People who "cut the cord"- Do you regret it?

[squarecut1]

More reason why a TV media company should never be ISP and vice versa. Big conflict of interest.

Cord cutters might be the biggest losers in the AT&T-DirecTV merger

http://news.yahoo.com/cord-cutters-might-biggest-losers-t-directv-merger-130547258.html

 

[Attic]

I was getting the butt rapage from TWC at my last place. I dropped the box and went basic cable, still got HD on the network stations and paid $18 a month. Of course TWC still tried their BS with billing me much more than that up front and then claiming i'd get discounts down the road. Only took 11ty million calls to CS to actually get the discount I was promised applied months late to the initial agreement.

Now i'm with Charter and getting the corn cob no lube at $210 a month. One asshole in the house has to have their cable packages (wife). $210 is worlds cheaper than her wrath if we cut the cord. The pricing scheme is a vortex of suck, but still better that DTV for similar package.

 

[watdahel]

More reason why a TV media company should never be ISP and vice versa. Big conflict of interest.

Cord cutters might be the biggest losers in the AT&T-DirecTV merger

http://news.yahoo.com/cord-cutters-might-biggest-losers-t-directv-merger-130547258.html

Yes, and here's a way to combat that. A new term seems to be making rounds in the internet space: Net Neutrality. Giant telecom companies like Comcast and Time Warner and others do not like to hear that term which basically means, all data on the Internet is treated equally, not discriminating or charging differentially by user, content, site, platform, application. The telecom companies not only want to limit your internet but they want to control how you use it. They want data originating from sites like Netflix, Hulu and Youtube to be categorized and be under a different fee schedule since they consume a ton of bandwidth. If the telecoms get their way the consumer ultimately ends footing the bill while getting even less in return.

So, the FCC is inviting EVERYONE to leave a comment on this matter at the link below. They are accepting feedback for three months. I highly encourage everyone to give a piece of your mind on whether you think the telecom companies are doing a swell job.

www.fcc.gov/comments

 

[watdahel]

John Oliver describes the matter much better.

 

[cbrsurfr]

Anyone use a Tivo Roamio HD w/ OTA antenna as an alternative to WMC/HTPC? You would still be a slave to $15 per month or $4-500 for a lifetime subscription. But it's way cheaper than cable/sat and you get a really good dvr with scheduling and other features.

My bill will be going from ~$30 to $87 in the next few months which is got me revisiting this.

I use OTA on 2 of my TV's but would miss DVR features on my main tv. Seems like the Tivo option might not be that much more when you consider the cost of a HTPC with tuner and storage.

 

[NutBucket]

My parents bought one when their DTV Pal bit the dust. Yes, you pay for the service but IMHO short of a WMC-HTPC there is no better DVR solution especially if it needs to be wife/parent/kid friendly. It really is a slick box.

The real variable is how long MS continues to support WMC. It's now a paid add-on for Win8. But at least it is wife friendly in my case...and by default it will be kid friendly assuming it's still supported when my kid is old enough to channel surf on their own.

 

[rsbennett00]

Oops, I thought this thread was about taking someone off life support. Not sure why anyone would pay for TV these days, that's absurd.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

For phones I've been wireless only since 1998. No regrets.

 

[NutBucket]

If I was a couch potato I would have cable. As much as I love sports I can do without paying a high monthly bill for mostly crap.

 

[vi edit]

I used to do WMC with extenders and xboxes but ultimately it just ended up being a hassle.

I'm doing a Roamio OTA now and skipping the cable bill this go round. It's a nice system but some obvious drawbacks. They are missing the Amazon prime streaming, out of the box I can't find a way for it to stream local media from my PC and it is far too aggressive on it's "suggestions" automated recordings with no ability that I can see to adjust.

But it's the best DVR you can use with a great listing service. And it's got one undervalued feature that I adore. RF remote. You can stick it anywhere out of site and it still works. Don't have to point at it. Has incredible range, and just flat out works great.

 

[amdhunter]

Now that Football is on and Aereo is dead, I kinda wish I had a cable box. Right now to get TV I have to run wires across my living room floor - out the window with an antenna hanging out...not fun.

 

[NutBucket]

So why not just install the antenna properly?

 

[amdhunter]

So why not just install the antenna properly?

Can't, I live in an apartment building and am not allowed to place antennas on the roof. Cablevision is making deals with landlords to disallow antennas here.

I have two windows, and can get some stations on one, and other stations on the other, but not all anywhere.

I have a perfect line of sight, with no obstructions but can't get it all. Also, I've spent WAY too much money on the LEAF, and two powered antennas that don't do any better than the passive $8 RCA one I use now.

As a matter of fact the $8 RCA one works best. lol

 

[midwestfisherman]

I "cut the cord" this month. So far I'm able to watch what I want, including the NFL games. I have internet and phone through Charter. I subscribe to Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu+.

I have found 'alternatives' to find the NFL games. For baseball I'm looking into subscribing to the MLB network on my Apple TV. I'm not much of a basketball fan, so no worries there. Even subscribing to MLB.com I still save big $ each year.

 

[Kadarin]

So at this point I recently moved in with g/f and her two kids, and am paying $104.95/mo for 50/10 business class internet (guaranteed minimum speeds, no data caps!). We have netflix and amazon prime.

Once in a while they lament not having their current shows on cable tv. My response is that I'm totally willing to have it, but will not pay for it. Since I don't see any of them stepping up to pay for it, I think we're good.

 

[veri745]

Haven't had cable for 2+ years, and never a regret.

I use Netflix and Amazon prime for watching movies/TV, and I'm not a big sports fan, but if I want to watch a game there's always a sports bar down the street.

I pay ~$45/mo for internet; no TV, no phone(landline).

 

[squarecut1]

I don't have any cable tv channels. Only HBO. Do not regret it. Even if there was no HBO, it would be no big loss. Once I am done watching The Wire, don't think I would have any use for it anyway.

 

[Ns1]

I'm itching for a reason to reconnect.

Maybe next year when I go apeshit on sports betting + fantasy sports...

 

[squarecut1]

I'm itching for a reason to reconnect.

Maybe next year when I go apeshit on sports betting + fantasy sports...

People keep talking about "alternative" ways - about which I admittedly don't know much about. But maybe that would work for you.

 

[MrSquished]

cut the cord in February. use Roku 3 with Hulu Plus & Amazon Prime. Pissed about Aereo getting shut down.

For Football luckily I live int he NY Metro area where I can pay 199 and get all teh games on my pc and all mobile devices for this season from DirecTV. Hoping to stream them to my tv via chromecast. Do you think that will be blocked though?

Only thing I miss are some food shows from bravo and food network but it's not worth the money.

 

[Ns1]

People keep talking about "alternative" ways - about which I admittedly don't know much about. But maybe that would work for you.

it's not the same

 

[smackababy]

I'm itching for a reason to reconnect.

Maybe next year when I go apeshit on sports betting + fantasy sports...

Well, a lot of the major sports leagues are transition to a streaming service not tied to a cable provider. So, if that is your hold out (and that is the reason for me, well, and HBO original content), you might not have to sign up.

This is the last year for DTVs NFL deal, and it doesn't look like the NFL is excited about a possible renewal for Sunday Ticket. A streaming option (likely through another company paid to maintain it) would generate a lot more income for them (through subscriptions and ad revenue).


Even going the "alternative" ways to view games not broadcast locally, it is never as good.

 

[squarecut1]

Well, a lot of the major sports leagues are transition to a streaming service not tied to a cable provider. .

I hope that does happen. Would also spell the end of cable TV

 

[Ns1]

Well, a lot of the major sports leagues are transition to a streaming service not tied to a cable provider.

Deets? I would think that a guaranteed XXX million from a cable provider would be better than getting a few hundred from an unknown number of subscribers.

 

[smackababy]

Deets? I would think that a guaranteed XXX million from a cable provider would be better than getting a few hundred from an unknown number of subscribers.

The NFL has been in talks with quite a few other companies (Google is one of them) about picking up DTV. AT&T also has put in their merger offer with DTV that if they do not receive Sunday Ticket AT&T can back out. Also, the deal isn't in the millions, it is in the billions. Their last contract was 4 years / $4 billion, and it is likely they are raising the price this year. DTV has also, in what looks like an attempt to get Sunday Ticket subscriptions up (beside giving it away free for a year), now offer it online if you cannot get DTV at your location. Only 10% of DTV users subscribe to Sunday Ticket currently.