Help replacing standard cabletv (&choosing new tv)?

AuberriJean · ‎04-09-2014

I would like to drop my expensive cable tv package (Comcast) but I'm not techy and don't understand all the options.

My tv is very old big one, about 15 yrs old, and I'm ready to buy a new one (but I don't need it to be huge or fancy).

Do I start by buying a certain type of tv?

Then if I understand right I only need to pay for the internet connection from Comcast or another cable company...But then how can I learn about the options like Apple TV, Hulu, Netflix, Roku, Amazon etc, to choose?.

I want to watch shows on a tv, not on my computer and it would be nice if some of it is live stream like it is on standard cable tv.

I know there are smart techy posters here and hope you can share what you've chosen and the best way for a novice like me to figure all this out. I know about Google and I tried that but I'm now even more confused than when I started lol.

Sorry if these are dumb questions 😛, thanks in advance! 😄

Nuttmeg · ‎03-09-2010

Please do not cancel your cable account, but ask for a discount.

http://20somethingfinance.com/how-to-lower-your-comcast-bill-price/

You would call the local number on your bill.

glb613 · ‎03-09-2010

@AuberriJean wrote:

I would like to drop my expensive cable tv package (Comcast) but I'm not techy and don't understand all the options.

My tv is very old big one, about 15 yrs old, and I'm ready to buy a new one (but I don't need it to be huge or fancy).

Do I start by buying a certain type of tv?

Then if I understand right I only need to pay for the internet connection from Comcast or another cable company...But then how can I learn about the options like Apple TV, Hulu, Netflix, Roku, Amazon etc, to choose?.

I want to watch shows on a tv, not on my computer and it would be nice if some of it is live stream like it is on standard cable tv.

I know there are smart techy posters here and hope you can share what you've chosen and the best way for a novice like me to figure all this out. I know about Google and I tried that but I'm now even more confused than when I started lol.

Sorry if these are dumb questions 😛, thanks in advance! 😄

I second nutmeg's recommendations of call Comcast and negociate your bill. If nothing else, drop it to Comcast's double play (internet and cable) of internet and basic cable and see what the bill will before going without.

If you are determined to quit cable, I'd recommend getting a smart TV so you can stream through it. There are some who make all kinds of claims against this, get a streaming device instead, but why have two devices when you can have it all in one. If, and it's a BIG IF, your TV's internet streaming quits, you can buy a streaming device at that time.

You'll need a router to connect your TV. It can be wireless or your can connect your TV via a cable. You need to know the security number for your router in order to have access to the internet. Once you are connected, you access Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and other services. These are not free. There is a monthly charge for each service.

As far as the brand of TV, I like Sony and Samsung. Go to the electronic store and see what is available.

Dusty1 · ‎03-10-2010

I am not techy. This is my experience. I had Time Warner Cable/Internet. The CS was great, but the equipment was glitchy. They were great about working on it, but for what I was paying it seemed like too much & I don't have time to mess with that. So I was at Sam's & Direct TV reeled me in with their sales pitch & the $69.95 a month contract for the first year & then it would go up to $85 or something. The service with their equipment was fabulous. I had 3 tvs hooked up & it was amazing. The 2nd bill was for $82 something & I was pi$$ed. Called CS & they were not helpful & they were very dismissive. Like I was ignorant. I finally told them to disconnect me & never contact me, again. I paid them $450 to disconnect. Now I have an antenna ($60) that gets local stations, I have a DVD player ($90) that streams Hulu, Netflix & Amazon Prime (It does all of the subscription stations, but those are the 3 I have.). My internet is $14.99 a month. Hulu is $12 (No commercial option), Netflix is $10, Amazon Prime was $70 for the year (about to expire & I won't pay $100 for it, if that is the price now. Not worth it for TV & I don't order enough to really justify the price.).I turn on my TV, I turn on my DVD player, choose the service I am going to try to find something to watch on. It takes about a minute for the service to pull up. Then you choose something to watch. You can't watch the current seasons of a lot of shows, but there is a lot to choose from. I pretty much hate the whole setup. I miss easy, current tv. I miss DVR. I don't miss paying $160 a month for internet+cable for sooo many stations that I never watched. Good luck.

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

If you want to drop cable and receive programming via the internet: Buy a smart TV, or a non-smart TV and a device that makes it smart, like Roku or Chromecast. You'll be able to get some channels. If you want more channels, subscribe to a service like Sling TV, Netflix, or Amazon Prime. I believe SlingTV is the only one offering live programming, like CNN and ESPN. You'll need a router (so your smart TV or other device can receive the internet wirelessly), and you may have to upgrade your internet speed in order to view programs comfortably - i.e. without pauses for buffering

If you're just interested in over-the-air channels, you don't need a smart TV. You can buy an HD antenna for your new TV. They're inexpensive, starting around $20. The website for Mohu Leaf (an antenna supplier) will tell you what channels you're likely to receive and how strong an antenna you'll need (depends on your distance from transmission towers).

I was set to go the antenna route and called Verizon to drop cable. They offered me instead a very inexpensive bundle including cable. The channels I receive are essentially the same over-the-air channels I would have received with an antenna. The advantage is that I don't have to mess with the antenna and reception is consistently good (antenna was funky at times).

Lucky Duck · ‎03-13-2010

Valu Skr, what is the length of your new contract and how long will you have the package at the new price? What will it increase to when the new package expires? Will you be locked in to the contact at the higher price for a year or two?

My husband and I were discussing what we will do when our DirecTV contract expires in December. When we initially signed up with DirecTV, our monthly bill was around $50 then it increased to $125. We could have bought our way out of the contract. We could have added new features to reduce the monthly cost but that would have locked us in again.

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

@Lucky Duck I don't have a contract, though Verizon said my price would be locked for one year. My current bill shows a monthly discount of $13, so I suppose it will go up by at least that much when the year is up. In that case, I'll contact Verizon and see what they can do. Worst case, I can always switch back to the HD antenna.

I don't go for those deals where they lure you into a multi-year contract by offering a very low price in the first year. You almost always pay for it in years two and three.

AuberriJean · ‎04-09-2014

@Nuttmeg @glb613 @ValuSkr @Dusty1 @Lucky Duck

Thank you!!!! I'll start with a call to Comcast.

have a great day! 💜

mima · ‎03-14-2010

@Dusty1 Thanks for mentioning that Hulu had a commercial free version. I used to get Hulu and hated the commercials so I canceled. I just signed up again yesterday again. I didn't know they had commercials free. Thanks a bunch!

I now also have Amazon, Hulu and Netflix. I actually like Hulu the best because they have so many old classic tv shows such as My Favorite Martian, Lucy, etc.

Thanks!!!

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

Re: Hulu

Am I correct to understand that Hulu itself has one version where the shows have commercials and another entire subscription tier where you can subscribe to Hulu, with commercial-free shows on all of the channels?

If that is the case, if you are subscribed to the Hulu that has commercials in the network show channels, can you FF through the commercial segments?

TIA for any advice.

I have Netflix and Amazon but have contemplated signing up for Hulu but I am not used to having to sit through commercial segments for pretty much anything.