Im thinking of going with basic cable for 30 a month for local channels and using streaming tv like Amazon TV, Roku, Apple TV. Anyone here use any of them and if so what do you like about it? I have a Amazon prime membership so I can get free movies and shows.
Streaming tv?
- Thread starter k1agh
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There are Roku, and other brand, models that will work as a DVR, with an external hard drive. Depending on what you want to watch, you can skip cable and use an antenna to get Over The Air (OTA) programming.
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KC4RAF
Member
Why pay 30 bucks a month
for OTA, (local channels) when it's free?! Last time I checked, we get well over 50 channels with our outside antenna, thirty feet up on a mast.
for OTA, (local channels) when it's free?! Last time I checked, we get well over 50 channels with our outside antenna, thirty feet up on a mast.
I was thinking of going with Roku-It offers more. The reason why I have to pay the 30 a month to get the locals is because a OTA antenna around where I live needs to be 50 feet or higher due to the mountains and hills.
prcguy
Member
I think the basic Directv package is $19.95 and includes about 145 channels including your locals. Directv also streams stuff but I've not used that feature yet.
prcguy
prcguy
rapidcharger
Member
It depends on what you want to watch.
I recently cut the cord and I'm actually watching more tv now than I did before when I had dish.
But I'm fortunate to have a good selection of local channels and I also use smart tvs for streaming content as well as stored content on my media server. And I have a dvr/dvd recorder for making the experience basically the same as with dish. Smart tvs eliminate the need for a roku box.
The bulk of what I watch is available streaming online though..news, weather, talk shows and Comedy Central. I don't have a Amazon prime membership anymore but that doesn't stop me from renting movies or tv shows.
It is easily possible to end up paying more to cut the cord than to just have cable TV if you go overboard on the streaming pay services like Netflix and Hulu.
I recently cut the cord and I'm actually watching more tv now than I did before when I had dish.
But I'm fortunate to have a good selection of local channels and I also use smart tvs for streaming content as well as stored content on my media server. And I have a dvr/dvd recorder for making the experience basically the same as with dish. Smart tvs eliminate the need for a roku box.
The bulk of what I watch is available streaming online though..news, weather, talk shows and Comedy Central. I don't have a Amazon prime membership anymore but that doesn't stop me from renting movies or tv shows.
It is easily possible to end up paying more to cut the cord than to just have cable TV if you go overboard on the streaming pay services like Netflix and Hulu.
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prcguy
Member
If your paying that much then you have a more elaborate plan or something else going on. Call them up and complain you are going to cable or FIOS and they will get you a better price. All the cable companies seem to be way down the chart in customer satisfaction compared to Directv or the other non cable companies, so if you think you are going the right direction with cable think again.
prcguy
prcguy
rapidcharger
Member
Prcguy is right. It took me literally FIFTEEN MINUTES on the phone with dish network just to cancel and boy did they try very last ditch thing to get me to stay.
It was kind of funny because the reason I was canceling was due to billing games and promotional deals expiring before they were supposed to. So their response to that complaint was to pile on more short term promos! "See! This is what I'm talking about.," I exclaimed.
If you want to put up with that b.s. And the likely premature expiration of agreed upon deals, they love to play games.
I did really like dish while I had it and never would have thought to cancel until they started playing games with the bills.
It was kind of funny because the reason I was canceling was due to billing games and promotional deals expiring before they were supposed to. So their response to that complaint was to pile on more short term promos! "See! This is what I'm talking about.," I exclaimed.
If you want to put up with that b.s. And the likely premature expiration of agreed upon deals, they love to play games.
I did really like dish while I had it and never would have thought to cancel until they started playing games with the bills.
prcguy
Member
If you think your paying too much based on current offers or the competition, call and try to get a better deal. If the person on the phone is not offering you a better deal than what you are currently paying then ask to speak with a "customer retention" person, who will have more authority to offer discounts.
Its also a good idea to do research on what the competition has so you can justify a discount with the customer retention dept and make them believe you will go to the competition if you don't get a better deal. As long as you don't ask for something ridiculous you will probably reduce your monthly bill or get some free stuff. This works for satellite, cable, phone company, etc.
prcguy
Its also a good idea to do research on what the competition has so you can justify a discount with the customer retention dept and make them believe you will go to the competition if you don't get a better deal. As long as you don't ask for something ridiculous you will probably reduce your monthly bill or get some free stuff. This works for satellite, cable, phone company, etc.
prcguy
KC4RAF
Member
PRCGUY, your post #5,
says $19.95/month. True. Until the 13th month comes along and it goes up to the standard $34.99/month rate.
says $19.95/month. True. Until the 13th month comes along and it goes up to the standard $34.99/month rate.
prcguy
Member
That's true for just about anything in life. You have to call once a year and negotiate back down to something close to where you started. Directv, Dish, U-verse, FIOS, landline/cell operators and all the cable companies work the same way.
prcguy
prcguy
rapidcharger
Member
Oh I know I've done all that.
I wasn't complaining about the price as it remained largely static for like ten years. Then out of the blue it shot up. So I called and renegotiated and the brought it down to where it was before.
And I had to do that once a year.
Then! Then, they would only give me 8 months or so at a time after persistent calling and wasting s lot of time on it.
Then the discounts would end after three months, not eight and to make a long story short, I was wasting more time fighting with them over the bills than I was spending watching tv.
And look, I understand that prices may be higher in 2015 than in 2000. And I'm ok with paying more, but don't jack up the rates and say it's because you have to...because of the networks and this and that, then lower the damn rates back to the same I was paying in 2000.
This is all a trick to get more money out of people who won't call. I think that's lousy and unethical and I don't do business with thieves. Luckily for me, satellite TV is something I can clearly do without. I watched so little of it and most of what I did watch was being canceled anyway.
I am happier without it. I really am.
I can finally get some real HD.
But despite being happier, the thought to cut the cord wouldn't have even entered my mind until they started wasting my time.
Sent from my iPad Air using The Uncarrier.
rapidcharger
Member
A lot of them engage in that practice but my cell phone plan is locked in, never seen promo rates with cell phones. And my rate with th cable company is not a promotional rate. $50/mo for 6mbps down. Nothing to brag about but I don't have to waste my time fighting with them. It's not like I can threaten to switch to something else; there is nothing else.
Sent from my iPad Air using The Uncarrier.
CapStar362
Member
Roku has a ton of free content that you would normally pay for on Dish or Cable.
there is also a generic box i have seen floating around that supports channels and content from basically any country that has OTA Or Premium content being broadcasted.
Is run by Android 4.4.4 KitKat and supports any and all apps created for android. what it will NOT do though, is support audio input or video input so don't try using it as a phone. you can install the apps but it fails to launch them when the required input is not detected. but all the games and what not, work fine.
there is also a generic box i have seen floating around that supports channels and content from basically any country that has OTA Or Premium content being broadcasted.
Is run by Android 4.4.4 KitKat and supports any and all apps created for android. what it will NOT do though, is support audio input or video input so don't try using it as a phone. you can install the apps but it fails to launch them when the required input is not detected. but all the games and what not, work fine.
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
I'm seriously considering reducing my Comcast cable to basic and using my Amazon Fire much more that I am now. I'm paying for a bunch of channels I never watch and have no interest in (unless they would broadcast the Naked News, hi) and their service plain sucks. I recently lost most of my HD channels, and a tech said they need to rewire my box coming into my condo - in about a week.
Yeah right...I'm not holding my breath.
Besides I'm on a fixed income (still working but getting paid like you do from Social Security)...and I can't swallow these increases anymore...Mike
Yeah right...I'm not holding my breath.
Besides I'm on a fixed income (still working but getting paid like you do from Social Security)...and I can't swallow these increases anymore...Mike
rapidcharger
Member
So what did you decide?
Reducing your plan to basic might still be very expensive- it is here anyway, same provider, but it should give you access to the same channels on Xfinity to go, which can be used to watch on mobile devices.
The thing is, a lot of the basic channels also but their programming online after some time. And if they dont, if youre willing to wait until the series is released on dvd or streaming rental, you can just buy the whole season or certain episodes without having to subscribe to cable.
Being in a condo, you may not be able to use an external antenna to get local channels if you need to though.
rapidcharger
Member
Most of the stuff on pay channels sucks too, does it not?
Isn't that why people are cutting the cord in droves- because subscription TV services ain't worth the money?
So what's the difference?
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