OT. Tell me how to avoid cable costs

[pampam]

We live in Northern Ontario, and have cable, but are becoming disillusioned with it. DH wants to go with a Express View or Shaw. I am considering going with Roku instead and perhaps Netflix. I know nothing about either, but I'd like to get away from high monthly bills. Will this work is sparsely populated areas, north of Muskoka?

We are not teckie people, but have high speed internet and wifi. I putter on the computer, DH doesn't bother with the computer at all. Please walk me through this.

 

[Eswift]

Get something that can view Netflix on a tv, chromebox plugs right in and is 50 bucks about, Roku is 70 - 150 depending on the model. They get faster as you spend more. Even the slowest is fine. They come with a remote, chromebox requires you to use your phone to control it. It's very easy.

Subscribe to Netflix, first month is free, after that it's about ten bucks. Express View and Shaw are just cable from a different company.

 

[xlxo]

Thoughts....

• before you cancel your cable.... see if you can live on the Internet alone for a week.
• Netflix? If you haven't heard.... Kodi (XBMC) is a Netflix killer as there are no monthly fees. If you don't feel comfortable with Kodi add-ons.... Android TV boxes does the same thing.
• when you try Netflix.... what movies do you see? Something that is decades old?
• you might want to pick up a powered antenna. This may give you local content without monthly fees. Indoor antennas work best when placed in a window that faces your local broadcast towers.
• you might want to consider 25 Mbps or faster connections if you have more than one person in the home. I went to 50Mbps.
• check your monthly allotment.... if you plan to be streaming a lot.... be prepared for surcharges for increased use.

I cut the cord for 5 years and recently went back.

• Cable images are so much better than on the Internet. Less compression.
• cable offers 5.1 surround sound far more often than internet content
• my cable provider offers 3D movies on demand!
• My cable provider offers wireless cable boxes..... so much easier when I need to move TV's around the home.
• cable boxes allows me to record several shows at the same time.
• bundling landline, internet, cellphone and cable offers some savings.
• cable is so much easier to use for those computer challenged

 

[bdoyledimou]

Thoughts....

• 
  
• Netflix? If you haven't heard.... Kodi (XBMC) is a Netflix killer as there are no monthly fees. If you don't feel comfortable with Kodi add-ons.... Android TV boxes does the same thing.

Android TV boxes are KODI and still need add ons and maintenance. You also need at least 10mbps internet and it must be unlimited or you will end up paying major $$$ for overages.
Kodi also suffers from buffering due to over saturated sources. the more people promote it the worse its getting during peak hours.

 

[bankr63]

Pay close attention to the cost as well. We (mostly) cut the cable a couple of years ago. Rogers talked me into keeping their most basic local channels only package because, with the discount, it was cheaper than cutting completely.
BUT I immediately had to up my internet to unlimited high speed ($$$) to support all the streaming we were doing; we are still saving some money. If you are fairly rural, you may not have an internet connection that will support your watching habits for bandwidth or speed. Try watching Netflix a bit and see what the quality is, you might be frustrated by pauses and dropouts.
The other frustration with all of this is we have no access to a couple of our favorite channels. We really liked some of the stuff on History and HGTV, and that content is not readily available on the internet UNLESS you have a cable subscription to those channels.

 

[ccudmore]

Starting March 1st all cable companies in Canada must offer a basic package for under $25 and then allow you to pick and choose what channels you receive and pay for (also known as "Pick and Pay"). The cable companies haven't provided any details on what their pricing model will look like for the various channels but that may be more to your liking.

 

[disneyfan123]

We cut cable years ago, we use Netflix and vpn (pure VPN) to access Hulu and get most of the tv we need. My wife misses cable, especially HGTV, but we can't justify the cost for the few channels we would actually watch.

 

[pampam]

Thank you all for your suggestions. Every one of you has great ideas I never thought about. I phoned the cable company about a small problem (got a $20.00 credit for next month) and mentioned about the changes coming on March 1. She had been in a meeting that morning about it but didn't know anything about the prices. The CRTC controls that and they haven't heard yet exactly how it will play out. She suggested I check their website or phone them back on March 1 for prices.

On a side note, isn't it wonderful how we can ask questions and get different ideas or solutions, playing off each other and gaining information to make decisions which will fit our lifestyles.

 

[dsneygirl]

We have an HD atenna and get great quality of local channels. We also have Netflix and use Kodi. I thought I would miss cable but I really don't. We are not big sports people but I know a lot will not give up because of their sports and access to TSN, SportsNet.

 

[star72232]

We cut off our satellite a couple of years ago.

We have an Apple TV which we run Netflix through. We have an antenna in the attic that DH set up. We use KODI as well (I have no clue how though - DH is a developer and has that all set up). The add ons give us stuff like TVO Kids, which my younger kids use.

We watch a decent amount of YouTube. We use TekSavvy for our internet. We've used Unlimitel for VOIP for 10 years - do no home phone costs. We pay a bit more for a dry DSL, but it's a lot less than a home phone. DH runs an Asterisk server for our VOIP, which means our total phone bill is about $10/mth.

The only thing I miss are the Jays games. DH bought me a radio so I can listen, which works for me.

 

[CandiceF]

Starting March 1st all cable companies in Canada must offer a basic package for under $25 and then allow you to pick and choose what channels you receive and pay for (also known as "Pick and Pay"). The cable companies haven't provided any details on what their pricing model will look like for the various channels but that may be more to your liking.

Is it just cable companies doing this or satellite as well? I'm tired of paying so much for satellite and only getting some of the channels we watch and a bunch we don't. It might be worth switching to Cable if Satellite is not included.

 

[ccudmore]

Is it just cable companies doing this or satellite as well? I'm tired of paying so much for satellite and only getting some of the channels we watch and a bunch we don't. It might be worth switching to Cable if Satellite is not included.

It's satellite companies as well as cable companies.

 

[CandiceF]

It's satellite companies as well as cable companies.

Thank-you so much. It would be nice to pay for channels we would actually watch.

 

[disBEAST]

Check http://www.tvfool.com/ to see if you can receive OTA HD channels, and buy and mount an HD antenna. You only receive basic channels but it's something, and you can fill the gaps with internet services. If it's live sports you're after though, you'll likely have to stick with cable or sat.

Here's a good forum with tons of info about OTA HD TV

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/81-over-air-ota-digital-television/

 

[disneyfan123]

We cut off our satellite a couple of years ago.

We have an Apple TV which we run Netflix through. We have an antenna in the attic that DH set up. We use KODI as well (I have no clue how though - DH is a developer and has that all set up). The add ons give us stuff like TVO Kids, which my younger kids use.

We watch a decent amount of YouTube. We use TekSavvy for our internet. We've used Unlimitel for VOIP for 10 years - do no home phone costs. We pay a bit more for a dry DSL, but it's a lot less than a home phone. DH runs an Asterisk server for our VOIP, which means our total phone bill is about $10/mth.

The only thing I miss are the Jays games. DH bought me a radio so I can listen, which works for me.

Sign up for MLB TV, it's awesome! I usually wait until Father's Day and can get it for 1/2 off. I miss the first part of the season, but I don't mind because of the savings. Although even at full price it's a very good value.

 

[LemonNeko]

We have an HD atenna and get great quality of local channels. We also have Netflix and use Kodi. I thought I would miss cable but I really don't. We are not big sports people but I know a lot will not give up because of their sports and access to TSN, SportsNet.

Yep this is the only reason we have cable so my partner can watch baseball. Luckily we can get it with having basic cable only.

 

[dsneygirl]

We cut off our satellite a couple of years ago.

We have an Apple TV which we run Netflix through. We have an antenna in the attic that DH set up. We use KODI as well (I have no clue how though - DH is a developer and has that all set up). The add ons give us stuff like TVO Kids, which my younger kids use.

We watch a decent amount of YouTube. We use TekSavvy for our internet. We've used Unlimitel for VOIP for 10 years - do no home phone costs. We pay a bit more for a dry DSL, but it's a lot less than a home phone. DH runs an Asterisk server for our VOIP, which means our total phone bill is about $10/mth.

The only thing I miss are the Jays games. DH bought me a radio so I can listen, which works for me.

I find Netflix is great for kids programming. There is a lot of good stuff. My kids never seem to run out.

 

[Gigi22]

Just a quick heads-up on the subject of cable. The major providers are shortly going to be running into the requirement to substantially unbundle their channel offerings. Stay tuned!

 

[DizzyDis]

Can't wait for channel unbundling! If that is still crazy expensive, we are looking into an antenna based on this thread. We also have Netflix and love it, so would consider getting Crave for more current TV, if we go that way. Really, we would primarily be getting the antenna for Olympics and Playoff hockey, we have already switched in very large part to Netflix for most of our TV time. Echo other posters that Netflix has great kids programming and now is even getting some Disney movies, like live-action Cinderella and the digital shorts (including Frozen fever which preceded Cinderella in theatre)

 

[xlxo]

I wonder who's rushing to sign up for CPAC! How much of the PM do ladies want to see?