Thread: Cord Cutting

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  1. #1
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    Cord Cutting

    I'm trying to understand cutting cable or satellite. I know you can get movies, TV series on Netflix, Apple TV etc. but with many TV series you may have to wait a year to watch them. I can get ESPN and other networks on my phone, tablet etc. but you need to pick a content provider (i.e Direct TV etc.) If a network controls its content as many do then how do you access it for free?

    Now I know there are options to get HBO and other channels ala cart on Apple TV etc. but people are still paying for this content. Is it at a hugely reduced rate from what HBO receives from Direct TV subscriptions etc.? I'm trying to understand the dynamics of this so if anyone has any insight I'd love to hear it. Maybe I'm just getting older and not getting it

  2. Stocks/Investments Moderator boneil's Avatar
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    #2
    I have looked into cutting the cord several times and it is never cost effective for me. My BIL is cord free and it works for him but he also doesn't watch the news channels like I do. It seams that I needed multiple subscriptions to get close to the channels that I wanted and even then, I was still missing some and needed an antenna. Plus I don't think you can beat On Demand from the cable providers.

  3. Member
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    #3
    I'd love to do it also but that means no Fox News, Cardinals baseball and the DIY shows! Not that the wife needs anymore DIY ideas
    2001 ChampioN 206 Yamaha 225

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    #4
    I read a few articles on Disney this morning and it's crazy how you can have such a disparity of opinion. Some say Disney is doomed because it is a cable company and others say it's is a content company and that cord cutting won't affect it. I guess that is why it's called investing instead of saving

  5. Member Dando's Avatar
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    #5
    Quote Originally Posted by milligjg View Post
    I'd love to do it also but that means no Fox News, Cardinals baseball and the DIY shows! Not that the wife needs anymore DIY ideas
    The DIY shows can be found and news, although, not sure about FOX news? (We use ROKU).
    Just depends on how much Sports are worth to you? For me, 20 or so Sporting events per year cost me $1200/year.
    I can do without that, and I don't mind waiting a few months on my TV shows to save $800 a year.

    We steal a buddy's Netflix so that's free.
    We steal Hulu from mom, so that's free.
    We let both of them steal Amazon Prime from us.
    For a few hours a night, we are not lacking on entertainment.

    It's not the we can't afford it. It's simply a challenge and most cable/satellite channels seem to take a 1:45 min movie and play it for 3hrs. That's almost as many commercials as show. If you don't dvr it in advance, it's really irritating.
    I think the new secret color is "A-Rig"..........

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    #6
    .
    Last edited by tj; 08-22-2017 at 03:20 PM.

  7. Member
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    #7
    Cable companies either are partners or they own mostly all of the streaming sites. Cable companies like selling you cable but they love selling you internet. That's where the money is. That's the thing if you want to stream you still have to use them for internet. They still get a part of the money you spend monthly on the streaming sites. Its a win win.

  8. Member
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    #8
    I cut the cord a few months ago and the only channel I haven't been able to get that I watched was Outdoor channel. The only show I wanted to watch was MLF. At the time they still offered extended cast, so I thought I was good, but they did away with that. I can still watch ESPN, Disney Jr for the kiddos, Nick Jr, etc. But those all require a cable username and password which I use my parents.

    I bought a Channel Master DVR for recording all the TV series that run on the over the air channels. Pretty much eliminates the need for HULU.

    My Roku 2 enables the streaming channels.

    I added Netflix, which we did not have before and bought my own modem.

    My cable bill had gotten up to $162/month.

    I now pay $35/mo for internet and $10 for netflix. Works for me!

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    #9
    If I could get ESPN and fox sports Midwest I could cut the cord in a heartbeat.
    Boatless Bank Trash

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    #10
    .
    Last edited by tj; 08-22-2017 at 03:20 PM.

  11. Member
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    #11
    I bought a Roku 3, Netflix and Hulu subscription. Netflix for movies mostly with some series and Hulu for TV show series. Cost was $99 for the Roku and less than $20 for Netflix/Hulu. You can also download other "apps" that let you explore such as the History Channel, Discovery channel, Boating channel, etc. Some are free, some are subscription. History and Discovery have some of the shows I watch for free but you may have to wait.

    The hardest part is getting on cycle. I'm still waiting for this year's Goldrush and Deadliest Catch seasons to come out on Netflix, so as long as you aren't a fanatic you'll be fine. We have a smart TV so we used Netflix and Hulu for a month and tried not to use cable at all to see. We found we didn't miss much and we watched less TV actually. We are 100% cord cut now and just watch TV a few hours a day. It's great for the kids also if you have any. We have Baby TV and let the baby watch ABC's and numbers all day long.

    I can also stream YouTube from my iPhone to my Roku (it really just plays on the Roku...iPhone app is easier to navigate) so I get to watch all kinds of things from YouTube on the big screen.