Question about Streaming

[bill718]

Hello - Like many, I have an overpriced cable package (TV, Phone, Internet) Could someone suggest a cheaper alternative whereby we can keep our phone number, still have internet access, and ditch those 400+ channels we never watch?

 

[shockedcanadian]

Hello - Like many, I have an overpriced cable package (TV, Phone, Internet) Could someone suggest a cheaper alternative whereby we can keep our phone number, still have internet access, and ditch those 400+ channels we never watch?

Roku is one option.

Most cut the cable. I don't watch much of anything anymore, haven't for a couple of years really.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Hello - Like many, I have an overpriced cable package (TV, Phone, Internet) Could someone suggest a cheaper alternative whereby we can keep our phone number, still have internet access, and ditch those 400+ channels we never watch?

I kept the cable provider for internet, but ditched the cable.
Added services like Netflix and Prime.

 

[Flopper]

Hello - Like many, I have an overpriced cable package (TV, Phone, Internet) Could someone suggest a cheaper alternative whereby we can keep our phone number, still have internet access, and ditch those 400+ channels we never watch?

Let me ask a couple of questions:
1. What do you want to watch? movies, live tv, sporting events, local channels etc.
2. Is being able to record important?
3. Do you want a complete guide like you have on cable.
4. Do you need a landline phone?
5. Do you have a late model smart TV?

 

[Dekster]

Hello - Like many, I have an overpriced cable package (TV, Phone, Internet) Could someone suggest a cheaper alternative whereby we can keep our phone number, still have internet access, and ditch those 400+ channels we never watch?

With comcast you can have internet alone, port your landline to a cell number and then use cell2jack to connect the cell back to a traditional landline phone if you so desire to not have a cell. As for streaming, you can just buy whichever services that have the content you want.

 

[toobfreak]

Could someone suggest a cheaper alternative whereby we can keep our phone number, still have internet access, and ditch those 400+ channels we never watch?

Yes.

 

[Flopper]

With comcast you can have internet alone, port your landline to a cell number and then use cell2jack to connect the cell back to a traditional landline phone if you so desire to not have a cell. As for streaming, you can just buy whichever services that have the content you want.

Usually a cable connected landline is the cheapest service the cable company provides as long as you get it in a package. I don't really need a landline so I call my cable provider, Comcast and told them to drop it. They said, since you have a package of internet, cable, and phone, it will cost you more money if you drop it. So the phone is sitting in the dinning room and it's never used.

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

I stopped watching cable about ten years ago.
Streaming is far superior.
With streaming you can watch what you want, when you want to.
Amazon Fire has wide choice of stuff to watch.
I find a lot of interesting things on Youtube to watch.
There is a lot of music on Youtube.

 

[HeyNorm]

With comcast you can have internet alone, port your landline to a cell number and then use cell2jack to connect the cell back to a traditional landline phone if you so desire to not have a cell. As for streaming, you can just buy whichever services that have the content you want.

Yep, and most streaming services have free trial periods. So you don’t have to decide right away.

Also, put up an antenna. Mines in the attic hooked to three TVs. A rotator on the antenna is nice to have as well.

 

[HeyNorm]

I stopped watching cable about ten years ago.
Streaming is far superior.
With streaming you can watch what you want, when you want to.
Amazon Fire has wide choice of stuff to watch.
I find a lot of interesting things on Youtube to watch.
There is a lot of music on Youtube.

YouTube is great!

You and I gave up cable around the same time.

 

[Concerned American]

Hello - Like many, I have an overpriced cable package (TV, Phone, Internet) Could someone suggest a cheaper alternative whereby we can keep our phone number, still have internet access, and ditch those 400+ channels we never watch?

The original outlay for Ooma Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone is about $150 for three phones and the set up and keeping your phone number. After that, the cost here monthly is $7.38 (taxes is all you pay). We have Starlink internet but you can use any broadband provider and Hulu and our total cost for TV, internet and phone comes to about $230 per month. It isn't as easy as turning on your TV and watching DirectTV or DISH Network, but for the savings, I find it worth it. The same pkg. with those and a hard wired land line would be about $320/mo.

 

[Dekster]

Yep, and most streaming services have free trial periods. So you don’t have to decide right away.

Also, put up an antenna. Mines in the attic hooked to three TVs. A rotator on the antenna is nice to have as well.

Those digital antennas don't work that well around here unless you get them really high in the air....like need zoning approval and a permit for the pole high in the city. They are a lot more terrain-sensitive than the old broadcast ones--which were also a tad fussy in this area.

 

[HeyNorm]

Those digital antennas don't work that well around here unless you get them really high in the air....like need zoning approval and a permit for the pole high in the city. They are a lot more terrain-sensitive than the old broadcast ones--which were also a tad fussy in this area.

Terrain can indeed cause huge problems. I might suggest however, before giving up, put an amplifier in line. After doing that myself, I went from picking up 14 channels to picking up 58. When I added the rotator I went to 72.

Just a suggestion.

 

[Dekster]

Terrain can indeed cause huge problems. I might suggest however, before giving up, put an amplifier in line. After doing that myself, I went from picking up 14 channels to picking up 58. When I added the rotator I went to 72.

Just a suggestion.

I tried it when they first came out and again when we switched from cable to satellite. Nothing. The FCC digital website thing puts most stations except one NBC station in the next to impossible category in this area and that NBC station is only 1 up in signal strength. But for the kiddies I would just ditch satellite too I so seldom watch traditional TV. I will occasionally watch bits of the news. I mostly watch tv shows online through those questionably legal (as it probably not) streaming sites if I decide to binge watch a show on a rainy day.

 

[HeyNorm]

I tried it when they first came out and again when we switched from cable to satellite. Nothing. The FCC digital website thing puts most stations except one NBC station in the next to impossible category in this area and that NBC station is only 1 up in signal strength. But for the kiddies I would just ditch satellite too I so seldom watch traditional TV. I will occasionally watch bits of the news. I mostly watch tv shows online through those questionably legal (as it probably not) streaming sites if I decide to binge watch a show on a rainy day.

Worst thing about OTA and cable is commercials. I only watch antenna TV for nightly news, sports, and a selected few shows.

And 90% of the commercials are pharma! Good lord.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Hello - Like many, I have an overpriced cable package (TV, Phone, Internet) Could someone suggest a cheaper alternative whereby we can keep our phone number, still have internet access, and ditch those 400+ channels we never watch?

There are several good options, but pretty universally agreed - Roku is the best. Most others are catching up to why it is so good - but why buy them when Roku is not more expensive and is what everyone else emulates?
Whatever you do, don't use the interface that comes with a "Smart TV" - they are not smart, they are slow and stupid. Unforgivably low on memory.
Roku interface is super quick and easy

 

[bill718]

There are several good options, but pretty universally agreed - Roku is the best. Most others are catching up to why it is so good - but why buy them when Roku is not more expensive and is what everyone else emulates?
Whatever you do, don't use the interface that comes with a "Smart TV" - they are not smart, they are slow and stupid. Unforgivably low on memory.
Roku interface is super quick and easy

Thank You for the info. everyone. Much appreciated.

 

[Flopper]

I stopped watching cable about ten years ago.
Streaming is far superior.
With streaming you can watch what you want, when you want to.
Amazon Fire has wide choice of stuff to watch.
I find a lot of interesting things on Youtube to watch.
There is a lot of music on Youtube.

Despite having access to countless cable channels and streaming options, people often experience choice overload and end up watching very little.

I have spend endless hours browsing Netflix and Prime, trying a movie or show and then another and another, only to find nothing satisfying and wasting an entire evening. To avoid this, I subscribe to four streaming services and spend half an hour each week checking reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, creating a shortlist of appealing content. I use this list when ready to watch, skipping most of the browsing, saving time, and reducing frustration.

More is not always better.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Despite having access to countless cable channels and streaming options, people often experience choice overload and end up watching very little.

I have spend endless hours browsing Netflix and Prime, trying a movie or show and then another and another, only to find nothing satisfying and wasting an entire evening. To avoid this, I subscribe to four streaming services and spend half an hour each week checking reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, creating a shortlist of appealing content. I use this list when ready to watch, skipping most of the browsing, saving time, and reducing frustration.

More is not always better.

Pretty much what we do also. There is no real way of just going to Netflix with a library 1569 shows and over 5000 movies and expect to find anything.

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

Despite having access to countless cable channels and streaming options, people often experience choice overload and end up watching very little.

I have spend endless hours browsing Netflix and Prime, trying a movie or show and then another and another, only to find nothing satisfying and wasting an entire evening. To avoid this, I subscribe to four streaming services and spend half an hour each week checking reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, creating a shortlist of appealing content. I use this list when ready to watch, skipping most of the browsing, saving time, and reducing frustration.

More is not always better.

I also use movie reviews to narrow my choices.
I do movie searches by year.
The 40s and 50s have a lot of good movies.
Sometimes I do searches by actor....Bogart, Mitchum, Lancaster, Cooper, Holden, Lemon, Ryan
Bogart has several great movies