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Cutting The Cable Cord


hogan873

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I've been considering getting rid of cable and trying an HDTV antenna. I'm just tired of paying so much for a package of which I only watch a handful of channels. With Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon I would be able to watch just about all of the shows I normally watch. Even with subscriptions to all of those, I'd be saving a lot of money each month.

 

One of the only things that's kepeing me from pulling the trigger is not being able to get Comcast Sports Net. Right there I'd be missing out on probably close to half the Sox games. And what sucks is that to get CSN I have to get a certain package with UVerse.

 

Has anyone here cut the cord? And if so, what has been your experience?

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QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Jan 29, 2014 -> 08:02 AM)
I've been considering getting rid of cable and trying an HDTV antenna. I'm just tired of paying so much for a package of which I only watch a handful of channels. With Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon I would be able to watch just about all of the shows I normally watch. Even with subscriptions to all of those, I'd be saving a lot of money each month.

 

One of the only things that's kepeing me from pulling the trigger is not being able to get Comcast Sports Net. Right there I'd be missing out on probably close to half the Sox games. And what sucks is that to get CSN I have to get a certain package with UVerse.

 

Has anyone here cut the cord? And if so, what has been your experience?

We have been doing just that for three years now. As you said, the biggest problem is live sports. If you can find workarounds or live without them on tv all the time (though you always get bears games), you probably won't miss it for a second.

Edited by StrangeSox
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QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jan 29, 2014 -> 08:26 AM)
We have been doing just that for three years now. As you said, the biggest problem is live sports. If you can find workarounds or live without them on tv all the time (though you always get bears games), you probably won't miss it for a second.

Yeah, football I'm not concerned about because I'd be able to see all of the Bears games and all of the Sunday games. It's the Sox games that are giving me pause. However, I look back at last summer and realize that I was often too busy to actually sit down and watch the games.

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When I was living in Chicago I did this. I found myself going to many more games and going to establishments to watch them on TV there. Yea, I missed some games here and there, but it was a much enjoyable experience than just plopping on the couch like a slug.

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QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Jan 29, 2014 -> 08:38 AM)
Yeah, football I'm not concerned about because I'd be able to see all of the Bears games and all of the Sunday games. It's the Sox games that are giving me pause. However, I look back at last summer and realize that I was often too busy to actually sit down and watch the games.

That's what I've thought about, too. I guess I had a lot more free time living in our condo versus owning a house. More often than not, I'll catch Sox games on weekends on the radio in the garage/yard (not so much this year!). Got to see Gavin FloydHumber's perfect game at least since that was Fox Saturday baseball.

 

If I really want to catch a sox/blackhawks/bulls game on TV, I find a way. I'd probably get MLB.tv if MLB wasn't so dumb about their blackout rules.

Edited by StrangeSox
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My wife and I cut the cable cord the first year and a half living in the burbs. Lived off the internet, Netflix, Hulu, etc. Sports was the biggest loss. Being a huge Illinois fan I wasn't able to watch the majority of their basketball games. The Bulls/Sox/Hawks were out too unless they were on WCIU or WGN (on frequently, but not frequently enough). We also found that waiting for Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Game of Thrones, etc. to come out sucked. So we finally went back and neither one of us regret it.

 

Also, we had a kid in that time frame. My wife for sure enjoyed having some non-daytime talk show TV to watch during her maternity leave. And having channels like Disney Jr. and Sprout help as the kid grows and you need something to catch his attention for 10-15 while you get some work done.

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I agree with some of you others that if it weren't for sports I would not have satellite. For my tv watching I definitely could get by with a combination of Netflix and Hulu, but I couldn't get by without having CSN. Whether it be the Sox, Bulls or Blackhawks, I watch at least one of the three almost every night. Really sucks having to pay $100 per month just to watch sports, but there is really no other option.

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QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Jan 29, 2014 -> 09:50 AM)
ESPN is more or less keeping the cable/satellite industry alive. If they ever decide to sell their product directly to consumers, it's the end of their industry.

 

Nah, that would be suicide for them. They make more money charging every cable customer in the country $5 bucks. That's why the a la carte theory is never going to happen. Everyone involved - the cable companies, networks, studios, etc. - all make more money in the current system.

Edited by Jenksismybitch
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QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jan 29, 2014 -> 09:59 AM)
Nah, that would be suicide for them. They make more money charging every cable customer in the country $5 bucks. That's why the a la carte theory is never going to happen. Everyone involved - the cable companies, networks, studies, etc. - all make more money in the current system.

Yep. ESPN's one of if not the most popular cable channels on a weekly basis (lord knows why outside of live events), but it's still only a plurality. There's a lot more subscribers who don't watch ESPN than do.

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Nah, that would be suicide for them. They make more money charging every cable customer in the country $5 bucks. That's why the a la carte theory is never going to happen. Everyone involved - the cable companies, networks, studios, etc. - all make more money in the current system.

 

I didn't say ESPN should do it, I'm just noting that if they did it would be the end of cable.

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QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Jan 29, 2014 -> 10:04 AM)
I didn't say ESPN should do it, I'm just noting that if they did it would be the end of cable.

 

 

Not sure if that's true either. A lot of people watch ESPN. But most people watch other things.

 

For me at this point losing ESPN wouldn't be as damaging as losing CSN or BTN.

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QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jan 29, 2014 -> 09:59 AM)
Nah, that would be suicide for them. They make more money charging every cable customer in the country $5 bucks. That's why the a la carte theory is never going to happen. Everyone involved - the cable companies, networks, studios, etc. - all make more money in the current system.

 

This. There is legislation in the works to try and force cable and satellite providers to off a la carte programming, but most of the "experts" don't think it will help anything. Because the cable channels will lose so many subscribers that are in effect forced to purchase their product due to the current cable and satellite structure, the prices that they charge per subscriber would go through the roof. Yes, you might be able to pick and choose and just pay for the 10-20 channels that most people watch with regularity, but the cost per channel would have to be so high that overall you would end up paying just as much, if not more, than the current structure. This would also have a trickle down effect to Netflix and Hulu as well. With A&E, AMC, etc losing so many subscribers, they would have to pass the costs on to Netlix and Hulu and then Netflix and Hulu's prices would end up rising as well.

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QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jan 29, 2014 -> 10:07 AM)
Not sure if that's true either. A lot of people watch ESPN. But most people watch other things.

 

For me at this point losing ESPN wouldn't be as damaging as losing CSN or BTN.

 

Yep, I honestly couldn't care less about losing ESPN. The only things I ever watch on there are when the Packers are on Monday night, the Bulls are on or the rare occasion the Sox are on. For those few events per year, I could make due by going to my parents or a buddies house, or going to the bar.

Edited by lasttriptotulsa
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QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Jan 29, 2014 -> 07:50 AM)
ESPN is more or less keeping the cable/satellite industry alive. If they ever decide to sell their product directly to consumers, it's the end of their industry.

ESPN3 is pretty good. You get pretty much everything so for me it isn't ESPN, rather it is my access to other sports.

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QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Jan 29, 2014 -> 06:42 AM)
When I was living in Chicago I did this. I found myself going to many more games and going to establishments to watch them on TV there. Yea, I missed some games here and there, but it was a much enjoyable experience than just plopping on the couch like a slug.

And then you spent all the money you were saving on your cable package on beers. :)

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QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Jan 29, 2014 -> 08:42 AM)
When I was living in Chicago I did this. I found myself going to many more games and going to establishments to watch them on TV there. Yea, I missed some games here and there, but it was a much enjoyable experience than just plopping on the couch like a slug.

And ultimately much more expensive.

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