Just "cut the cable"

[dgalvan123]

I strongly recommend the ChannelMaster DVR+ for recording your OTA programming.

It's a DVR that handles OTA programming with NO recurring costs (unlike Tivo which has a monthly fee). You get the guide data included in the up-front cost, which is $250.

I've had one since black friday and it works very well.

http://www.channelmasterstore.com/TV_Freedom_s/314.htm#no-fees

 

[dapetrun]

So I finally cancelled my cable TV subscription a couple days ago. So far so good! I got an OTA antenna and I'm able to get FOX, NBC, CBS, and ABC in HD (mostly for football and a few sitcoms). I have an Apple TV and picked up a Netflix subscription, so I have plenty of TV show/movie entertainment there. Also, the Watch ESPN app has worked wonderfully so far. I'm actually really surprised at how well that has worked. It's more or less the same as watching it on regular cable. There are also a few other shows I watch on MTV, Spike, etc. I just go to their websites and stream the episodes and AirPlay mirror them up on the Apple TV.

It isn't the most simple or elegant way to consume all the content I want, but so far it has worked nicely. It was also kind of freeing and liberating in a way, doing away with the cable box. I'm far less tempted now to just flip on the TV right away when I get home and let it spit out white noise in the background all night. Or just passively watch whatever junk is on, mindlessly flipping through channels.

Money wise, it isn't a MAJOR savings, but it's a savings. $60 cable bill is gone + $9/mo for Netflix + $10/mo increase on my internet bill since I am no longer "bundled" with cable. So I'm netting about a $40/mo savings.

Any other suggestions for a cable cutter in search of simple ways to get media content to his TV?

Wow, if I understand you correctly, you are made to pay MORE for your internet only connection because you are now receiving LESS content? Your provider has a lot of balls to charge more for you receiving less. I would get rid of them and get someone else even if you were receiving slower data service, like DSL. If you complain loudly enough to your provider and tell them you are going to cancel you may be surprised how fast they find you some discounts. Content providers don't make any money if they lose you as a customer so a few dollars a month is better to them than none. Try it! It works most of the time. My neighbor has been playing this game with 2 or 3 different providers for years!! Eventually you have to make good on your threats and just go somewhere else.

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I'll cut the cable when I can get CNN news, FOX news, SMITHSONIAN, FOX Business news. Right now its not possible, sadly

Must be a Republican...

 

[sdilley14]

Wow, if I understand you correctly, you are made to pay MORE for your internet only connection because you are now receiving LESS content? Your provider has a lot of balls to charge more for you receiving less. I would get rid of them and get someone else even if you were receiving slower data service, like DSL. If you complain loudly enough to your provider and tell them you are going to cancel you may be surprised how fast they find you some discounts. Content providers don't make any money if they lose you as a customer so a few dollars a month is better to them than none. Try it! It works most of the time. My neighbor has been playing this game with 2 or 3 different providers for years!! Eventually you have to make good on your threats and just go somewhere else.

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Must be a Republican...

That is correct. If you drop one service and break your "bundle", the other service goes up. So I dropped a $60 cable package and my $40 internet turned into $50 internet. Annoying, but still a good overall savings.

The problem is that Charter has a pretty strong monoply around here. Centurylink is available too, but their prices are quite a bit higher and their service overall isn't as good.

Fortunately I'm moving to Phoenix in a couple months. MANY more service provider options there.

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I strongly recommend the ChannelMaster DVR+ for recording your OTA programming.

It's a DVR that handles OTA programming with NO recurring costs (unlike Tivo which has a monthly fee). You get the guide data included in the up-front cost, which is $250.

I've had one since black friday and it works very well.

http://www.channelmasterstore.com/TV_Freedom_s/314.htm#no-fees

Looks like an interesting device, but kind of pricey. I'll have to keep my eyes out for a used one.

 

[mic j]

...even if you were receiving slower data service, like DSL.

I have DSL (10Mbps download) and I like it. It's alway 10Mbps download, any time of day. No traffic jams like cable and that's plenty of bandwidth for what I do.

 

[rohitp]

I cut the cord from Time Warner Cable here in Austin about 3 weeks ago. My cable box went bad and it took me a month to get it replaced. That's what it took for me to realize I was barely watching TV and paying about $55/mo for it.

Went OTA with a good basic rabbit-ears antenna which cost about $10. (Note that there is really no such thing as an HDTV antenna - an antenna is an antenna). Even though I'm out of the city I get all the broadcast networks & PBS plus some random movie channel. Blocked out several Spanish channels.

I added Hulu Plus for about $8.50/mo and already had Netflix.

So far, so good!

FWIW, I called in and also threatened to cancel my internet. Even though I'd fruitlessly asked billing many times if there was a better internet rate, the cancellation dept was more than willing to oblige. They dropped my rate from $40 to $35 (I get 5 mpbs up/50 mpbs down) and threw in a 6 month credit of $5/month. So yeah, just call to cancel and you'll be transferred to the dept that can offer you goodies!

 

[D.T.]

I strongly recommend the ChannelMaster DVR+ for recording your OTA programming.

It's a DVR that handles OTA programming with NO recurring costs (unlike Tivo which has a monthly fee). You get the guide data included in the up-front cost, which is $250.

I've had one since black friday and it works very well.

http://www.channelmasterstore.com/TV_Freedom_s/314.htm#no-fees

Thanks for the recommendation. We’re more-or-less using streaming services as our “DVR”, but at some point I might go with an antennae and having a way to record would be nice.

I was also looking at this device:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MXUDD0O/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

$199, nice UI, features ... BUT, it has a recurring cost to access their guide.

 

[CEmajr]

I cut the cord from Time Warner Cable here in Austin about 3 weeks ago. My cable box went bad and it took me a month to get it replaced. That's what it took for me to realize I was barely watching TV and paying about $55/mo for it.

Went OTA with a good basic rabbit-ears antenna which cost about $10. (Note that there is really no such thing as an HDTV antenna - an antenna is an antenna). Even though I'm out of the city I get all the broadcast networks & PBS plus some random movie channel. Blocked out several Spanish channels.

I added Hulu Plus for about $8.50/mo and already had Netflix.

So far, so good!

FWIW, I called in and also threatened to cancel my internet. Even though I'd fruitlessly asked billing many times if there was a better internet rate, the cancellation dept was more than willing to oblige. They dropped my rate from $40 to $35 (I get 5 mpbs up/50 mpbs down) and threw in a 6 month credit of $5/month. So yeah, just call to cancel and you'll be transferred to the dept that can offer you goodies!

That's incredible. Here in Charlotte I'm paying $60 for only 15 down/2 up to Time Warner.

 

[Big Glare]

GREAT. You have esp. activated. Now ask a sibling that has directv or dish and trade them a netflix profile for their account to activate your other apps. Find someone to activate HULU with theirs. HBO and SHOWTIME apps on apple TV work great too. If you have a family member with Comcast or Dish you can activate the disney/abc apps. Don't forget FX.

I have a TiVO and love it with my OTA antenna here in the Charlotte, NC area. Tivo Roamio's now have VUDU as well to watch your Ultraviolet movies. Oh if you're a former or current military member you can get a HUGE discount on a tivo. Google tivo military discount. Roamio for $0 down, just a $20 monthly service vs 15.

I still don't understand SlingTV. We cut the cord to NOT pay a monthly bill for television. Why would we want to pay another bill?

 

[DaveN]

Fortunately I'm moving to Phoenix in a couple months. MANY more service provider options there.

Hmmmm... My stalker about about 30 years behind me. #

I moved from Wisconsin to Phoenix in the mid 1980s to go to graduate school at ASU. I didn't mind the summer heat and enjoyed wearing shorts year round, but I had to use eye drops most every day in the winter because of the nasty smog. There were no jobs in Arizona after I graduated and I spent most of my career in California which was a good move. Since retiring, I came full circle and moved back to Wisconsin!

 

[blueroom]

Cut the cable just after HDTV was mandatory in Canada.

Hardware:
ATV3
WMC PC + two HDHomeRun Duet HDTV tuners
XBox 360 as an extender

Never looked back.

 

[D.T.]

I still don't understand SlingTV. We cut the cord to NOT pay a monthly bill for television. Why would we want to pay another bill?

Well, it doesn’t require any equipment leases, no contract, covers several channels including AMC very soon. I understand it _might_ conflict with the basic idea behind CTC, but it’s potentially a good value.

We want The Walking Dead, thats $3/EP, $12/month, for another $8 month we’d get a month of Cartoon Network (Adventure Time!), etc.

Haven’t subscribed yet because no AMC at the moment, no FireTV, some other technical limitations, but in terms of content vs. the cost, it would be good for us.

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If you have a family member with Comcast or Dish you can activate the disney/abc apps. Don't forget FX.

FYI, Verizon FIOS will validate:
Fox Now
Disney XD
ABC
ABC News
NBC News
A&E

and, assuming the FIOS account has these premiums:
HBOGO
SHOAnywhere



Funny enough, no FXNow, but that does auth with Comcast

 

[sdilley14]

Hmmmm... My stalker about about 30 years behind me. #

I moved from Wisconsin to Phoenix in the mid 1980s to go to graduate school at ASU. I didn't mind the summer heat and enjoyed wearing shorts year round, but I had to use eye drops most every day in the winter because of the nasty smog. There were no jobs in Arizona after I graduated and I spent most of my career in California which was a good move. Since retiring, I came full circle and moved back to Wisconsin!

Haha, nice! Yeah, I don't know if this move to Phoenix will be a permanent one, but I feel at the very least that it will be a good stepping stone for wherever I am "supposed" to be. MUCH nicer weather, a promotion with a new company, 38% bump in base salary, etc.

 

[fhall1]

Sorry - but to me "cutting the cable" means a clean break...not leeching off someone else's cable account username/password.

 

[Boyd01]

Sorry - but to me "cutting the cable" means a clean break.

I agree, this thread seems more about switching between different kinds of cables, not cutting the cable. I moved to a place back in the woods in 2006. No cable TV service available. I had Comcast before moving and wasted a lot of time watching TV.

I made a clean break and have not watched network or cable TV for 9 years now. One of the best things that ever happened to me, I have found much more productive ways to spend my time. The only internet connection I can get is slow Verizon DSL, so streaming is not a very good option.

But I have a big DVD collection and have ripped almost all of it over the past year. It's all in my iTunes library on a Mini that I use as an iTunes server. This is really all I need. When travelling, I watch cable TV in the hotel and wonder how I ever managed to waste so much time watching that junk.

 

[cynics]

Just "cut the cable"

Sorry - but to me "cutting the cable" means a clean break...not leeching off someone else's cable account username/password.

That can be opinion based. One could also argue "cutting the cable" means no cable/tv provider Internet as well.

I think majority of people feel "cutting the cable" means canceling your TV subscription regardless of how they obtain entertainment from that point forward. More about $$$ less about the phrase defined.

 

[DaveN]

Haha, nice! Yeah, I don't know if this move to Phoenix will be a permanent one, but I feel at the very least that it will be a good stepping stone for wherever I am "supposed" to be. MUCH nicer weather, a promotion with a new company, 38% bump in base salary, etc.

To each their own. A few hints:

Arrive very early for work in the summer so you can grab the shady parking spot. Many people wear driving gloves in the summer because the steering wheel gets so hot. Also, get a dashboard cover or the top of your dashboard or it will look like a map of the Grand Canyon within a couple of summers. White is the only color car you should own.

Get out of town when you can. Phoenix is there because of the Salt River and sits in a broad valley that was good for growing oranges. All the orange groves are gone and the only thing left is sprawl. Not my cup of tea but it may be yours. The good parts of Arizona lie outside the metro areas and include the Mogillion Rim, Grand Canyon, Sedona (overbuilt now), Apache and Roosevelt Lakes (take the Apache Trail to Roosevelt Lake. Hopefully it is still unpaved.) Also go to Old Tucson (best in the cooler months) if you watched a lot of westerns as a kid. Mr. Lemon and Sabino canyon near Tucson used to be nice but at least Mt. Lemon burned a few years ago and won't recover in your lifetime if ever. Also, although mostly in Utah, rent a houseboat on Lake Powell.

Here, I enjoy the XC skiing in the winter, sailing and swimming in the summer, and tree colors in the fall.

 

[sdilley14]

To each their own. A few hints:

Arrive very early for work in the summer so you can grab the shady parking spot. Many people wear driving gloves in the summer because the steering wheel gets so hot. Also, get a dashboard cover or the top of your dashboard or it will look like a map of the Grand Canyon within a couple of summers. White is the only color car you should own.

Get out of town when you can. Phoenix is there because of the Salt River and sits in a broad valley that was good for growing oranges. All the orange groves are gone and the only thing left is sprawl. Not my cup of tea but it may be yours. The good parts of Arizona lie outside the metro areas and include the Mogillion Rim, Grand Canyon, Sedona (overbuilt now), Apache and Roosevelt Lakes (take the Apache Trail to Roosevelt Lake. Hopefully it is still unpaved.) Also go to Old Tucson (best in the cooler months) if you watched a lot of westerns as a kid. Mr. Lemon and Sabino canyon near Tucson used to be nice but at least Mt. Lemon burned a few years ago and won't recover in your lifetime if ever. Also, although mostly in Utah, rent a houseboat on Lake Powell.

Here, I enjoy the XC skiing in the winter, sailing and swimming in the summer, and tree colors in the fall.

Thank you for the input! I will definitely miss the WI Spring and Fall seasons. The colors and temperatures are really wonderful. I will not miss the 4-6 months of dark, grey, freezing temperatures in the Winter.

 

[rohitp]

That's incredible. Here in Charlotte I'm paying $60 for only 15 down/2 up to Time Warner.

I think the reason for my rates/speed is that I'm in an area that recently received an "upgrade." A new neighborhood was built adjacent to us. My suspicion is that this has much to do with Google Fiber coming in to Austin and forcing TWC to stay competitive.


PS. I also have my own cable modem so that saves another $6-7/month in leasing charges.

 

[sdilley14]

I'm moving to Phoenix in a month and I see they are on the short list of potential new cities for Google Fiber. *fingers crossed*

 

[Irishman]

So I finally cancelled my cable TV subscription a couple days ago. So far so good! I got an OTA antenna and I'm able to get FOX, NBC, CBS, and ABC in HD (mostly for football and a few sitcoms). I have an Apple TV and picked up a Netflix subscription, so I have plenty of TV show/movie entertainment there. Also, the Watch ESPN app has worked wonderfully so far. I'm actually really surprised at how well that has worked. It's more or less the same as watching it on regular cable. There are also a few other shows I watch on MTV, Spike, etc. I just go to their websites and stream the episodes and AirPlay mirror them up on the Apple TV.

It isn't the most simple or elegant way to consume all the content I want, but so far it has worked nicely. It was also kind of freeing and liberating in a way, doing away with the cable box. I'm far less tempted now to just flip on the TV right away when I get home and let it spit out white noise in the background all night. Or just passively watch whatever junk is on, mindlessly flipping through channels.

Money wise, it isn't a MAJOR savings, but it's a savings. $60 cable bill is gone + $9/mo for Netflix + $10/mo increase on my internet bill since I am no longer "bundled" with cable. So I'm netting about a $40/mo savings.

Any other suggestions for a cable cutter in search of simple ways to get media content to his TV?

Congrats, dude! You just took control of your entertainment life!

 

[StoneJack]

I almost stopped watching TV programming at all for last 3 years.
Do have some cable and IPTV but thats all and cost is very basic.
I watch mainly English Premier League games on internet (you can have good quality), maybe some Champions League games.
AppleTV handles the Youtube and Vimeo content just great and there are tons of such content.
For movies, news, music internet is so much better. Major savings, also.

 

[David58117]

I cut mine a little over 3 years ago.

Bought a Mac Mini, installed XBMC (renamed Kodi now) with NaviX and ProjectFreeTV (and live leak just for the hell of it) - never looking back!!!

Pretty much everything is online now, and movie nights for us are great. I have my Apple remote set to run everything..it's a nice set up =D.

Anyway, good luck!

 

[CoMoMacUser]

I would consider Sling, but it includes ESPN, and getting out of having to pay for sports is a major reason why I want to ditch cable.

 

[sdilley14]

I cut mine a little over 3 years ago.

Bought a Mac Mini, installed XBMC (renamed Kodi now) with NaviX and ProjectFreeTV (and live leak just for the hell of it) - never looking back!!!

Pretty much everything is online now, and movie nights for us are great. I have my Apple remote set to run everything..it's a nice set up =D.

Anyway, good luck!

Nice. My current setup is working pretty well so far - Apple TV for Netflix, ABC app, etc., MacBook for AirPlaying some content, and AirPort Extreme + external HD + AirPlay from my phone/MacBook to stream content that isn't stored locally on my MacBook. So far everything is working great. I'm sure though at some point I'll find a good deal on a Mini and just make that my media hub.

 

[Lostanddamned]

I happened to be in the “just right” position of never actually having a cable to cut.

Cable cutting as a major concept came around whilst I was at university. Didn’t have a TV license then because my TV never received live broadcasts, and I had a nice speedy internet line.

Fast forward 7 years and I have a lovely big TV connected to the Apple TV for all of my TV watching needs, NFL Gamepass to watch live sport with iPlayer and Netflix providing everything else.

I’ve literally only run into a single issue since starting with this, the Game of Thrones exhibition in London was free, but only to Sky subscribers. Quick bit of phoning around and my sister was able to give me a login to use, aside from that it has been an all round convenience. I save a minimum of £145 a year by not having a TV license and vastly more than that by not having any sort of additional TV package.

I might, one day, go back to having the standard freeview package, but frankly whenever I watch it at other peoples homes there is b****r all on, and even if I do want to watch it, its on at the wrong time.