b2r
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Post by b2r on Oct 29, 2017 15:39:02 GMT -5
Never thought of an antenna. I have always cable. So i just put that on the roof and run it to my tv? What kind of channels would i expect to get? Go here: www.antennasdirect.com/transmitter-locator.html Type in your Zip Code for transmitters near you and direction to point your antenna.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Oct 29, 2017 15:42:45 GMT -5
I got " no channels available" in your area.
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chiver78
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Post by chiver78 on Oct 29, 2017 15:52:52 GMT -5
yup, I had mine wired into the splitter that the cable line used to feed. so it sends digital over-the-air signal to all tvs that had been on cable before. the electrician moved the incoming feed from the street to go straight to my cable modem for internet. I bought this antenna from Amazon - link
what I heard from a number of people is that this is a very good and reliable brand, so if you don't need this sort of range you can go with something else.
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tallguy
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Post by tallguy on Oct 29, 2017 16:37:54 GMT -5
Who went out yesterday and started new cable service? I had gone with just OTA broadcasts with small indoor antennas for years, then a couple years ago changed to an Internet/TV package because it was not much more than I was paying for internet alone. I cancelled the TV when the promo rate expired about a year ago. My bills are all on autopay so I don't always look at them. I noticed Friday that my internet alone bill had gone up to almost $90. I looked into it and then went out yesterday morning to switch providers. So, I now have slightly faster internet, TV with 140+ channels, and a free HD/DVR for a year. My bill increased less than three dollars. More sports than I can watch including bowl season, hundreds or thousands of free On Demand choices, and the Olympics coming up in three months. For three bucks. Yeah, okay, especially since I have so much more time now. And if I decide it's too much, I cancel the TV in 30 days and go with internet alone for $30. I cancelled the landline a couple years ago. Way too expensive for someone who dislikes phones as much as I do. It's a lot easier to ignore now with the calling number showing up onscreen.
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Deleted
Joined: May 19, 2024 10:50:52 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2017 16:50:22 GMT -5
I got " no channels available" in your area. Wow. I thought I lived in the sticks. I'm 45 miles from the nearest town with anything and I get lots of stations with just a $20 cheapo sits on my TV antenna.
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bookkeeper
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Post by bookkeeper on Oct 29, 2017 16:58:44 GMT -5
Cancelled landline October 2014. Cancelled Dish Network October 2014. DH and I wanted to live healthier lives in retirement and watching more TV was not part of the plan. We have been using an air antennae since that time.
We have family members who have taken pity on us. DS#1 put Amazon Prime on our smart TV. DS#2 put Netflix on our smart TV. DH's sister has given us her cable password so DH can watch sports online.
Internet is another animal. Basic unlimited internet is $60 here. I could pay for a faster speed, but I don't think the utility can really provide said faster speed all the time. I prefer reading the internet to watching TV, so I pay the price, but I think it is high for the service we receive.
So, we pay $65 for internet and modem rental, $0 for TV subscriptions, flip sister in law a Benjamin every year to pay for football programming.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2017 17:28:38 GMT -5
I got Netflix when DH got sicker so he'd have more to watch. After he died I no longer needed sports on TV. Google Fiber was up around February of this year. I now pay about $70 for both- half what I was paying for Comcast. Plenty to enjoy on Netflix. We have family members who have taken pity on us. DS#1 put Amazon Prime on our smart TV. DS#2 put Netflix on our smart TV. DH's sister has given us her cable password so DH can watch sports online. <snip> So, we pay $65 for internet and modem rental, $0 for TV subscriptions, flip sister in law a Benjamin every year to pay for football programming. I know others who do this. I look forward to the day when programming providers can track down consistent use of their subscriptions from multiple addresses (i.e., not just viewing the content from your laptop while on vacation).
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Anne_in_VA
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Post by Anne_in_VA on Oct 29, 2017 18:54:32 GMT -5
We have an antenna for local channels and use internet wired to the tv for Netflix, Sling and Amazon Prime. We're paying about $100 less than we were before we got rid of cable tv. We use Vonage (VOIP) for our home phone because I need it for work. OnceI retire, we'll get rid of it.
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lynnerself
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Post by lynnerself on Oct 29, 2017 21:49:13 GMT -5
We still have the landline because DH has a heart monitor that is blue toothed to it. Otherwise we would get rid of it.
Our Comcast bill in went up to over $100, but $80 of that is internet. We checked but there are no really good alternatives in our area.
Other than that we just have a netflix subscription.
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chiver78
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Post by chiver78 on Oct 29, 2017 22:02:01 GMT -5
so throughout today's sports coverage, I am seeing ads for YouTube TV. I just looked it up after seeing yet another ad. it sounds pretty comparable to Sling, and it's $35/month like I'm currently paying for Sling. has anyone used this yet? I'm definitely going to keep an eye on this. thankfully Sling isn't a contract thing, I can cancel that at any time if I find something that's going to make more sense for me.
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jeffreymo
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Post by jeffreymo on Oct 30, 2017 8:58:08 GMT -5
We cut the cord a year ago. At the time we were paying $159/month for cable/internet/Netflix/Amazon Prime.
Then we switched to internet only(60 gig) and PS Vue in addition to Netflix/Amazon Prime and the total monthly cost was $94.
Then back in March we canceled PS Vue so our monthly bill dropped to $59/month. We got by using an Antenna to get our local affiliates and “borrowed” my brothers login for sports specific apps if we had a game we couldn’t miss.
This weekend I prepaid 2 months of Sling TV to get a free Roku Express so our monthly TV/Internet is back up to $94/month.
Overall we’ve saved about $800 after we bought 2 antennas and 2 Chromecasts. We also have 2 Roku devices.
PSVue streamed ok. The DVR was dumb and the ROKU guide is a joke. SlingTV and Chromecast do not work well together - the stream is unwatchable.
The Roku devices work better than the Chromecast and it’s nice to have a remote. The downside is that some of the Roku apps have bad user interfaces. The best picture comes from the Over the Air channels. We live about 20-30 miles from the broadcast towers so we just have indoor antennas hooked up to our 2 main TV’s.
Most of the big sporting event are on the over the air channels. PS Vue and Sling will offer all the other needed sports channels. ESPN has (or is soon offering) a subscription service that could be an additional option for sports.
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jkapp
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Post by jkapp on Oct 30, 2017 9:34:07 GMT -5
I cut my cable back in 2013 and put up a digital antenna for local stations (its up to 13 local stations and substations now, too).
I only have cable internet for $74/month with Spectrum (I'm an online gamer, so I take a hefty internet package). Plus, I bought my own cable modem so I can avoid the $8/month lease fee.
My only phone is a prepaid cell phone...if I don't use the phone, it costs me nothing per day. If I do use it on a particular day, it costs me $1.99 per day, but I can make unlimited calls during that day on that same $1.99. So I do my best to plan making several calls on one day. I can go three months on $30 if I plan it right.
I've saved probably well over $4000 over the past several years just by making these changes.
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jkapp
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Post by jkapp on Oct 30, 2017 9:42:06 GMT -5
I got " no channels available" in your area. I would try calling an antenna installer in your area...they may know better whether or not you could get any stations with an antenna. I get 20 stations right now with my antenna: ABC, 24-hr local weather station (run by ABC), ION, CBS, Bounce, FOX, CW, AntennaTV, Comet, Charge!, NBC, MeTV, Laff, MyN, Grit, Escape, and 4 PBS stations (regular PBS, Wisconsin PBS, PBS Create, and PBS Kids). I watch very few of these channels, but at least they're free
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dee27
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Post by dee27 on Oct 30, 2017 10:12:08 GMT -5
We cut cable because of the increasing prices. Now we use an antenna and buy a package for Direct TV.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Oct 30, 2017 12:17:51 GMT -5
We get some sports with Sling. Right now, we are on the ESPN package. During the summer, DH switched to the package that we get MLB with...so he was able to watch a fair amount of baseball games. I hate to spend more than that for tv...especially given that we don't watch it all that much. DH gets in an hour or so a day. I'm down to watching tv for less than an hour a week.
We also have netflix and prime. I don't know how I would pro-rate amazon for the tv part, because I also use it for streaming music and we like our 2-day shipping.
I feel like we could cut Netflix, and no one would notice. I don't know how cheap it is.
We still have a land line with a phone company. With a newborn in the house soon, and sitters that don't always remember cell phones, I'm not inclined to let that go for a while. I'm also not a cell phone user. And I really don't want everyone and their uncle trying to contact me on my cell. I'm online on my computer nearly all the time, except for when I am sleeping. That's good enough access.
Once the littlest gets older, and we have a legit need for going on a family plan for phones...we'll switch over to OOMA or something like that.
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chiver78
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Post by chiver78 on Oct 30, 2017 14:16:00 GMT -5
We cut the cord a year ago. At the time we were paying $159/month for cable/internet/Netflix/Amazon Prime. Then we switched to internet only(60 gig) and PS Vue in addition to Netflix/Amazon Prime and the total monthly cost was $94. Then back in March we canceled PS Vue so our monthly bill dropped to $59/month. We got by using an Antenna to get our local affiliates and “borrowed” my brothers login for sports specific apps if we had a game we couldn’t miss. This weekend I prepaid 2 months of Sling TV to get a free Roku Express so our monthly TV/Internet is back up to $94/month. Overall we’ve saved about $800 after we bought 2 antennas and 2 Chromecasts. We also have 2 Roku devices. PSVue streamed ok. The DVR was dumb and the ROKU guide is a joke. SlingTV and Chromecast do not work well together - the stream is unwatchable. The Roku devices work better than the Chromecast and it’s nice to have a remote. The downside is that some of the Roku apps have bad user interfaces. The best picture comes from the Over the Air channels. We live about 20-30 miles from the broadcast towers so we just have indoor antennas hooked up to our 2 main TV’s. Most of the big sporting event are on the over the air channels. PS Vue and Sling will offer all the other needed sports channels. ESPN has (or is soon offering) a subscription service that could be an additional option for sports.this is good to hear. right now, it is one of 3 or 4 stations I would like to tune into, but do not have via my setup.
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saveinla
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Post by saveinla on Oct 30, 2017 14:21:25 GMT -5
chiver78, Iheartradio has been promoting their Dodgers baseball viewing party through YT for the past 2 weeks. Check it out to see if it's only the World Series or other games too.
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chiver78
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Post by chiver78 on Oct 30, 2017 14:28:05 GMT -5
I don't have any Apple devices to be able to use iheartradio. it doesn't work on my Samsung android. thanks, though....maybe it will help someone else
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Oct 30, 2017 15:03:02 GMT -5
We never had a cord to cut. I'm a trendsetter! We pay $60 for Fios internet, use a friend's netflix account, and pay $105 a year ($8.75 a month) for Prime. When American Gods comes back I will reactivate our Starz subscription for $9/month. So highest expenditure is $78/month. We live pretty close (~10 miles) from the broadcast towers so we get a ton of channels over the air.
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Deleted
Joined: May 19, 2024 10:50:52 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2017 15:42:57 GMT -5
I don't have any Apple devices to be able to use iheartradio. it doesn't work on my Samsung android. thanks, though....maybe it will help someone else Are you sure? I have a Galaxy S5 and listen to iheartradio all the time.
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chiver78
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Post by chiver78 on Oct 30, 2017 16:18:35 GMT -5
I don't have any Apple devices to be able to use iheartradio. it doesn't work on my Samsung android. thanks, though....maybe it will help someone else Are you sure? I have a Galaxy S5 and listen to iheartradio all the time. hmm, maybe it's my carrier then. I have AT&T. I downloaded the app and it gave me an error that said my device was incompatible with their system. -idunno- I've got an S6 Active.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Oct 30, 2017 16:23:25 GMT -5
I don't have any Apple devices to be able to use iheartradio. it doesn't work on my Samsung android. thanks, though....maybe it will help someone else Are you sure? I have a Galaxy S5 and listen to iheartradio all the time. I'm using NextRadio on my LG V20 phone... get all the local radio stations. I have had co-workers tell me to use IheartRadio but I'm a Dinosaur and it sounds like work to install the app.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Oct 30, 2017 17:01:50 GMT -5
I have not cut the cord. From what I can tell, I live too far away from any television station to go with antenna tv.
I have Dish and a contract through next year. Dish changed the rules on me for my Pac 12 sports in that I can no longer watch my games unless they are on the Pac 12 National network, which I get. It used to be if I got the upgraded sports package, I could watch the Pac 12 regional stations on my television. Then I could only watch online. Now I can't watch my team unless they are on the national network.
I use a friend who lives where the team is to watch volleyball and women's basketball. I send his baby Christmas presents. I would happily pay myself but at this time, there is no alternative because I do not live in the footprint of the Pac 12 conference.
If the Pac 12 ever offers the product on a stand alone basis, which people seem to think they will, I will happily buy it.
Now that I have a different ISP with no cap, I need a smart tv. Not buying one until I figure out how to stream.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Oct 30, 2017 18:31:48 GMT -5
I've had different Androids with Verizon and I've used the iHeartRadio app with no problems.
Sports are mostly why we don't cut the cord. And I'm not sure how much we would get either with an antenna. We are pretty far from the broadcast points.
We have the online center ice package because DH is a penguins fan in capitals territory. Anytime they are like on NBC, it's blacked out.
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saveinla
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Post by saveinla on Oct 30, 2017 19:11:15 GMT -5
Oh sorry about the confusion - I just meant you should check out YouTube for the World Series baseball and any other games.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Oct 30, 2017 19:31:58 GMT -5
I’m doing it after Christmas.
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Post by empress of self-improvement on Oct 30, 2017 19:40:08 GMT -5
Haven't had cable in 12-13 years. Don't miss it. If I'm desperate to watch something, I can go online or go to my sister's house. Especially since they'll let me use the closed caption. DH sleeps most of the time plus he's happy as a pig in shit since he found a secondary station that has Star Trek the cartoon. Thanks but no thanks.
Haven't had a landline in about 6 years. We had one in Beverly but the line was a piece of crap so we stopped using it. Then when we moved we didn't bother. I have FIOS for my internet, overpriced but whatever. I do better with texting than the spoken word anyway so eh.
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souldoubt
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Post by souldoubt on Oct 30, 2017 23:02:25 GMT -5
I cut cable at the beginning of this year. I have sling, hulu with no commercials, netflix and amazon prime while spending almost $500 less a year that I did versus having cable. I remember looking at my last cable bill and the amount of taxes and fees were enough to make the state of CA jealous. I'm a big sports fan and with the basic sling package I get the local MLB/NBA/NHL teams along with some of the NFL games. I'd love to have more NFL games but not for $500 a year and frankly when it comes to things I don't have access to whether it's sports or tv shows I've found that I don't miss them because I don't watch commercials that pimp them constantly. When I split the cable bill with roommates it was more feasible but getting whatever "deal" they're offering each year was a rip off that had me paying for channels I never watched and of course there's times you can never find anything to watch.
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