TV/DVR without Timewarner, Verizon, Comcast, etc
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I keep getting questions from people about replacing TV/DVR service with something streaming based to lower monthly bills. I'd love to do the same thing since I'm paying TWC $165/month for a DVR and internet, but just can't find the right magic combo.
Roku and Amazon Fire TV both seem like pretty solid streaming players and I'm sure there are a few other solid ones out there, but the content is the bigger issue. Netflix is always way behind on TV shows (Walking Dead for example), Hulu doesn't get the greatest quality sometimes and they don't have everything. Amazon doesn't have everything either. Have seen a few companies streaming live TV channels but not enough of them and usually not 1080p.
Have also seen the cable tuner cards you can shove into the back of a computer and use Windows Media Center for your TV. This might be the lesser of all evils, but I have to make it semi-user friendly for the misses and she's used to a remote with channel up/down buttons smh...
Seems like big business is locking us TV junkies into buying their overpriced service and hardware. Anyone got ideas?
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binoculars and a neighbor with a large window?
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@hubtechagain said:
binoculars and a neighbor with a large window?
Wish I could double upvote your response. ++1
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Roku 3+ SlingTV ($25 a month for a few channels + Disney, Cartoon Network, and Boomerang) + Netflix + Hulu + Amazon = Win.
I don't count Netflix or Hulu since we were already paying for those...
Our Cable + Internet Bill went from $130 a month to $65 a month for Internet + SingTV.
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We used to use AppleTV and liked it a lot. We've now moved to Amazon Fire TV and an Amazon Fire Stick and love them. They are super flexible and support pretty much everything. The Fire TV isn't half bad for gaming, either. Although the game selection is pretty limited.
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@dafyre said:
Roku 3+ SlingTV ($25 a month for a few channels + Disney, Cartoon Network, and Boomerang) + Netflix + Hulu + Amazon = Win.
I don't count Netflix or Hulu since we were already paying for those...
Our Cable + Internet Bill went from $130 a month to $65 a month for Internet + SingTV.
How have I not heard of SlingTV?! Will definitely have to try it out. Any ideas for a DVR?
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@quicky2g said:
Any ideas for a DVR?
Why do you need a DVR? The whole point of streaming is "on demand"
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think of streaming as your giant DVR. that you've already recorded all sorts of stuff that you didn't know about. maybe you were drunk and said "record it all" and it listened?
DVR is only needed if you've got some source of "live" programming. if you go streaming, it's streaming. dig?
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Try to not get locked into the desire to have a physical DVR - ... As mentioned.
I have a TiVO Series One (lifetime) and a Series 3 (also lifetime) and they are gathering dust. The S1 was 'hacked' and upgraded to add more storage and network access,..
So I have two units just sitting,.. in a closet.. and it's pointless to try to sell them for anything.
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@quicky2g said:
@dafyre said:
Roku 3+ SlingTV ($25 a month for a few channels + Disney, Cartoon Network, and Boomerang) + Netflix + Hulu + Amazon = Win.
I don't count Netflix or Hulu since we were already paying for those...
Our Cable + Internet Bill went from $130 a month to $65 a month for Internet + SingTV.
How have I not heard of SlingTV?! Will definitely have to try it out. Any ideas for a DVR?
I've never had a DVR. What purpose would it serve once you drop cable?
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The only things I use cable for are sports: football; American football; the Olympics; etc. If I could get channels that supplied those things and get rid of cable I would be so happy. /me goes off to search for SlingTV to find out what it is.
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There is an ESPN on demand Internet channel. No idea what they carry.
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Looks like SlingTV would only get me part of the way there since it doesn't carry the major networks (CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX). Hmm
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I really only have cable for 2 channels, Fox Sports 1, and NBC Sports Network.
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OTA, or if you don't get the signal where you live, Playstation VUE. I was a Sling TV customer, and quality and reliability of service sucked. Playstation VUE has 3 plans, from 50 to 80+ channels, $50, $55 and $65 are current pricing. It doesn't have ABC yet, but they signed a deal at the end of last year, so it's coming. It's available on PS3 and PS4, on iOS devices, with tv guide, and on Amazon Fire TV and stick - no tv guide though. They recently added Chromecast to the list too.
It includes cloud DVR, for up to 28 days, I think.
Now the downside, it's officially only available in few selected metro areas, but you can easily work around that. I'm 80 miles from NYC, but I get the service without any issues. -
I got a Tivo Romanio with lifetime service when they were on sale Black Friday, and a TivoMINI for the 1 remote TV we have. Cable card rental is $5/month (compared to almost $30/month for the 2 boxes). So far wife friendly. Only complaint I have is by default it tries to record porgrams on SD channels not HD, but I think I got that sorted out. If we jump services I just get new cable card, or of we go OTA will work for recording local stations.
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@Kelly said:
The only things I use cable for are sports: football; American football; the Olympics; etc. If I could get channels that supplied those things and get rid of cable I would be so happy. /me goes off to search for SlingTV to find out what it is.
https://www.fubo.tv/ - this covers a lot of football, Fox Soccer Plus - avaiable on PS3 and PS4 - adds Bundesliga, some European Cups, and a few more.
For american football probably the best would be Sling TV, it has a few ESPN channels and sports pack, CBS All Access might have some football available in the future.
Olympics are exclusive to NBC, so no dice, Playstation VUE or OTA antenna. -
ChannelMaster DVR+ totally worth the price.
Immediately cut my satellite, installed this unit, picked up OTA channels and can record what I want to watch.
I haven't paid for satellite service in 2 years, and I can watch everything else I want, legally online.
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I use a DVR in Japan to time shift OTA channels there in conjunction with our SlingBox.
I would like to have a DVR here in the US to record OTA programming, because we do have a nice antenna and good OTA channel selection in the Chicago suburbs. But I would not like it enough that I have purchased any hardware.
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Ease of use and channel selection is why I haven't left cable yet. And when you stack all of those other service on top of one another, you're not really saving all that much anyhow.
I would like the normal OTA channels - everything on demand, as soon as the show has ended on it's live broadcast would be awesome, but there's normally a delay of a day or more.
Also add in the discovery channels, and the wife would like the Big East Conference for Basketball - but no other sports needed/wanted.
