Getting rid of Cable/Satellite

[Tusan_Homichi]

I've been thinking lately about getting rid of my cable service and just seeing how I can manage with just the Internet for my television viewing. I'm thinking about putting together a HTPC for the living area and streaming various television items straight to the TV that way.

How feasible do you think that is these days? Would you miss cable/satellite if you didn't have it?

 

[bbgun]

I canceled my cable months ago. Any programming I need I can generally get on the Net for free. Losing ESPN is the only real hardship. Well, that and the fact that my OTA antenna is subject to signal interrruptions on gameday depending on the weather.

 

[CowboyWay]

I've been thinking lately about getting rid of my cable service and just seeing how I can manage with just the Internet for my television viewing. I'm thinking about putting together a HTPC for the living area and streaming various television items straight to the TV that way.

How feasible do you think that is these days? Would you miss cable/satellite if you didn't have it?

My brother in law did it a few months ago. He just downloads every tv show torrent he wants and watches them that way. he loves it, and saves him over $100 per month.

 

[Kevinicus]

I couldn't deal with the drop in quality, or no Sunday ticket, so yes, I would miss it.

 

[rantanamo]

No reason you couldn't get the close to the same quality. You can set torrents to auto download most tv shows and even have them converted automatically to show up as recorded tv in windows media center. You can also use Hulu, Youtube and many other services to stream most of what is on tv in good to HD quality. This can all be integrated into a front end like media center. As for games, if your internet provider allows ESPN 3, then that's a great source that streams good enough for a tv. You can also check out justintv, which not only streams games in HD, but is usually doing out of market games. Check out sites like thegreenbutton, Hack7mc and even avsforum and they can show you how to integrate it all. Sounds like you've already looked at some of these sites.

I still have cable because others in the home won't let it go, but I'm pretty much ready to cut the cord. I use 4 OTA tuners, 1 QAM and 1 HD-PVR to record cable in HD. I have torrents automatically downloading and converting tv shows, races and sports to Recorded TV. I have Hulu and Boxee integrated into media center, and I use a program called macrotube to get Youtube HD and other streaming services into media center as well. Combine that with Netflix streaming and I rip all movies to another big HDD. Its all reachable to media center, but I hope to see it even more integrated. This is the future of TV, and like it already and never miss anything I don't want to. NFL games are mostly on networks, so OTA and/or QAM picks them up in better than cable or satellite quality anyway. If you don't have NFL Network, they have a $40 service that streams all preseason games in HD. I imagine Sunday Ticket will do the same at some point.

 

[jimmy40]

My brother in law did it a few months ago. He just downloads every tv show torrent he wants and watches them that way. he loves it, and saves him over $100 per month.

I'll have to keep Dish because I don't know what the hell a torrent is.

 

[Kevinicus]

No reason you couldn't get the close to the same quality. You can set torrents to auto download most tv shows and even have them converted automatically to show up as recorded tv in windows media center. You can also use Hulu, Youtube and many other services to stream most of what is on tv in good to HD quality. This can all be integrated into a front end like media center. As for games, if your internet provider allows ESPN 3, then that's a great source that streams good enough for a tv. You can also check out justintv, which not only streams games in HD, but is usually doing out of market games. Check out sites like thegreenbutton, Hack7mc and even avsforum and they can show you how to integrate it all. Sounds like you've already looked at some of these sites.

I still have cable because others in the home won't let it go, but I'm pretty much ready to cut the cord. I use 4 OTA tuners, 1 QAM and 1 HD-PVR to record cable in HD. I have torrents automatically downloading and converting tv shows, races and sports to Recorded TV. I have Hulu and Boxee integrated into media center, and I use a program called macrotube to get Youtube HD and other streaming services into media center as well. Combine that with Netflix streaming and I rip all movies to another big HDD. Its all reachable to media center, but I hope to see it even more integrated. This is the future of TV, and like it already and never miss anything I don't want to. NFL games are mostly on networks, so OTA and/or QAM picks them up in better than cable or satellite quality anyway. If you don't have NFL Network, they have a $40 service that streams all preseason games in HD. I imagine Sunday Ticket will do the same at some point.

I've tried all of those before and none of it comes close in terms of quality (OTA being an obvious exception). Maybe if I had a 20" TV they'd be acceptable to me, but I have a 63" so the quality needs to be good.

 

[Kevinicus]

No reason you couldn't get the close to the same quality. You can set torrents to auto download most tv shows and even have them converted automatically to show up as recorded tv in windows media center. You can also use Hulu, Youtube and many other services to stream most of what is on tv in good to HD quality. This can all be integrated into a front end like media center. As for games, if your internet provider allows ESPN 3, then that's a great source that streams good enough for a tv. You can also check out justintv, which not only streams games in HD, but is usually doing out of market games. Check out sites like thegreenbutton, Hack7mc and even avsforum and they can show you how to integrate it all. Sounds like you've already looked at some of these sites.

I still have cable because others in the home won't let it go, but I'm pretty much ready to cut the cord. I use 4 OTA tuners, 1 QAM and 1 HD-PVR to record cable in HD. I have torrents automatically downloading and converting tv shows, races and sports to Recorded TV. I have Hulu and Boxee integrated into media center, and I use a program called macrotube to get Youtube HD and other streaming services into media center as well. Combine that with Netflix streaming and I rip all movies to another big HDD. Its all reachable to media center, but I hope to see it even more integrated. This is the future of TV, and like it already and never miss anything I don't want to. NFL games are mostly on networks, so OTA and/or QAM picks them up in better than cable or satellite quality anyway. If you don't have NFL Network, they have a $40 service that streams all preseason games in HD. I imagine Sunday Ticket will do the same at some point.

I've tried all of those before and none of it comes close in terms of quality (OTA being an obvious exception). "HD" torrents of TV shows are comparable to DVD IMO. Maybe if I had a 20" TV they'd be acceptable to me, but I have a 63" so the quality needs to be good.

 

[Tusan_Homichi]

I've tried all of those before and none of it comes close in terms of quality (OTA being an obvious exception). "HD" torrents of TV shows are comparable to DVD IMO. Maybe if I had a 20" TV they'd be acceptable to me, but I have a 63" so the quality needs to be good.

As far as torrents, you just look for 720p versions. There are almost always versions in that resolution. That'll look good no matter how big your TV is.

 

[Meat-O-Rama]

I'd say go for it, and if it doesn't work out, there will be several different companies more than happy to give you a great rate to pick up their service again.

The alternative is to get the setup working bit by bit, then try to live with it. Maybe turn your cable/sat package down to the minimum so you won't miss anything, but still have it in case there is something live you can't find on the net or OTA.

 

[SDogo]

wow...........at first I thought this was the start of suicide note.

Glad to see your just making a lifestyle chage.

With that said, no, I'm a slave to the corporate world. I need my DirecTv.

 

[Signals]

wow...........at first I thought this was the start of suicide note.

Glad to see your just making a lifestyle chage.

With that said, no, I'm a slave to the corporate world. I need my DirecTv.

 

[badronald]

I've ditched my satellite and have gone OTA and web streams/downloads. I set up a MythTv DVR with an HDHomerun tuner. No monthly fees and we're getting about 90% of the content we used to watch. I'll miss the NFL network and MNF games in HD - but I hope I can find a decent stream when the 'boys are playing. MythTv is great but you have to be willing to accept a bit of work getting it set up.

 

[sago1]

Sorry but I live here in Florida and don't have a clue about torrents, etc. So I'm stuck with whichever football game my cable station provides pretty in first part of doubleheader. Usually that will be one of the Florida teams with Bucs first & Jaguars/Dolphins 2nd. Now if the Cowboys doing well. there's a good chance I'll see them as the 2nd game of the doubleheader unless one of the Florida teams is scheduled for the 2nd game. Sure would be nice if the Cowboys were playing one of the Florida teams. Maybe I'll check their schedule just in case Jags or Dolphins play them this year.

 

[sago1]

Just checked Cowboys schedule. They play the Jags 10/31 in Dallas at 12:00 CST. I never get chance to see the Cowboys if they play the early game so I've got a good shot to see this game unless the Bucs also play in the early game. I'll highlight that day just to ensure I'm home. Go Cowboys.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

I've been thinking lately about getting rid of my cable service and just seeing how I can manage with just the Internet for my television viewing. I'm thinking about putting together a HTPC for the living area and streaming various television items straight to the TV that way.

How feasible do you think that is these days? Would you miss cable/satellite if you didn't have it?

It would be interesting to know the pros and cons of this. I have talked with my wife about it in the past, but the thought of giving up my easy push button lifestyle scares me to no end.

 

[Tusan_Homichi]

I've ditched my satellite and have gone OTA and web streams/downloads. I set up a MythTv DVR with an HDHomerun tuner. No monthly fees and we're getting about 90% of the content we used to watch. I'll miss the NFL network and MNF games in HD - but I hope I can find a decent stream when the 'boys are playing. MythTv is great but you have to be willing to accept a bit of work getting it set up.

I looked into the HDHomerun tuner after you mentioned it and wow. That's pretty sweet. I'll definitely have to go with that once I make the jump.

 

[rantanamo]

I've tried all of those before and none of it comes close in terms of quality (OTA being an obvious exception). "HD" torrents of TV shows are comparable to DVD IMO. Maybe if I had a 20" TV they'd be acceptable to me, but I have a 63" so the quality needs to be good.

I have a big tv also and I'm very picky. Sports Scene and TYT gets me all the games in HD if I want. Racing Underground all the racing I want internationally in HD. There are a ton of streaming services out there in HD. I was just letting the OP know that he'd be just fine if he's wanting to replace all the cable(and even pick up a ton of programming not available to any television services or normally in the US). DirectTV is good quality in the pantheon of PQ, but its no FiOS. With the right streams and downloads, you simply wouldn't notice any drop.

 

[hairic]

As soon as fios internet gets here, I'm dropping cable. I don't watch much TV so it won't be much of a switch, but for everything that I need to watch live, I'll just arrange to watch it at a friend's place. That should only be a handful of things per year.

Everything else gets its copyright infringed upon. Disclaimer: The previous sentence is not evidence of intent to commit piracy.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

I'm thinking about doing this with my computers and T.V. I have one old imac and a relatively new macbook running leopard.

I just want to know how I can run my computers through my t.v. Then I can learn about all this torrent stuff later.