Has Anyone Given Up Cable TV In Favor Of Streaming Video?

RadishRose

RadishRose

SF VIP
Location
Connecticut, USA
If so, please share your experiences with your service or services.

I have gotten rid of the expensive cable last week, saving ALOT. I downloaded Netflix, Hulu Plus, ABC News, YouTube and Pandora, so far.

Netfilx and Hulu Plus are $8.99 per month each; the others are free. No commercials on Netflix. Hulu Plus have some but they are either 10 seconds or 30 seconds, not able to fast forward. I can live with that.

I love having a jillion choices of things to watch and no longer forced to pay for all those sports packages I don't watch.

I realize I am still on a "honeymoon" with this and maybe need to watch out for something I haven't realized yet.

Comments?
 

I "cut the cord" 2 months ago and couldn't be happier. I dropped AT&T Uverse TV, bought a ROKU 3 for a little over a hundred dollars, bought an antenna for about 35 dollars, and subscribed to Netflix and Hulu (8. per month each). Except for the initial outlay (135.), I'm saving 125.00 a month.

I watch the networks via my antenna or Netflix/Hulu via the ROKU. I'm very happy. It's taken a little while to get used to not having a menu and channel guide - but I bookmarked www.tvguide.com on my laptop so I can see what's on the networks.

Only regret is that I didn't do this sooner!

Lu
 
lb1818 said:
I "cut the cord" 2 months ago and couldn't be happier. I dropped AT&T Uverse TV, bought a ROKU 3 for a little over a hundred dollars, bought an antenna for about 35 dollars, and subscribed to Netflix and Hulu (8. per month each). Except for the initial outlay (135.), I'm saving 125.00 a month.

I watch the networks via my antenna or Netflix/Hulu via the ROKU. I'm very happy. It's taken a little while to get used to not having a menu and channel guide - but I bookmarked www.tvguide.com on my laptop so I can see what's on the networks.

Only regret is that I didn't do this sooner!

Lu
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Woo Hoo! that's encouraging! It was scary "cutting the cord" but it seemed the most logical thing to do.

I bought the least expensive Roku, 50.00, but downloaded what I have from that. There is still more! I never thought about getting an antenna for local channels; thanks for the tip. I might do that in the future.
 

RadishRose said:
If so, please share your experiences with your service or services.

I have gotten rid of the expensive cable last week, saving ALOT. I downloaded Netflix, Hulu Plus, ABC News, YouTube and Pandora, so far.

Netfilx and Hulu Plus are $8.99 per month each; the others are free. No commercials on Netflix. Hulu Plus have some but they are either 10 seconds or 30 seconds, not able to fast forward. I can live with that.

I love having a jillion choices of things to watch and no longer forced to pay for all those sports packages I don't watch.

I realize I am still on a "honeymoon" with this and maybe need to watch out for something I haven't realized yet.

Comments?
Click to expand...

I love Netflix, it has most of my fave shows (sitcoms) and then new ones I hadn't seen. Love the Midsomer Murders series;) I don't have cable, mainly because I am living in a house that has it already, but the shows I glance at while walking through the livingroom or, whoever is watching from their room, are just stupid, and don't entice me to sit down and watch. I do enjoy Castle, but rarely watch as I am doing other things.

Netflix is something I'd like to have again, but don't right now. I have 2, old movie sites I like and watch on occasion. Mainly love to read, and that is only in the evenings. The 2 movie sites (both free, and the movies aren't pirated) are below if anyone wants some freebies;) :

http://oldmovietime.com/index.html#Movies

http://www.bnwmovies.com/classic-movies
 
I cut the cord with AT&T cable TV service two years ago ... Now have antenna on roof and get about 40 channels ..
Have never missed the 900+ channels with cable.
Savings of over $150 a month. (antenna from Walmart was about $50)

Now if only I could get myself away from their Internet service! ... working on that problem.:playful:
 
I have a package with ATT that includes just TV with basic channels/Internet//I Phone cell/home phone/.....I use both Netflix and Amazon Prime for films. I'm happy with this cost and arrangement.
 
I haven't had cable for over 10 years and have never missed TV. I get what I need online, and between Netflix and Hoopla (Canadian public library movie site) I am well entertained and informed.
 
I cut the cable about three years ago and have been quite happy about it. Cable was costing me a FORTUNE, and most of the stuff on it was crap, anyway.

I recently got a Roku box (prior to that I was streaming thru a blu ray box) and I really love it. I watch mostly netflix, but I've discovered Acorn, which is $4.99 a month and is British tv shows and movies, a la all the wonderful British mysteries, etc. Love it.
 
Still use cable for my TV and internet service, total bill monthly is $130. Very happy with both services, and will stick with it for awhile. Hubby gets some movie CDs from Netflix mailed to our house for $17 a month. quick turnover, so he gets his money's worth...works well for the both of us.
 
Have not had cable for many years. Roof antenna, chromcast (to mirror from my pc) and Netflix. Have 30 tv channels. More than I could possibly watch. Now if the US would only get rid of the internet monopolies and make it possible to have faster and more affordable internet.
 
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Have not yet cut the cord, but am considering it given the expense and my now reduced income. We just got Netflix streaming service and my wife loves it. We use Comcast for internet, cable and phone. First step may be cutting out the landline.
 
Bob, I use CallCentrics voip telephone service, using Comcast's wifi router. It is only $12.20 a month and has more features than my At&t phone service had. I do have a prepaid cell, that i just keep for on the road emergencies. Feel more secure still having a landline.
 
I've looked into cutting my cable a few times especially when they raise my bill, but, It's cheaper for me to just keep my service as is. buy the time I pay for my internet with the add ons like netflix and a couple of other little things here and there it would put me over the $97 total I pay for my internet cable package I have. What's worse, when you cut one thing, they manage to raise the price of the one service, that happened when I cut out my phone service, I used to pay less than $80 for phone, cable and internet package a few months after cutting the phone, the bill went up for just cable/net.

I figure right now with my internet around $50, cable around $45 if I cut the cable, the'll raise my net to over 60 or slow my service down. To keep my bill the same for the past few years, I just go to customer service and renegotiate or ask to cancel my service with intent to really cancel last time I called, next time they raise my bill, I'm really going to cancel though, I've had it. Well that is unless they lower my bill even lower than what it is now.

As far as phone, I bought an android phone of which I pay about $10 a month for service get plenty of text minutes which carry over when I don't use them and plus I rarely ever am on the phone for conversations for more than 10 minutes if I can help it 30 at most and I can use google phone for free via the pc when if I want to talk for a good long time.
 
April, realizing every region differs, I find the initial expense of less than $40 for an antenna and $30 for chromecast.....plus less than $7 a month for Netflix, despite my $50 monthly internet, much less than than I ever paid for the two. Not to mention my 12.90 phone bill. Paid for in less than two months of the combo internet and cable. And no more hassle of a different bill amount every month and every rep telling me something different...with all kinds of promises. Telling the problems were resolved. Having to chat, email and phone repeatedly. So tired of Comcast and AT&T'S customer service.

comcast.jpg
 
There's so little on tv I want to see, but, I'm not giving up TWD and I can only get the newly aired episodes on one station which comes on AMC only the older episodes air on hulu and netflix which if I want certain stations start to add up. I have a roku box similar to chromecast and other sticks and box sets which can give me loads of stations of which I tried to watch, but, they really didn't interest me same with netflix. I watched a few of the movies, most I already seen, the only reason I had signed back up for it was to see Jane Fonda's new show, but, saw it and if it comes back on, I'll get netflix again for another season, but, most of the other series I really didn't want to invest my time in since my main interest shows either air on network or AMC or worse HBO which I refuse to sign up for so I wait for those shows to show up on my library shelf. :)

I have an antenna it and other types I've looked into won't pick up more than two or three channels over the air in my specific area and even those I have to do a few calisthenics to keep the picture clear. After a lot of frustration, it's just not worth it for me, so once a year I spend a few minutes on the phone negotiating a new deal and the price of my cable with internet stays the same as it has for the past three years. I have looked into all that has been mentioned, so, I know the prices in my area. I've talked with other people in the area, at the moment, I'm getting a decent deal for the package I have in this particular area. Hopefully when I move, I can get a better deal and or be able to use an antenna, but, an antenna doesn't work in my building, I have more than one kind, looked up the recommendation for my area and the hoops are way too many and too high for this old gal to jump through, so, I have to keep letting the comcast drug flow through these veins for a little while longer. Sigh. Actually it's netflix's fault, if I hadn't started my first binge watch there, I never would have gotten addicted to a certain show of which I can only watch newer episodes on cable or via other pay channels.

If I thought they wouldn't just raise the cost of my internet once I cut my cable, I might be more willing, but, these people are evil when it comes to squeezing a buck out of you. Give me time though soon enough I may cut the net and cable and just use my phone for all alternate communications. :mad:
 
I am able to watch TWD and Ray Donovan online, the day after they are aired. They are the only shows I watch. Truthfully, I do not use Netflix that often. Every few months I binge watch for a day or two.
Have you tried a booster with your antenna, April? No matter what I used, I could not get many stations until I started using a booster. I live in the country, with many trees blocking transmission.
I wish that I could have had AT&T stick to their promises. My bill varied from $39 to almost $80 monthly. After returning their equipment they were still deducting money from my bank account for three months...almost $100. For my contract with them was over...even though I had cancelled it three months before and no longer had phone, tv or internet service with them. A total nightmare. Having used all the phone companies, that eventually were named AT&T since mid 70's, their deterioration became so unbearable I had finally gave up on them. And will go without internet before I would ever return to them.
 
Nona, I've asked others in my location about various equipment, we've talked boosters, the works, it's my location, I'm closest to water and live in a building where the wiring needs some fixing by the cable company of which they tried but seems they failed, I'm lucky if my cable works 100% any given day. I could get TWD on Amazon and pay stations, next day for a fee. which service are you getting it next day and cost if you don't mind sharing?

AT&T I can't even get their service in my area if I begged for it. There are only two providers who serve my immediate area comcast and verizon that's it, not off shoot generic companies either.
 
April, this website gives you free tokens initially. You just have to pay for some of the premium shows, lots of free ones. Cannot remember what the charge is. Very little though. Nothing like Amazon or others. I have used it for over a year and yet to use up my tokens. http://hdtvshows.net/tvshows/h.htm
You are blessed you have not got involved with AT&T. As long as Comcast controls the cable industry...no generic companies will be available. My electric co-op tried to provide internet service and was shot down by Comcast.
 
ndynt said:
April, this website gives you free tokens initially. You just have to pay for some of the premium shows, lots of free ones. Cannot remember what the charge is. Very little though. Nothing like Amazon or others. I have used it for over a year and yet to use up my tokens. http://hdtvshows.net/tvshows/h.htm
You are blessed you have not got involved with AT&T. As long as Comcast controls the cable industry...no generic companies will be available. My electric co-op tried to provide internet service and was shot down by Comcast.
Click to expand...

How does it work? I looked at the website and it has a list of shows, many of which I'm interested in, but no real explanation of how it works How do you get more tokens? Can you stream it to your TV?
 

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