Cutting the Cord

[Skitch]

You don't even have to fib. Just say its too expensive and you can't afford it, and they'll ask you want you want to pay. Same goes for internet providing. Our net costs went up and up and up, fifteen minutes on the phone and it was cut in half with no change in service. Its a scam.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Just call up to cancel and when they ask why, say the price is too high. They'll bump it back down to $99 for another year. Then just rinse and repeat. Small price to pay to get a price point you want.

I've been doing this since 2010. Every year I ask for something new- either a movie channel, Red Zone or another DVR box. And every year they give it to me without raising my monthly rate.

I've been doing it since '99. I know the game, I'm tired of haggling, and they seem less and less willing to concede. I've canceled and switched to DirecTV and regretted it all winter long. I've switched back, got a nice deal, and had to haggle again after the trial period, only for the price to be nominally better, but still not what I was paying the years prior. I'm just done. I don't need any of it. I want to pay for only what I actually want, even if it isn't a huge savings.

[Dukefrukem]

I hear ya. The problem I have is the technology is getting so good with cable. The X1 where you can find anything so ridiculously fast is very convenient. It's the sports I can't live without.

[Skitch]

$50 is the internet price- Stand alone price.

Yes...I feel I'm not conveying my point properly.

Internet + cable + Netflix + Hulu > internet + Netflix + Hulu + sports packages

Edit: again, this only is true if you want 2 sports. If you want five packages it will obviously be more.

[number8]

Huge one on your roof? My digital antenna is the size of a mousepad and is just on the living room wall next to the TV. It cost $20. Perfect broadcast unless there's a huge storm or something.

[Dukefrukem]

Huge one on your roof? My digital antenna is the size of a mousepad and is just on the living room wall next to the TV. It cost $20. Perfect broadcast unless there's a huge storm or something.

That's the one I bought. May work fine in the biggest city in the world, but in the burbs it does nothing.

[Skitch]

Its relative to how far you are from station. I had a big one at last place i lived and it was decent, I would say i was about 100 miles from nearest station. They have the miles on the packaging so you can pick best option.

[D_Davis]

My GF and I were recently trying to remember the last commercial we had seen on television, and we couldn't. We couldn't even remember the last show we watched over the air or on cable.

I can honestly say that my life has improved without television commercials.

[Dukefrukem]

Why I can't cut the cord/rely on switching ISPs:

1. FOX25 Boston is going to be dropped from Fios and will lose NFL games- less impact because of Red Zone, but sometimes I like to leave it on FOX.
2. DISH is dropping Comcast Sports Net - no more Celtics games on Dish.

Comcast/Xfinity NEVER has any disputes like this.

[Ezee E]

To get sporting events, is there a NFL/NHL/MLB packages outside of cable, or rather, not requiring a cable service?

Amazon Fire TV is $70, and with the addition of a Hulu account, I think that's all I would want.

Maybe just an antenna for local stations I suppose.

[Kurosawa Fan]

To get sporting events, is there a NFL/NHL/MLB packages outside of cable, or rather, not requiring a cable service?

Amazon Fire TV is $70, and with the addition of a Hulu account, I think that's all I would want.

Maybe just an antenna for local stations I suppose.

HD antenna works beautifully. As for sports, you'd have to subscribe to their online streaming services separately. They run about $20/month unless you can find someone to split it with you.

[Skitch]

NHL and MLB both have packages available on Roku.

[D_Davis]

I don't have cable or an antenna. My dad and I split the MLB package, but I won't do it again. It's total bullshit because the MLB still has contracts with the networks so the streaming service doesn't show the playoffs or the world series. Fuck that. That legacy bullshit needs to die, and I feel like a sucker for paying into it this year. One less thing to pay for next year.

[Dukefrukem]

HD antenna works beautifully. As for sports, you'd have to subscribe to their online streaming services separately. They run about $20/month unless you can find someone to split it with you.

I was in Maine for Thanksgiving, and two of my GF's family members had cut the cord, both HD antenna's got static... so I missed every NFL game on Thursday.

I stand by the Antenna sucks unless you're <30 miles from a city.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I was in Maine for Thanksgiving, and two of my GF's family members had cut the cord, both HD antenna's got static... so I missed every NFL game on Thursday.

I stand by the Antenna sucks unless you're <30 miles from a city.

You can pay for a 60 mile range antenna rather than going cheap. I'm 40 miles Pitt and mine works great. It pays to do a little research before you buy one to make sure it will work for you rather than going with an inexpensive one. Not saying that is what your GFs family did, but I know people who have and then complained that theirs sucked.

[Dukefrukem]

You can pay for a 60 mile range antenna rather than going cheap. I'm 40 miles Pitt and mine works great. It pays to do a little research before you buy one to make sure it will work for you rather than going with an inexpensive one. Not saying that is what your GFs family did, but I know people who have and then complained that theirs sucked.

That's probably what they did. This is Maine we're talkin about here. Everyone is a carpenter or a fisherman...

[Skitch]

That's probably what they did. This is Maine we're talkin about here. Everyone is a carpenter or a fisherman...

:lol:

[number8]

Yeah, like KF said, when I bought my antenna I found a website that maps where each TV station transmits from and bought the antenna with the appropriate radius for the channels I want to get.

[Skitch]

Watching live broadcast of the launch of Orion capsule headed for Mars. Love the NASA channel on Roku. Love hearing the chatter between ground crews and Mission Control. I actually hope they don't end up launching today since I have to leave, I'd love to watch this launch.

[Dukefrukem]

Sony Vu Pricing revealed

Here are your options now:

[EyesWideOpen]

The HBO Now app is now out. First month free and then $14.99 a month. Exclusive to apple for the first few months. Thankfully I have an apple tv.

[Dukefrukem]

HBO will being streaming on Sling by this weekend.

[amberlita]

OK, I'm going for this. UVerse cable isn't available at my new apartment in Atlanta, no line of sight for Direct TV, and I'd rather die than get Comcast. Any opinions on AppleTV vs. Roku? Get both or are they redundant. Do some of these streaming devices compliment each other well if you get two (like Roku + Chromecast)? Ugh, I have so much researching to do.

[Dukefrukem]

Wow really about Comcast? Comcast is your best option there. I haven't had a single problem with them. Compared to verizon Fios they are light-years ahead of them and DirectTv is your worst option.

I don't have any input on AppleTv, but I doubt you need both, with the one exception being HBOgo standalone which I think is still Apple exclusive? The Roku will do pretty much everything you need it to do.

[DavidSeven]

I think the rule of thumb is that if you rely on other Apple devices (i.e. Mac, iPad, iPhone) and also buy a lot of media through iTunes, then the Apple TV is a good option because you can mirror the screens of those devices through AirPlay and also access your iTunes library. On the other hand, if you have Android/Windows devices, then Roku or Chromecast might make more sense. I think Roku can mirror Android/Windows screens, and Chromecast can stream almost anything playable in your Chrome browser. (FYI, I don't think Apple TV supports Amazon Prime videos). I have a Smart TV and a Chromecast, and I think that covers everything I need for streaming, even though I have Apple products otherwise. But I really only use them for Netflix, Amazon Instant, and browser streaming.

I was tempted to get an Apple TV for HBO NOW and get rid of cable forever, but I held off because I couldn't think of anything else I'd really use it for. Apple's exclusivity with HBO ends in early July. I'm guessing it will be available on all the major streaming devices by the end of summer (if not immediately).