Cable Television Cord Cutters

[lingpanda]

Anyone else get rid of cable television and stream their content? I'm using a Roku device along with Plex Media Server for most of my needs. Any ATV users?

[Draco1962]

Would love to cut it eventually. I pay more for a gazillion channels of crap on the TV than I do for internet.

[fRequEnCy]

I cut the cord. I stream, and have a server for my movies and tv shows.

[hansolo77]

I'm actually more best of both worlds. Personally, I don't have a cable box and just get basic cable (74 channels of all the primary stuff). Shows on other channels I download directly to my server using RSS feeds. My server also houses a ton of TV shows I've downloaded complete series/seasons of, plus a lot of movies and music, and pictures, etc. Dad on the other hand is paying for the full blown HD Digital package (although I don't understand why). He doesn't have an HD tv, and is infact using a small like 30-inch tv. He was under the impression that he could only get a DVR cablebox if he ordered the digital package, and they offered him HD at no cost for 3-months, then he never dropped it. We have our tv/phone/internet bundled for a discount, although I keep telling him to drop the phone and get cell phones (see my other thread). We never use the phone except when a bill collect calls or we need to order a prescription refill from the drugstore. For the internet side of things, we're paying for the absolute lowest speed they offer, and we don't even get it. Our throughput is something like 1mb down and 60k up, but we're paying for 10mb and 1mb, as thats the slowest speeds available. We've called them about it and they says it's our distance from their server. We had better speeds when we had DSL. When we had the fire a few years ago, we lived across the street and had a different cable provider, and were getting 15mb down easy. Unfortunately they're not available on this side of the street .... So until dad realizes he's paying way to much for less, we'll just have to live with it. But for me, I'm just using cable-ready with my Media Center (and it's 6 SD and 4 HD tuners ) and my server for everything else.

[fRequEnCy]

I would be careful of the details of how stuff is obtained.

[hansolo77]

You mean about the downloading? Its not illegal to download tv shows, unless they're on premium networks like HBO (which I don't have) and as for movies, they're only things I've ripped so I don't have to go and find the dvd's for them. Thanks for the kindly reminder though, always good to keep on your toes.

[lingpanda]

Many television shows are streamed free on their Network website. Heck in the states basic cable is free. However most people seem to forget and pay for it. Between free basic cable Hulu, Hulu+ and Netflix I have more to watch now then I ever did paying for it. With Redbox getting into the streaming market I'ts getting better.