Help me cut the cord for as little money as possible

[Jovec]

I think the biggest hurdle is going to be live sports but the Steelers are local (ota tuner) and I think I can get NHL GameCenter for the PS3 if I want to watch Red wings games. (I usually get NHL Center Ice)

You need to read the fine print. You may not be able to view local teams via official Internet streaming options.

 

[murphy55d]

You need to read the fine print. You may not be able to view local teams via official Internet streaming options.

Red Wings aren't local here. I would assume the Penguins would be blacked out which is fine.

I think we are gonna go ahead with the FireTV/Plex/Netflix/Hulu route when we do it. I told my wife I'd like to wait until the Steelers season is over so I won't be messing around with all this during the playoffs. I do appreciate all the help.

If we hate it, like I said, no big deal, we'll just sign up for Dish.

 

[nextJin]

I've been using an HTPC for 5 years now originally started with a dell Inspiron 580S with a Centon cable tuner and WMC.

Over the years I've pretty much settled on the following:

SABnzbd
Sick beard
Couch Potato

With that alone and a server hard wired to a wireless router you are set free.

It doesn't even matter what front end you use (Kodi/XMBC, Plex, etc.), what OS you use, or what hardware you use for each client PC/Stream box (Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromebox, etc.)

I've done it all, from WMC/XBMC auto switching, custom WMC channel logos, auto rip BR sort and file, etc.

The only thing that matters are those three programs, bookmarking the address in your smart phones browser and knowing how to automate, file, and store your content. Obviously securing your connection is important but that's not relevant to this discussion.

 

[drez]

Get an antenna for ABC, CBS, FOX, CW, NBC, etc. If your running windows, Purchase an HDhomerun, then you can use Windows Media Center to record content from the antenna. Get a Roku 3 and use Roku Media Center to play content from your windows Media center.
Your monthly cost is $9 a month (For Netflix or Amazon)
Startup costs
Roku 3 =$90
HD Homerun = $130
Antenna $50-$150 Depending on the situation.
So $200-300 in startup.
On the other hand, if you don't watch a lot of CBS you can pay for Hulu Plus and stream a lot of current stuff. That would be about $8 more a month, but you wouldn't be building the DVR. Here is a decent guide on cable TV alternatives that reviews the basic possibilities on antennas and streaming.

 

[murphy55d]

Is there a FireTV app for the Windows media center/HDHomeRun thing?

 

[sphenodont]

Are there any tuner boxes that support both OTA and cable card? The HDHomeRuns aren't expensive, but it looks like they only do one or the other, and I'd prefer to have a single solution.

 

[nextJin]

Are there any tuner boxes that support both OTA and cable card? The HDHomeRuns aren't expensive, but it looks like they only do one or the other, and I'd prefer to have a single solution.

I don't believe so because all cable companies are forced to provide all local channels in their most basic packages so it's a mute point. I'm not sure how an Cable card and OTA TV tuner would play together in WMC if at all.

I just wouldn't ever subscribe to cable under any circumstance unless you are just a die hard pro football fan. Every other show or event has online options.

 

[Raincity]

I don't believe so because all cable companies are forced to provide all local channels in their most basic packages so it's a mute point. I'm not sure how an Cable card and OTA TV tuner would play together in WMC if at all.

I just wouldn't ever subscribe to cable under any circumstance unless you are just a die hard pro football fan. Every other show or event has online options.

I ran a Ceton cable card tuner and a Hauppauge 2250 TV Tuner card on the same machine because some of the local OTA channels were not rebroadcast over cable.

 

[NutBucket]

I don't believe so because all cable companies are forced to provide all local channels in their most basic packages so it's a mute point.

Not necessarily true. They are required to carry the main network but here in LA there are sub channels that aren't available on all cable systems (x.2, etc). Some of them are actually pretty decent.

 

[haggggler]

OpenELEC on some older hardware. Newegg has some good deal on refurbs under $100 shipped. You really can't beat all the plugins for XBMC/KODI.

 

[drez]

OpenELEC on some older hardware. Newegg has some good deal on refurbs under $100 shipped. You really can't beat all the plugins for XBMC/KODI.

Yeah, Kodi opens up a world where purchasing cable TV is insane.

 

[murphy55d]

Does Intel's new Compute Stick have any HTPC potential?