Netflix and Other Streaming Services

[Alejandro Rojas]

We have been thinking about dumping our cable and just using streaming services like Netflix.

Any thoughts on the wisdom of this? Is it easy?

[DelPen]

Depends on what you watch. Netflix is good for Kids, content isn't that broad though. Hulu+ is a must have since all first run episodes of all shows on FOX, ABC and NBC are up the next day. I use Hulu instead of my DVR.

Not sure what else Amazon Prime brings over Netflix aside from some other older shows and maybe some other movies. If you know someone who has HBO you can use their logon to add HBO GO to a Roku.

It's manageable, my family was doing fine by it but I ended up getting cable and internet cheaper than just internet switching providers so I have Cable again.

[Tico Rick]

We gave up cable one year ago and now just watch broadcast TV and Netflix. I seldom miss cable, but my wife isn't too crazy about the switch. She misses shows like Design on a Dime and wants to watch Oprah's network.

[Tico Rick]

PS - Welcome to the board, Alejandro!

[Alejandro Rojas]

Thanks!

[Letang Is The Truth]

i steam amazon (free) with my amazon prime membership through my xbox. its terrific

[Digitalgypsy66]

We have Netflix and Amazon Prime, that covers most of our random movie and TV viewing. It's not great, but gets us by. Amazon Prime has Christmas and European Vacation streaming...woo hoo!

We haven't had cable since 2010.

[Alejandro Rojas]

Thanks for the help all.

[Sarcastic]

Alej, if you need local channels, you can get an antenna. I don't use one, but they seem to work really well from what people tell me. Something like this.

http://www.amazon.com/Winegard-MS-2002-Antenna-without-Cable/dp/B001DFZ5HO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1354946859&sr=8-4&keywords=indoor+hd+antenna+yellow

[Sarcastic]

Depends on what you watch. Netflix is good for Kids, content isn't that broad though. Hulu+ is a must have since all first run episodes of all shows on FOX, ABC and NBC are up the next day. I use Hulu instead of my DVR.

All the shows on those networks or just a select few? If it really is all, I may want to sign up for that.

[DelPen]

Depends on what you watch. Netflix is good for Kids, content isn't that broad though. Hulu+ is a must have since all first run episodes of all shows on FOX, ABC and NBC are up the next day. I use Hulu instead of my DVR.

All the shows on those networks or just a select few? If it really is all, I may want to sign up for that.

Pretty sure it's all first run shows on those three networks. CBS is absent unfortunately. Comedy Central however is in Hulu+, last night's Daily Show is up this morning, South Park is current. The most glaring show missing though is the Simpsons but I haven't watched that in probably 10 years so it's not a big deal. PM me if you have a question on specific shows and I can see if they are available.

I had a pair of powered rabit ears hooked up to our junction box which is in the dead center of our house in a closet with no line of sight and still picked up all of our local HD stations which has a superior qiality to cable or satelite.

Roku and AppleTV (and Xbox and PS3) also have NHL Gamecenter and you pay $20 a month for the season, better than the one time charge of $160 or so for CenterIce. And with gameCenter you can also watch on portable devices. MLB and NB have the same type of programs.

Netflix has Disney Channel content about a month after it airs on TV which is great if you have kids. And there are ways to get regular Hulu on TV's by either jailbreaking a 1st or 2nd gen (and hopefully soon a 3rd gen) Apple TV or hook a computer up to a TV or build a media center.

The ONLY channel I ever watch and could not find anything current online that was free in some way were Discovery Channel shows. Walking Dead too was not online so I ordered that through iTunes. And also some Food Network shows.

[Letang Is The Truth]

is it possible to get HBO/showtime shows through any of these devices

[pittsoccer33]

is it possible to get HBO/showtime shows through any of these devices

You need to subscribe to their channels, but HBO Go is an awesome way to watch HBO programming.

Showtime Anytime can be watched from a pc, ios, or android. I don't know of any stb that has it built in but they could be out there.

This is why I'm such a huge HTPC advocate. With a simple Windows 7 computer you can roll your own DVR via antenna and have access to every streaming website.

[DelPen]

is it possible to get HBO/showtime shows through any of these devices

Roku will carry HBO go but you need a subscription to HBO. But if someone will create an extra email account up for you on a carrier that allows access, like FIOS, you can use that with no problem to logon and view eveyrthing.

Carriers allowing access on a roku include:
Uverse
Dish
Cox
Optimum
Time Warner

No DirecTV or Comcast

For Xbox 360 every cable and satelite provider looks to allow it. My inlaws in VA have Comcast and I created myself an email account and use it as authorization for a tone of apps on my iPad and HBOgo on Xbox.

[Sarcastic]

Thanks, Delpen. Question. What antenna do you use? That's an indoor type if it's in your closet, right?

How much are you paying now for all your TV needs?

[DelPen]

Thanks, Delpen. Question. What antenna do you use? That's an indoor type if it's in your closet, right?

How much are you paying now for all your TV needs?

It was a $15 antennae from Walmart. I was going to get a $20 outdoor one and connect it from outside to my home wiring.

All together I was paying $8 for netflix, $8 for Hulu+ and $20 for GameCenter. Only downside was that if Pens games were on NHL Network or NBC Sports They were blacked out and I had no alternative to see them without trying a feed on JustinTV which Roku does have an app for.

But in the summer less than $20.

[Sarcastic]

Sounds like you got a nice setup there.

[pittsoccer33]

Delpen, who do you get internet from?

You likely don't even need the antenna. If your internet is from a cable provider I am willing to bet that if you attach coaxial cable from your wall to your tv input, set the tuner for QAM (cable), and do a channel scan that you will get every local channel from the cable company plus a few others.

[Sarcastic]

Wouldn't that be illegal and could land you in deep doo-doo if caught?

[pittsoccer33]

Wouldn't that be illegal and could land you in deep doo-doo if caught?

They're supposed to put a trap on the line, but they rarely do that when you disconnect service. Doesn't make fiscal sense for them to send a truck out for it.

I know a decent bit about the technology of cable equipment and I don't think there is any way for them to track this. If you stuck a stolen cable box or modem on the line, something that sends a signal, then yes. but your tv doesn't send a signal back.

The cost of adding these traps is the primary reason the cable lobby just got the FCC to sign off on the idea of encrypting QAM channels.

[Sarcastic]

I read about the QAM encryption. Isn't that more to prevent people from connecting multiple TVs without boxes (that cost a lot of rental $)?

[pittsoccer33]

I read about the QAM encryption. Isn't that more to prevent people from connecting multiple TVs without boxes (that cost a lot of rental $)?

thats exactly why local channels are required to be unencrypted - so you dont have to pay even more for a box if all you want are the channels that come off an antenna anyway. they have just recently successfully lobbied the fcc to permit them to encrypt these too, provided they give out free boxes to enable watching them.

quadrature amplitude modulation (qam) is the technology used to transmit tv channels over cable lines. the ones dubbed "clear" have no encryption.

http://www.silicondust.com/support/channels/

that website is a great listing of what your cable company in your town sends through in the clear and also what you can expect to see over an antenna.

[DelPen]

Comporium put a trap on the line, but I saw Timewarner remove the old one when i went back to them so if I ever do cancel the cable portion and just keep internet I know where it is

[Sarcastic]

But pitt, isn't that why they put those metal brackets on ends of cables so you didn't steal TV? It's illegal to take them off. I also heard a tech can use something called a reflectometer to see what you're doing. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I also don't think Comcast just gives out free boxes.

In Delpen's case, if he's only paying for internet, but decides to go 'steal' the TV signal and they somehow find out, he's in some pretty deep trouble.

Maybe I have things wrong and you know better. Talk to me.

[Letang Is The Truth]

amazon prime has really stepped up their game lately with streaming tv shows and movies