Had enough of my cable company...

generator12

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Messages
666
I've been (over)paying just under $153/month for TV, internet, and phone for the past year. Now I've been informed that it's going to $172.22/month as of December, so I'm looking for an alternative. I can't use a dish because of the surrounding trees, and the reputation of the only other major provider (over phone lines) in my area is just about as bad as that of my present provider. So I'm looking at alternatives for the TV and, if I have to, I'll switch phone and internet as well.

With respect to a presumed aversion of IBoats to negative discussion of brands on this forum, I ask this; What is your experience with on-line TV providers such as Hulu, Netflix, and any others. How does one engage them - paid subscription? As you can guess, I'm a total newbie in this area.

Thanks guys.
 
Last edited:

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
As far as phone, I am about ready to get an Ooma box that does VOIP. You still need internet but it will reduce my $30/month phone bill down to almost nothing. If you want to still be able to make calls during a power outage, will need a UPS for you mode/router and your Ooma box.

I would love to switch to streaming from Satellite TV but since i pretty much only watch sports on TV, kind tough to leave it.

EDIT: Your post prompted me to order my Ooma today. I also ordered a UPS so that calls would still be able to be made when power went out. UPS will power the Ooma box and my modem/router.
 
Last edited:

southkogs

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 7, 2010
Messages
14,785
We dumped our phone line a few years back, and I've never paid for cable or satellite TV. I have been paying for the high bandwidth / fastest cable internet I can get locally which (if memory serves right) runs me about $65/mo.

We don't watch a lot of TV, but what we do watch is pretty easily gotten off the net. I do have an Apple TV and/ or we watch directly from the 23" monitor sometimes too. We stream stuff from Amazon, YouTube & Netflix mostly and it generally works fine. There are days with glitches, but since we only watch some here and there it works fine for us. YouTube obviously doesn't cost us, we have an Amazon Prime Account which gives us access to quite a bit and then we pay for Netflix. Hulu has a bunch of free stuff as do several of the network websites.

As far as phone: we did Vonage for a while, but with our cell phones we dropped way back and have been using Magic Jack for the little that we need it. It actually works pretty well. I don't know Ooma, but Vonage had a TON of features with it - call forwarding, conferencing, etc. - we just didn't need all of that.
 

Tnstratofam

Commander
Joined
Aug 18, 2013
Messages
2,679
I got the same deal with our cable internet and phone about 4 years ago. We were paying something like $153.00 per month. Then they decided we needed to pay $211.00 per month. I called the cable company, and they said they could drop it down to $150.00 per month plus taxes. That made the bill about $165.00 per month. I told them to drop everything except high speed internet. That dropped the bill down to $63.00 per month. We went out and bought two ROKU players. One for the living room, and one for the bedroom. My stepson has an xbox so he streams with it. We pay $8.00 per month for HULU and I think $9.00 per month for Netflix, and Amazon Prime. So now we're up to around $93.00 per month for tv and internet. We are able to use our cell phones for all our calling so no loss there. I like it much better. I also installed an antenna so we could pick up local channels. It's not for everybody, but I sure like it better than paying for triple pay rip off from our cable provider.

Of course my family, and friends all think I'm a weirdo for not having cable. My stepson just tells all his friends I was damaged in the war.:D People are always like "How do you know what's going on in the world?" I'm like " The same way I did when I was growing up. Read the newspaper, watch the local news, and I still have internet access."
 

ezbtr

Commander
Joined
May 1, 2002
Messages
2,954
I swapped from Dxxx ntwk approx a year ago as they ALWAYS, every month screwed up my bill (with AT&T for internet) ditched home phone(never used) went to AT&xxxxxxx for high speed internet and basic plus cable tv, i now pay $85 a month for all. Is funny, they said well ur bill will go up in 12 months, my reply was, "and I'll call you then" ;) :rolleyes:
 

no704

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 22, 2009
Messages
199
I cut down to a $55 internet connection from the cable co. Have a wireless router so house is wifi hot and the roommate can use it too. Picked up a new sony blu ray player that makes my tv "smart" so i can stream netflix...for around $90. Love it, no ads. Also pick about 15 channels out of the air.
 

Gyrene

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Messages
377
I am in agreement with you.
I plan to cut way back on the TV channels and get Hulu/Newflix - which do have monthly costs, but are cheaper.
Depending where you are, you might consider an antenna to get some local TV - but before you buy, go and check reception in your area:
http://www.tvfool.com/
Do NOT believe ads for antennas with 150 mile range - that'd be for radio, not TV.

I also couldn't get satellite TV (which is a bit more reasonable) and was surprised at how low an angle they would have to aim the dish - you would think the satellites would be more overhead, but they aren't.
 
Last edited:

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
I also couldn't get satellite TV (which is a bit more reasonable) and was surprised at how low an angle they would have to aim the dish - you would think the satellites would be more overhead, but they aren't.
All the satellites are stationary over the equator so the further north you are, the lower the angle. I have a friend that gets satellite TV fine in Alaska. The angle of the dish is somewhat deceiving because of the antenna design. The satellites are actually much higher over the horizon than what it looks the way the antenna is pointed.
 
Last edited:

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
When I had my C/KU big dish, I was always amazed at how low it pointed to get those satellites, even the dish I have on the side of my house for dish network is pointed quite low, so low I am really surprised we can get a signal as there is a tall ridge right in line with where the dish is pointed. My land sits a little over 4300 feet in elevation and the ridge behind me, is about a 1000 feet higher.
 
Last edited:

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,300
If it was me, I would completely get rid of the tube and land-line. I watch shows that can be found on Netflix and Hulu. When I live in Door County, its all we had. too far from sturgeon bay for cable, so my roommate and I got 6 channels with the antenna, and were on the fringe for interweb.

Im fine with an internet only connection and cell phone. currently we get a smoking deal on cable, TV and interweb since the admiral used to work for the company and we get the promotional price. used to have Fios at the house, and may soon again as they keep lowering the price to about what we are paying for cable

I have used both Dish and direct tv for satelite, and for cable I have been with misc small companies, Verizon Fios, comcast, time-warner, and now brighthouse. I feel they all under-deliver for the price.
 

thumpar

Admiral
Joined
Jun 21, 2007
Messages
6,138
I haven't had a home phone in probably 15 years. The only reason we have cable TV service is because they offered us a year for $17 extra with our internet. Once that is up we will cancel it. We have 3 Roku boxes and use them for Netflix. They can also get all the other services and more but Netflix is our main use. There is a lot of free channels on them also. PBS and PBSkids is one we like. I also run a Plex server that allows you to play your own media on them. We have antennas and can get 20+ channels on them so cutting the cable won't be hard.

As for the dish angle it looks lower than it really is. Some look like they are pointed straight at the roof. The signal comes in at an angle that is probably 15+ degrees of where is it pointed. The LNB sits low on arm compared to the center of the dish. Back when you could buy your own equipment I would install my own and also help friends out with their installs. I got pretty good at it. One install I was getting 90%+ signal on the first shot without having to move the dish.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,300
Thumpar, are you using a low $ tablet as the remote for the plex server? my intention this winter is to build a media computer, using plex
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
I built my media computer about a year ago and love it, I can record satellite, despite them telling me I can't, I can play DVD and Blu Rays with it, on both of my TV's and I also have a Sony blue ray, that does not play blu rays any longer, but it works great for streaming, so I really don't know why I continue to pay Dish prices! One of the things, I like about my media center, is I can record satellite TV, copy to a thumbdrive and then plug into the "broken" sony blu ray and play the show also, but I am definitely looking at the alternatives. I am getting ready to dump my phone company and use the magic jack full time, I will just sign up with one of the small local DSL providers for broadband.
 
Last edited:

thumpar

Admiral
Joined
Jun 21, 2007
Messages
6,138
Thumpar, are you using a low $ tablet as the remote for the plex server? my intention this winter is to build a media computer, using plex
I use the Roku remote. It can control the Plex app just like Netflix or any other app. I do have the Roku remote app on my iphone but rarely use it. If you are not familiar with Roku check it out. They can be had for around $50 at Walmart for the basic unit. The newest one has a headphone jack on the remote so that we don't have to listen to curious george anymore when my son watches it. It is also nice late at night when I want to watch or listen to something loud without waking everyone up.
 

ezbtr

Commander
Joined
May 1, 2002
Messages
2,954
I built my media computer about a year ago and love it, I can record satellite, despite them telling me I can't, I can play DVD and Blu Rays with it, on both of my TV's and I also have a Sony blue ray, that does not play blu rays any longer, but it works great for streaming, so I really don't know why I continue to pay Dish prices! One of the things, I like about my media center, is I can record satellite TV, copy to a thumbdrive and then plug into the "broken" sony blu ray and play the show also, but I am definitely looking at the alternatives. I am getting ready to dump my phone company and use the magic jack full time, I will just sign up with one of the small local DSL providers for broadband.
I'll be right behind you soon! :)
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
I can record satellite, despite them telling me I can't,
I take it you are just recording the sampled video coming out of the satellite box right? You recording HD?

I was going to create a Myth box at one point but figured what was the point besides just creating a DVR that would be no better than my DirecTv box anyway. I do have movies stored in my main PC that I can play so really no need for a dedicated PC just for media.
 
Last edited:

NYBo

Admiral
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
7,107
I just added up all our communications bills in my head. Now I have a headache.:faint2:
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
I take it you are just recording the sampled video coming out of the satellite box right? You recording HD?

I was going to create a Myth box at one point but figured what was the point besides just creating a DVR that would be no better than my DirecTv box anyway. I do have movies stored in my main PC that I can play so really no need for a dedicated PC just for media.

I record off the component(Y Pr Pb) output jacks on the back of the receiver that go to my Colossus HD capture card, I have not noticed any difference than the HDMI output on my recordings, this output is analog HD. Color depth, sharpness and audio are all virtually the same as what the satellite outputs to the TV. I have two satellite receivers, one with a DVR option and the one is just a single receiver, Dish wanted more money to hook a harddrive up to the single box and I had already built the media computer so I just use it without them knowing, because of the way it is hooked up.

This is the link with the information on the capture card I am using:

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_colossus.html

It was not a big deal to turn this PC into a media computer and it still functions as a regular PC as well.
 
Last edited:

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
I record off the component(Y Pr Pb) output jacks on the back of the receiver that go to my Colossus HD capture card, I have not noticed any difference than the HDMI output on my recordings, this output is analog HD.
Yep, no real difference between HDMI and component as long as the card has a high enough sampling rate.

For DirecTV, the best way to do it is just get every receiver as a DVR and have whole home. It's just one price no matter how many DVRs you have. Even if you have a receiver without a DVR, you can watch recordings off the other DVR with the normal receiver.
 
Last edited:

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
I set my system up the way I did, because Dish has a DVR fee for each receiver and they also have a receiver fee for each extra receiver. Also, I wanted to be able to record more than just 2 channels, or I wanted to watch something my wife was not watching, her and I have very different tastes in television shows. I also like being able to stream to my media PC, like last night I slept through one of the shows I normally watch and it was already posted on CBS when I woke up, so I was able to watch it without the ad's that are normally included in broadcast TV. Pricing structures are a bit different between Dish and Direct, but if you really compare them, it normally comes out pretty close to the same for the final costs.

I have been really happy with the Colossus card, it works quite well. I keep hearing rumors about the satellite companies coming out with a receiver card for PC's, which would be nice, but even with all of the development, that card has still not hit the market.
 
Last edited:
Top