Is it time to cut the cord?

I'll tell you, Comcast Xfinity is unbelievable. Has the remotes you talk into to watch any show on demand. Its intuitive and a big technology upgrade and convenience. I love it. I just say 'Netflix' or 'Youtube' and boom, up it comes. 

Yep, its expensive. But for me, its a massive upgrade over DirecTV and their antiquated systems. 

@"StickyBun" said: I'll tell you, Comcast Xfinity is unbelievable. Has the remotes you talk into to watch any show on demand. Its intuitive and a big technology upgrade and convenience. I love it. I just say 'Netflix' or 'Youtube' and boom, up it comes. 

Yep, its expensive. But for me, its a massive upgrade over DirecTV and their antiquated systems. 

In my opinion, DTV led the field when it first came out in terms of technology, simplicity, programming, customer service. Made Dish and Comcast look bad. Now it's a joke IMO. Ever since they merged with AT&T, they habitually overcharge and everything else went downhill. Their interface, technology, equipment, programming and customer service is just trash now. I'll toast the day (coming soon) when I kick them to the curb. 

I started to move in the cut the cord direction, albeit ever so slightly with Amazon firebox.

That coupled with OTA and the # of apps out there for viewing and boy you get close to being free. Now granted some of this stuff costs $$$$, but we're paying over $100/mos for DVR and Dish. 

It's a matter of when and how we cut the cord. Problem is we love the DVR and I will not watch live programming any more.

I do love Dish technology with their 16 tuners, speak to remotes etc. But they need to vastly improve their bundles package. I want only the channels we watch, not 250...

I'm sure there will be more technically advanced answers coming your way MB. 

I cut the cord going on three years now by ditching my satellite subscription, and I couldn't be happier about it.  We still pay for "live" TV by using SlingTV, but there's no contract and the plan (Blue) I have runs $25/monthly that includes their DVR.  I have 3 Roku boxes so I have access to Sling, Netflix, and Amazon Prime on all the TVs.  I have a kick ass antenna on my rooftop that picks up 32 channels of crystal clear OTA "free" TV that I wired to the coax that was already running to the rooms in my house used for the DTV and Dish connections.  I also have the OTA DVR from Tablo (the four tuner model) that my wife uses daily, and I record all the Viking games with.  Tablo also has a Roku app, so we can watch our shows on any TV in the house (or tablet/phone).

There's an initial cost to get going with Cord Cutting like you're figuring out, but even my wife would never go back to Cable or Satellite.  She hated the setup we currently have for the first couple of weeks because there's a bit of flipping around between the HDMI and Antenna input source buttons on the TV remote and then using the Roku remote, but we're saving about $100 month since we switched.  I then asked her if having to press the little input button on the TV remote was worth $100, and she quit complaining.  B)

The DTV Now streaming service has a deal where you can get something like 60 channels at $10/month for three months.  That's pretty cheap and it includes ESPN and NFL network.  SlingTV used to give away a Roku box when you setup your subscription with them.  Not sure if they still do.

As a long time DTV customer, I tried it a few years ago and ended up going back. There is way more content now than there was back then, but sometimes I like being able to leisurely surf the channels to see what is on. When you cut the cord, everything becomes more deliberate. You have to actually have a plan of what you want to watch instead of stumbling across an interesting show that catches my eye. It's a completely different way to watch TV. For some, that is exactly the kind of experience they want. 

@"HappyViking" said: I cut the cord going on three years now by ditching my satellite subscription, and I couldn't be happier about it.  We still pay for "live" TV by using SlingTV, but there's no contract and the plan (Blue) I have runs $25/monthly that includes their DVR.  I have 3 Roku boxes so I have access to Sling, Netflix, and Amazon Prime on all the TVs.  I have a kick ass antenna on my rooftop that picks up 32 channels of crystal clear OTA "free" TV that I wired to the coax that was already running to the rooms in my house used for the DTV and Dish connections.  I also have the OTA DVR from Tablo (the four tuner model) that my wife uses daily, and I record all the Viking games with.  Tablo also has a Roku app, so we can watch our shows on any TV in the house (or tablet/phone).

There's an initial cost to get going with Cord Cutting like you're figuring out, but even my wife would never go back to Cable or Satellite.  She hated the setup we currently have for the first couple of weeks because there's a bit of flipping around between the HDMI and Antenna input source buttons on the TV remote and then using the Roku remote, but we're saving about $100 month since we switched.  I then asked her if having to press the little input button on the TV remote was worth $100, and she quit complaining.  B)

The DTV Now streaming service has a deal where you can get something like 60 channels at $10/month for three months.  That's pretty cheap and it includes ESPN and NFL network.  SlingTV used to give away a Roku box when you setup your subscription with them.  Not sure if they still do.

Your setup sounds really similar to mine, even down to wiring an OTA antenna in my attic to the coax cable splitter that splits out to all of my rooms from my utility room.  No need for separate antennas on each TV anymore.  I would also probably have subscribed to a streaming service like SlingTV as well, but I got lucky when I dropped cable from my cable company.  For whatever reason, all of my TV Everywhere apps that used to work through my cable subscription still work even though I've dropped cable.  So I can still watch all of the apps (WatchESPN, HGTV, AMC, etc.) using my old cable TV login (I still use the company for internet).  I'm dreading the day that they find out and shut my login off, but it's been almost two years now.

Regarding the inputs and switching all the time, I would highly recommend the TCL Roku TVs.  That way, you only use the one TV remote, which is basically a Roku remote, and it treats live TV as just another "app" on the home screen.  Super user-friendly and they are really great values.  They even have a TV Guide for OTA TV.  They are sold on Amazon and even Costco has started to carry them.

Left DTV a few years back. Since I'm not in the local Minny Market, I do not get a lot of the games.  I miss Sunday Ticket, but was never worth the cost.  Now I go to B-DUBS or another bar on games I can not get.

@"TBro" said: As a long time DTV customer, I tried it a few years ago and ended up going back. There is way more content now than there was back then, but sometimes I like being able to leisurely surf the channels to see what is on. When you cut the cord, everything becomes more deliberate. You have to actually have a plan of what you want to watch instead of stumbling across an interesting show that catches my eye. It's a completely different way to watch TV. For some, that is exactly the kind of experience they want. 

This is VERY true.  For me, I've found that I watch less TV now than I used to, but I've also binged some great shows that I never got around to when I had cable and would just channel surf instead.  However, I do miss the ability to just look through all the channels to see what's on once in a while.

I ditched do about 6 months ago for r u k o  about 8 months ago  I went to spending over 300 amount with NFL package to maybe 60 a month  counting pay per view  movies which also cuts out the redox late  fees  and there is so much great free shows  programs and apps had to buy  fou r boxes but kids luv it  gonna miss recording  the  Viking  games on Sunday  but usually go to  fat boys to watch games  I just saw a smart TV  60 inch at Walmart  for 348 smart TV prices  keep going down  so u don't even need to buy a r o k u or any other device soon if u get a new TV 

I am cutting the cord very soon. I have a couple TVs with Google chromecast built in and a box for another one. I also have Hulu through my phone company. I have Netflix and Amazon Prime as well. There is so much available through streaming now. I am actually looking forward to it. 

two obvious separate issues.

-Vikings are not your "local" team in regards to local broadcasting.
-You don't watch nearly enough TV to justify the cost, but you do enjoy the access 'on demand.'

The latter could easily be solved with a service like Playstation Vue. It's a cable TV over-the-internet service. ESPN, NFLN boxes checked. It uses a Netflix style interactive menu system to make the experience a lot more immersive than a typical cable box. There is a standard TV guide that shows you channels, times and programming blocks. You can easily set any show you want to DVR, and a lot of channels have good chunks of their programming 'on demand.'

The simple flexibility of the service and payments is more what came to mind though. It's like Netflix; there's no prorate in your service/bill. You pay for a month, you get a month. You decide you don't want the service anymore, take a month or two off. It is absolutely perfect for someone who doesn't want to pay for TV they are too busy to use, but still wants flexibility to access it all when they feel they have the time. The packages go from $45-$65 (I generally do the $55 plan to get the sports channels + the usual "never watch those" channels), but you won't be multiplying that figure by 12 if you have months where no one is watching TV.

I've never used Sling or the streaming alternatives, but i'd totally agree that their service model is what you are after. Pay for what you use for 30 days, make a decision on if another 30 is viable, and go from there. You don't need to make phone calls, you don't need to set up installation, it's just on or off. You don't need to make another phone call when a prorated bill shows up... 

This is the least of your issue though...

....

I don't know how any of these solve the Vikings problem though. It's the biggest challenge to cutting the cord. There looks to be a Sunday Ticket streaming service provided by DirecTV, that doesn't seem to require owning or using the service. It says its $73.49 a month for 4 months. Don't know anything about how it works, but it's there... and there is a PS4 app.

$300 for 4 months of Sunday Ticket streaming.
$300 (one time) for a PS4.
$220 for 4 months of PlayStation Vue (call it September through December)
----------
$820 for a full Vikings experience and access to NFLN, ESPN, etc. the rest of the year.

Next year, it's just $55 for the months you decide you want to watch regular TV and then $300 in August for Sunday Ticket.

Personally, I think this is the way to go. You keep Sunday Ticket and you gain flexibility to cut the cord whenever you feel like paying for it is stupid. The biggest question would be whether or not a $300 investment into lowering bills makes sense.

You forgot to build in the $3,000 for the DWI from the bar when they clinch their playoff berth

@"BlackMagic7" said: two obvious separate issues.

-Vikings are not your "local" team in regards to local broadcasting.
-You don't watch nearly enough TV to justify the cost, but you do enjoy the access 'on demand.'

The latter could easily be solved with a service like Playstation Vue. It's a cable TV over-the-internet service. ESPN, NFLN boxes checked. It uses a Netflix style interactive menu system to make the experience a lot more immersive than a typical cable box. There is a standard TV guide that shows you channels, times and programming blocks. You can easily set any show you want to DVR, and a lot of channels have good chunks of their programming 'on demand.'

The simple flexibility of the service and payments is more what came to mind though. It's like Netflix; there's no prorate in your service/bill. You pay for a month, you get a month. You decide you don't want the service anymore, take a month or two off. It is absolutely perfect for someone who doesn't want to pay for TV they are too busy to use, but still wants flexibility to access it all when they feel they have the time. The packages go from $45-$65 (I generally do the $55 plan to get the sports channels + the usual "never watch those" channels), but you won't be multiplying that figure by 12 if you have months where no one is watching TV.

I've never used Sling or the streaming alternatives, but i'd totally agree that their service model is what you are after. Pay for what you use for 30 days, make a decision on if another 30 is viable, and go from there. You don't need to make phone calls, you don't need to set up installation, it's just on or off. You don't need to make another phone call when a prorated bill shows up... 

This is the least of your issue though...

....

I don't know how any of these solve the Vikings problem though. It's the biggest challenge to cutting the cord. There looks to be a Sunday Ticket streaming service provided by DirecTV, that doesn't seem to require owning or using the service. It says its $73.49 a month for 4 months. Don't know anything about how it works, but it's there... and there is a PS4 app.

$300 for 4 months of Sunday Ticket streaming.
$300 (one time) for a PS4.
$220 for 4 months of PlayStation Vue (call it September through December)
----------
$820 for a full Vikings experience and access to NFLN, ESPN, etc. the rest of the year.

Next year, it's just $55 for the months you decide you want to watch regular TV and then $300 in August for Sunday Ticket.

Personally, I think this is the way to go. You keep Sunday Ticket and you gain flexibility to cut the cord whenever you feel like paying for it is stupid. The biggest question would be whether or not a $300 investment into lowering bills makes sense.

Thanks for breaking that down. The more feedback I get the more it sounds like there are a hundred different options and combinations of options. Interesting about Playstation. I don't play games at all, but my son does and I was considering getting him a console for Christmas, and if that kills two birds, that might be the way to go. But right now I'm not seeing a streaming option of Sunday Ticket where it can be separated from the DTV subscription.

https://nflst.directv.com/

again, don't know really anything about it. It advertises with, "Don't have DirecTV?" and has "No Satellite Required" in the fine print at the bottom of the page. 

This could be the solution to getting away from DirecTV as a service.

lol glad you said your kid could add more value to a PS4 for you - I figured that would be a tough sell being known mostly as a video game system, but I still suggested it knowing how i've come to use mine over the last couple years. It is our primary video device and a gaming device second. My gaming life these days sounds a bit like your TV life - if the PS4 didn't have streaming capability I would have gotten rid of it a while ago as I rarely have that kind of time.

I have done the streaming Sunday Ticket for 3 or 4 seasons in a row.  It's a good service and there are a couple "packages" one can get.  I'm sure I've posted here almost every year for people to try it in these types of threads.  I can answer any questions you have about it.  I mainly used a PS3 with it, but also used my phone and tablet on occasion.

I haven't had cable for about 8 years.  I don't understand how those that do can pay $100+ a month.  Whenever I'm staying somewhere with cable, I swear I spend more time looking for something to watch than actually watching anything.

A mini rant: If people would stop paying for freakin cable, there would be even more channels available over the air, like ION which is a pretty good station.

It appears you have to be "eligible" for Sunday Ticket streaming. And it appears I'm not. 

NFL SUNDAYTICKET.TV service is only available to non-DIRECTV customers who live in select multi-dwelling unit buildings (apartments, condos, etc,) nationwide in the U.S. where DIRECTV service is not available, live in select areas within various metropolitan cities, live in a residence that has been verified as unable to receive DIRECTV satellite TV service due to obstructions blocking access to satellite signals, or are college students

@"silverjoel" said: I have done the streaming Sunday Ticket for 3 or 4 seasons in a row.  It's a good service and there are a couple "packages" one can get.  I'm sure I've posted here almost every year for people to try it in these types of threads.  I can answer any questions you have about it.  I mainly used a PS3 with it, but also used my phone and tablet on occasion.

I haven't had cable for about 8 years.  I don't understand how those that do can pay $100+ a month.  Whenever I'm staying somewhere with cable, I swear I spend more time looking for something to watch than actually watching anything.

A mini rant: If people would stop paying for freakin cable, there would be even more channels available over the air, like ION which is a pretty good station.

There's a hitch to streaming NFL Sunday ticket games, correct?  You have to qualify to be able to get only the streaming service.  If you live somewhere that DTV is offered, then you can't just subscribe to the Sunday Ticket streaming without also getting their satellite service.  Here's an article, and it sounds to me that's how it works: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/get-sunday-ticket-without-directv,review-3811.html .

When I plug-in my address here: https://nflst.directv.com/ , it says my address isn't allowed to use Sunday ticket streaming without a DTV subscription.

@"MaroonBells" said: It appears you have to be "eligible" for Sunday Ticket streaming. And it appears I'm not. 

NFL SUNDAYTICKET.TV service is only available to non-DIRECTV customers who live in select multi-dwelling unit buildings (apartments, condos, etc,) nationwide in the U.S. where DIRECTV service is not available, live in select areas within various metropolitan cities, live in a residence that has been verified as unable to receive DIRECTV satellite TV service due to obstructions blocking access to satellite signals, or are college students

I've had it for my house, but I've never had DirecTV here, not sure if they keep track of that.  Just try to sign up for it.  If they tell you no, find another way.  

@"HappyViking" said:

@"silverjoel" said: I have done the streaming Sunday Ticket for 3 or 4 seasons in a row.  It's a good service and there are a couple "packages" one can get.  I'm sure I've posted here almost every year for people to try it in these types of threads.  I can answer any questions you have about it.  I mainly used a PS3 with it, but also used my phone and tablet on occasion.

I haven't had cable for about 8 years.  I don't understand how those that do can pay $100+ a month.  Whenever I'm staying somewhere with cable, I swear I spend more time looking for something to watch than actually watching anything.

A mini rant: If people would stop paying for freakin cable, there would be even more channels available over the air, like ION which is a pretty good station.

There's a hitch to streaming NFL Sunday ticket games, correct?  You have to qualify to be able to get only the streaming service.  If you live somewhere that DTV is offered, then you can't just subscribe to the Sunday Ticket streaming without also getting their satellite service.  Here's an article, and it sounds to me that's how it works: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/get-sunday-ticket-without-directv,review-3811.html .

When I plug-in my address here: https://nflst.directv.com/ , it says my address isn't allowed to use Sunday ticket streaming without a DTV subscription.

@"silverjoel" said:

@"MaroonBells" said: It appears you have to be "eligible" for Sunday Ticket streaming. And it appears I'm not. 

NFL SUNDAYTICKET.TV service is only available to non-DIRECTV customers who live in select multi-dwelling unit buildings (apartments, condos, etc,) nationwide in the U.S. where DIRECTV service is not available, live in select areas within various metropolitan cities, live in a residence that has been verified as unable to receive DIRECTV satellite TV service due to obstructions blocking access to satellite signals, or are college students

I've had it for my house, but I've never had DirecTV here, not sure if they keep track of that.  Just try to sign up for it.  If they tell you no, find another way.