Cutting the cord

[TheMan419]

So we are finally in a place where the internet speeds at the house are "good". With the upgrades we made we are getting 10+ Mb at all times. Often more like 20.

Then Sunday the dish network receiver took a dump. It is dead and will not turn on. Long story short they will send me a new receiver but will NOT reduce the costs. I am paying like $95/mo. WAY too much.

So we are looking at getting a streaming service. So far I have identified
Youtube TV
Hulu + Live TV
Sling

As being possible services to use.

We bought a Roku Stick to do the streaming. Signed up for Youtube TV trial period.

Just looking for others who have done this and why they ended up choosing a particular service.... even if it is not one of the ones listed above.

Thanks!

 

[RNeumann]

We switched. Tried Directv Now, the Hulu and are now on YouTube TV. Your channel choices dictate some of it. So make sure you get the channels you want as each service is different. Beyond that YT has unlimited storage so that’s a nice feature. Roku is what we use and both Hulu and YT have good interface. All the services offer a 7 day free trial and you can cancel anytime. I’d just start giving them a try once you find plans that have the channels you want.

 

[Tonyinohio]

We have Spectrum for internet. Had DirectTV but have switched to Spectrum streaming since it carries local channels. I just added Disney+ and use it more than anything else. We pay ~$110 monthly total. SW Ohio area.

 

[Diggin It]

We switched.

That's a better term for what's being discussed. Few really 'cut the cord' as I did several years ago when I simply turned the TV off and unplugged it.

 

[ruffdog]

My tv cord only goes to the antenna. Not much on worthy of watching any more. The wife has been pulling out old board games to play....Ha! :laughing:

 

[Racenut]

I recently dropped Directv and switched to FuboTV. After comparing the various services, it was the only one with MavTV available, even though it's part of a $5 a month add=on, I gotta have that. They don't spend nearly as much on advertising as the others. But have my local channels and all the other channels I actually watch. They don't have ABC/ESPN as Disney owns those and Hulu so apparently doesn't play so nice with other services. But when I looked at the shows I actually watch... I lost nothing lol. Also, you can get ABC programs via direct stream if you're using a Roku.

I have the upgraded plan so I can watch on 3 devices at a time and have 500 hours of DVR. So far. I'm happy with the service.

 

[TractorGuy]

Don't fall for the "FREE" receiver. They don't give you anything without a new commitment.

DTV pulled that one on me years ago. I had been a customer for 7 years when my receiver died. DTV offered me a "FREE" receiver if I would pay $20 shipping. I told them the ONLY way I was interested is if my package and rate stayed the same and no new contract. Lady on the phone told me nothing would change. Got the new receiver and had to call to get it activated. Next month my bill was $10 higher. Called and was told my plan wasn't available any more so change had to occur for the new activation. I also couldn't get SPEED anymore with the new higher rate plan. Haggled with them for 3 months then packed it up and returned it. Thanks goodness I was paying by check monthly because they tried to charge me a $280 early disconnect fee. Said I had a new 18 month agreement with the new receiver. I was aggravated by them for 6 more months including them turning me over to a collection agency. When that happened I sent a certified letter to the collection agent and told them any further contact and I would add them to my complaint with the State Attorney's office against DTV. They both went away after that and neither put a smudge on my credit. The battle would have ensued for sure if it showed up on a credit report.

After that I called Dish and was told the only way to get service from them was with auto pay. NO THANKS!

Been on antenna and Netflix ever since. Plenty of free content on You Tube as well. Most of the racing I watch is uploaded a week or so after the race. I quit following Nascar when I cut the satellite off.

 

[Molalla1]

I threaten "them" directtv with cutting the cord every year . . . my bill for services should be @ $140 a month . . . I pay 69.99 for the same because I call once a year to ***** and moan about $$$$$$ and that I am a Vietnam vet x 2+ . . . it's been working year in and year out :confused3: . . . when and if they stop I will .

 

[TheMan419]

I threaten "them" directtv with cutting the cord every year . . . my bill for services should be @ $140 a month . . . I pay 69.99 for the same because I call once a year to ***** and moan about $$$$$$ and that I am a Vietnam vet x 2+ . . . it's been working year in and year out :confused3: . . . when and if they stop I will .

Yep I used to do same with Dish. They would jack up the rate and I would call and complain. They would drop it again for 6 mo or a year. Then back up. This last time, no dice. There are no deals available to you sir. So too bad so sad they lost a customer. Been with them like 10 years. Not out of loyalty, but mainly they kept the bill at a place where I was ok with it and then do not have to deal with another company coming out, being home for when the installer comes, dealing with whatever they need to install etc. Pain in the.....

Since I already have internet.... now if I want to change from Youtube tv to something else, a couple mouse clicks and it is done.

 

[Roadworthy]

A small company beams internet to my house via microwave or something for $50 a month. Off air television is not an option, yes there are still places in the US which get no television reception. Wife got tired of Netflix offerings so she switched to Amazon Prime for now. She misses the sports on television. I don't.

 

[Molalla1]

Yep I used to do same with Dish. They would jack up the rate and I would call and complain. They would drop it again for 6 mo or a year. Then back up. This last time, no dice. There are no deals available to you sir. So too bad so sad they lost a customer. Been with them like 10 years. Not out of loyalty, but mainly they kept the bill at a place where I was ok with it and then do not have to deal with another company coming out, being home for when the installer comes, dealing with whatever they need to install etc. Pain in the.....

Since I already have internet.... now if I want to change from Youtube tv to something else, a couple mouse clicks and it is done.

We shall see . . . mine's coming up in March again . . . if they balk . . . I'm leaving the area. I've been with directv for around 18 years.

 

[GeneV]

An internet connection, amazon prime sub, firestick, a couple side-loaded steaming apps that show movies and tv shows....you're good to go.

 

[ededic]

Base cable for local channels and news $21 p/mo, Sling Blue for $30 p/mo, Sling HE for TCM $5 p/mo, AppleTV+ $5 p/mo, Amazon Prime $10 p/mo

10mb unlimited Internet from base cable provider $45 p/mo

$121 all in p/mo

Can drop sling and AppleTV at any time. No contract.

 

[whistlepig]

Not all rural internet connections are equal. And if one has satellite (like us) one is at the mercy (sometimes) of the weather. This includes cell phone. We have been through two internet providers and 6 cell phone providers. Just not going to get the performance of cable on a satellite connection.

 

[ruffdog]

The phone/DSL company says I live in the "dead zone". Unless there is development ($), they won't spend the money to upgrade internet service. The politicians threw money at the internet providers with the promise that better service will reach rural homes. The better service only reached the edge of a big corn field that is owned by a developer (doner?).

 

[whistlepig]

We were rural once and finally got cable internet. Once we had RoadRunner we were spoiled. Then we went back rural (no cable) thirteen years ago. TV, cell phones, and internet. Satellite simply just isn't going to match cable. Heck, just getting electric here after a storm outage is a major effort. Still I wouldn't trade back.

 

[ededic]

Check with the local university. They may have a student project that turns into a great service. It happened in the rural Upper Penninsula of Michigan.

 

[ultrarunner]

That's a better term for what's being discussed. Few really 'cut the cord' as I did several years ago when I simply turned the TV off and unplugged it.

Or simply have over the air so no cord or cable to cut

 

[EddieWalker]

I've been overwhelmed with all the options and trying to figure out what's out there and how to go about doing it. My wife bought a Roku last year that we slowly started to use. Think baby steps and being forced against your will to step outside your comfort zone type of thing. We still had Dish while trying the Roku, which we have sort of figured out. Then our Dish went out and they said they said it would be almost a week to get somebody out to look at it, so I went to Lowes, Home Depot and Best Buy to look at antennas. I bought one for $150 from Lowes. We get 13 channels on it, which include the big 4, ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX which allow us to watch local news, and some shows that we like in the evening. Then my wife added Direct Now from her AT&T bundle on her cell plan for $20 a month that allows us to get a bunch of cable channels that we sometimes watch.

What we have found that we like doing the most is finding a series and watching those episodes in order, or a tv show and watching episodes of that show from the first one on up. We've also found that we really enjoy watching British shows that are also on here, but different there. Britains Got Tallent is hillarious!!! We've watched 2019, 2018, 2017 and were watching 2016 now. We watch for an hour or two, then go to bed and start watching again when we want. We've sort of created our own show schedule where we can watch something we enjoy when we want.

In hind site, we should have done this sooner and not wasted so much money on Dish.

 

[ultrarunner]

It really adds up over the long run... maybe Dad had it right when he booted the cable guy out of the house back in 1973... See it was 7.95 a month and Dad said if he had an extra 100 to spare he wouldn't spend it on the idiot box... funny because the TV in Mom's house we bought Dad in 1980... to replace the set he bought in 1964... Zenith... The quality goes in before the name goes on.