Cable TV -- worth $83?

Koggit

Koggit

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I seriously want to tell Comcast to go blow themselves. Every day that passes I think "Access to the cable I didn't watch just cost $3, awesome" and want to stab someone. I think I'm just going to get an antenna and download what I don't catch.

Is there any reason to pay for cable? If you do: why?
 
Well my family has Satellite and it is almost the same cost. So I said Yes. However, if I was the one paying the bills, I would probably get rid of it, as long as I had access to a good high speed internet connection.
 
I hate Comcast's DVR, the damn thing freezes up sometimes when trying to time shift. I'll try to rewind and it will get stuck and keep rewinding for a few minutes before it finally stops. By then it's way past where i wanted it to be.
 
Hey Koggit,

I don't think it's worth it, as long as you have no problems picking up local channels with an Antenna or something. I rarely watch TV and went with the most basic package (which was $20 a month) while I was on my own away from college. There isn't much good on TV these days, especially with the internet around (along with video games and DVDs).

Verizon FiOS DVR is awesome. I just had to pay $1.50 a month to record a TV show in one room/TV, then I can watch it off of any TV in my house.
 
Its not hard to run up high tv bills... I have DTV with HBO, Showtime, HD package, 3 boxes (2 are hd dvrs) and I pay about 85 even with a $10 discount
 
[quote name='zman73']Its not hard to run up high tv bills... I have DTV with HBO, Showtime, HD package, 3 boxes (2 are hd dvrs) and I pay about 85 even with a $10 discount[/QUOTE]

Ya, but that's easy to cut down on. Cut out HBO, showtime, and 1 DVR box and you can subtract probably close to $20 off your bill.
 
I say no. There's not much television programming that interests me, and certainly not enough to pay a recurring fee. Most of the good programs end up on DVD anyway. If they offered a la carte, I'd be willing to put down some money for sports channels.
 
[quote name='The Mana Knight']Hey Koggit,

I don't think it's worth it, as long as you have no problems picking up local channels with an Antenna or something. I rarely watch TV and went with the most basic package (which was $20 a month) while I was on my own away from college. There isn't much good on TV these days, especially with the internet around (along with video games and DVDs).

Verizon FiOS DVR is awesome. I just had to pay $1.50 a month to record a TV show in one room/TV, then I can watch it off of any TV in my house.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, in Seattle city limits I expect to be able to bring in all the HD locals with an antenna.

About Verizon -- if I cancel my cable TV, I'd also cancel the internet, and switch from this 8mbit/756kbit to Verizon's 10mbit/5mbit FiOS (which is the same price, $47/month). With the increase in upstream I'd be able to torrent a lot easier, to get the few shows that I'm missing out on.

[quote name='lordwow']$82? What do you have? Every channel ever?

Mine's like $65 with a DVR box.[/QUOTE]

That's what pisses me off the most, I have the cheapest HD package available. I pay an extra $5/month for DVR (if I didn't have the DVR, there would be a $8.95 HD charge instead of a $13.95 DVR charge). That's the only extra I have.

Also, this internet is slow as hell. 756kbit upstream, 8mbit max downstream (usually throttled to around 3mbit).

effcomcast.png
 
My brother does and pays over a hundred for cable, than add internet and cell phones and he pays GCI like over $250 a month, probably close to $300. I lived most of my life without cable tv, like only the past two years have I had it, and I could live without it. It's a waste, hell if need be I could go back to 56k internet for what they charge up here, though I really wouldn't want to.
 
We have 2 boxes, and cable in two rooms.
We get around 100 channels, and we pay around 45-50 a month.
That include the Spanish and Sports Package, along with like 10 HBO channels.
 
We don't have cable TV and we're just fine. Hulu.com and a lot of broadcast TV websites allow you to view TV shows for free the day after they air nowadays, so there's no real reason to keep it.
 
Just stick with basic cable. If you have a more recent HD tv it probably has a QAM tuner which can pick up the major broadcast channels in HD for free over the same coxial cable.
 
You know how sometimes even if you don't pay for cable you can hook up your TV to the coaxial outlet and you catch stuff? How's that work?

My dad's house was like that back home. He didn't pay for cable (he had satellite) but we could catch like 40 channels just by hooking up a TV to the wall. It seemed like it was all the very basic channels -- locals, PBS, etc. Is that something I can rely on, something they have to provide as a telecommunications company, or was that a fluke that his cable provider must've overlooked?
 
I voted yes but I do not think the cost of Cable is justified. Too many commercials, too many crap shows. I honestly watch no more than 2 or 3 television shows and frankly, I prefer to download them.
 
TV is not worth the $82 a month. I watch a lot of TV but that is because it is the only light source in my room at night (not that I don't have them, but besides my laptop I think it provides the perfect light for me), and I get it for free since I live with my parents. If I had to pay more than $60 I would not do it. Also since every show is now on dvd or so it seems you can pick and choose which one you want to see. Another idea is to get netflix and get the tv shows from there.

I would suggest though you get an Antenna and one of those boxes when it switches to the new bandwidth because local news is essential sometimes.
 
[quote name='Koggit']You know how sometimes even if you don't pay for cable you can hook up your TV to the coaxial outlet and you catch stuff? How's that work?

My dad's house was like that back home. He didn't pay for cable (he had satellite) but we could catch like 40 channels just by hooking up a TV to the wall. It seemed like it was all the very basic channels -- locals, PBS, etc. Is that something I can rely on, something they have to provide as a telecommunications company, or was that a fluke that his cable provider must've overlooked?[/QUOTE]

I'm not certain, but we don't pay for cable, yet get the basic crap.

My last roommate didn't have a TV, and I use mine just for videogames, so we had our cable canceled. The tech came out, fiddled around in the cable box and left. I turned on my TV, and lo and behold, we still had basic cable. We don't pay anything, but then again, I don't watch TV at all. Worthless programming, and endless commercials? No thanks.

I love the educational programming on public broadcasting (Nature, Nova, etc.,) but I can't stand dramas, children's programming, or Brit comedies, aside from Benny Hill, The Office, and Are You Being Served, of course. But since I never know when the good stuff is on, I don't watch it at all. I have so much more time now that I don't watch TV.
 
TV is so damn worthless these days... If I wasn't living at home I wouldn't even have a tv. If there was an actual decent tv show I'd d/l it. Just like the RIAA and MPAA, tv can kiss my yellow ass if they are going to continue to put crap out.

As for news... There's always NPR radio or local AM stations. Then there's the Net.
 
Just call and threaten to ditch them for satellite, you'll get the retention department and offered a deal.

We've had Digital cable, HD box, HBO and high speed internet for $90 for over a year through doing that.

That's a good price for all that IMO. Broadband is a must and I watch a decent amount of TV--though I really only need the HD channels as I pretty much never watch anything not in HD these days. I really just watch a TON of sports, some stuff on discovery and a couple of network shows.

You should also be able to add the HD box to basic cable or even to the cheapest cable option your county requires them to provide. They can't force you to pay for digital cable etc. to get it--but they tend to try as they don't like to do those kind of packages to so you could push them on that.
 
I concur with the idea that I could live without cable and that the price, as daphatty mentioned, can be a bit insulting. I just pay for basic cable. If it became possible to pick, choose, and pay for channels, I would only need ESPN, History, Discovery, Bravo, The Food Network, Headline News, MSNBC, Spike TV, and USA Network. Anything on the major cable channels can be easily found online to download, and the only reason why I'd pay for ESPN is because I have yet to find any torrents for Around the Horn, Rome is Burning, and Pardon the Interruption.
 
[quote name='GBmanNC']Just stick with basic cable. If you have a more recent HD tv it probably has a QAM tuner which can pick up the major broadcast channels in HD for free over the same coxial cable.[/QUOTE]
This is what I do also.
 
[quote name='chasemurata']I concur with the idea that I could live without cable and that the price, as daphatty mentioned, can be a bit insulting. I just pay for basic cable. If it became possible to pick, choose, and pay for channels, I would only need ESPN, History, Discovery, Bravo, The Food Network, Headline News, MSNBC, Spike TV, and USA Network. Anything on the major cable channels can be easily found online to download, and the only reason why I'd pay for ESPN is because I have yet to find any torrents for Around the Horn, Rome is Burning, and Pardon the Interruption.[/QUOTE]In some areas, you cannot ask for a basic package really. The Comcast I have at home, the most basic package still includes like 60+ channels or so for like $60 or month I believe. It isn't like Insight (who is slowly being taken over my Comcast in areas) that has a basic package with a few channels for around $20.
 
My wife and I are soon going to move and will be unemployeed for an unforseen future. Cable is out of the question. Especially like others have stated its available online through various delivery methods.
 
[quote name='lordwow']Ya, but that's easy to cut down on. Cut out HBO, showtime, and 1 DVR box and you can subtract probably close to $20 off your bill.[/QUOTE]

Really... I had no idea... actually it would be more like 25... If I wanted to get rid of them... I would, I like my original shows such as CYE, Weeds, Dexter etc... etc... and since some of them are in HD.. . its would be hard to get rid of them
 
No more cable (or satellite) in my house. I watched about two channels, and even Cartoon Network stunk after a while (sorry to all my Willaims Street pals, you know I love ya, but your shows suck).
 
[quote name='zman73']Really... I had no idea... actually it would be more like 25... If I wanted to get rid of them... I would, I like my original shows such as CYE, Weeds, Dexter etc... etc... and since some of them are in HD.. . its would be hard to get rid of them[/quote]

Do you have a high speed connection? Do you know what bittorent is?
I've seen every episode of Weeds, Rome, Dexter etc. in HD and have never owned any premium channel. Just download them the following day they show on tv.
 
[quote name='GBmanNC']Do you have a high speed connection? Do you know what bittorent is?
I've seen every episode of Weeds, Rome, Dexter etc. in HD and have never owned any premium channel. Just download them the following day they show on tv.[/QUOTE]

Yes I have HS internet, and YES know I can download any episode I want because I have done so in the past and watched them on my modded xbox...
 
Most of TV is so damn boring anyways. I used to want to watch shows live, but now I don't even care if I see them at all. I would rather just netflix or xbox live them some day when I care, so I wouldn't have to deal with commercials or anything. I only have TV because I am too lazy to get it canned after Football season is over.
 
[quote name='The Mana Knight']In some areas, you cannot ask for a basic package really. The Comcast I have at home, the most basic package still includes like 60+ channels or so for like $60 or month I believe. It isn't like Insight (who is slowly being taken over my Comcast in areas) that has a basic package with a few channels for around $20.[/QUOTE]

Again, be forceful with them. Most counties require them to provide a very basic package of 20 or so channels for cheap so poor people can have TV--of course this isn't going to have ESPN or anything like that. Around here it's basically the networks and local channels (PBS, local college channels etc).

But Comcast isn't very forthcoming about these packaages as they only begrudgingly offer them as it's a condition of their county franchise agreement.

And I'm sure some counties probably didn't pressure them.

In any case, calling and threatening to leave them for satellite over price has always worked like a charm for me. I need my HD channels, and can't get them OTA (comes in shitty with inside antenna, in a condo building so can't put one on roog)--and even if I could I mostly watch the ESPN HD channels and discover with aren't OTA anyway.
 
Well, technically yes...I subscribe to cable. My total cost is $43/month and that is for TWC Roadrunner "Lite" - the $30/month version and $12/month basic cable. I get my local broadcast channels and USA. My plasma has a QAM tuner and grabs the HD feeds from the locals over the coax cable. So I have like 5 PBS channels, CBS, ABC, NBC and their separate weather or news channels, FOX, and USA.

And I netflix.
 
See the thing is, when Comcast shuts off your cable, they just put a 'filter' on the intersection box on the pole. (Effectively filtering out cable from your line.) Well, Comcast just made it too damn easy to just climb the pole and take out the filter, so we haven't paid for cable in 8 years. And, if you know somebody who works for Comcast, they can get you 'discounted' internet too. I never bothered with the internet though. But, you didn't hear this from me.

EDIT: The funny thing is, we tried to get Comcast Digital Cable once, but they tacked on a whole bunch of fees that they didn't tell us about, so we canceled and went back to the free stuff. Nice going Comcast. :D

Oh, and to me, TV should be free. That's why I watch TV on the internet.
 
I hardly watch TV now. I would end up spending money for high speed internet and watch TV shows on the internet. If I had an HDTV I would end up watching HD channels on this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw

Of course I live with my parents right now and I still have a year in high school left so I have no worries with money. My parents right now have Direct TV with a DVR and pay about 75 dollars a month for almost every channel plus local channels. The only channels we dont have are the movie channels (Netflix FTW).

I say either make a ghetto HDTV antenna if you have an HDTV or get Direct TV.
 
[quote name='Access_Denied']See the thing is, when Comcast shuts off your cable, they just put a 'filter' on the intersection box on the pole. (Effectively filtering out cable from your line.) Well, Comcast just made it too damn easy to just climb the pole and take out the filter, so we haven't paid for cable in 8 years.[/quote]

Awesome..:applause:
 
I go all out on my cable right now, but I just do not use it as much anymore. When I move in two weeks it will be just antenna for me. If I want to watch a TV show I will just wait for the DVD release.
 
[quote name='The Mana Knight']In some areas, you cannot ask for a basic package really. The Comcast I have at home, the most basic package still includes like 60+ channels or so for like $60 or month I believe. It isn't like Insight (who is slowly being taken over my Comcast in areas) that has a basic package with a few channels for around $20.[/quote]

Those greedy buggers.
 
[quote name='VipFREAK']Wow, looks promising. How do they not get shut down though? Anyway, Thanks![/quote]
Hulu is owned by NBC and News Corp. Its not illegal because they own the shows.
 
fuck no, that's way too expensive. I'd do exactly what you said; get an antenna and download what you absolutely need to watch but can't.

Blame inflation.
 
[quote name='Access_Denied']See the thing is, when Comcast shuts off your cable, they just put a 'filter' on the intersection box on the pole. (Effectively filtering out cable from your line.) Well, Comcast just made it too damn easy to just climb the pole and take out the filter, so we haven't paid for cable in 8 years. And, if you know somebody who works for Comcast, they can get you 'discounted' internet too. I never bothered with the internet though. But, you didn't hear this from me.

EDIT: The funny thing is, we tried to get Comcast Digital Cable once, but they tacked on a whole bunch of fees that they didn't tell us about, so we canceled and went back to the free stuff. Nice going Comcast. :D

Oh, and to me, TV should be free. That's why I watch TV on the internet.[/quote]Thats interesting, wonder if it's on a pole here or on the side of the building(apartment building).
 
Just keep in mind cable theft is punished pretty severerly if you're unlucky enough to get caught--i.e. they discover when hooking up cable for a neighbor, doing routine checks etc.

Sports is the killer for me--huge sports fan got have my ESPN channels etc. The network shows I could get another way--though I do prefer watching live in HD without having to find it online and get it to the TV somehow (never would put a PC in the living room--could use a laptop I guess). Again antenna doesn't work here--brick building and damn super powerful radiostation a block away interferes with everything (can't even use a landline phone here as the phone wiring in the building picks it up so strongly you can barely hear who you're talking too.
 
I only watch Discovery, Comedy Central, CNN, and maybe Cartoon Network these days. Internet is 10Mb/s down and I pay about $110/month after taxes.

HDTV Box and Cable is only $59.99/month, so I'd say you're getting a bit ripped.

~HotShotX
 
My Comcast bill is like $58. That includes Internet , & Limited Basic TV with HD. I called a few months ago and said Verizon FIOS was available so they took off $10 a month for a year on the internet.
 
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