Cash Crunch? Cancel TV ServiceJoe public starting to see they have other options ( old news - 02:06PM Friday Dec 19 2008) tags: Video · competition · business · alternatives · cable · bundles · capsFacing a cash crunch? Don't like the bi-yearly price hike from your satellite, cable or telco operator? Tired of annoying fees? Only watch three of the three hundred channels you subscribe to? Sure, many of you figured out years ago that voice and video are just data and you had other options (reading books included). Now with a sour economy, and a growing number of video delivery systems that don't suck, it seems that message is finally getting through to the average consumer -- at least according to CNET: After a few Google searches, James said she found a wealth of legitimate sources for TV programming online. Sites such as Hulu, Fancast, Joost, YouTube, and most major TV networks' Web sites offer TV shows and other video content for free. Using an existing rooftop antenna, James plugged her TV into the hook-up to get more than 50 high-definition TV channels over-the-air. The cost for these HD channels: zero. And instead of spending an extra $20 a month for HBO or any other premium movie channels, James subscribed to a $17-a-month Netflix service, which allows her to rent three movies at a time and download some movies right to her computer. On the flip side, you'll pay more for broadband, since your carrier probably charges at least $5 to $10 more if you don't bundle other services. You may also be out of range of digital over the air signals after the February conversion to digital broadcasts (CNET's 50HD channel claim seems very generous). If metered billing efforts go mainstream, you'll also probably eventually wind up paying extra for avoiding incumbent TV services. Getting video from the PC to TV (albeit rudimentary to you) remains too confusing for some. Alternative video really isn't threatening cable TV yet, given that many options remain sub-par, and many user connections remain too slow. Ditching cable won't be the answer for everybody (especially out of market sports fans), but it is getting increasingly viable. Cable, satellite and telcoTV carriers are well positioned for the fight, and have many years left as dominant players. However, it will be interesting to see if economy-driven defections force carriers to eat some profit and lower prices.
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- Comcast Internet Video Launching Before Year End
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kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
 ·T-Mobile US
| Exactly my plan... ...as well - I've had nough of TWCNYC's rate hikes and CONTINUOUSLY SHITTIER AND SHITTIER QUALITY, especially when it comes to these FAKE "HD" channels.
Seriously, I can save well over $100 per month - and the only thing I'll miss will be Olbermann's Countdown (Stewart and Colbert are available in full online and Bill Maher can be 'found' as well.)
--
[BQUOTE=[user=bicker]]Waaaa waaaa waaaa. You just want what you want and don't care to factor in what is right or true. Your perspectives are un-American, and deserve far more ridicule than I'm prepared to pile on them.
[/BQUOTE] | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| Re: Exactly my plan... I canceled DirecTV last summer.
Honestly the only thing I miss is NFL football. Most everything else can be found in some variety elsewhere.
Enjoying the Netflix streaming. It's the first service I've used that I feel is priced fairly and doesn't annoy me. Find I'm actually reading books. Go figure. | |
| | | 
Mizzat
Will post for thumbs
Premium
join:2003-05-03
Atlanta, GA
 ·AT&T Southeast
2 edits | Re: Exactly my plan... Funny Article. I've been doing just that for 2 years. I've got a 46" LCD and no cable, friends think I'm absurd until they see now nice free HD OTA (over-the-air) is. Sure I don't get discovery or ESPN, but I get enough to get me by. I used Blockbuster because it is just as easy to run around the block and trade in my DVD I got in the mail and pick out another one I want to watch. $18 a month as well with tax. I also used my SkyMiles that I never used to get a few magazine subscriptions for free. I've plenty to do and with programs like Boxee coming out that make my HTPC even easier to view things like Hulu, online radio, and many other multimedia sites, I'm happy as a clam!
I make real decent money, and I'm not fearing a layoff, but with me in school for my MBA and plenty of other things to do. I don't miss cable a bit, once you become OTA, it starts to become somewhat of a hobby for me. That is, finding other things to do besides sitting in front of the TV. | |
| | | RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| She may be getting 50 digital TV channels OTA but I'd bet only 10-15 or so are the main HD stream. Nonetheless, the quality usually beats cable on either.
One thing you missed: The February transition to all digital won't result in less digital coverage. That makes no sense. If anything, the OTA coverage will increase as stations move their transition signals to their final, full-power transmission facilities.
I've weaned my wife off of cable and onto a HD TiVo connected to an antenna in the attic. We get all of the Chicago OTA digital channels and don't miss Comcast's overpriced, poor-quality offerings at all. | |
| | | | 
eric_n_dfw
join:2001-10-22
Euless, TX
·EarthLink
 ·AT&T U-Verse
1 edit | Re: Exactly my plan... ditto to your last paragraph. Dumped DTV when I went HD last summer, settling on a TivoHD + TWC. Then I dumped TWC and was 100% OTA plus an occasional Amazon.com "on demand" download.
Now I'm trying out the Netflix streaming and am fairly impressed, although it has a few quirks I hope they fix soon.
PS: I'm on 6/1 UVerse DSL service and get great quality on the Netflix streaming, BTW. | |
| | | | | RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| Re: Exactly my plan... Mine is 6016/768 DSL and so far it's been perfect with a Roku box even with other applications using the connection. Considering that the TiVo offering just went live last week I'm sure there are a couple of bugs to work out. The Roku unit has been flawless.
Have you wasted a day on YouTube with your TiVo yet? 
--
Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
| | | | | |
eric_n_dfw
join:2001-10-22
Euless, TX
·EarthLink
·AT&T U-Verse
| Re: Exactly my plan... YouTube on Tivo is only valuable for showing a group of people something on the big screen - and then only if you absolutely know what search query to use. Surfing/browsing YouTube is too cumbersome.
I wish Tivo would enable USB keyboard support - it would make things like YouTube and everything else much easier to use. | |
| | | | hescominsoon
join:2003-02-18
Brunswick, MD
 ·Comcast
·Verizon Online DSL
| said by RadioDoc  :She may be getting 50 digital TV channels OTA but I'd bet only 10-15 or so are the main HD stream. Nonetheless, the quality usually beats cable on either. One thing you missed: The February transition to all digital won't result in less digital coverage. That makes no sense. If anything, the OTA coverage will increase as stations move their transition signals to their final, full-power transmission facilities. I've weaned my wife off of cable and onto a HD TiVo connected to an antenna in the attic. We get all of the Chicago OTA digital channels and don't miss Comcast's overpriced, poor-quality offerings at all. the digital signals don't' travel as far and are much more sensitive to interference. If your analog OTa is marginal your DTV OTA is going to outright suck. This rule is not absolute of course. | |
| | | | | Lazlow
join:2006-08-07
Saint Louis, MO
| Re: Exactly my plan... It depends on how you are defining more sensitive to interference. DTV is an all or nothing proposition. You pretty much get a perfect picture or you get nothing. So if your analog is very snowy, fades in and out, you are probably correct that your current setup is probably not going to work for that channel. In most cases this can be improved with a higher or larger antenna. You can also use a preamp out on the mast(do not cheap out on this option if you go this route, buy a channel master). Many people do not know that placing the antenna inside the attic will greatly reduce the signal, as compared to placing the antenna on the rooftop. If I remember correctly the usable limit for digital is about 90 miles vs about 125 for analog. Most people that live that far out will probably have alternate solutions anyway(usually sat). | |
| | |
kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
·T-Mobile US
| said by Karl Bode :I canceled DirecTV last summer. Honestly the only thing I miss is NFL football. Most everything else can be found in some variety elsewhere. Enjoying the Netflix streaming. It's the first service I've used that I feel is priced fairly and doesn't annoy me. Find I'm actually reading books. Go figure. Heh, it's (one of) the upside of living in a city: I read a lot, mostly during my 2x30 mins daily subway trips. 
TV programming is something that's ridiculously overpriced here, in the US - of course, it isn't an accident, it's the country of corporate laws and rules (a' la carte, anyone?)
--
[BQUOTE=[user=bicker]]Waaaa waaaa waaaa. You just want what you want and don't care to factor in what is right or true. Your perspectives are un-American, and deserve far more ridicule than I'm prepared to pile on them.
[/BQUOTE] | |
| | | 
Matt
Gone playing Dragon Age Origins
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
| said by Karl Bode :I canceled DirecTV last summer. Honestly the only thing I miss is NFL football. Most everything else can be found in some variety elsewhere. Enjoying the Netflix streaming. It's the first service I've used that I feel is priced fairly and doesn't annoy me. Find I'm actually reading books. Go figure. I have a bad addiction to the the Discovery, Discovery Science and NatGeo channels. If I could find an alternate (legal) delivery method of those channels in HD, my cable would be canceled the next day. | |
| | | 
yolarry
join:2007-12-29
Creston, WV
 ·HughesNet Satellit..
| said by Karl Bode :I canceled DirecTV last summer. Honestly the only thing I miss is NFL football. Its been 2 years since I canceled Directv.
I don't miss it expect Sci-fi. Adult Swim, locals. | |
| | 
ArgMeMatey
join:2001-08-09
Milwaukee, WI
·AT&T Midwest
| I saw a thread yesterday about the unadvertised $15 a month plan from Dish Network:
»[DISH] 14.99 for 20 channels and Locals+Local HD's?
Seems like a decent option to consider in the long run, if you don't want to go cold turkey.
Digital OTA on an HDTV is going to have a lot of cheap people scratching their heads about whether to keep cable.
Hopefully enough people will drop cable entirely to convince them to offer slimmer, more targeted packages if not actual a la carte.
--
USNG:
16TDN2870
Find your Lat-Long:
Geocoder | |
| | | mobbo
join:2005-04-13
Denton, TX | Re: Exactly my plan... Bullseye. I would gladly pay $15 - $20 to pick a dozen or so of my favorite channels in HD. If I could get OTA on my own, plus ESPN, Comedy Central, TBS, FX, and a few others, it would be worth it totally. | |
| | |
kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
·T-Mobile US
1 edit | I still have two dishes on the roof, I'll check into this, thanks.
Digital OTA on an HDTV is going to have a lot of cheap people scratching their heads about whether to keep cable.
Hopefully enough people will drop cable entirely to convince them to offer slimmer, more targeted packages if not actual a la carte.
There, you just said it: A LA CARTE.
If I could put together 10-20 channels (MSNBC/Comedy/IFC/Sundance for me and few more for my wife) of my own I would pay up to ~$40-$50 in HD (NB: main HBO included because their docus are usually top-notch and some shows also great (Why did they drop Rome!?) plus RT w/ Bill Maher is a good one too.)
If they don't respond then I'm glad to take my money somewhere else, sorry.
--
said by bicker :Waaaa waaaa waaaa. You just want what you want and don't care to factor in what is right or true. Your perspectives are un-American, and deserve far more ridicule than I'm prepared to pile on them. | |
| | | | 
baineschile
2600
Premium
join:2008-05-10
Sterling Heights, MI | Re: Exactly my plan... Comcast is offereing something new in my area. called the Digital Economy. Its locals, plus 20 or so cable stations (animal planet, usa, etc.). 29 bucks/mo, not too bad. | |
| | | | | | | hurfy
Premium
join:2002-08-06
Spokane, WA
| Re: Exactly my plan... lol
I never had cable so i don't miss it. That seemed to be the safest way 
OTA, Netflix, and swapping DVDs with friends. That and a bookcase with several hundred books i have yet to read cover any time not absorbed by video games | |
| | | 
storm64007
Premium
join:2001-05-21
Freeport, NY
2 edits | Never had Cable nor do i find a need for it I NEVER subscribed to cable or Sat. When i tell people this they look at me like i am from another planet- and i look at them like their crazy to pay 60 bucks a month and up for it.
Every thing i ever wanted to watch is on various websites through either streaming at decent quality or the occasional download.
My tv barely ever gets turned on for about 3 years now. | |
| Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL | How are they getting 50+ high-definition TV channels OTA? How are they getting 50+ high-definition TV channels OTA and
how they they get a pc with Blu-Ray/DVD player and TV tuner for $600? | |
| | Lazlow
join:2006-08-07
Saint Louis, MO
1 edit | Re: How are they getting 50+ high-definition TV channels OTA? Most of the people they are talking about already have a PC. USB external Blu-Ray players (burners?) are available at around $100. The HDHomerun($170?) is a dual digital tuner that attaches over Ethernet. Any PC in the house can watch the TV (only two channels at a time) using VLC(or anything capable of watching a stream).
Edit: I could not find the USB Blu-Ray player (burns DVD not Blu-Ray) I saw on sale, but I did find plenty of others.
»www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi···hInDesc=
Looks like the $170 including shipping.
»www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a···DHOMERUN
Both Doctor Who and Torchwood are readily available online. | |
| | | dentman42
join:2001-10-02
Columbus, OH
·AT&T Midwest
| Re: How are they getting 50+ high-definition TV channels OTA? said by Lazlow :Most of the people they are talking about already have a PC. USB external Blu-Ray players (burners?) are available at around $100. The HDHomerun($170?) is a dual digital tuner that attaches over Ethernet. Any PC in the house can watch the TV (only two channels at a time) using VLC(or anything capable of watching a stream). Edit: I could not find the USB Blu-Ray player (burns DVD not Blu-Ray) I saw on sale, but I did find plenty of others. » www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi···hInDesc=Looks like the $170 including shipping. » www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a···DHOMERUNBoth Doctor Who and Torchwood are readily available online. DW and TW are available online long before they're available any other way in the US...(and for that matter, it's the only way to see them uncut before the DVDs come out here) | |
| | Corydon
Cultivant son jardin
Premium
join:2008-02-18
Denver, CO
clubs:
·Comcast
| Yeah, a lot of the details in that article don't seem right to me either.
That being said, if I did have to drop TV service from Comcast, I probably wouldn't miss it too much. I think it would basically come down to just a handful of things:
1) Turner Classic Movies (which Netflix could make up for to a certain extent)
2) Doctor Who (only on Sci Fi and BBC America)
and...and...hmm. Well I guess that's about it. Everything else I watch is available OTA. But Doctor Who is a big one....
--
"2 Strangers + 1 20 minute ceremony + $50 + 10 shots of tequila = Holy Matrimony and 1st Class Protections Under the Law… now that’s crazy!" | |
| | 
Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA | 50 isn't too far off in the Los Angeles market. Many channels have multiple decimal offerings. Our PBS channels for example offer between 3 and 7 feeds. | |
| | | Corydon
Cultivant son jardin
Premium
join:2008-02-18
Denver, CO
clubs:
·Comcast
| Re: How are they getting 50+ high-definition TV channels OTA? On the other hand, how many of these channels offer programming that duplicates others? For example, the lineup on two different CBS affiliates is going to look very similar, especially in the evening.
Even on channels like PBS, which can vary their programming widely, many of them show the same shows, just at different times or on different days of the week, an advantage that disappears quickly if you have a Tivo, Media Center PC or DVR.
--
"2 Strangers + 1 20 minute ceremony + $50 + 10 shots of tequila = Holy Matrimony and 1st Class Protections Under the Law… now that’s crazy!" | |
| | | |
Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA | Re: How are they getting 50+ high-definition TV channels OTA? No different than having 5 HBO's. | |
| | | elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA
·SONIC.NET
·RoadRunner Cable
·Verizon Online DSL
| said by Dogfather :50 isn't too far off in the Los Angeles market. Many channels have multiple decimal offerings. Our PBS channels for example offer between 3 and 7 feeds. But there really isn't any increase in content. Of the additional multicast channels, one duplicates the analog feed, another is in a foreign language (without subtitles). On another PBS multicast station, you have a televangelist on one of the subchannels. That's, right, PBS shares its airwaves with a church. The local broadcast stations are just putting up "Raw News" or infomercial or "Weather" broadcasts.
I would hope to see Fox, Turner, CBS, etc, putting cable channels like CNN, FNC, Discovery, Cartoon Network, on the multicast channels in major markets, to capture the eyeballs fleeing pay-tv | |
| Lazlow
join:2006-08-07
Saint Louis, MO
| HDMI/DVI With video cards coming with HDMI/DVI outputs, getting the computer to put video out to the tv is now a snap.
The only thing I miss out on(dropped cable 2 years ago?) is the start of new TV shows on cable channels. It took me a while to find new shows that I liked(Burn Notice, Saving Grace, Mad Men, Kingdom, etc). So it is a little harder to just browse (channel surf) to find what you want. If you look around you can find almost anything (sports, drama, scifi, etc). You can usually pick and choose which you want in HD and those that you really only need SD. Does one really need to watch House in HD? | |
| 
rgoulet
join:2000-10-27
Pittsburgh, PA
| Try The Library Your local library has tons of movies and tv shows on DVD and even VHS.
Geuss what? They're completely free. And while you're their maybe grab a book too.
ps
Hey Kamm, quit using my avatar! | |
| | Rexxriot
join:2004-05-29
Danvers, MA
| Re: Try The Library Yeah, I started borrowing DVDs from my library this year. The downside is, your local library, and the libraries in their borrowing network, might have a lousy selection. I found that I can pretty much get anything though, although it may take a while to get it. | |
| | dentman42
join:2001-10-02
Columbus, OH
·AT&T Midwest
| said by rgoulet :Your local library has tons of movies and tv shows on DVD and even VHS. Geuss what? They're completely free. And while you're their maybe grab a book too. ps Hey Kamm, quit using my avatar! I find that I'm lucky if my library's DVDs play. People really abuse them - I've even had cracked discs. | |
| | | B
Premium,MVM
join:2000-10-28 | Re: Try The Library Or try Redbox, DVDXpress, or similar $1 rental boxes. That's nearly free, assuming you return the DVD on time.
-- B
--
In a realm outside causality and function | |
| | abward
join:2004-07-14
Cary, NC | Not in my county. We have a pretty good library system, but they do not have DVDs, thanks to the tight-wad tax payers who do not want to fund that (or better schools). | |
| | 
Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-01
IA
·Mediacom
| Don't do it! Not because I'm a cable guy. Don't do it because if enough people start canceling, ISPs will start implementing caps and start jacking prices up every year. If this continues you'll end up paying more for capped internet access and soon we'll be whining about yearly price increases for high speed services...
Also I would not be surprised if content providers start charging for online access and adding even more commercials. | |
| | 
knightmb
Everybody Lies
join:2003-12-01
Franklin, TN
·AT&T DSL Service
| Re: Don't do it! said by Anonymous :Not because I'm a cable guy. Don't do it because if enough people start canceling, ISPs will start implementing caps and start jacking prices up every year. If this continues you'll end up paying more for capped internet access and soon we'll be whining about yearly price increases for high speed services... Also I would not be surprised if content providers start charging for online access and adding even more commercials. I hope they do, it means more business for me. Don't count out the little guy ISP just yet
--
Fight NebuAD and the like:
Click Here to pollute their data | |
| | 
Titus Pullo
I came, I saw, I slept
join:2004-06-26
·Embarq
| said by Anonymous :Don't do it because if enough people start canceling, ISPs will start implementing caps and start jacking prices up every year. If this continues you'll end up paying more for capped internet access and soon we'll be whining about yearly price increases for high speed services... Also I would not be surprised if content providers start charging for online access and adding even more commercials. These things will happen regardless. Metered Inet is coming as sure as you can say comcrap.
Not that many people have to drop for prices to increase per sub. I pay $61 for analog cable TV service w/Comcast. It's ridiculous for what I get. I'm now hooked up with streaming and DVD rentals, and if not for one household member and cable addiction, I'd dump cable yesterday, and I don't think I can get more than two OTA channels at my location. There comes a point when companies price themselves out of business. The cable industry is closing in on that point, and their only recourse will be to meter your bandwidth.
-- | |
| | tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Floral Park, NY
| said by Anonymous :Not because I'm a cable guy. Don't do it because if enough people start canceling, ISPs will start implementing caps and start jacking prices up every year. If this continues you'll end up paying more for capped internet access and soon we'll be whining about yearly price increases for high speed services... Also I would not be surprised if content providers start charging for online access and adding even more commercials. First of all, I call BULL$H*T on this one.. what it WILL mean is that HIGHER speed services will get into the home faster and more widely available... and lower tiered services for those who don't download video all the time can have sub 10mbit services to be had for under $20 a month! While 100mbit symmetric will be around $80-125 per month but also serves as your video pipe as well. Telco does not necessarily move lock-step with the cable providers in instituting caps / degraded internet service, and if they do... they will suffer the consequences of new providers coming out of the woodworks to profit from that poor choice.
The problem with this is there are some winners and losers if something like this gains steam... the ESTABLISHED cable industry will be at a vast disadvantage due to part of that 'market' going the illegal route and bittorrenting all the video they want without paying a cent. The biggest winner are FTTP providers selling no-compromise fiber internet connections and charge a nice premium for the QOS node provisioning that is simply not there in current docsis 1.0 - 2.0 deployments. The cable industry (many established cable providers such as Comcast, Cablevision and others have a vested interest in keeping every cent they're due for subscriptions and then some) but this business model will have to evolve or be subject to the competitive reality on the ground of a potential symmetric 100mbit service provided by Verizon and what that could mean for future revenue to cable-tv (video data). | |
| | |
Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-01
IA | Re: Don't do it! Either way cable cos will get their money. They know they have the network and it's not going to be easy for someone to build anything from scratch (see FIOS).
US shareholders don't like the idea of huge investments. | |
| | | |
yolarry
join:2007-12-29
Creston, WV | Re: Don't do it! well hes got a point.
We get f--k in the a-s one way or another. | |
| russotto
join:2000-10-05
Collegeville, PA
| Drop cable, yes, but know what to expect. You're not going to get 50 hi-def channels over the air. You'll get maybe 6 high def channels -- ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CW, PBS. Most of the smaller networks and local stations aren't HD, and the big ones only have one hi-def channel per feed; any subchannels will not be high-def. | |
| | RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| Re: Drop cable, yes, but know what to expect. News flash: Most people don't really know what "HD" is, and the vast majority of what is on TV was not produced in HD and is not shown in HD anyway.
However, in a decent sized market there are a lot of digital channels and some of those are quite good. Certainly better than 90% of what is on cable. Add a HD TiVo that can do Netflix streaming, Amazon movie rentals and YouTube and you're pretty much out from under the cable thumb.
--
Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
| | jgantert
join:2004-06-02
Columbia, MD
| True, but during sporting events (like Sunday Afternoons), if you live in different DMA areas, you can get different programming on different stations. For example, here I get FOX Baltimore and FOX DC, once could show the Redskins, and the other could show a different NFC game, both in HD.
Same is true for the multitude of PBS stations around.
I've been OTA only for over a year now, and haven't regretted it. And yes, I do get that deer-in-the-headlights look when I mention it to anyone else. Best part is when you walk into the Costco and the DirecTV salesman walks up to you and says "I can save you some money, what TV provider do you have?" "I use an antenna." That shuts him up real quick! | |
| 
Aozora
join:2008-11-28
·Comcast
1 edit | Nothing new to me I get free HSI and Cable TV essentially inc my dorm fee which really is free after you consider how little you pay for your room but at home you get a decent amount of channels with an antenna and a Digital converter box if needed.
Also Netflix has 2 movies out at a time with Blu-Ray included for $15 a month plus any free online movies you can find on their site.
Shipping time for Netflix is one day each way so you can get 4-6 movies a week without much trouble. Most people don't watch 50 movies a week and if you really like movies you can get 3 out at a time for not much more.
$25 for Digital plus voice plus $43 a month for my HSI plus modem rental fee plus taxes and everything comes close to $90 a month which is not much considering how much things cost nowadays or you can get unlimited voice for a similar price total(about $10 more).
Beats paying $50 for basic cable with more crap channels than decent channels. | |
| 
viperpa33s
Why Me?
Premium
join:2002-12-20
Bradenton, FL
·Bright House
| Is considering it I am really considering dropping cable tv. Most times there is nothing to watch or it's just repeats. How many of the sames shows of Law and Order have you watched on TNT?. Your local news and weather you can get online. I have the Forecastfox plug-in for my Firefox browser. I use to like watching the Sci-Fi channel but NBC ruined it. My family don't get into reality shows.
About 90% of the time in my household watching regular TV is just to kill some time. If there is nothing on then the TV goes off. Since TV shows are offered on DVD now, I can just rent it. So what if I have to wait for the new shows to come out on DVD, it's no big deal. Having regular TV is getting to be a waste of money. | |
| | Lazlow
join:2006-08-07
Saint Louis, MO | Re: Is considering it Just get an antenna. You can usually get a better picture than what cable provides anyway. Most of the decent Sci-Fi content is available online within hours of it being shown(Atlantis, Sanctuary, Eureka, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Dexter, etc). | |
| RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| This may be more of a cable thing... The Television Bureau of Advertising crunched some Nielsen numbers from November and comes up with this little tidbit:
said by MediaWeek :
The number of TV households that view TV programs via alternative delivery systems, such as satellite TV, continues to grow, while wired cable remains at 18-year low.
According to a Television Bureau of Advertising analysis of Nielsen data for November 2008, ADS penetration reached 28.7 percent of TV households, an all-time high that is up from 28 percent a year ago. Direct broadcast satellite, the largest component of ADS, is at 28.4 percent, up from 27.6 percent in Nov. 2007.
In contrast, wired cable penetration remained constant at 61.3 percent, the lowest it has been since Feb. 1990.
There are 26 markets where a majority of consumers are getting their TV programming via ADS rather than wired cable. Another 63 markets have ADS penetration of 40 percent or more. Top 50 markets with the highest percentage of ADS TV households include Salt Lake City (41 percent), Albuquerque-Santa Fe (41.8 percent) and Dallas-Ft. Worth (38.7 percent).
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Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
| | dentman42
join:2001-10-02
Columbus, OH
·AT&T Midwest
| Re: This may be more of a cable thing... said by RadioDoc :The Television Bureau of Advertising crunched some Nielsen numbers from November and comes up with this little tidbit: Digital has begun eroding cable's advantage over dish - with analog cable in most areas, you could add outlets by using a splitter and maybe an amp - except for premiums, everything was receivable by a standard tuner, no additional box rental needed. With Satellite, none of the signal is receivable with a TV or VCR tuner - you have to have a box for each receiver that you want to tune independently. Unfortunately, with digital cable most carriers are encrypting most channels, so even if you have a QAM tuner you can only get a few channels without the cableco's box (or cablecard, which is also a monthly rental). Fortunately, my cableco still offers basically the same analog lineup they did before digital cable, at least for a couple more years. Once the analog feed is gone or reduced to uselessness, I may switch to dish if it's cheaper (assuming the cableco doesn't go in the clear).
As it is, my GF wanted digital cable, but still watches the analog channels (can't be bothered to learn the new channel numbers for digital or hi-def). All she really cared about is the program guide. It's rare that we actually watch any of the digital only channels. (For her, it's usually either the locals, A&E, Spike, USA or whoever is running house/CSI/Law & Order, Family, Lifetime, Scifi or Comedy Central). | |
| 
cableties
Premium
join:2005-01-27
·Verizon FIOS
| If you need to save, its not just with TV... Sure, Netflix is convenient compared to Blockbuster, but you can get DVDs for free (when available) from the local library.
Afterall, your taxes pay for this. But don't count on blu-ray titles.
But this nickel-diming through subscriptions is daunting. If you watch more than one channel at a time (other household members or DVR recording) then OTAHD isn't much of an option.
OTA HD also suffers from distance from the main antenna, needs clear or good height. And a GOOD OTA HD digital antenna will run $60. You could do with a good pole and even (snicker) a rotor if between two markets (Like Philly and NYC). I know this as my brother has this setup in his attic. Works great except for some artifacts or interference every once in awhile (audio drops or mosaics).
Don't forget, you can call your cable/fios/dish provider and politely discuss dropping services. They may give you a few free months or cheaper rates. I saved $10/month just by lowering my speeds (15/15 to 20/5), turning in my HD-DVR (I don't record as nothing is that important) saved me another $13/month.
Funny, I still see packed restaurants so ... all that saving is going in their bellies...
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Weeeeeeee! | |
| | Lazlow
join:2006-08-07
Saint Louis, MO
| Re: If you need to save, its not just with TV... "If you watch more than one channel at a time (other household members or DVR recording) then OTAHD isn't much of an option."
How do you figure? You can run antenna wire to every room you wish. Other than installing it, there is no extra charge. My PVR records off OTA just fine, while I am watching other stuff. It is not the HD part that needs the antenna it is the digital part. I would suggest spending more that $60 on that antenna(in some areas) but remember that is a once every ten year (probably longer) expense. Cable you probably play close to that every month. | |
| | | jazzlady
join:2005-08-04
Bartonsville, PA
·ProLog
| Yeah- me too. I'm sick of the constant price increases from my cableco, especially when they jack up the rates for adding stations I don't have any interest in watching- like the Disney Channel. My bill went up $5 a month for that one. I don't have kids and I have never watched it.
I also have HSI through them, and I pay $52 a month for a 15/2 connection with an 80 gig monthly cap. And they vigorously enforce it too.
The caps with AT&T and Comcast are positively generous compared to what I get.
When they start screwing around with my service and moving the stations I DO watch- like SciFi, Discovery, Travel, Food, And History- to digital only it's adios to both cable tv and my cable modem service.
I'll switch to Verizon DSL. Yeah, it's slower- 3 Mbps- but at least for now it has no caps and I don't have to watch every single byte of data that flows into my computer.
I have better things to spend $100 a month on rather than overpriced commercial laden cable tv. Screw them. I'll watch what I can online, and download the rest. | |
| 
AlexNYC
join:2001-06-02
Edwards, CO | I just did I just downgraded my service to Basic Cable + Internet. Saved about $50 per month in the process. | |
| 
disconnected
@snet.net
| Never Had Cable TV, Never Going to Miss It We never had cable or satellite in the house. In fact, priot to 9/11, we haven't had a television set that was connected to any antenna.
We get news on-demand on web sites when we're looking, and on the radio in the car, which is always tuned to Bloomberg 1130 AM out of New York. For entertainment, the wife has Netflix and sometimes we rent Blu-ray movies at Blockbuster.
No sitting through endless commercials, nor the political trash the TV networks throw at you. | |
| 
jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS
| Alternative TV, Not for Me I suppose I am one of the few that really enjoys my TV service. Sure I can watch stuff on my computer, and I could probably stream HD content to my TV from my computer, but I guess the prices never really bothered me. I'm after content and quality first, the cost really hasn't been an issue for me.
Also, FiOS has a really nice product for TV. The picture quality and channel selections are both outstanding. I enjoy kicking back on a big, comfy sofa watching one of the many HD sports channels that are not offered OTA. Having 40+ HD movie channels, with more offered through On Demand, oftentimes satisfies my spontaneous urges to watch a feature film. I'm not waiting for the mailman to bring me something to watch, I just peruse the guide and find something interesting.
And no book can compare to the science and history channels when it comes to immersion. These programs are beautiful to watch and the perspectives they provide cannot be translated by mere words and a couple of photos in a magazine.
Just because you have access to all of this stuff does not mean you have to indulge yourself in it all at every moment of the week. I go several days without turning on the computer or TV. I visit local museums and other attractions. Shoot, I even read a good book now and again. But it's nice to be able to sit back and watch 14 hours of the World Fishing Network HD if I'm so inclined. Actually, if did that, it probably means I had a stroke, and someone should probably get me to the hospital. | |
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See 8 replies to this post | |
grumpy3b
join:2001-12-11
Lompoc, CA
·DSL EXTREME
·Millenicom
1 edit | Nice to read I am not alone I have been w/o cable/satellite for 6-yrs now. And I do not miss is one bit. when I quit DirecTV was over $100/mo. and kept creeping up every year even though the cost of a satellite is a one off deal and well, not like the send folks to repair them all that often.
But we too are a Roku/Netflix, Hulu household. We even have TWO Netflix accounts and Roku devices, so we can stream two TV's at the same time...so we pay a bit over $20/mo plus we get all the DVD's we can eat.
I also have an old system we use as a media streamer over our home network and can pipe into each TV in the house...we simply do not need cable at all. Add the OTA channels and we're golden...instead we have been saving that $100/mo for other uses...
To be honest the ISP's will have a hard time justifying any sort of caps or metered use as they introduce 20mbps+ connections and 6000kbps or 7000kbps connections become more available. And cable providers who throttle (or try to throttle) media not from their network will face a fun battle to stave off the anti-trust folks now that the oval office is not (we hope) in the back pocket of the "screw the consumer, law and constitution" crowd.
If they make changes we still will NOT have cable because, we enjoy the extra cash in the bank every month. We also went to a pay-as-you-go cell also as we only need it when we travel so why pay for more...it got OLD shelling out over $400/mo for cellular/phone/cable/internet services when we could get almost all of it via the internet connection alone for about $50/mo.
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Using Millenicom? Come visit the Unofficial Millenicom forum here on BBR »Millenicom | |
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i1me2ao
Premium
join:2001-03-03
TEXAS
·Comcast
| variety my as$ we get a few digital channels but mostly are mexican and religious over the air hd channels. we are 45 minutes out of houston and either direct or comcrap..
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»www.thereligionofpeace.com/ | |
| 
Fir_Na_Tine
Giggity Giggity
Premium
join:2001-01-03
Clementon, NJ
| Me too I downgraded my cable to just basic and Internet. Saved money and I don't really miss digital cable. Bonus is when they came out they did something on the pole and we now get HBO free.
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"Shut up brain or I'll stab ya with a Q-Tip"- Homer Simpson | |
| | | grumpy3b
join:2001-12-11
Lompoc, CA
·DSL EXTREME
·Millenicom
| Re: not missing anything fyi, Netflix now has CSI streaming too...current season and some of the past seasons. They have CSY Miami & NY also as well as Heroes. I know these can be had free on the CBS.com site but it's just easier on Netflix.
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Using Millenicom? Come visit the Unofficial Millenicom forum here on BBR »Millenicom | |
| |
American Citizen
@hp.com
| A real kicker here
....I could put up the off air antenna but who needs that if you've got broadband?....
Unfortunately not all locales have access to real broadband OR decent OTA TV and thus only a DirectTV or CableCo to fight with as their only options other than No TV. I live in should be a highly competitive market (SF Bay) yet the best Internet I can get is 1.5 DSL or fight with Comcast for their "sometimes" 6 MB max and all its caps, exlusions and piss poor attitude. I'm sorely tempted to put up an OTA aerial and see just how good/bad it really is. I dropped CmCasat years ago after getting fed up with their bi-annual rate hikes and the failure to deliver anything for the rate hikes except less and less service/support and fewer and fewer channels on the plan I had. | |
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