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In the next 15 days, I'll have been without any sort of traditional TV service for 1 year
TheSonicRetard
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Last September, when I moved into my new place, I decided to forgo traditional TV options (cable, satellite, etc). I don't necessarily watch too much tv, but sports were what always kept me coming back to TV. Instead of traditional TV, I built myself a home theater server, and built slim-line clients which attached to every TV in my place, essentially giving every TV in the house it's own PC.
I was worried for a long time about how I'd feel stir crazy without any video contact outside of the internet (I got u-verse internet) but here I am 1 year later ready to tell you that I didn't miss a beat. I ordered a Hulu plus subscription for $7 a month, on top of a netflix subscription, and I am completely satisfied. I can stream video to every tv in the house. The big kicker was sports - I need live sports. ESPN3 was a huge factor in me going to internet-only, but I've also recently discovered I can stream ESPN1, ESPN2, ESPNU, and Buzzer Beaters thanks to my ISP. If Fox Sports followed suite, I would be completely set for all sports.
Thus far, I haven't found any major draw backs, outside of seeing the same 2 or 3 commericals for months at a time. I don't think I can ever switch back to traditional tv after experiencing this - the ability to watch anything when I want, how I want. it's very liberating. For example, with standard Hulu, I can watch like maybe the last 3 or 4 episodes of a show (I'll use Saturday Night Live as an example). With Hulu Plus, I get access to the entire run of the show - over 400 episodes, on demand, with less commercials than normal TV.
Netflix streaming and Hulu Plus have completely replaced my standard TV watching experience. I now pay a total of $65 a month for both internet, and subscriptions to Hulu and Netflix.
Anyone else gone this route, or considered going it?
I was worried for a long time about how I'd feel stir crazy without any video contact outside of the internet (I got u-verse internet) but here I am 1 year later ready to tell you that I didn't miss a beat. I ordered a Hulu plus subscription for $7 a month, on top of a netflix subscription, and I am completely satisfied. I can stream video to every tv in the house. The big kicker was sports - I need live sports. ESPN3 was a huge factor in me going to internet-only, but I've also recently discovered I can stream ESPN1, ESPN2, ESPNU, and Buzzer Beaters thanks to my ISP. If Fox Sports followed suite, I would be completely set for all sports.
Thus far, I haven't found any major draw backs, outside of seeing the same 2 or 3 commericals for months at a time. I don't think I can ever switch back to traditional tv after experiencing this - the ability to watch anything when I want, how I want. it's very liberating. For example, with standard Hulu, I can watch like maybe the last 3 or 4 episodes of a show (I'll use Saturday Night Live as an example). With Hulu Plus, I get access to the entire run of the show - over 400 episodes, on demand, with less commercials than normal TV.
Netflix streaming and Hulu Plus have completely replaced my standard TV watching experience. I now pay a total of $65 a month for both internet, and subscriptions to Hulu and Netflix.
Anyone else gone this route, or considered going it?
TheSonicRetard on
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I say technically because I did get cable service last year, but only my roommate uses it.
Really the only thing I miss about TV is live sporting events, and there's probably some kind of online package I could buy for that
Commercials tell me what I need to buy, and at least half the time it's good shit, so I don't DVR
Steam
If U-Verse television was more affordable, I'd sign up for that, but AT&T doesn't want to offer me any promotions, since I'm an existing customer, so I won't be giving them any more money than I already am.
I can't manage to sit at my computer and do just one thing. It feels boring.
I've looked into this and live sports are sort of a commodity on the internet. Live sports are hard to find, because they're money-making channels, and cable companies are scared to death of this happening widespread. it's basically the closest you can come to buying TV ala carte. ESPN seems to be the only sports network that is progressive in this sense, they've been ahead of the curve.
Granted, there are illegal ways to stream sports, but one of the biggest sites which provided this option had their domain seized by the FBI earlier this year and, well, I'm generally weary about using such sites.
Someone else pointed out that you can stream other content, and I forgot to mention that. You can go to any major network's website and they'll have tons of streaming shows - FX, for example, streams new episodes of Wilfred like 30 minutes after they end on tv. This is really only an option if you're willing to connect a PC to your tv, as stuff like the wii, ps3, and xbox 360 can't stream from these sites.
you don't use it on your computer, you use it on your internet ready tv or through your xbox 360.
Hulu Plus doesn't do any of the things netflix does, they're two very different services. hulu updates instantly for shows that are airing, and has little to no backlog. Netflix has huge backlogs of previously aired shows and also a robust movie selection.
I find the services compliment each other, personally. If I can't find a show on netflix, I can usually find it on Hulu Plus, and vice versa.
I mainly use netflix as the internet equivalent of HBO (which, by the way, you can buy an online streaming version now) and Hulu as the internet equivalent of standard network tv (because it's owned by fox and NBC).
I have dedicated PCs for each tv. It's very wasteful, I know, but I'll normally watch TV on one PC, with either my tablet or laptop in my lap. At any one time, I'm really using 3 PCs at once (tablet/notebook, HTPC client, and HTPC server).
Hulu Plus actually has a huge backlog. When you subscribe to Hulu plus, it basically lets you watch any episode from any season of any show they offer.
I might sign up for a lovefilm account at some point
Unfortunately, that show is my main sticking point for keeping cable around. I can deal with all the commercials in the world so long as I know that the continuing misadventures of Heisenberg would follow them.
Also at this point I'm having a hard time rating movies above TV for quality. This year, TV has pretty much trumped movies for consistent quality of comedy and drama.
Steam ID XBL: JohnnyChopsocky PSN:Stud_Beefpile WiiU:JohnnyChopsocky
That's actually a pretty cool setup, TSR
...
God I hate being poor.
I own one and get free cable, don't even bother turning it on.
But you have a pretty sounding set-up, TSR! I agree, cable's going to price themselves out of the market as more people realize the exact same services are available online except they are more convenient and a better price
Are you sure you can't stream Breaking Bad from AMC's website?
I prefer to watch my shows one season at a time in one sitting.
Also: I have Hulu Plus, but things like The Daily Show only has one season? I mean, not that I have been actively looking, but it seems like some shows still only have the current season available.
Good job @TheSonicRetard
edit- two seconds on google and oh, they are streaming the filipino channel.
Thanks, I've actually been working on a house-wide HTPC set up since about 2003. It's pretty cool to go from room to room and have your entire media library at your fingertips. I even have my server set to broadcast online, so when I'm out and about, if I need to, i can stream it to my phone or tablet. I rarely do this, mainly if I'm flying and stuck at an airport for a while, but it's a nice option to have.
so I win
ahahahahhahahahha
haven't watched "traditional" TV for more than a year now
woo h5
This. My previous set up was some extended cable with internet for $85 a month. Only reason I had that was because my room mate wanted it. As of now, I'm only using internet.
Some people think I'm insane for not watching tv. I just want my entertainment to be more interactive.
what does that mean? do you just physically not look at televisions?
because downloading shows and watching them still counts as watching tv, hoss.
Seriously? The last time I owned a game system was in 2004, and it was a PSOne (the slim, after the PS2 had come out).
Matter of fact, not counting the Nintendo the family got for Christmas back in 87 or so, that's the only gaming system I have ever owned.
Not a big console gamer.
That said, I found a used electronics store local that sells used game consoles. Still, the 360 and PS3 are still pretty ridiculously expensive.