I am slowly getting to the point where I am considering cutting the cable cord. Currently I am one of the suckers paying a bunch monthly. The main issue I have is live sports that I can not live without. I know things will continue to evolve, but my main question relates to if I went to the lowest level cable package that offers ESPN would I be able to watch all the games I get now via ESPN3 on any device? Assuming I would I do not see much reason to not reduce to that level as a first step towards getting rid of cable all together.
OT Reducing cable to "basic"
- Thread starter TMB4405
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We went back to rabbit ears three years ago. We share ESPN, Netflix, and Hulu with our daughters. (They pay). All this and no charge.
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If you must have espn, then sling is the answer. I get by on rabbit ears (plenty of sports ota), and took advantage of a discount offer on MLB.tv to get streaming baseball games (think it comes out to $10.00 a month).
Invest in a roku player which I find to be the best streaming device.
Chin Diesel
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Wait another month or two until Hulu announces their new plan.
You can probably get away with Hulu, Sling and Netflix for under $50/mo and not miss anything.
If you have Amazon Prime already that's a built in bonus (Which on a side note, I have no idea why any grown adult wouldn't have Prime).
You can probably get away with Hulu, Sling and Netflix for under $50/mo and not miss anything.
If you have Amazon Prime already that's a built in bonus (Which on a side note, I have no idea why any grown adult wouldn't have Prime).
After 18 months of rabbit ears we ventured back in with Playstation Vue. We had Hulu and Netflix but dropped Hulu. Our plan is $29.99 a month. No tax. For $5 more you get NFL Network and YES. I don't care about the latter as I'm a Mets fan. I'd suggest the Amazon Fire Stick (with Kodi) to see all the shows on the streaming channels and live events.
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And if you're less scrupulous, there are subreddits for streaming links for MLB, NFL, NHL, CFB, and CBB that carry most everything.
junglehusky
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having switched to PS Vue (via Amazon Fire box) I'll probably never go back to cable/satellite. Well, unless Congress kills net neutrality and ISPs decide to throttle data that isn't from their servers.
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Minuscule piece if you are a Yankee/Nets fan.
uconnphil2016
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Like where is the dove said, just go to reddit and find links to streams for any game you'd like. The quality isn't always top notch, but it's free. I've been able to watch every game of the NBA playoffs with that method. The only thing I pay for is Netflix which is 8 bucks. Definitely beats cable
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I have Direct TV Now, their streaming service, I signed up early got the ESPNs, Fox Sports, ESPN3, NBA and NHL networks. Also included some locals but not all. The service can be a little clunky but I think it gave the most channels for the $$
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I use Playstation Vue, which is just another one of the streaming services. $35 a month for ~30 channels, including Comcast Sports Net (in the Boston area) and ESPN/2/NEWS/Maybe ESPNU if I remember correctly?
The thing is, you still need a strong internet connection to take advantage of these cheaper streaming options. So you're still giving your money to the cable company anyway, and with the bundle prices of TV and internet together, it might not actually be that much cheaper to rig up a streaming box.
Internet costs me $87 a month, and vue is $35. So I'm at around $120 anyway, even though I "cut the cord"
The thing is, you still need a strong internet connection to take advantage of these cheaper streaming options. So you're still giving your money to the cable company anyway, and with the bundle prices of TV and internet together, it might not actually be that much cheaper to rig up a streaming box.
Internet costs me $87 a month, and vue is $35. So I'm at around $120 anyway, even though I "cut the cord"
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Can you get the NFL package on DirecTV Now? Watching Packers games is pretty much the main thing keeping me paying for DTV.
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Nope...
I appreciate the feedback from everyone. I basically think I am going to start by going to basic cable. I am currently paying 276 a month but internet is like 90 bucks. I also have phone in bundle because when I went
To cancel it somehow my bill was going to go up.
I have a firestick with Kodi. Luv that, Amazon prime and Netflix as well. The sports have been my issue. Need REdsox, Uconn and Giants. GIants obviously available over the air.
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we kind of grew up with it on the internet... and we're all not rich
uconnphil2016
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Stealing from ESPN? I'm not sure I'd even classify that as stealing
whaler11
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I'm not judging anyone - I had Napster when it was new and shiny.
If we kept having threads where people openly talked about what they shoplift from 7-11 you don't think that would be weird?
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is it stealing, though?
whaler11
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Um yes. That one isn't really up for debate.
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It's more like borrowing something without permission but giving it back...
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Eh, you can't stop the internet. I watched almost an entire UConn basketball game via periscope once while on vacation. Was I stealing or was the UConn fan who linked it to Twitter?
Back on topic. I got the best PS Vue package offered. Think it's like 50 channels for 64 bucks a month including HBO and Showtime. Saving 90 bucks a month from what DirectTV was charging me. I lost some channels, but overall well worth it. I have a lava antenna I'm going to mount as well and may look into adding a Tavo receiver to go with that but not sure yet.
DirectTV did offer to bring my bill down to 75 a month with no contract and 65 a month with a two year contract. I thought about it for a few days, said no thanks and then they even offered to waive all monthly equipment costs.
That was the kicker for me. The fact that they were willing to waive the 35 buck a month equipment fee told me they're just scraping us for every dime they can. This is why I don't worry about "stealing", as whaler says. They've been stealing from us for years.
Here is the thing the big whole home DVR, that I was paying the most money for, I called to tell them they did not send a big enough box to ship it back and they said I had two options, save it, or recycle it also known as putting it in the trash. Go figure.