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Ditched the cable TV & kept the internet-only line in ($50/mo); Bought both a modem & router (which includes wifi) probably around $160 one time charge; tested 3 indoor antennae & the midpriced one worked best, though not great due to my location - $40. Bought a refurb Roku 3 for around $40.
Total one time expenses around $250
(Antennas are notoriously site specific & what will work for me may not work for you, check out a few)
I already had Amazon Prime for misc shopping/delivery & put on their Prime app for no extra cost; Netflix is about $12/mo; I hitchike on a family member's HBO (they on my Prime).
Total monthly repeat costs: $62/mo (Compare this to my cable bill with HBO & renting a cable box, modem, router: $175 - $196mo)
My light viewing habits (late night comedy shows, network news, PBS... not much else) were broken after a few weeks but I don't watch sports at all.
I primarily watch movies & docs. I found TCM available only on Amazon's Fire TV with a cable sub, my brother lent me his info &, on sale & with Amazon rebate I got a Fire TV stick for $15 & can now watch TCM + have access to their on-demand library. (If they made it available for subscription I would gladly pay for it but they don't.)
The truth is with the time available I'm pretty booked just with Netflix - whose original programming is amazingly good - Prime & Youtube. Again I don't watch sports or care at all about typical broadcast network shows.
HOA has a bulk contract, so no big benefit cutting cable. I don't watch much except sports and news. For the number of sports events I watch, it pays for itself. Can't get it online legally usually or would probably cost (MLB, NFL, etc). I could live without it though - occasionally have Sirius XM x 6 months during RV trips and listen to the games, news this way. $41/6 months.
[quote=Mistermobile;55248498] Digital antennas cost about $20-$30. If you are lucky enough to be "in-of-sight" of network TV transmitters (you are on top of a higher bldg or a hill) then buy a digital antenna, QUOTE]
Just to be clear, and many people get sold a bill of goods by this, there is no such thing as a "digital antenna". The antennas job is to capture any signal and distribute it to a device (tv tuner, am/FM radio etc) capable of decoding what is received. My coathanger antenna, a 24 inch wire inserted into the center of the tv antenna connector on my tv, and nothing digital about it, works perfectly on my tv.
You do need to buy the correct antenna based on distance from the transmitter. Antennaweb, tvfool and other sites are great for this.
I never cut the cable because I never had it; there is no cable here. I wouldn't pay for it even if it was available. An antenna of any kind doesn't work here either.
We watch Netflix, free Hulu, free youtube, and IMDb Freedive. Occasionally rent a movie from amazon, but not Prime.
I've tried a lot of different options. I have a high-speed internet plan through Charter Spectrum, and an Apple TV. I've tried Sling TV, DirecTV, was on Playstation Vue for a couple of years, and have ended up on Youtube TV. Their software works much better than Playstation Vues (fewer application hangs and "stutters" and no problems so far with commercials syncing). Also, Youtube TV has unlimited cloud DVR - which is a huge selling point for me. So my setup for now is:
Youtube TV
Apple TV
Charter Spectrum high-speed internet
Netflix account
Acorn account (British TV and movies)
Amazon Prime account
If there's something on HBO (like Game of Thrones) I'll subscribe for a while, then unsubscribe, and I'll purchase movies and TV seasons occasionally from iTunes if they're not on Amazon Prime. I have a Mohu Airwave but don't use it very often - reception is patchy here.
Well, the last time I sat in front of a TV was 2012. Renting a room in a house. Since then, I have cared for my sisters place and used to binge watch "Law and Order" or NCIS. But that's the only time I see tv shows...
Oh and $228?? YIKES!!!! I'd be demanding they cut it off At once!
Yes, I "cut the cable" five years ago and rely on over-the-air transmission with an indoor antenna. I have Amazon Prime Video, and access to my boyfriend's Netflix, too.
However, to be honest, I have probably only watched an hour of TV in the past year. I just prefer doing other things for fun.
I gave up my TV in 2008 because I just couldn't afford cable anymore. Today I have just an internet connection for $43 a month and I could probably save a third of that if I just bought my own router. It's a slow connection, but I got a new refurbished computer last year with a terabyte of storage so I don't usually notice a slower connection.
I mainly watch TV shows and movies on Crackle and Icefilms and what I can't find there, I can sometimes find on YouTube. People are putting up Live PD and Real Time on YouTube when the shows run and I watch them then. I usually start watching a half hour after the shows start and then skip through the commercials until I catch up tot he show at the end.
After almost 10 years of watching shows and movies without commercials, I found out I have an extremely low tolerance to commercials. By the time the third one starts, I'm so antsy I have to turn the show off. That's why I love Icefilms. It's not as good as it used to be, but they still have a lot of good stuff on there.
I also have a paid subscription to FEITV so I can catch up on all my horse shows. However, that's gone up another $20 and unless I become very rich in the future, I doubt I'll renew that.
This type of thread is rarely representative, as so many people who are not into current events, world affairs, news, information, being educated and informed about world and U.S. issues are the vast majority of those who post in a thread like this. Those who are interested in the above do not post in these threads and those who like cable do not post. And those who love to say they are anti-TV (of any sort and genre) like to post.
(some will say they get info and education on world affairs and issues elsewhere such as in print or newspaper websites)
Similar to threads on taking medication - threads are laden with (or swerve to) those who love to say they take no medication.
Similar to threads on when one arises in the morning - those who sleep very late in mornings (often after staying up really late as their norm) do not post.
As long as one keeps in mind that the threads are not representative, one can place accurate emphasis.
Last edited by matisse12; 05-23-2019 at 01:00 PM..
This type of thread is rarely representative, as so many people who are not into current events, world affairs, news, information, being educated and informed about world and U.S. issues are the vast majority of those who post in a thread like this. Those who are interested in the above do not post in these threads and those who like cable do not post. And those who love to say they are anti-TV (of any sort and genre) like to post.
(some will say they get info and education on world affairs and issues elsewhere such as in print or newspaper websites)
Similar to threads on taking medication - threads are dominated by those who love to say they take no medication.
Similar to threads on when one arises in the morning - those who sleep very late in mornings (often after staying up really late as their norm) do not post.
As long as one keeps in mind that the threads are not representative, one can place accurate emphasis.
Plus, most people aren't actually "cutting cable". They just like to use the term. Reducing services from the same ISP is nothing more than that. Nor is switching ISPs. They still get a monthly bill from the likes of ATT or Comcast and their content still comes in either wired or wireless.
The only true cable cutters are using rabbit ears and getting min channels.
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