I'm not familiar with all of this stuff, I have HULU, amazon prime, and Netflix I use on our main TV, through a Mac Mini...

My question: At my business I am paying nearly $300 a month for cable and interner, and the cable is REALLY minimal (no bloomberg or financial channels, no Spike TV, etc.) Is there an option for me to add these channels without paying Comcast an additional $80/month?

The one thing I wish we could get is Fox News.

quote:

Originally posted by cmr076:
My question: At my business I am paying nearly $300 a month for cable and interner, and the cable is REALLY minimal (no bloomberg or financial channels, no Spike TV, etc.) Is there an option for me to add these channels without paying Comcast an additional $80/month?

Don't know what exactly you're paying for, but $300/mo seems insanely high. Just as an example, I could buy a pretty fast business internet connection from Spectrum for around $50/$60 a month, and a DirectTV Now subscription for $50/mo that would probably give you everything you wanted and more. Just make sure you have a good WiFi signal and a Fire TV Stick ($39), or a Roku, or other streaming device on each TV.

quote:

Originally posted by cmr076:
My question: At my business I am paying nearly $300 a month for cable and interner, and the cable is REALLY minimal (no bloomberg or financial channels, no Spike TV, etc.) Is there an option for me to add these channels without paying Comcast an additional $80/month?

Yes. The cable-like streaming options that I know of are: SlingTV, DirectTV Now, Playstation Vue, Hulu Live TV, Youtube TV, and Fubo TV. I think Sling has the cheapest option at $20/mo. for their "orange" package.

One of the first things to take into account is if you consider any channels to be "must have," and find the services that offer those channels. Most if not all services offer a free trial and the ability to cancel any time, so it costs you nothing other than time to test drive multiple options.

I'm currently on the Sling $25 "blue" package. My only big gripe is the only "news" channel is GDCNN. I tired PS Vue and didn't like the interface.

I am currently testing DirectTV Now ($35/mo.). I like the channel lineup in that there are alternatives to GDCNN (Fox News, Fox Business, OAN, MSDNC). The look of the interface is acceptable, but idiots set up the remote control interaction. You should be able to get to the guide with one click, instead of three. You should be able to default to Favorites in the guide, instead of having to do something like six additional clicks before you can scroll your favorites. You should be able go to your "last channel" with one or two clicks, instead of having to absolutely no "last channel" button.

Anyway, that's why the free-trials are so helpful.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
The one thing I wish we could get is Fox News.

I have no idea how long it lasts since I see a countdown from 10 minutes, but I see a red "Watch TV" button at the top right corner of the foxnews.com site. I just clicked on it, and it appears to be the live feed.(Update, now I see that is a free preview. I have no idea how much it would be if subscribed)

I cut the cord a few weeks ago now, and I went with Play Station Vue. With tax, it costs right at $60.00 per month, but my wife and I seem to like it better than Sling, DirecTV Now and Hulu.

Our U-Verse went up to $200.00 per month with just high speed internet and a box in our living room and one in the bedroom. We didn't even have any movie channels, but I did have Outdoor and Sportsman channels added. Our high speed now is a little over $40.00 now, and with PS Vue, we're right at $100.00 per month.

I like that the PS Vue's credentials allow you to sign into apps when you would normally need to TV service to do so.

Also, the picture I get with my Apple TV 4K HDR is great. We were teetering getting the far less priced Roku 4K HDR, but I wanted to stay with my familiar Apple products.

And, just to let you older Apple TV users know, the newer Apple TVs have many more apps.

We also use Netflix and Amazon Prime. The Amazon Prime was mostly to be used for my wife at a teacher, but we are using it more at home since we have cut the cord.

Whats everyone using for an OTA antenna? I'd like to keep it small I'm in the city so distance isn't an issue for me? I'd love to get one small enough and have a magnetic base so I could mount it behind my TV on its wall mount.

Hint?

I have Mohu & Amazon Prime (fire tablet, fire sticks).
If life ever slows down it's easy to at Netflix.
Sounds like Sling for sports (ESPN, SEC, etc) may be the way to go but the reviews on Amazon for Sling app aren't very promising.

Any advice?

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
The one thing I wish we could get is Fox News.

I get live Foxnews on Youtube.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
If I were to cut the cord I'd still like to have a DVR capability. Anybody have DVR through these streaming services? How does it work?

I have a ChannelMaster DVR+ - it works with OTA broadcasts and have found it to work well for my needs. It wouldn't work with a streaming service, but most of those I can fast forward or rewind...

quote:

Originally posted by cworetired:
Been reading about this cord cutting but I just dont get it. Are you doing this just to save money? Are you still getting the major networks?

I had one HD TV box with Comcast..... for all of the normal channels my TV ballooned to $118 per month for TV alone. I get ALL of the same channels on playstation VUE for $55, plus pay extra for Netflix $11 a month (which I had with Comcast too) and then $10 a month for Showtime only when Homeland and Billions are on.......So I saved about $65, can also watch tv around the house on my tablets now in addition to the tv, can stream 5 TV's or devices for the same money, and get HD and free DVR. So I've only gained and not lost anything except $65 a month I was shelling out.

quote:

Originally posted by midwest guy:

quote:

Originally posted by kg5388:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

Check out the PSVUE tv, they blow sling away and have packages starting at $30 per month (all in). Up to 5 devices, free DVR. I hear the DTV streaming TV is good too. I have the $55 per month and it includes ALL channels Comcast had in HD, $75 gets you all channels and HBO and Showtime. Can also purchase the NFL ticket for it for like $35.

Only problem with ps vue is you can only watch it at your home location. We use the roku boxes and I have sling, Netflix and Amazon prime. I can watch at home or my camper at the river. My kids across 3 states also watch them on my accounts and they only pay for their internet. We saved between 4 households over $600 a month.

PS Vue can be watched at multiple locations, I have PS vue at locations in three states same account! MG

HOW? When I travel it says "outside network location" and then you're only allowed to watch from a small selection of stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
If I were to cut the cord I'd still like to have a DVR capability. Anybody have DVR through these streaming services? How does it work?

I have PS VUE. You just add whatever channel to your favorites section and it keeps the last 4 episodes (or more) and you just click on it, click on the episode you want, and hit play.....easy peasy.

My 2 favorite channels aren't on sling, Discovery and NAT GEO, so that's why I went with PS VUE.

Fox News is on Hulu live and PlayStation Vue. It’s the actual channel, not an app with updates, etc

quote:

Originally posted by ThankGod4Sig:
Whats everyone using for an OTA antenna? I'd like to keep it small I'm in the city so distance isn't an issue for me? I'd love to get one small enough and have a magnetic base so I could mount it behind my TV on its wall mount.

Hint?

I’m using a Clearstream antenna in my attic. It’s about two feet tall.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d...KYhoL70VL&ref=plSrch

quote:

Originally posted by dry-fly:
Fox News is on Hulu live ...

$40/mo. I'm thinkin' I don't wanna watch Fox News that badly

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

quote:

Originally posted by midwest guy:

quote:

Originally posted by kg5388:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

Check out the PSVUE tv, they blow sling away and have packages starting at $30 per month (all in). Up to 5 devices, free DVR. I hear the DTV streaming TV is good too. I have the $55 per month and it includes ALL channels Comcast had in HD, $75 gets you all channels and HBO and Showtime. Can also purchase the NFL ticket for it for like $35.

Only problem with ps vue is you can only watch it at your home location. We use the roku boxes and I have sling, Netflix and Amazon prime. I can watch at home or my camper at the river. My kids across 3 states also watch them on my accounts and they only pay for their internet. We saved between 4 households over $600 a month.

PS Vue can be watched at multiple locations, I have PS vue at locations in three states same account! MG

HOW? When I travel it says "outside network location" and then you're only allowed to watch from a small selection of stuff.

. I have never seen that outside network location, I have 2 firestixs and 1 firetv in three different zip codes all assigned to one PS Vue acct.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
I could buy a pretty fast business internet connection from Spectrum for around $50/$60 a month

The last time I asked, BrightHouse / Spectrum wanted $79 plus taxes and junk fees, which would put the total well into the higher $80 or lower $90 range, for the lowest priced internet connection for the hangar.

But wait -- that's not all! They would REQUIRE the use of a cable modem that they supply. That's another ten bucks / month, plus taxes and junk fees. Nope, they will not allow the use of an owner-supplied cable modem, like I use at home to avoid their rental charges, 'cause this is a BUSINESS service and they need to insure that their customers receive reliable service. At least that's what they told me. So all of that pushes internet service into the $100 / month ballpark from BrightHouse / Spectrum.

So, I'm using DSL from CenturyLink. $45 / month for a 25 MB connection. I bought a NetGear VDSL modem for fifty-nine bucks to avoid their ten dollar / month modem lease.

As far as quality of service goes, I have had one problem with CenturyLink DSL; the problem was cured by a tech coming out and cleaning the corrosion off the connection from phone line, on the outside wall of the hangar. Not even a hiccup from hurricane Irma. Compare that to the numerous service interruptions I have had at home with BrightHouse / Spectrum cable internet. Probably one interruption every month or two, service is out for anywhere from hours to days. Same story each and every time: I contact tech support, they swear up and down that there is no network problem, they assert that it is a problem individual to my home and they set an appointment for service. Meanwhile, NOBODY in the neighborhood has service, but it's not a network problem, it is my individual equipment. Then a Spectrum truck papers just down the road and BINGO! All of the individual residence problems are magically cured, all at the same time, with no service tech at any of the homes.

Based on the history that I have, I'll take DSL over cable for reliability, and also for lower cost.

I dumped cable TV in 2014. I use an HD antenna and pull in ABC(3), CBS(2), NBC(3), Fox(2), and PBS(4). 14 channels total. I use a booster to send the singnal to a dozen ports in my house, 7 are connected to TV's. I built 2 Home Theater PC's. 1 in my living room, 1 in my bedroom. They both have blu ray players. I have converted all my DVD's/Blu-Rays to MP4's and they are stored on a NAS box. I can stream them anywhere. I use a chromecast on my TV in the Kithen, and I have a Roku in a spare bedroom. I pay ~$58 for 75 Mbps down/7 Mbps, Netflix ~$12, ~$16 for HBO Now, and ~$5 for OOMA(home phone) per month.

I just learned this a few weeks ago, if you stream via browser, MS edge is the only brower that displays in 1080p or higher. Time to get 10 installed on my 7 machines I guess

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
I could buy a pretty fast business internet connection from Spectrum for around $50/$60 a month

The last time I asked, BrightHouse / Spectrum wanted $79 plus taxes and junk fees, which would put the total well into the higher $80 or lower $90 range, for the lowest priced internet connection for the hangar.

I don't want to derail this thread too much here, but all I can say is I setup a small realty office for my wife about a year ago and the monthly bill (through what was then Brighthouse) was $60/month for internet, and I used my own Motorola modem. Don't remember if that was some sort of special or promotional deal though.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
I could buy a pretty fast business internet connection from Spectrum for around $50/$60 a month

The last time I asked, BrightHouse / Spectrum wanted $79 plus taxes and junk fees, which would put the total well into the higher $80 or lower $90 range, for the lowest priced internet connection for the hangar.

Probably varies somewhat by region.

My Comcast Business High-Speed Internet service costs us $85/month for 50/12 and a static IP. There are no "taxes and fees," and that includes the cablemodem rental fee.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
But wait -- that's not all! They would REQUIRE the use of a cable modem that they supply. That's another ten bucks / month, plus taxes and junk fees. Nope, they will not allow the use of an owner-supplied cable modem, like I use at home to avoid their rental charges, 'cause this is a BUSINESS service and they need to insure that their customers receive reliable service.

That's not the real reason why. The real reason why is business accounts can get static IPs, and they need absolute control of the cablemodem to manage that.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Based on the history that I have, I'll take DSL over cable for reliability, and also for lower cost.

Like costs: Varies by region. I had good luck when I had business class DSL, but I can't get that any more. My cable Internet service has been quite good. Very few outages, and none lasting very long.