Ducati Monster Forum

We have Verizon FIOS for internet and TV

I could care less about them, especially after I figured out they don't work in a power outage (but Cox cable does...)

We watch TV for:

CNN/FOX/CNBC/BBC news
Real Housewives of BH (Mrs Ducatiz)
Disney XD, Disney (kids)

How do I dump the TV sub and set this up?

Assume I don't have a PC in every room.  I have one in the basement which gets turned on about once a week and one in my office, 2 hours away.

Chromecast?

There's various boxes that allow you to access Hulu, netflix etc so you don't need a PC for it. Looking for devices like that 'tiz?
Are we assuming you're keeping a data connection?

one, don't watch mass media lol..  2, get a digital antenna and let the kids watch 13 kids, i like it better then any of then any of the other kids stuff out there.. tres, get twc so i can pay more bills  >:}

That sounds like it might be an option.  A dedicated box with a remote?  got a link?

yes, I am keeping a data connection but not with FIOS.  I am sick of them.  We have backup power, but apparently when the power is out, Verizon fibre optic loses power within an hour.

During the 6 day outage after the "Derecho" storm, my office internet was working (no power, using batteries for PCs) but the Verizon Fios was out at home, despite that we have a backup generator.  My internet at the office is Cox cable.  Cable=copper.  They keep it juiced.


not helpful.  but thanks for piping in...

Digital antenna + Roku box

I'm doing it as soon as WSBK announces their subscription package.

I agree with Triple J that an "app" box and an antenna is probably your best bet.  I don't have a link for you but I just picked up a Sony blu-ray player at Best Buy for ~$70 that has 100 apps pre-installed, including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Instant Video, Youtube, even NBA League pass, and tons of other video apps that I will never ever use.  Can even control it from my phone, which is good since I lose my remote all the time.

Digital antenna provides access to local channels, which include live sports (NFL, MLB, etc.), if you like that stuff.  I think I spent $39 for mine and it was good (Phillips, not sure model number but can look it up if you want.)

I have chromecast and see its potential, but am not convinced yet.  They need to improve their offerings/functionality as current usage is limited.  For now, it gathers dust while connected to my TV.

Also, FTR: your list of required shows is darn short, so maybe you can just go cold turkey and cut it all off.  I surprised myself how quickly i didn't miss shows i thought i'd miss when i gave up TV in the past.

how to kick cable....

take cable box and put on floor standing longest ways in the highest profile

put on steel toed work boot

channel your inner Mark Mosley or David Beckham and take and few staps back for measurement guage, pause and then launch forward in a thrusting motion and boot that mother to the moon

editors note...make sure whatever is on the opposing side of the cable box from you is not damagable, needed, or otherwise unreplaceable.

Let me help.  Cable TV costs about 100.00 a month.  That is a new set of crazy cool turn signals and some CF bling every month.  Where are your priorities? 

The Roku was what I was alluding to, though there are similar stand-alone products. Basically it's a a box that you feed internets and it poops out media.

The newest generation isn't much bigger than a pack of cigs.
http://www.roku.com/meet-roku (http://www.roku.com/meet-roku)

Also, there's a lot of other devices that can access internet media like netflix, hulu etc also. Some TVs can do without the need for an extra device like a Roku. Many disc players can as well. At our house we've an LG Blu-ray player taht has netflix, pandora, amazon and a few other things we dont care about. So that's how we feed streaming media to the TV.

Just google XBMC ...works on Pc, Mac, Android, RaspPi, ATV

Here are a couple of links

xbmchub.com

xunitytalk.com

mashupxbmc.com

That Roku setup looks pretty nice!  I could kick cable (well Satellite for me) with that alone!

JM

As he said, many "smart" tv's handle the same function. As well as Xbox and Playstation. I went to a tivo with cable card and got the Roku to watch UFC. Works great and you get extra content besides the fight for $10 less. HD or course.

What about stuff like cnn or cnbc or bbcnews?

Do any of these services provide these?

The only potential problem I see to this is since everything comes through your cable connection, will the cable company (i.e., Comcast) throttle the service? They're already doing it with Netflix. This used to be illegal, but the law was repealed a few months ago, so...

There's a built-in conflict of interest. Comcast provides both cable service and the internet connection. If the internet connection starts replacing cable (via Roku type boxes, Netflix, etc), then Comcast (or any big cable/internet company) could begin throttling the speed so it doesn't work as well.  :-\ That's the benefit of DirecTV...totally separate system.

XBMC does as well as all sports and movies , every TV show ...it is all free

Roku is a waste of money ..unhackable

I don't believe he is interested in stealing services so I doubt that's an issue.

I got a western digital box were I can hook up
1. Ethernet to connect to my media server
2. USB to any external hard drive in case a friend or anyone want to watch something.
3. Since its connected to the router (Ethernet port to excess media server) I can get access to Hulu as well as Netflix.

Has dedicated remote and connect to your tv via HDMI.

I also have a ChromeCast to watch quick little YouTube video for fun from my phone. Everything works flawlessly.

I just need a bigger tv since my 24" isn't quite up to the standard LOL.

I don't know of any broadband box (roku, app-enabled tv or disc player, etc.) that has streaming news channels.  I think for now you'll need to just rely on podcasts or reading websites.  If you get a digital receiver, you will should be able to receive local tv, which means local news.

No, no hacking. This needs to be usable for my decidedly non - tech wife who is a government official and doesn't take toothpicks from the restaurant until she is sure they are free.

I like the Roku setup but is there a setup with the same thing and a bluray player too?

I was reading that these players are on the way out because manufacturers are putting them in the TV now...

Yes, many. I have this one:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/smart-wi-fi-built-in-blu-ray-player/7830129.p?id=1218861011781&skuId=7830129&st=blu%20ray&cp=1&lp=2 (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/smart-wi-fi-built-in-blu-ray-player/7830129.p?id=1218861011781&skuId=7830129&st=blu%20ray&cp=1&lp=2)


Yes.  The newest TVs basically include their own Roku-equivalent software.

Roku says they have > 1000 channels included.  Does that one ?

I've been doing this for years.

It is so nice having all my movies on a hard drive instead of a huge bin of DVD's.

Gotta love piratebay.org!

Nope, it has 100 apps (channels) I think.  But if you're actually going to watch 1000 channels, why are you getting rid of cable?

That's not the same.  The Roku has actual streaming channels of news/sports etc, not apps with the PPV style selection.

Did not know that.  Sounds like all signs are pointing towards Roku...

Yeah, I was just hoping to find the same functionality with an integrated BluRay.  I'm surprised Roku doesn't have at least one like that.

Tiz' gimmie a little bit to dig one out, but I've got a previous gen Roku that's not being used you're welcome to test drive - given I find all the bits. hit me with a PM and we can figure details

wow thanks man

No biggie. It's not being used presently. You'll probably have to come fetch it, if you dare to enter within the beltway.  [evil]

Lol I'm downtown all the time at fed ct.

Keep me posted on your thoughts. I too would like to kick the cable habit. We are close, just need to get through the new season of Game of Thrones and we are out.

We kicked cable as of Sunday.

XBox One ($600) with Hulu Plus ($6.99/mo) and Amazon Prime ($99/yr) subscriptions (we've had Prime for a few years anyway) plus a $60 digital antenna. Our Comcast cable internet is $75/mo).

So far so good. Hulu and Amazon combined have a lot of content, although not 100% current for TV shows. The XBox One allows all sorts of cool stuff, including surfing the net on the TV.

The digital antenna gives us all the local channels plus a few oddball ones I didn't even know existed. Reception is good in HD so far, but there are short delays every so often which are acceptable. We could get a better antenna, but this is OK.

Considering that we already had the Amazon and Cable internet subscriptions, then we'll be saving about $78/month ($85 DirecTV - $7 Hulu). We were looking into getting an XBox anyway. Not too bad overall. We didn't do it for the money...but because most channels now run reality shows, which we both hate. I actually think DirecTV is a good provider...just the programming sucks.

Kicked cable last month. Moved into a new place that only offered Cox, not the U-Verse we had. So we went with Cox's mid level internet (25MB) service at a $48.99 introductory rate for 3 months, then bumps to $60.99. We have Netflix on the LG SmartTV and picked up Apple TV. All in all, not a whole lot I'm missing. I admit I have been downloading the recent Walking Dead episodes from a torrent site and watching through the TV/wifi connection. All in all, saving about $80 a month.

Back from the dead....

I cut our cable last week.

What do y'all use?  Inside/outside?  Fixed/multi directional?

We just gave up on broadcast tv and use netflix, and Amazon Prime video.

The only thing we miss is sporting events, and there's a cheaper solution than cable if we really wanted to.

I still subscribe to motogp, and watch SBK through a torrent site.

We use the Mohu leaf and have good results. All of the local stations come in pretty clearly.

The terrain here doesn't play nice with broadcast/line of sight type transmission.

Before cable I could get one, maybe two stations, with an antenna on the house roof.

I have one of those inside antennas that you put on a window. In the back second bedroom, I get 47 over the air channels. In the living room I get about half.  Perfect picture. I turn it on to watch football and Call The Midwife on PBS. 

Thinking about getting an Amazon Fire cube. Easier to watch netflix on the bigger screen.

Hmmmm, what about this mounted to the roof?
https://www.amazon.com/Mohu-Lightweight-Detachable-Performance-MH-110585/dp/B00AVWKUXE (https://www.amazon.com/Mohu-Lightweight-Detachable-Performance-MH-110585/dp/B00AVWKUXE)

There's not enough motivation to watch broadcast commercials...I mean tv... to get me on the roof.

 [laugh]

I never considered that perspective.

Like I said, the only thing I miss is sports, and even when we had cable all I'd watch would be playoff, or championship, games...like the Stoopit Bowl.

I like my naked roof. No chimney, no antenna, just a stink pipe that I never see unless I go around back.

With a Tivo you can record OTA shows and skip the commercials.

What don't you guys get about me not really missing tv?

I can waste my time right here.

++
No (connected) TV in my home for about 15 years now
That's about 18k savings if one assumes 100.00 for some sort of TV access  [thumbsup]

+1

We're probably five years since we ditched cable.

Hulu, Netflix and Amazon prime through a Chromecast from our phones.

I don't think I could go back.

I'm with you, the commercials are the worst part.  I've been cable free some years and the only things to which I subscribe now are Netflix and NBA League Pass.  The cool thing about League Pass is that even though you basically get the feed of whatever local sports station covers that team, they don't include the commercials.  So during commercial breaks you just watch the arena feed (lots of dancing and kiss cams...empirical observation: basketball fans over 50 can't dance).

You really become aware of how much time TV spends trying to get you to buy stuff when that feature is turned off.

Realized our Samsung blu-ray player is "smart."

So we have picked up Netflix.  B isn't super thrilled with the movie selection, I have to agree. 

So those of you that Amazon prime; how does it work?  I mean do you pick the channels you want (hbo, etc) a la cart, or do you get all the listed for one price?  The website isn't super clear.

Guess we should try the free 30 day trial.

We have prime but don't watch it much. As I recall if they have it you can watch it for one price.

Netflix was better until Amazon and Hulu became strong competitors.

If you just have Prime, there are only certain titles that are included. Some titles you still have to rent, and things like HBO are not included. You do get some free kindle books as well.

Amazon video can be a little funky some times. The audio is glitchy, and T and I are both kinda deaf, so when you turn on subtitles they always seem to be in the wrong place.

I buy a lot of stuff online, and the free shipping makes Prime worth it for me. It's going up in January.

I will kick cable come May so that NO penalties are paid

L...this may interest you... https://www.hulu.com/start?&cmp=7957&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=BM%20Search%20BrandTerms&utm_term=+hulu&ds_rl=1251096&ds_rl=1251096&gclid=CjwKCAiA0O7fBRASEiwAYI9QAvHyXxHL-W_tn2-H6Vwg5C_EPzmb9gd37h0B7_n_VH-aErbHuQeKuRoC-m0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

If it sucks you're only out 12 bucks.

make the beast with two backs Flixnet!

I've moved away from traditional cable. Hulu offers live TV with a 50 hour DVR. It's not a true DVR since you can't completely skip the commercials unless you pay extra, but it has all the local and the cable channels that I care for. The biggest issue is that it's still in beta and if you have a "smart" tv, the app that's included does not support it. I use the Chromecast and my Xbox.