We dropped Comcast when the DTV conversion finally took hold.  We have OTA HD television for all the major networks and are using a Dish Network DTV Pal DVR.  I also built a HTPC and have a Roku box for Netflix and Amazon video.  The only thing I miss I miss is live sports, but there are streams of various quality all over the internet so I get by.  Ironically, I switched from DSL to Comcast internet to make sure I had the bandwidth for all of my internet video which means I am still stuck as a Comcast customer.

We dropped U-verse last fall to save some money and haven’t looked back. With OTA HD, Hulu, and Netflix, we haven’t missed it.

I haven’t even considered getting cable or satellite service since I moved into my new place. There are just too many other great options for video out there today.

Me and my roommates share a Netflix account, so I can stream movies and shows whenever from my X360 or Blu-ray player. I can entertain myself for hours on YouTube. I am amassing a pretty substantial Blu-ray collection as well. Even March Madness, which I’m a big fan of, could be watched for free online. For other (non-streamable) sports, we just go out to the bar and watch there.

At this point, I don’t see myself ever subscribing to cable/satellite again.

Cable TV just isn’t a good value, it is as simple as that.  And it isn’t streaming that I use, I don’t even use Hulu that much.  There are better things to do with one’s time than watch some pretty stale programming.  I watch sports, FoodTV and now HBO for the Pacific (and I will cancel as soon as that is over).  My wife on the other hand might have a different opinion.  I would bet that after a couple of months we wouldn’t miss it.

Cutting the Internet cord however is not an option.

When are we going to get to paying for bits?

I ditched cable over a year ago when the economy went south, along with my earning ability. I had the full boat(digital tier, all premium channels + HD package) with Brighthouse cable network. I had already used Hulu and network sites when I missed a show but, after dropping cable service I’m OTA, cable and OTA networks online sites, Hulu, YouTube, IMDb, some iTunes rentals and anywhere else I can watch content online. Don’t really do sports—I watch the Super Bowl.

Cut Suddenlink in Jan of ‘08…but reconnected in the fall for football season.  I’ve cut it again this past Feb.  Don’t think I’m going to reconnect.  I get plenty of sports with OTA and ESPN3…I have season tickets to Longhorns sporting events, so I don’t miss much…I can also make a trip to the local sports bar which is a short walk.  I use Windows 7 / Media Center as my OTA DVR along with my Netflix account for BluRay and other movies.  Using Verizon DSL for web access.

I however don’t have the options that city folks do, I barely have dsl, and cable is not even a option. I have Dish.  I have had Dish for over 11 years.
This summer I’m moving south, where I’m going I won’t be able to even get dial up, much less dsl.  Unless I fond something like Wimax or figure some way to do 3g on my computers. I will forced to do Hughsnet or Starband or the like, None of which I’m looking forward to. 
So these discussions, about dropping cable or satellite and going to net for for media is not even a option for a huge part of the population who can’t even get basic phone service with dial-up is largely forgotten.

Ken Lawson

http://kennethlawson.blogspot.com/

In November,  Comcast sent a note to our house that our basic analog plan would no longer be available.  When they went 100% digital,  our plan went up almost 200% and it took them three trips and hours of follow phone calls to get my service right.

Cable used to offer sports I couldn’t get from just the antenna.  In the last few years, all the sports I wanted to watch and were available on ESPN, are now only available on higher premium packages.  In response, Comcast can go screw themselves and so can the Big Ten.  My children will be raised without the fun of college football that I was raised with.

Take the “Comcast Stinks!!” challenge.  Unplug your cable and buy a $20 antenna to replace with over the air TV for 2 weeks.  At the end of two weeks,  see if you and your family really missed the 80 channels of crap they charge you for. For us, the digital signal meant we recieved a better product over the air than the $76/month for crap.  Let’s send the greedy cable companies a strong message here.

Chis while you are right in theory, ditching cable cat is nice, however, there are still Many things that aren’t available on line.  Your also ignoring my point about folks who have no option other then satilete, and are lucky to get basic DSL, those folks NEED their Dishnetwork or even Directtv, and rely on whatever net options they can find..

  Thats not even counting the fact that I like My dual-tuner DVR..

Ken Lawson

To Mr. Lawson,
Have you considered the Sprint 3G device that allows for a Wi-Fi connection of up to 5 devices for your computers? I’ve been online sharing a friend’s unit and found it to work fairly well in my midwestern city.

I don’t know anything about your particular circumstances—where you’re moving to, Sprint coverage/availability, etc.. .but, it might be worth investigating as an option for your computers and provide the means to possibly “ditch cable”, if you’re of a mind to. Just a suggestion.

DK Thanks for the imput. I actually have been looking into G, As I’mon Verizion, I started with them, They have the MYFI of course, which really isn’t what I need, I need a refualr Router that instead of pulling a signal from a dsl or cable line , pulls the net from a G signal and works just like my dsl router to let me network my 5 machine and share file ect. But so far I haven’t found that type of solution. I will defiantly at least cal Sprint and At&T of nothing else to see what they do have.

As near as I can tell, all of the 3G stuff seems to be focused on Mobile,not much on fixed point access.

@ Kenneth Lawson

Sprint has a couple options that seem to work by plugging your mobile broadband card into a router…

http://shop.sprint.com/NASApp/onlinestore/en/Action/OSBrowseAccessoriesDetail?categoryRefName=Data+&+Memory&PHONE_ID=FW300DOWMX&selectedAccessoryID=MNX351

I think the Cradlepoint router is a business solution only.

I did see this on the Sprint page.
weather this is something I can use or not is something I’ll have to call them about.

http://www.intomobile.com/2009/08/05/sprint-unveils-new-pair-of-4g3g-wifi-routers.html

Of course I’ll will still have to deal with that 5g limit,,If I do find a solution.

Ken

Yes, I cancelled my satellite service the first of November last year. When I looked at the bill vs. the amount of time I watch TV it didn’t jive. I called my provider to see if we could work something out but they won’t provide ala cart. I have to say that I don’t miss it and I’m wondering why I didn’t do this earlier.

What about those of us that still use over the air?
Some of us do not want to spend all that money on other sources when we have to pay for the whole bundle!

In many rural ares over the air isn’t even a option, as they’re so far out they can’;t get any signal, analogue or digital.  Thats not even counting the fact that some best programing is’t over the air in the first place. the only show I watch on a ota network is NCIS on CBS, for the new first run shows, Everything else I watch is on “Cable Channels” that I couldn’t get even if I could get a decent signal. Which I can’t.

  If you can get the material you like over the air, and through the likes of Hulu, all the better, but the vast majority of us like the choice we get with sat or cable, even if we don’t like the bill.
Even when I don’t have a show in particular on, I still use the sat for music, as they have a very wide variety of music stations that play all music with NO announcers or commercials. They also show the title and artist on the screen while it playing.  This added to the dual- tuner DVR and the selection of material is a huge value adds to me.
  So its not just about the bill and playing for channels I’ll never watch, and there are a lot that I will probably never tune into, but having the option to watch them is worth something.

  In fact, right now as I write this, I’ve watched 2 shows on the local PBS feed. found nothing else interesting tonight and turned on one of the many music stations and its playing   a instrumental version of a old Frank Sinatra song for me write this by.  I will leave it on this station and It’ll be on this in the morning when I start the day,,
So I figure I get my moneys worth every month,,,

Ken Lawson

Never even bothered with cable- went straight for Hulu. Have no problem with the format, no problem having to watch the ads, and it’s it’s like having my own dvr… except they go find the new content for me. Excellent.

Eight weeks with no cable and still not missing it.  The sports is an interesting angle.  That was my excuse to keep cable for years.  I’m a Michigan fan living in Indiana.  That means that many of the premium games are on the Big Ten network.  But…. Since I live in Indiana, they usually choose the IU or Purdue game that didn’t make the local channels.  This leaves me with paying for cable, but not getting my games I used to get on ESPN or ABC.  Your business model just failed.  Sayonara Comcast.  You stink!!

Hulu has essentially set the standard for on-line streaming media. If you can find the material you like on Hulu or other streaming sites your good, particularly if you can play it on a big tv, and sound system. However,  If your on Hughsnet or the like forget it, their 5 gig limit pretty much kills streaming anything more then a occasional You Tube, and the like. Forget using Net flicks, which is for most folks a very good option.

As for sports, I don’t do   sports so thats not a problem for me, However I do see where trying to get them online is a problem.

So in my case, dropping my Dish Network is not a option, Not that I want too…

Ken Lawson