23 replies to this topic

[Viva Las Vegas]

I'm thinking of doing it. I'd really miss the DVR and sports. But I don't watch much tv at all and I think OTA and Netflix should cover me. I guess I'd check into Hulu as well. I'm curious for those that have done it any regrets? Did you go back? Wish you cut the cable sooner?

[HydroX]

I've gone without cable for 3 years now, using Netflix only at first with antenna for local channels. I've recently subscribed to Hulu Plus and at that point you really don't need cable, as there's quite a few cable shows that make their way to Hulu as well. I miss ESPN and Fox Sports Net during baseball season, but MLB.tv helps with that as they have a free game everyday.

Besides, as long as you have an Internet connection you can find your favorite shows around somewhere to watch them.

[GF_Eric]

I got rid of cable about 2 1/2 years ago and haven't ever really missed it. You can watch just about anything online these days - most of it legally! I also watch a lot of movies and TV shows on Blu Ray or DVD.

I also never really appreciated PBS before I got rid of cable, but I get 4 PBS channels OTA now and you'd be amazed how much great programming PBS runs.

[litepink]

I have some regrets. Both with "why didn't I do this sooner" and "I wish I could watch _____ or _____ or _______." Almost got talked into DirectTV at Menards of all places, but after 20 minutes (really), I decided against it.

The Walking Dead is the big one for me. Kills me that I have to wait to watch them until Netflix gets it. None of my friends are really into shows like that so I can't invite myself over or anything either. I also miss HGTV but really I was wasting time when I watched those kind of shows anyways. I also miss Snapped on Oxygen.

Right now I have Hulu Plus and Netflix. Love going back to older episodes of American Dad, Glee, The Office. I'd say this arrangement works for me. One problem I noticed though, is that Saturday Night Live cuts out stuff on Hulu/Netflix versus the live broadcast. For example, some content with licensed music. They pay to air it, but it costs more to for online rights so they choose to cut it from Hulu. Some licensed music does make it threw though.

Not really into sports so that's not a biggie for me. I'm a bandwagon-y Twins fan and an even more bandwagon Vikings fan. I watched the playoff game the other day on NBCsports.com or whatever and that worked fine. Twins sucked last season and they'll suck again so I won't be tempted by that.

You won't miss it at first, but every once awhile you'll miss things here and there. If I could afford to stay home all day I'd like cable but with my limited schedule, I feel like I plenty of DVDs, Blu rays, books, and games to play in the off chance I have some free time.

[JStryke]

While I have not personally cut out our satellite (I'm not the one who pays for it), as long as I had internet, I could survive without it pretty easily. Most of my free time these days are playing games or occasionally reading and the few things I do watch I can find on that network's website within the week. Not to mention the countless streaming websites / services, netflix, etc.

[Methoes]

I want to cancel cable but I'm locked in for 1+ more years... stupid rules. As the other CAGs stated. You can find shows via Internet.

[irideabike]

Don't have cable as I think it is a complete waste of money. I borrow my brother in laws netflix and have amazon prime so whatever shows aren't on those two programs just aren't watched. I don't feel like I miss out on much, I don't even have over the air channels. I'll just go to a relative or friends house if I really want to watch something that bad, and I have dinner/lunch at my parents and in-laws every Sunday so that is how I catch the NFL games.

[KillerRamen]

It's been quite a long time since I cut the cable. It's been maybe 4-5 years? I have no regrets. Everything I want is online and I can just buy the first run shows I want for a few bucks (Dr Who, The Walking Dead, ect) if it's not on a subscription.

MLB/NFL/NHL are perfectly capable of going online for all teams, but the stupid contracts they signed are in the way of real progress. Eventually I think everything will be online.

[dmaul1114]

I tried going without for a while a few years back after a move. I only made it a couple months. Once college football started up I just couldn't do without as I was spending more going to bars to watch my teams games.

IF it wasn't for sports (and college sports in particular) I could easily do without it. Hard to find good quality streams other than ESPN3 and some stuff on CBS.com. And my ISP doesn't support ESPN 3 and I'm stuck with them as it's provided through the condo fees. Hell even, Comcast isn't an option--my girlfriend has them for internet but no TV service and ESPN3 doesn't work with her log in as Comcast only provides it to people who have both TV and internet with them.

Edited by dmaul1114, 18 January 2013 - 09:02 PM.

[tylerh1701]

When I moved out 6 months ago, I never subscribed to cable. I definitely miss it more than I thought I would. I have Netflix but not Hulu Plus (I'm considering it). But the term "everything you want to watch is online" definitely isn't true. Like I said, I can't speak for Hulu Plus, but I'm missing a lot of new episodes I like on AMC, HBO, MTV, etc. And the stuff that is online, I don't really want to watch it on my 3 year old laptop, I want to watch it on my 50" plasma (I guess if I had a better computer then I could hook my laptop up to my TV, but then you get to play the "hook-unhook-hook up game over and over).

I definitely miss sports a lot more than I thought I would too (the fucking National Championship game was on ESPN, that sucked!) and I DEFINITELY miss DVR!

I have 6 months left on my Comcast Internet discount, but once that gets bumped up to full price I might look into an internet/cable bundle.

[ITDEFX]

So what do you guys recommend for a good OTA HD antenna?

[HydroX]

Everything you want to watch *is*, in fact, online ... you just have to know where to look.

So what do you guys recommend for a good OTA HD antenna?

We bought this one based off of it's cheap price. It works really well. Sometimes we have to maneuver it around to get certain channels in, but that's the price you pay for "free" TV.

[KillerRamen]

Amazon VoD has HBO, AMC, ect shows available al la carte on your Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

[Viva Las Vegas]

So what do you guys recommend for a good OTA HD antenna?

Get the cheapest one that works for you. I think ours cost under $10 and works great.

[Predator21281]

I've been using Netflix only for the past year and there's more on their you'd want to watch than cable. Only problem is you can never sit down and just relax.

[Brak]

I don't watch network television, and I only watch one show once a week on cable, so I have no idea why I even have cable... I just wish I could somehow watch that one show live every week without cable.

[bordjon]

So what do you guys recommend for a good OTA HD antenna?

I made this one a few years ago. Works great for us. Connected to a 32" lcd in the bedroom. Then I decided to make a second one a year or so ago once clearQAM wasn't sent over the cable line anymore for my hdhomerun (only thing I record are a few odds and ends on PBS these days) and stick it in the attic. We are within a few miles of most major stations though - but I do get one that's 15 or so miles out as well. Single story rancher but we are up on a hill sort of.

Been off cable tv for a few years. Honestly, with a 2 year old we don't have near as much time to watch shit. I quit netflix a couple years ago after about 8 years of service! Don't miss any of it really. We do have Amazon prime and we watch tv shows on it sometimes and we buy/rent a movie on it now and then.

[davo1224]

My biggest weakness when it comes to cable is the variety when I'm bored or using it as background noise. Nothing has ever come close for me. I can find all those shows I want commercial-free online so it's not even about that. I just want to know that I can flip on the TV and leave it running forever and there's always something on.

[advanced]

I went back for sports. My old ISP was DSL and it blew, so when I went to cable internet, I got cable TV again for sports. I watch 3 of the big 4 leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB), so it's somewhat worth it. My dad likes watching WWE/TNA and I do occasionally as well, so its good for that too. It's cheaper than going to a few games/events a year, which is how we rationalized it. I'll still go to a Dodger or Angel game occasionally, because tickets are cheap/I have good eye sight.

Hulu/Netflix were nice, but my dad and I didn't like how shitty the stream was on DSL. I'll be trying Netflix out again on the cable ISP when Arrested Development hits, but I doubt that makes me leave cable.

[crystalklear64]

sports suck and there is nothing good on tv that isn't freely available online.

[Viva Las Vegas]

I'm really getting close to wanting to cut the cord but with World Cup qualifying around the corner that would be rough. Lots of good thoughts in this thread though minus the "______" sucks cause I don't like it.

[keithp]

Cut the cable about 5 years ago and don't miss it at all. Here's how I did it-

I put a HD antenna in my attic, split the signal and ran a line to a Homerun with dual tuners, which takes it and feeds the signal to my network. I use Win7 mediaplayer and boom, free Tivo. FreeVo, ha! I stream live/recorded content over the network through Xbox to my main TV. It's only OTA channels, but between that and Netflix I'm good. The only channel I really miss is ESPN.

[lordopus99]

I have recently debated cutting cable. I realize I mostly watch shows on locals and ESPNs. I should be able to get the locals from OTA and ESPN3 is available through my ISP. I figured the few cable shows I watch I could grab from iTunes.

If only Cable providers would offer channels ala carte...

[slidecage]

bad thing about cutting cable at least here


Internet with Cable 19.99 to 29.99 per month


Internet alone 59.99 to 79.99

what your paying more when you leave cable it pays for it alone