🎭Entertainment > Entertainment General
Who is streaming what... and how.
dhouston:
--- Quote from: HA Dave on January 27, 2015, 11:07:12 AM --- I could hang an amplified antenna (I do live in a city) and get lots of free HD content.
--- End quote ---
I should have mentioned that. I dumped cable about 5 years ago. I have an indoor HDTV antenna and get all the local stations (~25) that way. You should consider an outdoor, rotating antenna - it would probably bring you 100+ channels (with a lot of duplicates). http://www.homeantenna.org/outdoor-hdtv-antenna.html
I also used Amazon w/o Prime with delayed free shipping in the same manner as you do until I bought the Vizio Smart TV.
HA Dave:
--- Quote from: dhouston on January 27, 2015, 11:33:02 AM ---I should have mentioned that. I dumped cable about 5 years ago. I have an indoor HDTV antenna and get all the local stations (~25) that way. You should consider an outdoor, rotating antenna
--- End quote ---
I just tried/tested using a small amplified antenna on the upstairs TV as a precursor to "cutting the cord". Reception was OK. I got the standard ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX networks.... and several government funded [public] channels and a religious channel or two. Then I checked other service provider fees and decided to make the change. I was impressed with the AT&T "wireless" broadband/phone/TV service. However... the cable provider made a counter offer that the wife was impressed with. So I retained cable but at a real savings.
I decided to spend a small portion of the saving for broadband content (I like the idea of the Amazon content). The great thing is I'll be able view content just about everywhere. The content could be viewed on the Big screen of the theater, living room TV, or maybe even download content to the ipad and/or phone (for the wife to watch when we travel in the car).
I may try weaning myself from cable content anyway (for even MORE possible savings). I think your right that a nice mast mounted outdoor antenna would be best. Better reception... and I could/can use the cable distribution system already in place [for cable].
So far I am VERY happy with the on-line/broadband provided content. I very happily watched old StarTrek shows last night using Youtube provided free content through my Roku device. The Sony Blue Ray player seems to do equally as well. My download speed is 17Mbps and I use a recent higher-dollar wireless router.
There is a psychological difference between deciding whether to watch this channel or that channel. And instead deciding what I'd like to watch and then finding/selecting a source/provider. I think I might even find that at times (like now) I think I'd prefer to just turn the content (TV) off.
dhouston:
I received my invitation to join Sling TV over the weekend. I've been investigating their offerings and doubt I'll stick around beyond the 7 day free trial - I just don't see $20/mo value when compared to Netflix and Amazon Prime.
HA Dave:
I have also been exploring the options.
There are without a doubt, far too many options for casual users to actually be able to sample, test, and compare. On screen entertainment is in a golden age. And... much of this seems to integrate with HA as well. I can use various apps on ether a tablet or phone to control most functions. In many ways however.... I am hampered with an apple phone and a dumb (as in not WiFi integrated or "Smart") TV.
Although... I am impressed how easy it is to work with the different platforms, brands, flavors, whatever for Internet streaming. It might be even easier to pick one brand and run with it through-out my home. But there doesn't seem to be any natural limits as to how many, or what variety for streaming entertainment is used.
I can easily use both the SEN (Sony Entertainment Network) built-into the [Sony] Blue Ray player alongside a Roku device on the same TV (my TV has 3 HDMI inputs). But the "pairing" with my Apple iPhone... functions better with the Roku. However... as-I-understand it the Apple TV device would work best with the iPhone.
All this does make me understand why so many people are purposively "cutting the cable". Or at least... only using the cable company as an Internet Service Provider. All I really need is a broadband connection. And... on a belated thought... my phone can/will provide a "hot spot". And one alternative broadband ISP/phone provider I looked at is "wireless".
dhouston:
The technology correspondent for the Washington Post must have been eavesdropping...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/02/10/should-you-ditch-cable-depends-on-what-you-want-to-watch/
Also, I wasn't able to get the Sling TV sign-up site to work, getting through 3-4 screens until the last screen seemed to hang.
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