Cutting the cord

[kscarrol]

OK, so I finally have fiber in my neighborhood and am seriously considering cutting the cord. Tired of paying for cable TV packages/channels we never use.

Usage is pretty basic, news channels (BBC, CNN, Fox etc), sports so ESPN, CBS, FOX, NFL and then random channels like the Food Network, History Channel etc. Also want local channels so suppose I need a HD antenna to get those.

Who has done this and what is the best option. I am tied into Apple with music, phone etc so I suppose Apple TV is an option. TV is a Sony 4K smart TV so have options there as well. Anybody use Roku or Amazon Fire? Any other options I'm missing?

Help out an aging baby boomer!

TIA!

[MrSmartyPants]

We did it years ago. Need solid internet service, Roku3, Netflix (movies and documentaries) and Sling (tv channels you have listed). If you have Amazon prime you'll get more movies and such. Also have more channels on the roku like red bull, Pandora, etc.

Costs us about $110 per month not counting Amazon Prime.

[bimmer456]

Originally Posted by MrSmartyPants

We did it years ago. Need solid internet service, Roku3, Netflix (movies and documentaries) and Sling (tv channels you have listed). If you have Amazon prime you'll get more movies and such. Also have more channels on the roku like red bull, Pandora, etc.

Costs us about $110 per month not counting Amazon Prime.

$110 is more than I pay for DirecTV with DVR.

[tdott]

Originally Posted by bimmer456

$110 is more than I pay for DirecTV with DVR.

Including internet?

[Clark_Kent]

Originally Posted by bimmer456

$110 is more than I pay for DirecTV with DVR.

I was about to say the same. $80/per month for the Choice Package (185+ channels) with 3 HD DVRs. Internet is $60/ per month. With everyone cutting the cord I decided to play hardball with them and they acquiesced.

[c1pher]

I have an Nvidia Shield which works very well for me. I use Playstation Vue, Netflix UHD, Amazon Prime and VUDU for the most part.

[infinitekidM2C]

i looked into it; once u pay for good internet, some streaming services that cost $$ because they actually have content you watch, then add the hassle and shit, it aint worth it currently.

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by infinitekid2002

i looked into it; once u pay for good internet, some streaming services that cost $$ because they actually have content you watch, then add the hassle and shit, it aint worth it currently.

Kind of seeing this as well. AT&T is offering fiber (1,000 MPS), DirectTV and home phone at a significant discount for what I'm paying for Cox internet (100 MPS), Cox Cable (no movie channels) and AT&T home phone. Leaning towards dropping the land line all together but we'll see about that. As I look at the equipment, various subscriptions to cover what I watch regularly it might just be easier to go the AT&T/DurectTV route for a couple years until the industry moves to more skinny bundle options for content.

[Never_Enough]

I left Comcast for Fios this past Summer. I would love to leave them all & just use Hulu or Netflix etc, but they don't have nearly all the networks/shows I watch and I don't want to wait weeks to watch new episodes. Maybe in the future they will catch up?

[Never_Enough]

Originally Posted by infinitekid2002

i looked into it; once u pay for good internet, some streaming services that cost $$ because they actually have content you watch, then add the hassle and shit, it aint worth it currently.

This

[turboawd]

all i need is my phone with unlimited data. can mirror view to tv if i want.

[Mr Carrots]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

Kind of seeing this as well. AT&T is offering fiber (1,000 MPS), DirectTV and home phone at a significant discount for what I'm paying for Cox internet (100 MPS), Cox Cable (no movie channels) and AT&T home phone. Leaning towards dropping the land line all together but we'll see about that. As I look at the equipment, various subscriptions to cover what I watch regularly it might just be easier to go the AT&T/DurectTV route for a couple years until the industry moves to more skinny bundle options for content.

Lol @ a home phone, i have the AT&T 1 gig line but refuse to pay for boomer packaged tv, $10 a month for newsgroup access gets me anything not on netflix.

[stooker]

OP, if you're like me and don't get drawn into the newest shows and/or have to watch new episodes religiously every week when they come out, any streaming service is fine. I cut cable/satellite service and have used Netflix for the last 5+ years, and haven't looked back. I'm also an Amazon Prime member, but haven't really used their streaming service much. Moving back and forth across the Atlantic forced me into this situation, but it's liberating not having to pay exorbitant monthly rates to sit my ass on a couch for hours on end.

Live sports would be the only difficult one to work around if you're a big sports fan, but there are streaming packages for that as well, but I haven't really compared costs nor do I care enough about sports to do it.

Currently, I pay monthly about $30 for broadband here in the UK (no upgraded speeds, just the basic service), $10 for Netflix, and $10 for Spotify Premium. So $50 a month for a family of four, more than enough entertainment for all of us. The basic broadband (17Mb, I believe) has never failed to deliver full HD streaming, so I haven't seen the need to upgrade.

I had real good success receiving OTA HD in Colorado using a $20 HD antenna. Do you know what's available in your area?

[zgood4u]

We cut the cord many years ago, use Roku with Netfilx and many assorted free channels available. I use digital antennas for local programming, no issues at all.

[MrSmartyPants]

Originally Posted by Never_Enough

I left Comcast for Fios this past Summer. I would love to leave them all & just use Hulu or Netflix etc, but they don't have nearly all the networks/shows I watch and I don't want to wait weeks to watch new episodes. Maybe in the future they will catch up?

Sling is your answer on current TV shows, and you can stream tons of other stuff from each channel.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by Never_Enough

I left Comcast for Fios this past Summer. I would love to leave them all & just use Hulu or Netflix etc, but they don't have nearly all the networks/shows I watch and I don't want to wait weeks to watch new episodes. Maybe in the future they will catch up?

Once you get into watching several episodes at a time, you will rather wait. I can watch a season of a cable TV show over the course of a week or two. And once you realize how short the episodes are without commercials, you also save time.

As far as being a hassle, most of these content providers are built in to modern TVs. In most cases you don’t need a Roku, Shield, Apple TV etc.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by MrSmartyPants

Sling is your answer on current TV shows, and you can stream tons of other stuff from each channel.

I think PS Vue is a better option and provides local channels if you can’t get them over the air. You do need a PlayStation but can probably find a used PS3 on Craigslist cheap and then use your Shield, Apple TV etc as your Vue interface.

[Never_Enough]

Originally Posted by MGM135is

Once you get into watching several episodes at a time, you will rather wait. I can watch a season of a cable TV show over the course of a week or two. And once you realize how short the episodes are without commercials, you also save time.

As far as being a hassle, most of these content providers are built in to modern TVs. In most cases you don’t need a Roku, Shield, Apple TV etc.

I am not a binge watcher. I already have DVR, I know how short they are as I FF through commercials.

[c1pher]

So as a dvr watcher you are still waiting....a little less time but still waiting.

[Habs11]

Good internet and an Amazon Fire stick ($50) with Kodi loaded - have to be willing to tinker with Kodi as the feeds change but many movies and shows to watch for free. Can also pay for Netflix etc. but Kodi is supposed to replace that.

We've done Roku as well. $70 up front and then $10+ depending on what streaming you want.

In both cases you need internet service - mine is currently $40/mo and I need to upgrade but I'm holding out.

[Samurai of 2day]

Originally Posted by MGM135is

I think PS Vue is a better option and provides local channels if you can’t get them over the air. You do need a PlayStation but can probably find a used PS3 on Craigslist cheap and then use your Shield, Apple TV etc as your Vue interface.

On this subject, have any of you used your consoles as cable boxes...?

I am strongly considering cutting the cord as well. I will give PS Vue a shot,,but since I have Xbox One console and just got the One X, I was thinking of turning in my fios equipment to save on the rental fees and using the consoles instead.

If anyone has tried this method of cutting down on cable costs, your feedback would be appreciated.

[c1pher]

I have a PS4 Pro which I used to register PS Vue with. I use my Shield TV though as my cable box because I feels more user friendly overall for Vue, Netflix, Amazon, Vudu and supports 4K HDR and Atmos. I think some of the apps on the consoles support UHD content but the Shield has been leading on that front.

Due to MS vs Sony, Vue is nt available on XBOX.