So you're done paying for a cable box...

[Snowman]

I was wondering, who here has gotten away from Comcast, Direct TV and the like and what is your setup?

Where are you getting the shows you watch?
What hardware are you using to get local channels?
Anything else the rest of us need to know to junk these +80$ a month services?

[rybo]

We're using books. It's the new TV.

That being said - we don't watch much "screen" with the little guys. If I really want to see something I'm using the internet via youtube, the broadcast channels or MotoGP.com to see what I'm interested in.

Occasional movie via DVD - but we're generally really glad not to have a bunch of commercial TV in the house anymore.

[Sean]

Now that the Olympics are over, we're ditching cable. Internet only.

Popular shows- Hulu Plus
News- news.google.com or BBC
Movies/TV series- Netflix
Racing- RU

[Penadam]

This

and this


Haven't had cable for 5 years, don't miss it. In Denver, you get quite a few channels (all major networks, some movie channels, some music channels). See http://yourfreedtv.com/Denver/ for details of what's available based on where you live and what kind of antenna you'll need.

[JKOL]

Before I moved to South Dakota, I was using a HD antenna I bought at Home Depot for local channels. For shows like Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy, The Walking Dead, etc... I downloaded them from thepiratebay.org. Then I used an HDMI cable to connect my laptop to my TV to watch the movies/tv shows on the big screen.

You location in relation to the tower, quality of HD antenna, and what is around you will affect how many channels you can get. I received around 20. If I wanted Spanish programming, I would have had over 30.

[vort3xr6]

I really want to do this. Paying $175 a month for shitty Internet and mid level cable channels. I would love to call up Comcast and tell them to choke on a cock.

[salsashark]

I really want to do this. Paying $175 a month for shitty Internet and mid level cable channels. I would love to call up Comcast and tell them to choke on a cock.

You REALLY need to call comcrap.

I pay half that for decent high-speed interwebz and HD Cable w/ dvr.

[tecknojoe]

Man if we had Verizon FIOS out here it would make things better. They are a massive competator out in the DC area and their service trumps comcast. When one of the companies started to get out of hand and increase prices too much, you just do your annual call and haggle the price back down. I think when I left we were paying ~$115/month for great internet and all channels except HBO and such

I just wish comcast had a major competator out here

[Snowman]

We're using books. It's the new TV..

Isn't it hard to channel surf with those things?

I have a good high speed internet connection with Comcast, so I've been using allot of Netfix ($8 month)and Hulu (Free) by connecting my laptop. I did found out that PS3 can play Netflix and Hulu+ ($8 month)

I am shelling out $138.00 a month for both cable (64$) and internet (66$) with Comcast.

Allot of networks stream their shows on their website.
Channel 9 has live streaming of their new casts.

Other shows like The Daily Show post the previous days episode the next day.

Anyone know how to get sporting events like MotoGP and AMA racing, Sports Center?

[Dr. Joe Siphek]

I haven't had cable/internet in 10 years, i did put an antenna on top of my house, i bought a dual UHF/VHF from Crutchfield.com for about $60 a couple years ago, and i pick up about 25-30 english channels...and your typical 2,4,7,9,20 & 31 are all in HD. We just added the internet to our house for the first time, using Century Link and now have Netflix which is really nice, and the internet/phone bill is around $60. Very pleased w/ century link.

[spideyrdr]

A PC with Windows 7 Media Center PC and a ~$100 dual tuner card + a netflix subscription ~$8 a month is probably the cheapest way to get 80+% of the programming / entertainment you'd ever want. Most local channels are easily picked up with a simple $6 set of rabbit ears where I live, most are in HD, and the Media Center / tuner card works just like a DVR would for the local channels (on screen guide, record 2 shows while watching a 3rd, etc). Netflix is, in my opinion, a no-brainer due to the library of movies, TV shows, and documentaries. kat.ph is where I find an occasional program that I can't find elsewhere, though, those torrents are mostly not legal. Hulu Plus (a few bucks a month) could expand the options considerably, depending on which channels you usually watch, and Amazon Prime members have access to a decent (but not vast) library of content as well. Add in an occasional rental from redbox, and you'll have more boob tube than you know what to do with.

The next step "down" since it doesn't include DVR-like capabilities would be a Roku + rabbit ears for the local channels. With the Roku, you have access to free content, like Crackle (though it's a pretty weak selection IMHO), plus access to Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu Plus if you subscribe. Tons of other channels are out there too, paid and free, to give that little technology puck more power than it probably should be granted. Like I said, it's a step back behind a media center setup since it won't let you record anything, but with the rabbit ears you still can watch live locals channels.

The biggest downside to me is losing some of the sports channels like Speed and ESPN. Some games or races can be found later on through torrents or other means, but in the meantime you're spending all your energy trying to avoid spoilers. If it weren't for this aspect and Becky not wanting to give up some of her favorite channels, I probably would have dropped the satellite a while ago for the savings.

If you'd like to see my Roku / media center setup some time, let me know.

[spideyrdr]

Anyone know how to get sporting events like MotoGP and AMA racing, Sports Center?

These are a challenge to come by. MotoGP is usually up on a torrent within a few days, so you could go that route. I have had no luck finding AMA content online, so good luck there. Unless you get an invite to the racing torrent site, it can be hard to find 2-wheel racing online, period.

One thing to note, depending on your ISP, you may get access to speed2.com that has some interesting racing content. And watchespn.com is another one you might get if you're with the right provider. watchespn has Sportcenter, some (SOME) decent sporting events, and a library of on-demand games and stuff.

[Jmetz]

I have basic cable for $20/month. It does the job. I get movies and shows from the net. Crackle is free and has movies and shows, it is ad supported. Had Netflix streaming for a good while but when they raised prices and dropped content I gave them the boot.

[Zach929rr]

My buddy has a slick setup that combines a linux deployment of usenet file management, Fl.ux, and a Roku box. I'm seriously considering doing something similar. You just tell the nzb file managment system the title of the shows you are looking for, set quality limiters, select if you only want new, all, etc, and it will automatically grab them for you and pushes everything to the Roku box via Fl.ux.

Slickest damn setup I've seen in a while. Sure beats the hell out of using TVersity to transcode mkv's on the fly to my xbox.

Also, hasn't Racing Underground been down for months now?

[Sean]

Also, hasn't Racing Underground been down for months now?

It changed to racingfor.me or something? Not sure why.

[JonnyD]

Now that the Olympics are over, we're ditching cable. Internet only.

Popular shows- Hulu Plus
News- news.google.com or BBC
Movies/TV series- Netflix
Racing- RU

+1 to this, though I didn't have cable anyway (don't watch olympics)

The only thing I had cable for before was hockey, but with enough out of state friends I think I can do an NHL Gamecenter subscription through one of their addresses and pay MUCH less than cable, and see more!

[Snowman]

These are a challenge to come by. MotoGP is usually up on a torrent within a few days, so you could go that route...

Not finding Torrent, well at least behind this firewall a work.

[~Barn~]

For anybody who wants to go the over-the-air route, just remember that there's no real truth to an "HD" antenna, as opposed to to circa-1970s set of rabbit-ears. They both will pick up the HD signals just fine, assuming that you have them placed in an effective location.

[WolFeYeZ]

Not finding Torrent, well at least behind this firewall a work.

thepiratebay.se has them all. If you can ever find open signups for Superseeds.org, they always have all the races as well as tons of other motoGP content. I wish I had invites X.x

[bulldog]

For anybody who wants to go the over-the-air route, just remember that there's no real truth to an "HD" antenna, as opposed to to circa-1970s set of rabbit-ears. They both will pick up the HD signals just fine, assuming that you have them placed in an effective location.

Wow, I didn't know that. I always thought you had to get the special HD atenna to get them. Good to know as I have old rabbit ears already. Thanks...

[Penadam]

Wow, I didn't know that. I always thought you had to get the special HD atenna to get them. Good to know as I have old rabbit ears already. Thanks...

Just remember that you'll need a TV with a built in digital tuner (basically any flat panel) or a stand alone digital convert box.

[Filo]

I haven't had cable since about 1997. I have a big ass antenna (like the old school ones on the roof) in may attic. It picks up maybe 25 channels. I use netflix, hulu and amazon prime for streaming over my internet setup. Internet is about $50/month, netflix at $8/month, amazon is $7/month. I would have internet and prime anyway (free shipping!), so my "tv" bill is about $8/month. I have not regretted not having cable once in the past 15 years. If I want to see something that I don't get (special sports events usually) I just call a bunch of friends and meet at a bar with big TVs and beer. I get my TV and my social time at the same time.

[Snowman]

Definitely going to try the 10$ rabbit ears just to see what you get with them.

[FZ1Guy]

Okay, so here is what I do....

I live and an area where you can't see lookout mountain... so an antenna picks up very few signals... and those I can get, have a real crappy signal.

Here is the trick I learned. I got comcast for internet. Since they connected the house for internet... guess what? I can just plug any of my TV's with a QAM into the cable outlet and get all local channel in HD... its AWESOME. Most newer TV's have a digital tuner with QAM.

All I pay is for internet. I have a ROKU. Netflix is $8 so.. getting by for CHEAP...