I dumped cable TV, and still have loads to watch

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My cable bill had creeped up to $120/month (includes internet), and they were about to raise it another $10, when I said, no thanks, I'm done.

After years of wasting money on cable TV, I decided to pull the trigger and kill it once and for all. Broadband internet is changing the way I get TV entertainment, and I simply don't need both.

I don't care about or watch sports, so having ESPN is of no concern. What I use now is a Roku box, which gives me Netflix, as well as Amazon movies on demand, Pandora radio, and other goodies. Netflix streaming has a staggering amount of commercial-free TV series, and better than 10,000 movies on demand. It works the same as a DVR, and remembers my place where I left off, and neatly organizes TV series.

Next I use Hulu for even more TV shows (I watch this on my bedroom PC, 24" monitor).

I also have about 300 movies on bluray and DVD.

Before the fall, I'll add an over-the-air HD antenna for the locals. Now why would I need to pay $55 to $70/month on cable TV?

My bill for all this stuff? about $65/month, and that includes my broadband internet and my unlimited Netflix account. This is HALF what I was paying for broadband + cable TV. I still get loads of HD programming and no insufferable commercials, save for tiny few on Hulu.

My broadband is currently 20MB down, and about to go to 40MB down, enough to watch six to eight HD movies simultaneously.

I did the same thing last summer. Between netflix and hulu, there's very little that I want to watch that I can't. Saves me a lot of money, too. I don't even bother with an antenna for local channels. I'm fine without it.

Only old people watch cable TV now. It's a true rumor I've heard somewhere!

I not only cut the cable TV, I dumped Comcast entirely as they're an utter shower of bastards.

It's not the fastest, but the DSL I've got now is fast enough to watch Netflix and Hulu, and is hugely cheaper. Win.

I've been thinking the same thing pretty much every time I look at that $120 cable bill. Unfortunately, I do enjoy sports so I feel I'm tied to cable all their HD sports goodness.

Congrats to you though. Most of my friends (post-college age) don't have cable and just use netflix and hulu.

They always come over for the games but I usually end up with more alcohol than I started with so its not a bad deal. (except I have a 12 pack of Smirnoff Ice that I have no idea what to do with from the last hockey game.)

If it weren't for hockey, I'd have dumped my cable awhile back. As it is, though, hockey season's over, and I'll have a whole summer to sort out how to watch next year's games.

That's all fine and good for the adventurous types, but I want to turn on, find a show, and watch. Having to hook-up a computer, boot it up with everything else, then search using windows and a mouse/keyboard (Hulu) to find what I want is more inconvienance than I am willing to swallow. Especially considering boradband internet faster than DSL starts off at $60 a month, the savings of really only $60 for HD Cable and a phone seems not worth the trouble.

Netflix and Hulu not being available in Canada are probably the worst things about living here. That and our telecom duopoly. Oh, and no Amazon MP3 store! And winter.

Why do I live here again?

I literally can not remember the last time I sat down to watch any broadcast TV.

Dysplastic wrote:

Netflix and Hulu not being available in Canada are probably the worst things about living here. That and our telecom duopoly. Oh, and no Amazon MP3 store! And winter.

Why do I live here again?

The Ontario law allowing women to be topless??

My building gives me free basic cable, including the local channels in HD, so we're covered there. I'll watch Jeopardy, and a few other shows when I remember to catch them, but I'm more likely to just Hulu them the day after. The only channel I miss is SNY for Mets games, but they've been so abysmal the past few years that I'm saving myself a lot of misery by not watching

Dysplastic wrote:

Netflix and Hulu not being available in Canada are probably the worst things about living here. That and our telecom duopoly. Oh, and no Amazon MP3 store! And winter.

Why do I live here again?

Yeah it's pretty crap that we have no options for a lot of US content. That said, CTV and comedy Central's online players aren't bad, and a Zip.ca account will keep you relatively up to date with TV content, or you can download/stream through your PS3. Tversity is the best thing ever really.

If you like sports you still have to have cable. Sad but true.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

If it weren't for hockey, I'd have dumped my cable awhile back. As it is, though, hockey season's over, and I'll have a whole summer to sort out how to watch next year's games.

I'm in the same boat in that I'm trying to figure out how to watch sports (baseball, football, some college stuff) without cable. Anyone have some ideas?

Secret Asian Man wrote:

I've been thinking the same thing pretty much every time I look at that $120 cable bill. Unfortunately, I do enjoy sports so I feel I'm tied to cable all their HD sports goodness.

Everybody has. And the trick is... the cable companies KNOW it, and are scared. I wasn't quite ready to dump cable myself yet, but was getting really tired of our $100/month bill. I called them (DirecTV) and asked for a discount. No dice. I then told them I was seriously considering canceling and getting all my content off the internet. It was amazing how conciliatory they suddenly became. I got a $35/month discount, as well as a one time $50 credit.

I'll probably still cut the cord completely in another year or so, things are almost certainly going to converge even more, making the changeover even less painful. If you're in my boat and not quite ready to make the change right now, it may still pay to call the company and bluff a bit.

LeapingGnome wrote:

If you like sports you still have to have cable. Sad but true.

Not necessarily....

LeapingGnome wrote:

If you like sports you still have to have cable. Sad but true.

Meh, how much sports are you missing if you only have OTA and ESPN.3?

After much deliberation, we made the call and canceled our cable starting later this month.

I'm not sure that I will be able to pick up CBS OTA which could cost me some SEC football, but ESPN.3 and ABC should have me covered for all of my sports viewing needs.

Now, if Netflix streaming would just add HBO TV seasons I would be in heaven, though getting a new disc of The Wire in the mail was always quite enjoyable.

Shoal07 wrote:

That's all fine and good for the adventurous types, but I want to turn on, find a show, and watch. Having to hook-up a computer, boot it up with everything else, then search using windows and a mouse/keyboard (Hulu) to find what I want is more inconvienance than I am willing to swallow. Especially considering boradband internet faster than DSL starts off at $60 a month, the savings of really only $60 for HD Cable and a phone seems not worth the trouble.

Understandable. However, just an FYI, Netflix has a nice interface for the Roku box, and you can browse and do searches on it. You don't need your PC on for any of the stuff I have except Hulu, and man I wish Hulu would come to the 360, Roku, etc.

Pretty much the only time I ever use the phone is to order chinese take out, so I don't need that. I have a basic landline, and I'd get rid of that if it weren't a requirement for various things (job, etc).

slazev wrote:
LeapingGnome wrote:

If you like sports you still have to have cable. Sad but true.

Not necessarily....

Might as well wring your hands and snicker evilly while you say it.

Teneman wrote:
Secret Asian Man wrote:

I've been thinking the same thing pretty much every time I look at that $120 cable bill. Unfortunately, I do enjoy sports so I feel I'm tied to cable all their HD sports goodness.

Everybody has. And the trick is... the cable companies KNOW it, and are scared. I wasn't quite ready to dump cable myself yet, but was getting really tired of our $100/month bill. I called them (DirecTV) and asked for a discount. No dice. I then told them I was seriously considering canceling and getting all my content off the internet. It was amazing how conciliatory they suddenly became. I got a $35/month discount, as well as a one time $50 credit.

I'll probably still cut the cord completely in another year or so, things are almost certainly going to converge even more, making the changeover even less painful. If you're in my boat and not quite ready to make the change right now, it may still pay to call the company and bluff a bit.

Most satellite and cable providers will do this. To me, it illustrates how overpriced they are. you staying on at a reduced cost is still apparently profitable enough to them that they will make you such an offer.

Cable TV, in most situations, is a monopoly in action. Very little competition means higher bills and less package options. My cable provider goes from a crappy $20 basic, up to the $65 or $70 digital all or nothing package, and nothing in between. No a la carte, pay for what you use. Nope. You're paying for the Catholic Nuns Channel and Women's TV, and other channels you have no interest in whether you like it or not.

I did this about 3 years ago, and have rarely regretted it. I miss the Colbert Report and CNN, but other than that - everything ca be gotten over the interwebz for free.

I have an eight year old kid at home and if she can't get Disney, Nickelodeon and Discovery Kids, she'll freak out. I don't watch any sports, but my wife and I do watch things like Whale Wars and a few other shows on Discovery or Animal Planet.

We also have our Internet and land-line phone through Charter Communications. We pay about $140 a month for all the services.

I do wish the Cable companies would start offering single channel plans. I know they never will, because there are so many specialized channels that only can exist because they're part of a package, but I killed my cable, or rather didn't get it when I moved, because it's a tough expense to justify when I only use FX, Comedy Central, and Cartoon Network.

Jeff-66 wrote:

Understandable. However, just an FYI, Netflix has a nice interface for the Roku box, and you can browse and do searches on it. You don't need your PC on for any of the stuff I have except Hulu, and man I wish Hulu would come to the 360, Roku, etc.

Pretty much the only time I ever use the phone is to order chinese take out, so I don't need that. I have a basic landline, and I'd get rid of that if it weren't a requirement for various things (job, etc).

Your answer lies this-a-way.

Keep in mind that Hulu is moving to a pay model.

Speaking of using the Internet to watch TV, I was trying t find all the episodes of The Venture Brothers, but could only find sporadic episodes here and there. Does anyone know where I can find all the complete seasons in one place?

Teneman wrote:
Jeff-66 wrote:

Understandable. However, just an FYI, Netflix has a nice interface for the Roku box, and you can browse and do searches on it. You don't need your PC on for any of the stuff I have except Hulu, and man I wish Hulu would come to the 360, Roku, etc.

Your answer lies this-a-way.

Sweet! I'm going to try that today, thanks.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

Keep in mind that Hulu is moving to a pay model.

Only partially, they claim to still offer free service as well.

Jeff-66 wrote:
Teneman wrote:

Your answer lies this-a-way.

Sweet! I'm going to try that today, thanks.

No problem. I've got the old version, the buy-once-for-$40-and-you're-set-for-life version. Works great. I can't speak to their new subscription model, don't know much about it, but I can't imagine they've changed the core functionality of transporting the media to your 360.

Marsman wrote:

Speaking of using the Internet to watch TV, I was trying t find all the episodes of The Venture Brothers, but could only find sporadic episodes here and there. Does anyone know where I can find all the complete seasons in one place?

They're available in the Zune Store and on iTunes. So far as free options go, that's another question entirely.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

They're available in the Zune Store and on iTunes. So far as free options go, that's another question entirely.

Pay for them?!? Are you insane? This is the Internet. I want free content, damn it.

Marsman wrote:

This is the Internet. I want free content, damn it.

Then you know where to look if you want to have your cake and eat it, too.

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