Adventures in Cable Cutting (1 Viewer)

[Steve R.]

It's been a year now since dumping cable TV and moving to (live) HULU. It's turning out to be a very good decision. But it also means tweaking your viewing habits.

With cable TV, we were more or less locked into watching a program when it actually aired. (Sure, we had a DVR attached to our cable box; but it was more limited and required more work.) Now, we can easily preselect what shows to record. I am now tweaking my viewing habits to watch them later rather than when they actually aired. Additionally, with HULU we can record shows that air simultaneously were we could not with the cable DVR.

Accidentally watching old content. An unexpected downside. Selecting what you watch is easy. But as with contracts, you have to carefully read the fine print (show information) so that you don't make that mistake!

Picture quality is actually better with HULU then with the cable. With cable we had 1080I. With HULU we have 1080P. I was surprised that I could notice the improved picture quality.

Being able to watch content on any device. I was dimly aware of this at the time we signed-up for HULU. Now that I have experienced it, I really appreciate it. Every computer and Android device in the home can now play content. Allows us to customize what we are watching. The cable company (before we dumped them) wanted you to have one encrypted cable box for each TV. An expensive bummer.

 

[pbaldy]

Interesting. I've thought about this type of thing, but our internet at home is borderline for streaming video. Maybe I should upgrade that and dump the dish. Does HULU have all the networks, and more importantly for my wife, HGTV and such?

 

[Deleted member 147267]

Interesting topic. Am trying to figure out what I'd need to cut the cord as well. I think my costs are astronomic for tv, phone and internet access, and will only be going up. There's too much jargon and techno speak out there, and I don't think all the proponents reveal all the truth because they're flogging something too. For us, the biggest hurdle will be Momma, who likes a whole bunch of syndicated TV shows, and once you lose your program guide, you not only hope someone has uploaded the latest episodes, there is a knack to finding them. She's just so-so with an Android phone. I tend to watch more series oriented stuff like documentaries; especially science (animals, astronomy, culture, WWI and WWII and the like). So if Discovery HD has a series or special on polar bears for example, whatever its name is will be unknown to me without the guide. Am I left to getting out the laptop and checking out the websites of these major channels just to see what's on?
Whatever the path is, I hope to do something soon. Currently over $200 Cdn per month and set to rise. Was thinking maybe satellite, but that would mean trading one ship of pirates for another.

 

[Frothingslosh]

Or you could do what I did and give up TV entirely.

That's what I did back in 95. Even then, the TV news seemed to be only about body counts and disasters (and their body counts). The important stuff I could get online even then, and the shows available weren't enough to keep my attention on TV.

If there's a show I really want to see these days, I can find it easily enough on a streaming service, but most weeks I don't watch any shows or episodes at all. Instead, giving up TV entirely has allowed me hours more every day for reading and study.

 

[Deleted member 147267]

I probably could survive, but have you ever heard the expression "happy wife, happy life"?
Mind you, there's not much she could take away from me, and if the result is the 'silent treatment' that might be an upside?

 

[pbaldy]

<Blackmail material>

Dear Mrs. Micron, thought you might like to see the following post by your husband:

if the result is the 'silent treatment' that might be an upside?

</Blackmail material>

 

[Steve R.]

Interesting. I've thought about this type of thing, but our internet at home is borderline for streaming video. Maybe I should upgrade that and dump the dish. Does HULU have all the networks, and more importantly for my wife, HGTV and such?

Yes. HULU has HGTV.

That reminds me of two points that I should have included in my original adventures post.

1. Some programs on a network, that is otherwise available, are not available for live streaming. For example, the current episodes of Gold Rush were not available on the Discover Channel when we first signed-up. Just recently, HULU and the Discover Channel must have resolved the issue of the availability of Gold Rush on HULU since it is now available.


2. My network router and Cable modem have been able to handle multiple cases of streaming. I have been pleasantly surprised by that. I was afraid that the router would not hold-up. But be aware that there are buffering issues when accessing a different "channel".

The whole concept of "channel" needs to be tossed-out. The question that needs to be asked, is: "On what network is the program shown?" My wife and I have had to do an emergency look-up for a program because we identified them by channel, not by network.

Occasionally there are buffering issues while watching. But nothing significant.

Also there is an interesting "glitch", which is not really a "glitch". When a live program ends, it re-syncs the signal. What happens is that the new program starts, then stops, then replays the last few seconds of the prior program before moving onto the new program.

I think my costs are astronomic for tv, phone and internet access, and will only be going up.

Switching to HULU saved us approximately $100 per month. But you may also need to consider additional costs associated with subscribing to premium services like HBO.

Am trying to figure out what I'd need to cut the cord as well.

It depends on the APPS available on your TV. With our (now "old") TV, we use an Amazon Firestick as our TV does not have HULU (live) as an APP. New TVs seem to be feature rich now, but you still many need to specifically ask the question on whether HULU (live) is actually available. We had to go through the tech support rigamarole to find out that HULU (live) would not work directly on our TV. A lot will depend on how old your TV is.

For us, the biggest hurdle will be Momma, who likes a whole bunch of syndicated TV shows, and once you lose your program guide, you not only hope someone has uploaded the latest episodes, there is a knack to finding them.

Not all networks are available through HULU (live). Even if a network is shown as being available, programming may not be available. For example, AMC only shows a limited amount of content. Specifically, it does not show "Better Call Saul".

 

[Deleted member 147267]

Likely HULU doesn't apply to me.
TV is Sharp Aquos, about 10 years old. Like me, not very Smart.
Paid over $2k for it new and am in no hurry to replace it, yet might have to relegate it to the guest bedroom and put it on an antenna in order to get anywhere with this.

 

[moke123]

Not sure which company I hate more, Cable Co. or Cellphone Co.

When Comcast bought Time Warner they decided that the were going to upgrade our service by going 100% encrypted digital. The result being you need a cable box at each TV. They gave us 2 boxes free for a year and legacy TW customers would be charged $11.99 a month per box. When I complained about it they told me I could switch to being a Spectrum(Comcast) account and only pay $7.00 a month per box. Friends of mine were never told they could switch and save. Another downside to the cable boxes was that they didn't play well with my home theater system and rendered some of the features of the expensive TV's useless.

One work around from renting Spectrum's boxes was to use a Roku with a spectrum app. I loved the Roku so much I bought 3 more for the rest of the house. Being wireless I also don't have to run coax cable . The drawback is you still have to pay for Cable TV to get the major stations.

I have to check out the Hulu and Sling offerings. If enough of what I watch is on them I'd drop Spectrum in a heartbeat.

 

[Steve R.]

TV is Sharp Aquos, about 10 years old.

If it has an HDMI input, you can use one of the devices listed below.

Amazon FireTV

Roku

Chromcast

 

[June7]

Have an older Samsung flat and recently bought an adapter from Amazon in order to connect to our wireless router for internet access and subscribe to Netflix. Also grudgingly upgraded internet plan at more than twice the price.

 

[Steve R.]

When Comcast bought Time Warner they decided that the were going to upgrade our service by going 100% encrypted digital. The result being you need a cable box at each TV. They gave us 2 boxes free for a year and legacy TW customers would be charged $11.99 a month per box. When I complained about it they told me I could switch to being a Spectrum(Comcast) account and only pay $7.00 a month per box. Friends of mine were never told they could switch and save. Another downside to the cable boxes was that they didn't play well with my home theater system and rendered some of the features of the expensive TV's useless.

Amen. Just before cutting the cable to Spectrum (formerly Time Warner), I had complained to them about the fee increase and I was similarly advised.

 

[pbaldy]

It seems like the dynamic has changed. You're no longer rewarded for loyalty/staying with a company, you're rewarded for switching. I guess they figure most people won't switch once they're on a plan, so they take advantage of that. The way to get deals now seems to be switching providers every year.

On a similar note, I considered changing to Spectrum internet to get higher speeds. The price they advertise I'd be content with, but it's only for 12 months. Nowhere can you find what the price will be after that point. It only says "the then-current price", or "the standard price". I could not find what that price would be in their ads or on their website.

 

[Deleted member 147267]

If it has an HDMI input, you can use one of the devices listed below.
Amazon FireTV

Roku

Chromcast

Thanks. Will check those out. tv has 2 hdmi
Still, I see mamma as being the obstacle to any change. She definitely likes her program guide and syndicated shows.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

After the USA FCC rescinded the "net neutrality" rules, prices were SURE to rise because in essence, the corporate pigs have unlimited rights to gouge you. Some of the price increases are starting to show up. NETFLIX is boosting prices by 13% to nearly 20%.

At the moment, AT&T is pushing DirectTV, which they bought, over their other line, UVerse. The problem in south Louisiana is that we have frequent "pop-up" showers and I've seen some commercial DirectTV installations when the rain kicks in. Instant loss of signal for a shower of no particular intensity. Which is why I am not going to one of the dish-oriented providers.

The "happy wife, happy life" rule works here too. Between HGTV and the Hallmark channels, 2/3 of the stuff recorded on the DVR is hers. She is still catching up to all the saccharine-sweet Christmas movies that she recorded. Just in time for the Valentine's Day blitz. <sarcasm> I'm thrilled. </sarcasm>

 

[Minty]

We recently upgraded to the UK SKY Q system. 2Tb hard drive main Q box.
One set of dish cables to a main box, and Q 'mini' boxes round the rest of the house. They connect wirelessly using their own mesh network.

Completely new Dish LNB , lets us record/watch upto 7 channels simultaneously or any recorded content. Also some main box channels are now available in UHD !

Very clever, does rely heavily on your broadband connection for any "on Demand" content. Not cheap - full package cost s approx £90 per month with Broadband costs on top.

 

[Vassago]

After the USA FCC rescinded the "net neutrality" rules, prices were SURE to rise because in essence, the corporate pigs have unlimited rights to gouge you. Some of the price increases are starting to show up. NETFLIX is boosting prices by 13% to nearly 20%.

At the moment, AT&T is pushing DirectTV, which they bought, over their other line, UVerse. The problem in south Louisiana is that we have frequent "pop-up" showers and I've seen some commercial DirectTV installations when the rain kicks in. Instant loss of signal for a shower of no particular intensity. Which is why I am not going to one of the dish-oriented providers.

The "happy wife, happy life" rule works here too. Between HGTV and the Hallmark channels, 2/3 of the stuff recorded on the DVR is hers. She is still catching up to all the saccharine-sweet Christmas movies that she recorded. Just in time for the Valentine's Day blitz. <sarcasm> I'm thrilled. </sarcasm>

Content providers aren't really the ones impacted by net neutrality restrictions being lifted as much as the service providers. They stated they are raising prices to support their content production, which makes sense.
They are producing content at almost a hilarious rate and are getting into quite a debt situation.

Comcast sent me a warning for the first time since the rules were rescinded that I was using excessive data and that I would be charged extra if it happened again. I've also read that they are considering a tiered system based on people who use a lot of bandwidth for streaming content from the top streaming platforms. Those are the real dangers of not having net neutrality. Paying extra to access the content you want, though the actual bandwidth cost is the same, just because they can. They may take contracts with certain content providers to cost less than content providers they don't have deals with. I'm afraid this is only the beginning of the madness.

 

[Vassago]

I once had Playstation's streaming service for live tv set up on my Fire and Playstation systems. It was pretty spiffy and MUCH cheaper than cable. I currently have DirecTV because I could not resist the NFL Sunday Ticket package last year, but as soon as the contract is up, I'm cutting it and going strictly streaming. I'm not sure yet if I will buy another streaming service for live tv though.

 

[scott-atkinson]

Not cheap - full package cost s approx £90 per month with Broadband costs on top.

Geez, you must really like watching the Tele... lol

 

[pbaldy]

Instant loss of signal for a shower of no particular intensity.

I don't know if technology has advanced or we're just lucky, but we haven't had that problem. It was snowing hard last night and we didn't have any problems with our TV reception (Dish, not DirectTV if it matters). Rain doesn't typically affect it either.