Who watches TV over the airwaves; no cable, no satellite?

I'm thinking of reverting back to caveman days sort of speak. They say everything comes back around. Remember the days of VHF & UHF(for the young ones on this site, ask someone older what that is).

Well technology has made it possible to watch just about everything for free. I am tired of paying the high cable/satellite bill to watch tv. I'm paying around $100.

So starting the first of the year I'm going to do a test & see if I really need to pay for TV. I'm dropping my satellite service (after the capitol one bowl, go dawgs). I'm hooking my analog tv's up to a dtv converter box http://www.dishnetwork.com/dtvpal/tr40CRA.shtml


With my gov coupons & shipping. $17.95 for 2 boxes. These are rated as the best according to CNET.com

My LCD will get a boost from an amplified antenna
http://www.antennasdirect.com/index.html

And as I said technology has come to the forefront. Most tv shows can be watched via online. My PC that I built last year. I built it for the future, as a media center. It now is going to get used as intended. My PC is connected to my home theater surround sound. Also I have the video connected DVI(PC side) to HDMI (TV side).

With sites like http://www.hulu.com
I have been using hulu. It is a very good site. Co-Owned by NBC & FOX.
And all the TV Networks sites offering their shows to be viewed for free, with limited commercial interuption.


With the money saved from my former satellite service. I will bump up my internet service to 15mbp.Just an additional $15 from what I'm paying now.

For those that haven't checked. Or those that are living under a rock & did not know that the analog signal will stop in Feb 2009. Go to: http://www.DTV2009.gov

 

cable for us................we are cheap!!

 

After this bullshit with Direct TV yesterday, I'm about ready to throw the crap in the garbage.

 

I'm with ya! I pay for service and still have to watch commercials on just about every channel.

 

I can't drop my service. I'm an NFL fan. I watch the Falcon's every sunday on my laptop with some bootleg feed. But the other games I watch in HD on the 50". Too many other channels that I would be missing if I dropped my service. Where I live there is only one local channel, the rest come piped in from other cities, so I don't think I would be able to receive more than 1 channel.

 

I have cable. I have used the DTV stuff where I used to work and then at my old apartment. At my work, it was great. We had almost a clear line of sight to the broadcast towers. All the local channels and sub channels in clear digital HD. At the apartment, it wasn't so good. I was on the wrong side of the building to have a good line of sight. Probably would have worked better if I could have put up an antenna outside. Haven't tried it again lately. Can't put up an antenna on the outside of my house. BTW, not all of the local stations have to broadcast in HD, only in digital.

 

i just moved into a new house this last month and for two week while i was waiting for directtv to come hook up my satelite i had no TV. so i decided to try hooking up some good old fashion rabbit ears up to my 65" 1080p hd tv. shocking as it may sound it actually had some hd channels. course it was just all my local channels like fox abc nbc and stuff but i had atleast 13 hd channels. kinda makes you wonder why the providers charge extra for "HD". if you can do with out all the movie channels and premium channels its not half bad

 

I've never been able to justify paying for cable, so I'm still using 2 analog TV's. I added 2 ChannelMaster digital converter boxes (top-rated in the techno-geek A/V forums as of 3 or 4 months ago ...). The signal / picture is better, and I went from 5 channels to something like 13 or 14. It's enough for my modest TV watching habit ...

 

I have Dish HD. I had to get that once I got the new TV. My local cable company still doesn't have any HD channels.
But the new antenna's for OTA are getting much better! Hmmm

 

I got dish network Americas choice 250 with 2 dvr and HD 69.99. Way better service then comcast.

 

I hate the sat tv stuff -- can't stand the dish on top of my house... I have cable and couldn't be happier... I pay 120/month for HD+DVR, Digital Phone, and highspeed internet.

 

What happened to Dierct TV?

 

My Dish was that cheap for the first 6 months then jacked to $140. I trimmed the bill down to $100.

Worst case scenario this doesn't work & I have to watch all my shows online. Still not bad. I will update everyone on my progress.

 

I got Direct tv cause i hate comcast. every couple of months my bill would go up for no reason, then when i called them on it they said it was to help with any confusion in feb. and i was like "I am already payng for DIGITAL cable so there isnt going to be any confusion" and the guy just got silent then kept repeating that it was for the confusion. so i said F it and cut it off.

 

Ive got Verizon Fios. I love it and the internet is Awsome!!! I tried the Satelite deal and it wasn't for me. Lost signal every time it rained. In Florida It rains a lot! Luckley I'm not the one paying for it now. If I were living on my own I would probably get basic cable.

 

I watch tv over the airwaves, if I'm not here I'm working or in a book, so tv is not a big deal.

 

Yep Hulu is great! & Free limited commercials. I like that Netflix is offering streaming. The old way through the puter wasn't the best quality. All they need to do is add PS3 to the list of compatible devices & I'm there.

 

I like my cable.

 

I bet your girlfriend does too. LOL