Does anyone have actual cable anymore?

[Anonymous]

Streaming took over mostly

[OneViewpoint]

I am a slow learner. My kids have been telling me to dump cable for years. I finally did it a couple of months ago. $260 per month for programming and cable box rentals, remote rentals, and a litany of arcane taxes. Now I have fiber internet for $50 per month after the initial teaser rate of $30. My Samsung TV comes with free streaming called Samsung TV Plus which delivers more content than Netflix ($8/mo) or Prime ($11.67/mo) which I also have. So for about $70/mo I have more programming than I did with cable and I'm saving $190/mo or about $2,340/year. I also bought a digital over the air antenna off Amazon for $25 that gives me local news and programming for free. And the Samsung TV integrates the over the air stations into its native channel guide system.

I dumped AT&T a few years ago. That was costing me about $220/mo for voice, text, and data with a mobile hotspot. I've been on an MVNO called Mint Mobile at $15/mo for 3 years I think. Mint Mobile runs on the T-Mobile network infrastructure. I have everything I had with AT&T and I'm saving about $205/mo or $2,500/year.

Together those 2 tech service switches are saving me almost $5,000 annually.

[jshm2]

Of course. Though even "cable" companies have started to get their content onto digital platforms.

[llorando]

I have cable internet, but no longer have cable TV service. I had Xfinity cable TV service a few years ago but it got too expensive, so I ditched it for DirecTV stream, it was a compromise it's not a cheap as other services such as YouTube TV, but it's not expensive as Xfinity while offering a cable like experience, especially with Osprey device that can be purchased so no rental fees.

[llorando]

Ideally I'd switch my Xfinity internet to another provider, but they are the only player in town except for slow DSL and 5G which isn't the most reliable.

[msc545]

If you mean a physical cable that connects me to the internet, yes, outside my house. If you mean the stuff that the cable provider tries to sell to me, hell no. I just stream stuff. Fairly soon I am going to get fiber instead of the cable, which is a lot faster and cheaper, as it turns out. I'm just waiting for it to be available in my area.

[Iron_Man]

I have fiber underground

[msc545]

@Iron_Man so there is an important difference between fiber of the premises and to the node. Fiber to the node. Fiber is incorporated into the system, but it does not reach your address directly, and other parts of the system may have cable or other slower methods of transmission. The slowest part of the network determines its speed. Fiber to the premises: the fiber literally comes directly to your home. This is the fastest known method of delivering internet at this time. I currently have fiber to the node which is not particularly slow but also not particularly fast. Very soon, God and my internet company willing, I will have 500 new premises which will be about a hundred times faster than what I have now. I need a fast connection like this for my work.

[Iron_Man]

The underground fiber optics is on the cul-de-sac right outside my house and in my front yard

[Nikki1989]

No cable or streaming. I will stream music on YouTube to sample a new album, but nothing more than that. It’s either HD-quality physical media or nothing.

[Iron_Man]

I have Xfinity Comcast cable it’s all over America

[Iron_Man]

I’m not interested in watching TV on iPhone or tablet it is a joke

[Iron_Man]

Trying to have dinner and hold a cell phone at the same time trying to watch TV on my cell is ridiculous and for the Super Bowl if I have friends over and I watch it on the cell phone, that’s also ridiculous with six people. TV is the only way to go in the living room

[Asker]

You can still stream things on your TV screen

[Iron_Man]

Yeah, but you can’t get sports and your local channels by doing that I like a whole package

[msc545]

Actually, depending on where you live, if you get a certain kind of antenna and attach it to your TV, you can actually get local channels for free. I'm able to get some local channels, and I can see sports on some of them, although I actually don't watch sports. You might want to try this. The antenna that you buy is like $ 20. The broadcasts are free.

[msc545]

Follow these steps to set it up:Check Your Location: Visit the RabbitEars. info Signal Search Map and enter your address. This tool will show exactly which channels are available near you, how far the broadcast towers are, and what type of antenna you will need. Buy the Right Antenna: If you live close to broadcast towers (within 20–30 miles), a flat-panel indoor antenna often works perfectly. For longer distances or if there are physical obstructions, an outdoor or attic-mounted antenna will provide better reception. Connect and Scan: Plug the coaxial cable from your antenna directly into the "ANT/IN" port on the back of your TV. Use your TV remote to go into the settings menu and run a Channel Scan (sometimes labeled as "Air" or "Antenna") to detect all available signals. Alternative Streaming Options: If an antenna doesn't work for your location, download free network-specific apps (like PBS or The CW) or use free news apps like Haystack News and NewsOn to stream local headlines directly to your smart TV or streaming device.

[Iron_Man]

@msc545 well yeah I could do that but I like a DVR to record my channels

[msc545]

I think you can also still buy a DVR.

www.walmart.com/.../17755359984?

[llorando]

@Iron_Man Actually you can get local channels and sports through streaming, just have to get a live TV streaming service which can be on the pricey side depending on the service and channels needed, but also can be cheaper depending on you're cable provider. I used to have Xfinity TV and switched to DirecTV Stream I pay less and get pretty much they same channels plus I get better picture quality and unlimited DVR. Could have gone with YouTube TV which is cheaper, but DirecTV has more channels, and they have their own dedicated streaming device that gives the feel of a traditional cable box, paid $40 for mine used, I own it so no monthly fee like comcast, service works just as fine with a Roku, but don't get the number pad or voice search.

[Iron_Man]

@llorando thank you I did have DIRECTV for many years

[llorando]

@Iron_Man DirecTV Stream is cheaper then traditional DirecTV satellite, and is a lot more reliable and you don't need to rent a cable box, you can buy a DirecTV stream device or just use a Roku or Google TV device. Not sure about you, but before switching I was paying over $300 for phone, internet and TV, now with DirecTV stream, I pay around $330 for phone, internet and TV.

[Iron_Man]

@llorando but how do you record the sports and the movies? You can’t always be available to watch a game on time

[llorando]

@Iron_Man DirecTV has a TV guide very similar to Xfinity, for me since I have a Osprey (DirecTV streaming device), I go to the guide and fined the show I want to record, and once it's highlighted I just press the record button on the Osprey box and it automatically records. If you're using a Roku or FireTV device, it's the same except pressing record when the program is highlighted, you press OK and select record which will give you the option to set up a series recording, depending on how you set it up will either record only new episodes or all episodes new and old. Unlike Xfinity, there is no record or storage limit, so theoretically, you could go to the menu and record every single program that's on at 8PM. Shows are stored at DirecTV's. When I first signed up for DirecTV stream there was a limit to where you could only record 30 episodes of a show, but they've since removed that limit and can record as many episodes of a show as I want, currently every Episode of the Big Bang Theory recorded. Also with DirecTV Stream, recordings expire after 9 months mean they are automatically deleted unlike Xfinity where they are only deleted when you delete them or you run out of DVR space and are automatically deleted, but in my opinion the unlimited DVR cancel's out the 9 expiration, plus the recordings being stored at DirecTV's end instead of you're cable box, they will still record in the event of a power outage or service interruption. Also, if you have a show to setup for series recording for new and old episodes, when an episode hit's the 9 month, It'll automatically record that episode when it's airs again.

[Anonymous]

My mother. She doesn't adapt to new technology well.

[fishbone77]

My internet plan came with free cable. So I technically have it.

[EmmaMary]

Never have and never will.

[LadyBecks]

No cable for us - just various streaming services

[AngryCarl3]

Nah, cable got way too expensive.

[msc545]

Yes, that it did.

[llorando]

Especially in areas with no competition, even worse in areas you have no competition plus can't pick up over the air stations.

[msc545]

You don't need cable. You just need an internet connection in a couple of streaming services like prime or Apple TV. That's it.

[llorando]

@msc545 Of course people don't need cable when streaming exist, I made the switch and couldn't be happier. There's streaming options for everyone, even those like my elderly parents who were reluctant to give up cable, but finally made the switch after seeing they could get an almost identical experience to cable at a cheaper price.

[msc545]

@llorando I have about four table subscriptions because I like different kinds of content and I really enjoy it.