OT - Cutting the cord

CTMike

tarheelmatt said:

I have wanted to cut the cord for sometime now, just too chicken to do it.  

I switched to AT&T last Dec, when they came out with the new unlimited plans that also offers no data DirecTV watching on your mobile device.  The 2-3 times I use that comes in handy.  However, the bad item is, I have to change to a different unlimited plan, and with that I lose my corporate discount through work, but save $25 on DTV NOW, and would only pay $10 a month for that low tier service, which fits our life.  

I was planning to go DirecTV NOW and get an antenna for OTA.  The new Mohu is coming out 10/8 and is $149 at BestBuy only (I think or is an exclusive).  I like the idea of the Mohu being the hub if you will of your streaming devices.  I think the integration it offers is worth the extra dollars.  

I'm with @blasting, FoodNetwork is a big item for me and we do the same here as you, just have it going in the background when doing things.  

I was planning to get a Roku device to handle the rest (Netflix, Amazon, etc).  


Edit: 

I may go to the new Fire TV.  Can get that plus a antenna for $74!  Or Fire TV and Echo Dot for $79.  I'd want to add the Ethernet connector, so that would add another $15.

http://amzn.to/2y4ubOU

Side load PS Vue onto your FireTv and you will have Food Network. 

billt01

@CTMike

side load Mobdro on your firestick and you will have a hellova lot more than food network...

tarheelmatt

billt01 said:

@CTMike

side load Mobdro on your firestick and you will have a hellova lot more than food network...

I may just order the Fire Stick, heck, it's cheaper and available now.  

billt01

@tarheelmatt

Be warned, the fire stick does not have the storage or horsepower as a fire TV..

I have several friends that love them, and I have several friends who hate them.

The WIFI antenna is the biggest complaint I have heard so far though...

tarheelmatt

billt01 said:

@tarheelmatt

Be warned, the fire stick does not have the storage or horsepower as a fire TV..

I have several friends that love them, and I have several friends who hate them.

The WIFI antenna is the biggest complaint I have heard so far though...

Well, I just ordered one.  I'm ready to be done with expensive DTV bill.  

I ordered the Ethernet adapter to go along with it.  Space, meh, we don't watch a lot of stuff, nor need a lot of apps.  

Ethernet Adapter - http://amzn.to/2xn5k5e






I got this antenna.  Checked the map and have many channels within 25 miles.  

http://amzn.to/2y4mVTd

tarheelmatt

My DirecTV has been cancelled and now have DirecTVNow and OTA.  So far, the week of trial wasn't bad at all except for a few things we like to record.  Looking for a DVR of sort.  The Romieo of Tivo looks good, but dang, it's expensive. 

DaveRichardson

I've got a "jailbroken" amazon fire stick thing.  I get everything out there; "It" is already on there.  I'm guessing the hacks at the movie places is helping to feed the streaming industry. 

My MIL wants one when she saw all 15 seasons on NCIS were available to stream!

Hoster05

Revisiting an old thread.  We recently started the directTV NOW Free trial and like it thus far.  It also has our local stations which is a huge plus. They offer more channels then YouTube TV. Right now they are running a special that gives us $15 off a month, every month, so we can get the 2nd level package for the price of the lowest level.  Conditionally to that if we pay for 3 months in advance, they give you a 4th generation Apple TV.  Seems like a no brainer right? Or am I missing something. 

ElkhornHusker

We cut the cord this past Saturday.  Using Sling tv now.  So far so good.

Lit

I got a fire stick and loaded terrarium tv. Took like 10 minutes and pretty much anything you could ever want to watch is there. We just watch the same shows but they day after now. I put a 150 mile HD antenna in the attic and wired that as the main feed into the house so we get ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS all in 1080 and like 40 other various channels. Haven’t missed cable at all.

ElkhornHusker

1 issue I have with slingtv is that the channels in the orange package you only get 1 stream at a time.  So I can't watch ESPN at the same time someone else is watching food network 

RockyTopDW

Food network is not orange. 

ElkhornHusker

RockyTopDW said:

Food network is not orange. 

Just used it as an example of the issue I am having.  Can't watch 2 orange level programs at same time.

HeavyG

nolaegghead said:

Read moar bookz!

Especially some on ethics.

GATraveller

Holy crap.....I have to cut the chord.  Just had a long chat with Comcast and they have increased my monthly billing to $300 now that my "promotion" expired.  WTF!!!  Only way I can get it back down is to add their Home Security.  What a crock!

ColtsFan

Hulu live user here. Switched from Sling. Pretty happy for $40/month

drumdudeguy

Tivo Roamio 1TB OTA DVR  https://www.tivo.com/shop/ota-detail

ElkhornHusker

ColtsFan said:

Hulu live user here. Switched from Sling. Pretty happy for $40/month

I may switch to Hulu live, missing my B10 network

blasting

ColtsFan said:

Hulu live user here. Switched from Sling. Pretty happy for $40/month

I'm in my second day of the trial for Hulu Live, and I must say it's pretty slick.  YoutubeTV already cancelled - Hulu Live beats it, hands down.  

THEBuckeye

Legume said:

This thread reminds me that I pay too much for tv and I watch too much tv.

Got to have something to do between cooking and drinking. 

ksmyrl

I was planning to cut the cord. I live in the boonies and the OTA didn’t work well for me. I tested Hululive, Direct TV Now, and Sling and found each had some bad flaws. But I was determined. So I called Direct TV to cancel and was planning to go with Hululive and Netflix (I’ve had Netflix for years). I immediately was escalated to a “customer retention specialist”. They gave me everything I was paying $125 a month for at a “promotional” rate of $55 a month. Just a little more than I was going to be paying for Hululive and Netflix. So I stuck. I’ll make the same call in two years when the promo runs out...maybe then I’ll cut the cord. But it’s worth a call to get a lower rate if you are on the fence. 

Hoster05

ksmyrl said:

I was planning to cut the cord. I live in the boonies and the OTA didn’t work well for me. I tested Hululive, Direct TV Now, and Sling and found each had some bad flaws. But I was determined. So I called Direct TV to cancel and was planning to go with Hululive and Netflix (I’ve had Netflix for years). I immediately was escalated to a “customer retention specialist”. They gave me everything I was paying $125 a month for at a “promotional” rate of $55 a month. Just a little more than I was going to be paying for Hululive and Netflix. So I stuck. I’ll make the same call in two years when the promo runs out...maybe then I’ll cut the cord. But it’s worth a call to get a lower rate if you are on the fence. 

what flaws did you find with Direct TV Now?

ksmyrl

For me it was horribly glitchy. Stopped in the middle of streaming to buffer etc. Channels that were supposed to be available were not “available at this time” etc. My connection was/is plenty fast enough to stream. It was several months ago, maybe it’s better now. But for me it wasn’t quite ready for prime time. 

GregW

ksmyrl said:

For me it was horribly glitchy. Stopped in the middle of streaming to buffer etc. Channels that were supposed to be available were not “available at this time” etc. My connection was/is plenty fast enough to stream. It was several months ago, maybe it’s better now. But for me it wasn’t quite ready for prime time. 

That is the pretty much the same experience I had with Direct TV Now.
I had the sweet 100 channels for $35.
Even that was a bad deal because of how poor the service was.

ElkhornHusker

Using Hulu Live right now, really like it.  I can stream my local on it too, almost don't need the antenna 

ElkhornHusker

After I cancelled cable, returned the equipment, talked to their loyalty program folks I get an email offering 40% off of my bill if I returned.  Idiots if they gave me that deal earlier I wouldn't have left

blasting

@ElkhornHusker @ColtsFan & others with HuluLive

I stumbled upon something.  When I downloaded DuckDuckGo and attached to GoogleChrome, it installed an ad blocker.  Now the ad blocker prevents commercials from playing (some shows as you know don't allow fast forwarding).  Then when the commercial time is up, the audio comes back up - calling me back to the TV.  In case others detest the commercials as much as myself, I thought I'd mention it.  

Another plus - I run a VPN, and I am able to keep it activated with Hulu whereas some services require it be disabled in order to stream.
  

cookingdude555

I tried the cord cutting thing, didn't work for me.  I am too hooked on NBA, NFL, and college basketball.  Threatening to cut did take a big chunk out of my cable bill, for the next two years anyway.

Hoster05

Got the Apple TV 4K today and downloaded the direct TV now app and started streaming.  Wife was working from home so our internet was getting used.  I was very impressed.  Already disconnected the cable boxes.  

johnkitchens

I haven't cut the cord, but I got Hulu last weekend. So far I love it!