Could you live without TV?

[Carson Dyle]

I've been fourteen years without TV. In recent years I've been downloading TV shows, but actually end up watching only a handful of them.

I watched a show the other day where the uploader forgot to clip one of the commercial breaks and was like "WTF!". Network TV shows are as little as 2/3 their normal running time without commercials.

 

[MrDudeMan]

I haven't had TV in 11 years and I don't miss it at all. What a waste of time.

 

[purbeast0]

no, i need my sports and a lot of other shows that i watch.

 

[BUTCH1]

No, playoff sports, got to watch 'em. As for network sitcom's the last one I faithfully watched was "Seinfeld", with a nod to "Office", everything else after those, never bothered. Once in awhile a good documentary like "Blue Planet" comes along that's well worth watching or "The Universe" that history channel had on was pretty cool too.

 

[Imaginer]

You can basically take out the channel tuner portion of my LaserVue and I still would be fine and dandy with no complaints. Or for that matter, any "Smart TV" features.

However, there would be hell if the few ISPs out there start throttling the heck out of everything and setting caps.

 

[soulcougher73]

As long as i have my movies im fine with no TV shows.

 

[BladeVenom]

Watching TV shows on the internet is better. It's time to kill broadcast TV. Use that bandwidth for something useful.

 

[mmntech]

Since I work at a TV station, well, no.

I remember watching a lot of TV in the 90s. One because it was the only form of video entertainment aside from renting the occasional movie. Two, there were some really good shows on during that decade. Simpsons was in its heyday, I really liked the X-Files, the Star Trek series, ABC's TGIF, etc.

When I started university, I began watching it less and less. Video games and the internet took more of my spare time. I never cared for reality TV, and that makes up the bulk of what's on today. There's not many shows that have really grabbed my attention. It's not often I sit down and watch conventional TV anymore. It's usually Netflix or some other online videos. I don't watch sports.

I think a lot of people are that way now, and it scares the crap out of the broadcast and cable industries. That's why they're tightening the data caps and trying to eliminate net neutrality. They want to sell online video the same way they sell cable channels. Which is going to piss a lot of people off.

 

[ch33zw1z]

TV as in cable tv I can live without. I enjoy watching netflix and stuff...and playing some video games. We cut cable tv 5 years ago and haven't missed it yet.

Most of the people I know keep it around for the sports channels, or because that's the delivery method they prefer.

 

[IronWing]

20+ years with no TV.

 

[Jumpem]

My family watches enough (~55 hours per week) that I would never go without it. I would cut back in other areas long before giving up FiOS.

 

[Mai72]

I hate TV and I detest reality TV. When I was in South Korea the only entertainment I had was on my laptop.

 

[TwiceOver]

So does that include watching things on the PC? These days a "TV" is just a monitor anyway.

 

[Ichinisan]

I could adjust.

 

[flexy]

Haven't "watched TV" in about 7-8 years. If we watch something (shows, movies) etc. it's in digital format and we watch it WHEN and HOW we want it, without commercials, censorship etc.

News etc. I get from websites.

TV = retarded.

 

[Fritzo]

People that don't watch TV are a lot like vegans- they always tell you within the first 5 minutes of meeting them.

 

[gevorg]

If we watch something (shows, movies) etc. it's in digital format and we watch it WHEN and HOW we want it, without commercials, censorship etc.

News etc. I get from websites.

This.

 

[bbhaag]

My parents took the tv out of their house when I was younger. I think it was around my 8th grade year until my senior year of high school. Several years for sure. I was happy and didn't seem to mind. I did miss playing my Super Nintendo though but thankfully a couple of my friends had one so I got to play it at their house.

I've often thought about doing what my parents did now that I have a family of my own but I haven't been able to pull the trigger yet.

 

[Howard]

People that don't watch TV are a lot like vegans- they always tell you within the first 5 minutes of meeting them.

sigh

 

[Kaido]

We cut cable awhile ago and switched to Netflix. I do miss our Tivo and having a variety of shows available, but we pretty much only watched the Syfy, HGTV, and Food Network channels, and most of that stuff is available online these days right on their respective websites.

We also use Youtube a lot. We sometimes buy movies on Vudu as well. I have a few shows on Amazon (like Doctor Who) and some other random places, but that's pretty much it. I can always find something on Netflix to watch if I poke around long enough.

I really like the Roku 3 set-top box. $99 and has a headphone jack on the remote control to make any set of headphones wireless. I have one on a small TV in front of my elliptical machine for working out - it makes it 1000 times more bearable, haha.

 

[Leyawiin]

The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Being Human, Sleepy Hollow, Grimm, Supernatural, House Hunters, Rehab Addict, Masterpiece (Classic and Mystery), Orange is the New Black, etc... No, I want my satellite.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I like TV for the convenience of immediately getting something playing if I just want noise or not looking to watch anything in particular. Sometimes if I'm bored I'll just sit down and turn the TV on and see what's on. But more and more I find myself just watching stuff off my XBMC raspberry Pi especially since I just leave it on all the time now. If I was into sports I could see TV being more valuable.

I lived without TV for a while and it was not that bad. If I was not getting a discount for it and it was not part of a bundle (which is discounted further) I probably would not have it. I have FTTH through the phone company (which I work for) so I get internet, TV and phone for about $120/mo. I don't think I'd save much if I got rid of TV, so I keep it.

 

[manimal]

would be fine I would use one of our two projectors

 

[Wingznut]

People that don't watch TV are a lot like vegans- they always tell you within the first 5 minutes of meeting them.

All the time inferring how much better they are than you.

No, I wouldn't want to lose my satellite. If I did, I would end up pirating. There are quite a few shows I enjoy, not the least of which are sports.

There's not much better in life than coming home after a 12 hour shift to a Red Wings game on the DVR!

 

[DigDog]

have not watched tv since 1998