topic Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable in Electronics

Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

autumnnj — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 18:28:18 GMT

We use cable for TV, Internet and Phone, but it's just too expensive. I find the options dizzying. We don't have Fios in our area, which leaves Direct TV. Our television is old, so if we use a box or subscription service, it means a new TV. What are your experiences with Smart TVs, Roku, Hulu Plus, Direct TV, etc? What provider do you use for internet and phone? I am finding this to be very confusing! Thanks!

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

circles — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 18:31:24 GMT

I have the same things with my cable company and would like to be done with them...but afraid to make a change....your right...its just too darn expensive!! especially since my cable gives me tons of sports of which I don't watch....and doesn't give me stations I would like unless I add on more expense....geeze....

Hope you get some good responses so we can both benefit....

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

CalminHeart — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 18:39:56 GMT

My kids don't have cable or satellite and use netflix and other sites. I couldn't do that. I want my tv. However, I did get rid of cable 3 years ago and went with satellite...and now pay about 1/2 of what I used to pay to cable. I don't have any movie channels and have one of the mid priced channel options. I do have my dvr hooked up to the internet in case I want to buy a movie but I haven't even done that yet.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

pachutabelle — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 18:56:44 GMT

I have recently had satellite tv turned off at Mom's house after she passed away. I would however like to have tv available for visitors so I have been exploring other options. I have been reading reviews on Amazon of digital antennas that will pick up channels within a certain mile radius. They are not very expensive and appear to be easy to install. This might help you out also. I would be interested if anyone has experience with these.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

goodstuff — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 19:23:42 GMT

We don't have cable; we have a DirecTV package that runs about $70/month. Too expensive for my tastes, but I do love some of the HGTV, travel, cooking channel, shopping, and other shows -- and DH loves to follow his favorite college and pro football teams and to watch the Braves during baseball season. That's why we continue to pay. There are a few things we can't get through other "streaming" means or with a digital antenna.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

ValuSkr — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 20:05:38 GMT

Verizon has a sports-free TV package that saves about $40 per month. You don't get any of the dedicated sports channels. I don't watch sports much so the savings are more than worth the occasional inconvenience. And many sports events are on radio (free!). I multi-task by getting other work done while having a game on radio in the background.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

Rabid1 — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 20:09:10 GMT

If you go the satellite route get Dish. There is a reason why Direct TV only compares themselves to cable providers and Dish pokes fun openly at Direct. With ATT acquiring Direct it's only going to get more expensive.

Using WiFi/Internet is a great way to go. You can get a huge library to stream and cover a lot of new content from major networks for about $28 a month using Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, and Hulu +.

For hardware your best options are FireTV or Roku. Both can be bought in a set top or stick. Roku looks like it is a better deal by streaming content but a vast majority of that content is junk. As for streaming apps the best are also available on the FireTV. FireTV has better hardware and is much more versatile that Roku. Chromecast is another option but requires a PC, tablet, or phone to control and streaming is really it's only function.

Stay away from internet providers that have data limits or caps. Data limits on home internet is kind of silly, if you pay for it you should be able to use it.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

Roni — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 20:32:54 GMT

I would avoid DISH.... recently they have deleted FOX, they are trying to delete CBS... friends who have them are deleting DISH....

We had Comcast, now have AT&T Uverse... like ALL they continue to raise prices continually...the only way I see around that is to use one for a promotional period, then d/c and switch to the competitor...??? I could not live without internet....

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

jackthebear — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 20:33:14 GMT

Sports Free Package I didn't know about that option I will look into it.

My provider is all about the sports and I am not

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

lovescats — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 21:01:05 GMT

On 12/22/2014 pachutabelle said: I have recently had satellite tv turned off at Mom's house after she passed away. I would however like to have tv available for visitors so I have been exploring other options. I have been reading reviews on Amazon of digital antennas that will pick up channels within a certain mile radius. They are not very expensive and appear to be easy to install. This might help you out also. I would be interested if anyone has experience with these.

If you go to http://www.antennaweb.org/Address.aspx and put in your zip code and street address you can see what is availible where you live but that doesn't mean you will get those channels. The antennas attach where the cable cord goes and before I got rid of cable I bought an indoor antenna and put in on a splitter with the cable to see what channels I would get. But if you have an old tv that isn't hd then you also need a converter box. I think the picture I get over the air with an indoor antenna is a lot better than the picture I got with cable on an hd tv because I never upgraded to hd on cable and the picture was compressed. I think the picture is beautiful. People have videos on youtube that tell you how to make the indoor antennas too.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

GCR18 — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 21:12:53 GMT

I have dish and haven't lost any channels. I have a basic package with no movie channels. It's $57 a month. In 9 years it's gone up $8. No complaints with the price or service. My complaint is they charge $99 if they have to send someone to fix an issue. Over the summer I was having signal issues and called them. We went back and forth about the charge. I ended up paying it and they fixed the issue. I came to terms with it by rationalizing it cost me $11 a year for service. I have at&t uverse for landline and internet for $81 a month. Once a year I call and complain about the price and they reduced it a little.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

glb613 — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 21:29:00 GMT

Cutting cable is easy if you don't like to watch sports and you live close enough to TV stations who broadcast an over the air signal. Get an antenna for network and PBS stations and a streaming device for the rest.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

Rabid1 — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 21:45:57 GMT

On 12/22/2014 Roni said:
I would avoid DISH.... recently they have deleted FOX, they are trying to delete CBS... friends who have them are deleting DISH....

We had Comcast, now have AT&T Uverse... like ALL they continue to raise prices continually...the only way I see around that is to use one for a promotional period, then d/c and switch to the competitor...??? I could not live without internet....

They haven't deleted anything. Fox blocked their signal when Dish refused to pay unreasonable prices from channels Fox wanted to add into the deal they have for Foxnews and the Fox business channels and negotiations froze. Local Fox and Fox entertainment are still available. The same thing happened with CBS but those negotiations were done awhile ago and Dish isn't trying to do anything to CBS now.

Dish is not the only cable/satellite company to have done this before including Direct TV. I had Direct and payed 3 increases in 2 years after the initial 1 year contract ran out. I have now had Dish for 6 years and never paid an increase after the initial contract that they even let me renew twice.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

Desertdi — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 23:35:38 GMT

I live between two mountains.......absolutely NO local reception. It's cable/satellite or nothing.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

June Lands — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 00:01:20 GMT

I have Comcast for just cable TV. Nothing fancy. It costs about $135 a month including cable boxes for 5 TV's. I have AT&T for my high speed internet and my land line. That runs $80 a month.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

Perkup — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 00:07:52 GMT

We had Charter Cable until Katrina hit. They estimated three months to get their service restored. Directv had it back on in two days.

The Charter Cable box is in a natural zone behind our property. They constantly appear, demanding to get into our property to do soothing or other. We now refuse them access unless they call first. They were letting our pets out, etc. Neighbors are out of service a lot of the time - missed the Saints game yesterday. (Actually that might have been a plus.)

There is no way on this good earth that we would give up Directv for either Dish or cable. And BTW, there are a significant number of channels Dish can't give you - Not just Fox currently. Any time we have a slight problem, Directv can fix it over the phone. Only once in several years have we had to have a service person come.

And just as an aside, ATT uVerse doesn't have any of the Hallmark channels and a number of others - and can't get them. We use them for our phones and internet and that's good, but not for t.v.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

pachutabelle — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 00:11:40 GMT

glb613,your suggestion is what I am going to try I think. I have not cut off the wifi (Hughesnet, only choice) and after checking on channels with a digital antenna, I should be able to get a few and add device for streaming. Sports is not important to me. Fingers crossed anyway.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

Kathlen — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 00:11:53 GMT

I have my cable, internet and house phone with RCN. Cell phone with AT&T. I like the service I get from RCN and AT&T.

There are other less expensive options in my area that some of my friends use ... and complain about frequently.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

glb613 — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 00:50:38 GMT

On 12/22/2014 pachutabelle said: glb613,your suggestion is what I am going to try I think. I have not cut off the wifi (Hughesnet, only choice) and after checking on channels with a digital antenna, I should be able to get a few and add device for streaming. Sports is not important to me. Fingers crossed anyway.

If you don't mind watching shows the next day, you can see almost everything online. For those who want local news and sports, you'll need an antenna.

Re: Need help 'Cutting the Cord' with Cable

Alleighssun — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 00:54:11 GMT

On 12/22/2014 glb613 said:
Cutting cable is easy if you don't like to watch sports and you live close enough to TV stations who broadcast an over the air signal. Get an antenna for network and PBS stations and a streaming device for the rest.

Agreed. We did this two years ago, and with the exception of missing some football games, we are happy with this arrangement. We use an antenna for local stations and stream Amazon Prime videos and Netflix with a Roku receiver.