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I want to give up cable. What are my options?

JonL

JonL

Lunatic Member
I'm tired of paying way too much for cable TV that I rarely watch. I should be close enough to NYC to pick up OTA broadcast channels with an antenna, but putting one up in a good location may be tricky, I'll have to see.

Beyond that, what are my options for internet based services? I'd like to be able to watch a movie now and then as well as some TV shows, both current and old. I don't give a hoot about watching them as soon as they come out, so if there's a delay between their initial airing and their availability online, that is meaningless to me. HBO seems to have a bunch of good series (I never paid up for the premium cable packages, so I never got HBO). Is HBO available online?

Can I even get enough stuff for free to keep my limited TV desires satisfied?

Right now I can simply hook my Macbook up to my 32" LCD TV. If it makes sense I'd buy an Apple TV to be able to stream stuff without having to have the computer hardwired right by the TV.

Suggestions?
 
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I've seen a service advertised that offers something like 3,500 satellite channels from around the world, for a one-time-only, lifetime fee of around US$50. It probably includes 3,400 weird channels in languages you don't know and won't want to watch, but it still looks like a good deal.

In the free realm (where I'm in occupancy now :D), there are a number of places with a lot of free TV shows. Hulu is a good one. Some of the networks also have free streaming of older shows.

In the past few days, since getting a new computer that handles video streaming much better than my old one, I've started re-watching the old, original "Battlestar Galactica" series (the new remake series is also available free), and also watched a few episodes of some other old series (comedies, westerns and sitcoms), as well as some great old sci-fi movies.

Even though I live outside the USA, where the service supposedly isn't available, I found it easy to circumvent that using a proxy server located inside the USA. Using the proxy didn't seem to slow the streaming at all. For someone living in the US, it would be even easier.

For movies, consider Netflix. Again, it isn't available here (except through awkward work-arounds), but my family in the States uses it regularly; it works well both for delivery of tangible disks and for online streaming. It costs, but not much.

For me, I could spend years just re-watching the free series online, and never miss paid services. (Check out just how much is on Hulu, and how recent... it may surprise you!)

There are other services online that I haven't tried yet, but as someone who has very recently started down the same path you're talking about, so far I'm finding it pretty good going. I don't watch all that much TV ordinarily, but having all the old shows and some series that weren't broadcast here (or were on channels I hadn't paid for) but which I've heard a lot about, available free, is nice!
 
Apple tv isn't a bad idea. Roku box is a cool little unit. You can stream netflix and hulu on it. Netflix is about 9 for only streaming and I believe hulu is 10 so for around 20 bucks you should be pretty set up. Hulu carries old and new tv shows and I am happy with netflix. Plus I beieve you get vudu on roku box and you can rent movies that are newer releases. If you do the antenna and the roku you should be set up real well.

Edit: Sorry I gave some misinformation the Roku box streams amazon video which will give you current releases. Sorry for the wrong info. DonQuixote99 below is right make sure you have high speed to get it without glitches.
 
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Netflix is perfect for watching movies/tv shows. But you need high speed interent in some form. Clearwire's basic service (which is what I've got) isn't really good enough.
 
I dumped cable for most of last year, streaming Netflix and Hulu to a few PS3 and a Wii (kids room). It worked well and I would still be doing it, but my gf convinced me to get Direct TV then moved out :thumbsdn: so I'm stuck with a two year contract. Direct TV is better/cheaper than cable though.
 
I want to give up cable. What are my options? :D

Throw the TV away & just listen to music.........:thmbsp:
 
We dumped cable tv
We now have a roku box that serves up Netflix. We are in the same city as all the network affiliates, so an indoor antenna is all that is needed. The DVD and roku are connected to the LCD tv, via HDMI cables.
 
You really have 3 choices of which you can use just one or any combination of:

1. Use an antenna for OTB.
2. Use a home theater PC with HDMI.
3. Use hardware capable of streaming such as AppleTV, Boxee, PS3, Roku WD TV, Logitech Revue as well as various DVD/BluRay players.

Option 1 is pretty self explanatory although you can go with "regular" HDTV antennas or go with computer based USB if you decide to use a home theater PC.

With option 2, you would have to go directly to various websites such as Hulu, NetFlix, Amazon VOD, etc.. to view programs and movies. You can also use programs such as Plex or XBMC which are much better options than using Windows Media Center (PC) or Front Row (Mac). Plex and XBMC are basically all in one media centers for your video and music files stored locally as well as having the ability to view streaming content online.

With option 3, these all offer streaming content from various sources and some allow streaming of content from locally stored files.

As far as HBO GO which is their online programming, you need to have a subscription from your cable/satellite provider.

Currently, I'm using Verizon FIOS service for both TV and internet. I also use a Mac Mini (HDMI) connected to my TV in the living room. In my bedroom, I use a 27" iMac with 2X 2TB hard drives. One for all my music files and one for my video files. Lately I've been ripping all my DVD's as ISO image files which makes for quick access without having to get a DVD and loading it. I can access all these from any computer in the house as well as in the living room using the Mac Mini with no buffering issues. It's quick and easy using either XBMC or Plex (I use both). Also the 27" iMac gets used for late night viewing of movies in bed before going to sleep.
 
eteller said:
Direct TV is better/cheaper than cable though.
Click to expand...

I have not found this to be the case. With Time warner was just as cheap as Direct TV, and they both had the same lousy channel packages. With Time warner, when they tried to increase my monthly rate, I would call and complain, and get the same rate I had been paying. They always running some promotional pricing that is good for at least a year...
 
trhee said:
XBMC or Plex (I use both).
Click to expand...

XBMC, I haven't thought about that program in years. back from the days of soldering 20+ wires from a chip to various locations on an xBox to turn it into a media server. :) Good to see that it is still up and running.

I'd add to the topic but it has all been covered very well. Hulu / Netflix + some sort of media server. I use an xBox360 for Netflix and a Western Digital WDTV+ for a media server. The WDTV will stream NF but the 360 does it better. The thing I like about the WD is I can turn it into a workgroup server and attach a couple USB external HD's to it. It makes a simple data hub and media server.
 
I was only watching an hour or two of cable shows anyway. I think the science and history channels went down the drain several years ago. Now I have broadcast, which includes several channels of PBS, major sports events, a dedicated weather channel with local radar all the time, and of course I have Hulu.

Perhaps someday the content merchants will smell the coffee and offer cable shows via the internet. Most of them have ads anyway.
 
I keep thinkinng about tossing FiOS TV and sticking with just the net..

I have a Roku, but you can also use just your computer plugged into the TV to watch..

We watch netflix, I also watch shows on Hulu, although I have yet to buy a subscription..

You can also search around for shows you like... I watch Undercover Boss the day after it airs on the CBS web site...

It's pretty amazing what you can find on the web to watch now, and the coolest thing, the commercials aren't near as long and as many...

I keep thinking when my contract is up with FiOS for the TV subscription, I may dump that part of it, and keep just the internet.. .that is if they allow that.. I hope..
 
similost said:
I keep thinkinng about tossing FiOS TV and sticking with just the net..

I have a Roku, but you can also use just your computer plugged into the TV to watch..
Click to expand...

I tried this woth Netflix, and while it works, the picture quality is not as good as that coming out of the roku box. I think the Micro$oft Silverlight plugin is the culprit...
 
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