# It's Time To Cut The Cord



## Andy M. (Oct 18, 2019)

I'm tired of doing battle with the cable company (Comcast/Fios) over their high prices. I've decided to "cut the cord".

I have a triple play package including cable, internet and phone. I plan to keep the internet connection and drop the other two. That's the easy part. 

As I don't have a smart tv, I have to get a streaming device (or several) and sign up with a streaming service. 

I've done some preliminary research and have some ideas but I'm aware I don't know a lot about the subject.

Please share your experiences and knowledge on the subject.


----------



## msmofet (Oct 18, 2019)

We have 2 Sony DVD players and were watching Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime services through the DVD player. BUT Sony isn't playing well with ANY of them so we can't watch through the DVD players any more. DD bought a ROKU device and it is SO MUCH better. You can get the above services plus apps for sports, movie channels etc. WE LOVE IT! She got it from Amazon. Tiny little box and an HDMI cord for $26.99. If you have a TV that can connect to the internet (wireless) and has HDMI connections this is the way to go. I have never had a Smart TV so no clue how they work.






https://www.amazon.com/Roku-Express...ef=sr_1_5?keywords=roku&qid=1571445843&sr=8-5


----------



## Kayelle (Oct 18, 2019)

Andy, we purchased a "smart TV" not long ago, and we were both astounded at how affordable they have become. I'd start there. Our 39" Vizio was $200. We love it!!!


----------



## Linda0818 (Oct 18, 2019)

I cut the cord years ago, about the same time I got rid of my landline and went strictly to cell phone use. As *Kay* said, I bought a smart TV for less than $200. It's also a Vizio. I have a subscription to Netflix and I also have Amazon Prime. Tons of movies that you can buy or rent and tons of movies that come as part of my Prime subscription.

I also have a non-smart TV hooked up to a Roku.


----------



## Andy M. (Oct 18, 2019)

Good info folks. Thanks. 

We lean towards network tv and local sports rather than lots of movies and mini series. 

There are lots of streaming services to choose from.


----------



## skilletlicker (Oct 18, 2019)

I haven't had cable in years. I do have Hulu plus with HBO and Showtime, Prime Video, Netflix, high-speed internet, a smart TV, Amazon Fire Stick, and a broadcast antenna.

I don't get everything but I do get most stuff I want to watch.


----------



## Andy M. (Oct 18, 2019)

skilletlicker said:


> I haven't had cable in years. I do have Hulu plus with HBO and Showtime, Prime Video, Netflix, high-speed internet, a smart TV, Amazon Fire Stick, and a broadcast antenna.
> 
> I don't get everything but I do get most stuff I want to watch.



Hulu Plus, Prime, Netflix, All cost extra don't they? At some point, does all that approach cable level costs?


----------



## Linda0818 (Oct 18, 2019)

Andy M. said:


> Hulu Plus, Prime, Netflix, All cost extra don't they? At some point, does all that approach cable level costs?



Yes, they all cost, but Hulu, in mu experience, was the biggest waste of money. Despite paying for the service, I still had to endure commercials. Axed that service as well.


----------



## caseydog (Oct 19, 2019)

I cut the cord years ago. I did keep my internet on cable, but I need that for business, and can deduct it as a business expense. 

I have an AppleTV unit on each of my two TVs. But, they do basically the same thing as other devices, such as Roku. 

I have tried a couple of streaming services, such as Amazon Prime, and HULU. I don't watch enough TV shows to justify the regular monthly expense. I buy episodes or seasons of the few shows I do watch from iTunes. Basically, a la carte TV viewing. I probably average less than 20 bucks a month for TV shows that I really want to watch, and maybe 10 bucks for movie rentals. 

I also have a good digital broadcast antennae to get my local Dallas channels. The only gap I have is being able to get Steelers games live where I live. Since you live in the city where your team is located, that should not be an issue for you. 

CD


----------



## skilletlicker (Oct 19, 2019)

Andy M. said:


> Hulu Plus, Prime, Netflix, All cost extra don't they? At some point, does all that approach cable level costs?





			
				Linda0818 said:
			
		

> Yes, they all cost, but Hulu, in mu experience, was the biggest waste of money. Despite paying for the service, I still had to endure commercials. Axed that service as well.


Hulu plus is mostly commercial free but there is a less expensive subscription option that has the normal number of commercials. If I was going to reduce entertainment cost Hulu would be first to go. Especially since more network shows are going onto their network's own streaming service, but you can still watch the last five aired episodes from the networks without any subscription.

Not interested in advising other people how to spend their money. Just answering the original question.


----------



## GotGarlic (Oct 19, 2019)

We have a Smart TV in the living room, with a digital antenna, and non-smart TVs in the kitchen and an upstairs bedroom. We have Roku devices on the second two. It works great, like msmofet said. You can also get apps for services like Pandora and YouTube. 





Andy M. said:


> Hulu Plus, Prime, Netflix, All cost extra don't they? At some point, does all that approach cable level costs?


If you have Amazon Prime for the shopping service, you already have access to Prime movies, etc. We have regular Hulu, which is less expensive than Plus, and Netflix. We always mute commercials anyway, so they don't bother me much. What we have is less expensive than cable was and we have more choices.

I'd say in general, Hulu is more for getting cable TV shows and Netflix is more for getting original series and movies. I think there's a website where you can find out which local channels you can access with a digital antenna. DH told me about it, so I don't know what it is, sorry.


----------



## Cooking Goddess (Oct 19, 2019)

It's easy enough to find out which local stations can be received in your area with a TV listings app. If you search with "antenna"as your service, it shows them all.  We get about 70 stations out here in the boonies, but more than half of them are junk channels: shopping, Spanish (me no hobla), duplicates. While Himself watches reruns of old and older shows, plus old movies, I still have plenty to choose from with my interests in local/network shows, PBS, and a few select reruns.


----------



## bbqcoder (Oct 19, 2019)

Andy M. said:


> I have a triple play package including cable, internet and phone. I plan to keep the internet connection and drop the other two. That's the easy part.



Have you priced what the cost difference is between triple play and Internet only?

I cut the cord on my TV three years ago.  I just watch Amazon, Netflix, and the occasional sports stream.  We still have triple play (Verizon Gigabit Internet) for my wife’s TV.  When I last checked, Internet only was close in cost to the triple play.  My contract is up in December so we’ll have to figure out what to do soon.


----------



## roadfix (Oct 19, 2019)

Spectrum cable internet only, Netflix, & Amazon Prime Video...

Internet............$66/month
Netflix..............$16/month
Amazon Prime...$119/annually


----------



## caseydog (Oct 19, 2019)

roadfix said:


> Spectrum cable internet only, Netflix, & Amazon Prime Video...
> 
> Internet............$66/month
> Netflix..............$16/month
> Amazon Prime...$119/annually





Internet service in America is a total ripoff. We pay more for service, and get lower speeds compared to most first-world countries. As of 2019, the US ranks 15th for internet speeds. And, we pay higher prices. 

So, you kind of have to separate internet from the total price of cable and satellite TV. You pretty much need to have internet service these days, but cable/satellite TV is very optional. 

CD


----------



## Aunt Bea (Oct 20, 2019)

I cut the cable several years ago and use AirTV.

Like CG mentioned I pick up approx. 30 channels including the major networks, PBS, and a few others that are of value to me.

All it took was a $10.00 antenna from Walmart.

This site will give you an idea of what is possible in your area, just punch in your zip code.  Your experience may vary depending on obstructions, local interference, etc... but it is a good indicator of what is avaialable over the air.

https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps

I also use this AirTV guide, just punch in your zip code.

https://nocable.org/tv-guide

Good luck!


----------



## giggler (Oct 20, 2019)

Thank You Aunt Bea!


This Nocable.org is a Fantastic Help!


I have one of those Good antennas, but had no idea there was so much stuff on there!


And an actual TV Guide to boot.


Thank You very much, Eric, Austin Tx.


----------



## Just Cooking (Oct 20, 2019)

When we moved into this apartment, I cut the cord. 

That lasted 3 months. There are things we wish to watch live and are simple to access.

Our devices are our main form of entertainment so, we choose to have what we have..

Ross


----------



## Andy M. (Oct 20, 2019)

There's some very good information here. Thank you all for helping.


----------



## kleenex (Oct 20, 2019)

At the rate the cable companies are increasing prices,  Direct TV NOW being the latest to increase prices,  a whole piece of the economy is only going to be hurt in the long run.

If the cord cutting continues on the pace it is going for 10 more years 40-50% less people are going to have a bundle of Cable TV channels.  That at some point of time is going to have an impact even on networks like USA, TNT, and discovery.

As much as I do not like the yearly increases something is going to have to give upstream.


----------



## roadfix (Oct 20, 2019)

The problem is, even if you cut the cord you still have to have overpriced internet service to run your streaming services.


----------



## Andy M. (Oct 20, 2019)

roadfix said:


> The problem is, even if you cut the cord you still have to have overpriced internet service to run your streaming services.



If the cable companies are smart, they'll jack up the internet cost and drop the cable costs.


----------



## skilletlicker (Oct 20, 2019)

roadfix said:


> The problem is, even if you cut the cord you still have to have overpriced internet service to run your streaming services.


An excellent point. Around here, it is a choice between Comcast and AT&T, two companies tied on my most distrusted list. But AT&T has won my little ISP account due to inertia and their recent self-imposed limits of larcenous tendencies caused by thinly veiled threats from the current kleptocratic administration.

A regulatory solution to this mess is long overdue.


----------



## Andy M. (Oct 20, 2019)

skilletlicker said:


> An excellent point. Around here, it is a choice between Comcast and AT&T, two companies tied on my most distrusted list. But AT&T has won my little ISP account due to inertia and their recent self-imposed limits of larcenous tendencies caused by thinly veiled threats from the current kleptocratic administration.
> 
> A regulatory solution to this mess is long overdue.



Here we get to choose between Xfinity and Fios. Low initial rate then annual increases. If you don't cut the cord, all you can really do is switch back and forth between the two to get the introductory rates.


----------



## roadfix (Oct 20, 2019)

Andy M. said:


> If the cable companies are smart, they'll jack up the internet cost and drop the cable costs.



Actually, they are smart.    Even with their bundled services, their internet portion of the bundle is usually the most expensive.


----------



## GotGarlic (Oct 20, 2019)

Kleenex, one of the reasons why people are cutting the cord, besides the cost, is that the cable companies insist on offering their own bundles instead of letting people choose. Many people resent having to pay for hundreds of channels they never watch and sometimes can't get channels they want to watch.

We all know how easy it would be to change their subscription and billing practices to give customers what they want - but I guess it must be more profitable this way. In the long term, though, creating angry customers isn't a good business model.


----------



## skilletlicker (Oct 20, 2019)

Tangental to the original topic; after cutting the cord you may be faced with more viewing options than you can possibly watch and keeping track of it is a new kind of challenge.

I've found a free account with Reelgood.com very helpful. Keeps track of movies, TV Shows, and all the individual episodes that I've watched, want to watch, and where they're available.


----------



## roadfix (Oct 20, 2019)

BTW, our 30+ year old rooftop Radio Shack antenna does a good job of bringing in most local channels to our smart tv.  I don’t really care for these “digital” antennas as much as I don’t care for organic food.


----------



## rodentraiser (Oct 21, 2019)

I don't know if this will help any and you may not want to do this, but I get my movies and TV shows from Icefilms.

https://www.icefilms.info/

You will need to download a script (on the front page there), the DivX player, and if you have Firefox as a browser, you will need to download Grease Monkey (one of their apps).

What this is is file sharing. Someone uploads movies and TV shows on say, File UpLoad, Icefilms lists the shows, and you would either watch them or download them to your computer. For instance, the Breaking Bad movie, El Camino, is already listed on Icefilms and I've already downloaded it and watched it.

The guys at Icefilms are very careful to make sure there are no viruses that will be downloaded with the shows. I've been downloading movies and TV shows there for the last 11 years and I've never gotten a virus from them.

Now, some of the shows aren't put on until the next day, but they come with no commercials. And the whole shebang is free - no money needs to be paid to them. I'm sure they would like a nice donation, but no one has ever bugged me about that. There is one popup ad that comes up when you first click on the main page, but that's the only one.

Make sure you have an ad blocker, though. Once you go to File UpLoad, that site has a million popups that an ad blocker will pretty much take care of. If anyone has any questions, please PM me (I'll be online for another 10 days or so).

Is it legal and will someone come after you? I don't know, but after 11 years, I'm not very worried. It's a decision you need to make, though.


----------



## kleenex (Oct 21, 2019)

GotGarlic said:


> Kleenex, one of the reasons why people are cutting the cord, besides the cost, is that the cable companies insist on offering their own bundles instead of letting people choose. Many people resent having to pay for hundreds of channels they never watch and sometimes can't get channels they want to watch.
> 
> We all know how easy it would be to change their subscription and billing practices to give customers what they want - but I guess it must be more profitable this way. In the long term, though, creating angry customers isn't a good business model.



Well the Cable Companies did about the only thing they could do which was create the online streaming skinny bundles.  That was supposed to satisfy the customers though.


The one big problem though..

Hulu Live TV did a 5 buck a month price increase in January 2019.
Youtube TV did a 5 buck a month price increase in April 2019.
Sling TV did a 5 buck a month price increase in 2018.  Sport package price increase in 2019.
The Direct TV Now product did a 15 bucks price increase this month and a 10 buck one in March 2019.
Sony Playstaion Vue did a 5 buck price increase in July.


The Direct TV one though is shedding subscribers this year.


I do not think we will ever get to pick and choose one cable channel at a time.


----------



## jd_1138 (Oct 21, 2019)

We have a Google Chromecast Ultra (one that does 4K) dongle on our TV.  Our 55" TV is "smart" but its apps suck and hard to use.

It was only $40 I think for the Chromecast dongle.  Its chief advantage is that you can use your smart phone, laptop, tablet as an awesome remote to cast stuff like Netlfix, Hulu, YouTube, Pandora, etc. to the TV.  Way way better than a regular crummy remote.

Good for you for dropping cable.  With cable, you're a victim of whatever they choose to air, but with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc there's plenty of content to keep you happy for years and years.


----------



## caseydog (Oct 21, 2019)

rodentraiser said:


> *Is it lega*l and *will someone come after you?* I don't know, but after 11 years, I'm not very worried. _*It's a decision you need to make, though.*_



Ummmmm, no. It is stealing. Will somebody come after you? Probably not. 


CD


----------



## skilletlicker (Oct 21, 2019)

caseydog said:


> Ummmmm, no. It is stealing. Will somebody come after you? Probably not. CD





> “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are…the true test of a man's character is what he does when no one is watching.”
> John Wooden


----------



## jd_1138 (Oct 22, 2019)

Yeah these people who somehow think they're entitled to get every film and TV show for free and instantly think it's a victimless crime.  

Nope.  That is shrinkage like what stores have to account for (thefts, people buying stuff and using it and returning it) which gets passed onto the rest of us in higher prices.  Same is true with media theft.  The rest of us have to pay more for our subscriptions to make up for it.  

Heck, we have Netflix and I only have time to watch like 1/5th of the stuff I put in my queue.  I don't need (or want to) steal content.

Also, the vast majority of people who work in media creation earn middle class wages (gaffers, electricians, craft service, set design, makeup, wardrobe, camera operator, assistant camera operator, sound, etc.).  Less $$$$ in the system means less content with lower budgets and lower wages.


----------



## rodentraiser (Oct 24, 2019)

My take on it is that TV was "free" right up until the cable companies came along, the same as when you listened to the radio. Yes, I know we paid with listening to ads then, but the ad thing has gotten truly out of control just as the cable costs have. We aren't asked to watch just a few ads anymore. We're being force to sit through 20 to 21 minutes of obnoxious advertisements for every hour of TV we watch. Call it a hunch, but I think they're now taking advantage of us.

I feel that services like Icefilms are simply the result of people, like myself, who have had enough. There are no fees involved on Icefilms because people who feel the same are willing to volunteer their time and effort to do what they do without pay. I am more than willing to watch ads and yes, even pay for some content. I am not willing to pay through the nose and watch those prices rise year after year for even more ads and the terrible service the cable companies give us. There are always people who will go for free just because it's free. I went for free because I was fed up with the price gouging, the endless ads, and the bad service.

Like most of you, I remember when cable first came out it was supposed to be ad-free because we paid money to watch it. I also remember when Hulu used to be free and they had a small but nice collection of shows to watch. Watching Icefilms is my message to the cable companies to bring their prices down and their quality of service up. I voted with my pocketbook and would have done so even if Icefilms wasn't available. 

And before anyone wants to criticize me for not watching the ads that pay for TV, how many people here employ an ad and pop up blocker while you browse the internet?


----------



## Andy M. (Oct 24, 2019)

Right now, with full cable, I DVR most shows we like and then we watch them at our convenience. I FF though the commercials and can get about 4.5 hours of TV shows into a 3 hour period.


----------



## skilletlicker (Oct 24, 2019)

rodentraiser said:


> My take on it is that TV was "free" right up until ...


Multi-national corporations don't need or want me speaking for them. But I'll let Gillian Welch and David Rawlings counter your "argument" rationalization from an artist's perspective.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy6VMDXB2SQ
Lyrics: "Everything is Free" by Gillian Welch


> Everything is free now,
> That's what they say.
> Everything I ever done,
> Gotta give it away.
> ...


Rodentraiser, I presume there is a video recorder on your phone. So if you want to watch a movie for free, go make it yourself.


----------



## GotGarlic (Oct 24, 2019)

rodentraiser said:


> I feel that services like Icefilms are simply the result of people, like myself, who have had enough. There are no fees involved on Icefilms because people who feel the same are willing to volunteer their time and effort to do what they do without pay. I am more than willing to watch ads and yes, even pay for some content. I am not willing to pay through the nose and watch those prices rise year after year for even more ads and the terrible service the cable companies give us. There are always people who will go for free just because it's free. I went for free because I was fed up with the price gouging, the endless ads, and the bad service.


Cable TV shows are not something everyone is entitled to, you know. It's not a human or civil right. It's a product. It costs money to produce and distribute and the companies need to make money in order to stay in business and continue to produce content. Besides, stealing is wrong. 



rodentraiser said:


> Like most of you, I remember when cable first came out it was supposed to be ad-free because we paid money to watch it. I also remember when Hulu used to be free and they had a small but nice collection of shows to watch. Watching Icefilms is my message to the cable companies to bring their prices down and their quality of service up. I voted with my pocketbook and would have done so even if Icefilms wasn't available.


A company is under no obligation to provide its services for free or at a set price in perpetuity. And getting their content through theft doesn't send a message to the company at all. To do that, you need to contact them directly.


----------



## rodentraiser (Oct 25, 2019)

skilletlicker said:


> Multi-national corporations don't need or  want me speaking for them. But I'll let Gillian Welch and David Rawlings  counter your "argument" rationalization from an artist's  perspective.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy6VMDXB2SQ
> Lyrics: "Everything is Free" by Gillian Welch
> 
> Rodentraiser, I presume there is a video recorder on your phone. So if  you want to watch a movie for free, go make it yourself.



No, there is not a video recorder on my phone. My phone does nothing but make and receive calls.




GotGarlic said:


> Cable TV shows are not something everyone is entitled to, you know. It's not a human or civil right. It's a product. It costs money to produce and distribute and the companies need to make money in order to stay in business and continue to produce content. Besides, stealing is wrong.
> 
> 
> A company is under no obligation to provide its services for free or at a set price in perpetuity. And getting their content through theft doesn't send a message to the company at all. To do that, you need to contact them directly.



You know, I don't give a rat's pattootie what you guys think of me. Do you or do you not use adblockers on your computers? You are aware that webpages pay for themselves with the ads you see on them, right? If you two are lecturing me on "stealing" but are using adblockers so you don't have to see ads on webpages, then that makes you hypocrites. 

At least Andy is being honest. Are you two really going to tell me you never taped a TV show and then watched it and fast forwarded through the commercials, too? And don't tell me you pay for cable. I know a lot of people who taped their shows long before they paid for cable and I'll bet you guys did too. But I guess it's OK when you guys do it.

I'm outta here. I don't need to put up with this crap in my life right now. 

Sorry, Andy, I was just trying to help.


----------



## Andy M. (Oct 25, 2019)

No one, regardless of how they access their entertainment, is obligated to watch ads during TV shows. It's not illegal, immoral or bad manners to leave the room during commercials to pee, get a snack, walk the dog or whatever. 

The cable company I pay to provide me with contracted services provides me with the means to record shows and skip past commercials. As a matter fact Comcast/Xfinity has implemented a feature called Smart Resume. This is a feature that automatically stops your FF through commercials right at the restart of the show.

On the other hand, when you watch a show On Demand, FF is not supported but the ads you are shown are much shorter.


----------



## roadfix (Oct 26, 2019)

Given the opportunity, easy access, and directions to pirate movie websites over the years, I've watched my share of free movies.    But at the end these sites eventually became increasingly difficult to access and needed constant downloading of this and that, that they became more work than entertainment.     I'm happy with my current paid streaming services.


----------



## kleenex (Oct 29, 2019)

https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/playstation-vue-is-shutting-down/


One service going down.  A few more to go


----------



## skilletlicker (Nov 11, 2019)

I realize this discussion has been inactive for a couple of weeks but came across this NY Times graphic today and thought it worth including here.

Note: I didn't link due to the NY Times firewall but the graphic is part of David Leonhardt's column dated 11/10/2019 in the opinion section.


----------



## Andy M. (Nov 11, 2019)

skilletlicker said:


> I realize this discussion has been inactive for a couple of weeks but came across this NY Times graphic today and thought it worth including here.
> View attachment 37288
> Note: I didn't link due to the NY Times firewall but the graphic is part of David Leonhardt's column dated 11/10/2019 in the opinion section.



Interesting and not surprising. Why may be more telling is broadband and cell cost as a percentage of income. We may still be at or near the bottom.


----------



## GotGarlic (Nov 11, 2019)

Other questions I have are how much governments subsidize phone and internet access and whether they treat them as for-profit enterprises or public utilities. 





Andy M. said:


> Interesting and not surprising. Why may be more telling is broadband and cell cost as a percentage of income. We may still be at or near the bottom.


----------



## skilletlicker (Nov 11, 2019)

GotGarlic said:


> Other questions I have are how much governments subsidize phone and internet access providers and whether they treat them as for-profit enterprises or public utilities.



Interesting way to look at it GG. Also interesting to consider the question with one word added, which I have taken the liberty of inserting using red text.

And to Andy's point. One would naturally expect prices to rise with income in a market pricing system based on "what the market will bear." Sadly, a pricing model common among monopolies, oligopolies, and kleptocracies.

Edit: In my first post today I used the word firewall but meant paywall.


----------



## kleenex (Nov 16, 2019)

If you have HULU TV we have a price increase for you..

https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/hulus-live-tv-price-is-going-up-on-december-18th-to-54-99/


----------



## Andy M. (Aug 2, 2020)

WOW! I can't believe it took me 10 months to pull the trigger. 

I consulted with a friend who is a techie expert. His input finally got me to do it.

I ordered a Netgear modem/router and three Roku+ streaming sticks. Yesterday I did the switchover. Swapped out my modem/router for the Comcast one and added the Rokus to three TVs. Had to call Comcast to activate the new router/modem and downgrade the service. Had a few false starts doing the software setup but it was all done and I watched the 6 o'clock news and the Red Sox-Yankees game on my new setup last night.

I downgraded Comcast from the old Triple Play bundle to internet only, Added YoutubeTV and I'm done. According to my calculations, I'm saving about $125-$130 per month! I get ALL the channels I ever watched live with Youtube TV and a library of reruns if I'm interested. Also a handful of 30 day free trials for different streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+ etc. 

Gonna use the Disney+ to watch *Hamilton* then probably cancel it before the end of the trial period.

Two points worth mentioning: Comcast was excellent in the transition and very helpful. Other than trying to upset me a couple of times, which I expected. Also, the hardest part of the transition was getting at all the wire connections behind the 52" TV on the heavy oak credenza to unplug the old and plug in the new.


----------



## GotGarlic (Aug 2, 2020)

Andy M. said:


> Gonna use the Disney+ to watch *Hamilton* then probably cancel it before the end of the trial period.


FABULOUS IDEA! I really want to see that, too, as well as The Princess Bride. Thanks!


----------



## Andy M. (Aug 2, 2020)

GotGarlic said:


> FABULOUS IDEA! I really want to see that, too, as well as The Princess Bride. Thanks!



You can subscribe to Disney+ monthly for $6.95. Well worth it.


----------



## Vinylhanger (Aug 2, 2020)

Congrats.  We have been cordless for a few years now.  Don't miss a thing.

We even did it when we had crappy satellite internet.  Now we have a  Verizon prepaid unlimited Hotspot that they don't offer anymore.  Much better.

We have Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and CBS all access.  We have Dusney only because it was a free year from Verizon.

I can't stand watching regular cable anymore.  Commercials and only what they want you to watch.  It truly is very limiting.

We were paying 150 a month for satellite internet, 150 a month for cable/satellite.

Now 70 for internet, 15 for Netflix 12 for Hulu and 12 or so for CBS.  Amazon is free with our Prime which is 16 a month.  Add in Spotify and we have all our entertainment much cheaper.


----------



## Andy M. (Aug 2, 2020)

My cell phone service is through Comcast/Xfinity (they use the Verizon cell network). It's only available to Comcast customers. SO and I have have our phones through Xfinity mobile service for $16 per month total. I had to take that into consideration. So I compared the cost of internet plus cell service from both Verizon/Fios and Comcast.

Fios internet was much cheaper than Comcast's but the difference in phone cost swung the decision back to Comcast. Verizon wanted $45/mo. per phone. 

My internet only price is good for two years and there are no fee or tax add-ons.


----------



## GotGarlic (Aug 2, 2020)

Andy M. said:


> You can subscribe to Disney+ monthly for $6.95. Well worth it.


We already have Amazon Prime, Hulu and Netflix. DH doesn't want another monthly payment (yes, I know Amazon is annual) (I have a lot of insurance co-pay expenses).


----------



## Andy M. (Aug 2, 2020)

GotGarlic said:


> We already have Amazon Prime, Hulu and Netflix. DH doesn't want another monthly payment (yes, I know Amazon is annual) (I have a lot of insurance co-pay expenses).



I understand. The Disney+ deal is good because you can rent it for just one month. It's roughly the cost of a movie rental.


----------



## Vinylhanger (Aug 2, 2020)

Actually for Amazon, you can make a monthly payment.  I pay 16 bucks a month.  It is more than if I paid all at once, but I don't like the big up front payment.


----------



## Andy M. (Aug 2, 2020)

I'm excited by other things I've found.

With Roku I can use an app on my phone as a remote and to manage my account. But the big deal is that I can play all the photos in my photo library on TV.

Also, there is Serious Eats TV with dozens of recipes and tutorials.


----------



## roadfix (Aug 2, 2020)

Good move, excellent deal!


----------



## bbqcoder (Aug 3, 2020)

One thing people forget about cutting the cord is that you don't need to subscribe to all of the services.  It's perfectly fine to have Hulu for a few months and then switch to Netflix and putting Hulu on hold.  You don't need to be paying for every service every month.

Youtube TV is a nice service but they jacked up their rates from $50 to $65.  I'm still subscribed but I split it with two other people so my cost is only $22.


----------



## Andy M. (Aug 3, 2020)

bbqcoder said:


> One thing people forget about cutting the cord is that you don't need to subscribe to all of the services.  It's perfectly fine to have Hulu for a few months and then switch to Netflix and putting Hulu on hold.  You don't need to be paying for every service every month.
> 
> Youtube TV is a nice service but they jacked up their rates from $50 to $65.  I'm still subscribed but I split it with two other people so my cost is only $22.



YoutubeTV was the best option for me. They have ALL the channels I ever watched on cable and more. Also, these channels were live rather than streaming after the fact. They have a free DVR service and a family plan for up to 5 connections overall. We probably won't keep any other streaming services after the free trial period.


----------



## bbqcoder (Aug 3, 2020)

Andy M. said:


> Also, these channels were live rather than streaming after the fact. They have a free DVR service and a family plan for up to 5 connections overall. We probably won't keep any other streaming services after the free trial period.



Not sure that I understand the "live rather than streaming after the fact" comment.  Hulu, Philo, and Fubo all have live TV.  Also, I don't understand the appeal of watching something live.  I always watch recorded because I want to be able to skip the commercials.  Even the Super Bowl, I'll start watching the game 2 hours after it starts and catch up.  Yes, you do have to be careful to not look at your phone while watching the game to avoid knowing the score.

YTTV allows 6 accounts, each with their own DVR but only 3 simultaneous streams.


----------



## Andy M. (Aug 3, 2020)

bbqcoder said:


> *Not sure that I understand the "live rather than streaming after the fact" comment.*  Hulu, Philo, and Fubo all have live TV.  Also, I don't understand the appeal of watching something live.  I always watch recorded because I want to be able to skip the commercials.  Even the Super Bowl, I'll start watching the game 2 hours after it starts and catch up.  Yes, you do have to be careful to not look at your phone while watching the game to avoid knowing the score.
> 
> YTTV allows 6 accounts, each with their own DVR but only 3 simultaneous streams.



YTTV offered more live channels I was interested in. Some services don't have all channels available live - that is, you can watch it at the same time it's broadcast.

I prefer watching sports live, including the Super Bowl. I've tried watching recorded games but it's not as enjoyable for me. Glad you have a process that works for you.


----------



## CharlieD (Aug 11, 2020)

Good info to consider. Thank you


----------



## Roll_Bones (Aug 13, 2020)

I have been thinking about cutting the satellite dish off for a few years now.  I have directv.
I think I understand the comment above by Andy.  He is correct about "live" TV.
For example Mountain Men comes on on a certain night at a certain time.  I am not sure I can see this show at that time and on that night.
I too record lots of shows and watch later.
But I am still having a problem letting go of what I have become used to for many years.
One thing that will make it easier is that Directv now AT&T.  The lack of customer service and there is no longer any attempt customer retention.

I called about a discount on the NFL Sunday Ticket last month and there was no apparent attempt by them to keep me as a customer.  They gladly obliged my request to cancel the "Ticket",  ($300 each season) even with my comments of leaving them altogether for internet TV.
It was as if they wanted me to cancel and did not care.  They have never been like this before.  They always gave discounts and did everything they could to keep me happy.  I have been with them for more than 20 years!
They are no longer working with customers and clearly have lost all of their retention practices..
I understand AT&T is trying to dump the TV part of their holdings at a low cost.
Loss of customers does this for them.


----------



## Andy M. (Aug 13, 2020)

Roll_Bones said:


> I have been thinking about cutting the satellite dish off for a few years now.  I have directv.
> I think I understand the comment above by Andy.  He is correct about "live" TV.
> For example Mountain Men comes on on a certain night at a certain time.  I am not sure I can see this show at that time and on that night.
> I too record lots of shows and watch later.
> ...



I have read a couple of articles recently about this. The cable companies aren't trying to keep customers who want to cut the cord anymore because they cannot compete. 

When I called my cable company (Comcast) they half-heartedly offered me a deal that was twice the price of cutting the cord. I refused it and that was it.

It is hard to let go of what you've been used to for so long.

Not sure what the NFL Sunday Ticket includes. That option may not be available to you with a different service. You'll have to do some checking.


----------



## FrankZ (Aug 13, 2020)

NFL Sunday Ticket is only available via DirecTV.

AT&T now owes DirecTV and it is no secret they are trying to kill it off.  Streaming is changing the landscape.  Content providers no longer need to provide access as well, though AT&T is still stuck in that mindset with their new service since you need their box (yay?!?!).

The contract for Sunday Ticket expires soonish, after the 2022 season I think.  I expect it to be a hot commodity and either move to the new AT&T service or Amazon.  Once we are there I will likely look at the landscape and see where we want to be.  I did a cost comparison and I can't really save money with streaming if I still want the ticket, and I do.


----------



## Roll_Bones (Aug 14, 2020)

Andy M. said:


> I have read a couple of articles recently about this. The cable companies aren't trying to keep customers who want to cut the cord anymore because they cannot compete.
> 
> When I called my cable company (Comcast) they half-heartedly offered me a deal that was twice the price of cutting the cord. I refused it and that was it.
> 
> ...



I was a bit shocked when I hung up the phone with Directv.  I hung up with the Sunday Ticket cancelled.  That has never happened before.

Of course this is temporary as I can restart it any time I want.
I could not see starting to pay for something that might be shortened or even cancelled due to the virus.



FrankZ said:


> NFL Sunday Ticket is only available via DirecTV.
> 
> AT&T now owes DirecTV and it is no secret they are trying to kill it off.  Streaming is changing the landscape.  Content providers no longer need to provide access as well, though AT&T is still stuck in that mindset with their new service since you need their box (yay?!?!).
> 
> The contract for Sunday Ticket expires soonish, after the 2022 season I think.  I expect it to be a hot commodity and either move to the new AT&T service or Amazon.  Once we are there I will likely look at the landscape and see where we want to be.  I did a cost comparison and I can't really save money with streaming if I still want the ticket, and I do.



Same here Frank.  Sunday Ticket subscriber since the inception.  I had an old analog dish for games before Directv.
I hope the NFL and someone hook up and make this Ticket more affordable and available in other formats.

Like you I want and even need to watch my team each year.  My team is not local and the only way to get my team each Sunday is with the ticket.
However,  there is talk of Saturday and even Friday NFL games.
Should this become a reality, it is very likely I will get to see my team on local TV.  They were the local team before Atlanta got good and Carolina got a franchise.


----------



## Andy M. (Aug 14, 2020)

Rollbones, not sure who your team is but I think you should be able to catch their games by streaming CBS, ESPN, Fox.

Is your team way out of your viewing area?


----------



## Andy M. (Sep 3, 2020)

Quick update.

We've been using this setup for a while now. The basic plan from Roku includes lots of free content. One it is Serious Eats TV. So cool. I learned and tried a new way to shape my bagels! 

Navigating around the channels and services is not as slick as Comcast cable but it works.

Watching Startalk episodes and starting to feel stupid after listening to Neil deGrass Tyson! 

We love the National Geographic documentary episodes exploring wildlife in various parts of the world.

We watched Hamilton twice. The second time with closed captioning so I could follow the dialog better.


----------



## Vinylhanger (Sep 4, 2020)

We have a handful of pay subscriptions on our Roku.  Honestly though, I watch YouTube the most.

Watching it on the 60 inch plasma is a lot of fun.


----------

