Sanity check from you cord cutters

[bobbygene]

I use youTube aTV--with an internet connection you get all major channels, great sports, etc. And unlimited DVR in the cloud. $40 per month, no taxes. And you can use it on 3 devices simultaneously.

 

[radios1]

Sure it works. We use splitters and combiners all the time.

for one station OK.. here's an explanation of why it's not good at all to use it for multiple stations. Is it possible to combine independent digital TV antennas? - Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange

 

[IXLR8]

I have been using Fubo for a few months and I liked what I was getting for the price. I just received an email from them saying they were adding a bunch of channels that I have no interest in, and they are increasing my bill by $10/month. They are acting just like my cable company.. time to look for another provider.

 

[goeduck]

I have been using Fubo for a few months and I liked what I was getting for the price. I just received an email from them saying they were adding a bunch of channels that I have no interest in, and they are increasing my bill by $10/month. They are acting just like my cable company.. time to look for another provider.

But the beauty now is you can easily drop them and select a different service. That alone should help keep the price in check better in the long run.

 

[goeduck]

I ordered a Channel Master CM-7777HD Adjustable Gain Preamp. I see it can be powered direct if installed inside or I can use the power inserter and mount the preamp outside on the mast. What is the advantage of being on the mast, to capture the signals at their strongest point? Or?

 

[Welshman]

I ordered a Channel Master CM-7777HD Adjustable Gain Preamp. I see it can be powered direct if installed inside or I can use the power inserter and mount the preamp outside on the mast. What is the advantage of being on the mast, to capture the signals at their strongest point? Or?

I have one of those and it works great. The theory is that while it amplifies the signal, it can also amplify interference, so they recommend installing it as close to the antenna as possible. When I first got it, to see if it worked, I installed it right at one of the TV's, and I got all available channels. Since the weather was bad, I then moved it to the crawl space where the coax comes in, and ahead of my splitter (my antenna is on a 18' mast just outside the house). Since I got all available channels, I left it there. I don't see any difference between the high or low settings, so I left it on low.

 

[thekkfan]

I ordered a Channel Master CM-7777HD Adjustable Gain Preamp. I see it can be powered direct if installed inside or I can use the power inserter and mount the preamp outside on the mast. What is the advantage of being on the mast, to capture the signals at their strongest point? Or?

Yes, to not lose anything in the cabling to the house. Mine has a 6" pigtail from antenna to preamp, feeding power back to it from my distribution cabinet. The LTE filter seemed to help my channels as well. Not sure if your area has alot of cell towers around.

 

[Oaktree]

But the beauty now is you can easily drop them and select a different service. That alone should help keep the price in check better in the long run.

Fine as long as you can find another one that offers what you want at a reasonable price.
Unfortunately, the trend seems to be to throw in a bunch of channels you don't want as an excuse to raise the price. Whatever happened to a la carte? Seems like it would be easy to implement for a streaming service.

 

[CMV]

Fine as long as you can find another one that offers what you want at a reasonable price.
Unfortunately, the trend seems to be to throw in a bunch of channels you don't want as an excuse to raise the price. Whatever happened to a la carte? Seems like it would be easy to implement for a streaming service.

At least not to the point of cable....diluting the few you want with 100s each of home shopping, foreign language, obscure sports, etc. That was horrible since just cycling thru the guide took forever just to see what was on. I like the guide I have now since I can mark the channels I like and the guide hides the remainder - nice to just see what I want and not all the "filler" that cable used so they could boast a "500 channel lineup" or whatever it was.

True a la carte sounds good on the surface. But I pay about $0.50 per channel with Sling Blue. However, their add-on bundles for news, sports, whatever are a lot more & some can be as much as $5 for one (non premium like HBO) channel. So if it were truly pick ONLY the channels you want but they were $2.50 each, that would still add up pretty quick unless you really only wanted a small handful in addition to your OTA (which many people probably would). I could pare down to the ones I really would like to have, but would still have to be maybe $1.50-$1.75 each for it to save anything.

But it seems many of these streaming providers are offering the same channels bundled similarly. I'm thinking that's the way they "buy" them too - they pay to redistribute packages of channels, not each single one. So that's the way we get them resold to us. Even if we were to pick & choose only certain individual channels, if it cost the provider the same because they paid for the whole bundle, the per channel cost would just have to rise to be the same anyway. Dunno....just a theory.

 

[goeduck]

Well I cancelled the Xfinity (Comcast) channel lineup today and they dropped from a 150 MB to 60 MB connection plus phone which took me from $231.55 a month to $100.21. So I have $131 to work with. They would not give me the $49/month new customer rate and stuck me with the $79/screw-your-customer-rate. Then of course they charge $11/month for the cable modem. And phone plus taxes takes me to $100.21. I went by Best Buy and they have cable modems with the phone connection, WiFi and 4 port Ethernet router all built in for $200 to $300 but I am not sure I want to go there and not be able to tell Comcast they are not giving me an internet connection if I have any problem whatsoever (hardware or service). Plus that is a lot of money to recover. But I might if I can get a good buy on one.

Now I have to fine tune the streaming packages since I am $20 to $30 over my plan.

$43.60 YouTube TV.... general TV, news, sports
$21.99 Philo. Womany stuff
$6.59. Hallmark Now... more womany stuff
$15.99. Netflix
$0.00 Tablo .. 51 local stations, should get better when my Channel Master equip arrives
$88.17 TOTAL

So saving about $40 at this point. Not where I want to end up but I am getting way, way more things to watch. I am all set for news, but and lacking on local sports teams. I am thinking of getting rid of Netflix to save some more and then the cable modem, but I am not wanting to have Xfinity tell me the problem is in my cable modem.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Well I cancelled the Xfinity (Comcast) channel lineup today and they dropped from a 150 MB to 60 MB connection plus phone which took me from $231.55 a month to $100.21. So I have $131 to work with. They would not give me the $49/month new customer rate and stuck me with the $79/screw-your-customer-rate. Then of course they charge $11/month for the cable modem. And phone plus taxes takes me to $100.21. I went by Best Buy and they have cable modems with the phone connection, WiFi and 4 port Ethernet router all built in for $200 to $300 but I am not sure I want to go there and not be able to tell Comcast they are not giving me an internet connection if I have any problem whatsoever ever (hardware or service). Plus that is a lot of money to recover. But I might if I can get a good buy on one.

Now I have to fine tune the streaming packages since I am $20 to $30 over my plan.

$43.60 YouTube TV.... general TV, news, sports
$21.99 Philo. Womany stuff
$6.59. Hallmark Now... more womany stuff
$15.99. Netflix
$0.00 Tablo .. 51 local stations, should get better when my Channel Master equip arrives
$88.17 TOTAL

So saving about $40 at this point. Not where I want to end up but I am getting way, way more things to watch. I am all set for news, but and lacking on local sports teams. I am thinking of getting rid of Netflix to save some more and then the cable modem but I am not wanting to have Xfinity tell me the problem is in my cable modem.

Not sure if you even need one this nice.
$184.97

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Gigabit-Compatible-Gig-Speed-CM1000-1AZNAS/dp/B0781VN7W5/ref=asc_df_B0781VN7W5/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309707619534&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5824611230311687087&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027906&hvtargid=pla-623971587527&psc=1

 

[CMV]

Why keep landline phone? I had a hard time giving that up too. But reality was only telemarketers, scammers, and political campaigns ever called our landline....anyone who knows us and we actually would want to talk to, calls our cells anyway.

I used the fax machine as an excuse for a long time. I fax probably 1 thing from home every other year. And that can be done online or from work or like a normal person with scan and email....

But drop landline then a basic cable modem works giving you more choices for less $

 

[goeduck]

Why keep landline phone? I had a hard time giving that up too. But reality was only telemarketers, scammers, and political campaigns ever called our landline....anyone who knows us and we actually would want to talk to, calls our cells anyway.

My wife is half deaf (one ear completely) and she struggles with a cell phone and lies the higher volumes of a land line. My other option might be a cell-to-land-type phone setup if someone makes one. So the phone itself is powered by a plug in and has better audio. I have not researched that.

 

[CMV]

Well I cancelled the Xfinity (Comcast) channel lineup today and they dropped from a 150 MB to 60 MB connection plus phone which took me from $231.55 a month to $100.21. So I have $131 to work with. They would not give me the $49/month new customer rate and stuck me with the $79/screw-your-customer-rate. Then of course they charge $11/month for the cable modem. And phone plus taxes takes me to $100.21. I went by Best Buy and they have cable modems with the phone connection, WiFi and 4 port Ethernet router all built in for $200 to $300 but I am not sure I want to go there and not be able to tell Comcast they are not giving me an internet connection if I have any problem whatsoever ever (hardware or service). Plus that is a lot of money to recover. But I might if I can get a good buy on one.

Now I have to fine tune the streaming packages since I am $20 to $30 over my plan.

$43.60 YouTube TV.... general TV, news, sports
$21.99 Philo. Womany stuff
$6.59. Hallmark Now... more womany stuff
$15.99. Netflix
$0.00 Tablo .. 51 local stations, should get better when my Channel Master equip arrives
$88.17 TOTAL

So saving about $40 at this point. Not where I want to end up but I am getting way, way more things to watch. I am all set for news, but and lacking on local sports teams. I am thinking of getting rid of Netflix to save some more and then the cable modem but I am not wanting to have Xfinity tell me the problem is in my cable modem.

Seems like you are double paying for some with the philo + YouTube + hallmark overlap? Not sure how many simultaneous streams or dvr capability you need but sling blue + womany add on package (they don稚 call it that of course but you will know it when you see it) is $30. $55 would be that + sling blue. Fox News biggest miss there for you. Hulu+ seems to have a lot too.....

 

[goeduck]

Seems like you are double paying for some with the philo + YouTube + hallmark overlap? Not sure how many simultaneous streams or dvr capability you need but sling blue + womany add on package (they don稚 call it that of course but you will know it when you see it) is $30. $55 would be that + sling blue. Fox News biggest miss there for you. Hulu+ seems to have a lot too.....

I think I am double paying and I have to work through that. Sling does not do Paypal so I stopped looking at them, I like that convenience. I was going to set up Paypal credit and them use it on Sling but no Fox News. Fox News is mandatory in this house for both the wife and me. One thing we both agree on. :thumbsup:

When I set up Hallmark Now, I thought I was getting all of Hallmark. :duh: :duh: No, I quickly was informed that there are 4 DIFFERENT Hallmarks and SWMBO now needs all 4. So I went backwards there (she had 3). :banghead:

 

[kcflhrc]

Some of these "Cord Cutting Plans" cost more than my Dish Network, plus you have a lot more cords.

 

[goeduck]

Actually from the cord side (if the pun was not intended) it is much simpler. The TVs are wireless so you can move them around anywhere you can plug them into power and have adequate WiFi reception.

I think the plans will shake out and compete for best price and service. At least I hope.

 

[Alien]

Sadly I have no WiFi TVs. That could change in a couple of years. Most of my TVs are ones that the kids upgraded and gave us the hand downs.
Some are older than 2015 so not all HD channels are available so we had to get a couple of set-top boxes. Took a while to work out why we couldnt get all the channels. Only later TVs have them.
Cant even watch netflix unless we sit in front of the PC.
Too old to care much anyway. More to do than watch TV. Life is getting shorter now.

 

[CMV]

I didn't pick these - gift from my BIL who works for Comcast so if he says they're good he'd know better than I would.

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-R6700-Nighthawk-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00R2AZLD2?th=1 $100

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-XFIN...ear+cm700&qid=1554162846&s=electronics&sr=1-3 $105

Together they have worked flawlessly for the few months I've had them. 0 glitches, manual reboots, dropped signal, etc. 100x better than what Time Warner was renting me. @ $12/mo or whatever they charge for their equipment rental it will take a little while to break even, but I'm sure there are lower cost modems & routers that work really well too. But you either need a different type modem or another add-on piece if the landline is a must.

We worried about my mom dropping landline & only having cell for the hearing loss piece too. I don't know how to gauge her hearing really, but she will listen to the TV about 50% louder than I will. I normally listen about 10% louder than mrs CMV who is younger and has excellent hearing still. So mom would set the TV to +60% the volume level of a person with "normal adult hearing" if that is any kind of measure.... Anyway, it wasn't an issue & she just puts all calls on speaker. Says she likes that much better even and can hear her cell calls on speaker better than her landline. But she lives alone so no one to annoy with the loud TV, phone calls, etc.... I forget what phone I got her - the smaller iPhone - 6S maybe? Dunno - it's kind of basic and a couplethree yrs old now, but works well for her.

This is something I really like about Sling + AirTV box for it:

This is a [poor] picture of my guide. The top green arrow I can filter among "my channels" seeing only the ones I want, all channels, only OTA channels, etc. The middle arrow by the heart designates a favorite channel or what shows up with the my channel filter on. The bottom one indicates an OTA channel. The OTA show up just like the channels Sling provides.....no input switching or changing apps. All from Sling & super simple. And the AirTV box streams my antenna so I don't need any coax connections at the TVs - but it will only stream to 2 at once. But only 2 of us live here so no big deal there & chances 3 people would be here all wanting to watch OTA stations on 3 separate TVs is slim....like powerball slim.

I have nothing to compare it to other than cable....Sling was my first attempt & figured if I didn't like it try Hulu or whoever next. But really like it a bunch (but would like the Fox News option). So others might have equally slick or even better interfaces for all I know. What I have is pretty simple and "just works" so for that alone I really like it. I got an intro deal where I prepaid for 3 months at a discounted rate & got some free stuff (which they still haven't sent!!!!). The AirTV box came with a $50 Sling credit code that gave me additional 1.5 months. After that, I think it just bills to my debit card if I don't cancel.

Watch Fox News Live Stream [HD] - Fox News Channel Online Streaming for your Fox news fix Or your Maddow fix if that's your thing But that is lots of news on one site

Maybe check out Fubo also....sounds like it has everything you want, but is bigger $ option. Tons of sports channels, Fox news, 3 hallmarks + oxygen + lifetime movies + lifetime + WE should also cover the womany stuff well. Their $55/mo package looks like it has all your stuff for $17 less than your 3. No idea how many streams, how you can pay, DVR options, interface with Roku, etc.....

 

[goeduck]

Maybe check out Fubo also....sounds like it has everything you want, but is bigger $ option. Tons of sports channels, Fox news, 3 hallmarks + oxygen + lifetime movies + lifetime + WE should also cover the womany stuff well. Their $55/mo package looks like it has all your stuff for $17 less than your 3. No idea how many streams, how you can pay, DVR options, interface with Roku, etc.....

Thank you, I had not noticed Fubo much before. I might let the paint dry on my current selection and maybe change in a month or two. Certainly after ai get my Channel Master antenna up to see what additional stations I get, then decide.