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Cutting the Cord

CharlieHeisCharlieHeis Posts: 8,654 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Non Cigar Related
I'm once again thinking of cutting out my expensive monthly TV bill. In the past I have thought about it several times and not taken action because of the sports that I like to watch. It looks like it is easier to find them online now with Hulu Live TV. I'd buy an antenna for the local channels but it looks like a couple locals are actually on Hulu. I pay for the NHL.tv package so that is covered. It seems most of the channels I watch college football on are available. 
So far in this process the only thing I noticed I'll be missing out on is The Walking Dead. I'm sure I'll find a few others though.
Anyone else do this recently? Any regrets? Any shows you have noticed you can't find online anywhere? I remember last summer while I was catching up on old shows HBONow and Netflix I wouldn't even turn on my Dish for weeks at a time. I really don't have a long list of tv shows I watch, and the sports seems to be workable so I may do this soon. Any advice would be appreciated.

Comments

  • CharlieHeisCharlieHeis Posts: 8,654 ✭✭✭✭✭
    TL;DR: I'm probably cutting my dish and am looking for advice.
  • PatrickbrickPatrickbrick Posts: 8,005 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I love my cable, Colleen too wants to cut the cord, I just can't do it.
    "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give".  Winston Churchill.
    MOW badge received.
  • silvermousesilvermouse Posts: 21,312 ✭✭✭✭✭
    a search for alternatives on-line:
    AMC Live Stream: How to Watch AMC Online Without Cable
    How can you watch AMC online without cable? ... That means you could just sign up for Sling TV when The Walking Dead is in season, stream AMC live and on demand, ...
    Search domain www.cutcabletoday.comhttps://www.cutcabletoday.com/amc-live-stream/


  • Captain_CallCaptain_Call Posts: 1,553 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Netflix has walking dead, albeit a season behind. Between Netflix and Amazon prime video I'm paying less than 30 a month and I have more video entertainment than I can possibly consume in my free time. The sports present a unique challenge though
  • CharlieHeisCharlieHeis Posts: 8,654 ✭✭✭✭✭
    silvermouse said:
    a search for alternatives on-line:
    AMC Live Stream: How to Watch AMC Online Without Cable
    How can you watch AMC online without cable? ... That means you could just sign up for Sling TV when The Walking Dead is in season, stream AMC live and on demand, ...
    Search domain www.cutcabletoday.comhttps://www.cutcabletoday.com/amc-live-stream/


    That is a great option. I had considered buying episodes on iTunes also. My current satellite bill is about $140 so there is a lot of room to work.

    Captain_Call said:
    Netflix has walking dead, albeit a season behind. Between Netflix and Amazon prime video I'm paying less than 30 a month and I have more video entertainment than I can possibly consume in my free time. The sports present a unique challenge though
    I'd rather watch new episodes asap to avoid spoilers. There are way more sports available online than a couple years ago which is why I'm serious about this now.
  • YaksterYakster Posts: 28,275 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Shop around, but before you make any purchases, call Dish up and ask for a better deal, or threaten to quit.  That's what I do with my cable, I get a better deal every year, just have to call back when the rates go up.  If they don't give you a better deal, time to cut the cord.
    Join us on Zoom vHerf (Meeting # 2619860114 Password vHerf2020 )
  • 0patience0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Walking Dead is available on Amazon Prime.
    And you can actually subscribe to a lot of channels, like Starz and stuff with no cable or sattelite.
    In Fumo Pax
    Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

    Wylaff said:
    Atmospheric pressure and crap.
  • Amos_UmwhatAmos_Umwhat Posts: 9,017 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I got rid of the satellite TV about a year ago, bought an antennae, no regrets.
    WARNING:  The above post may contain thoughts or ideas known to the State of Caliphornia to cause seething rage, confusion, distemper, nausea, perspiration, sphincter release, or cranial implosion to persons who implicitly trust only one news source, or find themselves at either the left or right political extreme.  Proceed at your own risk.  

    "If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed.  If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." --  Mark Twain
  • dirtdudedirtdude Posts: 5,875 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Dish contract is up in November, it'll be gone.
    A little dirt never hurt
  • 0patience0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
    We were gonna do away with our satellite, We had heard about this "great deal" from Directv. Directv Now.
    Supposed to be able to stream with that subscription.
    Then I go to reading. ONLY 2 devices allowed.
    So if I have 3 tv's, I'd have to purchase another subscription.
    Screw that. I can stream Directv to as many devices as I want right now.
    Why would I save $40 and only have the ability to stream to 2 devices?
    I remember when I was younger, we moved some place and no waiting for anyone to install anything. You set up the TV, extended the rabbit ears and messed with them until you got signal. Changed all the channels to see what channels you got.
    Most times was 2, 6, 8, 10, 12 and some UHF channels.
    We were rocking it then.
    In Fumo Pax
    Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

    Wylaff said:
    Atmospheric pressure and crap.
  • avengethisavengethis Posts: 5,690 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Directvnow is what we have gone with now.  $50/month and we get our locals and the sports channels I like.
    Team O'Donnell FTW!

    "I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke ever last one of 'em." - Ron White
  • CharlieHeisCharlieHeis Posts: 8,654 ✭✭✭✭✭
    avengethis said:
    Directvnow is what we have gone with now.  $50/month and we get our locals and the sports channels I like.
    Hulu Live TV was getting better reviews over Directvnow but a friend who's son has it says there is/was a major update and should be greatly improved. Looks like this will be my choice as well. I'll have to go with the $60 package to get a couple extra channels i want. Less than half the price I'm currently paying sounds good to me.
  • avengethisavengethis Posts: 5,690 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yeah they have added cloud DVR now which is nice.  If you prepay for 3 months you get the free apple 4k tv.  That is the best device for it so far.  I have used it on a few roku's which work well and the amazon fire tv which works well as well but the apple is faster and a nice interface.  
    Team O'Donnell FTW!

    "I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke ever last one of 'em." - Ron White
  • CharlieHeisCharlieHeis Posts: 8,654 ✭✭✭✭✭
    avengethis said:
    Yeah they have added cloud DVR now which is nice.  If you prepay for 3 months you get the free apple 4k tv.  That is the best device for it so far.  I have used it on a few roku's which work well and the amazon fire tv which works well as well but the apple is faster and a nice interface.  
    Nice. I don't have a 4k tv but I was going to upgrade my ancient Apple TV for something newer anyway. Thanks for the heads up, Brad.
  • avengethisavengethis Posts: 5,690 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I dont have a 4k tv either.  When i upgrade to a 4k I will be set. I figured im spending the money on the service, might as well get a good device out of it as well.
    Team O'Donnell FTW!

    "I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke ever last one of 'em." - Ron White
  • CharlieHeisCharlieHeis Posts: 8,654 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'll update this in case there are any other people thinking about cutting the cord. I dumped Dish a couple months ago. I had nothing but Netflix for a while then got Hulu so I could watch Vikings. Didn't miss Dish at all. I figured I better get something with football season starting so I went with Directvnow and got the free AppleTV 4k, which is awesome. I get quite a few channels but no local networks on directvnow because they just aren't available in this sparsely populated area. There are apps for all the networks and directvnow counts as a provider so I can log in and watch stuff on ABC, FOX, etc. 
    As far as the sports viewing goes, I've had a couple scares. My game saturday was not available on ABC so I went over to the Espn Go app and found it. Today's game on Fox was unavailable so I went to the FoxSports Go app and found it there. So far, so good.
    As far as getting an antenna, that won't work for me. I'm too far away from the local networks' towers, so I would have to put up a forty foot antenna to get a questionable signal. Again, this is due to the sparse population. Not really a big deal for me, but sooner or later I'm sure I will have to go to the local watering hole to watch something I can't find online. And there are always illegal streams, if you know where to look.
  • 0patience0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
    We cut the cord last month. Had Directv shut off.
    Now we use Netflix, Amazon Prime and we went with Sling for $60/month.
    Has all but a couple of channels we had for $130 through Directv.

    My son uses a streaming TV called Philo for $20/month.
    It has all the channels he watches.
    In Fumo Pax
    Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

    Wylaff said:
    Atmospheric pressure and crap.
  • 90+_Irishman90+_Irishman Posts: 12,409 ✭✭✭✭✭
    We stream. Hulu, Prime (TV and shipping, the TV was secondary), Netflix and Crunchyroll all for roughly $40/month
    "When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
  • CharlieHeisCharlieHeis Posts: 8,654 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @NorCalR1
  • HawkeyeHawkeye Posts: 246 ✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2019
    90+_Irishman said:
    We stream. Hulu, Prime (TV and shipping, the TV was secondary), Netflix and Crunchyroll all for roughly $40/month
    I have the same setup except for Hulu.  I thought I had posted this (maybe it was another thread) but I calculated what I have saved from cutting the cord 10 years ago and it was just north of $20,000

    Off topic but what do you like on Crunchroll?  
    Despite the high cost of living, it remains popular.
  • Sleddog46Sleddog46 Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I just ordered an indoor antenna that has a 80 mile radius for picking up channels. It's rating is 4.7 out of over 5000  reviews. So hopefully this will left me cut the cord. Do you need a smart tv to get hulu, but prime, and netflix. I'm electronic illiterate.

    You can't dispel Ignorance if you retain Arrogance!
  • YaksterYakster Posts: 28,275 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You can add a media streamer to connect your TV to the Internet and stream these services.  They can connect to an HDMI input on your TV, or in some cases to composite audio and video connections on older TVs.  Newer "smart" TVs often include the capability to stream these services out of the box.  These devices would connect to your WiFi network.

    https://www.cnet.com/topics/media-streamers/best-media-streamers/

    I use the Roku Express which is their affordable offering and includes a little remote to allow you to browse and watch many channels, both free and subscription.
    Join us on Zoom vHerf (Meeting # 2619860114 Password vHerf2020 )
  • 0patience0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sleddog46 said:
    I just ordered an indoor antenna that has a 80 mile radius for picking up channels. It's rating is 4.7 out of over 5000  reviews. So hopefully this will left me cut the cord. Do you need a smart tv to get hulu, but prime, and netflix. I'm electronic illiterate.

    Roku, smart TV or FireTV. As @y@Yakster said.
    Our Vizio SmartTV will stream Hulu, Prime, Netflix and Youtube. There are some network apps it won't stream. 

    Roku is about $30 and is available at Walmart.
    FireTV stick is about $40.

    I haven't found any difference in the 2. 
    We have the FireTv, because we bought a bunch on a deal.

    The only suggestion I can make if dropping Satellite or cable is to make sure your internet can handle the streaming.
    Most can, but if you are streaming a couple devices at the same time, it can cause a little bit of a lag.
    In Fumo Pax
    Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

    Wylaff said:
    Atmospheric pressure and crap.
  • Captain_CallCaptain_Call Posts: 1,553 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sleddog46 said:
    I just ordered an indoor antenna that has a 80 mile radius for picking up channels. It's rating is 4.7 out of over 5000  reviews. So hopefully this will left me cut the cord. Do you need a smart tv to get hulu, but prime, and netflix. I'm electronic illiterate.

    I bought a dumb tv and a smart box. It's essentially a DVD player with internet streaming capabilities. Made by Samsung. Bought at Wal-Mart for about 50 bucks I think
  • MartelMartel Posts: 3,306 ✭✭✭✭
    Wish I could get rid of sat TV.  But I do like NFL Sunday Ticket since my team is out of market...

    Still, I have two realistic internet options.  One is Satellite.  It has a crazy low cap and a crazy high price.

    The other is also a wireless option, but my recent speed test shows 5.72 down and 3.0 up.  That's pretty average for this service.  It can get faster some days, but it's not consistent.  I have enough to stream a little, but no one else can be doing anything online.

    I could pay $5k to have comcast run cable to my (rented) house for high speed or just go with a mobile hotspot, I suppose.  But we can't even get DSL.  Our phone lines would allow dial-up, but the phone guys have gone exclusively to fiber-optic DSL and we don't have the lines on either cross-street.
    Intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.

    I like Oliva and Quesada (including Regius) a lot.  I will smoke anything, though.
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,063 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sleddog46 said:
    I just ordered an indoor antenna that has a 80 mile radius for picking up channels. It's rating is 4.7 out of over 5000  reviews. So hopefully this will left me cut the cord. Do you need a smart tv to get hulu, but prime, and netflix. I'm electronic illiterate.

    What make and how’s it working?
  • Sleddog46Sleddog46 Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I haven't got it yet,supposed to arrive tomorrow. It's on Amazon and it is just called amplified HD digital TV Antenna Long 65 to 85 mile range. Supports 4k 1080 p and all older tvs indoor HDTV amplified signal booster plus 18  ft coax cable/ a.c. Adapter.
    You can't dispel Ignorance if you retain Arrogance!
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