Cutting the Cord

[Redux]

So what happens when they say, okay sir, we have just disconnected your service, we are taking $400 out of your account to cover the remainder of your balance. Have a nice day! Click.

 

Also, can I ask to speak to Steve? Sounds like a great guy.

Since you are under contract you say "I just want to lower my bill until my contract is up. The price is just too much to maintain." Their job is to work with you.

[sho]

So... Here is what I have compiled thus far.

 

Antennae - 1 time $100 fee to get it purchased and set up.

Sling - $25 for AMC & ESPN's

Prime - unknown, the Mrs. pays for that

Netflix - $9.00 per month

BTN - awaiting changes

FSN - awaiting changes

$99 annually

 

I'd get Hulu to for like $9/month as well. Basically a DVR for ABC, NBC and Fox.

[greenmonkey51]

I cut cable yesterday, of course they tripled my internet. Lousy crooks, 2 more months and I'm done with them completely.

[ScottyIce]

Does this help me? http://blog.mysanantonio.com/sports-media/2016/02/directv-offers-details-of-settlement-with-mlbs-extra-innings/

[NebraskaHarry]

 

So... Here is what I have compiled thus far.

 

Antennae - 1 time $100 fee to get it purchased and set up.

Sling - $25 for AMC & ESPN's

Prime - unknown, the Mrs. pays for that

Netflix - $9.00 per month

BTN - awaiting changes

FSN - awaiting changes

$99 annually

 

I'd get Hulu to for like $9/month as well. Basically a DVR for ABC, NBC and Fox.

 

Which are all tv channels you can get for free streaming off their websites or apps (Roku, Fire, etc.)

[NebraskaHarry]

 

 

So... Here is what I have compiled thus far.

 

Antennae - 1 time $100 fee to get it purchased and set up.

Sling - $25 for AMC & ESPN's

Prime - unknown, the Mrs. pays for that

Netflix - $9.00 per month

BTN - awaiting changes

FSN - awaiting changes

$99 annually

 

I'd get Hulu to for like $9/month as well. Basically a DVR for ABC, NBC and Fox.

 

Which are all tv channels you can get for free streaming off their websites or apps (Roku, Fire, etc.)

 

Actually I take that back. I think you need a cable subscription to do that. I think.

[Whistlebritches]

So,

 

ESPN - Sling TV

 

Is it live? Also, is it all of the ESPN channels?

For anyone else who might read this and have this question.

 

ESPN is live-ish. You'll be anywhere from 30-120 seconds behind the broadcasts so if you participate in the game watch threads or peruse twitter during a game something might get spoiled. I've read that you're better off using your Sling TV login at watchespn and streaming straight through that instead of the Sling app but I don't have any firsthand experience.

 

Also, Sling TV is a 100% legitimate business and is owned by Dish networks

[BigRedBuster]

So, I'm seeing all these monthly and annual charges for these services for programing you can find on line. For the people who have "cut the cord", how much do you end up paying after all these are figured in?

 

Honestly, it's nice to just sit down turn the TV on and boom...there are all the channels. We have Dish and I've never really considered not having it.

[Saunders]

Does this help me? http://blog.mysanantonio.com/sports-media/2016/02/directv-offers-details-of-settlement-with-mlbs-extra-innings/

Not until they actually make changes.

[Saunders]

So, I'm seeing all these monthly and annual charges for these services for programing you can find on line. For the people who have "cut the cord", how much do you end up paying after all these are figured in?

 

Honestly, it's nice to just sit down turn the TV on and boom...there are all the channels. We have Dish and I've never really considered not having it.

It really depends on what you watch. Prime is $99 a year (but you get alot more benefits than just video)and I would have it regardless of video. Plus, we have Netflix because the kids use it more than live TV (yay for no annoying commercials).

 

Right now I'm at $130 for Cable/Fiber Internet (Verizon), whole house DVR.

$9 a month for Netflix

$139/month total.

 

If I were to cut cable (no chance until I can get BTN) I'd be at

$60 for Internet (100/100)

$30 for sling TV (Sports plus entertainment packages)

$9 a month for Netflix

$99/month total.

 

And I'd be good. Is it worth it? IDK. There's also stuff like Hulu and the CBS services and I think FOX has one too, but I haven't really explored those.

[Saunders]

 

So,

 

ESPN - Sling TV

 

Is it live? Also, is it all of the ESPN channels?

For anyone else who might read this and have this question.

 

ESPN is live-ish. You'll be anywhere from 30-120 seconds behind the broadcasts so if you participate in the game watch threads or peruse twitter during a game something might get spoiled. I've read that you're better off using your Sling TV login at watchespn and streaming straight through that instead of the Sling app but I don't have any firsthand experience.

 

Also, Sling TV is a 100% legitimate business and is owned by Dish networks

 

Yeah, that's true. My cousin does it that way, plus you can switch all the channels faster.

[knapplc]

So, I'm seeing all these monthly and annual charges for these services for programing you can find on line. For the people who have "cut the cord", how much do you end up paying after all these are figured in?

 

Honestly, it's nice to just sit down turn the TV on and boom...there are all the channels. We have Dish and I've never really considered not having it.

It really depends on what you want to watch. Some people like having the multitude of channels, but for me, I got too tired of flipping through channels and saying, "There's nothing on." You do that all the time, so why are you paying for all those channels you don't watch? Even with DVR/On Demand, it got too annoying to fast-forward through commercials.

 

My monthly breakdown looks like this:

 

Netflix: $9

Amazon Prime: $8.25 (although primarily I use this for free shipping)

YouTube: Free

TWC Internet: $80 (which includes modem fee & surcharges)

Comedy Central App: Free (for shows like Tosh.0, Review & Daily Show)

Digital Antenna: One-time fee of like $50 so I can get ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc. But I never, ever use this.

Roku 3: One-time fee of $89 each (I have two)

 

All told, I'm paying less than $100/month, and even that's a bit inflated since I'm including my internet and my Amazon Prime in that total, but I mostly use Internet for Internetty things & Amazon Prime for shopping/shipping.

 

My actual "TV-watching" outlay is probably less than $50/month. And I have more to watch, more conveniently, less stressfully, than with cable.

 

We went back to cable over the last football season, but cancelled it again midway through November. We just weren't watching anything close to enough TV to make it worth it.

 

Actually, I forgot - we have SlingTV, too. I'm cancelling that today because I never watch it.

[Michiganball]

Who has cut the cord?

 

I'm starting to feel the pressure to do so. I already have Netflix and Amazon Prime. I'm looking into doing the antenna to get local channels as well.

 

The issue for me would be not having BTN, ESPN, AMC, Fox Sports North (Twins Games)

 

What are the options to watch those channels live? Prices?

 

Got rid of it last year, bought a nice monster of an antenna for the attic. ended up with around 40 channels. To keep things as they used to be bought a channel master dvr, it works like a comcast dvr did but is far faster and more responsive. Also bought for 50 bucks a dual core flat micro case computer(hdmi connected to the tv)to serve as a media player along with netflix and amazon. Cant talk about the rest of the setup as although Kodi is legal, some of the plugins for it are shady(ESPN3 plugin though has a load of college football and basketball sports on there for free surprisingly). In the end there is not a show or sporting event I miss and my actual viewing experience has gone up through the roof compared to when I was tied to doing things the comcast way. In the end savings are around 100 a month as I already had Amazon and Netflix. Good luck and do your share of reading on whats available out there.

[GSG]

Anyone tried this?

 

 

Sony's PlayStation Vue cord-cutting TV service goes nationwide, now starts at $30 per month

[GSG]

Channel packages for Playstation Vue:

 

Here are the packages in full detail:

 

Access package – $39 a month – CBS, COZI TV, myTV, NBCm Telemundo, AMC, Animal Planet, BET, Bravo, Cartoon Network, CMT, CNBC, CNN, Comedy Central, Destination America, Discovery, Discovery Family, DiY, E!, Esquire, Food Network, Fox Business, Fox News, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, FX, FXX, HGTV, HLN, Investigation Discovery, MSNBC, MTV, MTV2, National Geographic, NBC Sports Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, OWN, Oxygen, Science, Spike, SyFy, TBS, TLC, TNT, Travel, truTV, TVLand, USA, VH1, WeTV, plus ABC, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform (formerly ABC Family), ESPN and ESPN 2

 

Core package – $45 a month – Everything from the Access package, plus BTN, BTN Alternative, Golf, IFC, Sundance, TCM, YES, ESPNU, ESPNews and SEC Network.

 

Elite package – $55 a month – Everything from the Core package, plus AHC, BET Gospel, Boomerang, Centric, Chiller, Cloo, CMT Pure Country, CNBC World, Cooking, Discovery Life, Fox College Sports Atlantic, Central, Pacific, FXM, LOGO, MTV Hits, MTV Jams, MTVU, NatGeo Wild, Palladia, Sprout, Teen Nick, Universal, Velocity, VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul and Disney Fusion.

Sony also recently announced the Slim packages that offer the same functionality of the standard packages, but are available nation-wide:

• Access Slim: 55+ channels, including live cable TV, movies, and sports channels for $29.99 per month.
• Core Slim: 70+ channels, including all the channels from Access Slim with the addition of national and regional sports networks for $34.99 per month.
• Elite Slim: 100+ channels, featuring all the channels from Core Slim with the addition of more top movie and entertainment channels for $44.99 per month.

 

http://www.techradar.com/us/reviews/gaming/playstation-vue-1292722/review