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Ditchin' the ol' Cable Box

Nakatomi2010Nakatomi2010 Registered User regular
edited April 2010 in Moe's Stupid Technology Tavern
So, my wife and I in an effort to reduce our bills and pocket more money are going to drop our FiOS TV which wil save us a nice chunk of change. I'm not too concerned as I have an HTPC that we already use Netflix and Hulu on, however I wanted to know what else we should be looking into?

Obviously we need an HD antenna to pick up the local stations in HD, and the HTPC is going to be our DVR for recording TV shows from the HD Antenna (Already have the card).

Any suggestions on an HD antenna? Indoor, outdoor, etc, etc.

Suggestions on other sites that offer videos and such for free that can be accessed via Media Center interface?

Thanks

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  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Where are you living? You don't need an "HD" antenna to pick up digital TV, any set of VHF/UHF bunny-ears will do. You'll run into problems if you're not within range of a transmitter, though. That's when you have to start worrying about a roof antenna. But try a $10 antenna and see if it works first.

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  • Nakatomi2010Nakatomi2010 Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    I live in a a town off to the side of a major city. We've done the rabbit ear thing before and never really had an issue aside from static, I just wasn't sure if receiving a clean and clear HD signal would require a better antenna than rabbit ears or not.

    I know it's not going to be perfect, but I'm hoping for less static. I've gotta pop my HD TV Tuner card back into my HTPC tonight and I'll check the signal reception, see how it looks with just a set of rabbit ears...

    Good to know though...

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    Wii Friend code: 1445 3205 3057 5295
  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Well, with digital TV, the signal will either be perfect or really choppy and pixelated. It'll be really obvious whether you're getting a quality signal.

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  • DedianDedian Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Head over to tvfool.com and put your address into the TV Signal Locator - it'll tell you how close and what direction the channels are that you might be able to receive, as well as a general idea of what kind of antenna you need.

    With digital you either get the signal or you don't (artifacts because of losing signal is your TV's problem :D) - if you're just picking up analog, then shame on those broadcasters cause they should be in digital!

    Picking stuff up over the air can be easy or frustrating, depending on what's inbetween you and the signal.

    Edit: also rabbit ears are for VHF... Some channels still broadcast in this frequency range for whatever (dumb) reason, but digital channels are usually broadcast in the UHF range, which you'll probably want some form of loop antenna for.

    Dedian on
  • travathiantravathian Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=109300

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  • urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old Man Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    You don't need cable at all. Thanks to Netflix. I haven't had cable in 4 years, I'm sure you can do it.

    urahonky on
  • EliteLamerEliteLamer __BANNED USERS regular
    edited April 2010
    urahonky wrote: »
    You don't need cable at all. Thanks to Netflix. I haven't had cable in 4 years, I'm sure you can do it.

    This and Boxxe

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  • urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old Man Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Don't forget to look online for used TV show DVDs. Hell you can get a bunch of TV show DVDs from half.com for dirt cheap. Rip them to your HDD, then stream them using TVersity or whatever.

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  • Nakatomi2010Nakatomi2010 Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Our intention is to squrriel away as much money as feasibly possible, so buying the DVDs isn't really an option. Aside from the fact that I already have 1.5TB full of stuff already... I really need to go through and clean that up at some point...

    I was actually able to find a set of rabbit ears from the TV Tuner box prior to the one in the ssytem right now... Looks like I'm going to get a clearer and better signal than I would've hoped for. Not to mention since the signal is digital I'm not going to get that funny color problem Analog used to give.

    Awesome, so Saturday we'll figure out the best place to place the antenna, and once I've got a good, reliable TV signal setup going on I'll call up FiOS to pull the plug...

    Thanks folks..

    Nakatomi2010 on
    Check out me building my HTPC (NSF56K) (Updated 1-10-08)
    Movie Collection
    Foody Things
    Holy shit! Sony's new techno toy!
    Wii Friend code: 1445 3205 3057 5295
  • urahonkyurahonky Cynical Old Man Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    On a side note I wish I had FiOS :(

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  • Dark ShroudDark Shroud Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    http://eztv.it/

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  • EliteLamerEliteLamer __BANNED USERS regular
    edited April 2010
    Dark Shroud wrote: »
    http://eztv.it/

    Is that legal?

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  • Dark ShroudDark Shroud Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    EliteLamer wrote: »
    Dark Shroud wrote: »
    http://eztv.it/

    Is that legal?

    Probably not, but the RSS feeds should work with Miro to auto download new episodes when posted.

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  • Roland_tHTGRoland_tHTG Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Last time I did any reading on the subject tv shows are still in the grey area but I'm pretty sure one of the subscription networks were sending cease and desist letters to ISPs a while back.

    Roland_tHTG on
  • Dark ShroudDark Shroud Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Roland_tHTG wrote: »
    Last time I did any reading on the subject tv shows are still in the grey area but I'm pretty sure one of the subscription networks were sending cease and desist letters to ISPs a while back.

    It also depends on what country you're in. A lot of people in Europe & South America download up to date US TV shows through bittorrent. These shows will be made available to them for years if ever.

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  • maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    edited April 2010
    urahonky wrote: »
    You don't need cable at all. Thanks to Netflix. I haven't had cable in 4 years, I'm sure you can do it.

    Whenever I get my own place (Which will, if all things go to plan, be before the end of this summer.) I'm going with a combination of a OTA Antenna, Hulu, and Netflix (H&N on a HTPC I'll build or perhaps just a Mac Mini)

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  • ShensShens Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited April 2010
    I just wanted to add that uTorrent will do the whole 'download from RSS' thing. No need to get another program if you do not want to. You can setup a variety of download filters to make it very automated if you desire.

    Shens on
  • DedianDedian Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Don't forget Boxee! The latest beta is pretty nice, and has Hulu and all that sort of stuff (as well as tons of other video sources)

    Dedian on
  • Dark ShroudDark Shroud Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    maximumzero wrote: »
    urahonky wrote: »
    You don't need cable at all. Thanks to Netflix. I haven't had cable in 4 years, I'm sure you can do it.

    Whenever I get my own place (Which will, if all things go to plan, be before the end of this summer.) I'm going with a combination of a OTA Antenna, Hulu, and Netflix (H&N on a HTPC I'll build or perhaps just a Mac Mini)

    Mac Mini's are over priced for that now, they don't even come with a remote for that anymore. Not to mention the whole inability to play blu-ray & lack of DVR software. Dell has a pretty good little box if you're interested, the Inspiron Zino HD.

    I plan to do the same thing when I get my own place as well. I'll pay for a fat internet connection and use HD OTA. There are only a few tv shows I watch anyway and I believe they're all on Hulu.

    Also, Netflix doesn't do HD video in a browser yet. So far only on set top boxes and I have no idea why. Hulu is great but it used to be more awesome when I could watch it in my PS3 browser.

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  • maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Dark Shroud wrote: »
    maximumzero wrote: »
    urahonky wrote: »
    You don't need cable at all. Thanks to Netflix. I haven't had cable in 4 years, I'm sure you can do it.

    Whenever I get my own place (Which will, if all things go to plan, be before the end of this summer.) I'm going with a combination of a OTA Antenna, Hulu, and Netflix (H&N on a HTPC I'll build or perhaps just a Mac Mini)

    Mac Mini's are over priced for that now, they don't even come with a remote for that anymore. Not to mention the whole inability to play blu-ray & lack of DVR software. Dell has a pretty good little box if you're interested, the Inspiron Zino HD.

    You're forgetting that A) I wouldn't have cable so not having DVR functionality isn't a loss and B) I don't really give a shit about Blu-Ray and C) I probably have a half-dozen of those little remotes lying around the house that I've accidentally taken home from when I used to work at CompUSA. I come across one randomly every now and again.

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  • Dark ShroudDark Shroud Registered User regular
    edited April 2010
    maximumzero wrote: »
    Dark Shroud wrote: »
    maximumzero wrote: »
    urahonky wrote: »
    You don't need cable at all. Thanks to Netflix. I haven't had cable in 4 years, I'm sure you can do it.

    Whenever I get my own place (Which will, if all things go to plan, be before the end of this summer.) I'm going with a combination of a OTA Antenna, Hulu, and Netflix (H&N on a HTPC I'll build or perhaps just a Mac Mini)

    Mac Mini's are over priced for that now, they don't even come with a remote for that anymore. Not to mention the whole inability to play blu-ray & lack of DVR software. Dell has a pretty good little box if you're interested, the Inspiron Zino HD.

    You're forgetting that A) I wouldn't have cable so not having DVR functionality isn't a loss and B) I don't really give a shit about Blu-Ray and C) I probably have a half-dozen of those little remotes lying around the house that I've accidentally taken home from when I used to work at CompUSA. I come across one randomly every now and again.

    If you already have the apple remotes that's fine, but you wouldn't want a DVR & Channel guide for use with your OTA TV services?

    The dell is cheaper and comes with HDMI built in.

    All right I'm done.

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  • maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    edited April 2010
    Dark Shroud wrote: »
    maximumzero wrote: »
    Dark Shroud wrote: »
    maximumzero wrote: »
    urahonky wrote: »
    You don't need cable at all. Thanks to Netflix. I haven't had cable in 4 years, I'm sure you can do it.

    Whenever I get my own place (Which will, if all things go to plan, be before the end of this summer.) I'm going with a combination of a OTA Antenna, Hulu, and Netflix (H&N on a HTPC I'll build or perhaps just a Mac Mini)

    Mac Mini's are over priced for that now, they don't even come with a remote for that anymore. Not to mention the whole inability to play blu-ray & lack of DVR software. Dell has a pretty good little box if you're interested, the Inspiron Zino HD.

    You're forgetting that A) I wouldn't have cable so not having DVR functionality isn't a loss and B) I don't really give a shit about Blu-Ray and C) I probably have a half-dozen of those little remotes lying around the house that I've accidentally taken home from when I used to work at CompUSA. I come across one randomly every now and again.

    If you already have the apple remotes that's fine, but you wouldn't want a DVR & Channel guide for use with your OTA TV services?

    The dell is cheaper and comes with HDMI built in.

    All right I'm done.

    But my OTA service is like...10 channels. Anything I would miss there would easily be avalable on Hulu.

    Also, my TV has a DVI connection for straight DVI to DVI action.

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