Dropping Cable TV - possible alternatives??

[RHelton10]

My brother in law has dropped Comcast TV is only paying for high-speed internet. He's currently using an Apple TV, Chromecast, and a Roku to stream shows / movies that he normally watches. I'm thinking of doing the same but wanted to see if any one else has tried this and what issues you ran into.

Truth is, for the past year I've found myself only watching maybe 1-2 hours of actual TV, and 95% of the time those shows have been recorded on a DVR by the time I watch them. The only live TV that I care anything about are the UGA games in the fall.

Chromecase, Roku, Apple TV, Smart TV's, etc that have the different streaming apps (Netflix, ABC, HBO, ESPN, etc) all require some sort of subscription, but I have enough family that is still paying for cable that I can use their account log-in, so that's not a problem.

My real concern is that there's going to be a show in the fall that I've forgotten about that will be a problem if I can't find a way to stream it after the show airs. For example, The Walking Dead. This is where I guess I'm looking for advice from others that have tried this; what popular shows (if any) did you find were impossible to watch anywhere but through a cable or dish subscription within a week or two of it originally airing? And I'm not talking crappy low-res copies; I have large TV's in each room that I would be watching any shows and I still need/want HD quality.

And are there any other ideas out there that I'm totally missing? I'm just tired of paying $200 a month for internet and cable when all I really use is internet. Thanks in advance for the input.

 

[10thmountain]

I see that you live in town? To start get an antenna. I get 60 channels for free. Haven't paid for tv in 5 years. I stream the rest.

 

[RHelton10]

I see that you live in town? To start get an antenna. I get 60 channels for free. Haven't paid for tv in 5 years. I stream the rest.

Good call, I forgot about mentioning that piece. That was another way that my brother in law is watching live tv. I'll have to go ahead and order one - thanks!

 

[hamburglar3]

I dropped directv and put an antenna in my room up at the beam. I get more channels than i care to watch. For sports and such, i just stream.

 

[Merlin]

My brother in law has dropped Comcast TV is only paying for high-speed internet. He's currently using an Apple TV, Chromecast, and a Roku to stream shows / movies that he normally watches. I'm thinking of doing the same but wanted to see if any one else has tried this and what issues you ran into.

Truth is, for the past year I've found myself only watching maybe 1-2 hours of actual TV, and 95% of the time those shows have been recorded on a DVR by the time I watch them. The only live TV that I care anything about are the UGA games in the fall.

Chromecase, Roku, Apple TV, Smart TV's, etc that have the different streaming apps (Netflix, ABC, HBO, ESPN, etc) all require some sort of subscription, but I have enough family that is still paying for cable that I can use their account log-in, so that's not a problem.

My real concern is that there's going to be a show in the fall that I've forgotten about that will be a problem if I can't find a way to stream it after the show airs. For example, The Walking Dead. This is where I guess I'm looking for advice from others that have tried this; what popular shows (if any) did you find were impossible to watch anywhere but through a cable or dish subscription within a week or two of it originally airing? And I'm not talking crappy low-res copies; I have large TV's in each room that I would be watching any shows and I still need/want HD quality.

And are there any other ideas out there that I'm totally missing? I'm just tired of paying $200 a month for internet and cable when all I really use is internet. Thanks in advance for the input.

We did the same thing. We are just using netflix and the roku.

 

[batoncolle]

It has been about 6 - 7 years since we dropped cable, and we do not miss it one bit. We have tried several different combinations, and I think the following setup is the best.

1. Good antenna. I prefer the Mohu Leaf.
2. Roku and/or Internet TV.
3. Netflix streaming and Netflix 1 DVD out at a time. Total is about $15/month.

Netflix streaming, although it has not gotten worse, is still the best option available for streaming. Amazon Prime is probably second, but they only have a few selections that Netflix does not have. We recently tried it for a year and dropped it.

And you get the Netflix DVD option for the shows you can't get on streaming, or if you just don't want to wait for the show to come out on streaming.

 

[harrycalahan]

I use a Zenith box with a phillips digital antenna. Works great. You'll find you get a lot more done around the house without cable. Tv is crap anymore anyways. News and weather is all i need.

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

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[Cat Herder]

x2 on Mohu...I cut the cord about 5 years ago. I had the powered Leaf 50 until I lent it, apparently permanently, to my daughter...I live behind what pass for hills here and had trouble picking up Tallahassee where the networks originate. In Atlanta, you might have better luck. Mohu has come out with a more powerful antenna now but I have yet to try it. If I can't pick up an SEC station I sure as hell didn't want to watch the ACC play from FSU.

As far as I am aware, the shows on cable channels like AMC - Walking Dead, or USA, and FX, do not broadcast over the air and the program services like Netflix and Amazon, Hulu and the rest, don't get recent episodes to post on their sites. You are more or less stuck there.

Take a look at tvfool: http://www.tvfool.com/ They have coverage maps that are about as accurate as the ones I used during my first career as a broadcast engineer for WGTV/WUGA. Enter your zip and they will show you transmitter placement and predicted coverage areas...

 

[41mag]

Hulu and Netflix with a digital antenna....best decision we ever made.