Well, I cut the cord to my cable TeeVee.

[JoeStuckInOH]

It was a long time coming, but it's just too much $$$. Just 6 months ago it was about $80/mo for TV, phone, and internet. The last 4-6 months it's been nearly $170, and I don't even watch a lot of TV at all. Had to pull the plug so now I just get internet.

Funny thing is when I called to cancel TV they offered even MORE channels and services. Geez, I'm trying to spend LESS money here! haha. Someone told me I should have "negotiated" a lesser price instead but my response to them was that I'd negotiated the shit all the way down to $0. (beat that, ha! ) Who needs to be paying an arm and a leg for all the alarmist crap all over TV anymore nowdays.

ANyways, I was thinking about replacing network cable with one of those HD "free tv" antenna things... will I get good news stations and stuff? Would it be a worthwhile purchase? (I'm in Cleveland Area)

[pstokely]

1. try this site

http://www.tvfool.com/

[MineralMan]

2. Any antenna connected to your HD TV will

bring in all the local channels in Cleveland. Start with a cheap one from any store. You might be surprised at how many channels you get over the air.

How are you connecting to the Internet now, since you no longer have cable?

[JoeStuckInOH]

8. technically I think it's DSL (AT&T Uverse)

I had TV, phone and internet with them.
I told them to turn everything off except the internet. Saved over $110/mo which is pretty significant for me.

[underpants]

3. We did it (finally) about 6 months ago

I find that I watch a lot less TV. Didn't know about Roku - we have Apple's Sling TV 25 channels of mostly all we ever watched anyway. HBO app is $8 a month and we have an HD antenna - all the local stations and PBS. The local stations all have two sister channels mostly reruns and either weather or news loop.

[bettyellen]

4. Do you get MSNBC? I can't give up rachel and joy! He

[underpants]

5. Nope

We probably could get either their app or watch it on Hulu - next day.

MSNBC may be in a Sling package that we don't have.

[highplainsdem]

21. MSNBC is available only with Sling Blue ($25) and only if you add the News Extra ($5 more)

[Demsrule86]

36. They have a sale...(just went back) you get four 'specials' for $10.00 and you get a free ROKU.

I wanted movies, the package with LMN and Hallmark and the news one (Rachel)...I also got the kid one for my future Grand-kids...although the tween like the Teen Nick.

[Atman]

11. Use this site for live streaming of MSNBC

livesnewschat.eu/politics

It's a European site that live streams MSNBC all day. It's "MSNBC International", which is exactly the same as the U.S. version, except without the commercials (they run self-promos for MSNBC shows in place of the U.S. commercials). It totally free, but you are limited to about 90 minutes at a time unless you sign up and log in. Instead, just close the window and re-load and you'll get another 90 minutes. It works great. I keep a separate window open on my Mac screen, and it can be sent to Apple TV via Airplay.

[Iggo]

14. bookmarking.

[bettyellen]

19. Wow! Thanks sooo much Atman! You're the best.

[highplainsdem]

13. You can get MSNBC free online here:

http://www.livenewson.com/american/msnbc.html


When I've checked it their feed is sometimes slightly delayed from the cable broadcast (no more than a minute or two, as I recall). But it will let you follow the shows you love.

[OnDoutside]

22. Yes, I find that better quality.

[prairierose]

25. MSNBC also is

available mistreated on YouTube.

[Demsrule86]

35. I get Rachel with Sling TV.

[JoeStuckInOH]

12. I'm keeping my Netflix, Amazon Prime along with RedBox Rentals.

Our Netflix and Prime is actually a shared family thing so even that's reduced price. Netflix and Prime is about all I watch anymore when I do watch stuff. I love the goofy little low budget documentaries on them.

[underpants]

24. Yeah we have Netflix too

My daughter is almost through Star Trek DS9.

[HopeAgain]

6. You can buy a $40 indoor antennae at Radio Shack (or Best Buy)

If your in a metropolitan area you will likely get three or four major networks and PBS in HD. Lots of local stuff as well. If you go on your computer, there are all kinds of free things, I use an app called "Pluto" that provides multiple news outlets (including RT, unfortunately) as well as some other entertainment. If you have a "smart TV", you can access apps like Crackle and Pluto that way.

It's really not impossible to cut the cable anymore. Only reason I keep cable is that I am an NBA fan (Miami Heat) and it is almost all exclusively on cable.

[JoeStuckInOH]

9. Indians, Cavs and Browns are all great to listen to on radio.

I love listening to games as opposed to watching them sometimes. Plus, I think most of the Cleveland games are on the Local Fox8 TV station. I'm assuming that will be one of the free broadcast ones (fingers crossed).

[HopeAgain]

18. Heat is on Fox's Sun Sports

Not available off cable

[Demsrule86]

33. You can get it with Sling's sport package .

[HopeAgain]

39. This guy! Or Gal!

My wife will be thrilled to get rid of cable TV and that is the only thing holding us back!

[Demsrule86]

44. Check to make sure but I saw a bunch of Fox sports on Sling. I am a 'gal'.

Nice to talk to you...you could do a week or two trial to see if you like it...no contracts. I wanted the free Roku and I had it before...I didn't like not having a DVR...but now they have a cloud DVR.

[Demsrule86]

34. Sling has all the Ohio games in their orange - blue line up.

I live in Ohio.

[bettyellen]

20. Leaf antennas are amazing- is get PBS from PA all the way from NY!

[Va Lefty]

7. Last Friday I canceled my cable TV package

Like you too much $$ and I wasn't watching all that much anyway except for Orioles baseball on MASN and that has been depressing!
Still using Comcast for internet but this will save me around $180 a month.

[stopbush]

27. We're paying $179a month for Direct TV thru Costco. On a contract til Jan 2018.

Options are dropping the HBO/SHO/Starz etc package, or dumping it all and paying a huge early cancellation fee.

[Demsrule86]

31. If you cancel your tv...you will get a call from direct tv...and they will

give you a package you want and lower the price considerably. Trust me I have done it...they sent me gift card too for $250.00 too. I got tire of the tv going out in the rain so I left anyway when the time was up and went with Spectrum...but you don't have a contract with spectrum so it can go up...mine up $50.00 in a couple of months...so I am going back to sling...they now have a cloud DVR which is great. I liked Sling but had to watch live and cable spoiled me for that.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

10. Here ya go...

https://nocable.org/availability-report/zip/44109-cleveland-oh

We cut out our tv also. With Comcast and gave them all our boxes just have Internet.
Between Netflix Amazon prime and Hulu. Got too much tv but it's all in hd. Plus the shows are much better Also look into a Kodi box just google "Kodi box" and learn a whole new way to watch tv. YouTube has tons of videos on the subject.

I'm right outside the antenna coverage so I had to learn about other ways.

Have fun! Oh and plus the antenna can bring in even better hd than any cable service. The signal does not get degraded as much. It doesn't have to be routed thru so many paths to get to you its direct from station to you.

My daughter has an antenna that's how I know that fact.

But of course it all depends on the quality of antenna you get and how close you are to the station.

Good luck.

[Demsrule86]

37. I have read that KODI is questionable in terms of legality.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

42. Kodi by itself is no problem...

It's only software and is legal. It's what you load onto it that can land you in "throttled" land.

Your moves on the web is logged by many sources. Your internet provider is the one that knows your every move. Most users of Kodi that access pirated movies and tv shows use a VPN. (virtual private network) it hides you. I would never be online without one no matter what you're doing.

Why give up your privacy? Most VPN's are less than a 100 bucks a year, small price to stay private.

[Demsrule86]

43. I see...thanks for that. VPN's are worth it.

But some internet providers throttle you if you have one.

[Leith]

38. I Cut the Cable TV Cord Months Ago

and I don't miss it. We also have a Kodi box - which means that you don't need Netflix, Hulu, etc.

You would be amazed at how much you can get with just an antenna. I get France24, a 24/7/365 news channel in English from France. I see important news stories from around the world, not just American pundits talking over each other.

It's well worth it. Not only for the money saved, but that you won't miss what cable brought you because you can still get it.

[dembotoz]

15. have sling, antenna, and netflix and it is doing ok

the antenna is touchie...reminds me of why i got cable in the first place

whether the antenna works is a question of location location location....both in distance from the station AND placement in the house.
had to move the tv from 2nd floor to first floor and reception dropped

sling is good enough...has my brewers games so i am happy with that...

netflix is netflix....the wonderful thing about netflix is that i had it on my laptop...when i upgraded my tv and such to get rid of cable....old analog set is in the basement gathering dust.....i plugged the netflix in the flat screen...much nicer. I understand folks watch netflix on their phones.....damn that is a small screen.

on a scale of 1 to 10 would give the move a solid 7.5
not perfect but well worth it

[BSdetect]

16. What about Google Voice if you cut the cable phone?

Is there a way to keep using that without a cable home phone deal?

We have Comcast and pay $173 per month for phone, internet and TV

[hunter]

32. I use Google voice. It doesn't care who your ISP is. You can use it at the library if you please.

At home my wife and I have a medium speed DSL connection from a local provider. That's our only telcom service and it's not expensive.

This internet service has been very reliable and it easily handles a single 720p standard Netflix stream.

Over the years Google voice has seemed to be some sort of neglected step-child of Google so I wouldn't build a business that depends upon it, but I haven't ever had any problems with it beyond some amusing voice-mailbox-to-text messages.

[JoeStuckInOH]

46. I spent several years working abroad. I have a google voice account and custom number.

Unfortunately, sitting at your PC and talking through the computer gets old pretty fast... but if it's all you have (overseas) it works well enough. Luckily, with our cellphones I can just take calls from a normal phone in the states.

[jpak]

17. Two words

Roku

Sling

[Nevernose]

23. I wish we could

I'm like a junky, though, albeit one who knows it's time to quit.

My wife wouldn't cut the cord if you held a gun to her head.

I think it's because, before we met each other, we were very poor. For me, running the AC as much as I want is my personal symbol of (relative) success. For her, its cable TV.

[Achilleaze]

26. Bravo

you are helping to starve Fox republican-russian propaganda, inc. and the whole freaking BEAST.

[Demtexan]

28. I have a $20 antenna from Target.

I have lots of channels to watch.

I dumped cable also.

I bought a nice smart phone and never missed cable.

[tonyt53]

29. Oh, but those days of reaching out the window to adjust the antenna/picture seem like so long ago,

Hell, we got three channels - ABC. NBC, and the most important (because of Walter Cronkite), CBS, if we turned the antenna a little bit. We opened the window, reached out to the pole and turned it to clear up the "snow".

[Demsrule86]

30. My bill went up $50 in a month ...I am cutting it too.

I went with Sling...had them before and they were pretty good...that way hubs gets sports...going to be about $55.00 a month and they throw in a free ROKU...no contracts. And they have Hallmark and Mysteries! I am addicted to the mystery movies.

[Purveyor]

40. Add a streaming device (I prefer Roku) and you can get just about everything you want.

YouTube usually has live steaming channels of MSNBC, CNN, etc. not to mention a large pool of foreign news networks to choose from.

You'll love it but need good internet.

[Solly Mack]

41. I canceled cable. Got Roku and I pay a lot less for the shows I actually want to see.

It's been a positive experience so far. Way cheaper and I am happy with my line-up.

[Coventina]

45. We're stuck with it until Formula 1 has alternative broadcasts here in the US.

I think we're the last household in America without Netflix.

I could never give up PBS, either.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

47. I've been using plain old rabbit ears indoors to receive OTA TV.

YMMV.

Location, location, location.

ETA: I see dembotoz said the same thing in post #15.

[JoeStuckInOH]

48. THREAD UPDATE: I ordered MOHU Curve 50 Amplified Indoor Antenna.

Toms Hardware, a site I tend to trust for tech reviews said it was their pick for most channels with an indoor antenna, so I'm going to give it a shot when it gets here. It looks pretty nice too. (I also like PC Mag website for reviews and ratings.)

I know someone with a Mohu Leaf antenna (at least I've seen it in their house) and it's kind of an eyesore stuck up on a wall. Hopefully the Curve 50 is a bit more feng shui.