Roku users..... or similar

Ive just spent 3 hours online trying to decide how to replace my cable tv sevice with something other than equally as bad satellite. My head hurts from all of the options :facepalm:

I'm tired of the nuisance increases and having to call every six months to reconfigure my subscription to keep it under $150.00 per month. This includes around 40.00 for high speed internet which i think i will keep and add Roku or something similar. I am already am a amazon prime member and looks like i will add netflix or something else. Trying to keep everyone in the family happy.

Also will be putting up an antenna to grab as much HD local content as possible.

Haven't figured out how to get a few channels we watch yet... Fox news, TNT among others

Anyone care to share what you are doing for TV watching in this modern age, with some pros and cons.

Thanks, Joe

Re: Roku users..... or similar

I've gone through the same exercise. What I've come up with is that if I want to watch cable channels (Fox News, TNT, USA and the like) I need cable/satellite. You might be able to watch older episodes of shows using Roku/Netflix but you can't see anything new or current.

Re: Roku users..... or similar

I've never ever paid for cable or satelite and I am 38 years old. We got Netflix a couple years ago on all the tv's and have a Western Digital Roku similar box on one of them. When you haven't ever had new content, you don't know what you are missing. Network tv, suplemented with Netflix (online not the dvd version) is perfect for us. Similar to how I stay a few years older on my cars to never miss the latest and greatest technology, three year old tv shows are like new to us. The cons are the kids come home from their friends and complain about the content on our tv's but the pros include our 7 figure net worth has been aided over $20,000 over the years of going without.

Re: Roku users..... or similar

A lot of views but not many responses.....
I figured there would be a lot of tech savvy folks here doing something creative for TV viewing. I'm usually the type to be slow to catch on to new things. Maybe this newer internet TV stuff isn't as popular as i thought it might be. Seems all of the new TV's and even blue ray players are coming with these capabilities already built in.

Re: Roku users..... or similar

Have had a couple Roku players for a few years.
Roku has many "channels" in addition to the Netflix.

Most are free, some by subscription.
Hulu is free, Hulu Plus is a couple bucks.

They have a Fox news channel with limited content, for free, but I have only checked it out once or twice.

I know several people that use Roku, and many more that just use netflix directly off the internet.


Check out the Roku channels page.

http://www.roku.com/roku-channel-store

Re: Roku users..... or similar

I personally went through this decision making process just a few months ago. I ended up raising hell with Dish Network in a polite fashion. I called and asked what I had to do if I canceled my service. They were quick to try and convince me to keep it. I told them I've had their service for 8 years, never missed a bill and never had any problems with them HOWEVER they've got a deal for new customers to get the 120 channel package for 20 bucks a month. I said as a non-problematic customer for 8 years I shouldn't be paying 50 dollars for the same service (45 for the channels and 5 because it's not hooked up to a phone line). They eventually lowered my bill to 25 bucks (20 for the channels and 5 for no phone line) for the next 3 years. Nope, I said 20 for years total cost and they caved. They also threw in HBO and Cinemax for 3 months (watched one movie total....)

tl;dr I got 120 channels for 20 bucks for the next three years.

Not exactly what you were looking for, I know, but food for thought none the less.

Re: Roku users..... or similar

Same story here. We got rid of Dish a few years ago. I certainly didn't want to. But I got used to it.
We have one of the Sony internet TV units, plus a couple WiFi TV's, and the Wii.
Netflix has some pretty decent content. Only problem is you have to wait until the show season is over before your going to see current shows like on Discovery, History, or TLC. But then you can watch all at once without any commercials.
The Sony unit has a bunch of channels, but I haven't played with it too much. I'm trying to finish the last season of Breaking Bad.

Over the air I get 10 HD channels. NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC, PBS... So I san stay current with local news, and new shows.

Re: Roku users..... or similar

I only use an intenna.....lots of free streams out there....usa ip address gets an amazing amount for free including live tv....I get live sports of all sorts and practically any live channel also all free....set laptop to wireless and bring it to any Tv and couple cables watch what I want or use the tv as a computer screen......or when a couple of hockey games on same time I use couple computers to watch both.......its easy and free.....lots from europe also so no retrictions

Re: Roku users..... or similar

halfmoa said:

I personally went through this decision making process just a few months ago. I ended up raising hell with Dish Network in a polite fashion. I called and asked what I had to do if I canceled my service. They were quick to try and convince me to keep it. I told them I've had their service for 8 years, never missed a bill and never had any problems with them HOWEVER they've got a deal for new customers to get the 120 channel package for 20 bucks a month. I said as a non-problematic customer for 8 years I shouldn't be paying 50 dollars for the same service (45 for the channels and 5 because it's not hooked up to a phone line). They eventually lowered my bill to 25 bucks (20 for the channels and 5 for no phone line) for the next 3 years. Nope, I said 20 for years total cost and they caved. They also threw in HBO and Cinemax for 3 months (watched one movie total....)

tl;dr I got 120 channels for 20 bucks for the next three years.

Not exactly what you were looking for, I know, but food for thought none the less.

Click to expand...

This is my exact gripe with my cable company. I have had a deluxe type package with them for going on 7 years. Its auto billed to a credit card so its never been late...
My new neighbor receives the same package for half the money locked in for a year, yet when i call to politely complain about new customers being treated better than a low maintenance, auto billed, long time customer they cant lower my bill but 10 dollars! I understand the whole advertising to get new customers thing but you would think there would be a reward program for customer loyalty.

It just seems a little crazy these days with all of the luxuries we start out small with that seem to grow and grow.

A simple cell phone for $30.00 turns into 4 smart phones with upgraded data for $200.00 a month

A cable tv set up for $25.00 turns into 4 hd tvs with dvrs and 50.00 dollar PFV's that were 29.00...(UFC) between $150.00- $200.00 a month

A hard wire phone that we have for the alarm and fax that almost never gets used 35.00 per month

Never mind all the nuisance raises on all of our insurances...Home & Auto, Anyone using Allstate needs to look around I found better coverage for half of what they have been gouging me for.

Thanks, for your responses and letting me vent!!

Re: Roku users..... or similar

dolluper said:

I only use an intenna.....lots of free streams out there....usa ip address gets an amazing amount for free including live tv....I get live sports of all sorts and practically any live channel also all free....set laptop to wireless and bring it to any Tv and couple cables watch what I want or use the tv as a computer screen......or when a couple of hockey games on same time I use couple computers to watch both.......its easy and free.....lots from europe also so no retrictions

Click to expand...

This is what i was thinking i would try. The wife isn't buying it though. She is not very good with multiple remotes and figuring out how to change inputs etc. She is scared she wont be able to get the TV on if I'm not around. Valid point i guess.:facepalm:

Re: Roku users..... or similar

Hogger said:

Same story here. We got rid of Dish a few years ago. I certainly didn't want to. But I got used to it.
We have one of the Sony internet TV units, plus a couple WiFi TV's, and the Wii.
Netflix has some pretty decent content. Only problem is you have to wait until the show season is over before your going to see current shows like on Discovery, History, or TLC. But then you can watch all at once without any commercials.
The Sony unit has a bunch of channels, but I haven't played with it too much. I'm trying to finish the last season of Breaking Bad.

Over the air I get 10 HD channels. NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC, PBS... So I san stay current with local news, and new shows.

Click to expand...

I think i could live with watching older shows... and getting over the air for local and news. I need to try it all out before ditching cable for operational reasons stated above.

Re: Roku users..... or similar

Roku box and antenna here. I don't watch much TV anyway.

Re: Roku users..... or similar

I just wish I could find one of the digital TV tuners with an HDMI output that isn't $150.

Re: Roku users..... or similar

Hogger said:

I just wish I could find one of the digital TV tuners with an HDMI output that isn't $150.

Click to expand...

All 4 Roku models have HDMI in/out, per their web site. $50.00-$100.00
or are you talking about converting over the air signal to an older tv?

Re: Roku users..... or similar

Yes. ...digital TV tuner...

Re: Roku users..... or similar

Hogger said:

Yes. ...digital TV tuner...

Click to expand...

sorry i was confused :redface:, you said you had HD earlier i thought you had newer digital tv's but you must still have an older one as well?

Re: Roku users..... or similar

Gotcha. Ya, I want one for the theater room that I can plug into the projector. That way I can have a cleaner, easier hook-up, and a better picture when watching football.

Re: Roku users..... or similar

I have a dvd player that does netflix, hulu and some other stuff. I do netflix often and love it. I also connect my computer to my tv, watch movies, I go to the network websites when I miss a show and watch it that way but the internet tv's should have that ability too. Another thing I have found is red box, which are $1 rentals. There are also internet tv channels and players that have a bunch of content.