Cutting the Cord

[Matt Meiser]

That's a good deal. I have Comcast 150 meg internet, which I get reimbursed for by work so effectively I don't pay for it. Adding TV with a DVR was going to raise the bill $60, but the way they would break it down on the bill, my internet would have gone down and the TV would have been about $80 so not much savings. And I could have cut back the number of TVs with DirecTV client boxes and gotten to that price. I could go to Charter, and at least for the first year save a good bit more but the internet speeds are about 60% slower and they are quite vague on "regular" pricing. AT&T has ditched U-Verse TV and replaced with DirecTV here so no savings there unless we went to U-Verse internet which is 90% slower.

[Jim Becker]

John, I did a little financial analysis this weekend pitting our current Triple-Play (FiOS 150/150 symmetrical Internet, home phone, no premium channels with a reasonable assortment of channels, multi-room DVR with one remote box) vs OTA with TIVO Roamio + Mini over the same 150/150 FiOS Internet vs Google YouTubeTV via AppleTV and Airplay over the same FiOS 150/150 Internet. The payback period for OTA with the TIVO boxes and antenna (one time costs included) is 9.5 months vs staying on the Triple Play. It's 13.5 mos for the other option but that has continuing monthly cost for the YouTubeTV subscription. YouTubeTV has a lot more stations than OTA, including many "cable" favorites, but it's a bit more cumbersome to use because it has to be streamed from a personal device or computer to the TV. OTA with TIVO is 'simpler'.

I'm installing the antenna this coming weekend, as long as it arrives on Friday as scheduled, to confirm the available HD digital channels we'll receive if we "cut the cord". Things look really good based on my online research for signals, etc...as many as 40+ channels plus sub-channels. (some stations have as many as 4-5 sub-channels) The only thing we currently actually watch that would be missing is FoodNetwork and most of those shows I can watch online. We really don't watch much TV at all...and there's little point of paying a premium to have it available at this point. Cutting monthly cost from over $200 to about $100, not including up-front equipment is very attractive to me, given my younger daughter is starting college in three weeks (with the associated bill coming next week) and my contemplation of potentially a partial retirement in the next year or so.

[Matt Meiser]

We've had our TiVo up for a couple weeks now. I really like the interface and we really don't miss the shows we were recording and "watching" for something to do. This fall we'll have a lot more shows recording but if we find ourselves bored over the winter we can always hit up Netflix.

[John Stankus]

We've had our TiVo up for a couple weeks now. I really like the interface and we really don't miss the shows we were recording and "watching" for something to do. This fall we'll have a lot more shows recording but if we find ourselves bored over the winter we can always hit up Netflix.

Be sure to check out the secondary channels, especially if you like old reruns. GRIT shows old westerns, COMET shows old Sci-Fi, a bunch show reruns all the way back. Watched a good episode of "Tombstone Territory" that had the lost glove (ala OJ) as a key plot device back in the late 50s early 60s. The PBS stations usually have the "CREATE" channel as one of their secondaries. Create carries Roy Underhill, this old house, and several other woodworking shows.

[Jim Becker]

So, we've run into a "minor" (not!) hitch in the idea of completely "cord cutting" here. The reception OTA is really, really great...except for one station. THE one station that I wake up to for news and GMA in the morning. Two different antennas; amplification out the proverbial "wazzoo", etc. No usable signal for WPVI and it's subs. So plan B may very well be to take the relatively inexpensive "Local Channels" package from FiOS and just use Clear QAM directly to our two TVs. That also gets us access via apps on mobile devices and AppleTV and somewhat eliminates the need for a DVR since having the subscription, as minimal as it is, gives us access to live TV and online content. I really, really wanted the OTA thing to work, but that one low-VHF station not working is a real monkey wrench when I actually use it daily and only watch 1 or two other programs on other stations in a week. And the ABC online app requires a provider subscription so OTA plus that app doesn't fly. Sling is a reasonable price, but no CBS. And having the local channel subscription may actually cost less because of the effects of bundling. Sheesh...

[Matt Meiser]

I already knew we were good on reception because we've always gotten our locals OTA so we could watch Toledo instead of Detroit. We are much closer to Toledo but the FCC says we live in Detroit.

[Jim Becker]

This is the first time I've ever had an antenna on my house (over multiple houses) so it was a real bummer that the one station that's really important to me just doesn't come in with a usable signal. It is what it is...

If ABC had a method to independently subscribe for live TV, there wouldn't be an issue, but unlike CBS, they only allow live TV if you have a "provider". At least for now.

[John K Jordan]

This is the first time I've ever had an antenna on my house (over multiple houses) so it was a real bummer that the one station that's really important to me just doesn't come in with a usable signal. It is what it is... If ABC had a method to independently subscribe for live TV, there wouldn't be an issue, but unlike CBS, they only allow live TV if you have a "provider". At least for now.

I assume you aimed the antenna?

If you are old enough (BC, before cable) you probably remember the tall towers some people put up to get the TV antennas way up in the air, especially in hilly country. Most of them had rotors to point the antennas toward specific stations or away from interference. (The better TV antennas are highly directional)

Be sure to use a lightning protection!!

JKJ

[lowell holmes]

I just found this post. I've seen small sat dishes on maybe two houses in our neighbor hood. Can you get local newscasts on it as well?

[Jim Becker]

I just found this post. I've seen small sat dishes on maybe two houses in our neighbor hood. Can you get local newscasts on it as well?

Satellite TV service from DirectTV (ATT) or Dish generally provides access to local network stations just like "cable" does. But you need the subscription to do that and there may be some geographies where "local" stations are limited.

[Matt Meiser]

And sometimes the definition of local some bureaucrat, who apparently doesn't have a map, decided on doesn't make sense.

[Jim Becker]

I'm glad the new forum software will have a "like" button because I really want to use one on your last post, Matt.

[Russ Filtz]

I've looked into cutting the cord several times, even built a HTPC to get started. Since I like too many TV channels/shows, it never seems to work out. You either live without, or have to keep piecemealing multiple subscriptions together.

Right now I have full boat Cox cable w/ DVR service on two TVs, 300/30 internet, ALL premium channels, mostly a full boat of others, all for around $160/mo. On top of that I have Amazon prime Fire TV, Hulu Plus, AND Netflix.

And there's still nothing on!

[BOB OLINGER]

Does anyone have experience with OMGtv or EasyviewTV? I saw exhibitors at last week's IA State Fair pushing these. As I understand, you make a one time purchase for the box for about $400 (was $300 at the fair as specials), hook up to your internet, and get all the stations. Also, can research and watch any old program. This seems too good to be true which always raises concern. (OMG said the only station he couldn't get is RFD which I can live without). So, what's the real story on these?

[Bert Kemp]

So the question is ,if there's nothing on why waste all that money each month for nothing

I've looked into cutting the cord several times, even built a HTPC to get started. Since I like too many TV channels/shows, it never seems to work out. You either live without, or have to keep piecemealing multiple subscriptions together.

Right now I have full boat Cox cable w/ DVR service on two TVs, 300/30 internet, ALL premium channels, mostly a full boat of others, all for around $160/mo. On top of that I have Amazon prime Fire TV, Hulu Plus, AND Netflix.

And there's still nothing on!