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Alternatives to Cable/Dish TV???

M

MadScientist

Platinum Member
You may have already read about this over at AVS. A company called ivi, inc. is offering live TV streaming for $4.99/month. You can sign up for a 30 day trial. The downside is that the channels they currently offer are few, no HD, and if you want to stream to your TV you need something to stream to, HTPC, media box, blu-ray disc player, etc. They are also being sued by the major broadcasters.
http://www.ivi.tv/

http://www.hometoys.com/mediastream/index.php

I pay $24./month for basic cable and only get a few more channels than they offer. I have 3 TVs, one hooked up to an HTPC, so with their service I would have to add something to my other 2 TVs to stream video. The $71./month average cable bill they are referring to is probably for extended basic, which would cost me $70/month from my cable TV provider Suddenlink.

This is not for those that can get OTA TV, but for us country folk who need a 500' high antenna to get a snowy picture, if they add more channels and HD and survive the lawsuit, it might be worth a try.

Here's another live TV streaming service for $9.95/month with a few more channels. From their channel lineup, it looks like the only HD channel is CBS.

http://www.filmon.com/tv/
 
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I've checked antenaweb before. It says to get 1 station, CBS out of Wheeling, 50 miles from me, I need a LARGE directional antenna with a pre-amp. How large, how high? It's not worth it for 1 channel, if, and I doubt it, I can get it.
I live in a valley, or as the WV natives call it a hollar (the r is silent). I'm lucky to get cable TV and DSL. Just down the road from me the cable line stops. They have dishes (the state flower) and dial-up internet.
 
MadScientist said:
I've checked antenaweb before. It says to get 1 station, CBS out of Wheeling, 50 miles from me, I need a LARGE directional antenna with a pre-amp. How large, how high? It's not worth it for 1 channel, if, and I doubt it, I can get it.
I live in a valley, or as the WV natives call it a hollar (the r is silent). I'm lucky to get cable TV and DSL. Just down the road from me the cable line stops. They have dishes (the state flower) and dial-up internet.
Click to expand...

I am in Toronto and can catch Buffalo stations. OTA ain't going to help you much if you are in a valley.

Have you tried just sticking rabbit ears into your atsc antenna port on your tv? it might surprise you.
 
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Nothing wrong with satellite TV. I've thought about switching to a dish.
Years ago when I lived in Jersey across from the World Trade Center a set of rabbit ears would get me all the networks. Ain't going to work here in WV.
 
MadScientist said:
Nothing wrong with satellite TV. I've thought about switching to a dish.
Years ago when I lived in Jersey across from the World Trade Center a set of rabbit ears would get me all the networks. Ain't going to work here in WV.
Click to expand...

well how good is your cable service?
 
The cable service is average. Suddenlink's basic cable package is pretty basic, not much better than ivi TV, but I can't see paying $70./month for their extended basic which adds only a few more channels. That's why I hope ivi TV gets their act together.
 
MadScientist said:
The cable service is average. Suddenlink's basic cable package is pretty basic, not much better than ivi TV, but I can't see paying $70./month for their extended basic which adds only a few more channels. That's why I hope ivi TV gets their act together.
Click to expand...

so go satellite.
 
I checked on satellite TV last year but could not get any of the network channels, local or no-local. The network affiliates in Wheeling, under some FCC regulation, would not allow it, only cable or OTA. That has since changed, with Dish TV I can now get all the network channels in Wheeling.

Dish TV's current America Top 120 package looks like the best deal.
Pros: $26.49 with tax/mo for 12 months, HD for life, local stations included in price, 1-2 TV HD/Std. receiver, free installation.

Cons: If you have 2 HD TVs, you will need another solo HD receiver, an extra $7.00/mo. I have a standard 27" TV in the living room, a 50" plasma in the family room, and a small 9" standard TV in the kitchen that I will retire, so for now I only need the 1-2 TV receiver.
No HD for local network channels. Limited amount of HD channels.
Must commit to 24 months, price increases to $41.49 with tax/mo after 12 months.
Out of the 120 channels, I picked 15 I would watch. Will cable and satellite TV ever offer ala carte packages?

Even with the price increase after 12 months it's still cheaper than my cable company's extended basic price. I may go satellite.
 
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MadScientist said:
I checked on satellite TV last year but could not get any of the network channels, local or no-local. The network affiliates in Wheeling, under some FCC regulation, would not allow it, only cable or OTA. That has since changed, with Dish TV I can now get all the network channels in Wheeling.

Dish TV's current America Top 120 package looks like the best deal.
Pros: $26.49 with tax/mo for 12 months, HD for life, local stations included in price, 1-2 TV HD/Std. receiver, free installation.

Cons: If you have 2 HD TVs, you will need another solo HD receiver, an extra $7.00/mo. I have a standard 27" TV in the living room, a 50" plasma in the family room, and a small 9" standard TV in the kitchen that I will retire, so for now I only need the 1-2 TV receiver.
No HD for local network channels. Limited amount of HD channels.
Must commit to 24 months, price increases to $41.49 with tax/mo after 12 months.
Out of the 120 channels, I picked 15 I would watch. Will cable and satellite TV ever offer ala carte packages?

Even with the price increase after 12 months it's still cheaper than my cable company's extended basic price. I may go satellite.
Click to expand...

I don't know how it works in the states, but up here in Canakistan, BB tends to have sat receivers going for X dollars and you get Y dollars in programming credit if you are a new subscriber. During last year's boxing day sale, the receiver was 100 bux and you get 100 dollar programming credit per box. I got 4 and went with Bell. In essence the boxes became free. Maybe there is similar offers there?
 
get cable modem and get free channels ? the unencrypted QAM is not bad. 90% of the content you watch is the main locals anyways. 7media center rocks.
 
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