Sick of Satellite TV Bills

[Bow]

Hey guys,
I want to get rid of the satellite TV and the bill that comes with it. I know I can use my PC ( see specs ) for TV use I just do not know how. Also is it worth it? How many channels do you get? Is the quality good?

Any and all info will be of great help.

 

[sneekypeet]

Even if you buy a TV tuner card for the PC, you still need a service to provide the signal.

There are many ways and services to watching shows already broadcast, but I don't know how legally possible it is to get some sort of stream for live TV. Hell if it is legal and easy to do, I'm game for it, then I could get rid of my tuners

 

[Athlon2K15]

i have standard cable from time warner and get 69 analog channels and 62 digital/hd

 

[Kreij]

With a TV tuner card you could get all of the locally broadcast digital channels free, but that it.
As Peet stated, you will still need something from a service provider to descramble their signal which will not be free.
If you have a high-speed internet connection your ISP may offer bundled services (phone, internet, television) in a packaged deal which may come out a little cheaper for the television service.

 

[Bow]

Even if you buy a TV tuner card for the PC, you still need a service to provide the signal.

There are many ways and services to watching shows already broadcast, but I don't know how legally possible it is to get some sort of stream for live TV. Hell if it is legal and easy to do, I'm game for it, then I could get rid of my tuners

By servive I assume you mean internet? or is that something else?

 

[CJCerny]

If you live within 30-40 miles of a big city, it's easy to get over the air reception for free with an antenna connected to a PC tuner card. Channel wise, you will be limited to the major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS) and a few local channels. You can get a 2 tuner PCI card (so you can watch 1 channel and record another at the same time or record 2 channels at the same time) for $60 or less. If you want more programming than that, you will have to pony up for analog or digital cable fees and the correct kind of PC tuner card. There isn't any way, for example, to get the Discovery Channel programming for free (other than lots of torrenting), other than what they offer on their web site.

 

[qubit]

You can stick TV tuners in your PC and watch free to air channels. I watch Freeview on a dedicated receiver, not a PC.

 

[sneekypeet]

As Mussles stated

Thanks man!

@ bow, service=cable to carry the TV signal, otherwise you have to use an aerial antenna to try to pull in just the local HD channels.

 

[Athlon2K15]

oooooh low blow!

 

[Kreij]

Thanks man!

LOL ... I fixed that little error, sorry Peet. My internet is so crappy today it took me like 15 minutes to get into the editing screen.

 

[DrPepper]

What about Hulu or something like that ?

 

[AsRock]

What about Hulu or something like that ?

Yeah was thinking the same like Netflix.. Sick of paying for the TV as well but if we get rid of it our bill goes higher than it is already :|..

Don't even use the rubbish lol..

I guess it depends if he wants local channels. Lets face it if he's in to ABC programs and CBS you can just go to there site for the most part.

 

[CJCerny]

Most web sites offer a pared down version of what is on the air, but they definitely do have lots of offerings there. Same is true of Hulu Plus and the others. It's hard to beat broadcast TV for live programming, however, so for example, if you like to watch sports, the only place you can really get a decent look at a live local game would be via antenna. Personally, I don't watch a lot of TV, so I just have an antenna on my roof connected to a USB tuner connected to my PC. Full DVR functionality with Win 7 of course, but I am limited to what I get on the 12 channels or so that I receive. The price can't be beat, though.

 

[Kreij]

How can anyone live without the Sci-Fi (SyFy) channel?
The "B" grade movies they make are total awesomesauce !!
I think they've done a "giant animal/insect" movie on about 95% of the known species.

 

[sneekypeet]

There was a thread here where DOM (iirc) went to cut his cable ties.... Within a month he gave up on Hulu and streaming due to the cost for the premium services and the lack of things that were available for free. If you don't mind waiting a few days from the original airing, or don't mind trolling web pages for the individual stations, I would stick with the cable you have if cost is the only reason to leave. If you cant stand what you are already paying to watch, cut the tie and not like what you can find on the web either

 

[theonedub]

How can anyone live without the Sci-Fi (SyFy) channel?
The "B" grade movies they make are total awesomesauce !!
I think they've done a "giant animal/insect" movie on about 95% of the known species.

Dont remind us at how crappy SyFy is- no running Stargate series, WWE Wrestling, and movies about trolls, magic, and the aforementioned mega monsters- what a waste of HD bandwidth.

I would love nothing more than to cut out my Sat bill, but everything I have looked at doesnt stand a chance of being a legit alternative. What really needs to happen is a la carte channel offerings. I think out of the 250 channels I pay for, I only watch 10 of them regularly. It would be great to only pay for the channels you actually watch

 

[newtekie1]

I cut my ties from cable a long time ago, I just use an over the air antenna to receive local digital channels, and despite what some will say, they are not all in HD, most are 480i still or maybe 480p. The bigger ones are HD though, Fox, ABC, NBC are all prodcast in either 780p or 1080i. But I live close enough to Chicago to get all the channels broadcast from there, so I get a rather nice selection. However, the selection doesn't even come close to what I receive with even the very basic cable package.

Cutting cable/satellite ties and getting a good range of channels and programming is really hit or miss, and depends greatly on where you live and what you like watching. If you have a modern HDTV, you should already be able to get an idea of what channels you can get, go buy a Digital Antenna, unhook the satellite box and hook up the digital Antenna, and have the TV do a channel scan. That will give you an idea of what over the air channels you will be getting.

Also AntennaWeb is a decent site to get an idea of what channels you'll likely receive in your area and what type and how strong of an antenna you will need to reliably receive those channels.

Dont remind us at how crappy SyFy is- no running Stargate series, WWE Wrestling, and movies about trolls, magic, and the aforementioned mega monsters- what a waste of HD bandwidth.

I would love nothing more than to cut out my Sat bill, but everything I have looked at doesnt stand a chance of being a legit alternative. What really needs to happen is a la carte channel offerings. I think out of the 250 channels I pay for, I only watch 10 of them regularly. It would be great to only pay for the channels you actually watch

You know, I've always said that I would be perfectly happy to pay for cable/satellite if it was a metered service. Charge me by the minute for what I watch(commercials don't count as time). Give me all the channels, but charge me a flat rate per minute to watch them, they could even charge me slightly more for premium channels like HBO/Showtime/etc. That way I'm not paying for channels I'm not watching, and I'm only paying for what I do watch, when I'm actually watching it. If there is nothing worth watching on TV, then I'm not being charged for it.

 

[sneekypeet]

soon tekie, soon. I too would either like to pay by the station or usage. I got 74 channels plus a few HD local stations, and I seriously watch 3-4 of them.

 

[MilkyWay]

I dont miss Sky satellite tv at all and Virgin cable is mostly the same channels. I use the free BBC iplayer and CH4 OD (internet streaming but you need to pay a UK tv license fee) where you can stream tv shows. You can even watch BBC tv live just like a tv.

The set top box that the satellite company provided probably would still work at picking up free to air channels through the satellite after you cancel unless they confiscate the satellite and set top box. The tv tuners you can buy for the pc work just like a set top box, you have to plug in an aerial or similar and it will pick up free to air channels.

One thing to remember is that if you go to cancel your tv subscription they might offer you a cheaper deal to stay.

 

[Kreij]

I think satellite/cable service should be $1.00 a month for each channel you receive, your choice.

Dont remind us at how crappy SyFy is- no running Stargate series, WWE Wrestling, and movies about trolls, magic, and the aforementioned mega monsters- what a waste of HD bandwidth.

Other than the WWE crap, I was serious. I love the lame shows on SyFy. I watch TV for pure entertainment and I find their movies hysterical. It also helps if you are stoned (not that I condone that lol).

 

[3dsage]

I dont know if I could mention this here, but mods please delete if necessary..

Forget hulu, have you checked out icefilms.info, veetle?? Ive been streaming off ice for over a year, they get every show like an hr or 2 after it airs, tons of movies,shows,docs anything really.

Veetle isnt that bad, its good for watchin live sporting events.

 

[sneekypeet]

I don't know the legality on it, but I don't see issues with what you linked.

 

[Kreij]

Icefilms appears to be legal in and of itself as it seems to be a portal to other download site (which may not be legal depending on your location). It's kind of like torrents as not everything is illegal to download. Discression is advised.

Veetle seems legit, but again, use at your own discression.

 

[Bow]

Well thanks for the info guys, I have always wanted to start my own cable company, 1 or 2 bucks a month for ONLY the channels you want, and pay as you go. We have 250 and I watch 10 or less, and the movie channels are crap.

I think I will get a digital Antenna and see what comes up. We live in the sticks Between Olympia WA and Portland OR, but its worth a look.

Thanks again

Oh and I have to have my SPEEDTV and I miss the old SYFY.

 

[Easy Rhino]

Thanks man!

lmfoa