Alternatives to Cable tv

Shentar

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I can stand Comcast's pricing. I'm pay a lot for tv, internet, and a phone.

I can't use satellite because of where my apartment is located. I may be able to put a Directv dish up on a tripod, but it has to stick out from the balcony a little. Dish Network's sattelite is even worse in terms of placement.

I've heard of Uverse, but they only have internet in my area. Any other thoughts?

The biggest thing that keeps me from cancelling my tv service is that I won't get to see any televised racing like ALMS and Grand Am.. stuff that requires Speed Channel. I love those, and that will suck to miss those. If you know of a site that I can download from, I would be more likely to cancel it. Laguna Seca's ALMS was broadcast on the web, but I don't think most races have that.
 
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Cancel TV
Upgrade internet to highest non commercial level
Use RU, Fishsite, EZTV to get everything you could possibly want to watch on tv via torrent
Enjoy saved money and media on your schedule
 
I would personally stay away from DirecTV. They require you to have a two year contract, and their low price is only for the first year. Second year price is like $60 per month + additional extras such as receivers, DVRs, premium movie channels, PayPerView etc...

If you want to cancel before the 2 years - prorated fee of $480. Ouch!
 
Hulu + Torrent + Streaming might cover it. Only thing is that many (private) torrent sites require an invite though, and that's where the best stuff usually is.
 
I feel your pain. I never had an issue with the pricing for comcast. I just hated them as a company, their service, and the lack of HD channels. They have something newish coming out called xfinity or something...but I didn't want to wait for it to become available in my area.

About 3 or 4 months ago I started looking into satellite (dish and directv). I live in a condo so I had both companies swing by. DirecTV told me that I am out of luck because I can't face their sats. Dish Network has both a western and eastern arc so with the right placement I can pick up the eastern arc (western arc is also where directv needs to point). Anyway, I had to get permission from the HOA as usual (the dish does stick out) and I think I can only pick up 2 of 3 satellites, which so far isn't that big of deal for me because i'm getting all the channels I need.

The pricing for dish is better than directv. But there is a lengthy commitment. I LOVE my DVR though. It's sling loaded (so i can watch live tv over the net or on my iPhone), 1TB storage...the guide and menus are AWESOME (they have channel logos and recorded programs are displayed with images). I have so many many HD channels, including Speed HD for formula one.

Below is what I sent the HOA (if it were daytime I'd take pics of the actual install). The dish is mounted exactly on that box so it does stick out, and faces away from the lake. Some people in other units actually have their dishes mounted completely off their balconies, so you should find out what your HOA would approve. Below that are pics from my DVR.

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I'll look at Dish. Maybe I'll sign up, and the guy will tell me if I can get the sat when he comes for install. I walked around the complex and scoped out some people's setups. Some have a tripod, but the one I liked was much simpler. It was just a pole in a piece of concrete. Then they just bolted the dish arm to that. I thought that was perfect, and simple.

I did notice about the Directv thing. You only get the price for 1 year, but you gotta sign up for 2? Thats crazy. I loved the price though. I'm looking at Dish Network now

I guess your only choi

I don't have an RU account or anything, so thats out. I also don't know of anyone that has an RU account to send me an invite. That rules RU out. I hope they stream races more often.
 
Hulu + Torrent + Streaming might cover it. Only thing is that many (private) torrent sites require an invite though, and that's where the best stuff usually is.

Pretty much this. I cancelled my TV service, Hulu + Netflix + torrent and im not missing shit.
 
Its people like you that are causing my paycheck to be less than I would like it to be! :p

</cable TV salesguy>
 
I guess the other option would be to go work for Comcast and get my cable for free. :)
 
I really don't understand this whole "pay hundreds of dollars for television shows" thing. I guess if you're mad about racing, and can't get a webcast then it might be worth it, but seriously, most programs show up on DVD eventually, and a netflix subscription costs, what, $15/m? Hulu is free, broadcast television is free, and much of it is in HD now. And of course, there are less legitimate ways to get things too. I pay my $30/m to Comcast for 20m/4m Internet, but that's it. It's possible that I don't miss it because I've never had it, but seriously, I think cable TV is overrated and overpriced.
 
Come to the UK - Freeview - all of BBC, plus ITV (No biggie that) and Ch4 & Ch5 with many Sat channels delivered via terrestrial. Murdoch really really wants BBC money btw - and these Tory clowns are possibly going to give the BBC away - I am not kidding!
 
Pretty much everything I watch on TV I can watch legally online via the channels website.
The things I cannot watch legally are mostly like top gear, ie. things from other countries.
 
I really don't understand this whole "pay hundreds of dollars for television shows" thing. I guess if you're mad about racing, and can't get a webcast then it might be worth it, but seriously, most programs show up on DVD eventually, and a netflix subscription costs, what, $15/m? Hulu is free, broadcast television is free, and much of it is in HD now. And of course, there are less legitimate ways to get things too. I pay my $30/m to Comcast for 20m/4m Internet, but that's it. It's possible that I don't miss it because I've never had it, but seriously, I think cable TV is overrated and overpriced.

I agree. I have netflix, and I love Hulu. The only things that keep me with cable are 1) I don't have RU so watching racing is a problem. 2) My 58 yr old mom lives with me and she can't operate a computer to watch stuff. She's handicap, so she needs something to watch during the day while I'm at work. Once I get mom placed in a home of some kind, I'll probably cancel it then.
 
you also could set up a computer running boxee or XBMC to stream things from hulu and netflix to your computer. thats what i do and it works fantastic.

I also have Directv and i do have to say that if you wan a full TV package directv is the best way to go. great service, great customer service, great selection, great features and just a pleasure to deal with, imo. I had dish once and i hated it
 
you also could set up a computer running boxee or XBMC to stream things from hulu and netflix to your computer. thats what i do and it works fantastic.

I also have Directv and i do have to say that if you wan a full TV package directv is the best way to go. great service, great customer service, great selection, great features and just a pleasure to deal with, imo. I had dish once and i hated it
Problem around here with Dish/Direct is the weather. If the wind blows over 5 mph, which it constantly does, you lose signal.
 
Problem around here with Dish/Direct is the weather. If the wind blows over 5 mph, which it constantly does, you lose signal.

:eek: thats weird, how cheapo stand are you using for the antenna/dish? :eek:
 
:eek: thats weird, how cheapo stand are you using for the antenna/dish? :eek:
It's not the stand, it's the dish itself warping a bit. Happens to DirecTV and Dish Network. In Oklahoma, the winds are just horrible. Not that I mind, makes me more money. :p
 
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