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[Advice] Dropping Cable for Streaming only

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by heypartner, Feb 15, 2012.

  1. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    I find I'm not watching enough cable TV vs streaming to warrant my $110 bill anymore for just the TV portion of my cable bill. If you were to cancel TV and just keep the Internet, how would you do it, what would you miss?

    I'm not that savvy on all the options (except for the pirating ones...;) ), so any tips on above board, paid streaming options is welcome. With $110/mo freed up, I hope to be able to go completely legit and stop my BT addiction.

    I currently do this:
    • Netflix streaming unlimited
    • NBA League Pass broadband

    This leaves out the NBA Playoffs/Finals and premium channels. Is there anyway to actually purchase HBO streaming. The HBO GO site seems to require going through your Cable/Satellite provider and doesn't actually mention computers as a supported device.

    Any options for other premium channels. I suppose the NBA Playoffs/Finals will have to be at friends or sports bars....or illegal low res streaming.

    tia
     
  2. bladeage

    bladeage Contributing Member

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    get a jailbroken apple tv.
     
  3. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    What does it provide?

    Can't do NBA Playoff, right?
    HBO GO? Seems I have to subscribe to HBO tv first to get streaming HBO? right?

    Does HBO allow streaming on demand like a week after (or so) of the initial airing (for current seasons),,,or any legal type of streaming.
     
  4. bladeage

    bladeage Contributing Member

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    You can watch pretty much anything...
    http://youtu.be/UgK8_869psQ
     
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  5. Haymitch

    Haymitch Custom Title
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    I am going to do the same thing when I move (my current roommate claims he needs cable).

    I would advise getting this antenna. You should pick up about 20-30 (maybe up to 40-50) channels with it if you have a good tuner.
     
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  6. playlife

    playlife Member

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    Get a tv antenna to get ABC,NBC,FOX,CBS and some other smaller channels.

    Example of a good tv antenna: http://www.gomohu.com/
     
    1 person likes this.
  7. davo

    davo Contributing Member

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    What is a jailbroken apple tv? What does it do?

    Heyp - I'm pretty sure you can't get HBO TV unless you are also a cable subdcriber. Cutting the cable, in my view is very difficult if you want live sport and HD quality.
     
  8. bladeage

    bladeage Contributing Member

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    It's an Apple TV that runs apps which can stream movies, netflix, hulu, and it does live TV too.
     
  9. ScriboErgoSum

    ScriboErgoSum Contributing Member

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    It's a hodgepodge trying to set it all up. I recently got a Roku which is making it easier to have a single device hooked up to my television that pools all the available options I have (Amazon Prime, Netflix, NBA LP).

    HBO Go is only available right now to people who actually subscribe to the cable channel. Their CEO has said he views cable cutting as a product of the recession and that people will reconnect once things are better economically. I disagree, but it looks like they will be off limits for a while for cable cutters. So your options are to wait for it to get released on DVD or download\torrent it illegally.

    NBA LP works great with the Roku. I'm watching 720p on a 42 inch TV, and the picture and quality are both great. Rocket games on NBA TV are a drag, and I'm trying to figure out how to take care of two small kids and get out to sport bars to watch playoff basketball. I wish the NBA League Pass Broadband covered the whole season, preseason, and playoffs regardless of channels. I'm not sure how other leagues passes work. It seems the NBA is the most restrictive.

    I've bought season passes to shows like Top Chef. I did some of these on iTunes, which chains me to watching it on an Apple product or on my computer via iTunes. If I had purchased via Amazon, I could have watched them on the Roku, which is logged into my Amazon account. Some shows do this, but there are still a lot that don't.

    You should check out Roku's website. They list a lot of the channels you can hook up, and it's a pretty exhaustive list. Some are free, some cost an annual subscription, and some are an ala carte, pay as you watch affair.
     
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  10. TheRealist137

    TheRealist137 Member

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    with the jailbroken apple tv do you have to be a subscriber in order to get netflix and hulu plus or does it also come "free"?

    I'm kind of interested...
     
  11. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    "Get a TV Antenna" for nationally broadcast sports

    [​IMG]

    What an awesome technological advancement!
     
  12. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    thx...rep
    What is the deal I heard with some big websites blocking Google TVs and Apple TVs? Does jailbreaking them prevent the websites from identifying what they are?
     
  13. Tenchi

    Tenchi Contributing Member

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    Why buy the season pass for Top Chef? Isn't it on Hulu Plus? 7.99 a month and you can watch current season shows would be cheaper than 1.99 an episode for just one show.
     
  14. Tenchi

    Tenchi Contributing Member

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    You need to pay for a subscription to netflix and hulu plus. Total of about $16 a month isn't too bad.
     
  15. ScriboErgoSum

    ScriboErgoSum Contributing Member

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    You might just be right on that. I'll have to check it out. My wife's a chef, and we wanted to watch the current episodes right then so I paid 20 for the whole season.

    I need to look more into what Hulu has to offer. It always seemed like it was old shows and not current stuff.

    Like I said, it's a bit of a hodgepodge. You can get some shows from a variety of sources, either by episode, by season pass, or by a channel pass.

    EDIT: Just looked up on Hulu, and Top Chef is offered at Bravo's discretion. Currently just one episode from the current season (out of 15) is available.
     
  16. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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    My friend had one of these for a while and they don't work nearly that well.
     
  17. Haymitch

    Haymitch Custom Title
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    Really? Damn.

    Jailbroken Apple TV is starting to sound real good. I would just be hesitant because IP enforcement in this country is spotty but outrageously harsh.
     
  18. Voice of Reason

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    I purchased an Apple TV six months ago. I noticed that 95% of the time was spent watching Netflix. The other 5% was spent watching local news and Houston Texan games.

    It seemed ridiculous to keep paying $75 to Dish Network for services that I was rarely using. I was about ready to get an antenna and cancel the service when I decided to negotiate with Dish. I was able to get HD service, DVR service, local channels, AMC, and around 8 other useful channels for only $20.

    If I was going to get rid of dish altogether I would get an antenna, and would probably stream CNN to the Apple TV through my Ipad.
     
  19. DieHard Rocket

    DieHard Rocket Contributing Member

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    Are Rockets games blacked out locally through NBA LP broadband?
     
  20. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    yes .. but I think ScriboErgoSum is talking about how every NBA TV game of the day is not available on any league pass, as well. So, when the Rockets are on the NBA TV channel, LP people can't watch it no matter where they are.
     

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