any cord cutters doing it right?

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: Miller88
When I had cable, I never watched TV.

Now that I have no cable ...

My Time Warner bill is $15 now that I have my own cable modem.
What speed is that? I thought I was doing OK with my $35 Brighthouse 15/1 service.


"Up to" 2mpbs.

It is rarely 2mbps.

But it is cheap. I can work from home if needed (VoIP, RDP)

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: Wheel
I sawed off cable tv, upped my bandwidth, bought a Roku and put up my old antenna. I enjoy the free stuff I can get from the Roku, old movies, cartoons and such. News still comes in over the antenna. I do subscribe to Netflix, but I don't use that too much.

I'm not missing anything important.


What part of Upstate NY? Western NY? CNY seems to be too hilly for the Digital antennas to work well.

 

[DBMaster]

I bought a TiVo OTA DVR a couple of months ago. My 1996 vintage Radio Shack antenna, mounted in the attic, pulls in over 100 local OTA channels with no amplification. I am on the outer edge of the range of the broadcast towers, too. I am using Netflix for free right now (promotion) and the cost of TiVo's guide service is $15/month.

Overall, I knocked about $700/year off my TV watching bills. I get to watch a lot more of what I want; documentaries. The OTS box is also a streaming device and it is surprising how many full length HD options are available for free from YouTube.

 

[DBMaster]

I think that the TRUE concept of cord cutting means you get rid of ALL pay services an go to only OTA or streaming. You can purchase a DVR or use a PC with video capture as a DVR is you want that functionality.

But, cable/satellite/fiber services have become so expensive that knocking out most of that monthly bill still ought to be enough to notice in the budget.

 

[splinter]

No TV in our home for 3+ years. Don't miss it. $42/mo for AT&T DSL Fios.
I go to the yacht club or country club to watch college football.

 

[dlundblad]

Use the internet for news and Netflix for TV shows. They have Top Gear.. what else could you possibly want?!

 

[Wheel]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: Wheel
I sawed off cable tv, upped my bandwidth, bought a Roku and put up my old antenna. I enjoy the free stuff I can get from the Roku, old movies, cartoons and such. News still comes in over the antenna. I do subscribe to Netflix, but I don't use that too much.

I'm not missing anything important.


What part of Upstate NY? Western NY? CNY seems to be too hilly for the Digital antennas to work well.


Just south of Albany. Doesn't CNY get anything out of Syracuse or Utica ?

Are you using an indoor antenna, or an outdoor one ? The indoor one's don't usually have the best range/reception.

 

[Smokescreen]

I cut cable over 2 years ago. I was watching stuff all on PVR before that point as I can't be constrained to sit and watch TV at a specified time.

Internet and Netflix are all I use. The amount of $ saved went into living life more to the fullest.

 

[Vuflanovsky]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
I think that the TRUE concept of cord cutting means you get rid of ALL pay services an go to only OTA or streaming. You can purchase a DVR or use a PC with video capture as a DVR is you want that functionality.

But, cable/satellite/fiber services have become so expensive that knocking out most of that monthly bill still ought to be enough to notice in the budget.


Good post. You're still a slave to your wireless bill if you use Roku et al for your TV if you don't have unlimited GBs or at least 250GB/month. I'm not willing to pay for that if I get 40 channels on an OTA antenna. I flushed cable television and the cable companies when it was $70/month for a service that is now $120/month. I have no interest in supporting their losses or their billions of dollars in business model conversions.

 

[JustinH]

Cool thanks.

I will check out a attic mounted antenna and run the wiring to both TV's in the house. I'll get a good rated one from amazon or ebay.

I will play with Sling TV and see if it is worthwhile.

We are coming up on the end of the 2 year agreement with DirecTV so I will dump them if my conversion goes smoothly!

 

[JTK]

It's been a while since I shopped, but is $65 really the cheapest Dish or Direct TV package? My stupid Time Warner bundled TV, internet and home phone just went up from $109 to $119/mo, but after taxes/fees, it's ~$140.

 

[JustinH]

Originally Posted By: JTK
It's been a while since I shopped, but is $65 really the cheapest Dish or Direct TV package? My stupid Time Warner bundled TV, internet and home phone just went up from $109 to $119/mo, but after taxes/fees, it's ~$140.


It was 39 dollars for the first year for 2 TV's with HD boxes.

Then it went up to 80 and I had to call them and get it back down to I think 64 or 65 dollars, and I had to go down in package to the lowest package they offer.

 

[Cutehumor]

I have OTA antenna mounted in the attic. I get around 35 channels.
I have netflix 7.99 month plus taxes
I have sling tv $25 plus taxes. 20 cable channels plus Disney Jr kid package
I have amazon prime video through prime, which my wife wants to shop there.
My dad let's me use his login for a major cable company as well, if I want.
I get free redbox codes texted to me
I can get new releases from the library.
I can watch almost anything on youtube

There is just way too much entertainment out there to waste on cable/satellite. I have business internet at home, no data cap.

btw, sling tv only allows one stream at a time, unless you pay extra for multiple streams.

also, comcast came out with a new service called "stream tv" that does not count against your data cap. it's in trial cities, but looking to go nationwide. the net neutrality folks are not happy about it

 

[MCompact]

I have a Mohu Leaf for OTA and I stream Netflix and Amazon Prime through either my Panasonic BD or my Fire TV Stick. I also have an old Chromecast I use to stream video from my PC or laptop.

 

[RazorsEdge]

We cut the cord years ago...

We currently use:

Netflix,HuluPlus and Chromecast.

I'm currently looking into a Amazon Fire TV stick.

 

[JTK]

What is the difference between Sling, Amazone Fire, Chrome, etc.. and something like NetFlix? I'm way behind the times!

I guess what I'm getting at is, if you want quality streaming, there's really no cutting the cord. You're still going to need a $40-55/mo broadband internet service, or expensive cell data plan.

 

[sleddriver]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
I think that the TRUE concept of cord cutting means you get rid of ALL pay services an go to only OTA or streaming. You can purchase a DVR or use a PC with video capture as a DVR is you want that functionality.

+1 NEVER paid a cent for TV over the past 35yrs. OTA all the way! With the 'net now available, why even bother? There's an AMAZING amount of free/low-cost content currently on-line. Hard-drive recording is a slam-dunk. My panasonic mid-90's DVR even has one.

You don't need giga-fast internet either. I have 6Mbps down ADSL from ATT for $20/mo. Streamed video looks great on a LT.

I also have a great sound system, which means no video required. You can have the "sound of music" throughout your house without being constantly tied to a screen. Which means you can be doing something else at the same time...like changing your oil!

 

[97tbird]

OTA - about 20 Hi-Def channels with Rabbit ears (have a Mohu Leaf-50 antenna - haven't installed yet)

Amazon Prime streaming (very rarely non-prime movies, paid)
Roku-3
amazon fire stick (sort of a backup)
and episodes of some current shows online...

Had netflix but not anymore...

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: JTK
What is the difference between Sling, Amazone Fire, Chrome, etc.. and something like NetFlix? I'm way behind the times!

I guess what I'm getting at is, if you want quality streaming, there's really no cutting the cord. You're still going to need a $40-55/mo broadband internet service, or expensive cell data plan.


While that is true... are you willing to give up internet altogether when you are home? I'm not. We have the cheapest DSL we could get, which has been sufficient for streaming Netflix. Ok, we have a small TV, not high-def, so maybe that makes a difference--but it's still good enough for us.

IMO, internet access is a bit like having phone access. For my current job I can do a bit of work from home on bad weather days; and if the worst were to happen (I lose my job) I'd be searching for my next job... by surfing the web from home. When I'm faced with something I don't understand (pipe leaking water, car won't start, whatever) google is my friend. Netflix is like $13 on top of that.

 

[Shrubitup]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: JTK
What is the difference between Sling, Amazone Fire, Chrome, etc.. and something like NetFlix? I'm way behind the times!

I guess what I'm getting at is, if you want quality streaming, there's really no cutting the cord. You're still going to need a $40-55/mo broadband internet service, or expensive cell data plan.


While that is true... are you willing to give up internet altogether when you are home? I'm not. We have the cheapest DSL we could get, which has been sufficient for streaming Netflix. Ok, we have a small TV, not high-def, so maybe that makes a difference--but it's still good enough for us.

IMO, internet access is a bit like having phone access. For my current job I can do a bit of work from home on bad weather days; and if the worst were to happen (I lose my job) I'd be searching for my next job... by surfing the web from home. When I'm faced with something I don't understand (pipe leaking water, car won't start, whatever) google is my friend. Netflix is like $13 on top of that.


Comcast knows this. Easy to stop paying attention to TV since it's BORING but you can't really go without Internet anymore. I hafta use Comcast or satellite (sucks) for Internet. I could rest solely on my smart phone and even stream from it to the PC but I have three kids/wife who all marathon watch Netflix sometimes. Can't support that bandwidth on a cheap Cricket data plan.

Comcast requires that I get cable TV with my internet else they charge me more money for internet if I drop the TV. I'd like a lil more competition with high speed ISPs please.