Looking to cut the cord. Charter can suck it.

[Atman]

I'm sorry this post isn't about men hating women and the women who hate them, but the only thing I can't stand more than those threads is paying my now $170 cable/internet bill. It seems to go up every month, and digging through this months bill we found they've increased the modem rental fee to $10 (I honestly thought we owned it!), a basic dtv box rental went up to $10, the HDTV box another $10, and the fees and taxes are almost as much as the damned service! Well, not really, but there are LOTS of taxes, regulatory fees, access fees, this fee, that fee. Insanity.

We've been looking around and I'm thinking we're going all the way (still need internet, of course...we'll have to suck it up); Digital antenna for OTA hdtv, combined with Hulu/Netflix, internet and an Apple TV, and SCREW CHARTER. For about the cost of one month's cable bill I can say good-bye to their usurious bullshit. I admit, I'll miss me some Jon Stewart and Shameless, and the programs we got hooked on on Showtime and HBO, but we don't watch anything else except Morning Blow over coffee. And don't really even "watch" it, just morning noise. It seems like most other content we can get online or just wait for it to be released elsewhere. Our area, though fairly rural, seems to be in decent range for all the networks and PBS, from a few different markets (MA, RI, CT). So after the initial cost, we'd cut about $100-140 a month by getting rid of Charter.

One of our LED tvs is a small (26&quot older model, so it's not wifi-ready, but the big-screen is a "smart tv," and has all the bells and whistles, we've just never used them. Anyone else have any experience with this they could share? It seems kind of drastic, but I can't justify paying Charter this much money anymore. When we try to pare back our service, they hit us with other "package" fees and crap to make up for it, and we wind up only saving $10 a month. I'm done!

[srican69]

1. Keep your internet and use one the following

Chromecast if you are an android user
Apple TV if an iOS
Roku

I have appleTV that gets me free ESPN, Live CBS apart from Netflix (7/mo) .. I ocassionaly buy movies from itunes .

[Atman]

2. Apple TV is on the list, too.

My son is a tech geek, he's been bugging us to get Apple TV for ages. We already use Airport to send music all over the house, and combined with the smart tv, Apple TV seems to make a lot of sense.

[Brainstormy]

15. Ditto on Apply TV

which can also be used for music. But the hardware is only about a 100 bucks, piece of cake to install, and there's a ton of value there even without a Netflix subscription which is 7.99 a month. And no commercials. We're loving ours.

[Vashta Nerada]

21. Chromecast is $35. Apple TV is $99.

And depending on one's tv, a Roku can be anywhere between $49.99-$99.99.

I just wanted the OP to know how much each cost. Cost is based on Amazon.com.

[Rosco T.]

41. Roku 3 on sale today (12/27) for $79

I also have an XBMC setup and get a lot, LOT of free live streaming.

[Atman]

52. Sorry, if it's by Google I want nothing to do with it.

I know, I know, you will think that's funny because I'm "an Apple guy." But Apple's alleged spying and tracking pales in comparison to Google's. Google's entire raison d'etre is to track your every move, and sell your habits to other people.

[Vashta Nerada]

53. Um, Chromecast is the size of a USB thumb drive and it plays media on your tv via your computer.

It also plays Netflix, Hulu Plus, and HBO Go. I doubt it's spying on you.

[pacalo]

56. I first learned about that in an article suggesting tech gifts before Christmas.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/20/tech-gifts-procrastinators_n_4475678.html?ref=topbar

A small, simple and inexpensive way to watch Netflix, YouTube and HBO Go (among others) or listen to music on your television. Plug it into your TV's HDMI port, connect it into a power source and to your Wi-Fi network and follow the simple setup instructions. It's compatible with both iOS and Android phones and tablets, Google's Chromebook Pixel and Mac and Windows computers.

Where to buy:

It costs $35, but a number of retailers, including Best Buy and Amazon, have it listed online for $29. You can also find it in Best Buy, Staples and Walmart stores.

[Mass]

3. We have moved this way last year, when we came into an area with no access to broadcast.

We have Magic Jack for phone, subscription to Hulu and Aereo. We still have Charter for the internet, but everything else is online, so our fees are less than $50/month (CHARTER) + 2 x $8/month +$10/year

You should be able to watch John Stewart on line the next day (either on Hulu or directly on the Comedy Central website).

[MannyGoldstein]

4. We're in the process of cutting now

We set up a Roku box which is great, and will be setting up a MoHu leaf antenna for local and live viewing.

Will have to pay for Hulu Plus and won't be able to record shows on TiVo to view right away like we could before, although we can play them, although we could record right away if we subscribe to Aereo.

Cable TV will soon be kaput.

[libnnc]

33. Mohu Leaf is the bomb.

We have two and they work great. One on the little flat screen DVD combo in the kitchen and one on the smartTV (Netflix, Youtube, Hulu+) in the bedroom. We splurged and bought a $100 indoor/outdoor antenna for the big TV in the living room and have that antenna hanging in the attic. Get all the major networks and multiple affiliates. I love getting the out of cable market news from surrounding areas. Still have internet through Time Warner, though, so not totally free of those parasites.

Cut the cord about 3 months ago and haven't regretted it yet.

Best decision we've made this year, besides getting married.

... now if I could only figure out how to stream free porn in the bedroom...

[lostincalifornia]

5. Don't blame you. not just cable, Direct TV is becoming too expensive

I have the minimum package plus hbo and i am paying 100 dollars a month, for watching about 6 channels

I will start making a similar transition in January as you are doing

My bill was about 170 a month like you, and i moved to the minimum package plus hbo for a 100 bucks

That still is too much for what i watch

[PasadenaTrudy]

18. My situation exactly!

We have DirectTV and mainly watch Bill Maher on HBO. Paying almost $100 a month. I want to get rid of it, but I'm not up on the alternatives. We have TWC for internet. We have Macs and wifi. My flatscreen tv is about five years old. I'm not sure how Apple TV even works. Must do some research!

[lostincalifornia]

47. Geez, almost the same reason why I have HBO. There are rumors where HBO may also off independent

service through ROKU, AppleTV etc. Hasn't happened yet. AppleTV does provide BloombergTV live from what I understand, but I think consumers are getting tired of the expensive fees, and with Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, AERO, and other services, they may have to change their ways.

Similar to AT&T and Verizon. They have held essentially a monopoly, but now Companies like T-Mobile and others are starting to actually challenge them on price. Still too expensive, but I think people will get tired of getting ripped off which will force things to eventually change.

One of the few things I agreed with mccain about is his endeavor to allow people to have an option of ala carte service. Most people watch at most 10 channels, instead of anywhere from 150 to 500 channels of garbage, and they love to advertise they have so many channels, but fail to say a lot of those channels are either infomercial channels, or church channels

[PasadenaTrudy]

48. Exactly

Such a rip-off.

[MostlyAmused]

6. Been internet-only for about 8 years.

Perfectly happy with what I find online. We have Netflix, and I also have a dramafever subscription for the moment because I'm particularly enjoying Korean dramas. I can watch Jon and Rachel online, so no problem there.

I don't miss cable. Go for it. You can always go back - in fact they would probably offer you a better deal to get you back after an absence.

[ananda]

7. Right now I have T-W internet/basic TV..

.. for $66 total. There are no boxes, and I own my own modem. I tape
using my own dvr's or little tv with built-in vhs recording.

I use ethernet cables for everything, no wireless. A PC tech came in and
configured my ethernet router so that I can attach four devices to it. Right
now I have a Vizio smart tv which has Netflix and works great. I have a
wired Roku3 box on my smallerToshiba TV so I can get Netflix and Acorn TV;
and of course my MacBook laptop.

Now, if T-W raises its rates this summer, that might change. At some point
I might just go with internet service without tv service. We'll see.

At some point I plan to get a corded Skype phone to attach to the router
with an ethernet cable. That service is very cheap.

I noticed that streaming works better with ethernet, and so far I'm happy.
My goal was to reduce EMFs in my living space, but I still use my iPhone
occasionally. Going over to Skype might resolve the phone problem, but
I haven't decided what kind of phone to get yet. I don't feel a big rush on
that.

[Proud Public Servant]

8. Do it!

I still have basic cable, but only because Concast charges me $10/mo LESS for a basic cable/internet package than it would for the internet by itself! But we have a Roku LT (cost under $50) and Netflix and Hulu subscriptions (less than $20/mo combined), and that does it for us. We use Amazon (also on Roku) as our movie-rental portal, too. Oh, and Daily show and Colbert Report are both on Hulu, so we still see those.

[LisaLynne]

20. That's what I'm thinking.

Keep basic cable mostly for local channels and then doing everything else through the internet. Honestly, I am usually watching most series a season behind on Netflix anyway, because I just don't have TIME to watch them when they are actually on.

[Le Taz Hot]

9. Cut the cord a couple of years ago

Last edited Fri Dec 27, 2013, 01:13 PM - Edit history (1)

for economic reasons and haven't regretted it. If you think about it, most of cable are stations you never watch, reruns that you've already seen, reality TV (Duck Dynasty anyone?) and infomercials. I now do more projects at home, read more and find content online. BTW, you can watch The Daily Show on Hulu I believe the day after it airs.

[TreasonousBastard]

10. An HD antenna for local stations and...

a Roku box works well for one organization I'm on the board of. Kept the internet and phone with the local cable co.

For myself, I still have cable with the introductory package so it's not horrible, but I've had a Roku box and Netflix subscription following me around for years. I've also paid for a Skype number and use it as my home phone.

[Holly_Hobby]

11. I'm a cord cutter

Cable, phone & internet was $170/month. Kept the wifi internet for $50/month. Bought Ooma Telo phone system for $99 and $3.72/month. Bought Roku for $99 and no monthly charges. Bought Mohu digital OTA antenna for $39 and no monthly charges. We get 17 channels for free. We later added Chromecast for $39.

We're very very happy. Saving $116/month with a one-time outlay of $276, which pays for itself quickly.

Ooma is wifi phone and all you pay every month is the taxes, our is $3.72. Unlimited calling, including long distance. I love love love it.

http://ooma.com/how-ooma-works

(edited to add Chromecast and link to Ooma)

[cleanhippie]

12. We turn off our cable TV after football season.

If it weren't for the inability to stream football games in HD, we would not have cable at all. So we turn it on when the season starts, and turn it off the day after the Super Bowl.

[jeff47]

37. Check out what you can get from NFL.com

You can stream every single NFL game from them.

Only catch is you can only start streaming the game after the game ends. Depending on how you watch, this may be a problem or not - we always watched a day later on TiVo, so it's not a big deal for us.

[jehop61]

13. Also cutting the tv cord

ROKU and Hulu plus take care of most of it. Now Google voice also gives me phone and text for free, as well. All you need is an internet connection

[MindPilot]

14. I just bought a Roku box a couple weeks ago

I'm done with that roller coaster of bundles and promotions. I never know what the bill is going to be each month, and I'd be better off putting the money in a slot machine--at least there I have a chance.

As soon as I get the best antenna location figured out then I will drop the service to Internet-only. Of course then they will probably retaliate by fucking us on data rates and bandwidth.

[msongs]

16. "f***ing us" is what its all about...quality/satisfaction are irrelevant. Thank local politicians

who grant monopolies to cable tv providers, providers who hate competititon

[Kablooie]

17. I found most cable shows like Breaking Bad and Dexter are available

Online for download about ten minutes after they are broadcast if you know where to look.
It takes about 5 minutes to download an HD copy.
I don't know who is doing this but they are dedicated.
I pay for cable so watch them legally but I don't have TiVo because I refuse to pay another subscription so I have download episodes that I happened to miss or one time when AMC programmed their show for one day in the same time slot as another I watch.

[Jesus Malverde]

25. +1..nt

[PasadenaTrudy]

19. Can you tell me

what a smart TV is? I'm not sure if mine is one or not. Thanks!

[sendero]

23. Many LCD/LED.

... TVs today come in two versions, one having built in Netflix, Hulu, Vudu etc (varies between models) and another without.

Rather than buy a "smart TV" (which BTW typically costs $100 more than the non-internet), I would suggest a Roku or similar attachment that has way more capabilities than are built into TVs and is upgradable as well. They cost about $80.

[PasadenaTrudy]

28. Thank you!

I know I don't have that stuff built-in. My boyfriend and I just had a discussion, and we are going to get rid of DirectTV entirely. It's been costing us almost $95 a month and there's not much worth watching except HBO. I think we will live!

[sendero]

35. For 8 bux a month..

.... you can get Netflix, or for $80 a year you can get Amazon Prime which includes a lot of free content. All you need is a Roku box and an internet connection (preferably a wireless router also) and you are in business.

[PasadenaTrudy]

42. We have

Netflix, but the movies we want to see are never streaming. We have Amazon Prime, too, and wifi. The only show we will miss is Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO..

[demwing]

54. You could also use a Wii

to pick up Netflix streaming over any cable ready TV. You can easily find a serviceable, used Wii on EBay for about $65.

[Atman]

36. By "smart tv" I was only referring to the wifi, internet, and all that crapola.

Ours doesn't have Netflix or Hulu built in, but it can access our home network, so it can be used as a computer screen, get internet via the Wii or BlueRay player. And it was actually a steal... bought it at BJ's during a promotional launch. $500 off the price they wound up charging for the next six months. Of course, now it's two years old, so it's a "dinosaur." LOL! But still can be found at the same price we paid for it.

BTW, the BJ's coupon book we just got has a 32" (bedroom) HD LED tv for just $199. That will be part of our upgrade, for sure! When we bought the old 26" 720p tv five years ago it was about $400.

[Jesus Malverde]

24. I'm guessing it's one of the newer tv's that has wifi or ethernet

and can connect directly to the internet for content, bypassing the cable box.

[sendero]

22. Anyone that has a decent internet pipe..

... (5 mbit or so bandwidth) I don't know why they would pay for satellite or cable, unless it is for live sports.

I cut the cord 3 years ago and I don't miss the $90 a month bill MOSTLY for content I would never use in a million years.

When cable/satellite offers a la carte channel selection I would consider coming back, not before.

[DinahMoeHum]

43. Please advise: so you don't need an antenna?

My co-op has cable; they took down the antennas.

[sendero]

44. You don't need an antenna to..

.. get streaming video from the internet. A small device like the Roku, along with an internet connection of sufficient bandwidth and preferable a wireless router, is all you need.

I do have an antenna to receive local TV channels.

[DinahMoeHum]

61. Thanks for the info. . .

. . .looks like 2014 is the year I ditch the cable.

[sendero]

66. Great!

When cable and satellite adopt a reasonable business model that does not force me to pay for 50 channels of crap I don't want to get the 5 I do, then I will revisit my choices.

For now, I think cable and satellite costs way too much for what you actually get that you want to get.

[tsuki]

26. VOTE with your dollars! Good on you. nt

[hunter]

27. I have a DSL connection to a local ISP. That's it.

It started out as an "alarm line" bare copper connection to the local provider long before AT&T offered high speed internet of their own, but now it's morphed into a DSL connection.

AT&T bothered me constantly to switch over to their own "universe" for a year or two, but they've given up.

When I first "cut the cord" I cared about broadcast television. I even built an antenna. But that's water under the bridge too. I only know the antenna still works because sometimes I push the wrong button on the television remote.

Our television is for movies. Tapes and DVDs we find in thrift stores or trade with family and friends, and occasionally Red Box.

The stench of propaganda and advertising from other sources is toxic. Why would I pay for that?

[sendero]

45. "The stench of propaganda and advertising from other sources is toxic. Why would I pay for that?"

Exactly. I live in a small town and the local news is rather unsophisticated. When I accidently tune in to the big network news programs, I can hardly believe that they expect us to believe the ridiculous crap they continually spew.

[demwing]

55. Wow

It's just as if you read those words directly from the inside of my brain.

[L0oniX]

29. My area has 20+ over the air digital channels so we dropped pay for tv service.

We kept low speed cable for inet and Netflix.

[DinahMoeHum]

30. Great information here, as I'm also looking to ditch Cablevision. . .

. . .(and their fuckhead CEO, Jim Dolan, who also owns Madison Square Garden, the basketball Knicks and the hockey Rangers)

What has held me back here was not being able to find sports networks such as ESPN and Universal Sports (NBC). However, now that I've visited the websites, I see that a Roku box plus a Hulu subscription should do the trick.

However, I'll probably have to recycle my Sony Trinitron (bought in 1990 ??). But hey, it's had a great run of nearly 25 years, which is why I got it back then.

************

UPDATE:

Maybe I don't have to ditch my Sony Trinitron after all. According to the link, all except Roku 3 are compatible with almost any TV.

http://www.roku.com/products/compare

Dare I hope? Is 2014 the year I finally say bye bye cable TV????

[jeff47]

39. You might be able to find an HDMI to Component Video adapter

which is what you'd need to make the newer stuff work with the older TV.

[Soundman]

31. Here is what we did.

We had time warner cable and had the same frustrations as you. Not sure where you live and what you have now but we switched to DSL through our local phone company. We bought our own wifi modem so there is no monthly fee for equipment rental. We then switched over to an internet phone provider sun rocket who has since went out of business and became teleblend. Since we have DSL if our internet is out our phone would be as well. So it is as good as having a hard line IMO. We were using dish network, the will let you change your plan as often as you choose and as long as you don't change again in 30 days there is no service fee. Their prices have went up so we looked at our phone company and they offer a discount for direct tv, not a real big one, I think 5 bucks. But they take 10 of our internet each month. So our internet is around 25 a month now. And of course we get the 12 month discount from direct tv. In two years we will switch back to dish network. And in another two it will be back to direct tv providing things stay the same. This is our 4th switch doing this. We get new equipment each time. Which is nice. When we have dish we subscribe to hbo or show time to watch the shows first run. We then DVR all of our other favs using the on demand feature. Then we cancel when the seasons over. By then we have had our fill.

Our experience cutting the cord. We did it for almost two years. The way our life is we missed having a DVR so in turn we missed a lot of our favs. CBS has been really shitty about only running some shows once. We were missing a lot of our favs. We still use our roku to watch netflix and a few other things. Not too mention where we live (not too far really) we have had spotty over the air service. I see there has been an abundant amount of good advice so I am sure you will do well no matter what you choose.

[PearliePoo2]

32. I dumped DirecTV also. I could not afford their price creep.

I watch MSNBC and CNN live NO DELAY, FREE on-line here:

http://www.zahipedia.net/2010/01/28/online-msnbc-news-live-msnbc-live-news/

http://www.livenewschat.eu/politics/

http://www.newsandjava.com/WatchTv.nj?page=MSNBC

I vary between all three depending on their signal. My DSL is slow, so I get some buffering, but if you have a fast connection it should be good.

[subterranean]

34. I did that this year and don't regret it a bit.

First I installed an antenna (this one) in my attic to make sure it would work. It took some trial-and-error to find the optimal location to receive all the local channels, but I finally did. Most of them are in HD.

I called up Comcast to cancel, but they offered me a special deal for six months to stay, so I said okay. Then I cancelled it after the deal expired. Since they jack up the price of high-speed Internet if it's not bundled with another service, I switched my phone service to Comcast (they gave me a one-year discount for that, too). And I got an Apple TV for Christmas. Between that, the antenna and the Internet, I have no lack of entertainment options and will save about $300 a year.

[jeff47]

38. A couple very, very helpful links

http://www.antennaweb.org/
http://www.antennapoint.com/

Put in your address, and it will tell you where the TV transmitters are, and provide some help choosing an antenna.

They are sponsored by the folks that sell antennas, so you probably can go a tad "weaker" than their recommendations.

[SomethingFishy]

40. I don't know how Charter works but Comcast did the same thing to me..

Creeping the bill up monthly, just a little at a time until I finally blew my top. I finally called them and they gave me the old "well we told everyone the bill was going up" crap. She told me there was nothing they could do about it.

Yeah nothing they could do about it. So I pulled out the "Direct TV has been trying to get me, I guess I'll give them a call". Well, in less than 5 minutes I was on the line with "customer loyalty" who then proceeded to knock $70 a month off my bill and gave me 4 free pay channels. Then they locked that price in for 3 years.

Bitch up a storm man, maybe it'll help. If not the Hulu/Netflix combo pretty much covers everything, you can watch The Daily Show on Hulu

[BobUp]

46. Fed Up

Me too. I gave up satellite and cable about 2 years ago and went to over the air TV.

This is what we now use.



available here
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=03&p=HDX1000&d=Antennacraft-by-RadioShack-HDX1000-VHF-UHF-HD-TV-Antenna-(HDX1000)&c=TV%20Antennas&sku=716079001984

We're on the Illinois-Wisconsin state line and receive all OTA channels in HD. Even Bears, Packer and other NFL games, Cubs, Sox, Day Of Our Lives, all that, and more.

When my wife misses Days, she watches it on HuLu for free, day after day. We clear our Google Chrome browser history so HuLu can't tell if we're repeat viewers.

Specifications;
Typical gain: 6.4 dB over UHF band
HDTV Mileage UHF: 50 Miles, VHF High: 40 Miles, VHF Low: 20 Miles
Analog Mileage UHF: 45 Miles, VHF High: 35 Miles, VHF Low: 20 Miles
Average UHF half-power beamwidth: 60 degrees
Average UHF front-to-back ratio: 17 dB
Internal RF amplifier: Typical gain: 10 dB; Noise figure: 3.5
Physical dimensions: 18" x 20" x 4"
Impedance: 75 Ohm, unbalanced
Power requirement: 15V DC, 120 VAC, 60 Hz (w/supplied adapter)
Weatherproof housing-completely encased to withstand weather
Mounting: Adjustable offset 1¼-inch diameter round mast pipe (Included)

[Stuart G]

49. No cable..never had it. don't miss it.

Got an couple of rabbit ears..they work fine.
I used to watch some tv, now, I watch old eps of Star Trek on a station that plays old shows. Best of Jon Stewart is on the
internet, and posted here..thank goodness. The world goes on, and there are other things to do besides watch tv. I spend too much time here and at other sites. ok..?

[Atman]

51. If you never had it, it's not surprising you don't miss it.

[tammywammy]

50. CNet recommends the Roku3 over Apple TV.

I'm getting ready to cut the cord myself. I'm about to buy a new tv that's smart for the living room, plus I have a PS3. The Roku is for the bedroom tv, flat screen not smart. Plus I bought an antenna to get over the air. If I like this antenna, I'll buy a second one.

After just a few months I'll recoup my investment by not paying for cable.

[Atman]

64. Not quite.

CNet said Roku3 and Apple TV were the two best choices overall. Their actual recommendation was that if you're already invested in Apple products and services, Apple TV was the best choice. If you're new to the game, they said Roku3 was a great choice because of it's simplicity, cool remote (w/headphone jack) and available content.

[NBachers]

57. I've had Roku and an antenna for years. I love it.

I'm behind the curve on some of the Latest Big Hit Shows That Everybody's Talking About!

But, so what. I just finished the last Breaking Bad season last night.

I went on a Walking Dead spree and watched 'em one after another, 'till it was finished.

My Netflix subscription provides a lot of good stuff: Check out Kevin Spacey in "House of Cards"

I can find plenty of content on Amazon.

I'm also excited that I'm finally cutting the cord with my Sprint phone service and went with a new upstart phone company called Zact- http://www.zact.com/ - It uses the Sprint network, but allows me to tailor my minutes, texts, and online just the way I want it, for way less money. I'd checked out Trac and Jitterbug and other low-rent phone service, but the complaints I read about their customer service made me reluctant. We'll see how the Zact goes.

[workinclasszero]

58. We cut the cord years ago

Screw the cable companies. 200 bucks a month for 98% garbage mind rotting crap like Fox "news" and duck dynasty...no sale!

We get lots of free OTA, have netflix, free hulu and roku as well. It all comes out to about...10 bucks or less a month. I dont miss cable one bit.

I miss some football games, thats about it and I can live just fine with that.

[Atman]

59. Been reading up on this all day...

It's still going to be a major change, but Apple TV seems to be the way to go. We're pretty heavily invested in the Apple "ecosystem," as all the reviews call it. Meaning, it will be a pretty smooth transition, as we already have a lot of iTunes content, and Macs in the house. Now I have to figure out the OTA antenna thing. We're not exactly in a hot zone for good signals, but should be able to get enough to make it worthwhile. I just can't wait to be rid of Charter!

[Corruption Inc]

60. Congrats! You'll be smiling all day after cancelling

I smiled all the way home from Comcast a few years back when I returned their box. The Daily Show is on HuluPlus which is 7.99 a month total so you can still watch it for a lot less.

It's a great feeling not being ripped off anymore!

[PasadenaTrudy]

62. I decided...

that once I cancel DirecTV, I'm going to donate part of the $$ I've been wasting to the local food bank.

[PasadenaTrudy]

63. I did it!

Just called DirecTV and cancelled the whole shebang.

[Egalitarian Thug]

65. K&R Congratulations and

I had no idea I was saving that much these days. The Daily show is readily available in many places, for free. I haven't had cable for about a decade but have never missed a Real Time.

If you want to put some small effort into it, you can watch any show or film whenever you like. We pay $30 for a 10MB DSL connection, that and the cell phones are it (though the broadband connection is horribly overpriced, it's about as good as you can get in this country).

[Atman]

67. UPDATE: We made the call to Charter today.

My wife went into the Apple store to pick up an Apple TV. We already have a Wii, so I guess Netflix won't be a problem. Anyway, she skipped the Apple TV because the salesperson told her she needed one for each TV, and she didn't believe her, wanted to talk to our tech geek son first.

So, when she got home we just happened to find this months cable bill in the mailbox, immediate blood-pressure raiser. She picked up the phone and asked about eliminating virtually all of our services except basic cable and internet. It turns out that that would do squat...it would lower the bill by only about $30 a month. We now have extended HD cable with virtually every premium channel...several each of HBO, Showtime, TMC, Cinemax, Encore, etc., but eliminating ALL of them, including the "extended" cable, would only reduce the bill by $30 a month! F**king ridiculous! So she pressed on...cut everything off, just internet.

Here is where it gets good...the sales person on the phone pretended to be surprised to find we were on the "old" pricing structure. Give her a minute to recalculate. She came back with a REDUCTION OF $50 A MONTH for the exact same service! Didn't have to cut anything, just threaten to disconnect. We agreed to that, since the bill isn't even due yet, and it gives us more time to sort out the Apple TV/Hulu/antenna solution. We're still going to do it, as soon as we get all the necessary boxes, but holy crap, what a difference a little complaining makes!

[okaawhatever]

68. Jon Stewart is on Hulu or Hulu Plus (I have hulu plus) every night or the next morning at the latest

So is The Colbert Report. I don't have cable anymore and don't miss it. I just have Hulu Plus but i'll eventually get Netflix or something else like AppleTV.

[panader0]

69. TV drains your brain, I am an example.

When I wake up , I turn on the "news" (CNN). Brew coffee, switch to a good old TCM movie, and, Voila, I'm drawn in.
Better to go outside, enjoy. The bottom line is that when you watch TV, the thinking is done for you. You react.
When you don't watch, you think for yourself.

[Berlum]

70. Cut the cable

Starve the beast of Fox and other Republicon Corporate Media, Inc.