Suggestions please. Which plan, the cheap or expensive one? DVR? What should I look for?

I don't watch too much television, Outdoor channel for me, Smithsonian, HGTV, Hallmark for SWMBO. Locals for news/Wx.

Dish finally broke my last nerve. Looking to dump them.

Thanks,

RMD

You may want to search this forum for the info from the past half dozen threads on this. We all try to search recognizing that the search utility is a bit wonky. I try to use the advanced search function to get threads of value.

Thanks. Advanced search netted a couple of threads whereas search - zilch.

RMD

The TiVo Bolt will do this. I don't know of a way to get the Outdoor channel without cable/satellite.

Sony Vue TV, it offers the same channels as cable or dish, all of the sports channels and can get nfl ticket and much cheaper. The plan price is the out the door price with no additional taxes and fees tacked on. Can stream 5 devices for the same price, comes with dvr service and no contract. Plans from $40 a month (for what you're looking for) to $75 a month for EVERY channel and HBO and Showtime.



https://www.playstation.com/en...etwork/vue/channels/

I can't post the thread I found most recently as my iPhone can't copy thread links. But there are guiding thoughts on cord cutting on page six of the lounge, unless the posts from today have bumped it to page seven. I think there were 32 entries so you may find insights. Searching is so hard due to forum software constraints we often try to post links for each other.

I found I couldn't cut the cord.

Cutting the cord only works well if you can get all the broadcast networks with an antenna. With products like PlayStation Vue and DirectTv Now you can only live stream broadcast channels in certain big cities and you still will only get some of the networks.

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
I can't post the thread I found most recently as my iPhone can't copy thread links. But there are guiding thoughts on cord cutting on page six of the lounge, unless the posts from today have bumped it to page seven. I think there were 32 entries so you may find insights. Searching is so hard due to forum software constraints we often try to post links for each other.

I found I couldn't cut the cord.

Thanks. GOING THERE NOW.

rmd

If you are really going to cut the cord, you have to expect some changes, beyond the huge savings. Some channels are just not available while others are but at a cost. That cost can negate a lot of the savings.

As for DVR I have a Channel Master which I really like. I did try Spike TV but for the cost and they still have commercials, so no joy for me. A good site for understanding what's out there is Grounded Reason, check them out when you have tim.

quote:

Originally posted by Fundman:
Cutting the cord only works well if you can get all the broadcast networks with an antenna. With products like PlayStation Vue and DirectTv Now you can only live stream broadcast channels in certain big cities and you still will only get some of the networks.

Au contraire mon ami - Unless you absolutely, positively must have broadcast news or live sports displayed, all you need is a high(er) speed internet connection.

In San Diego there is at one news station (Fox 5 News) which simulcasts. Live sports can be watched on laptop/computer to include NCAA and NFL. Get a little deeper and riskier, one can go to frontrowsports and watch nearly any sport event live (be fast and accurate with mouse to defeat the pop-ups though).

High-speed internet is all you need - which is not to be confused with a "want."

I've been happy w/Sling TV. Here's the channel options: https://www.sling.com/service

I tried Sony Playstation Vue twice, but didn't like the interface and had a lot more problems with poor image quality, freezing, etc. IIRC the first time I tested it was on a PS3, the second time on a Roku 3.

Sling isn't perfect, for sure, but in my location (Dallas area), the Vue performance was well behind Sling. YMMV.

I use a Silicone Dust HD Homerun combined with their tuner/guide/dvr software on a mini Windows PC to record OTA broadcasts. Again, not perfect, but serviceable. When the HD Homerun or Windows PC dies, I expect I'll switch to a TiVo, as they make units that seems to work well in that role, plus include the apps I use - Sling, Amazon, and Netflix.

ETA: One piece of the puzzle you have to keep in mind is getting a decent channel guide for OTA TV. Make sure the DVR you choose provides a decent/responsive guide. My Samsung TV's built-in guide is sluggish and doesn't interface with a DVR. I was going to originally use Windows Media Center on the mini PC as my guide/DVR, but it's discontinued and I was unsuccessful in connecting it to an online guide, as I recall. The HD Homerun guide is acceptable. I suspect the TiVo guide is polished.