Who has cut the Cable TV cord...what are you using now?

[mark_m]

I'm ready to dump U-Verse and just get a spectrum Internet connection and TV over the internet. What are you guys using for both HW and SW?

I have an old Apple TV, a New Sony Smart TV, a PS4, PS3

The Sony Smart TVs seem really freakin limited in their Apps...very disappointed there! Wondering if I should get:

1. Amazon Fire TV (2017) $69.99
2. Apple TV 4K. $179.00. ...
3. Google Chromecast. $35.00. ...
4. Roku Ultra $85
5. ??

As for Software:

1. I signed up for Youtube TV yesterday and just started playing with it...looks like it will solve our basic network viewing needs.
2. Will probably get Netflix
3. Will likely get HBOGO once Game of Thrones starts back up again.

Any thoughts on what else????

I cut the cord a few years ago and went to internet only; I negotiated with Wow and picked up the 500 mb 2 year new customer deal by threatening to quit.

Be sure to get your own docsis 3.1 modem, don’t rent one from your provider.

I have Directvnow on their initial deal for $39 and a free fire stick for streaming. For locals I use a hdhomerun connect which does the mpeg conversion and allows me to stream that too thru an app or on any device on my network.

I have abandoned all of the different smart tv apps and boxes and standardized on AppleTv latest gen and haven’t looked back.

I repurposed the roku 2.0 and gave it to my Dad. I keep the firetv stick to plug into projectors to watch outdoors and when I need portability and I gave the FireTv box to a neighbor.

The Apple works best for us for the following:

Integration of iPhone as remote, able to push to Apple TV from iDevice, integration with Apple Music.

Cut that cord and don’t look back, you won’t regret it and you’ll likely not miss all the garbage out there on tv.

 

[vanmurray]

I'm ready to dump U-Verse and just get a spectrum Internet connection and TV over the internet. What are you guys using for both HW and SW?

I have an old Apple TV, a New Sony Smart TV, a PS4, PS3

The Sony Smart TVs seem really freakin limited in their Apps...very disappointed there! Wondering if I should get:

1. Amazon Fire TV (2017) $69.99
2. Apple TV 4K. $179.00. ...
3. Google Chromecast. $35.00. ...
4. Roku Ultra $85
5. ??

As for Software:

1. I signed up for Youtube TV yesterday and just started playing with it...looks like it will solve our basic network viewing needs.
2. Will probably get Netflix
3. Will likely get HBOGO once Game of Thrones starts back up again.

Any thoughts on what else????

I’m a fan of what you are doing Julian. I’ve been doing this in Raleigh for a while.

https://www.vanmurray.com/blog/2016/8/9/cutting-the-cord-six-years-later

With Spectrum internet only now and it’s good. I think this is the plan you are looking at. This is also with 4 Nest cams, Ring uploading constantly, etc.



I’m using PlayStation Vue on AppleTV (best experience for me with guide and DVR), but to save a few bucks I would go with FireTV/SmartTV and YouTube TV. I use FireTV on secondary TVs with Vue.

The biggest challenge is if you have less tech savvy users, they will complain. It’s great otherwise, but if you have guests that just want “on/off” TV, look at DirectTV.

I have Echo programmed with Logitech Harmony Hub (awesome but you can only have one) for media center which helps “Alexa, turn on Apple TV” which gets it to the right inputs, etc. but they still have trouble.

 

[cozilla]

ATT Fiber internet
Amazon FireTV and FireSticks
PS Vue (includes all locals)
HD homerun for locals when wanting to view in Full hd and dolby surround
Terrarium TV apk for all movies and shows

 

[2kwik4u]

I am almost ready to cut the cord too. Anything built into a tv for smart streaming features sucks IMO as they are underpowered and unsupported for updates. Buy external boxes, apple, roku, fire, windows machines whatever. We spend about 50% of our media consuption on boxes like these through netflix, amazon and the network apps. Another 25% watching local live tv through direct tv that is available OTA and the final 25% watching cable or sports programming through Direct TV. It is that last 25% that is hard give up.

I am actualyl really pleased with our latest samsung TV in terms of horsepower behind the "smart" portion of it. Aside from DVR, we watch most content through the TV interface. Netflix, Google Play Movies, and Amazon Prime TV all work flawlessly. Even the "super-el-cheapo-crap-tastic" internet browser will handle my MotoGP stream if I use the HTML5 player option on the GP site. It's really quite remarkable, as I've always had the same opinion. It's not a high end model either, I think we paid like $450 for it on black friday last year, which is dirt cheap for a 55" LED set.

 

[2kwik4u]

One other thing I should mention. Without "traditional" TV, your consumption habits will be forced to change. With traditional TV, you can "surf" to find content, just click along happily until you find something you like. With this new paradigm of content, you almost have to know what you want before you turn the TV on. It makes "vegging out" a little more difficult IMO. It's now as much of a chore to figure out what we want to watch, as it is a relaxing time. be prepared for that when you just want the TV on in the background for noise/distraction and don't want to think about it. It's not bad, it's just different.

 

[Coheeba]

Antenna in the attic for locals
Amazon fire TV's with FREEFLIX installed for all movies/ tv shows streamed. Did I say FREE
Amazon Prime video/TV

 

[DavisAR195]

We dropped cable about 2 years ago after getting tired of the rate hikes. We currently have Netflix, Hulu and the CBS Access App. Our main TV is a smart TV with build in wifi and has all the apps already loaded. For our other TV's we use the Amazon Fire stick's which works out great.

 

[0627Devildog]

Have no TV up at lake, use a Roku and internet connection. . . .Chromecast (at least the version I have) is ok but not as robust as Roku or Apple TV. We have Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO, Shotine, Epix, Cinemax, et all from our subscription to VZ Fios at home and we use them all as well as the live TV channels from FIOS mobile and cast to the TV too. Not exactly a cord cutting situation with access to FIOS channels. . . . But similar. We are very happy with the lakehouse experience.

 

[adrianp89]

Been rolling with DirectTV Now since it came out. Pay $50 a month that includes taxes, HBO, and a third stream that I let my grandmother use to keep her bills low.

 

[PEARCE]

We would like to cut the cord, but our home internet sucks. We like where we live and we love our house in the country, but it does have it's drawbacks. We have Dish Network and we have the Sling add on so we can stream to our devices TV and DVR content and it doesn't do well.

 

[Julian]

I’m a fan of what you are doing Julian. I’ve been doing this in Raleigh for a while.

https://www.vanmurray.com/blog/2016/8/9/cutting-the-cord-six-years-later

With Spectrum internet only now and it’s good. I think this is the plan you are looking at. This is also with 4 Nest cams, Ring uploading constantly, etc.

View attachment 80234

I’m using PlayStation Vue on AppleTV (best experience for me with guide and DVR), but to save a few bucks I would go with FireTV/SmartTV and YouTube TV. I use FireTV on secondary TVs with Vue.

The biggest challenge is if you have less tech savvy users, they will complain. It’s great otherwise, but if you have guests that just want “on/off” TV, look at DirectTV.

I have Echo programmed with Logitech Harmony Hub (awesome but you can only have one) for media center which helps “Alexa, turn on Apple TV” which gets it to the right inputs, etc. but they still have trouble.

Spectrum ordered....coming Friday
Google Wifi....coming Friday

Now shopping for device(s).... looking at Apple Tv 4K 64gb for main Tv....not sure about the others...

 

[mark_m]

Spectrum ordered....coming Friday
Google Wifi....coming Friday

Now shopping for device(s).... looking at Apple Tv 4K 64gb for main Tv....not sure about the others...

Excellent! I suspect you will land on Apple TV 4K 32 fb for secondary TVs. It’s just nice being in the same ecosystem.

 

[—Яiвs>]

I’m Att Fiber 1,000Mbps
Fire sticks-
Plex
Direct tv
Terrarium
Prime

Even have just internet up north where we weekend on the lake. Not as fast but able to stream.

 

[mark_m]

Spectrum ordered....coming Friday
Google Wifi....coming Friday

Now shopping for device(s).... looking at Apple Tv 4K 64gb for main Tv....not sure about the others...

Make sure that you get your own modem! Don’t rent spectrums modem.

 

[Julian]

Make sure that you get your own modem! Don’t rent spectrums modem.

The modem is free....they charge for Wifi...which I already have on the way. Since their modem is free, is there any reason not to use it?

 

[mark_m]

The modem is free....they charge for Wifi...which I already have on the way. Since their modem is free, is there any reason not to use it?

Probably not... I’m just speaking from experience, paying $6/ month for modem rental fees for 8 years on an outdated modem that actually throttled my bandwidth. I used that leverage to negotiate myself into a new customer 2 year type package discount by threatening to switch providers.

 

[BigN8]

I'm not an IT guy and I like the KISS method.....Keep It Simple Stupid. Therefore I pay around $155/month for DirecTV and I have 4 mini genies with that plan as well as HBO, Starz, and right now free Showtime for a few months. Have no idea why, they just gave it to me. The user interface is really easy and that is what is important for a happy wife. You just can't beat Directv's user interface. I'm also like all sorts of live sports from football to golf to outdoor motocross.

 

[robert843]

I'm not an IT guy and I like the KISS method.....Keep It Simple Stupid. Therefore I pay around $155/month for DirecTV and I have 4 mini genies with that plan as well as HBO, Starz, and right now free Showtime for a few months. Have no idea why, they just gave it to me. The user interface is really easy and that is what is important for a happy wife. You just can't beat Directv's user interface. I'm also like all sorts of live sports from football to golf to outdoor motocross.

I have been wanting to cut the cord for a while but run into the KISS issue as well. I have an in law problem and unfortunately cutting the cord well they would just never be able to figure that out it would consume hours of my day just trying to help them figure out their TV. Switched to direct TV as well and even that has been a challenge for them ugh!! I really kind of miss cable but man the bill had gotten out of hand and the community I live in the HOA has an agreement with Time Warner Cable to be the only cable company in the community so they are unwilling to work with me on the pricing.

 

[sethman919]

As soon as I can get Live NFL games out of market on streaming I will ditch DirecTV. They suck. goes out every time we get a thunder storm, But I'm a huge football fan and dont live in my Teams home market so I'm screwed.

 

[Peelz]

I'm not an IT guy and I like the KISS method.....Keep It Simple Stupid. Therefore I pay around $155/month for DirecTV and I have 4 mini genies with that plan as well as HBO, Starz, and right now free Showtime for a few months. Have no idea why, they just gave it to me. The user interface is really easy and that is what is important for a happy wife. You just can't beat Directv's user interface. I'm also like all sorts of live sports from football to golf to outdoor motocross.

stuck on directtv too. can stream to phone which is good because I watch a lot of english football (soccer) and its on at weird times lol. the Networks are very protective of it... I'm sorta in a holding pattern to see what shakes out, as to where its licensed to air in the next few years. as soon as its RELIABLY available online, the cord shall be cut. my Directtv bill makes me want to vomit.

For the family....The change to streaming in our household Seems to be happening organically.... we don't ever have time to watch the show live, or have other priorities... I find my wife looking for the apple tv remote more often these days.....my kids dont really watch much tv...my younger son is obsessed with the simpsons.... we recorded 120 episodes to the dtv box... and. The series finale episode of the tv show "the middle" (was a fantastic show) hes seen that one at least 40 times lol kid puts it on when he cant sleep... We rarely watch live, except news...but sometimes, id like to escape the news...

we use apple tv (we have 2 of them) a lot... hulu netflix.... There are a couple other apps on there. but they require your carrier login so stuck there too.