Ok, finally doing it!

So sick of my Comcast bill, this last one was $152, and we watch like 3 or 4 channels... $40 of that is for internet. So $112 a month and we watch 3 or 4 channels? Makes no sense. Crazy.

Ordered a Roku, already have Netflix, and I think I'll try Amazon Prime.

Has anyone else gone this route? Tips and tricks??

I go this route half of every year. I have basic cable ($20/mo) for just the local channels in HD so I can record the Seahawks games during football season, and the rest of the time, I have no cable service.

High five, brotha. Comcast can tickle my zipper. I'll gladly pay for HBO, Showtime, AMC, the local channels, ESPN, and NFL Network if I can just pay for those. Like you pointed out, just to get those, I have to have 900 extra channels and the cost is well over $100/month for that.

Yea, the Seahawks thing will be interesting. I've been going over my options there, that's really the only thing that gave me pause.

I watch too many other sports to give up cable (and all the crap channels that go with the sports channels). But if I could tell Comcast to get stuffed I would.

I've been cable-free for about 2 years. I subscribe to Netflix, Hulu+, Amazon Prime, and keep Comcast for the interwebs.

There are options for watching Seahawks games. Last season, I either watched at a friend's house, at a sports bar, or managed to find a stream somewhere. I also have the Game Rewind from NFL.com, and being able to condense the game is pretty awesome - but you have to wait until the games are over (sometimes until the next day) to see them. That was the hardest part.

*Is waiting for a couple of snobs to come in here and call Twisted a cheapskate*

I completely respect a man that lives within his means and doesn't take what he doesn't pay for! since you started

Good work covering both sides of the hypocritical aisle, DTex.

Hulu and Netflix are all anyone needs. I had cable, would watch about a cable show a day, maybe, then hit the Roku anyway. Would never pay to go back... except for football of course.

Did this a couple months back - we just run Netflix and Hulu+ now... what is that, like $16 a month? Not only do I not miss forking out all that $$ to Dish, I don't even miss not having it. And then for the 1 time cost of something like $15 you can get rabbit ears for picking up local channels in HD, so that covers my Seahawks, except for NFLN games.

TriCHawk wrote:Did this a couple months back - we just run Netflix and Hulu+ now... what is that, like $16 a month? Not only do I not miss forking out all that $$ to Dish, I don't even miss not having it. And then for the 1 time cost of something like $15 you can get rabbit ears for picking up local channels in HD, so that covers my Seahawks, except for NFLN games.

Was thinking about this, some people at my work mentioned it too.

Also volsunghawk, this NFL Rewind looks interesting, looks like it's $24.99 for the season? Interesting.... I have no problem not watching the game live and taking up 4 hours of my Sunday (my family would love it) and then catching the condensed version Sunday night?!

Also, Hulu+ compared to Amazon Prime, which one do you guys recommend? Which has latest movies, or newer tv series? I'm leaning towards Amazon actually.

Twisted, I'd get the deluxe package. $70/year, but you get every NFL game for all teams, including playoffs/Super Bowl, going back 3 years. That's the one I get. Also, Hulu+ is going to give you more value by far than Amazon Prime. Prime's a direct competitor to Netflix, Hulu+ is different.

@TriCHawk: As long as you're in the local market, even NFL Network games are broadcast over the air locally. If a game is not blacked out, NFL rules require it to be available over a local broadcast regardless of what network has that game.

Cool, I'm fully on board now.

Yea, I'll get a delay in watching my AMC, FX and HBO shows, but honestly those are the only channels that have shows I watch.

F paying for those other 897 channels I ignore.

RolandDeschain wrote:Twisted, I'd get the deluxe package. $70/year, but you get every NFL game for all teams, including playoffs/Super Bowl, going back 3 years. That's the one I get. Also, Hulu+ is going to give you more value by far than Amazon Prime. Prime's a direct competitor to Netflix, Hulu+ is different.

@TriCHawk: As long as you're in the local market, even NFL Network games are broadcast over the air locally. If a game is not blacked out, NFL rules require it to be available over a local broadcast regardless of what network has that game.

That's nice. You can replay the 49er beatdown as many times as you want.

Where I live, we never get Hawk games unless national.

This last year I got Sunday ticket for the first time, and I DVR'd every game. It was sweet because I had signed up and they threw it in for free. This year I am quite sure they will be lookin' for some payback.

Good for you ! I think the last time I had cable was 2006, besides Netflix, Seahawks games, Jeopardy and 2 weekly series, I don't watch television much at all.

Largent80 wrote:Where I live, we never get Hawk games unless national.

This last year I got Sunday ticket for the first time, and I DVR'd every game. It was sweet because I had signed up and they threw it in for free. This year I am quite sure they will be lookin' for some payback.

Last year it was ofdered at a really good deal. When they auto charge you, which they will. Just call and complain saying you don't want it anymore. They'll cut you a deal.

Watch too many different sports and shows to give up cable. But it has crossed my mind to slash it back to basic in the summer months when I am rarely in front of a television. Good for you though, too often people pay for things they don't really use.

RolandDeschain wrote:Twisted, I'd get the deluxe package. $70/year, but you get every NFL game for all teams, including playoffs/Super Bowl, going back 3 years. That's the one I get. Also, Hulu+ is going to give you more value by far than Amazon Prime. Prime's a direct competitor to Netflix, Hulu+ is different.

@TriCHawk: As long as you're in the local market, even NFL Network games are broadcast over the air locally. If a game is not blacked out, NFL rules require it to be available over a local broadcast regardless of what network has that game.

Yeah - I'm in Eastern WA, so I believe I'm out of the local market for Seattle.

Amazon prime is a good deal. $79 and you get free two day shipping for you and 5 friends. Plus you get access to free streaming of Amazon Prime. They are adding all the time. Amazon has a higher streaming quality than Netflix too.

I'm getting very close to doing the same thing.

A couple of local HD stations, Gameshow Network and NFL Network are all that I care to get through the cable. The rest I stream through
my BluRay player. I can't see paying for anything but an internet connection once my son leaves for school.

bigtrain21 wrote:Amazon prime is a good deal. $79 and you get free two day shipping for you and 5 friends. Plus you get access to free streaming of Amazon Prime. They are adding all the time. Amazon has a higher streaming quality than Netflix too.

Yeah, I originally signed up for Prime for the shipping. The streaming video is just a bonus. As for Hulu+, it's different... it's more for current runs of shows as opposed to a library of movies/TV from the past (at least that's how it seems to me). I find my time watching each of the 3 splits about 60% Netflix, 30% Amazon, 10% Hulu+.

And the Game Rewind full on $70 package is awesome. Totally worth it.

bigtrain21 wrote:Amazon prime is a good deal. $79 and you get free two day shipping for you and 5 friends. Plus you get access to free streaming of Amazon Prime. They are adding all the time. Amazon has a higher streaming quality than Netflix too.

Just a heads up... as long as your friends all live in the same house, you may find your Prime subscription cancelled as it's not to be shared outside of the household. FYI.

I love Prime for the unlimited 2-Day shipping... it's made it impossible to shop online because I scoff at the idea of paying anything now. The Prime Instant Video is getting better and better as they get contracts for more content but it's less than $7 a month (paid in a lump sum) and you can ship to your heart's content.

I'm going to have to look into the Rewind thing. Last I'd checked the only online stuff the NFL had was for people overseas. This rewind definitely sounds interesting.

I've been cable free pretty much since I met my wife. It is weird when we go to hotels now and have a television to turn on. Somehow it always gets turned to HGTV so I'm glad we don't have it in the house!

We watch Netflix almost exclusively. If there is a show we've been watching seasons of and it is still running live we might order it through iTunes. We don't do it often. I probably haven't watched anything on Hulu since Chuck ended (so whenever that was).

I watched some of the NCAA tournament online too.

We hook a computer directly up to a television. Anybody have thoughts on that versus something like Roku? I like the flexibility the computer has to put other things on the screen that may not be pre-programmed into Roku, but I've never actually seen a Roku used so I don't know what it is like.

HawkGA wrote:I'm going to have to look into the Rewind thing. Last I'd checked the only online stuff the NFL had was for people overseas. This rewind definitely sounds interesting.

I've been cable free pretty much since I met my wife. It is weird when we go to hotels now and have a television to turn on. Somehow it always gets turned to HGTV so I'm glad we don't have it in the house!

We watch Netflix almost exclusively. If there is a show we've been watching seasons of and it is still running live we might order it through iTunes. We don't do it often. I probably haven't watched anything on Hulu since Chuck ended (so whenever that was).

I watched some of the NCAA tournament online too.

We hook a computer directly up to a television. Anybody have thoughts on that versus something like Roku? I like the flexibility the computer has to put other things on the screen that may not be pre-programmed into Roku, but I've never actually seen a Roku used so I don't know what it is like.

I've got a Roku, too, connected to my basement TV for viewing during exercise. It's pretty straightforward, and has Netflix and Amazon Prime apps on it.

TriCHawk wrote:

RolandDeschain wrote:Twisted, I'd get the deluxe package. $70/year, but you get every NFL game for all teams, including playoffs/Super Bowl, going back 3 years. That's the one I get. Also, Hulu+ is going to give you more value by far than Amazon Prime. Prime's a direct competitor to Netflix, Hulu+ is different.

@TriCHawk: As long as you're in the local market, even NFL Network games are broadcast over the air locally. If a game is not blacked out, NFL rules require it to be available over a local broadcast regardless of what network has that game.

Yeah - I'm in Eastern WA, so I believe I'm out of the local market for Seattle.

That is not correct. The entire state of Washington EXCEPT the Vancouver/Longview area is considered a local market for the Hawks and thus all their games are broadcast on the local Fox, CBS or NBC channel unless the team is on ESPN (obviously) IN THEIR ENTIRETY. Vancouver/Longview is considered the Portland, Oregon market which is NOT a local market for the Hawks games and thus we do NOT get switched to the Hawks game if the game before it runs long. Everywhere else in Washington does and it pisses me off to a level I can't put into words.

hawksfansinceday1 wrote:That is not correct. The entire state of Washington EXCEPT the Vancouver/Longview area is considered a local market for the Hawks and thus all their games are broadcast on the local Fox, CBS or NBC channel unless the team is on ESPN (obviously) IN THEIR ENTIRETY. Vancouver/Longview is considered the Portland, Oregon market which is NOT a local market for the Hawks games and thus we do NOT get switched to the Hawks game if the game before it runs long. Everywhere else in Washington does and it pisses me off to a level I can't put into words.

I believe that the Seahawks' Primary market is whatever area is able to receive over the air transmissions by the local Seahawks Affiliate. Since there are no other teams near enough for there to be a crossover (like Baltimore and DC for example) there is no need to assign the nearby areas. So basically it's not that any area of Washington is in or out of market, it just depends on whether you can get the local seattle FOX station wherever you are.

kidhawk wrote:

hawksfansinceday1 wrote:That is not correct. The entire state of Washington EXCEPT the Vancouver/Longview area is considered a local market for the Hawks and thus all their games are broadcast on the local Fox, CBS or NBC channel unless the team is on ESPN (obviously) IN THEIR ENTIRETY. Vancouver/Longview is considered the Portland, Oregon market which is NOT a local market for the Hawks games and thus we do NOT get switched to the Hawks game if the game before it runs long. Everywhere else in Washington does and it pisses me off to a level I can't put into words.

I believe that the Seahawks' Primary market is whatever area is able to receive over the air transmissions by the local Seahawks Affiliate. Since there are no other teams near enough for there to be a crossover (like Baltimore and DC for example) there is no need to assign the nearby areas. So basically it's not that any area of Washington is in or out of market, it just depends on whether you can get the local seattle FOX station wherever you are.

Good to know - I hope that is the case. I don't get FOX from Seattle though. I think our local FOX is Tri-Cities/Yakima. I've had Dish and NFLN for so long, I don't even know anymore.

I'm really impressed with the indoor antenna. Picked one up at Fry's for $29.99 and it rocks.

Picks up ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX in HD.... for FREE! Looks really good.

Netflix and Hulu for $16 total. Why was I paying $112 before?

I was with my parents when they canned Dish and got DirecTV for i believe $87 a month for HD service on four TVs, a DVR, three months of all of the movie channels free, and a bunch of other stuff i cant remember and i was contemplating switching from Comcast but the trees in my area blocks DirecTV's satellite signal.


After an issue i had with comcast a couple weekends ago I nearly blew a fricken fuse. For what comcast charges you'd expect halfway decent customer service but just like NBC's shows it fails in so many ways you lose count.

twisted_steel2 wrote:I'm really impressed with the indoor antenna. Picked one up at Fry's for $29.99 and it rocks.

Picks up ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX in HD.... for FREE! Looks really good.

Netflix and Hulu for $16 total. Why was I paying $112 before?

which one did you get? I'm on my third now and I have yet to get one where I could pick up all of the big four. I really don't watch too much t.v but I've gone from a 30 dollar one, to a 70 dollar one, to a 100 dollar one and it keeps getting worse. I think I might be held hostage to the metroplex with towers all over DFW, none in the same direction.

So far I get fox or nbc and 25 channels in spanish Wouldn't be so bad if I habla, cuz half the time there are almost naked latinas on those channels. time to go spin another 10 degrees and rescan.

NoChops wrote:

twisted_steel2 wrote:I'm really impressed with the indoor antenna. Picked one up at Fry's for $29.99 and it rocks.

Picks up ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX in HD.... for FREE! Looks really good.

Netflix and Hulu for $16 total. Why was I paying $112 before?

which one did you get? I'm on my third now and I have yet to get one where I could pick up all of the big four. I really don't watch too much t.v but I've gone from a 30 dollar one, to a 70 dollar one, to a 100 dollar one and it keeps getting worse. I think I might be held hostage to the metroplex with towers all over DFW, none in the same direction.

So far I get fox or nbc and 25 channels in spanish Wouldn't be so bad if I habla, cuz half the time there are almost naked latinas on those channels. time to go spin another 10 degrees and rescan.

I believe it's this one.

http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/antennas/?sku=ANT1400R

I try not to watch that much tv but love the NFL Network as well as the news channels! Just changed to Direct TV recently. From ATT tv as it cost like $200 but Direct TV is $62 a huge difference!

Is Aereo here yet? GDIT

SonicHawk wrote:Is Aereo here yet? GDIT

Interesting. Comcast wanted $30 for local channels, this is $8.

I didn't end up going the over the air route, but I did research it quite a bit. To get the best over the air reception for your specific address follow these steps.

1. Go to http://www.tvfool.com (I'm not sure how to exactly explain it, but it's like seahawks.net for tv antenna/reception people)
2. Read the introduction thread on the forum here: http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=2
3. Generate the required reports using your address
4. Post your reports in their forums (your address is hidden on the reports)
5. A bunch of geeks (and I mean that in a good way) will respond and tell you what the best antenna is for your needs, and how to acquire your best possible reception.


Cheers

King Dog wrote:I didn't end up going the over the air route, but I did research it quite a bit. To get the best over the air reception for your specific address follow these steps.

1. Go to http://www.tvfool.com (I'm not sure how to exactly explain it, but it's like seahawks.net for tv antenna/reception people)
2. Read the introduction thread on the forum here: http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=2
3. Generate the required reports using your address
4. Post your reports in their forums (your address is hidden on the reports)
5. A bunch of geeks (and I mean that in a good way) will respond and tell you what the best antenna is for your needs, and how to acquire your best possible reception.


Cheers

Wow, interesting. Thanks for the link.

Those dudes are really into antennas!

I've had Hulu+ and Amazon Prime only for a while, and there have been very few times when I actually miss cable. Sports is definitely the only thing hard to find, but there's usually a friend or a restaurant that has any games I really need to see.

RolandDeschain wrote:I go this route half of every year. I have basic cable ($20/mo) for just the local channels in HD so I can record the Seahawks games during football season, and the rest of the time, I have no cable service.

High five, brotha. Comcast can tickle my zipper. I'll gladly pay for HBO, Showtime, AMC, the local channels, ESPN, and NFL Network if I can just pay for those. Like you pointed out, just to get those, I have to have 900 extra channels and the cost is well over $100/month for that.

I'm 110% with you on this. I'd pay a premium if Comcast or any cable provider would let me pick out specific channels that produce quality shows. AMC, HBO, Showtime, etc. I refuse to pay $100+ monthly when I would only use 5 channels tops. Instead I just pay for the internet and Netflix. I go to the bar or to buddy's houses for 'Hawks games, and I can buy/rent the DVDs of shows I can't catch streaming on Netflix.

Sometimes you have to throw a little piracy in there because I'm not waiting on Game of Thrones to come out on DVD, but I'll buy it when it does, balances out well enough in my book.

We just switched to Direct TV as it costs $61 and already my nephews and niece on my sister's side do not like it and neither does my mom. But my father loves the savings as we paid like $200 for ATT.net tv. That is a huge difference. Plus I only watch news really and TLC and Discovery shows!

HolyEffinMoses wrote:
Sometimes you have to throw a little piracy in there because I'm not waiting on Game of Thrones to come out on DVD, but I'll buy it when it does, balances out well enough in my book.

The #1 most pirated show ever? Game of Thrones.

And HBO could change that, just offer HBOgo without going up through the levels and levels of TV cable that cost +$120 a month to get to it.

Just offer HBOgo for $8 or $10 a month, like a Netflix and people would pay for it. Problem solved.

twisted_steel2 wrote:
Just offer HBOgo for $8 or $10 a month, like a Netflix and people would pay for it. Problem solved.

Problem partially solved. Doesn't really matter what the price is, there will always be a percentage that won't pay and will get access.

DTexHawk wrote:Problem partially solved. Doesn't really matter what the price is, there will always be a percentage that won't pay and will get access.

You sound like the RIAA and MPAA muppets. Can't solve the problem with 100% certainty and completely and utterly eliminate piracy altogether so not one person on this planet does it? I SEE NO REASON TO CHANGE, MAINTAIN THE CURRENT SYSTEM AT ALL COSTS!

RolandDeschain wrote:

DTexHawk wrote:Problem partially solved. Doesn't really matter what the price is, there will always be a percentage that won't pay and will get access.

You sound like the RIAA and MPAA muppets. Can't solve the problem with 100% certainty and completely and utterly eliminate piracy altogether so not one person on this planet does it? I SEE NO REASON TO CHANGE, MAINTAIN THE CURRENT SYSTEM AT ALL COSTS!

Isn't that the same arguement used for anti gun control people, though? "Gun Control wouldn't have stopped that school shooting, so it wouldn't work"?

Pretty much. Both arguments are flawed. That doesn't mean they entirely lack any salient points, however. Things are rarely 100% black and white.

RolandDeschain wrote:Pretty much. Both arguments are flawed. That doesn't mean they entirely lack any salient points, however. Things are rarely 100% black and white.

Agree. I cant stand that argument. "Well, it wouldn't fix that, so what's the point?" It's extremely flawed and those who make such arguments are intellectually dishonest.

Now, g'damn it Roland, do something where I can disagree and troll you. This is uncomfortable.

DTexHawk wrote:

twisted_steel2 wrote:
Just offer HBOgo for $8 or $10 a month, like a Netflix and people would pay for it. Problem solved.

Problem partially solved. Doesn't really matter what the price is, there will always be a percentage that won't pay and will get access.

Netflix came out and said the way they are fighting piracy is to make more options available. They know that providing as many options as possible, for a fair/reasonable fee is making a dent in piracy. It's working. They have the data to prove it as well.

My point being HBO is doing the opposite, being super restrictive. And their shows are the most pirated.

Problem partially solved.

Well of course, nothing is ever 100%, there are no absolutes. Like Roland said, things are rarely 100% black and white.

But whatever HBO, let your shows be pirated, and leave all that money out there, you could be collecting it.

pehawk wrote:Agree. I cant stand that argument. "Well, it wouldn't fix that, so what's the point?" It's extremely flawed and those who make such arguments are intellectually dishonest.

Now, g'damn it Roland, do something where I can disagree and troll you. This is uncomfortable.

Sorry, broseph; I say what's on my mind. Sometimes that results in really long and weird threads in the shack, and sometimes people side with me and give a proverbial fistbump. If it makes you feel better, I can change my stance and claim that Lady Talon has nicer lady bits than you?

RolandDeschain wrote:

DTexHawk wrote:Problem partially solved. Doesn't really matter what the price is, there will always be a percentage that won't pay and will get access.

You sound like the RIAA and MPAA muppets. Can't solve the problem with 100% certainty and completely and utterly eliminate piracy altogether so not one person on this planet does it? I SEE NO REASON TO CHANGE, MAINTAIN THE CURRENT SYSTEM AT ALL COSTS!

Please show me where I said not to change? (I just have a lot more patience than you do waiting for it.)

All I did was say that the "problem" of pirating would still not be completely fixed.

Now, back to the buying of individual shows, I would think that HBO would need to charge more than a netflix would due to the production costs to the shows that netlflix doesn't have. They also have to support the costs of producing shows that aren't successful.

So, if HBOgo asked for $19.99 rather than $9.99 a month, how many of you would pirate instead of pay?

Bottom line, everything has a price. Don't understand the need to have to have something when you don't want to pay what the owner wants.

twisted_steel2 wrote:
But whatever HBO, let your shows be pirated, and leave all that money out there, you could be collecting it.

I would venture that they have priced their current lineup taking into account the pirating, and realize that even if they dropped their price 50%, they wouldn't double their viewership to offset the drop in revenue.