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Who here has ditched cable/satellite TV?

Sharondippity

Sharondippity

Dismember
I just cancelled my Dish Network TV. This is very liberating!

I have a Roku that I've been watching a lot of Netflix on lately. I can buy sports channels through Roku during the seasons I watch (hockey and baseball).

A lot of stations (CBS, ABC, perhaps more as I look into it) are free to watch online.

Hulu seems interesting, but I'm going to wait to try the paid version.

I'm getting an aerial antennae installed on my house for free local stations (gee like it used to be!)

Now I'm wondering what hardware would I use to get abc.com, cbs.com etc. to my tv. I don't see the option on roku.

Wiring my laptop or tablet to the tv seems clunky. I'd like something with a remote.

Any ideas?
 
I use Netflix and playon. Playon works with my tablet and phone, as well as my ps3, Xbox 360, and Wii. I also use Hulu with playon as well as Amazon prime. Cable is really unnecessary for our family now
 
I haven't had cable for many years now. I bought a converter box so I can get the broadcast channels (I love PBS World), and I bought another laptop, so I could keep my old one hooked to my TV. I use Netflix, and network websites, and have no problem finding everything else I want to watch (by secret means...shhh). I can't believe people pay for cable when there are so many other cheaper options out there. My best friend has cable, and I got excited because I thought I could watch stuff that I wouldn't normally be able to, but it really was 200 channels of crud, I ended up watching a dvd...
 
I have cable myself which provides TV and internet. The other alternative is satellite TV and have DSL internet installed, which would actually cost more and have less Kung Fu movies.
 
I haven't used cable tv for around 2 yrs now. I watch OTA stations and had netflix for awhile, not currently.

I do have a mini mac computer connected to my tv to watch movies or tv shows I download and use a wireless keyboard/mouse combo. I can surf online also, which I have a wireless connection to the mini, from the comfort of my couch!
 
We just ditched Comcast and re-ordered (had it before) Dish Network. Had some issues with the hopper and the joeys, but had a tech out here to fix it. I loath Comcast, but I miss how the guide, DVR, On Demand, and search layout was set up. That's the only thing they're better at than Dish.

As long as I can record True Blood, Game of Thrones, Supernatural and a few others, then mama is very very happy. ;)
 
Ditched cable years ago. I also have a Roku for Netflix, HuluPlus, and Amazon rentals, and just plug the laptop or phone into the tv for anything else I want to see.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk
 
I have basic cable but only because I have some friends staying with me who lost their house due to a fire and they watch it. I don't remember the last time I watched cable tv, I watch everything online commercial free. :)
 
We ditched cable a few years ago since we're rarely home, and we don't watch TOO much tv. Consequently, Comcast exploded our internet bill. :mad:
Few things we do:
-Get a quality OTA antenna. There are actually some decent, not terrible looking ones out there. You'll have to get one from Amazon as NO stores sell them. Make sure it can do HD.
-Your Roku is a great start. We have an internet ready Blu-Ray that can do Netflix. We stream a lot from there.
-It is cumbersome, but my laptop has an HDMI out and we connect it to the tv to watch Amazon movies/tv, Hulu etc.

Some of the great OTA channels are Create (a part of PBS for cooking and whatnot), and ION occasional has decent content. Although we're close to a lot of broadcasting stations, since there's many high rise buildings around us, signal is pretty limited.
 
For those of you with a Roku, here is a list of channels you can add via Roku's website.
Roku Private Channels List & Codes 2012

If you add Playon via that list you can then look at other channels to add.
Watch TV shows, sports, movies from Hulu, ESPN, Netflix, Comedy Central and more on PS3, Wii, Xbox, iPhone, iPad, or Android phone. | What's PlayOn? | PlayOn

You can then look at other scripts for playon that can add further content to your Roku.
PlayOn Scripts :: Home :: PlayOn Scripts and PlayOn Plugins

I really looked into getting rid of cable. Unfortunately comcast is the only reliable internet provider out here. They also want to charge me more to have internet only. :(
 
Just ditched my cable from Shaw, but kept their internet service.

Got sick of watching HD channels, and having them look inferior to rips from the internet......especially watching Game of Thrones which I had to pay extra for HBO.

Have been complaining that my HD channels look not much better than SD channels since hooking it up, and all I get is that it is most likely my gear. Bull**** ! :mad: Everything else HD in my setup looks fabulous.

Netflix even looks HD, but my HD cable looked like pooh. I am not one to support, or promote piracy, but I had no option if I wanted to actually watch a channel/program I paid HD rates for. I had to download from the internet to actually get HD viewing. Pathetic.

And to top it off, cable has been out in town here going on a week and a half now, for everyone (internet still up though). Glad I ditched it when I did.
 
A few years ago, I, having become destitute, severed my cable internet/TV connection. Now I get seven HD channels thanks to free converter coupons from the guvment. I get to watch all the channels I used to go out if my way to ignore. As for how I internet, it’s very slow and very free, if you ignore the phone bill I would have had to pay anyway. It’s quite dismal, but I’m saving a hundred bucks a month.
 
OfTheDamned said:
For those of you with a Roku, here is a list of channels you can add via Roku's website.
Roku Private Channels List & Codes 2012

If you add Playon via that list you can then look at other channels to add.
Watch TV shows, sports, movies from Hulu, ESPN, Netflix, Comedy Central and more on PS3, Wii, Xbox, iPhone, iPad, or Android phone. | What's PlayOn? | PlayOn

You can then look at other scripts for playon that can add further content to your Roku.
PlayOn Scripts :: Home :: PlayOn Scripts and PlayOn Plugins

I really looked into getting rid of cable. Unfortunately comcast is the only reliable internet provider out here. They also want to charge me more to have internet only. :(
Click to expand...

It also works with most game consoles. I set playon up to work off my wii this past weekend.

They also give you are free(no credit card required) 14 day trial to try it out.
 
Basic cable is included in my rent.

I could do without it. I'd be great if they'd let me trade cable included for internet included :p
 
I'd love to ditch Comcast, but very few of the online options have closed caption.

We have a Roku2 which adds CC to Netflix. Sad that streams can't stream the CC with it and let the TV decode it.
 
it's a good way to watch satellite tv with tv tuner on your pc.


__________________
buydvb.net provides all types of tv tuner cards
 
The natives are getting restless at my house. The wife is talking about getting cable or a dish setup by winter. duhhhhh!
 
I went "freeview" (uk antenna digital HD tv) after ditching my HD cable service. I miss aspects like "catch up on demand" but for the amount of TV I watch, it wasn't worth it.

I have XBMC which handles most of my content which is downloaded tv programmes.

My old windows media centre system wasn't as good but at least I had a full browser. XBMC hasn't. Most the catch-up stuff is on the net
 
been without subscription TV service for nearly 3 years now.. never looked back.
Roku / Netflix good combo for letting kids watch cartoons and whatnot.
 
Valkillmore said:
Just ditched my cable from Shaw, but kept their internet service.

Got sick of watching HD channels, and having them look inferior to rips from the internet......especially watching Game of Thrones which I had to pay extra for HBO.

Have been complaining that my HD channels look not much better than SD channels since hooking it up, and all I get is that it is most likely my gear. Bull**** ! :mad: Everything else HD in my setup looks fabulous.

Netflix even looks HD, but my HD cable looked like pooh. I am not one to support, or promote piracy, but I had no option if I wanted to actually watch a channel/program I paid HD rates for. I had to download from the internet to actually get HD viewing. Pathetic.

And to top it off, cable has been out in town here going on a week and a half now, for everyone (internet still up though). Glad I ditched it when I did.
Click to expand...

You were sure you were using HDMI or Component cables from the box? You're not going to get HD over composite or RF cable lol. I guess its too late for that now, but some people do make that mistake. Not saying you were, but regardless. And one thing that does suck about paying for HD channels is that a lot of stuff they do show is still in SD anyway because its an old show.

We still have digital cable, but with no bells and whistles (no HD, no DVR, etc). The box is from 2002 :o and is pretty ancient.

Granted, we don't watch TV much anymore, especially since I got Netflix. And the stuff I do watch I end up recording on VHS (yep, still rockin' the cassettes) since I end up forgetting about watching it. Usually its stuff on the BBC or NatGeo.
 
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