We are considering going cable-free and just watching tv through hd rabbit ears and using Internet tv to order programming. Has anyone done this? How do you handle local sports? We pay close to $100 a month and it is excessive.
Anyone Ditched Cable?
Started by
john
, Dec 28 2011 12:07 PM
22 replies to this topic
#1
john
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Posted 28 December 2011 - 12:07 PM
#2
AMETHYST PRODUCTIVITY
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Posted 28 December 2011 - 12:36 PM
I would do it in a heartbeat but haven't figured out the sports thing yet. We watch a lot of sports.
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#3
MrsTuffPaws
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Posted 28 December 2011 - 12:54 PM
Ditched the TV a few years ago and haven't looked back. Not interested in sports though, so I guess that helps. Perhaps become a regular at a sports bar?
#4
mac_convert
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Posted 28 December 2011 - 01:39 PM
I pulled the plug in August. I haven't figured out the sports thing either, but I'd rather use the money for a house cleaner than for cable or satellite. I figure I'll workout at the gym to watch Kings games at this point.
#5
stangage70
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Posted 28 December 2011 - 01:52 PM
Went terrestrial six years ago.
I am not too big on the televised sports.
I find the broadcast stations (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, etc) have enough for me.
An outdoor antenna will help maximize your level of success.
I am not too big on the televised sports.
I find the broadcast stations (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, etc) have enough for me.
An outdoor antenna will help maximize your level of success.
#6
Dave Burrell
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Posted 28 December 2011 - 02:24 PM
Did it a few years ago.
I run a Roku unit on every TV we have (they have them at Costco now) and we also have a very nice OTA HD antennae that works great (got it at best buy), it's amazing how many free channels there are out there.
For sports we use either the local channels or online at firstrowsports.tv
the only thing we miss without cable is that big bill every month
I run a Roku unit on every TV we have (they have them at Costco now) and we also have a very nice OTA HD antennae that works great (got it at best buy), it's amazing how many free channels there are out there.
For sports we use either the local channels or online at firstrowsports.tv
the only thing we miss without cable is that big bill every month
Travel, food and drink blog by Dave - http://davestravels.tv
#7
camay2327
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Posted 28 December 2011 - 04:00 PM
We still have Comcastic and will stay with them.
Paying over $150 a month for cable TV/Internet/Phone but we hardly ever go out
and watch a lot of programs in the evening so this is our one Vice...
We have included SHO TIME because we wanted to watch the HOMELAND series.
The last HOMELAND of this season just aired so we will probably go back to HBO
until it comes back on next season. Homeland is a great series.
Paying over $150 a month for cable TV/Internet/Phone but we hardly ever go out
and watch a lot of programs in the evening so this is our one Vice...
We have included SHO TIME because we wanted to watch the HOMELAND series.
The last HOMELAND of this season just aired so we will probably go back to HBO
until it comes back on next season. Homeland is a great series.
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That is HONOR, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.
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#8
john
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Posted 28 December 2011 - 04:32 PM
Dave, FirstRowSports .tv looks a little, shall I say scammy. Do you use it often?
Also, HD rabbit ears - is the reception good? How is the setup?
Also, HD rabbit ears - is the reception good? How is the setup?
#9
Chad Vander Veen
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Posted 28 December 2011 - 04:33 PM
Did it a few years ago.
I run a Roku unit on every TV we have (they have them at Costco now) and we also have a very nice OTA HD antennae that works great (got it at best buy), it's amazing how many free channels there are out there.
For sports we use either the local channels or online at firstrowsports.tv
the only thing we miss without cable is that big bill every month
Whoa - awesome site! I have the same Qs as John and that could answer it
#10
rpo
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Posted 28 December 2011 - 05:55 PM
Dave, FirstRowSports .tv looks a little, shall I say scammy. Do you use it often?
Also, HD rabbit ears - is the reception good? How is the setup?
I had to use a 48" outdoor antenna hung in the attic with string to get more than three channels in Empire Ranch. Indoors with rabbits ears MIGHT get you one or two. The problem is the transmitter is located SE of Sacramento and is 30 miles from Folsom, which makes reception very difficult this far out unless you have line of sight to the valley below.
#11
Adamal
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Posted 28 December 2011 - 06:07 PM
We ditched the TV portion of U-verse in January. I bought and HD antenna the Terk HDTVa which I highly recommend. I stuck it in the attic and get all the local stations. For movies we use Netflix both the streaming and DVDs. The good news is that for everything but sports it's awesome. I recycled an old PC popped a TV tuner card in it and made it a DVR. The HD over the antenna is better that what you'll get through cable because it isn't compressed. Unfortunately it's only for local stations. I've never watch many sports and from my friends that do, going without cable is more difficult. For the sports I do watch, I get it through the antenna, a friends house, or just go to one of the sports bars.
I'd recommend an amplified antenna.
I had to use a 48" outdoor antenna hung in the attic with string to get more than three channels in Empire Ranch. Indoors with rabbits ears MIGHT get you one or two. The problem is the transmitter is located SE of Sacramento and is 30 miles from Folsom, which makes reception very difficult this far out unless you have line of sight to the valley below.
I'd recommend an amplified antenna.
#12
Dave Burrell
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Posted 28 December 2011 - 07:15 PM
Whoa - awesome site! I have the same Qs as John and that could answer it
You have to view an ad once in a while with it (similar to Hulu) but other then that the site works pretty good for watching just about any football game going on in the entire country. I've had good luck with it. The resolution is not HD, but for free it works.
Travel, food and drink blog by Dave - http://davestravels.tv
#13
(MaxineR)
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Posted 29 December 2011 - 12:41 AM
My husband and I work pretty hard and won't ever give up our Dish Network, without a fight.
I like the fact that I can program shows and watch them at MY convenience.
Plus, skipping over commercials is heaven and allows me to see the SHOW. not the ads. So an average show is about 45-50 mins. instead of the 60. Even though our internet (for business) and Dish Network are a little expensive, we feel we deserve one and must have the other.
We ditched Netflix and went with BlockBuster Movie Pass, which is offered through Dish Network for ten bucks a month. We get a movie in the mail and after watching it go directly to Block Buster and exchange it for one of the newest releases, FREE. We can keep that movie as long as we want without any late fees. So we average a couple of movies a week, which is pretty cheap for ten bucks a month.
We only have one premium channel on Dish Network. That is Showtime, which shows the 'Homeland' series and 'Dexter', which is a MUST HAVE!!!! Since those series have ended for this season, we may cancel Showtime until the next season. And Camay is right, that 'Homeland' is a great series!
As with Camay, we don't go out to the movies much and prefer to stay home, snuggle down with popcorn and be in control of our viewing time. Having two 52" TVs makes watching almost as god as a movie, now that we have HDTV. If I want to watch something my husband doesn't, I go upstairs. We have a separate box for upstairs, which makes things much easier if I or he are working from home and need quite from distractions, we can have that.
These services are our vices as we don't travel, have pets, expensive cars/boats or clothing ( jeans, T-Shirts/sweat shirts and sneakers is the way we roll.) We are also non users of IPads, IPods, smart phones or reading devices....don't drink or smoke; which saves a ton of money. ( I use a can opener that is over twenty years old and have no shame when it comes to going to thrift shops to buy things.)
We are not sports fans and have NBAH. Yeah!!!!!
I like the fact that I can program shows and watch them at MY convenience.
Plus, skipping over commercials is heaven and allows me to see the SHOW. not the ads. So an average show is about 45-50 mins. instead of the 60. Even though our internet (for business) and Dish Network are a little expensive, we feel we deserve one and must have the other.
We ditched Netflix and went with BlockBuster Movie Pass, which is offered through Dish Network for ten bucks a month. We get a movie in the mail and after watching it go directly to Block Buster and exchange it for one of the newest releases, FREE. We can keep that movie as long as we want without any late fees. So we average a couple of movies a week, which is pretty cheap for ten bucks a month.
We only have one premium channel on Dish Network. That is Showtime, which shows the 'Homeland' series and 'Dexter', which is a MUST HAVE!!!! Since those series have ended for this season, we may cancel Showtime until the next season. And Camay is right, that 'Homeland' is a great series!
As with Camay, we don't go out to the movies much and prefer to stay home, snuggle down with popcorn and be in control of our viewing time. Having two 52" TVs makes watching almost as god as a movie, now that we have HDTV. If I want to watch something my husband doesn't, I go upstairs. We have a separate box for upstairs, which makes things much easier if I or he are working from home and need quite from distractions, we can have that.
These services are our vices as we don't travel, have pets, expensive cars/boats or clothing ( jeans, T-Shirts/sweat shirts and sneakers is the way we roll.) We are also non users of IPads, IPods, smart phones or reading devices....don't drink or smoke; which saves a ton of money. ( I use a can opener that is over twenty years old and have no shame when it comes to going to thrift shops to buy things.)
We are not sports fans and have NBAH. Yeah!!!!!
#14
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Posted 29 December 2011 - 07:55 AM
I've been sans cable for about 2.5 years. I'd rather read my news and I don't follow sports. I find I've been missing out on some of the pop culture experience. I've completely missed Mad Men and Community, for instance. Watching TV at all tends to draw you to the good shows, but if you don't watch TV you miss it. You have time for other things but you get left behind in the conversation at the lunch table.
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#15
rpo
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Posted 29 December 2011 - 10:34 AM
I'd recommend an amplified antenna.
I actually had to use an amplifier on the antenna as well. Without it, PBS and KXTV were useless.
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