Asking the Pack: "I cut the cable" -- Suggestions for TV providers

[Mr. Cook]

There is a lot of experience and wisdom on SPS, and I'm asking for your insights and experiences with economical alternatives to cable TV (e.g. Roku, Philo, Hulu, YouTube, etc.)

Perhaps I'm just getting old, but paying ~$200 (and up) for cable and dish subsciptions make me feel like I actually failed economics in McCool Hall.

I'm interested in the collective wisdom. Suggestions to alternatives? Thanks in advance

 

[Augustus McCrae]

I’ve had YouTube tv for several years now and it’s been great. Use the free trial for each of the providers to see what fits you best.

 

[SteelCurtain74]

YouTube TV. It's the best for sports that I've seen.

 

[DerHntr]

Definitely get an antennae as an alternative for your local channels. Go here to see what channels you get. Click the 30 feet above ground radio button even if you won’t do that for an install. This will tell you best case scenario. The picture quality from the antennae is by far the best I get on my TVs. We get 30 channels at the dang deer camp on our antenna. It’s glorious.

Antenna Signal Prediction

Which broadcast channels can you receive for free? It's time you cut the cord!

www.antennaweb.org

And I second or third YoutubeTv. We’ve tried a lot of the services and it’s probably the best for what I want. Another thing to consider is Roku has a ton of free channels. I don’t watch them very often but it’s a nice change of pace to watch old reruns. My kids now love Home Improvement with Tim the Tool Man Taylor.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

There is a lot of experience and wisdom on SPS, and I'm asking for your insights and experiences with economical alternatives to cable TV (e.g. Roku, Philo, Hulu, YouTube, etc.)

Perhaps I'm just getting old, but paying ~$200 (and up) for cable and dish subsciptions make me feel like I actually failed economics in McCool Hall.

I'm interested in the collective wisdom. Suggestions to alternatives? Thanks in advance

Here is some historical Pack wisdom:

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/ot-cut-the-cord-today.681583/

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/ot-bye-bye-cord.633401/

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/cord-cutters-hulu-live.633101/

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/ot-ask-the-pack-roku-3-or-amazone-fire-tv.605185/

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/ot-anybody-tried-sling-tv.601235/

 

[DogNSuds]

YouTube TV. Hasn’t failed me. Local channels, the cable networks I enjoy, and plenty of sports programming.

 

[Rupert Jenkins]

I bought a firestick and jailbroke it. Downloaded a couple of add ons and so far so good. All free. Watching all the movies that are in the theaters now, watched the playoff games live. Hopefully I won't have to buy anything for college football next season but we shall see

 

[The Fatboy]

There is a lot of experience and wisdom on SPS, and I'm asking for your insights and experiences with economical alternatives to cable TV (e.g. Roku, Philo, Hulu, YouTube, etc.)

Perhaps I'm just getting old, but paying ~$200 (and up) for cable and dish subsciptions make me feel like I actually failed economics in McCool Hall.

I'm interested in the collective wisdom. Suggestions to alternatives? Thanks in advance

Youtubetv is the way to go. The interface is simple and the channel lineup is good too.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

DirecTV

 

[DAWGSANDSAINTS]

Does YouTubeTV let you record shows or is this not an option at all without cable ?

 

[PBRME]

Throwing in a vote for Hulu Live with the espn Disney bundle. Yes, you can record shows. Most shoes are available on demand so it’s not always necessary.

 

[dawgnabit]

Does YouTubeTV let you record shows or is this not an option at all without cable ?

Yes and they have unlimited DVR storage

 

[Augustus McCrae]

Yes and they have unlimited DVR storage

Yeah, unlimited DVR is a nice feature. I like the interface too.

 

[mo7888]

Like many here...Youtube TV...I've only had it a few months but it's been good..

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Ask Mrs. Cook what are her must haves and plan accordingly.

 

[mcdawg22]

Love YouTube TV. Literally the only thing I miss about cable is the back button.

 

[Jacknut]

YouTube TV here as well for the sports. I'll cut it off after the Superbowl and re-up when football starts again. We watch the OTA channels as much as all the streaming stuff though.

 

[mcdawg22]

YouTube TV here as well for the sports. I'll cut it off after the Superbowl and re-up when football starts again. We watch the OTA channels as much as all the streaming stuff though.

The under appreciated feature of Youtube TV is the on off feature especially for add ons. If there is a show on Showtime you really wanted to watch, wait for the season to end, get Showtime for a month, binge the VOD episodes then turn it back off with a click of a few buttons.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

There is a lot of experience and wisdom on SPS, and I'm asking for your insights and experiences with economical alternatives to cable TV (e.g. Roku, Philo, Hulu, YouTube, etc.)

Perhaps I'm just getting old, but paying ~$200 (and up) for cable and dish subsciptions make me feel like I actually failed economics in McCool Hall.

I'm interested in the collective wisdom. Suggestions to alternatives? Thanks in advance

YoutubeTV is the one. Once I've gotten used to not being able to press 123 or whatever to go to a channel I love it. The unlimited DVR is awesome. Being able to search for a show and watching older episodes is a great feature too.

 

[Dawg1976]

Yes....Youtube TV is the best imo. I don't have it at the moment as I primarily subscribe during the Fall. I only have the major Networks and their subs through an antenna. Also have Peacock free by having Comcast internet and subscribe to Paramount+ and Showtime. I have more than enough to watch. I can get away with this as I'm not a basketball or baseball fan. I do get golf through Peacock tho.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Yes....Youtube TV is the best imo. I don't have it at the moment as I primarily subscribe during the Fall. I only have the major Networks and their subs through an antenna. Also have Peacock free by having Comcast internet and subscribe to Paramount+ and Showtime. I have more than enough to watch. I can get away with this as I'm not a basketball or baseball fan. I do get golf through Peacock tho.

Remember that you can get local NBC through Peacock, and local CBS through Paramount. That's a little known feature that some don't know about, before they go out and buy an antenna.

 

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

DirecTV

17 them. 17 them with a rusty crowbar dipped in ****. 17 them with a rusty crowbar dipped in **** and set on fire.

 

[catvet]

If you like Sports, Fubotv is a better option with many more sports channels. Where they lack is not having some other channels such as the Turner networks and AMC. Sling is the streaming service by Dish and it also has more sports options than Youtubetv and is slightly cheaper. I took the free trial of Youtubetv and frankly wasn't overly impressed

 

[DawgInThe256]

Love YouTube TV. Literally the only thing I miss about cable is the back button.

Click or swipe down and move to "Networks" and you'll see the last several things you watched. If you wait for a second on one of the tiles, it will show a thumbnail. This works great on a Saturday afternoon of college football after you get your "history" established, and you can even preview if the other games are in commercials.

 

[RockyDog]

If you like Sports, Fubotv is a better option with many more sports channels. Where they lack is not having some other channels such as the Turner networks and AMC. Sling is the streaming service by Dish and it also has more sports options than Youtubetv and is slightly cheaper. I took the free trial of Youtubetv and frankly wasn't overly impressed

Sling’s base price is a bit cheaper but if you want SEC Network you have to dish out like $16 extra for an entertainment tier basically to get that one channel. After that the prices are pretty comparable and YouTube interface is MUCH faster and user friendly.

Fubo is ok but they just added the Bally channels and the price went up to like $79 and up.

 

[The Peeper]

I'm continually amazed at how much $$ people spend on simpley watching tv when there is so much free content out there. I haven't paid a cable bill of any kind in a dozen years. I've got fiber internet that I pay $55 per month for and that's it. I've got a couple Roku's I bought on Black Friday a few years ago and a Fire Stick I bought this past Black Friday. (I wish I hadn't bought because its crap compared to Roku.) I've got an antenna that I get all the networks and sub channels from, even in Starkville I get 15 channels and some that I don't even count i.e. the angry preachers, the Spanish speaking priests, the fake healing evangelists, any of those stupid shopping channels, etc. I've got Prime Video which is free w/ Prime Membership. I don't have a DVR because I can find a repeat of most network shows in a day or so or if I do miss something, so what? YouTube channel, Pluto, Crackle, Freevee, Fawesome, PopcornFlix, Stirr,PBS, Crackle, Tubi, Roku Channel, PBS, the free versions of Peacock, Sling, Vudu, Zumo. Roku has new channels, weather channels, BBQ and cooking channels, kids channels galore, gardening, home improvement, travel, what else do you need? Saw my mother in laws cable bill when were there for Christmas, she's paying $189 a month and watches maybe 10 channels but she says she has to pay that to get all of those channels she wants. That's a being a slave to the industry

 

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

Only thing I miss with youtubeTV is you can't go to directly to a channel like you can on cable or satellite.

 

[aTotal360]

 

[Hot Rock]

only thing I miss is the recall button to the last channel you were watching. you tube TV is the route I went. My wife still has not adjusted from Dish. She just quit watching TV. It is a different way of finding the channels and you will have to put in some work but for $100 less a month, it's worth it.

 

[Dawgbite]

Only thing I miss with youtubeTV is you can't go to directly to a channel like you can on cable or satellite.

I miss that too but it is nice that you can rearrange the channels and put the most popular channels at the top. I wish you could delete things that you’ve recorded, they auto delete after nine months I think but I still wish I could delete it after watching.

 

[HailStateTate]

We are holding onto DirecTV until one of these streaming services starts carrying the Grizzlies games. Only thing holding me back

 

[TilloDawg II]

I bought a firestick and jailbroke it. Downloaded a couple of add ons and so far so good. All free. Watching all the movies that are in the theaters now, watched the playoff games live. Hopefully I won't have to buy anything for college football next season but we shall see

Got a friend who went to a local firestick place here and Tupelo....he had to buy the equipment and he pays 20 bucks a month for thousands of channels

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

 

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

I miss that too but it is nice that you can rearrange the channels and put the most popular channels at the top. I wish you could delete things that you’ve recorded, they auto delete after nine months I think but I still wish I could delete it after watching.

I had no idea you could do that.

 

[Rupert Jenkins]

Got a friend who went to a local firestick place here and Tupelo....he had to buy the equipment and he pays 20 bucks a month for thousands of channels

I have a guy at work that pays like $15 a month for "Breaking cable" and he says he can watch the news in Australia or Russia. Idk....I haven't tried it out yet. He says you can watch anything ya want, live stuff also

 

[Mr. Cook]

Here is some historical Pack wisdom:

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/ot-cut-the-cord-today.681583/

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/ot-bye-bye-cord.633401/

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/cord-cutters-hulu-live.633101/

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/ot-ask-the-pack-roku-3-or-amazone-fire-tv.605185/

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/ot-anybody-tried-sling-tv.601235/

Thank you! Good stuff here

 

[Mr. Cook]

Ask Mrs. Cook what are her must haves and plan accordingly.

There are none - except for live sporting events

 

[Mr. Cook]

I remember having one of these.....back in '96

 

[horshack.sixpack]

Thank you! Good stuff here

Quite welcome. Honestly, it was my first chance to try search on this platform so it served a dual purpose.

 

[Dawg1976]

Remember that you can get local NBC through Peacock, and local CBS through Paramount. That's a little known feature that some don't know about, before they go out and buy an antenna.

I've seen it on there and it's helpful. When I say antenna I didn't mean an expensive one. Mine is a cheapo that lays right in front of tv but it does pick up all channels available in my area.