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RubberBullets

Cutting Cable and Alternatives.

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So it has almost been a year since we last talked about this. Another 15% hike and losing channels got the ticker going again about cutting cable and using alternatives. My package prior to this was TV/Internet, and all movie suites for 160 (then bumped to 190) Wife and I only watch HBO/Starz for some specific series throughout the year.

 

So are my options still Roku or HTPC, or even the 1 google tv I currently have/use. Any improvement on netflix or hulu plus that would make switching over a bit easier. I have two young kids so cartoons are equally important :)

 

Let me know what youre using to free yourselves of the shackles that is cable TV. Ill be researching myself over the next few days to make it happen. I will let you know what i find as well.

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Do what I do. I dumped Comcast and stuck one of those HDTV antennas up above the window. It rests on the curtain rod. I get 40 something channels....all HD...all FREE. All the local channels and some other cool ones. I cant understand the spanish ones but still get them as well. I have it pointed towards Philly area.

 

Go to http://www.antennaweb.org/

 

Fill in your zip and/or address and it will tell you what's in range and how strong the signals are. I personally have an antenna booster that I got from Radioshack. Got me a few more channels.

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I miss my Discovery and History channels but I can always go online for those if needed. Can't beat FREE!

 

For the reason you watch HBO/Starz and whatnot... Subscribe to Netflix for 7 bucks a month. The series....es...series's...(you know what I mean), they are usually behind but they eventually make it there.

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Do what I do. I dumped Comcast and stuck one of those HDTV antennas up above the window. It rests on the curtain rod. I get 40 something channels....all HD...all FREE. All the local channels and some other cool ones. I cant understand the spanish ones but still get them as well. I have it pointed towards Philly area.

 

Go to http://www.antennaweb.org/

 

Fill in your zip and/or address and it will tell you what's in range and how strong the signals are. I personally have an antenna booster that I got from Radioshack. Got me a few more channels.

 

Great resource. Unfortunately I only possibly get two channels from philly unless I get an antenna up on the roof (then possibly 24) Its something to consider but might be a stretch. Thank you for giving me an option to work with.

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An antenna will get you all the local channels. If you're out where I live you'll need it up on a tower... if you're most everywhere else on your roof is best.

 

You're not getting HBO by itself. They want you to get cable or satellite.

 

For TV reception I like this site the best:

 

http://www.tvfool.com

 

These guys can help you out with reception (I'm a mod there):

http://www.dtvusaforum.com

 

As for me personally? I have DirecTV. 2 year contract though but you get discounts including $10/month for 10 months if you get referred by a friend.

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What do you do about internet if you cut the cable?

 

Fios is not an option here.

 

I just keep internet service from the cable company. It's $10/month more but I still come out ahead.

 

if you really want to divorce yourself from the cable co the phone companies offer DSL but it is slow.

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An antenna will get you all the local channels. If you're out where I live you'll need it up on a tower... if you're most everywhere else on your roof is best.

 

You're not getting HBO by itself. They want you to get cable or satellite.

 

For TV reception I like this site the best:

 

http://www.tvfool.com

 

These guys can help you out with reception (I'm a mod there):

http://www.dtvusaforum.com

 

As for me personally? I have DirecTV. 2 year contract though but you get discounts including $10/month for 10 months if you get referred by a friend.

 

TVfool!!!!! THATS what I was trying to remember! It's been a while.

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I use comcast for internet, and have the bare minimum TV service ($15 / month – you have to ask for it. BTW – they also have a “seniors” rate that is sort of the same thing). That, plus Netflix and Amazon Prime and I get pretty much everything I want. If there is a series on HBO I want I just buy that on Amazon.

 

I use Roku, and have 3 of them – 1 for each TV. Roku is always adding channels, so there is usually something to watch/find/explore.

I also read more now :)

 

 

 

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I have the basic cable and high speed internet from Comcast,Roku with Netflix and try the free 30 trial from Amazon every once in awhile when on demand or Netflix does not carry a series or program. As for the HBO and Starz series, I watch them on "Free TV.com" and have for years. I was able to keep up with Dexter,The Sapranos, and the rest when I'm overseas.

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Comcast just pissed me off last night.

 

I am on a triple play. I haven't used my home phone in over 2 yrs, so i was thinking of ditching it. I was told since i am on a promotion, I would go to full rates. 1 HD DVR, 1 standard box, internet: $240....wtf are they smoking?? $240 for 2 tvs and internet???

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Anyone else here miss C band satalite? Remember the days of free HBO and live feeds from the then new networks? Then came digital transmission and it all got screwed up.....

Ken

 

There's still C-Band. There are not so many of the popular cable TV channels in the clear though. But there are still plenty of feeds and specialty channels. There is also a national feed of PBS and a few other networks. Analog is all but gone now.

 

There's also FTA Ku band which you can get with the same or a smaller dish but a Ku band LNB. But most of it is foreign language and religion. It's fun to surf the channels and birds though.

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Netflix works great for me. Has a bunch of 90's Nickelodeon cartoons that I grew up on and your kids would love. They're way better than the crap that's on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network now.

 

You can get it for $8/month, way better than cable. (If Netflix doesn't offer you enough, get HuluPlus too for another $8/month. For $16/month, you get two services....)

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This is a very timely thread.  Things are probably a little different for me because I have 3 cable providers, not including FIOS (which I can't get) and all the Dish things.  But I tried to get better deals from some of them a couple years ago and got nothing.  January my cable bill went from $97 to $110.  They even started charging me more for box rentals that I have probably already paid for at this point.  This is just basic cable plus extended non-premium channels, no internet and no even semi-premium channels.  I don't even get Nat Geo, Starz, not even the BS channels.

 

I called them up and said they just raised my rates and "The Cable is Too Damn High."  It took about 5 minutes but they lowered my bill from $110 to $79.  $79!  Now, that really sucks, but it is a lot better than $110.  So, I know the deal, I ask them if this will only last a year and they will jack up my prices or my old package becomes extinct and I have to get a new, larger one.  They said it will go up $10 in 1 year but that's it, no trial discount after that, and the package is permanent.

 

Well, it's not ideal to pay all this money, but I certainly did a heck of a lot better than I thoguht I would have with a simple phone call.  I thought they were going to tell me to pound sand.

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I use comcast for internet, and have the bare minimum TV service ($15 / month – you have to ask for it. BTW – they also have a “seniors” rate that is sort of the same thing). That, plus Netflix and Amazon Prime and I get pretty much everything I want. If there is a series on HBO I want I just buy that on Amazon.

 

I use Roku, and have 3 of them – 1 for each TV. Roku is always adding channels, so there is usually something to watch/find/explore.

I also read more now :)

 

I like to type small as well. need to make people work for what they want to read.

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So I bit a bullet and bought a roku 2 xs in addition to the logitech revue I have. I used the logitech for browser and youtube on the tv.. But id want more than just one tv to work to make the jump. Got a free 2 month trial to hulu+ and amonth from netflix.

 

I have to get a handle of hulu and utilizing the channel list but wife likes netflix alot so far. Gonna give it a week trial.. If i like it cable goes away. If not then basoc cable and netflix ftw. Ill give an update in a week or two of my thoughts.

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I've got a HD antenna in my attic pointing thru the gable end right ay NYC -- I'm about 35 miles away or so and I get about 40 or so channels -- Lots of spanish but all the networks in HD all free

 

Cablevision is still here for internet access but nothing else -- Netflix account also - only streaming

 

I also have a free VOIP phone which is a little tricky but it works fine once you figure it out I'll explain

 

Get a google voice phone #

 

Get a sipgate phone #

 

Google voice is free but isn't a stand alone phone service, It must forward your calls to an existing # could be a cell phone or in this case a sipgate #

 

Sipgate is a VOIP phone service based in Germany I think -- My sipgate # has a San fransico area code but that doesn't matter -- The sipgate service has free, unlimited incoming calls and you pay for outgoing calls but you never actually make an outgoing call

 

What happens is you get your google voice # and this is what you use and give out -- You have your google# forwarded to your sipgate # easy enough -- now when making an outgoing call you use Google voice -- Gotta dial from the internet but thats easy enough-- can even do it from an Ipod -- Anyway, dial on your google # and it gets forwarded to your sipgate # -- This call then becomes a free incoming call to sipgate -- and sipgate calls out -- talk as long as you like FREE

 

It works great, and with a VOIP modem I have my phones in the house connected, It rings just like it was from verizon

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I'm about to jump off the Comcast ship myself, although broadband is still necessary. Has anybody gone from Comcast to the "1.1-15Mbps" DSL? Is it noticably slower? Still work for streaming video?

 

With Comcast I'm getting (measured) anywhere from 5-15Mbps d/l currently. 4Mbps up, although that doesn't matter too much to me.

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Anyone have a suggestion on a good antenna? Im about 50-60 miles split between nyc and philly. Gonna mount the antenna in the attic at around 25-30 ft.

 

Should i go all out and get an antenna direct db8e that i can split directions and get 70+mile coverage to be on the safe side? Or risk using the less powerful antennas and reduce the possibility of reaching a good amount of networks?

 

I really like the netflix/hulu option, but the only thing im missing is local news and a few shows like the bbt.

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Go to TVFool, get a report and then copy/paste the resulting web URL here. It hides your address. With a detailed report I can see what you can get and recommend an antenna.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that WPVI ABC 6 in Philly is actually on channel 6 VHF so you'll need a low VHF antenna. In NYC, the VHF channels are on high VHF 7-13 (WABC, WPIX, WNET) You'll likely need a big monster like the Winegard HD8200U and a preamp like the CHannel Master CM7777. If you want to receive both NYC and philly you'll need a rotor as well.

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Yeah it looks like you'll need a larger antenna with full coverage from 2-51.

 

The Channel master 3679 or similar should fit the bill:

 

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=03&p=CM-3679&d=Channel-Master-CM3679-Deep-Fringe-Crossfire-Series-TV-Antenna-(CM3679)&c=TV%20Antennas&sku=

 

You'll also need a preamp like the channel master 7777 and if you want both markets (NYC and Philly) you'll need a rotor. For that large of an antenna I'd also recommend guying the mast.

 

Your TVFool report is actually quite good. It could be bad like mine:

 

House level:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d1dda16225533a9

 

Where antenna actually is (on the tower):

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d1dda881c36a688

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Yeah it looks like you'll need a larger antenna with full coverage from 2-51.

 

The Channel master 3679 or similar should fit the bill:

 

http://www.solidsign...Antenna-(CM3679)&c=TV%20Antennas&sku=

 

You'll also need a preamp like the channel master 7777 and if you want both markets (NYC and Philly) you'll need a rotor. For that large of an antenna I'd also recommend guying the mast.

 

Your TVFool report is actually quite good. It could be bad like mine:

 

House level:

http://www.tvfool.co...d1dda16225533a9

 

Where antenna actually is (on the tower):

http://www.tvfool.co...d1dda881c36a688

 

Is there a solution for something a little more compact to go within my attic? Looking at the DB8e it only does UHF so id miss out on the other channels.

 

Maybe something like this? http://www.antennasdirect.com/store/ClearStream-C2-VHF-Long-Range-Combo-Complete.html

 

Thank you for your input. It has become more principal then just cutting the cable bill.. I want to tell the comcrap monopoly to stick it in their pipe and smoke it.

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