Cutting the cord

**gadgtfreek** · 03-04-2015, 01:05 PM

I think it is fixing to happen for me.

I have a Tivo Roamio with 2TB HDD for OTA, and it can do Amazon tv and movie downloads
I also have Netflix and Amazon Prime on multiple devices

Now with Sling Tv being able to supplement my ESPN need and having a good base channel setup for live tv watching, I see no need for Directv.

Here is what Im looking at:

Sling Basic ($20/month) - ESPN 1 and 2, AMC, Food, HGTV, Disney, TNT, Travel, TBS, CNN, IFC, Cartoon, ABC Family
Hollywood Pack ($5/month) - Epix 1, 2, 3, Drive In and Sundance
News and Info Pack ($5/month) - HLN, Cooking, DIY and Bloomberg

And then I will add the sports pack during college fball ($5/month) - ESPNU, News, SEC Network, and several other non ESPN's

So most of the year it costs me $30/month, then $35 during football. Basically a 5mbps connection gets you full PQ, but this is live tv based. They do have some on demand, but it isn't a "DVR". I do all of my recording and downloading on the tivo, so it is no big deal, or pull the tv show up and stream off prime. For me, Sling is a way of finally freeing myself of the $140/month Directv bill, which consists of having some channels for rainy days and the ESPN access.

No brainer when I will save around $110/month...

https://www.sling.com/package

**GOS** · 03-04-2015, 06:23 PM

yep, seems like a good move...scary...but good. I'm not that brave yet...lmao

**gadgtfreek** · 03-05-2015, 09:26 AM

Its def not for everyone, but when I look at what I pay for Directv ($140/month) and what I truly use it for (recording premiums like HBO/Starz) and ESPN 5 months out of the year. It is such a waste. I already get my other programming from another source. Sling TV is mostly so when the wife is sitting around and wants to watch DIY/Food/Cooking or something, she can.

**sprkeng** · 03-07-2015, 09:01 AM

Brenner got rid of his cable or satellite years ago and has been watching over the air programming and records some on a dvr. When he wants to catch a game on ESPN he comes over to my house or another buddies house it's working for him. My cable bill is up to 180 with internet.

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**GOS** · 03-07-2015, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by sprkeng

Brenner got rid of his cable or satellite years ago and has been watching over the air programming and records some on a dvr. When he wants to catch a game on ESPN he comes over to my house or another buddies house it's working for him. My cable bill is up to 180 with internet.

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk

Mine is $200 with internet!!!

**ImRizzo** · 03-07-2015, 10:19 AM

ouch!

Originally Posted by GOS

Mine is $200 with internet!!!

**ivorypeppie** · 03-07-2015, 10:21 AM

Lost my job so I had to lose the cable bill. Going the internet only route (Netflix, Hulu) was still too expensive for me. I'm too far from the city and surrounded by trees to catch any over the air stations. Right now I'm using my phone and an adapter to get Netflix and Hulu sometimes times. I'm surviving but I miss my high Def television. Are there any cheaper alternatives? ��

**gadgtfreek** · 03-08-2015, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by GOS

Mine is $200 with internet!!!

Mine was $195 with internet. I dropped some things the other day and knocked about $37/month off. Still ridiculous. I remember when Dish and Direct were around $60/month and you were loaded up. Now it is like $110.

**cajieboy** · 03-10-2015, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by gadgtfreek

I think it is fixing to happen for me.

I have a Tivo Roamio with 2TB HDD for OTA, and it can do Amazon tv and movie downloads
I also have Netflix and Amazon Prime on multiple devices

Now with Sling Tv being able to supplement my ESPN need and having a good base channel setup for live tv watching, I see no need for Directv.

Here is what Im looking at:

Sling Basic ($20/month) - ESPN 1 and 2, AMC, Food, HGTV, Disney, TNT, Travel, TBS, CNN, IFC, Cartoon, ABC Family
Hollywood Pack ($5/month) - Epix 1, 2, 3, Drive In and Sundance
News and Info Pack ($5/month) - HLN, Cooking, DIY and Bloomberg

And then I will add the sports pack during college fball ($5/month) - ESPNU, News, SEC Network, and several other non ESPN's

So most of the year it costs me $30/month, then $35 during football. Basically a 5mbps connection gets you full PQ, but this is live tv based. They do have some on demand, but it isn't a "DVR". I do all of my recording and downloading on the tivo, so it is no big deal, or pull the tv show up and stream off prime. For me, Sling is a way of finally freeing myself of the $140/month Directv bill, which consists of having some channels for rainy days and the ESPN access.

No brainer when I will save around $110/month...

https://www.sling.com/package

Too damn much to pay! That's why I cut the cord in December 2013 and haven't regretted it in the least. I get Netflix & Amazon Prime & Fire, but I wanted to add that basic cable is included with our condo's monthly maintenance fee. I also rent BD's from Red Box during my time back home as I travel a lot. Oh, almost forgot, I get fairly new & older movies from our local Library as it's close by, and can get online and use inter-library loan system from libraries all over their network, which increases their available catalog tremendously.

High Speed internet runs me about $60 per month through ATT, but I'm shopping around some to get a better deal. I would be paying for internet regardless if I streamed or not, so I can't really throw that in the cost. Since I order enough stuff during the year for business and personal use, I consider Amazon Prime video as a free added bonus. That leaves Netflix for $7.99 per month. To tell you the truth, I don't have the time to watch much more video than I already do, and I've been spoiled by Netflix & Prime with their commercial-free video and binge watching episodes, etc. and this is out of football season too! So imagine how it goes from September - mid January. I can tell you, I have a very long "to-watch" list already accumulated, so I'm never worried that I'm going to run out of something to view on TV.

So, if you add it up, I'm only paying $7.99 monthly fee to Netflix w/a few choice BD's thrown into the mix rented from Red Box. That's about as far as I'm prepared to go in streamlining my broadcast/movie viewing, and being frugal at the same time.

**gadgtfreek** · 03-10-2015, 02:33 PM

I was able to cut my Directv bill by $32/month, just dropping stuff I did not need. I will probably keep it for now mainly because of access to the premiums. We watch a lot of HBO series, Starz, etc..., so being able to drop and add them as needed to catch a series is cheaper than trying to buy all those series on blu.

$32 saved is a good compromise for now, but I will be weighing it all going forward. 80% of my recording is OTA on the Tivo anyways.