Cutting the Cable cord

5,651 Views | 55 Replies | Last: 7 yr ago by 62strat
Synopsis
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I was never a big fan of Amazon, mainly because they used to have only a web interface for smart tvs. No app. And Vue sounds great, but it's quite expensive. With Sling TV offering the SEC network and eight other channels for five bucks is an added bonus. I do agree that Vue brings a lot to the table.
vue with sec is $35.. Not sure how that qualifies as quite expensive.
Relatively speaking, I guess. I was looking at the more expensive options for Vue. Also, I lost my job awhile back and although I freelance what I do and work online, the work has been sporadic. It pays well when I work, but work has been (again) sporadic at best. So my budget isn't what it once was.
62strat
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AG
So if you have a blanket statement that vue is quite expensive, you should mention you were looking at the more expensive vue options. It's $10 more for vue compared to sling if you are comparing ways to get sec. If $10 a month breaks your budget, you probably shouldn't have tv at all.
Nonregdrummer09
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Vue has a lot more channels, the functionality is much better, and you can have 5 streams at once, Sling you can only have 1. I've tried both, PS Vue works much better.

Also, you can sign into all the stand alone apps with PS Vue, with Sling you can as well but it counts as your stream so you can only watch one.
FL_Ag1998
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Vue has a lot more channels, the functionality is much better, and you can have 5 streams at once, Sling you can only have 1. I've tried both, PS Vue works much better.

Also, you can sign into all the stand alone apps with PS Vue, with Sling you can as well but it counts as your stream so you can only watch one.


All of the above is why I went with Vue over Sling when I was trying out the cable-cutting thing....now if I could only get out of this damn Frontier contract.
double aught
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Vue looks really good. If only it had an Xbox app. Not very likely I suspect.
OasisMan
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30, 35, & 45 for me in Jax, FL

ill get the 35 for football season -- espn, espn 2, espn news, espnU, espnOcho, FoxSports, FS1, FS2, SECN

tho, mine comes with ABC/FOX/NBC "on demand"
Nonregdrummer09
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Yeah, ABC, etc don't have live streaming to all locations yet
VanZandt92
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Too much money to cancel Dish right now. Dang.
62strat
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quote:
30, 35, & 45 for me in Jax, FL

ill get the 35 for football season -- espn, espn 2, espn news, espnU, espnOcho, FoxSports, FS1, FS2, SECN

tho, mine comes with ABC/FOX/NBC "on demand"
I'm curious about the on demand part. How do you watch the local news? Is it on demand while it's actually being broadcast? Or on demand after it airs? Next day?
FL_Ag1998
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HD antenna. Picture is great and you'll probably get about 25-30 local channels including your local live ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and CW.
62strat
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Yeh I know with extra hardware you can get it. We pretty much only watch what we've recorded though, or we pause it for a while and watch behind live so we can skip commercials.

I'm more chrious about the included on demand of local networks through vue. How soon is it available?
OasisMan
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HD antenna. Picture is great and you'll probably get about 25-30 local channels including your local live ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and CW.
antenna map

62strat, not sure, havent started vue yet, but i have same question. i assume there will be some delay. curious about streaming live games over vue "FOX on demand", etc.
FL_Ag1998
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Not sure, sorry. I loved Vue when we gave it a free trial but we're tied into a contract with Frontier right now, so we didn't sign up for it yet. But I do know that Vue is adding more and more cities in which they carry the major networks live, not just On-demand. So you might actually be able to watch the games live.
62strat
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yeh I'm hoping when my contract is up at end of the year, maybe Denver metro will have the networks. I'd rather just pay the extra $10 and know I have them, with DVR, instead of doing antennas or dealing with any limitations of on demand.
Ferg
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30, 35, & 45 for me in Jax, FL

ill get the 35 for football season -- espn, espn 2, espn news, espnU, espnOcho, FoxSports, FS1, FS2, SECN

tho, mine comes with ABC/FOX/NBC "on demand"
I'm curious about the on demand part. How do you watch the local news? Is it on demand while it's actually being broadcast? Or on demand after it airs? Next day?
If you have a ROKU, there is an app called NEWSON that streams at least one local news broadcast in 150 different cities.
agracer
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I'm looking at cord cutting as my UVerse contract is up next month. Sorry for the long post but hope this helps others.

The biggest roadblock is a DVR solution for local channels. What I've learned is;
NOTE:
devices = Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, iPad, phone, tablet, etc.
OTA=Over The Air

All solutions require you to switch between apps (like PS Vue/Sling and the DVR). So you have to switch between apps to access different content (PS Vue, Hulu, Netflix, vs OTA TV/DVR). Suggest checking each website to learn more.

TABLO - WI-FI DVR. Hook it up to your antenna and connect to the Tablo to your modem/router. You use the TABLO app on your device to watch live TV fed though your antenna to the Tablo and streamed to your device through your home network. You can also control the Tablo DVR (pause, rewind, record, etc.) on the app.
$200 cost + $50/yr for guide (or $149 for lifetime guide). Also you need to add external drive to record/save OTA TV.
NOTES: you do not have to subscribe to the guide. You can get 24hrs free but lose some functionality. Also, you can access your recordings from anywhere you have an internet connection, not just at home.


This seems like the easiest solution for an OTA DVR and pushing content to your TV either via wi-fi or Ethernet cable (recommended) through your devices.

TIVO - ROMIO. I think you can make this work similar to the Tablo, but their web site is really not clear at all. The apps for the various devices do not look like you can control the DVR from the device. You can maybe only do that with their Tivo Stream device...which means you have to switch between devices to make it all work on multiple TV's which is kind of a PITA/wife hassle. It also adds upfront cost. Honestly, for a much as the TIVO systems cost (+ maybe monthly subscription fees) their system is not as seamless as the Tablo. I can't tell if you can stream Live TV to your devices or not. I don't think you can. The TIVO web site really is not clear at all how it all works.
$399 for ROMIO+ wi-fi bridge and maybe other stuff. Seems expensive and not a very seamless option.

HD Homerun - This is a TV tuner the plugs into your network router and antenna. Through your network, you can stream the OTA broadcast to all your devices. You can watch live TV through the HDHomerun VIEW app on your device through your network. To record/save shows, you need to set up a server or use your PC as the DVR device (which means it has to always be on). To record shows, you have to do it through your PC (so if you're watching a show you cannot just hit "record" you have to go to your PC to record). You can access recorded shows from your devices via the HD Homerun VIEW app through your network, you just cannot schedule recordings, etc. through your device. Your PC can have any operating system to set it up as a DVR (W7, 8, 10, Apple). The manu. is currently developing a DVR.

Other options involve setting up a stand alone Media center PC using Linux, W7 or W8.1 (no Media Center on W10) and connecting an antenna to an internal tuner card (or HD Homerun) to create a DVR and a video/photo/music library. You can access all your the media by loading KODI onto your device to access live TV feed off the tuner and the recordings (or any media) on the PC. This options requires a lot of set up time but from what I've read is much better than the HDHomerun VIEW app as it allows you access to all your media, not just the HD Homerun media.

Again, this requires a lot of set up time to get functional. If you have a large amount of recorded home videos or music you want to push all over your house this might be a good option. But with the content providers switching to streaming media via Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc. I just don't see most people benefiting from the hassle of setting this all up. Not to mention, this is all supported by online volunteers. A few of them decide they don't want to screw with it anymore you could be left with an old out of date system in 4-5 years that does not work anymore.

One thing to note, PS Vue is adding local channels in some cities. They are working to add more but no time frame on when that will happen.

I think I can live without a OTA DVR, get CBS All Access to record SEC college football (then cancel in January) and just use an antenna at each TV for local channels.

** If anyone has anything else to add (like how the TIVO works) please do so.

I'm leaning towards TW Cable Internet at $29.99 for 50mbs connection, +$99 Modem, + $99 wi-fi router (to avoid monthly charge), + $99 Fire TV on one TV and use an existing PS4 to access content on the 2nd TV. The final hurdle is getting an antenna to the TV's. None of them are located near an existing coax outlet and setting up an antenna in the front room bookshelf is a wife no-go. The 2nd TV is in the basement (antenna next to TV will likely not work) and I have no connection to existing coax that is close to the attic that allows me to feed the house from an attic antenna). This leaves me with running coax on exterior walls, or using a Tablo or HD Homerun to stream OTA TV.
LeFraud
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Dropped DirecTV last week and picked up Sling. Absolutely love it. Use Amazon Fire stick, where we use Prime and Netflix. Only channel not available really is CBS, which I'll gladly trade for saving $100+ a month.
VanZandt92
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Dropped DirecTV last week and picked up Sling. Absolutely love it. Use Amazon Fire stick, where we use Prime and Netflix. Only channel not available really is CBS, which I'll gladly trade for saving $100+ a month.


Was your contract up?
LeFraud
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Yes? Was a user since '12, maybe I signed on again after my initial two year contract, not really sure. I just got on chat on their website and told them I was done.
Zemira
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I guess I'm bit different as I haven't had cable since college (10 years ago). So I guess I was an early cord cutter.

I have had antenna, Hulu, Netflix and Prime. So Internet + about $25 a month. I mostly did this since I'm not home a lot and it's just me. I couldn't justify $100 a month for to watch cable a couple hours a week.

I used to make all the home football games so I only had away games to watch somewhere (friends, family, sport bars). Now I'm not making as many home games due to not being able to stand the heat, so I was considering Vue or sling to get the football games.

I was wondering with sling and Vue what the real differences were if I decide to go that route?
Seven Costanza
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I did the one-week trial of PS Vue just to see what it was like. I was disappointed to see that ESPN still looks just as bad as it does on the WatchESPN app. My internet is fast enough (50 Mbps) and HBO Go and Netflix look great, but ESPN is still very choppy for some reason. I don't understand how anyone could stand to watch sports that way.
62strat
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Dropped DirecTV last week and picked up Sling. Absolutely love it. Use Amazon Fire stick, where we use Prime and Netflix. Only channel not available really is CBS, which I'll gladly trade for saving $100+ a month.
if you are saving $100 a month, you were paying for way too much crap on your cable bill.

My cable bill with 4 tvs and whole home dvr is $80.
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