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New It's becoming more popular.
If J weren't such a fan of the RedSox and Tennis, we'd probably have dropped cable TV a while ago. The Tennis Channel is adding more web stuff (at a price) so maybe we'll check into it more this year.

http://parents.berkeley.edu/recommend/home/cable.html is a page that talks about experiences in the Bay Area. Maybe it'll help?

My general understanding is that lot of people get a digital antenna to receive local HD channels. But, as you note, digital doesn't transmit as far as the old analog channels, so your choice of channels might be more limited than in the past. That should/might get you PBS and the big networks for "free" - if you can get a signal.

We have a couple of Chromecasts that seem to work fine, but we've never actually tried to watch a streamed movie on them yet. I need to replace our old cable modem with a DOCSIS 3 box I got months ago but still haven't found time to do the changeover (calling the cable company with the numbers is something I dread). We've got Amazon Prime, too, but I've never watched anything through them, either. (I'm not a big TV watcher.)

In the pre-HDTV days, one could fairly easily build a computer to act as a DVR to store shows and speed through commercials. Giving up cable boxes generally means giving up DVR functionality (and I don't think on-demand streaming is exactly equivalent). That's one of the reasons why I haven't looked at cutting the cord more closely yet. (J loves the DVR - when she remembers to record her shows, and when they don't get cut-off half-way through because of schedule delays or non-half-hour starting times.)

Lots of the cable channels have increasing web presence because they want to be on everyone's phones. If you don't insist on watching the shows the same day as they originally air, many have last-week's episodes on their web sites.

Eventually, local WiFi will be ubiquitous and these issues will go away. The FCC's latest proposed rules will help that happen (if some Teabagger judge doesn't strike them down). Wireless peer-to-peer is coming, too.

Technology Review:

In some countries, big ISPs have less of a grip on their markets, and new wireless technology is creating a more open marketplace. Emerging technologies could accelerate this trend. The experimental LTE Direct protocol, for example, provides peer-to-peer communication without cell towers (see “Future Smartphones Won’t Need Cell Towers to Connect”).+

Here in Spain, engineers and volunteers have pioneered a peer-to-peer network called Guifi.net that uses long-range wireless nodes. Its creators are advocates of net neutrality and have the means to ensure that all content that passes through their network gets equal treatment.+

In some markets—including large swaths of the U.S.—just one or two companies have the right to transmit over the most versatile bands of radio spectrum or to build cable connections using public rights of way. This means those companies can dictate the terms and price of the connection, and as a result, an Internet connection in most U.S. cities is costlier and slower than it would be in cities in comparable countries, reports the New American Foundation.+

“The entire net neutrality debate would not exist if there were competition at all layers of the Internet,” says Steve Song, a part-time researcher at the Network Startup Resource Center at the University of Oregon who also builds and sells kits for peer-to-peer mobile networks.


See the original for embedded links.

Best of luck! Let us know how it goes!!

Cheers,
Scott.
New Re: Giving up cable boxes generally means giving up DVR functionality
No. There are OTA (Over The Air) DVRs. Here is an example of one. Not all the reviews on this one are very positive. And, I'm sure you need to have the TV scheduling information from another source e.g. Yahoo TV website. This is less convenient then a cable/DSL/satellite DVR with built in schedules and more like the old-fashioned VCR programming where you had to know the channel and start and end times to record.

Because the TV signal is weaker, and digital reception is binary :) (you either get it or not) with perhaps pixilated or frozen pictures a directional Yagi antenna would make sense. You can check out how your location fares at TV Fool. If TV stations are all over the map you need a rotor for the antenna. If the stations are all from the same direction, you can skip the rotor. You may want a signal strength meter for aiming the antenna and possibly and signal amplifier. Winegard makes some decent gear. You do have the advantage of being in a fixed location.

I came close to buying a OTA DVR while wintering in our motor home in Florida. The wife did not want to miss Downton Abbey and missed other activities at the campground. Also, because my motor home's HDTV does not have a strength meter, I'm probably going to buy this. Finding a distant station is sometimes a real PITA.

This does not address the cable channels that are only on cable.
Alex

"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."

-- Isaac Asimov
New Thanks for all the info!
New Pricey, but Winegard has an automated RV HDD antenna as well.
Rayzar Automatic. Nothing particularly magic about it being for an RV other than it runs off 12 Volts (i.e. "house" battery). I'm not sure what the effective range of the antenna is.

What I mean by pricey is here.
Alex

"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."

-- Isaac Asimov
New we bought a Panasonic DVR 4 years ago
because the wife and daughter like watching shows that are broadcast at the same time. The unit has worked well until around 6 months ago, when it started having trouble with the rewriteable disks. We'd reformat and keep trying, getting at least 50% rejection rate. Then it refused all disk brands except the Sonys I bought around the same time. Now it's starting to act up such that we set it to record, the time arrives, and it just sits there.

Can't find a replacement at retail, and I will not get cable.




Satan (impatiently) to Newcomer: The trouble with you Chicago people is, that you think you are the best people down here; whereas you are merely the most numerous.
- - - Mark Twain, "Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar" 1897
     Getting up-to-Speed re alternatives to F-ing Cable TV Merchants-of-Shyte - (Ashton) - (11)
         you have decent cell phone coverage? -NT - (boxley)
         It's becoming more popular. - (Another Scott) - (4)
             Re: Giving up cable boxes generally means giving up DVR functionality - (a6l6e6x) - (3)
                 Thanks for all the info! -NT - (Another Scott) - (1)
                     Pricey, but Winegard has an automated RV HDD antenna as well. - (a6l6e6x)
                 we bought a Panasonic DVR 4 years ago - (lincoln)
         With respect to streaming solutions... - (malraux) - (2)
             Cool, going to look into that -NT - (drook)
             We did the same thing three years ago. - (mmoffitt)
         Thanks! for the many real options.. just had a Surprise. - (Ashton)
         NYTimes quick summary of options. - (Another Scott)

A user complaining that Facebook doesn't work well is like a cow complaining that the slaughterhouse doesn't work well.
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