Electronics

[luvmyteddy4]

I'm so glad you did it! I dumped cable over 2 years ago when my bill was up to 180.00. I couldn't afford it anymore.

I'm a tv junkie and was scared to death to change. I have never looked back after having cable for 30 years.

Good for you!

 There are so many free things to watch on streaming Roku. 

[Jaspertimes]

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@JudyL wrote:

Everyone - I did it!  Signed up for YouTube TV, got it set up on my Amazon Fire Stick and am now watching Chicago PD on ION!  You were right - it was easy!  I even went on the YT TV website and customized my channels!  Did this after watching a video on YT on how to do that. Have 4 days left on my free trial.  Will call Comcast tomorrow and cancel cable and phone and keep the internet..

I can't thank you all enough for your understanding, responses, support, etc.  Not sure I would have done it without all your encouragement.  Thank you!

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Good for you!  You will wonder what took you so long.. Whatever streaming device you use, fire stick, Roku, smart TV makes no difference at all.  Drop that cable!  Customizing your channels -- I hid a bunch that I don't watch and put them all in alphabetical order,  easy to find the channels.

[Ainhisg]

@JudyL yay!  Good for you!  YouTube is a wealth of information.  Between it and google, a person can find out how to do about anything.  When we switched to YTTV, I found the YouTube videos by Michael Saves to be invaluable in learning how to navigate the app.  If you belong to Facebook, there is also an active YTTV FB group where you can ask questions, and I can guarantee you that someone will know the answer.  They will also post about any new features or changes coming down the pike to YTTV, which is helpful.   Image posted below of the name of the FB group.  Enjoy!

[JudyL]

@Ainhisg  - Thank you for that info!  Think it was you who mentioned in an earlier post on this thread about Michael Saves videos on YT and that's who I've been watching.  Thank you for that too.  You are right, his videos are great.  I would never have known how to customize my channels if I hadn't watched him.

[Moonlady]

We weren't nervous because we were already familiar with indoor antennas and were fed up with constant increases. After getting "the letter" stating that everyone woukd now need set-top boxes for each TV, and that channels would be scrambled for those who still had the old "plug-in" access, we said to heck with that. We go out a lot lol, anyway, and felt we were not only wasting money, but also being the suckers paying ever-increasing prices and fees as so many abandoned cable. 

We were fully prepared to receive only local channels, but we ended up with 21. That was 5 years ago. We now have 44 (2 new ones were added last weekend), and couldnt be happier. We have no streaming or subscriptions, either, so we pay for no TV. My husband is a sports nut, too, and still has plenty of sports programming to watch. The only thing we wish is that we'd done it earlier. 

[dobiesrule]

@JudyL Yes, I was nervousabout it.  but I did switch to You Tube TV and I love it.  A little difficult for me (a non techie) to get used to it with out channel numbers, but after the initial period, it was not hard.  And I love the channel selection.  And, the price.  Hard to beat.  

[Roni18]

I think I am going to do it when I have more time this summer.  Mine has gone up to $175 (without internet included.)  My price recently jumped up about $15 with no notice. I do already have a Roku and stream some shows.

[JudyL]

@Roni18  - just saw your post today and wanted to let you know that I've had YouTube TV for about 3 weeks now and I don't regret making the switch at all.  Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[SouthernBee]

@gardenman : Received email to contact WOW because our discount was expiring soon. DH is a huge sports fan and doesn't like change. I don't like our cable bundle of $230 month. So talking yesterday with WOW  our bill will increase $30, not willing to negotiate but decrease internet speed and channels for only $15 difference. Suggested YouTube special. We have 3 TVs and one is LG purchased in 2011 and will need Amazon fire stick. DH needs the Bally Sports channel to watch the Atlanta Braves. 

DH very upset. I ordered the Amazon fire stick to try on the LG tv. Friend told me that she has the latest Amazon fire stick and can watch Bally Sports.

I am really interested in the Direct TV streaming service. 

Trying to keep all the channels for DH is stressful. He watches SEC football, NFL, BIG 10, all the ESPN channels and MLB. We have Amazon Prime and a few apps on the Amazon fire tablet but he prefers to watch everything on the big screen tv. I have until 5\16\24 to notify WOW. 

DH was also upset that the other night he had to use his radio  for the Braves game.

We are both disabled and tv is our major entertainment. Plus you have previously been so kind in helping me with so many tech issues that I struggle with. 

Trying to tell DH that the cost of everything is increasing and why pay $270 per month when something else is available. I don't like change but something needs to be done. 

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@gardenman wrote:

Pretty much everyone will be dumping cable TV because the cable TV companies are dumping cable TV. Frontier stopped providing cable TV a few years back and others are joining them in dropping it. The cost to run a cable TV system has become prohibitive. New cable boxes are expensive and prone to failure. Maintaining the equipment required is expensive. Constantly negotiating new contracts with program providers, cities, etc., is expensive. It's nearly impossible for traditional cable companies to compete with streaming services. 

Spectrum is switching from traditional cable to streaming. Mid-Rivers Communications ended cable TV services last December. Wilkes Communications and RiverStreet Networks are dropping cable TV. Sparklight Cable/Cable One is dropping cable. WOW! is dropping cable.

Cable TV is going extinct. You might as well hop onto a streaming service now as you won't have a choice in a bit. Even the big guys like Comcast are talking about quitting cable TV and going into streaming.

A big part of the issue is the franchise contracts cable companies are required to negotiate with each city/community. A lot of the franchise contracts specify which channels must be carried. They might require that live coverage of certain local events be available. They must provide a local studio for local programming. They may require that cameras and microphones be provided. Negotiating franchise deals with every community you serve gets a bit insane and expensive. 

The profit just disappears after a while in cable TV. You have to keep raising your rates to make any money and then you lose customers because you raised the rates. Equipment breaks down or gets stolen. It's just not a profitable business these days.

Streaming services avoid most of those issues as the customer provides the equipment. There are no franchise fees to negotiate or haggle over. There's no need for local studios or local productions. It's a much simpler arrangement than the older cable TV model.

We could see cable TV revert to the old mom-and-pop model that it started with and each community having a small cable TV system run by locals. The mega-cable companies are all getting out of the business though.

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[gardenman]

@SouthernBee 

I have YouTube TV and it's fine for me and costs under $75 for the package I have. I get 300 MBPS internet through Comcast for $25 a month until June 2025 when that deal expires. So, for me, $100 gives me TV and Internet. This package does what I need it to do. The Internet will go up in price in June 2025 and I'll explore my options then. Putting together a package that keeps the channels you want can be a challenge, but it's doable.