OT - Cable Alternatives

[FearlessF]

a cat5E cable is always better than wireless

wired from router to Roku and then wired from Roku to smart TV is best

wireless will work and possibly be very good, but factors such as interference can cause issues

[Thumper]

Interesting stuff to be sure.

So, this Roku box thing is the way to go. Is that wireless? It says "Ethernet" on the listing. I suppose that wouldn't be a problem because I'm putting the new modem next to the main TV.

You can go either way.  You want a solid, fast modem/router to go wireless and it works fine.  We have more than a dozen devices connected to our wireless and we don't have any issues with speed.  Connecting via ethernet is better still.

[FearlessF]

if the wireless router is sitting close to the TV and using 5G it's probably solid, but if that's the case may as well run an ethernet cable

[847badgerfan]

Just ordered the Roku box and two sticks. They will show up on Tuesday.

New Comcast internet modem came today (No choice but to use them for that component around here. AT&T is no gouda).

My brother will come Thursday and the cord to cable will be cut.


DirecTV Now is the solution for my channels.


I'll report back on how this goes. I hope it goes as planned.

[bayareabadger]

Just ordered the Roku box and two sticks. They will show up on Tuesday.

New Comcast internet modem came today (No choice but to use them for that component around here. AT&T is no gouda).

My brother will come Thursday and the cord to cable will be cut.


DirecTV Now is the solution for my channels.


I'll report back on how this goes. I hope it goes as planned.

Good luck. I'm always a little wary that unbundling things will bring savings, but man cable is forcing me to reassess (I have PSVue, which is mostly good, outside the delay and needing to get an old-school antenna for local stuff). 

[847badgerfan]

Seems to me that no matter what I do will be less (or half) of the $211 I'm paying Comcast right now.

I pay to have all the sports channels and they still make me pay $9/month for the sports fee on top of that, like everyone else has to, even if they don't have all the sports channels. I still have to pay the $8/month broadcast fee. The taxes. The franchise fee. Oh, and $11/month for the main box and $6/each for the other three boxes.

I think there might be a fee for the fee, and then the other fee. Sure seems like it.

I'm done. I just dropped $230 on all the stuff I need, and that's that.

[Thumper]

Badge, does DirecTV Now have local channels in your area?

[847badgerfan]

Looks like it.

[FearlessF]

only a few years ago the locals didn't charge for retransmission

[Thumper]

All the "rebroadcast", "sports", "franchise", etc fees are completely bogus.  They are just made up so the companies can trick people into thinking their bill will be less than it is.  

Where a lot of companies make up their losses on cord cutters is by charging higher prices for standalone internet and by having data caps so they can hit users with more fees if they go over their data cap.  I have Cox and they have a 1 TB data cap.  I looked up Comcast and they do as well.  That isn't an issue for me.  Our computers and phones are always on as my wife and I work from home and we stream a lot of TV.  Our usage is 300-400 gb /month.

I have DirecTV Now, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and CBS All Access.  When DirecTV Now gets locals in my area, I'll dump CBS All Access.  I'll always have Netflix and I'd pay for Amazon Prime just for the free shipping and other perks.

[Cincydawg]

I am going to get an antenna initially unless the cable in the condo is already live and "free".  Then we'll add whatever we think we need.  I'm told it is "basic cable" but I don't know what that includes, I'm sure ESPN is out but I only watch events on ESPN anyway.

I was pondering if it would be cheaper to find a sports bar and watch games on Saturday, but I don't want to sit in a crowded bar eating greasy food for hours.

[847badgerfan]

We had no trouble finding sports bars there. In fact, The Giant Gopher scoped out a joint for us to watch the Georgia-Bama game, after we moseyed around the Georgia Dome area for a while.

Can't remember the name of the place, but it had really good food. Not typical bar food. Memory fades but it might have been Cajun. Lots of TV's and just a short walk from the Marriott Residence Inn we stayed at.

[FearlessF]

I was pondering if it would be cheaper to find a sports bar and watch games on Saturday, but I don't want to sit in a crowded bar eating greasy food for hours.

hah, my bar tab makes the cable bill look insignificant
and that's w/o the food
I don't eat out much.

[betarhoalphadelta]

I am going to get an antenna initially unless the cable in the condo is already live and "free".  Then we'll add whatever we think we need.  I'm told it is "basic cable" but I don't know what that includes, I'm sure ESPN is out but I only watch events on ESPN anyway.

I was pondering if it would be cheaper to find a sports bar and watch games on Saturday, but I don't want to sit in a crowded bar eating greasy food for hours.

My in-laws just moved into a senior community and they have "basic cable" free and live. It definitely includes ESPN and all the normal cable channels you'd expect, plus locals. 

hah, my bar tab makes the cable bill look insignificant
and that's w/o the food
I don't eat out much.

Yep, if I was going to spend 3+ hrs at a bar to watch games, it'd be cheaper to have cable...