Cutting Cable... What to get instead

[supersnoop]

I'm interested in cutting the cable bill too, but here are my questions...

1. Do you have to watch everything in real time? (Commercials? Exactly at the time the show airs?)
2. Can you record shows?
3. Can you watch live sports (mainly football for DH)?
4. What's the difference between Roku, Chromecast, Apple, Sling,...?

I've been trying to read up, but just feel more and more confused. TIA!

If you want to record shows broadcast over the air, you'll need some sort of DVR. I believe Channel Master makes one, but TiVo is still the best. You should be able to watch football that's broadcast on network television as long as your antenna can pick up the channel.

4. Each device has slightly different features, different "apps," and a different interface. Personally, I use a 4-tuner TiVo OTA box with TiVo Mini's in each room for a seamless experience.

 

[mustinjourney]

I got rid of satellite over 2 years ago. I got an HD antenna for the roof so we get local channels (mostly for the few network shows we like). Signed up for netflix and hulu for $8 each/month and immediately saved over $80/month (not to mention the additional directv was wanting to charge me to replace THEIR defective equipment). I also have Amazon prime and between those 3, it's way more than I can ever watch in a couple of lifetimes. The real advantage is when you find a show you like, you don't have to wait a week for the next episode and for netflix and amazon, no commercials! I'm about ready to ditch hulu because they still have way too many commercials given the fact I'm paying them...figure it out hulu!

I'm glad I switched...I get to watch what I want when I want to watch it vs. if it just happens to be on when I can watch AND saving a bunch of money each month.

you can pay another 3 or 4 bucks a month to upgrade Hulu to commercial free. It's awesome.

 

[mustinjourney]

I'm interested in cutting the cable bill too, but here are my questions...

1. Do you have to watch everything in real time? (Commercials? Exactly at the time the show airs?)
2. Can you record shows?
3. Can you watch live sports (mainly football for DH)?
4. What's the difference between Roku, Chromecast, Apple, Sling,...?

I've been trying to read up, but just feel more and more confused. TIA!

1. No. You need to sign up for Hulu and/or CBS all access. Hulu gives you all ABC, NBC and Fox shows 1 day after they air. Hulu does not carry current CBS shows. Hulu commercial free option is like $13 a month -- or you can pay like $8 a month with limited commercials. (it's worth the extra money). In order to access Hulu on your tv, you need something that can stream. I use the Amazon Fire TV or Fire stick. I've got a bunch in the house and they do a great job. Just make sure your internet speed doesn't suck.

2. Only way to record shows is with a DVR hooked up to rabbit ears. But there really isn't a need to record anything since all of the stuff is in the cloud and you stream it.

3. If you also sign up for SlingTV -- it gives you ESPN. That is also streaming -- so you will have to watch commercials. I haven't used it before, so I'm not sure if it will let you pause "live" tv and then fast forward as you go. Sling is around $20 a month and it gives you quite a bit of channels.

4. Sling is a streaming service. Roku, Chromecast, Apple, FireTV are the devices that allow you to access the streaming services. I personally prefer the FireTV product. It costs $35 for the Fire Stick and does a very good job. Chromecast is a little finicky. I have a Roku, but I don't have it hooked up. The fireTV remote is better, so that's what I prefer to use.

If you're familiar with Netflix -- hulu is like the netflix for TV shows. Amazon Prime is the same as Netflix -- just with a slightly different library. Chromecast, Roku, Apple and FireTV are the device

 

[jmmess]

1. No. You need to sign up for Hulu and/or CBS all access. Hulu gives you all ABC, NBC and Fox shows 1 day after they air. Hulu does not carry current CBS shows. Hulu commercial free option is like $13 a month -- or you can pay like $8 a month with limited commercials. (it's worth the extra money). In order to access Hulu on your tv, you need something that can stream. I use the Amazon Fire TV or Fire stick. I've got a bunch in the house and they do a great job. Just make sure your internet speed doesn't suck.

2. Only way to record shows is with a DVR hooked up to rabbit ears. But there really isn't a need to record anything since all of the stuff is in the cloud and you stream it.

3. If you also sign up for SlingTV -- it gives you ESPN. That is also streaming -- so you will have to watch commercials. I haven't used it before, so I'm not sure if it will let you pause "live" tv and then fast forward as you go. Sling is around $20 a month and it gives you quite a bit of channels.

4. Sling is a streaming service. Roku, Chromecast, Apple, FireTV are the devices that allow you to access the streaming services. I personally prefer the FireTV product. It costs $35 for the Fire Stick and does a very good job. Chromecast is a little finicky. I have a Roku, but I don't have it hooked up. The fireTV remote is better, so that's what I prefer to use.

If you're familiar with Netflix -- hulu is like the netflix for TV shows. Amazon Prime is the same as Netflix -- just with a slightly different library. Chromecast, Roku, Apple and FireTV are the device

Excellent, thanks for the feedback!

 

[jmmess]

If you want to record shows broadcast over the air, you'll need some sort of DVR. I believe Channel Master makes one, but TiVo is still the best. You should be able to watch football that's broadcast on network television as long as your antenna can pick up the channel.

4. Each device has slightly different features, different "apps," and a different interface. Personally, I use a 4-tuner TiVo OTA box with TiVo Mini's in each room for a seamless experience.

Thank you!!

 

[hsmamato2]

The one thing I missed was the ability to pause and record live TV, so I found out that I could get Tivo boxes with lifetime service on Ebay.
4. Tivo Boxes may be a great option AND they will stream net flix and Hulu as well.

DawnM I learned about the Tivo/ebay thing years ago from you somewhere on here! I have an older Tivo and an antenna, which I love, but my Tivo doesn't work with cable, only OTA signal(so I thought) what model did you get that can do both? (FWIW to OP, I also have a roku box which is great to stream Netflix,Hulu,or Amazon) But I like having local network random tv also

 

[hsmamato2]

Thank you!!

Oh wait... I asked my question before I saw this..... what Tivo boxes work for multiple room usage/and streaming with OTA signals? I guess I have only read the old stuff,since my box is older(but I still love it!)

 

[Praying Colonel]

Between Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and an HD antenna, there's not a whole lot we can't watch.

Live sports on ESPN is problematic, but we signed up for Sling TV through our Amazon Fire stick and that gets you ESPN/ESPN2 and other channels for $20/month, no contract. You can access it through the Sling TV app or the Watch ESPN app.

 

[supersnoop]

Oh wait... I asked my question before I saw this..... what Tivo boxes work for multiple room usage/and streaming with OTA signals? I guess I have only read the old stuff,since my box is older(but I still love it!)

You need a TiVo Roamio (base, four-tuner) or TiVo Roamio OTA box. Then you can add as many TiVo Mini's as you want. The "Plus" and "Pro" Roamio's are cable-only. The older HD and Premier boxes should be able to do OTA, but they don't support the Mini's, so you'd need an antenna in each room.

 

[Rhie]

Oooh lucky for the Google Fiber!!

I haven't had TV service for years. I have a Roku and a Chromecast, though I use the Roku more. I have Amazon Prime, Hulu+, Netflix, CBS All Access. I am going to get a digital antenna (old rabbit ears won't work, unfortunately) so I can watch network shows.

@jmmess:

1. Nope, and that is the main reason to get a Roku and streaming services. You can watch any time. I use the above services, and watch most of what I want to watch for free with the services. There are some things that I pay for on Amazon.

2. You can download some shows from Amazon, but you don't really need to record them, as you can watch them any time you want.

3. If you have a digital antenna for networks you can watch whatever is on those. And you can pay for sports packages from NFL and MLB or whatever you want. And if you want to record network shows or games there are boxes that can do that.

4. Usually the difference is which services they support. I like Roku because its easy to use, cheap, and has a lot of channels. It's also a one-time cost for the device and not a monthly one.

And yea, for all of that it's STILL cheaper than getting all the channels and shows and sports I would want through Time Warner.

 

[Jennifer Diaz]

Here in KC I have access to Google Fiber. Currently have TWC.. Both options are $125+ per month.

We have 5 TV's and I'm thinking of canceling cable, buying rabbit ears for 3 TV's then maybe use my Chromecast to stream Hula and or Sling to the other 2 TV's and/or buy a Roku3
Thoughts?

We live in KC as well and just cut ties with TWC as well. We are going to end up with Google but our appointment to talk with someone isn't until October. We have had it with TWC after another price increase and crappy service. We had to hold onto the internet until Google was able to be installed and they gave us a stupid quote of $83/month for internet. Kinda had to go with it until we get our new service established. So we went to turn in our cable boxes and the representative there gave us a better rate $55/month. So we are Amazon members so we use Prime, Netflix and we got a free 1 year subscription to MLB with our phone service. We also obviously use my sons Xbox One and the PS4 to stream on the TV's, daughter has a smart TV.

 

[DawnM]

DawnM I learned about the Tivo/ebay thing years ago from you somewhere on here! I have an older Tivo and an antenna, which I love, but my Tivo doesn't work with cable, only OTA signal(so I thought) what model did you get that can do both? (FWIW to OP, I also have a roku box which is great to stream Netflix,Hulu,or Amazon) But I like having local network random tv also

All of the older ones can be used with cable and antenna.....the HD models and the S3 I think they are called.

There is only one model that is over the air only, called a Roamio Over the Air model.

Then there are 3 other Roamios. The basic model does OTA and cable, then the upper two models do cable only.

It is a bit confusing, but you can google your model and see if it does cable and OTA.

 

[gatormom2tots]

Is the google fiber unlimited streaming?

We cut cable a year ago and it was the best decision we ever made. We use rokus for everything. The only thing I miss is we can't record live tv on sling (football games) but that it really the only live tv we use for fall fotbal season and then we canceled. We will pick it back up in a few months.

The only issue we ran into was that apparently (unknown to us) comcast had limits to streaming. Apparently so does AT&T when we looked at switching. We were going over every month (family of 6 with multiple computers, devices, and streaming). Thankfully about 5 months in, comcast offered us unlimited streaming which we jumped on. We are hoping the google gets here soon since I have heard it is the cheapest unlimited around.

And the rokus are so easy that my 4 year old can navigate her shows on netflix, amazon, and hulu.

 

[any name you wish]

Another vote for Roku - just about the best little streaming device you can get in my opinion. I have ours hard wired in though the wireless generally works pretty well too. Rabbit ears in the attic provide good reception for about 95% of the over the air channels in our area.

 

[dreiwhit]

My issue is that few of the things I want to watch are available other than on cable or satellite.

That is the biggest reason why we haven't dumped our satellite and moved to OTA TV and streaming. If we could stream the few shows we regularly watch on cable and then live stream my Indy Car races, we would drop satellite in a heartbeat.

 

[kinntj]

We cut our TV cable three weeks ago. We love the lower bill with internet only. We have Netflix, Amazon, and Playstation Vue. Through the Vue, my DH can record some shows on SyFy and shows like the Flash to watch later. My DD likes to record Spongebob, so now she has a months worth to watch at any time.

We miss sports, but have an antenna to watch local channels with some sports on it.

 

[docsoliday1]

you can pay another 3 or 4 bucks a month to upgrade Hulu to commercial free. It's awesome.

Yeah, I know that's an option, but quite honestly, since I'm already paying them $8/month, the commercials shouldn't be there to begin with (except for them to milk more money out of customers to remove them). Amazon prime, which is about the same price and has MANY other benefits does not have commercials. Netflix, again same price, does not have them. I find that I watch netflix or AP way more often anyway (and the stupid commercials are only part of that). In the big scheme of things, $3 or $4 is no big deal, but to me, it's a principal thing. I got rid of the cable/dish because it was outrageously priced *AND* had commercials. When I have 2 that give me the same (or better service) for the same price without commercials, then hulu loses.

 

[docsoliday1]

Another vote for Roku - just about the best little streaming device you can get in my opinion. I have ours hard wired in though the wireless generally works pretty well too. Rabbit ears in the attic provide good reception for about 95% of the over the air channels in our area.

I had to get a motorized (to turn antenna) HD antenna for my roof...where we live, 97% of all the stations are about the same direction from the house, but there are a few that are in a different direction and the antenna has to be rotated. We're not a long distance away, but there are many trees in the area and that does affect reception . Still, considering how much I'm saving each month from the dish coupled with the huge amount I'm able to get at a moment's notice from netflix/amazon, it's well worth it.

 

[docsoliday1]

We cut our TV cable three weeks ago. We love the lower bill with internet only. We have Netflix, Amazon, and Playstation Vue. Through the Vue, my DH can record some shows on SyFy and shows like the Flash to watch later. My DD likes to record Spongebob, so now she has a months worth to watch at any time.

We miss sports, but have an antenna to watch local channels with some sports on it.

I miss the sports a bit also, but most of the major sports (MLB, NFL, NBA) have options to stream their stuff also....and it's still cheaper than cable/satellite. I thought about doing this during football season, but since I had so many other things going on (time wise), I decided not to for the amount of games I might actually be able to watch.

 

[dalmatian7]

How about college football? I know we were limited on our Penn State games before our cable provider finally picked up Big 10 network. That and NFL are really the only sports we have the time to follow (cold weather season limits our outdoor work). I know there is always radio for Penn State. I am really looking into Sling I think. If that would work for us, I think we could dump cable too. We watch most of our TV recorded now anyway.

DawnM I learned about the Tivo/ebay thing years ago from you somewhere on here! I have an older Tivo and an antenna, which I love, but my Tivo doesn't work with cable, only OTA signal(so I thought) what model did you get that can do both? (FWIW to OP, I also have a roku box which is great to stream Netflix,Hulu,or Amazon) But I like having local network random tv also

On the TIVO, we had an older model (version 2) but got rid of it because our cable provider refuses to give us a cable card needed with the newer Roamio so we couldn't use our HD once we got a new TV. Version 2 did not have HD. We could rent through amazon on it but it was very slow to load. I never tried a prime movie on it. I don't think it was compatible if I remember correctly. We were never able to upgrade to the Roamio because of the cable card issue. Maybe that is why you thought your tivo didn't work on cable?