Seriousness So I'd like to dump Satellite/Cable TV - Page 3

kennyc · 09-13-2010, 04:44 PM

Welp I did it. Canceled DirecTV as of today (midnight) -- supposedly I'll get a slight refund of a few dollars.

I'm Free! I'm Free!

wonder why I don't feel so free.

GA Russell · 09-13-2010, 05:16 PM

Congrats Kenny! Now you'll have more time to read!

kennyc · 09-13-2010, 05:26 PM

Or cause more trouble here.

Thanks!

lene1949 · 09-14-2010, 03:11 AM

I was without a TV for a few years before 9/11... The screens for watching it on my computer was just too small those days, so I got myself one...

I would like to have cable, if I could choose just animals and documentaries, but it seems (here in Australia) we all have to be interested in sports!

My TV is always turned off, unless I'm sitting down watching it..

Having the TV on at a party or social gathering I find is rude... Half the people are not interacting....

astra · 09-14-2010, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Welp I did it. Canceled DirecTV as of today (midnight) -- supposedly I'll get a slight refund of a few dollars.

I'm Free! I'm Free!

wonder why I don't feel so free.

You might have some withdrawal symptoms for a while but in a couple of months it will be over

I have moved house 1 year ago. My 42" TV has stayed wrapped in a blanket for...let me count...7 months. We have survived

I think...

kennyc · 09-14-2010, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra

You might have some withdrawal symptoms for a while but in a couple of months it will be over

I have moved house 1 year ago. My 42" TV has stayed wrapped in a blanket for...let me count...7 months. We have survived

I think...

Thx! Yep. I have some adjusting to do but I think it's all good.

BTW, just checked your "favorite quotes" -- nice ones.

vivaldirules · 09-14-2010, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Welp I did it. .....

I'm Free! I'm Free!

Wooohoooo!!!

Sweetpea · 09-14-2010, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lene1949

Having the TV on at a party or social gathering I find is rude... Half the people are not interacting....

I agree. Our TV is never on when we're having a party or people over (ok, it is turned on, but tuned on radio... we don't have a radio and that too goes by way of the decoder...)

kennyc · 09-14-2010, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

Wooohoooo!!!

Thanks doggie!

kennyc · 09-18-2010, 08:49 AM

Well, they did finally turn my service off and I am going a bit into withdrawal from my evening BBC News....and the inability to skip through commercials when watching live, makes me crazy.....but....

I think I have a plan for the moment....got my eye on a new laptop and an external TV Tuner which should give me control of recording and playback of local programs. It should also give me the ability to play video from the interwebz ... and probably any programs that I'm able to download or record from the internet. The thing it won't give me is access to Cable/Satellite new programs -- such as Dr. Who and Torchwood.

The Laptop is something I can possibly use for other purposes as well and it along with the tuner will cost about $500 -- a bit less than a year's cable/Satellite service.

I was considering going with a dedicated video player connected to the TV, but I think the laptop is a better, more flexible approach (though it costs a few $100 more).

I'm also keeping my eye on Google TV which should have products/hardware/etc in a few months and may be the answer to my Torchwood dilemma.

Greg Anos · 09-18-2010, 10:23 AM

[QUOTE=nohmi2;1106993]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Links to any sites would be appreciated. Thanks.

Have you watched "The Corporation" WOW!

My new DroidX has HDMI output so I can plug it into my large TV and great small screen on its own to watch internet based video.

http://www.documentarywire.com/page/12/

http://www.pbs.org/

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/

http://www.biography.com/video/index.jsp

The first one is my favourite.

Cheers

Thanks or the links...but i checked out Connection2 and (as usual) wildly overcompressed video.

GeoffC · 09-18-2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraceKrispy

I have to admit, I have the TV on more than I would like (usually because of my husband, but sometimes, yes, because of me. I like the background noise). The last few days, though, I have been using it as a mirror to see what the kids are doing behind me. It's a very large, flat screen. I like using it best that way, whilst I read and drink hot chocolate, and spend too much time on the computer.
.

I thought that was the attraction for the iPad ....

kennyc · 09-18-2010, 10:11 PM

Okay, so here's where I've gone... I purchased a use digital tuner:

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/produc...a_hvr1950.html

and though I probably could have gone another way (using an old desktop, but would have needed to upgrade etc..) I also got a new laptop to serve the primary function of a DVR:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0338991

This will also serve other uses as needed (for a traveling computer - rarely) etc.

The cost of this combination is about the cost of one year of cable or satellite TV.

I had some issues getting the software all in and working, but after spending several hours working it out, I believe I've got both the Hauppauge guide/recording/playing software working and it also works fine with the Windows Media Center (which seems to be much better than the Hauppauge software) - This includes being able to operate the Windows Media Center using the Hauppauge Remote! (which was a great bonus that I really didn't expect).

Windows Media Center operates very much like Tivo in that you can record an entire series by name and it will find and record it based on the guide.

In addition WMC has a full selection of internet videos (though the quality seems a bit lacking) such as Nova, PBS, Star Trek, etc. etc. etc.

This will do me for now. I still hope to find a way to get BBC America news (or BBC news etc) and would love to be able to get the new season of Torchwood, but ...

For now I'm happy with the setup.

nohmi2 · 09-19-2010, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Okay, so here's where I've gone... I purchased a use digital tuner:

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/produc...a_hvr1950.html

and though I probably could have gone another way (using an old desktop, but would have needed to upgrade etc..) I also got a new laptop to serve the primary function of a DVR:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0338991

This will also serve other uses as needed (for a traveling computer - rarely) etc.

The cost of this combination is about the cost of one year of cable or satellite TV.

I had some issues getting the software all in and working, but after spending several hours working it out, I believe I've got both the Hauppauge guide/recording/playing software working and it also works fine with the Windows Media Center (which seems to be much better than the Hauppauge software) - This includes being able to operate the Windows Media Center using the Hauppauge Remote! (which was a great bonus that I really didn't expect).

Windows Media Center operates very much like Tivo in that you can record an entire series by name and it will find and record it based on the guide.

In addition WMC has a full selection of internet videos (though the quality seems a bit lacking) such as Nova, PBS, Star Trek, etc. etc. etc.

This will do me for now. I still hope to find a way to get BBC America news (or BBC news etc) and would love to be able to get the new season of Torchwood, but ...

For now I'm happy with the setup.

I thought that you might also like this link.

They will also send you documentaries to you email address, and it's free.
I've been with them for about a year now - no trouble.

contact@topdocumentaryfilms.com;

Cheers.

lene1949 · 09-19-2010, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nohmi2

I thought that you might also like this link.

They will also send you documentaries to you email address, and it's free.
I've been with them for about a year now - no trouble.

contact@topdocumentaryfilms.com;

Cheers.

What kind of films have they got??

Sorry, found it! Thanks for the heads up.. I'm very much into documentaries.

09-13-2010, 05:26 PM	#33
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,900 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Or cause more trouble here. Thanks! Last edited by kennyc; 09-13-2010 at 05:29 PM.

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09-13-2010, 04:44 PM	#31
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,900 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Welp I did it. Canceled DirecTV as of today (midnight) -- supposedly I'll get a slight refund of a few dollars. I'm Free! I'm Free! wonder why I don't feel so free.

09-13-2010, 05:16 PM	#32
GA Russell Ticats win 4th straight Posts: 7,694 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Congrats Kenny! Now you'll have more time to read!

09-14-2010, 03:11 AM	#34
lene1949 Wizard Posts: 1,952 Karma: 213930 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Middelfart, Denmark Device: Kindle paper white	I was without a TV for a few years before 9/11... The screens for watching it on my computer was just too small those days, so I got myself one... I would like to have cable, if I could choose just animals and documentaries, but it seems (here in Australia) we all have to be interested in sports! My TV is always turned off, unless I'm sitting down watching it.. Having the TV on at a party or social gathering I find is rude... Half the people are not interacting....

09-18-2010, 08:49 AM	#40
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,900 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Well, they did finally turn my service off and I am going a bit into withdrawal from my evening BBC News....and the inability to skip through commercials when watching live, makes me crazy.....but.... I think I have a plan for the moment....got my eye on a new laptop and an external TV Tuner which should give me control of recording and playback of local programs. It should also give me the ability to play video from the interwebz ... and probably any programs that I'm able to download or record from the internet. The thing it won't give me is access to Cable/Satellite new programs -- such as Dr. Who and Torchwood. The Laptop is something I can possibly use for other purposes as well and it along with the tuner will cost about $500 -- a bit less than a year's cable/Satellite service. I was considering going with a dedicated video player connected to the TV, but I think the laptop is a better, more flexible approach (though it costs a few $100 more). I'm also keeping my eye on Google TV which should have products/hardware/etc in a few months and may be the answer to my Torchwood dilemma.

09-18-2010, 10:11 PM	#43
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,900 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Okay, so here's where I've gone... I purchased a use digital tuner: http://www.hauppauge.com/site/produc...a_hvr1950.html and though I probably could have gone another way (using an old desktop, but would have needed to upgrade etc..) I also got a new laptop to serve the primary function of a DVR: http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0338991 This will also serve other uses as needed (for a traveling computer - rarely) etc. The cost of this combination is about the cost of one year of cable or satellite TV. I had some issues getting the software all in and working, but after spending several hours working it out, I believe I've got both the Hauppauge guide/recording/playing software working and it also works fine with the Windows Media Center (which seems to be much better than the Hauppauge software) - This includes being able to operate the Windows Media Center using the Hauppauge Remote! (which was a great bonus that I really didn't expect). Windows Media Center operates very much like Tivo in that you can record an entire series by name and it will find and record it based on the guide. In addition WMC has a full selection of internet videos (though the quality seems a bit lacking) such as Nova, PBS, Star Trek, etc. etc. etc. This will do me for now. I still hope to find a way to get BBC America news (or BBC news etc) and would love to be able to get the new season of Torchwood, but ... For now I'm happy with the setup.