How to request: Cutting the cable cord

I'm seriously thinking about cutting out cable TV. It's bloody expensive and no one in the family seems to watch much TV. We would keep high speed internet.

Some questions
1. We already have Netflix streaming. Are there other services that would be helpful (e.g. Amazon Prime)?
2. One TV is a smart TV, another has a Roku, so streaming to those devices is in place.
3. If I still want to receive any/all available local HD channels, I think I need an antenna. Is that correct? If so, what kind? I see both indoor and outdoor antennas listed.
4. What other considerations are there?

TIA!

We have Amazon Prime as well as Netflix and a lousy antenna. Get a good outdoor antenna. A lousy antenna means I don't even bother trying to watch antenna based stuff. Can you live without the racing you watch or with the limited access to most college and pro sports?

MrJoshua wrote: We have Amazon Prime as well as Netflix and a lousy antenna. Get a good outdoor antenna. A lousy antenna means I don't even bother trying to watch antenna based stuff. Can you live without the racing you watch or with the limited access to most college and pro sports?

I think I can live without those items. In reality, I don't watch much racing and am not a fan of pro sports at all. The one thing that might be tough would be Gator games.

If you go to this website and plug your address in, it will show you the direction and distance of the nearest digital OTA TV repeater. It will also show you what type of antenna you need. Its pretty handy

AntennaWeb

I have a roof antenna, and the one channel it comes with - that I don't watch at all. I'd like to say I get more done around the house, but I can't seem to shake the internet habit.

We have an indoor antenna that will pick up 6-8 channels, Netflix and Hulu. What kind of antenna will depend on how close your are to the stations. For the most part, our TV just stays off. After a week or so, you won't even miss it.

I have a Moho antenna with a booster. Digital TV reception map will let you know what TV is available in your area. You can DIY a fractal antenna if you want to or just buy it. I was really lazy and just went and bought one.

I use a Roku and am going to pick up a Apple TV. I am slowly migrating to Apple products. I don't know anything about Chromecast other than they used to have a bunch of network TV stations blocked because they are scared of Google. Roku has a bunch of "private" channels. Just search the net. You can find all sorts of stuff. Apple really doesn't

We like Prime because of the free shipping. They have a very good selection of older movies, but on the newer stuff Netflix and Prime have about the same stuff.

Netflix is doing more direct programming. So it is more HBO-ish Prime has done a few but Netflix is the leader in this one.

It is easier than you think.

We've been without TV for a really long time. Like 10 years or more (really not sure- that's how much I miss it). Totally don't need it.

Whenever I think about it, I realize I'd have to give up something I have now. My life is good- there is simply nothing I'd want to give up in order to have TV.

I do like an occasional football game. But they are a lot more fun with other people. I just call up a friend, or stop by a Sports bar.

We have Netflix streaming (not much happening there), and rent videos. Nothing more.

If I want something current like the news, I will turn to the radio, or the internet.

I am perfectly happy paying ZERO for television. Well, I guess it costs me a six pack every once in a while when I visit a friend's house.

SVreX wrote: I am perfectly happy paying ZERO for television. Well, I guess it costs me a six pack every once in a while when I visit a friend's house.

Lightweight

I didn't say how much I DRINK.

I only said how much I give away.

It depends on your location from the source but you may not even have to buy anything to get OTA signals. Mine is just a length of cable that was already ran to the roof for an ole satellite instillation.

Read about it here http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/ota-tv-people/89652/page1/

Still getting 32 channels completely free.

Great info so far. Thanks!

i get free basic cable with my cable internet connection. none of the channels are HD, but there are like 40 of them- all the locals and a few random channels.. i don't use it since i have Dish Network..

Amazon Fire TV with Kodi sideloaded.

Nick_Comstock wrote: It depends on your location from the source but you may not even have to buy anything to get OTA signals. Mine is just a length of cable that was already ran to the roof for an ole satellite instillation. Read about it here http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/ota-tv-people/89652/page1/ Still getting 32 channels completely free.

I checked out the tvfool website Donaldson linked to in your thread. It made my head hurt. Interesting to see the difference between a set top, an attic and a roof mounted antenna though.

Any of the non cable folks use TWC as their internet provider? If so do they not increase the internet price each year?

I haven't had cable since living on my own ~5 years. Between netflix, torrents, sports bars and friends. I can watch almost anything I want to.

trigun7469 wrote: Any of the non cable folks use TWC as their internet provider? If so do they not increase the internet price each year?

Yes and yes. I'm currently paying $50 a month for 15 mbps service, it was $43 last year.

Between Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu Plus we're never short on stuff to watch. I do all of my streaming through my ps3. Some $7 rabbit ears take care of the local channels.

Thanks again for all of the information folks!

I wish that I could get SWMBO to consider this. We have Netflix, a roku and amazon prime. The only thing I'd miss is sports, MLB, the occasional football game and the occasional college basketball game.

I wouldn't even mind playing for cable/fios if the bundles let you pick ala cart 30% or 40% percent of the non premium channels to be included in your package. fios is the worst with this, the base package includes some channels that the package a tier up doesn't include. Give me BBC America, DIY, Velocity, the 2 local cable sports networks, ESPN assortment, CBS Sports, FS1, Bloomberg, CNN, CNBC, Al Jerza, Nat Geo and I'm fine (and a 1/3rd of them I can do without reading news stories and exposes)

I think it's Lag10.com that shows lots of sports.

Edit-never mind. Doesn't seem to exist or I just can't find it.

I've got Netflix and Prime and I'm thinking of ditching Netflix or Prime for Hulu Plus. Prime shipping is rad, but I rarely use it (except for Christmas), although as Amazon grows free 2-day shipping may become more useful.

I haven't watched a movie on Netflix in awhile, and I really want them to build more "cult classic" types of lists. There is a lot of stuff I want to watch that isn't on Netflix.

It'd be nice to watch stuff like Modern Family on Hulu Plus. Probably one of my favorite network shows.

I get NBC, ABC, Fox, PBS and some other odds and end channels over the air. I have TWC for my internet and for almost a year I got about 40-50 cable channels without a box. They eventually came out and installed a filter that blocked almost all of the cable channels and put a serious hurt on my internet. I ended up having to install two different cable amps in order to get my internet back up to snuff. It's been about a year without cable and I can't say I miss it. We use Amazon Prime for streaming stuff.

I also wish I could have gotten SWMBO to go along with something like this. When I was on my own I just paid for internet, and got everything else either OTA or streamed. I've yet to figure out a method that matches the DVR in simplicity for downloading and watching her shows though, so I'm pretty much stuck with the DirecTV bill for a while.

Ashyukun: Check out software called Sickbeard. Its a tool for the shady side of cutting cable, but it works just as you would want it: knows what shows you want and downloads them automatically when they are available. It does however require a PC to be on to run it.