TV Reception Options

[nyslowhand]

I'm going through this cable-cutting exercise right now. It really depends on your TV, newer smart TVs can be linked to streaming services solely via a "hardwired" or WiFi internet connection. Depending on your TV's age, model, capabilities - may need a Roku, FireStick, etc, but IRC still need some sort of internet connection. Also have watched a lot of YouTube type how-to videos & they tend to skip or gloss over some of these minor details. Not yet aware of all the ins/outs of the streaming services, but a majority of them cost $/mo. Gotta be a cheaper alternative to my ~$100+/mo, basic TWC/Spectrum gouging!!??!! JMO, Dish &/or DirectTV are NOT alternatives once you get beyond their initial, enticing sign-up plan contract period. Most $$ pretty much double, putting them closer to the $70-100 mark, again. Grrrr... This is one of my pet-peeves along with the outrageous cost of internet & cell phone service plans! Deep breath, relax.....

[fasteddie]

I have 3 TV's hooked up with ROKU so far . They work GREAT ! 

[Nomad]

 Very good !

Looks like we’re going to go with Sling TV Blue package . 40 channels  that you pick out of their list  , can use 3 TVs and it $25 a month .

Edited February 13, 2018 by Stay at home Nomad

[chas0218]

Only catch to all these are they require an internet connection. Spectrum is going up by the day it seems like, and the speeds they are claiming ain't happening in my neck of the woods.

[moog5050]

37 minutes ago, Stay at home Nomad said:

 Very good !

Looks like we’re going to go with Sling TV Blue package . 40 channels  that you pick out of their list  , can use 3 TVs and it $25 a month .

You will like it.  We got rid of cable a couple of years ago and don't miss a thing.  Plus, its so easy to cancel a service, try a new one, go back to an old one, whatever.  Changes can be made monthly with no commitment.  As Chas said, the only hitch is that you still need to pay for internet but that's required anyways for most households.  Half of my kids' homework requires internet access.

[chas0218]

9 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

You will like it.  We got rid of cable a couple of years ago and don't miss a thing.  Plus, its so easy to cancel a service, try a new one, go back to an old one, whatever.  Changes can be made monthly with no commitment.  As Chas said, the only hitch is that you still need to pay for internet but that's required anyways for most households.  Half of my kids' homework requires internet access.

I wish we could cut ties to the cable company completely it's such a monopoly and they make money hand over fist on people. Until satellite internet is more affordable and faster I have to stay with Spectrum/Time Warner. We tried to get a land line the other day because we don't have cell service at our house and no one could tell me who my carrier would be. We ended up with the Google Voice, upfront cost of $150 but unlimited long distance and no monthly bill. Worth the money except my phone number comes up as Brooklyn NY when I call people and in a power outage I have to have internet to have any phone service or drive down the street.

Edited February 13, 2018 by chas0218

[moog5050]

11 minutes ago, chas0218 said:

I wish we could cut ties to the cable company completely it's such a monopoly and they make money hand over fist on people. Until satellite internet is more affordable and faster I have to stay with Spectrum/Time Warner. We tried to get a land line the other day because we don't have cell service at our house and no one could tell me who my carrier would be. We ended up with the Google Voice, upfront cost of $150 but unlimited long distance and no monthly bill. Worth the money except my phone number comes up as Brooklyn NY when I call people and in a power outage I have to have internet to have any phone service or drive down the street.

I agree.  Eventually spectrum will mostly be an internet provider with its own app to be used for services.   And you can bet that the cost of internet will keep rising. I am hoping we see more competition in quality internet service.

[Nomad]

As long as I can get,Shark Tank, Antiques Roadshow and Big Bang Theroy I’ll be good .

[Steuben Jerry]

48 minutes ago, chas0218 said:

I wish we could cut ties to the cable company completely it's such a monopoly and they make money hand over fist on people. Until satellite internet is more affordable and faster I have to stay with Spectrum/Time Warner. We tried to get a land line the other day because we don't have cell service at our house and no one could tell me who my carrier would be. We ended up with the Google Voice, upfront cost of $150 but unlimited long distance and no monthly bill. Worth the money except my phone number comes up as Brooklyn NY when I call people and in a power outage I have to have internet to have any phone service or drive down the street.

Chas, IIRC I think you're in the same general area as I am. I had Hughes about 6 yrs ago, and went to Verizon for a hotspot (wireless). After that many years of relatively slow service, I went to ATT last Fall and got their version of a hotspot (they don't call it a hotspot) which also comes with the ability to hook up a phone through the wireless modem. It's fast enough, we can stream with little to no buffering. 250 GB monthly data allowance. About $70/month.

[fasteddie]

Time Warner went to Spectrum and the prices went up . The only reason that I have a land line is for sending / receiving faxes . With tax , that runs about $24 a month . My total cost for Spectrum is $176 ( TV , Internet , phone and other charges ) . The extra box costs me $11.75 ( box & The Guide ) . The Bundled services run $115 per month which includes - Preferred TV with standard Internet . I get a crap load of channels that I never use . I pay $10.80 a month for Internet Modem Lease . If I buy my own modem for $70 , I can eliminate that monthly charge . Gotta really start thinking about what I want to do instead of just talking about it . 

[Five Seasons]

On 2/2/2018 at 10:08 PM, fasteddie said:

Spectrum / Time Warner is going to Zap reception in a day or two . I am good on 2 TV's as I have 2 converter boxes . A Spectrum rep told me that I could get local channels and more through ROKU and FireStick JailBreak . Has anyone tried this ? I tried one of the amplified full HDTV indoor antennas and it is pretty much worthless .

a rep told you to jailbreak (illegal) a firestick?

[Five Seasons]

On 2/3/2018 at 3:49 PM, moog5050 said:

But you need a cable subscription right?

but if he already has cable and just wants to continue to access his cable through the other tv's then he could do that.

 

[Five Seasons]

4 hours ago, chas0218 said:

Only catch to all these are they require an internet connection. Spectrum is going up by the day it seems like, and the speeds they are claiming ain't happening in my neck of the woods.

i was pissed when my twc one year ran out. i was paying maybe $40 a month, but it was for like 30mbs. I also bought my own modem to save $5. Spectrum was then $60 for 60mbs and no discount for my modem. But recently i noticed i get about 110mbs so honestly I'm not all that heartbroken about it. 

tack on $120 for directv and i'm close to $200 a month. I'm giving it some time to see how things shake out. there's a good storm brewing. Right now I cant say i watch a ton of network tv, but we have our shows that i would miss. Mostly though, it's easy for the wife to turn on shows for the kids and i would miss espn, even if i don't watch as much as i used to.

Edited February 13, 2018 by Belo

[chas0218]

35 minutes ago, Belo said:

i was pissed when my twc one year ran out. i was paying maybe $40 a month, but it was for like 30mbs. I also bought my own modem to save $5. Spectrum was then $60 for 60mbs and no discount for my modem. But recently i noticed i get about 110mbs so honestly I'm not all that heartbroken about it. 

tack on $120 for directv and i'm close to $200 a month. I'm giving it some time to see how things shake out. there's a good storm brewing. Right now I cant say i watch a ton of network tv, but we have our shows that i would miss. Mostly though, it's easy for the wife to turn on shows for the kids and i would miss espn, even if i don't watch as much as i used to.

If you are paying $64.99/month you should be 100mbps or better. I have the $44.99/month for 20mbps indefinitely or so they said. I'm sure it will change for some reason and I'll have to start paying out the butt. I can't justify the extra $20/month when everything streams no problem as it is. I watch TV for about 40 minutes a night (1 show) we bought the CBS all access app for $10/month and share a hulu account between 4 of us so it's all pretty affordable. 

[BizCT]

DirectTV. I tack on the mlb extra innings package and Sunday Ticket.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[The_Real_TCIII]

21 minutes ago, chas0218 said:

If you are paying $64.99/month you should be 100mbps or better. I have the $44.99/month for 20mbps indefinitely or so they said. I'm sure it will change for some reason and I'll have to start paying out the butt. I can't justify the extra $20/month when everything streams no problem as it is. I watch TV for about 40 minutes a night (1 show) we bought the CBS all access app for $10/month and share a hulu account between 4 of us so it's all pretty affordable. 

What test do you use to measure that? I supposedly have TWCs fastest internet option in my home office and I dont think its any faster than anywhere else I connect. Its $230 a month because I need a static IP

[chas0218]

3 hours ago, Steuben Jerry said:

Chas, IIRC I think you're in the same general area as I am. I had Hughes about 6 yrs ago, and went to Verizon for a hotspot (wireless). After that many years of relatively slow service, I went to ATT last Fall and got their version of a hotspot (they don't call it a hotspot) which also comes with the ability to hook up a phone through the wireless modem. It's fast enough, we can stream with little to no buffering. 250 GB monthly data allowance. About $70/month.

Yeah we looked into all that stuff and had to return the ATT hotspot because we couldn't get signal. Literally the only thing that gets signal at our house is a 2 way radio or a CB. My mother in law has Hughes Net at her cottage and it isn't too bad but they limit your speed after so many gigabits. 

[chas0218]

12 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

What test do you use to measure that? I supposedly have TWCs fastest internet option in my home office and I dont think its any faster than anywhere else I connect. Its $230 a month because I need a static IP

I just called them out on it today and they said you have to be hardwired to the router and nothing else can be running off from it. To their defense there aren't many wireless routers that can run 100mbps over wifi but if you go to google and type in speed test google will run a speed test and give you the results free of charge. I ran 3 different ones including the one they recommend and still don't get the speeds they are claiming that was with my computer hardwired and no wifi transmitting. 

Below is what I got at work but we run everything through a main server about 10 miles away. 2nd one is xfinity speed test. Big difference based on where it is trying to access.

 

Edited February 13, 2018 by chas0218

[The_Real_TCIII]

6 minutes ago, chas0218 said:

I just called them out on it today and they said you have to be hardwired to the router and nothing else can be running off from it. To their defense there aren't many wireless routers that can run 100mbps over wifi but if you go to google and type in speed test google will run a speed test and give you the results free of charge. I ran 3 different ones including the one they recommend and still don't get the speeds they are claiming that was with my computer hardwired and no wifi transmitting. 

Below is what I got at work but we run everything through a main server about 10 miles away.

 

Thank you. I actually got a new proposal from them and the guy called me as I was typing. I do not have the fastest option but hes sending a new proposal to upgrade it. The static IP costs a fortune but I need it for the IP phone.

 

Didn't mean to derail the thread. If this doesnt work out im getting rid of TWC cable, I hardly watch anything anyway that I cant stream

[chas0218]

33 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Thank you. I actually got a new proposal from them and the guy called me as I was typing. I do not have the fastest option but hes sending a new proposal to upgrade it. The static IP costs a fortune but I need it for the IP phone.

 

Didn't mean to derail the thread. If this doesnt work out im getting rid of TWC cable, I hardly watch anything anyway that I cant stream

Are you sure you need it? I have the google voice VoIP (linked below) and don't have any special service. Is this to remote connect to another phone? Honestly if you need it for business you can use the google voice and transfer your number to the google voice. Be warned though you can not transfer it back. Also allows for call forwarding to another device. My wife and I have our "home phone" (the google voice) forward to our cell phones so if we have signal or connected to wifi we can get calls from our home phone.

https://www.amazon.com/OBi200-1-Port-Adapter-Support-Service/dp/B00BUV7C9A

[Five Seasons]

1 hour ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

What test do you use to measure that? I supposedly have TWCs fastest internet option in my home office and I dont think its any faster than anywhere else I connect. Its $230 a month because I need a static IP

speedtest.net

 

also good when testing wifi deadzones. I just upgraded from an old n900 wireless router to a google home wifi (3 unit mesh system). I was getting 20mbs or none in some spots of the house and now I get 100 everywhere even by the pool and out in the garage. 

When we talk speed it's not so much a single user problem. For one user, 20mbs will be fine. For me, it's more about having 3 kids who are getting into stuff that hogs all that data. If one or 2 people are streaming and another trying to play a videogame you're going to have problems at 20mbs.

Edited February 13, 2018 by Belo

[fasteddie]

I stopped in to Spectrum / Time Warner in Webster this afternoon . I can eliminate $11.75 by eliminating one of the boxes . If I do away with Cable but keep Internet and the land line , it would reduce my cost to $84.98 plus taxes . I need the land line for faxing . The woman told me that if I cancelled and came back a month later , I would be considered a new customer and would probably get a promotional deal . I am still contemplating as to what I want to do . I disconnected the box from the TV near my computer and everything is still working fine thru the ROKU . Will check out the main TV in a couple days and saee what happens when the box is disconnected . 

[Cory]

I have roku on all 5 tv's in my house. I dropped direct tv service thru there boxs and purchased the app. Same tv package for lower price and when the weather is bad the tv keeps working!

[MPHunter]

10 hours ago, Stay at home Nomad said:

As long as I can get,Shark Tank, Antiques Roadshow and Big Bang Theroy I’ll be good .

You can get all of those over air, with an antenna and a digital tv for free.

[Nomad]

12 hours ago, MPHunter said:

You can get all of those over air, with an antenna and a digital tv for free.

Yep, I hooked up antennas in my kids apartments , neither of them have cable and never would . It’s nice to watch what you want when you want and fast forward through the commercials though .

I was half joking, I need History, Discovery, and a few others,the wife watches Hallmark and some other weird stuff .