Ditching the cable tv, anyone else do it?

Buckrun

Buckrun

Agent2: Holy shit! I was thinking the same thing this weekend! I was under the weather (sick) and laid up on the couch under a blanket with the remote and some Thera-Flu.

I have Time Warner Cable, just the extended basic version, with no premium channels. Time Warner also provides my internet access. Together, they combine to the tune of $105.00 a month, which is too much.

Back to this weekend....I saw they had a "Band of Brothers" marathon on, which is perfect if all you can do is lay down, recoup, and hit the shitter.

I was so :finger: pissed! For every 8 minutes of "Band of Brothers", they cut in with 10 to 14 commercials lasting 4 to 6 minutes! I shit you not! That is insane! I'm PAYING for this service and they are pimping me out like a crack addicted hoe! I could actually watch two movies at once if the commercials didn't coincide by switching between one and the other when the commercials came on!

I am so pissed!

What can we do about this?

P.S., I can't get satellite since I live in a heavily wooded area.
 
James

James

Staff member
Buckrun:
What can we do about this?

P.S., I can't get satellite since I live in a heavily wooded area.
Click to expand...
Get your chainsaw out and cut yourself some firewood. :smirk:

Speaking of commercials, that's where a DVR is a time saver, just skip pass them. I have a bunch of shows set to record automatically and when I have time I'll watch them, cuts them down to about 45min apiece. :ride:
 
Agent2

Agent2

Buckrun:
What can we do about this?
Click to expand...

First thing is to learn how to connect your computer to your tv, it can be as simple as a cable, worst case scenario is a "converter" style box available on Amazon for about $40 - http://www.amazon.com/Sewell-Converter-All-One-Cable/dp/B003BVVYSM/ref=pd_cp_e_3 . Next, google search for online tv. I already have ABC, NBC, CBS, Spike TV in a favorites file, full episodes of programs on their webpages. Also, websites that carry channels from around the United States and all around the world, this for example - http://wwitv.com/portal.htm and websites devoted to old movies, etc. As said, there is also Netflicks etc.
Obviously, if you are addicted to television, stick with paying for service, but if tv isn't something your life revolves around, and you want to save some money (in my case $1000 a year), this could be worth looking into.
 
Naturaledge

Naturaledge

I can't stand paying for the crap around here. I'm not sure how they do it down there but here, they bundle a ton of crap with the one or two channels that you actually want to watch. The result - 30 channels of pure cow dung for every 1 channel that you actually might watch. I was going to give it up but, how else will my daughter and Wife know what the Kardashian girls are up too? :foul:
 
Agent2

Agent2

Further research has led me to believe that the biggest problem in watching tv from a computer is syncing the two components together. In a previous post, I listed a converter box good for VGA (on most computers) to RCA plugs (on most tv's). An HDMI to HDMI connection is the best for picture quality and for sound (VGA does not have audio - a separate sound cord must be run between components). Most, if not all HDTV's have a HDMI port, most, but not all newer (as in past few years) computers have an HDMI port, my 3 year old Compaq laptop does not have HDMI, but it does have a VGA port.
Again, the solution is a converter box. Searching Amazon, I have found a few, but this one - http://www.amazon.com/Component-vid...1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1300164244&sr=1-1 has a lot of good reviews, and is under $50.
I ordered this box and 30 feet of HDMI cable for a total of $57 - free shipping and no tax (sorry, spend happy politicians of California :moon:). 30 feet of HDMI cable (anything under 50 feet will not degenerate signal strength from what I have read) means the laptop can be right next to the easy chair. An outdoor antenna I bought for $30 (for local channels) brings me to a total of about $87, what Directv jacked my monthly bill up to. So, one month worth of cable has paid (I hope) for endless free tv.
Will report set up and picture quality when the stuff arrives.

Here is a link that shows different ports, if you are computer illiterate, like me. - http://www.vektanova.com/2009/12/connect-computer-to-tv.html
 
Buckrun

Buckrun

Naturaledge:
I can't stand paying for the crap around here. I'm not sure how they do it down there but here, they bundle a ton of crap with the one or two channels that you actually want to watch. The result - 30 channels of pure cow dung for every 1 channel that you actually might watch. I was going to give it up but, how else will my daughter and Wife know what the Kardashian girls are up too? :foul:
Click to expand...

We have to hook up sometime...I'll trade absolute kills on Turkey and Deer, plus small game, and you give me some awesome fishing! What say you? :thumb: Cost you nothing but your air fair! You put me up, I'll put you up! 2 peeps per voyage! I'll provide all guns needed! Your choice of means to garner the game!
 
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