Ditching Cable - Suggestions?

[AbSoluTc]

Curious what kind of setup everyone has that does NOT have cable? We currently have Fios with all the channels and there is "nothing ever on". Tired of wasting the money. What would be the best way to get all the great tv without cable?

Currently have Netflix, Hulu+, Prime and Plex. I would miss SyFy, HBO, SHO and FX (American Horror Story).

Looking for some ideas. The plan is to either ditch cable altogether and do ATV4's throughout or have basic on one tv and ATV4 all over.

 

[AppleDApp]

I just bought an android tv box with kodi before I was using an apple tv with netflix.

 

[cheezeit]

I thought about dropping cable as well, but need certain sport channels like espn etc and local sport channels. Too bad you can't just subscribed to those separately in something and truly just pay for what you want.

 

[JBaby]

You're most likely just going to have to be patient and always be one season behind the current season. Add Showtime to your Hulu or Prime. I prefer it on Hulu. You can be patient and wait for Prime to get HBO shows or subscribe to HBO Now. FX is tricky because they don't put every show on a single service. What I mean is AHS is on Hulu, Netflix, and Prime. But The Strain is only on Hulu. I'm sure there are others like that, but those are the only ones I can remember right now. Syfy is good about putting their shows on Netflix. But ultimately patience is the one thing you have to have as a cord cutter. A good tv tracking app/service is also very helpful. I prefer iShows 2 because it's the best app that works with Trakt.

 

[d21mike]

I have FIOS and kept the TV but dropped the hardware. I use the Channels App for live TV. I was using the FIOS Custom TV Package because I don't watch sports but the wife wanted shows so ending getting other packages and finally went back to Preferred because not much more. I also get HBO Now and Showtime separate because I am hoping eventually to drop TV. You should look at the HDHomeRun devices for either OTA or CableCard. Need this for the Channels App.

 

[pjarvi]

I get by with the following apps:

• PBS - Free and requires no subscription (you do have to register on the PBS website for HD, but that's free as well), most PBS shows are available but a few are not like Hometime.
• Crackle - Similar to PBS (free/register for HD) but has ads. A good number of free movies and TV shows as well as original content like "Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee". Definitely check it out if you haven't before.
• YouTube - I signed up for YouTube Red ($10/month) to get rid of ads. Most of my nightly viewing is YouTube videos. The app UI is not great but works.
• HBO Now - Available without a cable subscription ($15/month), I signed up last season for Game of Thrones then canceled, and will sign up again for this season of GoT then cancel again. Episodes available same-day as broadcast. If you haven't tried it they have a 30-day free trial.
• iTunes Home Sharing - For several years I only bought movies and TV shows on iTunes, I use a file server with iTunes running on it to download my purchases to and then stream them locally. Same thing for video podcast subscriptions in iTunes (namely Twit.tv shows).

Regarding SHO, apparently they have an independent streaming service similar to HBO NOW. As for SyFy and FX they are only available with a cable subscription as far I as know. When I first cut the cord I weened myself off of the cable teat by buying season passes for shows I liked on iTunes. The only problem with doing that is the shows tend to get released on iTunes later than they originally aired. For example, "Top Gear" (UK) would release to iTunes 4-5 months after airing, while "Little People, Big World" would release the day after airing. For 2-3 shows a year this costs far less than subscribing to cable, just got to be okay with missing out on cooler talks at work.

 

[JBaby]

I get by with the following apps:

• PBS - Free and requires no subscription (you do have to register on the PBS website for HD, but that's free as well), most PBS shows are available but a few are not like Hometime.
• Crackle - Similar to PBS (free/register for HD) but has ads. A good number of free movies and TV shows as well as original content like "Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee". Definitely check it out if you haven't before.
• YouTube - I signed up for YouTube Red ($10/month) to get rid of ads. Most of my nightly viewing is YouTube videos. The app UI is not great but works.
• HBO Now - Available without a cable subscription ($15/month), I signed up last season for Game of Thrones then canceled, and will sign up again for this season of GoT then cancel again. Episodes available same-day as broadcast. If you haven't tried it they have a 30-day free trial.
• iTunes Home Sharing - For several years I only bought movies and TV shows on iTunes, I use a file server with iTunes running on it to download my purchases to and then stream them locally. Same thing for video podcast subscriptions in iTunes (namely Twit.tv shows).

Regarding SHO, apparently they have an independent streaming service similar to HBO NOW. As for SyFy and FX they are only available with a cable subscription as far I as know. When I first cut the cord I weened myself off of the cable teat by buying season passes for shows I liked on iTunes. The only problem with doing that is the shows tend to get released on iTunes later than they originally aired. For example, "Top Gear" (UK) would release to iTunes 4-5 months after airing, while "Little People, Big World" would release the day after airing. For 2-3 shows a year this costs far less than subscribing to cable, just got to be okay with missing out on cooler talks at work.

I use all of the those apps too with exception to HBO Now. Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is hilarious! You're correct about Showtime. I didn't mention this way of getting it because the the OP doesn't want to waste money and subscribing to the app is still more expensive than adding it to the Hulu or Amazon Prime subscription the OP already has. I don't do iTunes season passes because I think they're too expensive and I rarely have the desire to own/rematch tv shows.

 

[iPhone1]

Here's what I recommend if you are a TV junkie and want to get rid of cable:
1- Hulu Plus for the best all around TV experience $8
2- Netflix for great shows and movies $8
3- Amazon Prime (99/yr) with Showtime add-on ($9/mo) (once they finally make an ATV app)
4- HBO Now $15 month
5- Crackle (free) for some cool shows and movies like Seinfeld's web series
6- bum off of someone else for channels like ESPN, and any other sports 🙂

Total: $40 month (99/yr for Amazon Prime which obviously includes more than just Instant video) plus a little begging for those who have cable.

 

[dbwie]

Here's what I recommend if you are a TV junkie and want to get rid of cable:
1- Hulu Plus for the best all around TV experience $8
2- Netflix for great shows and movies $8
3- Amazon Prime (99/yr) with Showtime add-on ($9/mo) (once they finally make an ATV app)
4- HBO Now $15 month
5- Crackle (free) for some cool shows and movies like Seinfeld's web series
6- bum off of someone else for channels like ESPN, and any other sports 🙂

Total: $40 month (99/yr for Amazon Prime which obviously includes more than just Instant video) plus a little begging for those who have cable.

You CAN get ESPN if you are a cord cutter. If you get Sling TV ($20 per month), it offers ESPN, ESPN2, and access to ESPN 3 content. Here is the secret kicker. You can open the WatchESPN app on your Apple TV (2nd, 3rd, or 4th generation), authenticate by choosing "sling tv" as your provider (in the additional providers section), log in with your sling TV credentials, and you can watch all of ESPN on your Apple TV. To watch other channels that sling TV offers (e.g. HGTV, CNN, AMC, TNT, etc) you will need the sling TV app on your iPad/iPhone (sorry no AirPlay support), or the Sling TV app for Mac, or the Sling TV app on a roku device.

My cord cutting setup has been to use an antenna for the NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, use my Apple TV for watching Netflix, HBO Now, ESPN, and PBS, and the roku box for the sling channels mentioned above and for Amazon instant video. I am saving about $40 per month as compared to my prior full Comcast package.

Another useful addition for cord cutting, because I'm constantly switching inputs from Apple TV to Roku and antenna, is a Harmony remote. I have the 550 (older discontinued model) which controls all of what I mentioned above.

 

[gugy]

Here's what I recommend if you are a TV junkie and want to get rid of cable:
1- Hulu Plus for the best all around TV experience $8
2- Netflix for great shows and movies $8
3- Amazon Prime (99/yr) with Showtime add-on ($9/mo) (once they finally make an ATV app)
4- HBO Now $15 month
5- Crackle (free) for some cool shows and movies like Seinfeld's web series
6- bum off of someone else for channels like ESPN, and any other sports 🙂

Total: $40 month (99/yr for Amazon Prime which obviously includes more than just Instant video) plus a little begging for those who have cable.

Nice list, this is what I am looking forward to do once my DIRECTV expires in April/May.
I will add a OTA antenna and maybe buy a DVR to record local channels. My wife likes Jimmy Fallon Tonight show and Ellen so if I can get these easily online, I might not even bother with the OTA. My current DTV bill is $85 and while I like the service, I rather save that money and buy an iPad at the end of the year in savings.

 

[iPhone1]

Nice list, this is what I am looking forward to do once my DIRECTV expires in April/May.
I will add a OTA antenna and maybe buy a DVR to record local channels. My wife likes Jimmy Fallon Tonight show and Ellen so if I can get these easily online, I might not even bother with the OTA. My current DTV bill is $85 and while I like the service, I rather save that money and buy an iPad at the end of the year in savings.

I had an OTA antenna for about a year. I recommend if you're serious about having stable reception that you buy one of the ones you mount outside. We had an indoor one that we had to constantly mess with to get a decent signal. Once we did it was HD quality video, same as cable. Very nice for sports and live events like the Oscars/Golden Globes.

 

[JBaby]

Here's what I recommend if you are a TV junkie and want to get rid of cable:
1- Hulu Plus for the best all around TV experience $8
2- Netflix for great shows and movies $8
3- Amazon Prime (99/yr) with Showtime add-on ($9/mo) (once they finally make an ATV app)
4- HBO Now $15 month
5- Crackle (free) for some cool shows and movies like Seinfeld's web series
6- bum off of someone else for channels like ESPN, and any other sports 🙂

Total: $40 month (99/yr for Amazon Prime which obviously includes more than just Instant video) plus a little begging for those who have cable.

I like how you think! I have Showtime on Hulu because it was first, but now I keep it there only because Amazon doesn't have an app. If I decide to subscribe to Starz on Amazon then I'll move Showtime there too. Although I'm hoping Starz comes to Hulu. BTW it's just called Hulu now. They dropped the Plus. I also do 6. I don't do it with Showtime because I think they've done a good job on price. I don't mind paying as long as the price is right. HBO missed the mark with me. I do it with MSNBC since the stopper making their shows available via podcast.

 

[iPhone1]

I like how you think! I have Showtime on Hulu because it was first, but now I keep it there only because Amazon doesn't have an app. If I decide to subscribe to Starz on Amazon then I'll move Showtime there too. Although I'm hoping Starz comes to Hulu. BTW it's just called Hulu now. They dropped the Plus. I also do 6. I don't do it with Showtime because I think they've done a good job on price. I don't mind paying as long as the price is right. HBO missed the mark with me. I do it with MSNBC since the stopper making their shows available via podcast.

It's funny, I actually pay for like the largest cable package along with my faster than I need it Internet. But I did the whole cord cutter thing for awhile so I still remember what it was like to try to get everything for cheap, gave up and now I pay the man.

 

[JBaby]

It's funny, I actually pay for like the largest cable package along with my faster than I need it Internet. But I did the whole cord cutter thing for awhile so I still remember what it was like to try to get everything for cheap, gave up and now I pay the man.

I understand that. I live in the country and can't get cable. Satellite is the only option. I only have access to one ISP too. My mom has Dish's Hopper. So that makes the whole process easier on me. I use her login for little things TNT. Although now Hulu is starting to get some of TNT's shows. So I probably wait to watch them there since TNT's app kind of sucks. She doesn't do movie channels though. The majority of my wants can be had without using other logins though. And lucky for me I don't like sports or award shows. Well I like beach volleyball, curling, and the Tonys. I can watch the first two via the Dish Anywhere app and the last via the CBS app. I forgot to mention I do subscribe to CBS All Access. Altogether I pay $34.96 a month. I don't think that's bad at all. I'm not counting Amazon Prime because I don't subscribe to it for the video. It's all about the shipping for me. My mom pays $120 a month for Dish.

 

[Che Castro]

How to watch live TV on the Apple TV

 

[Gueeds]

Between Hulu, Netflix, Amazon then an on/off mix of Showtime and HBO, you'll get just about everything. Add in Crackle and a TV antenna, there will be always something worth watching all day. You do miss out on sports, and if you are in the market of the teams your follow most, you are out of luck unless they are broadcast on the local channels.

 

[oneMadRssn]

This is what I have:

Hulu Commercial-Free, $12/mo
Netflix, $10/mo
HBOGO, $15/mo
MLB.tv, $130/season (plus "Ad-Free Time" smartDNS to get around georestrictions, $2/mo during baseball season)

The above 4 get me and my gf close to 100% of what we want. I'd say HBO is the least-used of the above, not really worth the high cost.

We also have a tv antenna and decent reception to get the usual networks.

 

[Cnasty]

Find a good friend willing to share their sign on information for their cable subscription as well and you are golden.

Works fantastic. 🙂

 

[karungguni]

Find a good friend willing to share their sign on information for their cable subscription as well and you are golden.

Works fantastic. 🙂

Unless you are joking. curious if you could get caught doing this. If your Internet IP address does not correlate to the cable address wouldn't this flag you?

 

[scapegoat81]

Curious what kind of setup everyone has that does NOT have cable? We currently have Fios with all the channels and there is "nothing ever on". Tired of wasting the money. What would be the best way to get all the great tv without cable?

Currently have Netflix, Hulu+, Prime and Plex. I would miss SyFy, HBO, SHO and FX (American Horror Story).

Looking for some ideas. The plan is to either ditch cable altogether and do ATV4's throughout or have basic on one tv and ATV4 all over.

I own 2 ATV4's. A 32gb in my master bedroom w/ an OTA antenna back fed to the other tv w/ the 64gb ATV4. I only subscribe to Netflix & get most of my hometown football games through the antenna along w/ locals. I have 2 young kids that watch nothing but YouTube & Netflix, & my wife & I are very happy with this setup. I do put Plex to good use by playing downloaded Movies/Tv Shows & I hate to admit it but I also use a family members Comcast login for HBOGo & Disney Junior. I also support the shows that I really enjoy by purchasing the season passes through iTunes. The prices aren't too bad & there's zero commercials. Until I see what Apple does with their streaming service, I'm pretty satisfied with my setup.

 

[scapegoat81]

I had an OTA antenna for about a year. I recommend if you're serious about having stable reception that you buy one of the ones you mount outside. We had an indoor one that we had to constantly mess with to get a decent signal. Once we did it was HD quality video, same as cable. Very nice for sports and live events like the Oscars/Golden Globes.

I agree. Some can be a real PIA but I found one right before I went the outdoor route. The clear amplified Winegard is the best I've tried. I have it stuck to my 2nd floor window fed to 2 different tv's.

 

[scapegoat81]

Unless you are joking. curious if you could get caught doing this. If your Internet IP address does not correlate to the cable address wouldn't this flag you?

I don't think he is. I've been doing it for almost 3 years now. Every now & then you'll have to re-verify but works like a charm

 

[960design]

Curious what kind of setup everyone has that does NOT have cable? We currently have Fios with all the channels and there is "nothing ever on". Tired of wasting the money. What would be the best way to get all the great tv without cable?

Currently have Netflix, Hulu+, Prime and Plex. I would miss SyFy, HBO, SHO and FX (American Horror Story).

Looking for some ideas. The plan is to either ditch cable altogether and do ATV4's throughout or have basic on one tv and ATV4 all over.

AppleTV's and you can get HBO and SyFy through apps ( haven't tried the SyFy ). We watch Netfilx, iTunes rentals, and youtube documentaries. Plenty of entertainment without having to pay for cable.

I've been cable free for over 10 years. Books from Kindle, sailing, running, cooking all better than sitting in front of an advertisement.

 

[960design]

Unless you are joking. curious if you could get caught doing this. If your Internet IP address does not correlate to the cable address wouldn't this flag you?

Doing something illegal and not getting caught is not the way to think about this. The best people do the right thing when no one is looking and no reward is given.

 

[mellofello]

If you have a relative or friend with cable it opens a lot of doors. I use my moms login and get HBO go, fox now, ESPN etc. in exchange she uses my Netflix and Hulu logins. I have more stuff then I can watch and fill in the gaps with torrents/plex. I could never go back to watching tv through a cable box again.