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Ditching cable

g8rh8rMD said:
Yes, BIG time. Just getting something to load up and start playing is a pain when you're used to hitting the power button and having your signal pop on right away. Streaming is fine just for finding something to watch when you want to kill some time, watch some golf during the summer, that sort of thing. Didn't miss the TV package during the summer when we don't watch much TV anyway. But for football season, no, it sucks.

As an update, ended up (after quite a lot that I won't go in to) with ATT U-Verse bundle with phone (don't want the phone, but our package is cheaper with it), 50MBPS internet, and U200, no contract term or termination fees, for a little under $110/m. Two TV's, with HD and multi-room DVR. I was already paying $40/m for the internet alone, plus another $10/m for basic Hulu. Very happy with it so far, although there hasn't been much to watch aside from pre-season games. Will likely put the service on vacation (or just downgrade to the most basic service) after the bowl games, or maybe wait another month until after NFL season is over.

The trick, as always, will be keeping the rate at that reasonable level...
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Are you referring to the direct tv now? I still have direct but am sick of my bill skyrocketing every two years. I'm tempted to cut the cord but enjoy watching any NFL game I choose and most college games.
 
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I used YouTube TV last season. $35/month, but you cancel anytime. Watched the second half of last season and cancelled the day after the UGA-Bama game. All ESPN and ABC games college games were available, in HD, as far as I could tell. No NFL games.

There was a way to rewatch/record games but I never used this feature,
 
Canesfan1899 said:
Are you referring to the direct tv now? I still have direct but am sick of my bill skyrocketing every two years. I'm tempted to cut the cord but enjoy watching any NFL game I choose and most college games.
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I tried DirecTV Now this summer. It's fine for it's selection of channels, and it's relatively similar interface to your standard cable/satelite package. When I tried it, that was before they came out with their "virtual" DVR, so I can't comment on that.

But no, what I have now is the AT&T version of Comcast or Verizon cable service. I'd been with DirecTV forever, always liked the service, had always had great success getting them to reduce the bill just by calling, but only for short periods of time. Got tired of calling, and I think they're getting stingier in their efforts to keep existing customers.

I can't say this with any certainty or specific knowledge, but I think with AT&T's purchase of DirecTV, they are going to be willing to allow DirecTV to bleed customers rather than keep customers at reasonable monthly rates. They know that there are rural customers out there who simply have no other choice, and they are going to keep those people, at higher rates, simply by default. I'm pretty sure they know that DirecTV, with the advent of fiber and streaming services, has a limited number of days left as a viable competitor to cable. The company will transition to serving rural customers not connected to fiber, and to serving yachts and airplanes that can't connect to fiber. Just a guess.
 
RBLCane said:
I cut the cord back in '09 believe it or not. Saved a lot of money but know this: every now and then, you will have to run to the local bar to catch the Canes play because (A) the game won't be on anywhere but cable (not so much now as before, especially because we are relevant again) or (B) the game will be on but the streaming will be choppy or otherwise problematic causing you to want to hurl objects at your at and/or significant other. If you can live with that, you will be fine.
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AT&T offers fiber in my area so the streaming has been great so far. I just added Sling TV for the football season because it has all of the ESPN channels (including WatchESPN) plus the ACC Network. Heard YouTube TV is the ****, but they currently don’t offer it in my area yet.
 
holdnorth said:
With so many internet TV options I decide to rid myself of Cable TV. Are you guys able to view Watch ESPN with internet subscription only?
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I have HULU with Live TV so i am able to still use watch espn and use that as my provider.

There is a slight delay so i do have to stay off of social media when the game is on and turn off score updates. There are times it buffers and ****es me off but i think its worth saving all that money for cable.
 
That is the negative of streaming games.
It get's a bit weird reading people here on the message board celebrate or groan half a minute before it actually happens on my screen.
 
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g8rh8rMD said:
I tried DirecTV Now this summer. It's fine for it's selection of channels, and it's relatively similar interface to your standard cable/satelite package. When I tried it, that was before they came out with their "virtual" DVR, so I can't comment on that.

But no, what I have now is the AT&T version of Comcast or Verizon cable service. I'd been with DirecTV forever, always liked the service, had always had great success getting them to reduce the bill just by calling, but only for short periods of time. Got tired of calling, and I think they're getting stingier in their efforts to keep existing customers.

I can't say this with any certainty or specific knowledge, but I think with AT&T's purchase of DirecTV, they are going to be willing to allow DirecTV to bleed customers rather than keep customers at reasonable monthly rates. They know that there are rural customers out there who simply have no other choice, and they are going to keep those people, at higher rates, simply by default. I'm pretty sure they know that DirecTV, with the advent of fiber and streaming services, has a limited number of days left as a viable competitor to cable. The company will transition to serving rural customers not connected to fiber, and to serving yachts and airplanes that can't connect to fiber. Just a guess.
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Thanks for the info.
 
TemplarCane said:
I used YouTube TV last season. $35/month, but you cancel anytime. Watched the second half of last season and cancelled the day after the UGA-Bama game. All ESPN and ABC games college games were available, in HD, as far as I could tell. No NFL games.

There was a way to rewatch/record games but I never used this feature,
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youtube tv is the **** cause if one person gets it u can share it with 4 people
 
Either Youtube TV, Hulu tv sounds good and that sling ****. YTTV is amazing though infinite dvr fast crispy imagine 40$ a month and again u can share it with 4 family members.
 
I have quit cable for over 18 months couldn't be happier
1) I had comcast 100mbps, but now att fiber
2) router is key, nether nighthawk x4 3 bands
3) q box, and 3 amazon fire sticks
4) Sling tv ( I pay 50 for the orange package plus spanish tv (wife is from colombia))
No problems, its been the best thing i have done.
I used to spend at least $260, now I'm spending $110.
 
g8rh8rMD said:
What I got from that article is that you'll still need a cable/sat subscription to get any of their TV channels. I would presume the same would be said for any games that would only air on Watch ESPN app (like Bethune Cookman type games, although with the team now pretty much remaining a ranked entity, I think we were on TV every game last year and I would expect that to continue).
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skyman said:
If he cant do that, espn is coming with their own streaming service this week for 5 bucks. Their are many other ala carte services available that might be better value but they will have their own offering too.

ESPN’s streaming service, ESPN+, to launch April 12
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"In February, the company further confirmed access to ESPN’s 8 TV channels, like ESPN and ESPN2..." Yea, that's how I read that to.
 
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holdnorth said:
AT&T offers fiber in my area so the streaming has been great so far. I just added Sling TV for the football season because it has all of the ESPN channels (including WatchESPN) plus the ACC Network. Heard YouTube TV is the ****, but they currently don’t offer it in my area yet.
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I have fiber but even with the fastest connection speeds sometimes the streaming is choppy for reasons that I don't understand. Like I'll be there struggling to get the thing working on Watch ESPN for my Canes game but one of the other games or anything else I stream is fine. I wanna say that the higher the demand for a game the more likely it is to have issues, at least on ESPN. The other streaming services are less problematic, and I've tried a number of them depending on which network was airing the particular game I was watching.

YouTube TV is pretty amazing. The quality is crisp and I don't remember having any issues with it when I tried it out for the World Cup. Hulu, on the other hand, has given me some issues in terms of display quality. ESPN is good when it's working.
 
Texxcane said:
I have DTV at the ranch and cable at home, I vote cable all the way
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I vote for a government that won’t allow cable and communications companies to keep ******* us. Cable companies own the FCC and the banks own the SEC. Why do we vote for people who allow companies to keep ******* us is just crazy
 
Just checking back in fellas. 11 CFB games on currently on Yourube TV. I’m in the Orlando market.

You can’t beat this for $40/month. Just spreading the word.
 
OriginalCanesCanesCanes said:
What I pay is fūcking joke. I’m embarrassed to say. I so fūcking overpay.
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Since I don't pay it, the joke is on my wife... our comcast bill is $244. I am really thinking about switching but there's a lot to consider. I have home alarm with them so a good cheap alternative is what? Ring? I need to look at all my provider alternatives but we must have a good sports package and Showtime, HBO etc.
 
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