Anyone Cancel their Cable?

[pryncess527]

We are seriously debating on canceling our cable. Has anyone done this recently? The only show we watch, on a regular basis, is Detroit Tigers baseball, is there anyway to watch the games live through the computer hooked up to the tv? Anyone input is appreciated

Sports is the only thing keeping us tied to cable. We usually cancel in the off season (I'm a football fan) and start it back up every fall. I wish I could find away around it. I'd gladly write a check directly to ESPN if they'd let me . . .

 

[powellrj]

I cut back on our cable back in December because we were paying way too much for it. I have to say I HATE it and I miss my cable! I love to watch TV and I really miss having all the movie channels! We do still have HBO because it came free with the downsized cable package, but if I could go back to my old cable package I would do it in a heartbeat!

 

[pryncess527]

If you haven't called your cable, internet and/or phone company lately, it might be worthwhile to call, ask for their customer retention department, and ask if they can offer you a better deal. We just shaved $25 off our internet bill that way.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I think Comcast is catching on...our renewal was last February. I had to talk to 4 retention specialists rotfl before I could keep THE SAME RATE. All but one said all of the new promos were for new customers, that all of the features I have normally go up, blah, blah, blah. Finally I was able to only have a $2 increase from my previous bundle. I am dreading next years negotiations....

 

[MinnieForMe]

Hi:
For those of you who stream Netflex on basic cable (comcast) does the slower internet speed bother you? My husband insists we have to keep the higher speed which is the $159.99 triple play package.

Thanks.

Michelle

 

[spima3]

Hi:
For those of you who stream Netflex on basic cable (comcast) does the slower internet speed bother you? My husband insists we have to keep the higher speed which is the $159.99 triple play package.
Thanks.
Michelle

Yes, it does. It is horrible. We got the free trial on Netflix and the constant buffering made me nuts. With 3 teens, there is always someone on the WiFi.

DH keeps wanting to get rid of cable, but there are no replacements that I see us going to.

Netflix streaming: a lot of stuff, but not anything we really want to watch, so end up watching stuff just to watch it.

Local stations: not too many, they keep cutting in and out on our one antenna TV, and again they are not stations we ever watch. I usually only have it on while making dinner.

So basically, if we get rid of cable, we are really giving up TV, in a sense. I am simply not ready to do that.

I told DH if he can come up with solutions to the above issues, I'm all for it.

 

[dd50]

I got rid of cable TV about 1 1/2 years ago. Sometimes I do miss it but don't miss paying $70 for the second to lowest tier. I use a Roku box and have Netflix. I don't usually have a buffering issue. I get my internet from the phone company. Only problem is that only 2 can stream at the same time.

 

[DawnM]

Netflix has a plan for $11.99 that allows you to stream to 4 devices at once.

I got rid of cable TV about 1 1/2 years ago. Sometimes I do miss it but don't miss paying $70 for the second to lowest tier. I use a Roku box and have Netflix. I don't usually have a buffering issue. I get my internet from the phone company. Only problem is that only 2 can stream at the same time.

 

[msd1776]

I looked into doing this at the beginning of the year because it is so expensive! We have Roku, Apple Tv etc, but, having internet alone is nearly $100. If I could find a less expensive internet option I would do it in a second. The only shows I watch is Game of Thrones, Homeland, Breaking Bad and Sons of Anarchy. Kids like to watch Netflix.

You mentioned you have Roku and Apple TV. we have 2 roku devices but I have thought about Apple TV. Can you tell me some pros or cons of the device compare to Roku?

 

[kajs22]

Really apples & oranges. Roku is great because of the ability to use Amazon prime & more channels. Apple TV allows you to stream music from your ipod, integrates with your ipad, etc - we keep this in the family room and have roku for bedrooms.

 

[jerseygirl82]

After reading through this thread, I realize DH and I fall into the "can't cut cable due to football" camp. However, there has to be a way to keep our cable and not pay so much. Right now my monthly bill for tv, phone (DH wanted ) and internet is about $180 a month which is absurd in my opinion. We are in NJ and have Comcast and I am thinking of calling them to see if we can downsize. I'm even willing to change providers if anyone else in NJ (Middlesex County) knows of a provider offering better rates. Any suggestions to keep our football (and Disney channel and internet) but not pay so much?

 

[kajs22]

We are in NY & have Verizon fios - not cheap, but, it is less than $180. Not sure about sports channels because I don't watch any sports. They did offer $350 visa gift card for opening the account for 2 years though.

 

[goodeats]

We cut cable when DD1 was born. I love not having commercials, although sometimes I realize I'm out of touch (I really have no clue about big movies that are out unless it's a really big movie). DD also doesn't get that regular TV is not at your beck and call like the Netflix or Hulu.

DH got the MLB package midseason last year and lucked out getting our local team since we lived close enough to another team. But when he doesn't pay for the subscription he just listens on the radio or waits until big games that are aired on local tv. But our college football games are pretty impossible to get unless they are on ABC. But not worth an extra $100/mo overall.

 

[Hook326]

Hi:
For those of you who stream Netflex on basic cable (comcast) does the slower internet speed bother you? My husband insists we have to keep the higher speed which is the $159.99 triple play package.

Thanks.

Michelle

We have Comcast basic cable ($10) with Comcast Internet & we have no problems with our Netflix. I know we don't have the lowest Internet though. Something with powerboost? Currently costing us $70 though for both No other good options around here for internet though. So with Netflix it's $77 which is still cheaper than what our cable package was for the next level up (that we barely watched!)

 

[mrsmomo]

Yep. Over three years ago now, no regrets. I just used Hulu (not plus) for awhile then added amazon prime. We cancelled that after a year and switched the Netflix and purchase the occasional show from amazon (breaking bad for my husband, doctor who for me) the kids watch Netflix via the ps3 on our one tv in the playroom and occasionally on my iPad. The ipad also has a pbs app and the disney jr app. Netflix has been adding a lot of Disney programming which makes me happy. I try not to buy DVDs anymore bc they are messy. No antenna, no basic, no regrets. I think these options will only become more and more popular and more people will cancel cable and satellite.

This

Cancelled cable now use antenna, Netflix, and amazon on occasion for the walking dead lol

Kids love Netflix my dd is always finding new horse movies to watch even ones from the 70's, she cracks me up and Netflix has just added a bunch of older Disney stuff for streaming totally happy saving money!

 

[MarbleBob]

We cut the cable 2.5 years ago and don't miss it one bit. Like the others, we get most of our entertainment from Netflix. We have an over the air antenna for TV, but never really watch it. like someone else said, I feel out of touch sometimes since we don't see commercials. But I like it that way.

We have a Vizio tv with Netflix bult in upstairs and a Mac Mini hooked up to the TV downstairs. The nice thing about the Mac mini (or a small Windows computer), is that we aren't tied to just Netflix, amazon, or Hulu. Many website, like PBS.org, stream their shows online. Also, we loaded all our home movies onto the Mac. And there are iPhone apps to control the mouse remotely...

 

[JB2K]

We are seriously debating on canceling our cable. Has anyone done this recently? The only show we watch, on a regular basis, is Detroit Tigers baseball, is there anyway to watch the games live through the computer hooked up to the tv? Anyone input is appreciated

This may have already been said, but as a baseball fan, I'll say...

Major League Baseball and the Cable/Satellite companies pretty much have you, there, as MLB.tv does not broadcast your home market/team's games live over the internet (once the game is concluded, you can then view the game on MLB.tv -- if you're at work when games are played, that might be a good thing, but if you like the live games, you don't have many options).

I understand in some markets, certain games are still carried over local (free, over-the-air) TV, but not in St. Louis, as all St. Louis Cardinals games are exclusive to Fox Sports Midwest, a cable/satellite channel.

 

[JB2K]

For those who cut cable and are using Hulu and Netflis, I have a question:


How do you watch these shows?? Do you watch them on your computer? What about current programming like the news?? On Hulu and Netflix, how long after a show airs do they have it?

For those who really like this sort of thing, most of the $75-$100 Blu-ray players have all these apps built-in, which means you only have one device to manage...

 

[Ariel484]

This may have already been said, but as a baseball fan, I'll say...

Major League Baseball and the Cable/Satellite companies pretty much have you, there, as MLB.tv does not broadcast your home market/team's games live over the internet (once the game is concluded, you can then view the game on MLB.tv -- if you're at work when games are played, that might be a good thing, but if you like the live games, you don't have many options).

I understand in some markets, certain games are still carried over local (free, over-the-air) TV, but not in St. Louis, as all St. Louis Cardinals games are exclusive to Fox Sports Midwest, a cable/satellite channel.

Yep. We just cut our cable a few months ago and got MLB.tv without understanding exactly what the blackout rules were. So when our renewal comes up for MLb.tv we're most likely going to let it expire. Hopefully these blackouts will go away some day...apparently they've been taken to court but I can't find any recent articles on this:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/lawsui...kout-policy-allowed-to-proceed-015544096.html

Honestly, if I could pay $20 per month to watch the Tribe, I'd do it. But I can't see us going back to our old cable package to do it. Our bill has been cut in half ($120/month for cable and internet down to $60/month total for faster internet, Netflix and Hulu+)...the different over a course of a year more than covers a WDW Annual Pass!

 

[Jerseymomof2]

After reading through this thread, I realize DH and I fall into the "can't cut cable due to football" camp. However, there has to be a way to keep our cable and not pay so much. Right now my monthly bill for tv, phone (DH wanted ) and internet is about $180 a month which is absurd in my opinion. We are in NJ and have Comcast and I am thinking of calling them to see if we can downsize. I'm even willing to change providers if anyone else in NJ (Middlesex County) knows of a provider offering better rates. Any suggestions to keep our football (and Disney channel and internet) but not pay so much?

We are in NJ in middlesex county too and we have the same problem. We love our football and with this kids nickelodeon & the disney channel are a must here too. If you find any way to dump Comcast and work around it please let me know too. I HATE our cable bill!!!!!!