Cord Cutting or not?

Just dumped Sling TV. I am going to check out Hulu Live. With Hulu + Netflix, I am still way under what  I would pay TW Spectrum for the same channels.

Hulu has the Big 10 Network, too. If you're into that sorta thing.

My plans to cut the cord tomorrow morning and snag the digital OTA channels via antenna are going well. Of the four VHF channels in Detroit, I'm getting exactly one.

The worst one. Fox affiliate. First thing I see is TMZ.

DirecTV has an offer to get a free AppleTV if you buy 3 months at $35/per. Looks like a pretty good deal.

https://www.directvnow.com/appletv?ref=EaYAAT00G0000000A&CI=CJ_AFFILIATE&RI=CJ1&RD=37922269

Worst Quarter Ever For Cable/Satellite TV Providers

With an average bill of over $100, that's a LOT of $$ a month.

Contrary to suggestions of a slow-down, the number of Americans severing their ties to cable and satellite TV soared to the largest number ever during the third quarter this year.

For the first time satellite and cable TV providers lost more than a million subscribers from July through September this year. To be exact, they lost 1.1 million customers. Which is a lot of of monthly fees gone poof!

I've probably already posted this but, I'm too lazy right now to look...cut the cord in April and haven't looked back. I spend a lot of time in hotel rooms and barely turn on the tv. When I do I don't really pay attention. For the record, it's not as if get out and exercise instead, I'm still a tubby fucker.

Month #10 since cutting, saved about $700 so far. The only thing I really miss is AMC, since Hulu live doesn't have that.

Went to hookup a new smart TV in the kitchen, where I previously didn't have any TV, this weekend.  Cable coax wall outlet didn't work.  Did get it setup for wifi, a new experience for me.  Got a 7 day free trial of CBS...pretty cool cause I can watch unlimited NCIS til next weekend.  After that $5.99/month.

Told a coworker today I needed to call WOW to get the coax outlet fixed.  He told me he has WOW and was calling them today to terminate service.  Said ATT Uverse finally got fiber optic to his hood and he made the switch.  All 4 of his TV's are now wireless and his internet speeds are 10x plus what WOW download was, both download and upload.  Has 350 channels, many HD.  For comparison, my WOW plan is pretty basic...maybe 150 channels with just a handful HD.  He cut his bill by $100 switching to Uverse and is paying not much more than I am for shit-WOW.

Called WOW this evening.  Told them I needed a tech out to fix the non-working cable outlet and then went to billing.  They offered very little discount even with a new one year contract.

Have had WOW 15 years.  Time to cut that cord and switch to Uverse, at least temporarily until I figure out the best streaming services plus internet provider for me.

I opted not to go wireless with my att/DirecTV. Let me know if you do it. Curious how the wireless performance pans out.

I got this new service where everything is streamed right to my brain.

Turtleneck wrote:I got this new service where everything is streamed right to my brain.

Dammit! What was that movie? 90s flick, you wore something and it recorded everything. Took place in L.A.around 1999. Kind of a punk/mystery/drama.

InTenSity wrote:

Turtleneck wrote:I got this new service where everything is streamed right to my brain.

Dammit! What was that movie? 90s flick, you wore something and it recorded everything. Took place in L.A.around 1999. Kind of a punk/mystery/drama.

Strange Days

Decent film. Might try to track it down and have it beamed into my head.

Turtleneck wrote:

InTenSity wrote:
Dammit! What was that movie? 90s flick, you wore something and it recorded everything. Took place in L.A.around 1999. Kind of a punk/mystery/drama.

Strange Days

Decent film. Might try to track it down and have it beamed into my head.

Thank you. I knew my obscure description would be correct.

kingstonlake wrote:I opted not to go wireless with my att/DirecTV. Let me know if you do it. Curious how the wireless performance pans out.

Coworker wanted no part of having a dish...me either.

According to him, ATT does fiber right to the house. WOW does fiber to their main boxes and coax from there. Will investigate.

Industry consolidation strikes again, where consumers will no doubt (sic) benefit.

Disney Assumes Full Control of Hulu in Deal With Comcast

Floyd Robertson wrote:Industry consolidation strikes again, where consumers will no doubt (sic) benefit.

Disney Assumes Full Control of Hulu in Deal With Comcast

Makes sense, since they are launching their own streaming services in the fall. Probably easier to just add the Disney package to Hulu.

InTenSity wrote:

Floyd Robertson wrote:Industry consolidation strikes again, where consumers will no doubt (sic) benefit.

Disney Assumes Full Control of Hulu in Deal With Comcast

Makes sense, since they are launching their own streaming services in the fall. Probably easier to just add the Disney package to Hulu.

My problem with that is instead of paying $44.95 a month for nearly all I need I'll wind up paying $99.95 in short order with all the Disney content I don't want or need. It will be like cable all over again.

Floyd Robertson wrote:

InTenSity wrote:
Makes sense, since they are launching their own streaming services in the fall. Probably easier to just add the Disney package to Hulu.

My problem with that is instead of paying $44.95 a month for nearly all I need I'll wind up paying $99.95 in short order with all the Disney content I don't want or need. It will be like cable all over again.

Thank you Ajit Pai! I thought Disney already announced their service is going to be around $7.99 a month.

All that being said DirecTV now has jacked up their prices, should I go Hulu or SlingTV? I don't really feel like supporting Comcast or Disney.

Floyd you are really selling yourself short if you don't watch Liv and Maddie.

InTenSity wrote:

Floyd Robertson wrote:

My problem with that is instead of paying $44.95 a month for nearly all I need I'll wind up paying $99.95 in short order with all the Disney content I don't want or need. It will be like cable all over again.

Thank you Ajit Pai! I thought Disney already announced their service is going to be around $7.99 a month.

All that being said DirecTV now has jacked up their prices, should I go Hulu or SlingTV? I don't really feel like supporting Comcast or Disney.

I ditched cable 16 months and went with the Hulu Live package for $39.95 a month (it went to $44.95 two months ago) and I wish I'd had done it sooner. It is saving me about $70/mo from what I used to pay. The biggest difference between Sling and Hulu live is the live sports and local TV channels. Hulu has a lower tier product without the live stuff that is more like Sling. It all comes down to what you need to keep everyone in the house happy.

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:Floyd you are really selling yourself short if you don't watch Liv and Maddie.

Never heard of it. Looks like I can catch it Netflix if I hurry before Disney pulls it

What a mess. Back when I’d stop for the occasional fast food, I’d always skip the combo menus because they made my head hurt, now, to get everything I need to keep Mrs. GW happy, I have to put together a channel lineup of this but not this and this and this but not that until July then drop that but hold wait on that until the second Tuesday of next week. Forget all that. It’s like they’re trying to get us all to read or some crazy conspiracy like that.

Floyd Robertson wrote:

InTenSity wrote:
Thank you Ajit Pai! I thought Disney already announced their service is going to be around $7.99 a month.

All that being said DirecTV now has jacked up their prices, should I go Hulu or SlingTV? I don't really feel like supporting Comcast or Disney.

I ditched cable 16 months and went with the Hulu Live package for $39.95 a month (it went to $44.95 two months ago) and I wish I'd had done it sooner. It is saving me about $70/mo from what I used to pay. The biggest difference between Sling and Hulu live is the live sports and local TV channels. Hulu has a lower tier product without the live stuff that is more like Sling. It all comes down to what you need to keep everyone in the house happy.

I meant I have DirecTV NOW, which is their streaming service, it isn't the satellite service. It went from $25 or $35 to $55 a month. I get about 50 channels. I don't care too much about the local channels, I have antennas for that. All my daughter cares about is having YouTube, and my son is moving in that direction as well. I guess it is more for the wife and I to use.

I've got Amazon, Hulu with ads and CBS all access and an antenna for the locals. My internet connection costs more than all three of those combined, it's just basic broadband, but it works. $54/month
Hulu I'm getting for 99 cents/month. I went to cancel CBS All Access since it's nothing but reruns until this fall now. They gave me a month free, it's usually $6.99, I'll cancel that next month when they want to charge me again. Amazon is basically free TV since the wife and I order a lot of crap from them.
So for $60 or so I'm getting more than enough TV.

Philo TV might be worth checking into. $20/month 58 channels.

What is that?

InTenSity wrote:What is that?

Philo TV.

InTenSity wrote:What is that?

Philo TV

That channel lineup is atrocious other than AMC.

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:That channel lineup is atrocious other than AMC.

Lifetime Channel, what more could you want?

Pretty good list of cordcutting alternatives here:

Streaming Services

I've been hesitant to cut the cord for a variety of reasons. A guy showed me his YoutubeTV on his phone yesterday and it sold me. I'm given it a trial run this weekend.

Nordic wrote:I've been hesitant to cut the cord for a variety of reasons. A guy showed me his YoutubeTV on his phone yesterday and it sold me. I'm given it a trial run this weekend.

YouTubeTV is great

Grabbed a Roku from Best Buy and got it hooked up on the bottom TV.

It's working great for me. 4 games on right now. YTTV only lets you stream 3 at once but I've got another bullet in my chamber.

It is automatically recording the Lions and future Spartan games. It's like magic.

Nordic wrote:It is automatically recording the Lions and future Spartan games. It's like magic.

What would be real magic is it recording a couple of Lions playoff games for you.

Jake from State Farm wrote:

Nordic wrote:It is automatically recording the Lions and future Spartan games. It's like magic.

What would be real magic is it recording a couple of Lions playoff games for you.

That’s called witchcraft. Don’t fuck with that shit.

Jake from State Farm wrote:

Nordic wrote:It is automatically recording the Lions and future Spartan games. It's like magic.

What would be real magic is it recording a couple of Lions playoff games for you.

Lol

So far I'm impressed. I'm moving the Roku to the main TV. The mobile app is awesome. I'm shocked at how seamlessly the video streams on the guide and load. Games are paired with scoremobile stats which is awesome for fantasy foots and gamboling. You can surf the web and still watch. I'm watching BTN Live while typing this. I know this is prob old news for most of you. I was expecting the interface to be more clunky.

Hatch, I know you mentioned some negatives in another thread....what were they again?

Done deal. Just cancelled DirecTV. I gotta get used to the DVR and I'll miss the Hallmark Xmas Specials, but YouTube TV has been great and has everything I need (all locals and sports channels). Redic easy to setup. Mobile app is amazing.

Question now is how are you guys running it? My TVs are ancient, so I grabbed a Roku stick. I'll probably grab another for tailgating and what not. But for the main I'm thinking of just getting a new whizbang smart TV. If I do, will the last channel button work? Probably the biggest negative of the Roku setup.