Cable, Satellite, or Neither

[cougarfreak]

I currently have DTV, but my bill is approaching almost $100 a month for 2 DVR's and most of their channels (with no add ons, i.e. HBO, Showtime, Sports Pak, etc). I'm debating changing to cable, where I can get the same set up, with crappier DVR's for about $65 a month. The thing is, really, only my kids watch tv anymore. The only thing I really, really watch are live sports. MLB, NFL, and a little college BB. My question is, what TV provider do you have, and are you happy?

[Izulde]

Between Netflix and Hulu+, I don't see the need for TV, especially at the prices they charge. The only thing I miss having is live sports, but that's not enough for me to go back on the tether.

[cougarfreak]

Between Netflix and Hulu+, I don't see the need for TV, especially at the prices they charge. The only thing I miss having is live sports, but that's not enough for me to go back on the tether.

That's just it for me. I can't watch the Reds on MLB TV because I'm in their market. That just doesn't work for me.

[corbes]

For the longest time I was still getting only the networks for $19 per month and I was fine with that. Now Charter doesn't offer that anymore so I have to choose between NO TV and WAY MORE TV THAN YOU WANT. I'm a little torn. All I really want is NFL games, the sport we used to call "ACC Basketball" and maybe a few random college football/NHL/NBA games here and there. Remind me why we don't have a la carte cable subscriptions yet?

[lungs]

DirecTV. I live in the sticks so cable isn't an option. NFL Ticket seals the deal for DirecTV.

[jbergey22]

For the longest time I was still getting only the networks for $19 per month and I was fine with that. Now Charter doesn't offer that anymore so I have to choose between NO TV and WAY MORE TV THAN YOU WANT. I'm a little torn. All I really want is NFL games, the sport we used to call "ACC Basketball" and maybe a few random college football/NHL/NBA games here and there. Remind me why we don't have a la carte cable subscriptions yet?

The bigger channels like ESPN and CNN are stubborn. They force themselves and their little brother/sister channels into every package. Until the companies decide to stick together and fight the money hungry channels it will never happen.

It would be amazing to cut out some of these channels that are just there taking up bandwidth.

[Izulde]

Didn't JIMGA or someone else point out that an a la carte based service would actually be more expensive than the current model?

[molson]

I watch enough sports for DTV to be barely worth it. And I do like their DVR/website/service, etc, so I just try to scale back on my entertainment budget otherwise and just go mostly all-in with them for movies and TV.

If you call them and explain your quandary, I bet they'll give you some discounts if you've been with them for a while.

[IlliniCub]

Netflix and Hulu Plus for me and couldn't be happier

[stevew]

It's worth it to find a friend with HBOGO.

[Izulde]

It's worth it to find a friend with HBOGO.

Yeah, that's the one thing that pisses me off about HBO is that they require you to already have an HBO subscription. If they offered HBOGO separately, I'd pick that up alongside Netflix and Hulu+.

[Scoobz0202]

That's just it for me. I can't watch the Reds on MLB TV because I'm in their market. That just doesn't work for me.

This is the big thing for me. The Reds. I still have MLB TV, and quite often used a proxy to watch the Reds on the computer, but I want to sit on the couch and watch the game 90% of the time. If I didn't live in the market then cutting the cord would be an easy decision.

[RendeR]

NFL sunday ticket, slam dunk. DTV

[Abe Sargent]

Didn't JIMGA or someone else point out that an a la carte based service would actually be more expensive than the current model?

Correct

[JonInMiddleGA]

Didn't JIMGA or someone else point out that an a la carte based service would actually be more expensive than the current model?

I did. And others have.

Just a lot of folks don't like that reality.

[DaddyTorgo]

Yeah, that's the one thing that pisses me off about HBO is that they require you to already have an HBO subscription. If they offered HBOGO separately, I'd pick that up alongside Netflix and Hulu+.

I'm sure it's not HBO that requires that - I'm sure it's something written into their contract with the cable/satellite companies that they can't offer it separately.

[Izulde]

I'm sure it's not HBO that requires that - I'm sure it's something written into their contract with the cable/satellite companies that they can't offer it separately.

That would make sense, because I can't see it making sense for HBO otherwise. They would make a killing off HBOGO if they offered it separately.

[MizzouRah]

We had Dish Network for many years and then the Charter guy showed up.

We just made the switch and went from 3M internet to 30M, unlimited phone service, 4 HD DVR's and pay $169/Month vs $215 with Dish and Centurylink.

Had it about 3 weeks now and LOVE IT. The kids tape what they want, my wife and I each tape what we want and internet is blazing. VERY HAPPY we made the switch!

[PilotMan]

Well, I'm not a good judge. After 10 years I have cable again, despite being totally happy having nothing. I ended up getting it after I was able to pretty much add it for free since my 20.0 internet was going up. It's been nice, but I won't pay through the nose to keep it.

[Subby]

We are just way over the top in our house. Fios ultra hd or whatever the top tier HD package is, plus HBO, Showtime, Netflix, and Hulu Plus.

And we still can't get the fucking redbox movies returned on time.

[Desnudo]

Does FIOS count as cable? I think of it differently even if it's nearly as shitty.

[molson]

And we still can't get the fucking redbox movies returned on time.

I love when they send me a text for a free rental but then I can't be bothered to get around to returning it for a week and then pay $6 for it. I'm not that bright.

[IlliniCub]

For fellow cord cutters, since the espn app on xbox updated today, it asked me authenticate my internet provider on their page and I'm able to watch stuff live again without a tv subscription like the old days? I don't know if it's a glitch or not but just thought I'd let you know!

[britrock88]

For the longest time I was still getting only the networks for $19 per month and I was fine with that. Now Charter doesn't offer that anymore so I have to choose between NO TV and WAY MORE TV THAN YOU WANT. I'm a little torn. All I really want is NFL games, the sport we used to call "ACC Basketball" and maybe a few random college football/NHL/NBA games here and there. Remind me why we don't have a la carte cable subscriptions yet?

Antenna?

[gstelmack]

For fellow cord cutters, since the espn app on xbox updated today, it asked me authenticate my internet provider on their page and I'm able to watch stuff live again without a tv subscription like the old days? I don't know if it's a glitch or not but just thought I'd let you know!

It depends on the cable provider. Time Warner requires a TV subscription to let you watch the ESPN internet stuff, so I'm out.

I am OTA, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Blu-Ray. What's funny is my kids have turned more to interactive stuff. While they still enjoy family movie night occasionally, for the most part they'd rather play on their computer, the Xbox, or their iPod / 3DS (one has an iPod, the other a 3DS) when they want screen time. Even with many of their shows on Netflix, they just don't ask to watch them anymore.

I miss out on a lot of sports - if it's not OTA, I don't watch it. I'm not into baseball or the NBA enough to subscribe to their streaming services, and if I REALLY wanted more NFL coverage I'd get the streaming NFL Sunday Ticket from DirecTV. But it's not worth $300 for the handful of Patriots games each year that aren't on broadcast.

So we spend our money elsewhere, not on pay TV. Next up is deciding if I REALLY want a smartphone, or if I should get a 4G Tablet and get a regular phone to cut down on the expensive data plans, since the tablets are $10/month rather than $30/month for the smartphone.

[Marc Vaughan]

I've got DirectTV because of a couple of reality TV shows my wife is addicted to and my Soccer channels ... outside of that NetFlix and iTunes provide most of my viewing.

[Coffee Warlord]

Between Netflix and Hulu+, I don't see the need for TV, especially at the prices they charge. The only thing I miss having is live sports, but that's not enough for me to go back on the tether.

Exactly.

And I can get most of local sports over the antenna still anyway.

[cougarfreak]

I just called my cable company, I have an install for Friday morning. I'm getting their whole home DVR service on 2 TV's for $62 a month. Price guaranteed for a year, and only goes up $5 a year thereafter. I'll take it, for now. That gets me basically all their TV channels except the movie channels. And I get Fox Soccer with them, which requires an upgrade with Direct, so I'll be back in business with the EPL.

[ISiddiqui]

I'm sure it's not HBO that requires that - I'm sure it's something written into their contract with the cable/satellite companies that they can't offer it separately.

That would make sense, because I can't see it making sense for HBO otherwise. They would make a killing off HBOGO if they offered it separately.

It's actually HBO which is driving the "you need a cable subscription". The cable companies aren't going to force HBO to do much. Basically HBO saves TONS of money based on the fact that a substantial portion of its advertizing is done by... cable companies. Cable companies pimp the Hell out of HBO, Showtime, etc, so it makes sense for HBO to be tied to the cable companies - if they try to remove themselves from it, then they'd have to spent oodles more on advertizing.

This was somewhat recognized when Netflix asked if they could stream HBO shows. What HBO basically asked to be paid would have likely raised the monthly fee by $20 a month more than what Netflix is charging now.

[cougarfreak]

Cable installed this morning. I'm pleasantly surprised, the equipment is pretty good. The directv dvr had gotten so damned slow it was a pain in the ass to change channels. Picture quality is solid. And to boot, I got HBO free for 2 months, and with the provider it works on the ROKU, which it never did with direct (one of the reasons I cancelled HBO with them).

[stevew]

I have the 5 tuner whole house DTV. It's freaking awesome.

[General Mike]

Had DirecTV for TV for about 7 years but had to have Comcast for broadband internet since I can't get DSL or FiOS where I live. Comcast salesperson came around back in January and I switched to their triple play since it saved us about $70 a month for a nearly similar package.