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Topic: Getting rid of cable tv and going to satellite or Boxee?

Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-29-2011 11:39 AM

I know a couple here (farmers) who don't have a television. I asked, what do you do in the evenings after work? He shrugged and said: "Eat dinner, read, relax, go to bed." I guess that's all you need! [Big Grin]

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Tom Petrov
Five Guys Lover

Posts: 1121
From: El Paso, TX
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 06-29-2011 12:08 PM

quote:
Hey, Tom! For that $230 per month you could have bought a new car!

No new car. I just pocket the money, I save it up. My truck is fully paid so I don't have payments on that, no need to take on new payments or anything like that.

quote: Randy Stankey

Seriously, it's funny how you get addicted to television. It's even funnier how other people react when you tell them you don't have cable and you don't watch much television, besides.

you are right, people really are addicted to tv. I don't know about your area but I bike and walk alot to the store for coffee, food and snacks. Walking talks 5 minutes, I notice it mostly on my bike, but when see the these cars/truck/suvs hauling around and wasting all that gas you really notice how lazy and addicted people are.

Also, listening to the radio can very rewarding and enjoyable.

quote: Randy Stankey
They don't understand and I've even had a couple of people who became almost hostile to the concept.

You are right, they don't understand the concept. My favourite is the people who "think" they need a land line in case there is an emergency.

quote: Randy Stankey
Once you've been "off the grid" for a while you don't even miss it very much.

I have been "off the grid" for tv and expensive phones since the recession in 2008. I have to say, I love it.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-29-2011 12:29 PM

quote: Tom Petrov
My favourite is the people who "think" they need a land line in case there is an emergency.

I'm afraid I have to say I'm in that crowd. However, I will say that I don't believe that any SINGLE form of communication is the answer. The best solution is to have more than one form of communication so that you have backups.

However, if you keep a land line phone for the purpose of emergency communication, make sure it is POTS service via copper wire and not that fiber optic crap. POTS over copper is powered from the central office. If your household electricity goes out there is still the chance that phone service will still operate. If you have FIOS (fiber) service, it depends on power from your household supply. There is battery backup but that's only supposed to last 48-72 hours.

I have a cell phone, a land phone and a radio scanner. One of these days I'm planning on getting my ham radio license.

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Rick Raskin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1100
From: Manassas Virginia
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 06-29-2011 03:48 PM

Mike: Have you spoken with Cox Cable about this? Sometimes cable companies will cut a deal if you are considering cancellation.

I'm not so sure that adding a third cell phone number would be cost effective because the LEC may charge to forward the phone number.

All considered, if Cox won't deal then consider Sat TV, POTS over copper with DSL (if they'll sell it to you).

In my area they are offering FiOS TV, Internet & Phone for something like $99/month with no long term contract. FiOS has a backup battery as Randy stated. However, if you experience numerous outages greater than a few hours hours you should probably be considering a backup generator.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-29-2011 06:49 PM

quote: Tom Petrov
My favourite is the people who "think" they need a land line in case there is an emergency.

I'm in that crowd too. It's all in what your needs are. Around here, the electrical service is flaky at best. Our infrastructure is about 80 years old. We get about 30 to 40 power outages a year, anywhere from 2 seconds to 6 hours (thankfully, most are in the 2 second range).

Cell service in Colstrip (38 miles from here) was down for almost 2 days during the recent flooding while landlines stayed on, even with sporadic power failures. Between the house and 2 jobs, I'm almost always near a landline and it's the first phone I always reach for to make a call. For one thing, it sounds a lot better.

Tom, you are too fond of generalizing. You need to think of other peoples' situations besides your own before you make flip comments like the above.

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Mark Hajducki
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 500
From: Edinburgh, UK
Registered: May 2003

posted 06-30-2011 05:10 PM

I am not able to get broadband internet without a landline.

If the local cable company served my flat (they seem to have forgotten that they laid cable in my bit of the street) they offer internet without phone, but would add a surcharge almost equivalent to the cost of line rental.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 07-01-2011 08:49 AM

I have my land line phone downgraded to the bare minimum (no long distance, minimal local phone use). I may still get rid of it to save the few bucks and have AT&T do a "dry loop" where I'm just getting data over the line for DSL. And then I may drop the "DSL Pro" thing back down to the basic tier of DSL service. Both measures will free up an extra $20 per month.

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Louis Bornwasser
Film God

Posts: 4441
From: prospect ky usa
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 07-01-2011 11:54 AM

Your local AT&T store will do a package: cell, dsl over wire, and satellite for one price. Daughter has that package in the house that once belonged to her grandmother.

Funny thing: I had removed the phone wire since she had no plans for a landline during a remodeling project. They had to reinstall it for the dsl. I don't feel TOO bad about that, the first one had been put up in 1946. louis

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 07-01-2011 06:44 PM

Mike... I'm right up there with your farmer buddies. I haven't switched a TV on in over three weeks now. Only thing I miss... Pawn Stars and Pickers...

Mark

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Peter Berrett
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 602
From: Victoria, Australia
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 07-17-2011 07:50 AM

Hi

I live in Australia and recently bought a Roku XDS. i haven't cut my cable because my wife uses it but I would get rid of it in a heartbeat.

Because a lot of content is limited to the US only I subscribe to unblock-us.com (i.e. I use a VPN). As I am now a virtual US citizen I get heaps of US content. I really like watching the vidcasts from TWIT and Rivision3 and can even watch the vidcast I contribute to, Amateurlogic via the Itunes channel.

One additional advantage is that the movie selection on Crackle (free Sony movies) is slightly different if you use a US VPN. The VPN is activated by simply changing the DNS settings so it is easy to switch back to being Australian should I want to.

One other bit of software which is well worth getting if you own a Roku is Playon. The Roku has one fault which is it can't play flash streams but the playon software which you run on your computer at the same time you are watching tv opens up a whole world of extra channels for you to watch.

I really think that the Roku is the way of the future and that normal tv channels won't be around much longer.

cheers Peter

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Mike Carro
Film Handler

Posts: 67
From: Tempe, Az USA
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 07-17-2011 09:37 AM

Cox will indeed lower your bill if you call and ask for customer retention department. I've been with them for over 15 years and all you have to do is say you're fed up with the lousy service(at least in my area)and say you're thinking of going to satellite. They'll lower it about 10%. Squeaky wheel gets the grease.

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Tom Petrov
Five Guys Lover

Posts: 1121
From: El Paso, TX
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 07-17-2011 11:05 AM

I just tested out an internet stick.

For $29 I get the exact same service as land based cable internet at $53. I will be cancelling my land based internet this week.

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