

https://www.rabbitears.info/tvq.php

[..]

https://qz.com/1406150/you-can-now-pay-to-stream-just-the-fourth-quarter-of-nba-games/

[vanagon40]

I have lived in the same house for 26 years. I have purchased two outdoor antennas for about $75 each (the last one in 2012), maybe four amplifiers at about $50 each, a tripod roof stand, and most recently a new mast ($12) as the old one rusted through. So I figure I have spent about $15 per year for television reception. I get ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS, CW Network, and a handful of channels carrying old movies and reruns (GRIT, LAFF, ESCAPE, GET TV, THIS, ANTENNA TV, CHARGE, ION, etc.). Lots of high definition channels.

The biggest absence is sports. No ESPN or other sports channels = no Monday Night Football, college football bowl games, etc. I can live without it.

I have metered internet, so no streaming HULU, Netflix, Amazon Prime. I still have lots of movies on VHS. 

[bill-jr]

Kodi.tv

[czuch]

I'm looking forward to dumping dish.
$120.00 a month for mentally insulting programming is getting old.
There are a few things I like, but shark tank, et al, is voidness at its finest.
Sports isn't an issue. I do like the old western serials.

[Wizzard]

If you are using Kodi you better be using a VPN tunnel

[..]

I'm looking forward to dumping dish.
$120.00 a month for mentally insulting programming is getting old.
There are a few things I like, but shark tank, et al, is voidness at its finest.
Sports isn't an issue. I do like the old western serials.

Youtube has so much content.

[J.Mencalice]

The original title got me to open it up expecting someone to be talking about firewood; we've got about three full cords to cut, split and stack before the snow flies.

[bill-jr]

My cable plus internet is 78 bucks a month . . .
Not terrible and i got lots of good channels . .

[Hoosier Valk]

Just curious of those out there that have turned there backs on satellite TV companies from high costs and piss poor reception. What alternatives do you use to get some channels?

I dropped my Xfinity package but kept internet and can stream most of my top channels online through my Xbox. If I dont have access to something I usually piggy back of off my sisters direct TV subscription.

Is hulu, firesticks, and all that other jazz worth while?

In my area, Indianapolis Indiana - Internet, Roku and Hulu Live works for me, Costs about $80 a month. Comes with cloud DVR, local channels and lots of sports. www.hulu.com/live-tv

[Hooter]

I'm looking forward to dumping dish.
$120.00 a month for mentally insulting programming is getting old.
There are a few things I like, but shark tank, et al, is voidness at its finest.
Sports isn't an issue. I do like the old western serials.

I have Direct and it sucks! No cable out here in the weeds and I quit internet because it was dialup. I could get Hughes Net but it's an arm and a leg. Direct will raise your bill for no reason, they just do it. I call em out every time and they go back to my original cost. Direct has so much redundant viewing its ridiculous. I asked them why I pay for Blue Bloods on 10 channels at one time? They stammer and make excuses. When a bird flys over my Direct goes out.  Not really that bad, but close!

Dish, Direct (even cable) are both (all) a rip off. It's too bad some 4th party doesn't come in and under cut them and make them competitive. The sad part, if you dump any one of them you have, you lose "stuff"  you like to watch.

[JimBob]

Re: Cord Cutting.
Ever notice that many of the articles about ‘Cord Cutting’ show a cord being cut…. With SCISSORS?!
SCISSORS!  NOT wire cutters!  Scissors will literally not cut the cable. Ugh!
Tells you something about the typical ‘news’ article writer.

I’m in south Mississippi (north shore of Bay Saint Louis).
I got high speed Internet as soon as it was available, presently it’s 100 Mbps service for $50/month, unlimited data. I ‘declined’ the ‘cable TV’ service available on the same cable for an additional $25 per month. (At the time, the kids were little, and I noticed that they were absolutely mesmerized by anything animated. I did not want them watching the garbage on the Cartoon channel.)
We get broadcast TV from an antenna I installed in the attic…. We get maybe 15 or so channels, more than I care to watch. Most of TV is trash these days.

MUCH better news from websites….ConservativeTreehouse, Lucianne.com, Breitbart, Drudge, Epoch Times…. Anything you want.
Much better Weather over the web also…. Direct NOAA radar, up-to-the-minute satellite imagery, hurricane predictions from any of several decent sources. Better than TV.
I have No…..nada…..ZERO interest in TV sports.
All kinds of music and videos available from Youtube and similar sites….. History, technical articles.  LOTS of guys have short videos “how-to’s” on fixing all kinds of things….comedy, music….’Search and you shall Find’.

Heck, there’s even a web site with a bunch of old codgers talking about their Honda Valkyries!

Never had cable TV, never wanted it.
I have friends that have it…. They pay for the service, then they STILL have TONS of commercials! Ugh!
IF you want it, most or all network TV shows are available at the network’s web sites, the NEXT DAY after the show is broadcast ‘on the air’.

Oh yeah…. If you want a good laugh, check out “The Media that Cried Trump” at ‘IntellectualFroglegs.com’….but bring a towel, you’ll have tears of Laughter running down your cheeks!

All the Best!