I finally cut the cord

[sdifox]

Yeah I forgot you're way up north aren't ya. It might be woth looking into trying a cheap indoor antenna just to see what you get. It's probably better than a piece of wire but I've done that in a pinch to haha.
I use one similar to this Channel Master Flatenna and it works pretty well for the price. I also have a Channel Master OTA dvr that works very well but it is a little expensive. Might be worth looking into if you decide to keep the cord cut.

Or he can just stream...

 

[Engineer]

Cut the land line phone 10 years ago but I watch a fair amount of TV so not for a while.

My wife watches so much TV and uses the Spectrum app to watch the free on-demand stuff, by the hundreds of gigabytes. I put in a WMC system with HDHomeRun Primes 2.5 years ago to get rid of the boxes to save money (about $36 per month). Still, bill too high.

MetroNet is installing a new FTTH network with IPTV (not sure what I can do with that without using their equipment). We'll see how that goes and what the pricing is soon I hope.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

I would be completely down with cutting the cord except my wife watches a bunch of garbage and I don't get great OTA handles for sports. I live in a rural area and in order to get good reception, I have to put up a big antenna and drop the line through the attic down a wall and out. Wife does not approve. Although, she said she's interested in maybe suspending our cable to give it a shot. So far, the antenna we have is barely picking up channels, or the channels are good for a while then cuts out. It's not helping my case either way.

 

[William Gaatjes]

If you miss that landline that much and with to pick the phone occasionally , this might help :

I have one of these.

edit: bah, on my newer phone it no longer works. headphones jack is just a headphones jack.

 

[Charmonium]

I don't know if this has already been mentioned but you can get bluetooth cordless phones that will ring when your cell phone does and you can make and receive calls just like you're on a landline. Plus they have the advantage of allowing you to have a phone in every room of your home so that you don't need to sprint to the phone when you hear it ring. If you have a larger home, it's even better since depending on where you keep your cell, you're not always going to hear it ring.

 

[Red Squirrel]

If you miss that landline that much and with to pick the phone occasionally , this might help :

I have one of these.

edit: bah, on my newer phone it no longer works. headphones jack is just a headphones jack.

Lol that's actually pretty awesome.

I don't know if this has already been mentioned but you can get bluetooth cordless phones that will ring when your cell phone does and you can make and receive calls just like you're on a landline. Plus they have the advantage of allowing you to have a phone in every room of your home so that you don't need to sprint to the phone when you hear it ring. If you have a larger home, it's even better since depending on where you keep your cell, you're not always going to hear it ring.

That's neat I was wondering if something like that existed, might actually look into it. Though considering how much time I spend making phone calls (not much) I will probably be fine without it.

 

[Muse]

I prefer landline because it's hardwired, not susceptible to power failures or lack of batteries, or interference.

My landline is part of my DSL package, through sonic.net. Free continental US phone is included. The DSL sucks, though (7000' from the CO, which is ATT), I'm getting about 4mbps, which isn't enough to stream anything even half decently. Youtube videos are jerky except maybe on my $100 RCACambio Win10 tablet/laptop. For some reason it does better.

Sonic is going to roll out fiber in my neighborhood in November. It'll cost ~$30 more I think than my current $67 after taxes.

Besides paying more (and still not getting TV, which I do OTA), a downside is that if power fails so does the fiber phone service. I'll probably still do it (for the much higher bandwidth) unless I find a better/cheaper way to get truly high speed internet.

 

[Red Squirrel]

The ONT does not use much power so if they don't provide a UPS you can probably just add your own and it will run for hours maybe even days. One thing I noticed with my ONT is that the built in UPS will turn off the ethernet ports after a few hours so I end up losing internet anyway. I wonder if now that I don't have phone service it might actually stay on the whole time, I might have to test it some time.

 

[lxskllr]

It's incredible how clear the channels can be on digital OTA though.

Yea, but it's binary. You either get it, or you get rage inducing drop outs. I'd rather have analog tv. A little noise is better than cutouts. Haven't had tv at all since the 20th century.

 

[Muse]

The ONT does not use much power so if they don't provide a UPS you can probably just add your own and it will run for hours maybe even days. One thing I noticed with my ONT is that the built in UPS will turn off the ethernet ports after a few hours so I end up losing internet anyway. I wonder if now that I don't have phone service it might actually stay on the whole time, I might have to test it some time.

Had to look that up... optical network terminal

When I was talking to them about this yesterday, the guy mentioned a possible UPS being involved, I think he said they charged if they installed that too. They also charge a monthly fee for a modem, ($9.50) and I figure to buy my own, assuming the Comtrend CT-5072T I have now won't work for this. I looked it up a week or two ago and it said it was gigabit, which is what I was told I needed but the guy yesterday seemed doubtful.

Edit: I think maybe I was wrong about that Comtrend modem being gigabit.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah try to own the equipment, it's cheaper in the long run. Depending on what solution they go with the UPS may be part of the ONT.

 

[Mloot]

We cut the cord six years ago. For a few years, I had a dedicated HTPC with Hauppauge tuner cards getting signals from my outdoor antenna, until it got fried by a power surge. But for that time, it very close to not passing the WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor). She likes things easy, and did not like the occasional Windows updates, or jumping through the hoops to get Hulu or other services to work, as they tended to be flaky.

Deciding not to rebuild the HTPC and get a Tivo with lifetime service was the smartest thing I did. It all works, seamlessly, with just one remote.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Had to look that up... optical network terminal

When I was talking to them about this yesterday, the guy mentioned a possible UPS being involved, I think he said they charged if they installed that too. They also charge a monthly fee for a modem, ($9.50) and I figure to buy my own, assuming the Comtrend CT-5072T I have now won't work for this. I looked it up a week or two ago and it said it was gigabit, which is what I was told I needed but the guy yesterday seemed doubtful.

Edit: I think maybe I was wrong about that Comtrend modem being gigabit.

Er, the ONT is the modem isn't it? Or are they doing some weird thing where they run it to an ONT and then to your copper? But that would seem to defeat the point of doing FTTH.

Not sure if its true any more, but I think UPS was required with fiber for emergencies since it was ditching the power of the copper phone lines for that.

 

[snoopy7548]

When I lived in an apartment about six years ago, I had FiOS and their ONT box converted the fiber to copper for the modem/router and DVR. Not sure if it has changed now to be fiber straight to the modem, but that's how it was back then.

They also had a battery backup inside the ONT. It was annoying; every time the power went out it would (loudly) beep continuously until you manually held down a button.

 

[Brainonska511]

I've read stories of people being able to plug in a coaxial cable to the TV without cable and still getting channels. May not be in all areas. I think it's a law in some places or something.

This used to be true - if you had internet from the local cable company, they would often have unencrypted local channels you could pick up without a box. A few years ago, the FCC allowed cable companies to start encrypting the local channels too, so I doubt you'll find many places where you could get free local channels via your cable line (when you don't pay for basic cable).

 

[Muse]

Er, the ONT is the modem isn't it? Or are they doing some weird thing where they run it to an ONT and then to your copper? But that would seem to defeat the point of doing FTTH.

Not sure if its true any more, but I think UPS was required with fiber for emergencies since it was ditching the power of the copper phone lines for that.

Yeah, did I say router? I need a gigabit modem.

UPS, I got the impression talking to CSR that it was a option ($$ extra) with them, not something they include with "basic" installation of the fiber installations they are planning. I asked and was told that they are doing the fiber network installations in the neighborhoods themselves, that some of their office space is littered with fiber cabling. The literature with which they are blanketing the neighborhood asserts that they will maintain net neutrality going forward, come what may.

 

[Fritzo]

I've been using DirecTV Now- I got in as a beta tester and got $35 a month for 100 channels + HBO I use Ooma for my land-line ($4 in taxes, service is free), got a Tablo (4 tuner OTA DVR), and that has an app that allows me to watch live TV/recordings on any TV or device.

It's a good setup. Playing about $40 a month for every service I used to pay $200 for.

 

[Kaido]

I have a hard time even paying for the cheaper alternative services, not because they are pay-for, but because on stuff like Netflix, you get to the point where you've kind of watched all of the good stuff...lately they've been doing a good job stringing me along with occasional releases of stuff like the Punisher, Travelers S2, Stranger Things S2, etc. so I keep not cancelling, dangit! lol. Hulu drives me mad too...they'll have a full season, except for the pilot episode, or be randomly missing seasons of a show, etc.

Spotify got the model right. Like ten bucks a month for unlimited music usage and they have like 95% of the music out there (would be better if they had 100%). It sounds like Disney is going to launch a pretty awesome streaming service this year:

https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/11/16637732/disney-star-wars-marvel-pixar-streaming-service-netflix

https://www.theatlantic.com/enterta...g-implications-of-a-disney-fox-merger/545135/

But it would really be cool if there was just one (legal & legit) streaming service to watch everrrrrrrrrrrrrything.

 

[Kaido]

I've been using DirecTV Now- I got in as a beta tester and got $35 a month for 100 channels + HBO I use Ooma for my land-line ($4 in taxes, service is free), got a Tablo (4 tuner OTA DVR), and that has an app that allows me to watch live TV/recordings on any TV or device.

It's a good setup. Playing about $40 a month for every service I used to pay $200 for.

Yeah, that's basically how I setup my parents: SlingTV, Tablo, Ooma, and then I have them on my SVOD accounts (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, VUDU, etc.). Swapped out all of their TV's for ones with Roku built-in. Best thing I've done for my family since I forced everyone to switch to Chromebooks

 

[MrSquished]

I've been on and off the cord for a few years now, and in my new condo that is closing this week my gf & I are going to stay off the cord. If you can't get good reception for the main channels OTA usually your cable provider will have a very cheap plan that is actually just all the HD OTA channels in your area. That's what I get, just to watch football with, since even a good plugged in antenna didn't work in my location due to geography (even though being just 10 miles from NYC)

I guess technically that is not cutting the cord as I am plugging a cable from the cable provider into a set top box, but only paying for the most basic OTA channel package.

 

[Muse]

I've been using DirecTV Now- I got in as a beta tester and got $35 a month for 100 channels + HBO I use Ooma for my land-line ($4 in taxes, service is free), got a Tablo (4 tuner OTA DVR), and that has an app that allows me to watch live TV/recordings on any TV or device.

It's a good setup. Playing about $40 a month for every service I used to pay $200 for.

Can you time shift within live recordings (REW/PAUSE/FF) with that Tablo setup?

 

[Muse]

But it would really be cool if there was just one (legal & legit) streaming service to watch everrrrrrrrrrrrrything.

Will have it by next week end... preorder today!

 

[Muse]

I guess technically that is not cutting the cord as I am plugging a cable from the cable provider into a set top box, but only paying for the most basic OTA channel package.

Yeah, that's really what I've been getting for 27 years now, but I'm not paying anything because my OTA for the HD local stations comes through decently. I'd really like to watch Warriors basketball (I'm in Berkeley), but until I get more than my current 4mbps internet I guess that's just not going to happen. When it does happen ~Nov. with the fiber upgrade I figure I'll probably do the SlingTV thing to get that NBA HD.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I hardly watch TV so TBH I did not even think about any streaming or replacement services. I know there's a lot out there. I like that I can get Global on OTA though, at least it's something to watch if I just want to turn on the TV and don't care about what's playing. Like if I have someone over or whatever and we're just hanging out. I have a Raspberry PI running XBMC for when I want to watch TV series, movies etc. I might also look into Plex. I eventually want to get into ham radio, if I do I'd probably put up a tower, and then I'd also put a proper OTA antenna while I'm at it. See if I can pickup anything else.

I hardly spend time in my living room though, it's too cold there and my layout is terrible. Eventually I will remove the fireplace (old wood one, not usable), and while I'm there I will probably redo the vapour barrier for that entire wall so it won't be as cold, and once it's done I can put the couch where the fireplace was, you know, like in front of the TV where it belongs. The layout there is always something I've struggled with in this house, was never able to come up with a proper arrangement.

Most of my TV watching actually happens at work on night shifts anyway. When I first moved into my house I actually waited a few years before I got a TV. I wanted a good one and back then I paid over 2 grand for my TV. Now they are practically giving them away, pretty crazy.

 

[William Gaatjes]

Lol that's actually pretty awesome.

To be honest, i also do not have normal cable tv or a landline.
It costs money and i never use it.
Normal cable tv is unbearable to me, way to much commercials in between everything.
I also just have internet and that is it.
I can read the news through the internet and watch movies by using streaming services.
And of course have a cellular phone.