We've cut the cable (2 Viewers)

[sbonomo]

How much are you all paying for internet? Xfinity just jumped from 25 mbps for 29.99 to 75 (no other option) mbps for 66.95. Going to call att tomorrow but looks like 40 ish for 12mbps. I live in north bay (sf) where there is zero competition so i may be hosed. Retention department told me to pound sand when i told them i was looking at att.

 

[ILUVBEER99]

almost a year since cutting cable, haven't missed it one bit.

FireTV with Kodi and $10 a month HD sports streaming service that has every sporing event including PPV (That works through Kodi). $34.99 for internet + $10 for sports streaming service. Went from $150 a month to $45 a month.

There really hasn't been one day i've missed cable.

 

[Boulder Toads]

but is it possible to DVR content from SlingTV to Tablo?

Yes, but not for a tech moron. Essentially the device that's playing the SlingTV content has to have it's output signal converted to a Coax signal. Then the Tablo would be able to tune into it on channel 2 or 3 (depending on what channel the converter uses). Since the Tablo only has one antenna input, this would be the only channel it knows about, and it would have no guide info to know what programs are playing, so it would be like the old VCR setup where you have to manually tell it when to record, AND you would have to manually start streaming the right channel on SlingTV. If you haven't noticed, Sling will automatically log you off.

This is much easier to do on my old Tivo Premier, which has both a coax cable input and coax antenna input. I used to have my Roku converted over to the coax cable input and it showed up as channel 3 in addition to all the channels I got on the antenna input. Really easy to switch over to the Roku just by going to channel 3. But I never had Tivo record anything because again it's all manual recordings. Plus I switched over to the Tivo Roamio before Sling TV came out. The new Tivos don't have multiple coax inputs.

Gotcha - thanks, and I embrace my tech moron-ness. The nice thing about SlingTV (for us, at least) is it seems to save more recent episodes of things we normally might want to DVR (Walking Dead, NFL, Food Network episodes, etc.).

 

[Boulder Toads]

How much are you all paying for internet? Xfinity just jumped from 25 mbps for 29.99 to 75 (no other option) mbps for 66.95. Going to call att tomorrow but looks like 40 ish for 12mbps. I live in north bay (sf) where there is zero competition so i may be hosed. Retention department told me to pound sand when i told them i was looking at att.

I went to the Xfinity store directly, and they offered 75 mbps for $49.99 and had the 150 mbps for $59.99 (I believe) for 12 months. This assumes no equipment rental fees.

 

[GrandpaRox]

If you are looking for NBA, any team any game all live games plus they all go to on demand about 30 minutes after the game. Checkout Ballstreams It costs less than 100 bucks for a whole year. Right now I have a choice of six games live. If you have good internet the quality is HD with no buffering. You actually watch the feed of whatever team you are watching.

It is an overseas company and the NBA has been trying to shut them down for years with no success. If you don't want to pay for League Pass or whatever else you have to pay an arm an a leg for, this if the way to go.

It is kind of shady but works like a freaking charm.

It supports all these devices:

• Roku
• Chromecast
• KODI / XBMC
• Apple TV with XBMC
• Apple TV via AirPlay
• Plex
• Serviio
• iPhone, iPod, iPad
• Android
• Playstation 3
• Playstation 4
• XBOX 360
• XBOX ONE
• Samsung Smart TV

Plus more

 

[Politician Spock]

but is it possible to DVR content from SlingTV to Tablo?

Yes, but not for a tech moron. Essentially the device that's playing the SlingTV content has to have it's output signal converted to a Coax signal. Then the Tablo would be able to tune into it on channel 2 or 3 (depending on what channel the converter uses). Since the Tablo only has one antenna input, this would be the only channel it knows about, and it would have no guide info to know what programs are playing, so it would be like the old VCR setup where you have to manually tell it when to record, AND you would have to manually start streaming the right channel on SlingTV. If you haven't noticed, Sling will automatically log you off.

This is much easier to do on my old Tivo Premier, which has both a coax cable input and coax antenna input. I used to have my Roku converted over to the coax cable input and it showed up as channel 3 in addition to all the channels I got on the antenna input. Really easy to switch over to the Roku just by going to channel 3. But I never had Tivo record anything because again it's all manual recordings. Plus I switched over to the Tivo Roamio before Sling TV came out. The new Tivos don't have multiple coax inputs.

Gotcha - thanks, and I embrace my tech moron-ness. The nice thing about SlingTV (for us, at least) is it seems to save more recent episodes of things we normally might want to DVR (Walking Dead, NFL, Food Network episodes, etc.).

Yes, some of the channels offer on demand content from recent days, or most recent 3 episodes aired. Other channels have no streamed content at all. Likewise some channels allow pause and rewinding, whereas others don't. These channels that have always been cable/satellite are still all adjusting to the new delivery methods, so things are kind of wonky and probably will be until they all come to a consensus on what's best for them. Honestly I believe broadcasting content for everyone to watch simultaneously is a dying delivery method except for sports and breaking news. The only people who still prefer broadcasted content versus on demand content also remember what it was like to watch Tv without a remote. To be honest, the only reason I have Sling TV is for the ESPN access.

 

[Politician Spock]

almost a year since cutting cable, haven't missed it one bit.

FireTV with Kodi and $10 a month HD sports streaming service that has every sporing event including PPV (That works through Kodi). $34.99 for internet + $10 for sports streaming service. Went from $150 a month to $45 a month.

There really hasn't been one day i've missed cable.

It will be four years this spring for us. To be honest, I thought with three kids this was going to be an experiment destined to fail. Not only has it succeeded, I'm with you that I didn't miss it. ESPN would have been nice to have, but not for $650 per year, which was the cheapest I could get it after taxes and equipment fees. When SlingTV came out for $250 per year after taxes, I said "sure, why not". If SlingTV fails and goes away, I won't miss it. I kind of miss going to the sportsbar for a big game like I was doing without ESPN.

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

If you are looking for NBA, any team any game all live games plus they all go to on demand about 30 minutes after the game. Checkout Ballstreams It costs less than 100 bucks for a whole year. Right now I have a choice of six games live. If you have good internet the quality is HD with no buffering. You actually watch the feed of whatever team you are watching.

It is an overseas company and the NBA has been trying to shut them down for years with no success. If you don't want to pay for League Pass or whatever else you have to pay an arm an a leg for, this if the way to go.

It is kind of shady but works like a freaking charm.

I would strongly advise against this site. I don't believe they're taking new subs anyway. (Ballstreams on Reddit for more info)

When you go to their site, they're advertising 'snooker scores'. They've had issues with their billing system for 2 months now..

There's many ways to watch games (live/on demand) in good quality (for free) than this site.

 

[Zasada]

How much are you all paying for internet? Xfinity just jumped from 25 mbps for 29.99 to 75 (no other option) mbps for 66.95. Going to call att tomorrow but looks like 40 ish for 12mbps. I live in north bay (sf) where there is zero competition so i may be hosed. Retention department told me to pound sand when i told them i was looking at att.

Yeah, if you tried to cancel and they didn't try to keep you with a lower price, you're pretty much out of luck.

If you happen to have someone in your house with a different surname than you then you can try the "cancel, then sign up as a 'new' user" approach to get promotional pricing. My wife kept her last name so that has worked for us in the past.

 

[tonydead]

How much are you all paying for internet? Xfinity just jumped from 25 mbps for 29.99 to 75 (no other option) mbps for 66.95. Going to call att tomorrow but looks like 40 ish for 12mbps. I live in north bay (sf) where there is zero competition so i may be hosed. Retention department told me to pound sand when i told them i was looking at att.

I went to the Xfinity store directly, and they offered 75 mbps for $49.99 and had the 150 mbps for $59.99 (I believe) for 12 months. This assumes no equipment rental fees.

This. Go into the store, don't call on the phone. Two totally different experiences.

 

[NutterButter]

Do you have to ask for a better price or did they offer it? When I dumped my cable by going to the store, they didn't try to get me to keep it.

 

[tonydead]

Do you have to ask for a better price or did they offer it? When I dumped my cable by going to the store, they didn't try to get me to keep it.

I was offered it, but, I was only getting rid of the tv; she cut the cable tv no questions asked, said I needed to pay the normal rate for internet for a month until the billing cycle caught up and then to come back and see her. I did and got 50Mbps for $44.

At the Xfinity Store they won't try to sale you, so if you said cut me off that's what they did.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I'm two months in on my half-assed cord-cut and it's going well. I say "half-assed" because I had to get a basic cable pakage due to my location and no nuclear-powered antennae being available. Plus I'm cheating a little.

Before:

DirecTV - $160 or so a month (add another $75-$100 during Sunday Ticket time)

DSL/Land line bundle - $80/mo

Amazon Prime - $8/month (or whatever it is)

Netflix - $15/month (or whatever it is)

Roku (paid for)

Chromecast (paid for)

Smart DVD player (my big TV was before "smart" became standard)

So.......around $260/mo

After:

Cable TV/Cable Internet/Land line - $125/mo

Prime - $8/mo

Netflix - $15/mo

HBO Now - $15/mo

Streaming accessories - same

Smart DVD player

So, somewhere around $165/mo

Couple of notes:

My internet speed is way faster at 15mbsp now than whatever my DSL was before. I have not had one problem streaming video. One caveat: I live alone. I did try one time to stream on my IPhone, IPad, and Roku at the same time just to see what would happen and had issues. I don't know if that's the cable feed or the wifi, though. Doesn't matter, as my usage is one device at a time (music and web surfing at the same time as streaming TV works fine).

When I said I am cheating above, I meant I am using a relative's log in if I want to watch something on AMC, FX, or ESPN apps.

With my last comment in mind, I'm paying for the HBO app just so I don't feel like a complete scumbag. It's stupid, but this is me we're talking about.

I got the basic, basic cable package through the phone company here. I'm too far from DC to grab local channels OTA and I just wasn't ready to give that up. All I get are the DC locals in HD, a local PBS channel over here in HD, mirrored non-HD versions and the Weather Channel & ION (I think) in non-HD. That covers a huge amount of my watching time from before anyway.

As for sports, all of the Ravens game on Sunday afternoons have been on a local DC channel except one (when the Skins were playing at the same time and both were Fox broadcasts and, the way this year's gone, I wouldn't have minded missing more). Terps hoops have been scarce so far (no BTN), but I rarely watch weeknight games and I'm not even sure who carries B1G high-profile conference games (ESPN or an OTA network, I'll be good; if not I have XM Radio and can listen). Terps football - ditto on the XM. The Orioles will be tough on me once baseball starts (have XM, though, so still can listen) - if MASN comes out with streaming capabilities, I'll be good there too. For national interest games in those sports, I'm fine with whatever the nets or ESPN has if I want to watch something. NBA & NHL aren't my thing.

I watch very few series and all are on HBO, AMC, and FX (except for one on Sundance and I'll worry about that one later). Good there.

My internet plan allows me 400 GB per month. My first full month, I used 350 and I was laid up at home for 2 weeks of that after surgery. That will probably be as much as I ever use. This month, I'm trending to a usage of about 250.

I don't know why I typed all of this other than to let anyone peeking in for the first time know what my experiences have been so far. My situation is probably a little different than most due to geography, living alone, and just general habits (I listen to music WAY more than I watch TV). I'm perfectly happy with what I've done and am saving $100/month.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

My mother has a Comcast bundle (web/TV/phone) and she told me today they raised her price $40/mo. This after a $30/mo increase last year. She's fed up, but is lost as to what to do. Her situation is different than mine I related in the above novel.

She lives in an area where both Baltimore and DC locals should be easily picked up by an antenna (she's 30 miles from both). She has 4 TVs.

Couple of questions:

She'd need to buy a digital box for each TV, right?

What's a good, fairly non-invasive antenna (attic rather than rooftop) that should signal all 4 TVs?

Should a booster be needed, would she need 4 on the output side of the spliteer or one on the input side? I'm not sure how they work.

If she were to get something like a Roku for one of the TVs, would that run through the digital box or directly into the TV where she'd have to toggle the source?

 

[tonydead]

My mother has a Comcast bundle (web/TV/phone) and she told me today they raised her price $40/mo. This after a $30/mo increase last year. She's fed up, but is lost as to what to do. Her situation is different than mine I related in the above novel.

She lives in an area where both Baltimore and DC locals should be easily picked up by an antenna (she's 30 miles from both). She has 4 TVs.

Couple of questions:

She'd need to buy a digital box for each TV, right?

What's a good, fairly non-invasive antenna (attic rather than rooftop) that should signal all 4 TVs?

Should a booster be needed, would she need 4 on the output side of the spliteer or one on the input side? I'm not sure how they work.

If she were to get something like a Roku for one of the TVs, would that run through the digital box or directly into the TV where she'd have to toggle the source?

You only need a digital tv box if they are really old 20th century tvs. All flat panel tvs now days can receive digital OTA signals natively (very few flat panel tvs were ever made that didn't).

Each time you split a coax it looses about 9db and the longer the coax run the more you will loose too. You just have to try and see. The best boosters (I think) boost the signal at the source (antenna) so that it doesn't amplify any noise that might get picked up before the amplifier, but, you can do it both ways.

One of the biggest gripes for me is that Roku 3 and firestick don't have a coax in so you end up having to switch inputs for OTA channels. Not sure if the new 4k devices have a coax input or not.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Thanks, tony. I'm not sure how old those TVs are, but I'll be over there in a couple of weeks and will check.

So........ antenna > booster > splitter > TVs is probably going to be best, it seems.

I have a Mohu Leaf I don't use. I'm gonna take that with me for ####s and giggles to see what it grabs.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Going to try the Mohu 60 ($150-ouch) but it looks like it will do the job on top of a 10-12 foot pole. I expect to pick up signals from Tampa/Orlando/Gainesville if the reviews are even half right. Won't have it up till after Christmas but will report back with what I find.

 

[ragincajun]

So I have tried sling. It was decent. Had a few lag issues and a few times where I need to switch over to the watchespn app. I tried an OTA antenna by the tv and then the attic. Much better in the attic but still could not pick up the local CBS affiliate. Placed it outside and it was perfect. Problem is that the ole hood restricts antennas outdoors.

Side question: How can I mirror AMC to a Roku or PS4? I tried plugging my patio directly into the tv and the lag was horrible. On an iPad it streams perfectly. 50 Megs down.

If I'm understanding you correctly just get the Sling tv app on the Roku and log into your account.

I cancelled it.

 

[KCitons]

Anyone tried the Mohu Channels? Was looking for something that would give guide information without having to pay a subscription.

 

[simsarge]

 

[Politician Spock]

Anyone tried the Mohu Channels? Was looking for something that would give guide information without having to pay a subscription.

Marketing appears to make it look great. However, when it comes to streaming apps, execution can fall way short of the marketing. Tivo is a perfect example. I wouldn't need a Roku if Tivo's execution of streaming apps was good. Unfortunately it's not. It got better with the new models, but Roku and even Microsoft XBOX are better streaming app platforms.

So when it comes to a new device with streaming apps, I'm skeptical until the market proves me wrong.

I'd prefer it if Roku would just add a TV tuner to their device so one could just hook up an antenna to it, and then antenna feed would just be another app.

In a perfect world, a device would be a great streamin app device, a TV tuner and a DVR. I think the closest that comes to this is buying a Roku and a Tablo together as the Tablo just appears as a Roku app and provides the antenna channels and DVR. But since I've got lifetime subscriptions on two Tivos, I don't think I'll be buying a Tablo any time soon.

 

[Insein]

Having a Tablo for 4 months now I have to say I am very unimpressed. I'm disappointed I paid $250 for this thing. Now it could be the device or it could be the Tablo app but either way, it locks up too often to be effective. Channels that I know come in solid will do so perfectly one day, then the next not show at all. Also it's not a very good process that every time I turn the app on I have to choose a channel, let it get an error, then click it again for it to work. Every time.

The tablo itself is hardlined into the router. I access it via wifi through the Firr stick. I get lag and drop errors too often for it to be enjoyable. I've checked my internet and its not the best but when I run a speed test after a stoppage, I see 30-50mb available. So it shouldn't be a problem.

I just don't think I'll be able to ever use it effectively for whatever reason. Still don't want to crawl back to cable but with an angry wife going along with this understanding that she'd still get her basics, the horrible user interface lag kills any argument I can provide.

 

[Rogi]

Using a HomeWorx box as an OTA tuner because my projector doesn't have a built-in tuner. The HomeWorx has been okay and gets the job done for most local channels. The UI is very basic and the remote has to be pointed just right for it to work. Once in a while I have to reboot it because the audio will be out of sync. Not a lot of options for HDTV tuners.

It has PVR functionality but I haven't tried it.

 

[Politician Spock]

Having a Tablo for 4 months now I have to say I am very unimpressed. I'm disappointed I paid $250 for this thing. Now it could be the device or it could be the Tablo app but either way, it locks up too often to be effective. Channels that I know come in solid will do so perfectly one day, then the next not show at all. Also it's not a very good process that every time I turn the app on I have to choose a channel, let it get an error, then click it again for it to work. Every time.

The tablo itself is hardlined into the router. I access it via wifi through the Firr stick. I get lag and drop errors too often for it to be enjoyable. I've checked my internet and its not the best but when I run a speed test after a stoppage, I see 30-50mb available. So it shouldn't be a problem.

I just don't think I'll be able to ever use it effectively for whatever reason. Still don't want to crawl back to cable but with an angry wife going along with this understanding that she'd still get her basics, the horrible user interface lag kills any argument I can provide.

That sucks. Looks like I continue on with my Tivo on one input and my Roku on another. I love Tivo for an antenna DVR. It just sucks as a streaming device.

 

[KiddLattimer]

Just figured out that HGTV and Food are on Roku now... you need to "borrow" a cable login to watch live but it was 2/3 of the reason we paid for Sling for a while.

 

[SpurrierisisGod]

Whoa. My head is spinning now. Can you guys help me out so I don't have to search the whole thread?

We don't watch a whole lot of tv and we mostly dvr stuff so that may be an issue. Wife watches bravo and the only show I "have" to watch is walking dead. Not a big NFL fan. I watch a decent amount of college football and basketball.

What's my best option? What is my initial setup?

We have:

Main tv is a smart tv.

3 bedroom tvs. 2 of those are the kids that don't get watched much, really just to wind down in bed.

Game room tv with an Xbox 360.

I have no idea where to start.

 

[tonydead]

Whoa. My head is spinning now. Can you guys help me out so I don't have to search the whole thread?

We don't watch a whole lot of tv and we mostly dvr stuff so that may be an issue. Wife watches bravo and the only show I "have" to watch is walking dead. Not a big NFL fan. I watch a decent amount of college football and basketball.

What's my best option? What is my initial setup?

We have:

Main tv is a smart tv.

3 bedroom tvs. 2 of those are the kids that don't get watched much, really just to wind down in bed.

Game room tv with an Xbox 360.

I have no idea where to start.

My brother just decided to take the leap and below is the email I sent him a couple of days ago. This kind of summarizes everything from my perspective at least and should get you started. Just ask in here with any questions. To your specific questions Bravo is a Comcast/NBC channel so they aren't going to be listed anywhere on any other pay streaming service but Hulu has past episode series.. AMC is available on Sling TV. For live college sports your best bet is a combination of OTA and ESPNs with Sling, otherwise there are some channels on Kodi that vary in quality.

First over the air channels (OTA). You can get, and maybe already do, all the local channels OTA in high definition. You’ll also get more than you suspect if you haven’t tuned in to OTA for many years, most places have around 40 channels available. All you need for this is a HD antenna and a 21st Century tv. Very few flat panel tvs were ever made without an HD receiver so the only tvs you would have to buy a HD receiver box for are the old CRT tvs if you still have any. When I bought my house it just happened to have the best HD antenna on the market: Vinegard HD8200U that is surprisingly affordable considering how much you save by cutting the cable. Or for a cheaper, easier installed, indoor antenna these work nice since you aren’t very far from SLC: Mohu Leaf. Finally to help you find out how strong your OTA signals are and where to point your antenna go here: www.tvfool.com

When you have everything hooked up, connect the antenna coax to the coax input to each tv and scan for channels. A couple of notes about coax; the longer the runs the more your signal degrades and you’ll also lose another 9db every time you go through a splitter. High quality cable and connectors count too. If you use a roof antenna where cable runs are long and have more than one split look into amplifiers for the signal.

Everything Else:

For everything else you’ll need a secondary devise like you’ve identified below. I don’t recommend Apple products for anything (sorry I know you’re an apple guy). The reason why is because Apple is too proprietary which limits your flexibility with your content. For example Sling TV discussed below is not available on Apple TV currently. The exact opposite of Apple is Android which is why the Amazon Fire stick or Fire TV box is my highest recommended devise other than a HTPC. Let’s take a look at your choices:

Home Theatre Personal Computer (HTPC). This is the best device because it can do everything, however, it will cost more and takes some tech savvy to set up. The advantages are Personal Video Recording (PVR) OTA, movie and show streaming over your home network and will include a OTA channel card. (Most people overlook this last advantage. If you use OTA with any of the tv devices like Roku or Firestick they do NOT come with a coax-in so you end up having to switch inputs to switch back and forth from OTA and your other channels/services.) You can build your own HTPC, convert an old computer you might have on hand or find one of the many that are commercially available.

Roku 3, this is probably your best bet for a plug and play devise. It can be hard wired or wifi and supports all of the streaming services noted below.

Firestick, this is also plug and play and is cheaper than Roku. These only support wifi and don’t seem to be as powerful (in terms of speed and reliability) as Roku 3. These are Android based however, and are left open for 3rd party development and applications. You can “sideload” any application, even those not found in the google store.

TV Boxes. There are many boxes that offer a nice in between HTPC and Roku/Firestick including Amazon’s Fire TV and Roku 4 both available supporting 4000K. These add some additional features like limited internet access and games.

XBOX/Playstation. If you’re a gamer most of the popular services are available to stream through your gaming console.

Services:

Sling TV. Besides your OTA channels the best LIVE channel streaming service is SlingTV. For $20/month you get 23 channels and counting including espn, espn2, amc, food network, A&E, history channel, TNT, HGTC, etc. Plus you can buy packages for an additional $5/month whose categories include news, kids, or movies to add more channels. You can also get a firestick for free or a Roku for cheap with a prepaid 3 months.

Netflix. Netflix huge database of available movies still towers over anything Hulu or Amazon Prime offers. Surprisingly though where Hulu and Amazon once might have an edge for tv shows Netflix is excelling with its Netflix Original Series that are prime time quality shows available only on Netflix.

Hulu and Amazon Prime. For past shows and movies I view these two services at about equal. However, if you order more than once or twice a year from Amazon the $99/year for free shipping includes a subscription to Amazon prime and makes this a choice a no-brainer.

HBONOW. Hbo became the first major cable subscriber channel to offer streaming services without a cable provider subscription. It is available through SlingTV for $15/mo or you can get it stand alone for the same price. I think Showtime has recently followed suit.

Plex. Plex is a server for your computer that if you have anything recorded; tv shows, movies, music, home movies you can stream them to your Roku, firestick, phone or ipad through the Plex app.

Summary:

If you’re looking to get started quick with plug and play I’d recommend getting a Roku 3 or 4 and pair it with OTA antenna (you’ll have to switch inputs). Then I’d buy a firestick or two when they go on sale for $25 a pop for all the other tvs.

My Set Up:

HTPC that I built myself for about $500 that does all the heavy lifting for streaming across my network, recording tv, and Kodi which I’ll explain below. I have a Roku 3 and a firestick on the other two tvs so I’ve used both. I do have both the XBOXOne and PS4, but, only use them for gaming since my HTPC is sitting right there. I subscribe to SlingTV basic service, Netflix and Amazon Prime.

FreeTV:

Kodi. Is an open source home theatre software if you decide to build a HTPC. But, it’s also something else. I know you’re probably not interested, but, just wanted to let you know of all your options. Maybe you’ve heard of the kids downloading music and such? You know you can listen to any song you want just by typing it into youtube, right? Well when it comes to television and movies you have the same option and you don’t have to download anything. Everything and I mean everything is available for streaming. Just google Kodi if interested. Works on firestick too, remember the 3rd party applications.

 

[Tick]

Any way we can get that pasted into the first post in this thread?

 

[JoeSteeler]

Whoa. My head is spinning now. Can you guys help me out so I don't have to search the whole thread?

We don't watch a whole lot of tv and we mostly dvr stuff so that may be an issue. Wife watches bravo and the only show I "have" to watch is walking dead. Not a big NFL fan. I watch a decent amount of college football and basketball.

What's my best option? What is my initial setup?

We have:

Main tv is a smart tv.

3 bedroom tvs. 2 of those are the kids that don't get watched much, really just to wind down in bed.

Game room tv with an Xbox 360.

I have no idea where to start.

My brother just decided to take the leap and below is the email I sent him a couple of days ago. This kind of summarizes everything from my perspective at least and should get you started. Just ask in here with any questions. To your specific questions Bravo is a Comcast/NBC channel so they aren't going to be listed anywhere on any other pay streaming service but Hulu has past episode series.. AMC is available on Sling TV. For live college sports your best bet is a combination of OTA and ESPNs with Sling, otherwise there are some channels on Kodi that vary in quality.

First over the air channels (OTA). You can get, and maybe already do, all the local channels OTA in high definition. You’ll also get more than you suspect if you haven’t tuned in to OTA for many years, most places have around 40 channels available. All you need for this is a HD antenna and a 21st Century tv. Very few flat panel tvs were ever made without an HD receiver so the only tvs you would have to buy a HD receiver box for are the old CRT tvs if you still have any. When I bought my house it just happened to have the best HD antenna on the market: Vinegard HD8200U that is surprisingly affordable considering how much you save by cutting the cable. Or for a cheaper, easier installed, indoor antenna these work nice since you aren’t very far from SLC: Mohu Leaf. Finally to help you find out how strong your OTA signals are and where to point your antenna go here: www.tvfool.com

When you have everything hooked up, connect the antenna coax to the coax input to each tv and scan for channels. A couple of notes about coax; the longer the runs the more your signal degrades and you’ll also lose another 9db every time you go through a splitter. High quality cable and connectors count too. If you use a roof antenna where cable runs are long and have more than one split look into amplifiers for the signal.

Everything Else:

For everything else you’ll need a secondary devise like you’ve identified below. I don’t recommend Apple products for anything (sorry I know you’re an apple guy). The reason why is because Apple is too proprietary which limits your flexibility with your content. For example Sling TV discussed below is not available on Apple TV currently. The exact opposite of Apple is Android which is why the Amazon Fire stick or Fire TV box is my highest recommended devise other than a HTPC. Let’s take a look at your choices:

Home Theatre Personal Computer (HTPC). This is the best device because it can do everything, however, it will cost more and takes some tech savvy to set up. The advantages are Personal Video Recording (PVR) OTA, movie and show streaming over your home network and will include a OTA channel card. (Most people overlook this last advantage. If you use OTA with any of the tv devices like Roku or Firestick they do NOT come with a coax-in so you end up having to switch inputs to switch back and forth from OTA and your other channels/services.) You can build your own HTPC, convert an old computer you might have on hand or find one of the many that are commercially available.

Roku 3, this is probably your best bet for a plug and play devise. It can be hard wired or wifi and supports all of the streaming services noted below.

Firestick, this is also plug and play and is cheaper than Roku. These only support wifi and don’t seem to be as powerful (in terms of speed and reliability) as Roku 3. These are Android based however, and are left open for 3rd party development and applications. You can “sideload” any application, even those not found in the google store.

TV Boxes. There are many boxes that offer a nice in between HTPC and Roku/Firestick including Amazon’s Fire TV and Roku 4 both available supporting 4000K. These add some additional features like limited internet access and games.

XBOX/Playstation. If you’re a gamer most of the popular services are available to stream through your gaming console.

Services:

Sling TV. Besides your OTA channels the best LIVE channel streaming service is SlingTV. For $20/month you get 23 channels and counting including espn, espn2, amc, food network, A&E, history channel, TNT, HGTC, etc. Plus you can buy packages for an additional $5/month whose categories include news, kids, or movies to add more channels. You can also get a firestick for free or a Roku for cheap with a prepaid 3 months.

Netflix. Netflix huge database of available movies still towers over anything Hulu or Amazon Prime offers. Surprisingly though where Hulu and Amazon once might have an edge for tv shows Netflix is excelling with its Netflix Original Series that are prime time quality shows available only on Netflix.

Hulu and Amazon Prime. For past shows and movies I view these two services at about equal. However, if you order more than once or twice a year from Amazon the $99/year for free shipping includes a subscription to Amazon prime and makes this a choice a no-brainer.

HBONOW. Hbo became the first major cable subscriber channel to offer streaming services without a cable provider subscription. It is available through SlingTV for $15/mo or you can get it stand alone for the same price. I think Showtime has recently followed suit.

Plex. Plex is a server for your computer that if you have anything recorded; tv shows, movies, music, home movies you can stream them to your Roku, firestick, phone or ipad through the Plex app.

Summary:

If you’re looking to get started quick with plug and play I’d recommend getting a Roku 3 or 4 and pair it with OTA antenna (you’ll have to switch inputs). Then I’d buy a firestick or two when they go on sale for $25 a pop for all the other tvs.

My Set Up:

HTPC that I built myself for about $500 that does all the heavy lifting for streaming across my network, recording tv, and Kodi which I’ll explain below. I have a Roku 3 and a firestick on the other two tvs so I’ve used both. I do have both the XBOXOne and PS4, but, only use them for gaming since my HTPC is sitting right there. I subscribe to SlingTV basic service, Netflix and Amazon Prime.

FreeTV:

Kodi. Is an open source home theatre software if you decide to build a HTPC. But, it’s also something else. I know you’re probably not interested, but, just wanted to let you know of all your options. Maybe you’ve heard of the kids downloading music and such? You know you can listen to any song you want just by typing it into youtube, right? Well when it comes to television and movies you have the same option and you don’t have to download anything. Everything and I mean everything is available for streaming. Just google Kodi if interested. Works on firestick too, remember the 3rd party applications.

great!

 

[tonydead]

Any way we can get that pasted into the first post in this thread?

Adidas would have to do that. Or maybe a moderator.

 

[SpurrierisisGod]

Whoa. My head is spinning now. Can you guys help me out so I don't have to search the whole thread?

We don't watch a whole lot of tv and we mostly dvr stuff so that may be an issue. Wife watches bravo and the only show I "have" to watch is walking dead. Not a big NFL fan. I watch a decent amount of college football and basketball.

What's my best option? What is my initial setup?

We have:

Main tv is a smart tv.

3 bedroom tvs. 2 of those are the kids that don't get watched much, really just to wind down in bed.

Game room tv with an Xbox 360.

I have no idea where to start.

My brother just decided to take the leap and below is the email I sent him a couple of days ago. This kind of summarizes everything from my perspective at least and should get you started. Just ask in here with any questions. To your specific questions Bravo is a Comcast/NBC channel so they aren't going to be listed anywhere on any other pay streaming service but Hulu has past episode series.. AMC is available on Sling TV. For live college sports your best bet is a combination of OTA and ESPNs with Sling, otherwise there are some channels on Kodi that vary in quality.

First over the air channels (OTA). You can get, and maybe already do, all the local channels OTA in high definition. Youll also get more than you suspect if you havent tuned in to OTA for many years, most places have around 40 channels available. All you need for this is a HD antenna and a 21st Century tv. Very few flat panel tvs were ever made without an HD receiver so the only tvs you would have to buy a HD receiver box for are the old CRT tvs if you still have any. When I bought my house it just happened to have the best HD antenna on the market: Vinegard HD8200U that is surprisingly affordable considering how much you save by cutting the cable. Or for a cheaper, easier installed, indoor antenna these work nice since you arent very far from SLC: Mohu Leaf. Finally to help you find out how strong your OTA signals are and where to point your antenna go here: www.tvfool.com

When you have everything hooked up, connect the antenna coax to the coax input to each tv and scan for channels. A couple of notes about coax; the longer the runs the more your signal degrades and youll also lose another 9db every time you go through a splitter. High quality cable and connectors count too. If you use a roof antenna where cable runs are long and have more than one split look into amplifiers for the signal.

Everything Else:

For everything else youll need a secondary devise like youve identified below. I dont recommend Apple products for anything (sorry I know youre an apple guy). The reason why is because Apple is too proprietary which limits your flexibility with your content. For example Sling TV discussed below is not available on Apple TV currently. The exact opposite of Apple is Android which is why the Amazon Fire stick or Fire TV box is my highest recommended devise other than a HTPC. Lets take a look at your choices:

Home Theatre Personal Computer (HTPC). This is the best device because it can do everything, however, it will cost more and takes some tech savvy to set up. The advantages are Personal Video Recording (PVR) OTA, movie and show streaming over your home network and will include a OTA channel card. (Most people overlook this last advantage. If you use OTA with any of the tv devices like Roku or Firestick they do NOT come with a coax-in so you end up having to switch inputs to switch back and forth from OTA and your other channels/services.) You can build your own HTPC, convert an old computer you might have on hand or find one of the many that are commercially available.

Roku 3, this is probably your best bet for a plug and play devise. It can be hard wired or wifi and supports all of the streaming services noted below.

Firestick, this is also plug and play and is cheaper than Roku. These only support wifi and dont seem to be as powerful (in terms of speed and reliability) as Roku 3. These are Android based however, and are left open for 3rd party development and applications. You can sideload any application, even those not found in the google store.

TV Boxes. There are many boxes that offer a nice in between HTPC and Roku/Firestick including Amazons Fire TV and Roku 4 both available supporting 4000K. These add some additional features like limited internet access and games.

XBOX/Playstation. If youre a gamer most of the popular services are available to stream through your gaming console.

Services:

Sling TV. Besides your OTA channels the best LIVE channel streaming service is SlingTV. For $20/month you get 23 channels and counting including espn, espn2, amc, food network, A&E, history channel, TNT, HGTC, etc. Plus you can buy packages for an additional $5/month whose categories include news, kids, or movies to add more channels. You can also get a firestick for free or a Roku for cheap with a prepaid 3 months.

Netflix. Netflix huge database of available movies still towers over anything Hulu or Amazon Prime offers. Surprisingly though where Hulu and Amazon once might have an edge for tv shows Netflix is excelling with its Netflix Original Series that are prime time quality shows available only on Netflix.

Hulu and Amazon Prime. For past shows and movies I view these two services at about equal. However, if you order more than once or twice a year from Amazon the $99/year for free shipping includes a subscription to Amazon prime and makes this a choice a no-brainer.

HBONOW. Hbo became the first major cable subscriber channel to offer streaming services without a cable provider subscription. It is available through SlingTV for $15/mo or you can get it stand alone for the same price. I think Showtime has recently followed suit.

Plex. Plex is a server for your computer that if you have anything recorded; tv shows, movies, music, home movies you can stream them to your Roku, firestick, phone or ipad through the Plex app.

Summary:

If youre looking to get started quick with plug and play Id recommend getting a Roku 3 or 4 and pair it with OTA antenna (youll have to switch inputs). Then Id buy a firestick or two when they go on sale for $25 a pop for all the other tvs.

My Set Up:

HTPC that I built myself for about $500 that does all the heavy lifting for streaming across my network, recording tv, and Kodi which Ill explain below. I have a Roku 3 and a firestick on the other two tvs so Ive used both. I do have both the XBOXOne and PS4, but, only use them for gaming since my HTPC is sitting right there. I subscribe to SlingTV basic service, Netflix and Amazon Prime.

FreeTV:

Kodi. Is an open source home theatre software if you decide to build a HTPC. But, its also something else. I know youre probably not interested, but, just wanted to let you know of all your options. Maybe youve heard of the kids downloading music and such? You know you can listen to any song you want just by typing it into youtube, right? Well when it comes to television and movies you have the same option and you dont have to download anything. Everything and I mean everything is available for streaming. Just google Kodi if interested. Works on firestick too, remember the 3rd party applications.

Thanks! This is exactly the type of info I needed. Sounds like the wife is out of luck with bravo but oh well.

I need to get some antennas and sounds like I'll go with roku 3 and some firesticks. Quick question, do the firesticks work without prime? They will stream sling right?

 

[Rogi]

My wife wasn't happy about losing Bravo either. That was almost 4 years ago and she's lived without it. There's enough crap on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and YouTube to fill the void.

You can get all previous seasons of Walking Dead on Netflix. If you can't wait for the current season you can buy new episodes on Amazon Prime or get AMC through a Sling subscription.

 

[KiddLattimer]

Whoa. My head is spinning now. Can you guys help me out so I don't have to search the whole thread?

We don't watch a whole lot of tv and we mostly dvr stuff so that may be an issue. Wife watches bravo and the only show I "have" to watch is walking dead. Not a big NFL fan. I watch a decent amount of college football and basketball.

What's my best option? What is my initial setup?

We have:

Main tv is a smart tv.

3 bedroom tvs. 2 of those are the kids that don't get watched much, really just to wind down in bed.

Game room tv with an Xbox 360.

I have no idea where to start.

My brother just decided to take the leap and below is the email I sent him a couple of days ago. This kind of summarizes everything from my perspective at least and should get you started. Just ask in here with any questions. To your specific questions Bravo is a Comcast/NBC channel so they aren't going to be listed anywhere on any other pay streaming service but Hulu has past episode series.. AMC is available on Sling TV. For live college sports your best bet is a combination of OTA and ESPNs with Sling, otherwise there are some channels on Kodi that vary in quality.

First over the air channels (OTA). You can get, and maybe already do, all the local channels OTA in high definition. Youll also get more than you suspect if you havent tuned in to OTA for many years, most places have around 40 channels available. All you need for this is a HD antenna and a 21st Century tv. Very few flat panel tvs were ever made without an HD receiver so the only tvs you would have to buy a HD receiver box for are the old CRT tvs if you still have any. When I bought my house it just happened to have the best HD antenna on the market: Vinegard HD8200U that is surprisingly affordable considering how much you save by cutting the cable. Or for a cheaper, easier installed, indoor antenna these work nice since you arent very far from SLC: Mohu Leaf. Finally to help you find out how strong your OTA signals are and where to point your antenna go here: www.tvfool.com

When you have everything hooked up, connect the antenna coax to the coax input to each tv and scan for channels. A couple of notes about coax; the longer the runs the more your signal degrades and youll also lose another 9db every time you go through a splitter. High quality cable and connectors count too. If you use a roof antenna where cable runs are long and have more than one split look into amplifiers for the signal.

Everything Else:

For everything else youll need a secondary devise like youve identified below. I dont recommend Apple products for anything (sorry I know youre an apple guy). The reason why is because Apple is too proprietary which limits your flexibility with your content. For example Sling TV discussed below is not available on Apple TV currently. The exact opposite of Apple is Android which is why the Amazon Fire stick or Fire TV box is my highest recommended devise other than a HTPC. Lets take a look at your choices:

Home Theatre Personal Computer (HTPC). This is the best device because it can do everything, however, it will cost more and takes some tech savvy to set up. The advantages are Personal Video Recording (PVR) OTA, movie and show streaming over your home network and will include a OTA channel card. (Most people overlook this last advantage. If you use OTA with any of the tv devices like Roku or Firestick they do NOT come with a coax-in so you end up having to switch inputs to switch back and forth from OTA and your other channels/services.) You can build your own HTPC, convert an old computer you might have on hand or find one of the many that are commercially available.

Roku 3, this is probably your best bet for a plug and play devise. It can be hard wired or wifi and supports all of the streaming services noted below.

Firestick, this is also plug and play and is cheaper than Roku. These only support wifi and dont seem to be as powerful (in terms of speed and reliability) as Roku 3. These are Android based however, and are left open for 3rd party development and applications. You can sideload any application, even those not found in the google store.

TV Boxes. There are many boxes that offer a nice in between HTPC and Roku/Firestick including Amazons Fire TV and Roku 4 both available supporting 4000K. These add some additional features like limited internet access and games.

XBOX/Playstation. If youre a gamer most of the popular services are available to stream through your gaming console.

Services:

Sling TV. Besides your OTA channels the best LIVE channel streaming service is SlingTV. For $20/month you get 23 channels and counting including espn, espn2, amc, food network, A&E, history channel, TNT, HGTC, etc. Plus you can buy packages for an additional $5/month whose categories include news, kids, or movies to add more channels. You can also get a firestick for free or a Roku for cheap with a prepaid 3 months.

Netflix. Netflix huge database of available movies still towers over anything Hulu or Amazon Prime offers. Surprisingly though where Hulu and Amazon once might have an edge for tv shows Netflix is excelling with its Netflix Original Series that are prime time quality shows available only on Netflix.

Hulu and Amazon Prime. For past shows and movies I view these two services at about equal. However, if you order more than once or twice a year from Amazon the $99/year for free shipping includes a subscription to Amazon prime and makes this a choice a no-brainer.

HBONOW. Hbo became the first major cable subscriber channel to offer streaming services without a cable provider subscription. It is available through SlingTV for $15/mo or you can get it stand alone for the same price. I think Showtime has recently followed suit.

Plex. Plex is a server for your computer that if you have anything recorded; tv shows, movies, music, home movies you can stream them to your Roku, firestick, phone or ipad through the Plex app.

Summary:

If youre looking to get started quick with plug and play Id recommend getting a Roku 3 or 4 and pair it with OTA antenna (youll have to switch inputs). Then Id buy a firestick or two when they go on sale for $25 a pop for all the other tvs.

My Set Up:

HTPC that I built myself for about $500 that does all the heavy lifting for streaming across my network, recording tv, and Kodi which Ill explain below. I have a Roku 3 and a firestick on the other two tvs so Ive used both. I do have both the XBOXOne and PS4, but, only use them for gaming since my HTPC is sitting right there. I subscribe to SlingTV basic service, Netflix and Amazon Prime.

FreeTV:

Kodi. Is an open source home theatre software if you decide to build a HTPC. But, its also something else. I know youre probably not interested, but, just wanted to let you know of all your options. Maybe youve heard of the kids downloading music and such? You know you can listen to any song you want just by typing it into youtube, right? Well when it comes to television and movies you have the same option and you dont have to download anything. Everything and I mean everything is available for streaming. Just google Kodi if interested. Works on firestick too, remember the 3rd party applications.

Thanks! This is exactly the type of info I needed. Sounds like the wife is out of luck with bravo but oh well.

I need to get some antennas and sounds like I'll go with roku 3 and some firesticks. Quick question, do the firesticks work without prime? They will stream sling right?

For antenna you could just get something like this that I use. I live near a small city and it works great for what I need. You can also get a rooftop/attic antenna if you need something bigger and/or for the full house to use.

Fire sticks work without prime but they very heavily steer you that way... if you're already using a Roku 3 may as well get the Roku Sticks too... you can set up channels on Roku.com and they update to all devices. Plus there are smaller advantages like the Roku smartphone app that you can use as a remote in all rooms.

 

[JoeSteeler]

My wife wasn't happy about losing Bravo either. That was almost 4 years ago and she's lived without it. There's enough crap on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and YouTube to fill the void.

You can get all previous seasons of Walking Dead on Netflix. If you can't wait for the current season you can buy new episodes on Amazon Prime or get AMC through a Sling subscription.

cant you watch full episodes on bravo.com?

 

[JoeSteeler]

My wife wasn't happy about losing Bravo either. That was almost 4 years ago and she's lived without it. There's enough crap on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and YouTube to fill the void.

You can get all previous seasons of Walking Dead on Netflix. If you can't wait for the current season you can buy new episodes on Amazon Prime or get AMC through a Sling subscription.

cant you watch full episodes on bravo.com?

http://www.bravotv.com/full-episodes

 

[Rogi]

My wife wasn't happy about losing Bravo either. That was almost 4 years ago and she's lived without it. There's enough crap on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and YouTube to fill the void.

You can get all previous seasons of Walking Dead on Netflix. If you can't wait for the current season you can buy new episodes on Amazon Prime or get AMC through a Sling subscription.

cant you watch full episodes on bravo.com?

http://www.bravotv.com/full-episodes

I think she has done this... I've lost track of all of the "Housewives of ...." garbage she watches.

 

[KCitons]

I've had the Mohu channels up for about a week. Install is simple. Connect your antenna to one side. HDMI, power and ethernet (can work on wifi also) to the other side. Plug HDMI into tv and power adapter into that thing your kid is always shoving forks into.

Setup takes a couple of minutes. Enter zip code and have it scan for channels. The guide populates and shows what's on currently and what is on deck. I added Netflix, Sling TV, and ESPN apps. The ESPN app is a pain to add your provider (Sling) due to the way the remote interacts with the app. But once completed, I shouldn't have to do it again. The Sling App works much better than the Windows app. I've been watching a couple of shows a week on my MX2 box in my office with the Sling app and it works 99% of the time.

The reviews weren't lying. The remote for the Mohu channels sucks. It works similarly to a Wii remote. There is learning curve. I showed my wife how to access all the apps once. I thought she would get frustrated and go back to the regular TV input. To my surprise, I came home from work a couple days later, she was watching a movie via Netflix. So, she must have figured it out. Overall I'd rate it a B-. Mostly for the remote control.

 

[jamil]

So how do you guys watch live sports? I'm willing to bootleg as long as its HD quality streams...

 

[GrandpaRox]

One thing to take into consideration when determining if you can cut the cable is if your internet provider uses data caps.

I was with Comcast who suspended data caps and you could watch as much as you wanted with no impact. We recently moved and have a internet provider that has a 300 gig data cap. We found out that with Comcast we were using over 600 gig every month. Needless to say this has directly impacted our watching television and listening to music when the tv was not on. It sucks and has caused us to make some changes that we did not expect to have to make.

As much as I hated Comcast and the service they provided, I would take them back in a heartbeat.

Amazon uses the most bandwidth and you cannot adjust it. I cannot even find out how much they use.

Netflix lets you decide what level you download at. We download at medium now or at about 700 MB an hour

Hulu is the easiest on bandwidth beating out Netflix by a little at 650 MB an hour.

Skype is a bandwidth hog and if you do not logout after you use it, Skype will actually use you as a "supernode" and will use your bandwidth even if you are not actively Skyping.

I understand that Youtube is also a Bandwidth hog, but don't know much about it.

Just something to take into consideration to make sure you will not be impacted by caps.

 

[KCitons]

One thing to take into consideration when determining if you can cut the cable is if your internet provider uses data caps.

I was with Comcast who suspended data caps and you could watch as much as you wanted with no impact. We recently moved and have a internet provider that has a 300 gig data cap. We found out that with Comcast we were using over 600 gig every month. Needless to say this has directly impacted our watching television and listening to music when the tv was not on. It sucks and has caused us to make some changes that we did not expect to have to make.

As much as I hated Comcast and the service they provided, I would take them back in a heartbeat.

Amazon uses the most bandwidth and you cannot adjust it. I cannot even find out how much they use.

Netflix lets you decide what level you download at. We download at medium now or at about 700 MB an hour

Hulu is the easiest on bandwidth beating out Netflix by a little at 650 MB an hour.

Skype is a bandwidth hog and if you do not logout after you use it, Skype will actually use you as a "supernode" and will use your bandwidth even if you are not actively Skyping.

I understand that Youtube is also a Bandwidth hog, but don't know much about it.

Just something to take into consideration to make sure you will not be impacted by caps.

Had a similar issue with Cox when we first cut the cord. They changed their cap to 2 TB last summer and it hasn't been a problem. Prior to that I was using a router to limit devices. Kids computers and xbox was limited to x mb's per week or month. It was a pain.

 

[NajehHejan]

Read back to about July and didn't catch an answer: can I get live local OTA through Kodi? Been having horrible luck with HD antennas. Bought a $50 Amazon knock off of Mohu Leaf and it was garbage. Bought an $80 big #### one and that's garbage too. Only live 15-20 miles from Philly, no mountains in the way, can't get good OTA. Wondering if Kodi can help.

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

USTVNOW local channels are based in Pennsylvania I believe (or at least were in the past) which is probably your best option I'm aware of. I rarely watch local so someone else will probably know more. Used my antenna probably all of 3-4 times (all I really know here is positioning of it is everything to get HD). If locals a must (and can't get with antenna and USTV Now doesn't work), I'd just ask TV provider for cheapest package (maybe even an unadvertised one).

 

[NajehHejan]

USTVNOW local channels are based in Pennsylvania I believe (or at least were in the past) which is probably your best option I'm aware of. I rarely watch local so someone else will probably know more. Used my antenna probably all of 3-4 times (all I really know here is positioning of it is everything to get HD). If locals a must (and can't get with antenna and USTV Now doesn't work), I'd just ask TV provider for cheapest package (maybe even an unadvertised one).

Awesome thanks. Will try USTV Now. Really just need it to watch the NFL playoffs on the major networks. Will report back to inform others as well.

 

[Zasada]

Read back to about July and didn't catch an answer: can I get live local OTA through Kodi? Been having horrible luck with HD antennas. Bought a $50 Amazon knock off of Mohu Leaf and it was garbage. Bought an $80 big #### one and that's garbage too. Only live 15-20 miles from Philly, no mountains in the way, can't get good OTA. Wondering if Kodi can help.

If you're not getting good reception now, Kodi won't help. OTA reception is dependent on your antenna and tuner. If you have tried two antennas already, it could be your tuner (on the TV) that is garbage. Did you try the antennas on different TVs (hopefully different brands)? Different antenna locations in the house?

If you can get reception on any TV in your house, or in different locations (or both), then the potential solution is a networked TV tuner (SiliconDust HDHR Extend). And there's a Kodi app which supports the HDHR (I use it at home). But it will be a better tuner (the HDHR) fixing your problem, not Kodi itself.

 

[Rogi]

So how do you guys watch live sports? I'm willing to bootleg as long as its HD quality streams...

If it's on NBC,CBS, Fox, or ABC you can watch it free in HD with an antenna.

 

[Tick]

USTVNOW local channels are based in Pennsylvania I believe (or at least were in the past) which is probably your best option I'm aware of. I rarely watch local so someone else will probably know more. Used my antenna probably all of 3-4 times (all I really know here is positioning of it is everything to get HD). If locals a must (and can't get with antenna and USTV Now doesn't work), I'd just ask TV provider for cheapest package (maybe even an unadvertised one).

Awesome thanks. Will try USTV Now. Really just need it to watch the NFL playoffs on the major networks. Will report back to inform others as well.

I haven't been consistently happy with USTVNow. The quality is low, and it cuts out.

 

[jagbag]

So how do you guys watch live sports? I'm willing to bootleg as long as its HD quality streams...

This is where I am at.

If I can't watch my local team's games,

Cubs,Bulls,Blackhawks. I can't do it, unfortunately.

Believe me, I'd like to.

 

[cubd8]

HD Antenna's: Any specific one (or brand) recommended? How much do these typically cost? Do these get directly hooked into the TV? Any pieces that have to be on a roof, etc for this to work? Living in a condo, I can't have anything on the roof.

APP Questions:

1) Are there any smart apps that a Samsung TV doesn't allow you to download where I would need a Roku, etc.?

2) If I have a new smart TV, and a new blue ray player, does it matter which one I use for Apps?

3) TV shows - other threads have suggested buying individual TV shows, but outside of HBOGO, which allows you to watch a show for any season, are there any Apps (Hulu, Amazon, Netflix, etc.) that allow you to watch a show that you missed the next day? If I don't want to buy a single episode, is there any an App that allows you watch shows, whenever you want (the equivalent of 'On Demand').

4) Sports - Sling TV seems to be the best option for ESPN/ESPN2. Is this correct? $20.00 a month seems reasonable to get live TV for the basics.

5) Does Sling (or any other service) allow a customer to pick the channels they want to stream?

6) Netflix vs. Hulu vs. Amazon....Are those all roughly $10 a month? Any other apps that people are purchasing (beyond HBOGO, SlingTV), etc.?

7) Sports - Are there any options to get live broadcasts for:

- Local Baseball / Basketball games that currently air on cable channels

- NFL Red Zone Channel

- NFL Ticket

8) Do you increase the amount of data for you internet service to account for more streaming?

9) What are the Amazon firesticks used for? Sorry, new to this, trying to learn.

 

[Politician Spock]

HD Antenna's: Any specific one (or brand) recommended? How much do these typically cost?

I like the Mohu Leaf. Only one I have ever had, and never had a problem with it.

For indoor non-amplified, digital antennas cost $30 to $50. For amplified indoor, add another $30 to $50. For amplified outdoor, add another $30 to $50.

Do these get directly hooked into the TV?

If the TV has a digital tuner, it can. Most TVs made in the last 10 years have a digital tuner. It can also get plugged into a DVR. I have my antenna plugged into a Tivo so it can record shows from the antenna. I hate watching commercials and fast forward through them all.

Any pieces that have to be on a roof, etc for this to work? Living in a condo, I can't have anything on the roof.

You'll need an indoor antenna, like the Mohu Leaf. I got the amplified one because I live 25 miles outside of the city. If you live close to a city, you might get away with an non-amplified one.

2) If I have a new smart TV, and a new blue ray player, does it matter which one I use for Apps?

If neither performs better than the other, then no. You'll find that a streaming app for Netflix on one device can be good, but a streaming app for Netflix on another device can be bad. I hate the streaming apps on my Tivo, but like the streaming apps on my Roku. My XBOX also has streaming apps, and I love them better than the Roku apps, but the XBOX is hooked up to another TV for my kids to play games.

3) TV shows - other threads have suggested buying individual TV shows, but outside of HBOGO, which allows you to watch a show for any season, are there any Apps (Hulu, Amazon, Netflix, etc.) that allow you to watch a show that you missed the next day?

I believe Hulu does. At least they did when I used it for a few months. It's been a while since I cancelled with them so maybe things have changed. I changed because most of what was on Hulu I was already able to DVR over the antenna. If you don't use a DVR with your antenna, Hulu is a great option (assuming it's still what it was when I tried them).

If you buy an episode or season of a show from Amazon, it's typically available the next day. I think other services like Apple iTunes and Google Play offer next day TV show streams too. To do iTunes however you'll need an Apple TV device.

If I don't want to buy a single episode, is there any an App that allows you watch shows, whenever you want (the equivalent of 'On Demand').

That's pretty much what subscriptions to Netflix and Amazon Prime are. They have a ton of on demand movies and TV shows that you get access to for the monthly rate. You just don't get new releases. It's like when a current TV show series goes into syndication, you get to see reruns of prior seasons, accept it's on demand instead of being broadcast at a specific time.

There are some free versions of these services, like Crackle and TubiTV. Instead of paying a monthly subscription, they inject commercials into the streams that you watch. I'll watch an occasional movie or show on them when it's something Netflix and Amazon don't have.

If you get Sling TV, you'll also find some of the channels offer some of their shows for on demand streaming. It varies from channel to channel.

4) Sports - Sling TV seems to be the best option for ESPN/ESPN2. Is this correct? $20.00 a month seems reasonable to get live TV for the basics.

Yep.

I went ahead and added the sports add on for another $5 per month. Gives me ESPNU, ESPNNews, SEC Channel and during college football season I used the Goal Line channel pretty much every Saturday. I expect I'll use Buzzerbeater now that it's coming online for the college basketball season. I also got some other sports channels, but never watch them. If you like soccer or olympic sports in non-olympic years, then they are good channels.

If you like NBA, TNT will give you some games, and March Madness will be on TNT and TBS again (I suspect). TBS also shows the occasional MLB game.

5) Does Sling (or any other service) allow a customer to pick the channels they want to stream?

Kind of, but you've got to get at least the $20/mo base package. You can then add on other packages, like I did with the sports package.

7) Sports - Are there any options to get live broadcasts for:

- Local Baseball / Basketball games that currently air on cable channels

- NFL Red Zone Channel

- NFL Ticket

Not today. But the local broadcast rights that cable/satellite channels own for those sports are likely to end in the future. When those contracts end and they don't get renewed, then you'll subscribe to the league's streaming apps mentioned above and be able to watch live local games. Today you only get live out of market games, and you can wait until an hour after your local team's game has finished to stream it.

8) Do you increase the amount of data for you internet service to account for more streaming?

Absolutely yes.

 

[Rogi]

This website will show you what channels you get with an antenna. Just plug in your address.

http://www.antennaweb.org/Address.aspx

I think I'm using a flat Winegard antenna taped to a window.