Talk of The Villages Florida

Talk of The Villages Florida (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/)
-   The Villages, Florida, General Discussion (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/)
-   -   Can you help? Cable alternative (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/can-you-help-cable-alternative-291719/)

Happinow 05-18-2019 08:29 AM

Can you help? Cable alternative
 
I know this has been discussed on this forum, but hubby and I want to “cut the cord” with Spectrum. Our problem is we don’t know much about technical stuff, I.e. which option is best for us and how each option would work. We would like someone who is knowledgeable about this kind of thing to come to our home and go over things with us. We are happy to pay you.

Spectrum is over 200.00\month. We don’t watch that much TV and feel we are throwing our money away, but there are certain channels we must have. Anyone have good knowledge of this kind of thing that would be willing g to help? Thanks....😊

CWGUY 05-18-2019 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happinow (Post 1650637)
I know this has been discussed on this forum, but hubby and I want to “cut the cord” with Spectrum. Our problem is we don’t know much about technical stuff, I.e. which option is best for us and how each option would work. We would like someone who is knowledgeable about this kind of thing to come to our home and go over things with us. We are happy to pay you.

Spectrum is over 200.00\month. We don’t watch that much TV and feel we are throwing our money away, but there are certain channels we must have. Anyone have good knowledge of this kind of thing that would be willing g to help? Thanks....

:) Start here and watch the VHA video.

Cutting the Cord - The VHA

There are several ads in "The Sun" classified section under "Computer Services" for paid help. Please let us know how you make out.

Dan9871 05-18-2019 09:11 AM

Keep in mind that all the alternatives to cable tv require access to the internet, so you are going to still be paying someone for internet access.

There are a number of streaming (that's the alternative to cable) providers that also include live television. Most are somewhere between $40 to $70 a month depending on what you choose.

Hulu gives you access to live tv and on demand movies for around $50 a month Stream TV and Movies Live and Online | Hulu

DirectTV Now (not DirectTV, that's a satellite service) has live TV also for around $50 - $70 month depending on the package you choose. directvnow.com

Just search the internet for things "streaming tv" and you will find many others.

Almost all of these services are a tad flakey every now and then but not so much as to make you go back to cable tv.

Also all of these services has been raising rates so it's hard to say where their rates will be a year from not. All are month to month services that you can drop at any time, but that also means that you will not have a protected rate like you do with some cable providers.

In the end though these streams service are a good deal for now if you can find one with a package that has the programs you want to watch.

anothersteve 05-18-2019 09:21 AM

What channels are a "must have".
Steve

dewilson58 05-18-2019 09:33 AM

May want to consider OTA with an antenna.........with or without internet.

anothersteve 05-18-2019 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dewilson58 (Post 1650651)
May want to consider OTA with an antenna.........with or without internet.

That's kinda what I was getting at without getting into a whole debate about antenna's. This thread could turn south pretty quick the way things go.
Steve

JoMar 05-18-2019 11:09 AM

All depends on what you are willing to give up.....compromise is necessary or a multitude of streaming services will be needed.

Fredster 05-18-2019 11:21 AM

We have Roku units, Comcast for Internet and currently subscribe to U-Tube live TV.
Roku unit was about $75 one time cost
Comcast $50 and UTube TV $55 for $105 total per month.
There is also a lot of free stuff available.
You may have to upgrade your router if it is an older unit.

Bambi 05-18-2019 07:53 PM

I cancelled Comcast last week except for internet. I bought a Roku streaming stick plus (on sale at Walmart online) and subscribed to YouTubetv. YouTubetv has the unlimited DVR. I also used the Roku channel store to download some other free channels (apps) such as the PBS station. Would advise going to suppose.tv.com (note dot after suppose). Select the channels that you must have and a chart will advise which streaming service and the cost that meets your needs.
It was easy to do by myself...just follow the directions once you load the stick although yesterday I helped a neighbor set up his Roku and today he bought a second one for his other home.
My niece cut her cable a couple weeks ago and first tried Sling but switched to Hulu. All the services have free trials so you can try them before you subscribe. It is very individual. I also enabled Amazon Prime and Netflix on my Roku. The Roku itself has many free movies and TV shows. There are many videos and instructions on line. I also have an earlier generation Apple TV.
I have a 55 inch Samsung and the picture is better through the Roku than it was on cable.
If you really don’t think you can’t do it yourself, you might contact The Villages computer club. They usually have a member that makes “house calls” for technical issues. Very reasonable rates. I decided to cut the cord after attending one of the club’s workshops.
I think of cable and satellite TV as dinosaurs lumbering off into the past. I am saving a hundred dollars a month and I am not renting cable boxes, digital boxes, DVRs etc or paying the high taxes and fees, although you will need a pretty good internet connection.
Good luck and remember it is not that difficult.

retiredguy123 05-18-2019 08:11 PM

The website is "suppose.tv". There is no ".com" after tv.

Nucky 05-18-2019 08:12 PM

DO YOU THINK YOU ARE HAPPY NOW? Forget it already. If you want to Stream which is simple, listen to Fredster and Bambi. The way I look at it is I have to have internet anyway so I don't factor that into my calculation of how much Television costs nowadays. The Real Cost of YouTube Streaming TV is $50 plus the fees, it just went up $10 a month but added so many great channels I got to cancel Philo which WAS $18 a month.

We have more great content than we will ever need and are finally Happy Now! Stream, you won't regret it.

Carla B 05-18-2019 08:27 PM

I'd also advise looking at suppose.tv before having an expert come to your home, so you'd already know which channels are "must haves." We happily cut cable TV over four years ago.. Although we have a smart TV we depend on Roku mainly for PBS, Pandora, and Acorn (British TV dramas). Our old Roku died during this week's thunderstorm and we couldn't wait to replace it. It was very easy to do so.



.

billethkid 05-19-2019 07:43 AM

We pay Comcast/Xfinity $170 per month for blast internet and more channels than we need.
Back out the internet as I think Comcast is among if not the best.
That leaves television at $110 per month.
I have tried Apple TV, Netflix, Amazon and Plex streaming.
For me, just too much ala carte hunting and pecking. And the bigger issue of recording. We record everything we watch.

Until the dust settles on streaming standards, pricing, recording capability, etc..... I elect to continue paying around $50 more per month for the current convenience.

Current streaming pricing will continue to increase as people demand more conveniences (like current cable/satellites).

For now we will wait and continue to enjoy what we have.

JoelJohnson 05-19-2019 08:28 AM

You have to choose between convenience and cost. You can save a lot of money, but, you will have to "work" at using a "cut-the-cord" device. By that I mean you to be willing to learn a new way of watching TV and movies. Sometimes you get a "circle" on the screen. That means your show is "buffering" (I.E. waiting for more of the data to load), that can be very annoying. Your show may not show up on your device for a day, a week, or even a month (if ever). "Live" shows, may not be available, local channels may not be available. Sometimes it's worth it to just have basic service.

I compare "cutting the cord" to learning to swim. You don't jump into the deep end without knowing how to swim. You start in the shallow end and work your way up until you feel comfortable. I often tell people to get a device (I prefer the Fire Stick) and keep their cable service until they feel comfortable with just the device.

I also tell people to buy their own Modem/Router (they save about $15/month and and get a return on they investment as little as 1 year).

I use a site called "Troypoint.com" to program the Fire Stick.

So I have Comcast for internet only and pay $70/mo.

I hope this helps.

New Englander 05-19-2019 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoelJohnson (Post 1650847)
You have to choose between convenience and cost. You can save a lot of money, but, you will have to "work" at using a "cut-the-cord" device. By that I mean you to be willing to learn a new way of watching TV and movies. Sometimes you get a "circle" on the screen. That means your show is "buffering" (I.E. waiting for more of the data to load), that can be very annoying. Your show may not show up on your device for a day, a week, or even a month (if ever). "Live" shows, may not be available, local channels may not be available. Sometimes it's worth it to just have basic service.

I compare "cutting the cord" to learning to swim. You don't jump into the deep end without knowing how to swim. You start in the shallow end and work your way up until you feel comfortable. I often tell people to get a device (I prefer the Fire Stick) and keep their cable service until they feel comfortable with just the device.

I also tell people to buy their own Modem/Router (they save about $15/month and and get a return on they investment as little as 1 year).

I use a site called "Troypoint.com" to program the Fire Stick.

So I have Comcast for internet only and pay $70/mo.

I hope this helps.

Would that be a speed of 60 Mbps? If yes, does it buffer a lot?


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:16 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.32 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.