Cutting the cord

[Maniac0908]

What about bravos house wives and all those other tv series women watch(and me sometimes)? I want to leave FiOS but couldn't find an option to watch those shows when they come out. Only past seasons. Plus some said 110 a month for internet and Roku and all those things. I pay 150 for FiOS tv internet and phone whith all channels and hbo and Showtime.

[radiofrequency]

Originally Posted by Habs11

Good internet and an Amazon Fire stick ($50) with Kodi loaded - have to be willing to tinker with Kodi as the feeds change but many movies and shows to watch for free. Can also pay for Netflix etc. but Kodi is supposed to replace that.

We've done Roku as well. $70 up front and then $10+ depending on what streaming you want.

In both cases you need internet service - mine is currently $40/mo and I need to upgrade but I'm holding out.

This, I cut the cord in 2009. I use Amazon Fire almost exclusively now, but do have Apple TV and the $10 per month Netflix. Unfortunately my internet bill is high as I pay for Comcast Business, $149 per month in my area. For the best Kodi tutorial go here: troypoint.com

[P1]

The providers here know what we're trying to do, and in turn make "internet only" packages rather unattractive.

[P1]

Originally Posted by Maniac0908

What about bravos house wives and all those other tv series women watch(and me sometimes)? I want to leave FiOS but couldn't find an option to watch those shows when they come out. Only past seasons. Plus some said 110 a month for internet and Roku and all those things. I pay 150 for FiOS tv internet and phone whith all channels and hbo and Showtime.

No joke, that show is the only reason we still pay for cable. I will see what net neutrality does to our bill and go from there.

[Samurai of 2day]

Originally Posted by MGM135is

I have a PS4 Pro which I used to register PS Vue with. I use my Shield TV though as my cable box because I feels more user friendly overall for Vue, Netflix, Amazon, Vudu and supports 4K HDR and Atmos. I think some of the apps on the consoles support UHD content but the Shield has been leading on that front.

Due to MS vs Sony, Vue is nt available on XBOX.

Good to know.

I have a standard PS4, the Xbox One and the Xbox One X.

I get the impression that both Xboxes have the capability of functioning in place of the fios cable boxes, which are being rented from Verizon on a monthly basis.

If I could use the consoles in place of the cable boxes, I would be able to save a good amount of money monthly by turning in the cable boxes and put an end to those rental fees.

If the consoles are not a good option for replacing the cable boxes, then I'm cutting the cord and will give PS VUE a shot for local TV and use the Xboxes to stream all the other apps content.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by Samurai of 2day

Good to know.

I have a standard PS4, the Xbox One and the Xbox One X.

I get the impression that both Xboxes have the capability of functioning in place of the fios cable boxes, which are being rented from Verizon on a monthly basis.

If I could use the consoles in place of the cable boxes, I would be able to save a good amount of money monthly by turning in the cable boxes and put an end to those rental fees.

If the consoles are not a good option for replacing the cable boxes, then I'm cutting the cord and will give PS VUE a shot for local TV and use the Xboxes to stream all the other apps content.

In reality, you only need one PS. Having one allows you to stream from up to five devices. For example, I use my iPad or iPhone to launch PS Vue and then chromecast it to my 2nd or 3rd TV. Or I can just watch from my iPad if I want.

I have a PS4 Pro and an Xbox One X too.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

Kind of seeing this as well. AT&T is offering fiber (1,000 MPS), DirectTV and home phone at a significant discount for what I'm paying for Cox internet (100 MPS), Cox Cable (no movie channels) and AT&T home phone. Leaning towards dropping the land line all together but we'll see about that. As I look at the equipment, various subscriptions to cover what I watch regularly it might just be easier to go the AT&T/DurectTV route for a couple years until the industry moves to more skinny bundle options for content.

This is where I land every time I look into it. I also kept my landline (one of which is for business) because neither cell service nor VOIP have the quality or reliability I want.

[infinitekidM2C]

the closest i saw that was workable for me was directv now...so anyone considering this should look into that.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by infinitekid2002

the closest i saw that was workable for me was directv now...so anyone considering this should look into that.

You mean DirecTV NOW? I thought they didn’t do local channels like PS Vue.

[infinitekidM2C]

Originally Posted by MGM135is

You mean DirecTV NOW? I thought they didn’t do local channels like PS Vue.

yeah...sounds right, i think u'll have to use your tv which probably has a built in digital tuner for locals.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by infinitekid2002

yeah...sounds right, i think u'll have to use your tv which probably has a built in digital tuner for locals.

The advantage of PS Vue is that it’s the only one to offer local channels in case you can’t get them over the air. I like PS Vue a lot but if another streaming competitor offers local channels that will make things better for consumers.

[MrSmartyPants]

Originally Posted by Maniac0908

What about bravos house wives and all those other tv series women watch(and me sometimes)? I want to leave FiOS but couldn't find an option to watch those shows when they come out. Only past seasons. Plus some said 110 a month for internet and Roku and all those things. I pay 150 for FiOS tv internet and phone whith all channels and hbo and Showtime.

Bravo, HBO and Showtime are all available on sling. Bravo was included in the $110 total I pay, not HBO or Showtime.

We have sling for exactly the reason you are stating...Kardashians, Below Deck, wonder booby twins (wrestling girls)...

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by Mr Carrots

Directnow has unskippable ads which instantly disqualifies it. $80 a month and you expect me to sit through commercials? Lol

One day these companies will learn what they need to do to be competitive in 2018 ($10-$15 a month, no ads) but until then they get none of my money

Doubtful $10-$15/mo. with no ad revenue is a viable business model.

[Mardio]

I'm in the same boat and like the OP I need live sports. Every time I research the streaming services I realize they just aren't there yet (as far as sports are concerned). Once they figure out a true live sports package I will cut my cable in a heartbeat.

[wdb]

I need my Velocity Channel, professional tennis coverage, and F1 coverage. Those are pretty much the only reason I continue to pay for cable TV service. If I could get streaming packages for those sports -- and watch them on my schedule! -- I'd be a cord cutter.

Until then to be honest I look at it as a minor incovenience. Cost-wise our HD cable TV service doesn't cost as much as most folks spend to carry a telephone in their pockets. Why do y'all pay a fortune for unlimited data on a screen the size of a postage stamp, then bitch and moan about paying less for the same thing on a screen the size of a wall? I never understood that bit.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by wdb;22587091[B

]I need my Velocity Channel, professional tennis coverage, and F1 coverage. Those are pretty much the only reason I continue to pay for cable TV service.[/B]

These bastards have us by the short and curly's because of this. Otherwise I would have cut the cord, as well.

[amgraham]

I've been looking into this as well. We already have Netflix and Prime and I researched a bunch of streaming services as well. For true "cable replacement", there aren't many options. I, and two of my friends landed on the PlayStation Vue service to "try". I've not actually done my 5-day trial yet. Of my two friends, one kept it. The other ditched it. Between them, one was using a PlayStation, and the other a Roku. From the feedback I got from them, the Roku "experience" isn't the best, at least with his model. He admitted that it might work better on another device.

Which brings up, you don't need a PS at all to use PS Vue:

https://www.playstation.com/en-us/ne...ation-required

I've read that the experience, at least or non-PS devices, through the Fire is significantly superior to Roku. So... I ordered a Fire (box) but haven't set it up yet. I probably will this weekend.

Personally, I don't need "local" channels as we rarely watch them. We don't really watch any major network shows and maybe the occasional football game but... the PS Vue does provide those, if you want. My one buddy mentioned that NBC seemed to be "delayed". That might be his market or something, I don't know.

I need F1 coverage too, as other mentioned. So... with F1 going to ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC next year, you're covered. They have those. Furthermore, they carry FS2, which Comcast does not. I've not many races, especially endurance races show the beginning and end on FS1 and will cover the interim with FS2. That would actually be a plus, to me. or... a number of races are carried live on FS2 then broadcast, delayed, on FS1.

At the end of the day though, it's not a huge savings because I'll end up paying more for my internet. Still... I estimate $30-$40 a month savings. Another big plus is... I can add cheap fire sticks to TVs in the house that do not have Comcast boxes, without paying $10/month for the box.

PS Vue, to me, is the only one worth of really even giving it a whirl. Another side benefit I'd hopefully realize is... One of our Smart TVs isn't so good at streaming from Plex. It buffers, a lot... The other TV, Xbox, tablets, etc. all do fine. I suspect the CPU in that smart TV is just underpowered and the Fire box would resolve that. Can't be sure yet though.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by wdb

I need my Velocity Channel, professional tennis coverage, and F1 coverage. Those are pretty much the only reason I continue to pay for cable TV service. If I could get streaming packages for those sports -- and watch them on my schedule! -- I'd be a cord cutter.

Until then to be honest I look at it as a minor incovenience. Cost-wise our HD cable TV service doesn't cost as much as most folks spend to carry a telephone in their pockets. Why do y'all pay a fortune for unlimited data on a screen the size of a postage stamp, then bitch and moan about paying less for the same thing on a screen the size of a wall? I never understood that bit.

I have Velocity channel on PS Vue. Check their channel line up to see if they have what you want:
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/network/vue/channels/

[paimon.soror]

So I wanted to start this little thread to capture some of the stuff my wife and I are going through with trying to cut the cord. Of course I say "my wife and I" but it is really "me, trying my best to get the wife to come aboard".

Current Setup:
Cox Communications
140+ Channels - $134.59
150mbps internet - $77.99
Bundle Discount - $45.99
Total after Taxes: $182.24

My Requirements
NBC Sports Boston (for my celtics games)
TBS
USA
TV Land
Spike (would be nice)
Velocity (would be nicer)

My Wife's Requirements
Food Network
Cooking Channel
HGTV
Bravo
E
Oxygen

What I Am Testing (Chromecast + Roku Premier+)
Sling TV (current)
DirecTV Now
PS Vue
Youtube TV

===== Trial 1 - Sling TV
Setup was very easy with this guy. It was my first streaming service, so- so far so good. I dont watch much TV, so immediately I was content with the quality and the selection. Here is the package that we got:

Trial period for 7 Days Free $0.00
Trial period for Sling Blue $0.00
Trial period for Comedy Extra $0.00
Trial period for Lifestyle Extra $0.00
Trial period for 1 Stream $0.00
Trial period for FOX RSN-YES 1 $0.00
Trial period for Cloud DVR

Total once the trial is over is $40 plus whatever taxes.

I initially started with streaming over the chromecast, and while it connected and streamed without issue at first, it was very intermittent. It seems that the chromecast just doesn't have the backbone to really live stream 1080p continuous over a long period of time. Also, it would be nice only if you had a dedicated android device just to stream vs a phone.

I ended up getting the Roku, and today the streaming has been flawless! The quality is damn good, .... my wife didn't even realize we were watching Sling lol.

As this trial goes on, I will keep updating. The key for me is to see what the wife thinks.

PROs
Great quality
DVR
- Really neat feature where you can see a preview of the jump forward. And you can adjust how far to go
- No more wife clicking jump forward on the remote and FFing 5 mins into the show after commercial
Has most of the channels my wife watches

CONs
Random channel freezing
- Sometimes during streaming the channel freezes up. I need to change the channel and then change back.
No local channels - this is a huge bummer. My wife watches NBC/ABC/CBS. And so far Sling only carries NBC Connecticut.
No NBC Sports Boston - BOOOOOO, i cant watch my celtics

===== Trial 2 - Hulu

Easy peasy setup here as well. Takes paypal which is great. Already had a hulu account from free streaming, so I just added the TV package which came with the limited commercial subscription. Cost is going to be

Live TV $38.99/mo
TRIAL ENDS 01/15/18

Limited Commercials $7.99/mo
TRIAL ENDS 01/15/18

Bundle Discount -$6.99/mo

PROs
Bundle deal with the limited commerial pack
Some local channels!
DVR
NBC Sports Boston (WOO WOO)

CONs
Lots of buffering
14.99 each for enhanced dvr (200hours, FF commercials), and unlimited device streaming

===== Trial 3 - Youtube TV

Already a google member, so it used my payment preferences (paypal) to sign up.

Live TV $35.35 /mo ($35.00 + 0.35 tax)

PROs
Google backed (im a fanboy)
Unlimited DVR
Hovering over a channel gives you a live preview of what is playing

CONs
Missing a lot of our channels
No roku app

===== Trial 4 - PS Vue

Giving this one a shot at a recommendation from this thread. So far it has all of the channels we are looking for which is a good sign, although a bit on the expensive side because of the channel selection we "need" (read: the wife)

Live TV $54.99/mo

PROs
Channel lineups rival that of Hulu trial
Buffering is non-existant! (so far..)

CONs
Expensive compared to Hulu
Guide loading is a bit long sometimes


Cord cutters, let me know your experiences! Would love to hear some tips/tricks, setups, etc.

[E92 M Sport]

Great write up, thank you. I use DIRECTV for Sunday ticket reasons (Eagles)!, and will consider an alternative if I can get Sunday ticket. DIRECTV now didn't offer a Dvr at first launch, which I guess is a deal breaker for now. But as stated, most of these channels are useless, I only actually use about 10.

[vtown]

get an indoor antenna for the local Networks. Looks like you are in a metro area, should be able to get NBC/CBS/ABC/Fox...plus like 20 spanish channels lol

[paimon.soror]

Originally Posted by E92 M Sport

Great write up, thank you. I use DIRECTV for Sunday ticket reasons (Eagles)!, and will consider an alternative if I can get Sunday ticket. DIRECTV now didn't offer a Dvr at first launch, which I guess is a deal breaker for now. But as stated, most of these channels are useless, I only actually use about 10.

My coworker likes DTVNow the most out of all of the streaming networks, but to your point, right now they dont have DVR. I actually have a show that i set to record tonight on Sling TV to test out the DVR service (Superstore, such a good show). I'll report back what i see in regards to the DVR quality.

Originally Posted by vtown

get an indoor antenna for the local Networks. Looks like you are in a metro area, should be able to get NBC/CBS/ABC/Fox...plus like 20 spanish channels lol

Very true. Now the catch there is that, my wife DVRs most of her shows from the local networks heh, so I'll have to figure something out if we go that route.