I, too, enjoy shady websites for tv.
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The myth of cord-cutting
- Thread starter LyleLanley
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Marty Chinn
Member
I'll watch something if it's actual action/content. If it's mostly commercials I won't
I don't have a problem with sports, but the ratio of action/content to commercials is ridiculous.
If I watch a recap that's 100% action/content.
That chart is awfully misleading since a lot of that time is not because of commercials. In fact the soccer one can't even be right since they don't have commercial interrupts.
manzoman96
Member
Comcast on-demand has better free content than Netflix IMO. Their online content presence is superb.
Plus as long as cable is the best option for local sports then I'm gonna have it.
Plus as long as cable is the best option for local sports then I'm gonna have it.
catpurrcat
Member
A couple of friends share this view, and also justify their cable costs by not buying LIVE sports tickets. Makes sense IMO.
Also noticing cable tv adoption comes back as they pass life milestones. Fatigue does that I'm sure.
Vincent Grayson
Member
I'm in my 30s and can't think of a single person I know who has traditional TV, whether it's cable or even basic/OTA stuff.
I haven't had it since probably 2004.
I just don't see the point, given my lack of interest in sports, and the fact that there's more good content between Hulu, Netflix, and Prime, that I can't imagine ever wanting to watch TV and not being able to find something I want.
I haven't had it since probably 2004.
I just don't see the point, given my lack of interest in sports, and the fact that there's more good content between Hulu, Netflix, and Prime, that I can't imagine ever wanting to watch TV and not being able to find something I want.
Days like these...
Have a Blessed Day
I've never had cable. I never actually watch television apart from Netflix.
YuriLowell
Member
I am in my late 20's and I only know a single person out of the 20 or so in my group of friends that has cable.
catpurrcat
Member
Can't you also get an independent ISP in your area? Should bring down your costs even more.
I think this point can't be stressed enough.
It's a big change to go from "something" to "nothing". It's not as big to go from "nothing" to "still nothing"
Here, taking some data from the article:
They cite that there haven't been large decreases in number of PayTV subscribers. However, they fail to take into account population growth. While it's true that cord cutting is fairly rare, the real trouble is "Cord Nevering". New households that have never had a cable/satellite subscription.
In 2010, 10% of households didn't have cable/satellite
In 2015, 20% of households didn't have cable/satellite
From 2010 to 2015, PayTV subscriptions have dropped by 5 million accounts. or 1% per year. If PayTV rates had held steady, they should have instead grown by 6 million.
Acerac
Banned
The only people under 35 I know who pay for cable are sports fanatics.
Once ESPN is available alacarte there will be no reason to have a cable subscription anymore.
I haven't had cable for years - for me, it's high speed Internet, Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll. I save well over $100 a month (money I have since invested in a smartphone and requisite plan) by not having cable.
I haven't had cable for years - for me, it's high speed Internet, Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll. I save well over $100 a month (money I have since invested in a smartphone and requisite plan) by not having cable.
D
Deleted member 752119
Unconfirmed Member
Sports is the main thing. If you're a big sports fan, i.e., watch multiple sports, it's tough to cut the cord.
There's just too many things on networks not available on streaming options without a tv provider log in. Especially college sports that are often in the doc sports channels, premier league on NBCSN in the US etc.
There's just too many things on networks not available on streaming options without a tv provider log in. Especially college sports that are often in the doc sports channels, premier league on NBCSN in the US etc.
My Comcast bill is going over $200 next month. Fucking hell.
Its a triple play BC for the last year I paid less than before by adding a landline phone # (don't even have a phone)
150Mbps internet, HD cable, HBO.
bitched on an online chat which had gotten me deals on the past but "Jose", may try calling but who knows.
Watch many different cable channels (hgtv, CC, toon, AMC etc...)and lots of sports so really want to keep TNT tbs ESPN/2 and FSN (for wolves, wild, Twins yes I know they suck) but $200+ fucking sucks.
Its a triple play BC for the last year I paid less than before by adding a landline phone # (don't even have a phone)
150Mbps internet, HD cable, HBO.
bitched on an online chat which had gotten me deals on the past but "Jose", may try calling but who knows.
Watch many different cable channels (hgtv, CC, toon, AMC etc...)and lots of sports so really want to keep TNT tbs ESPN/2 and FSN (for wolves, wild, Twins yes I know they suck) but $200+ fucking sucks.
I haven't had TV (cable or satellite) in over 6 years.
I only pay for internet access and a Netflix subscription.
I use a third party called Start Communications (Ontario Canada, was with Teksavvy when I first cancelled TV) and pay around $90 CDN after taxes per month for 60/10, Unlimited data cable line (it's actually $65 + $15 extra for the unlimited).
That does my entire family- multiple computers, wifi, Shield Pro, smart tv's, consoles, cell phones etc.
It get's to be a problem around Oscar time due to my Wife wanting to watch, but I've always found an HD stream of it when the time comes... so far anyway.
Also, no land line for phone either.
I don't miss network TV at all.
I only pay for internet access and a Netflix subscription.
I use a third party called Start Communications (Ontario Canada, was with Teksavvy when I first cancelled TV) and pay around $90 CDN after taxes per month for 60/10, Unlimited data cable line (it's actually $65 + $15 extra for the unlimited).
That does my entire family- multiple computers, wifi, Shield Pro, smart tv's, consoles, cell phones etc.
It get's to be a problem around Oscar time due to my Wife wanting to watch, but I've always found an HD stream of it when the time comes... so far anyway.
Also, no land line for phone either.
I don't miss network TV at all.
Imperfected
Member
Uhh, it's true that cable television isn't going to dry up and blow away tomorrow, but...
How is having a 5% loss of customers in a field that should experience growth (at least equal to the rate of general population growth, to say nothing for expansion of services into areas formerly too rural to be viable) not a cause for concern, exactly?
I don't know many companies who look at a product and say, "Oh, our market's only down 5% while competing markets are up several hundred or thousand percent. Everything's great."
How is having a 5% loss of customers in a field that should experience growth (at least equal to the rate of general population growth, to say nothing for expansion of services into areas formerly too rural to be viable) not a cause for concern, exactly?
I don't know many companies who look at a product and say, "Oh, our market's only down 5% while competing markets are up several hundred or thousand percent. Everything's great."
evilromero
Member
Netflix and Amazon exclusively in our household. Been that way for a long time. I think I switched to streaming exclusively about seven years ago.
Game of thrones, penny dreadful, black sails, walking dead, preacher, power pretty much all shit entirely on Netflix Hulu and Amazon prime. I have all those and cable, guess which I spend my time watching.
Yes I realize in 2 years you will get to see what I'm watching now but half the fun of watching shows like game of thrones is discussing it and not being spoiled. Content is unarguably better on cable than on streaming services. That's a cold hard fact. Of course streaming is cheaper assuming your ISP isn't strict. If you a have a abad isp streaming could work out to be even more expensive than cable.
daninthemix
Member
I'm an actual cord-cutter. Cancelled my Sky subscription and switched to an high-speed ISP that only does Internet.
Did Comcast or the other companies pay for this article? I've cut the cord for some years and my bill is WAY cheaper than it was when I had Cable. I don't' see how this is true at all and for the last several years Comcast has been desperately trying to get me back to Cable sending me all kinds of letters like a remorseful Ex.
Dreamwriter
Member
I cut the cord a few years ago, saved a ton of money, even when paying Comcast for Internet. Before I cut the cord, my combined bill was $120 a month, without premium movie channels.
When I cut the cord, I used antenna for local TV, and since it's all now digital, it means you get a perfect picture (if you get one at all). I paid for MoviePass, which let me watch unlimited movies at the theater for $35 a month (that was my "movie channel", got me out of the house). I also had Amazon Prime Video "free" just because I already pay for Amazon Prime, and I added Hulu to it. I eventually moved to an apartment with free cable and Internet, so I re-plugged in, but I'll definitely "cut" the cord again. Next time I'll drop Hulu and add HBO Go.
When I cut the cord, I used antenna for local TV, and since it's all now digital, it means you get a perfect picture (if you get one at all). I paid for MoviePass, which let me watch unlimited movies at the theater for $35 a month (that was my "movie channel", got me out of the house). I also had Amazon Prime Video "free" just because I already pay for Amazon Prime, and I added Hulu to it. I eventually moved to an apartment with free cable and Internet, so I re-plugged in, but I'll definitely "cut" the cord again. Next time I'll drop Hulu and add HBO Go.
The offer thing is just what they do. I get letters from all providers. Heck when I cancelled Hulu a ways back they sent me mornful emails and offers all the time.
twozerotwo
Member
Fuck Beyonce.
HBO and Showtime both have streaming services, so I don't know why you're listing Game of Thrones and Penny Dreadful. HBO Now is in fact so good that new Game of Thrones episodes go up the minute the show starts airing on TV. Starz is also getting in on the streaming game, so there goes Black Sails.
Walking Dead goes up on Netflix and stays a season behind (not 2 years as you seem to think). Preacher will likely do the same. If you absolutely need to stay up to date on these shows, you can buy them on Amazon.
If you're not into sports, there's really no good reason to pay for cable anymore.
Imperfected
Member
I mean, we don't even actually need to go anecdotal with it.
Their own numbers suggest that ~5% of the population has cut the cord, which sounds like a tiny number when you use dismissive language like "white rhinos", but that's larger than the percentage of Americans who identify as being from Asian ethnic groups.
So, you know, either it's a significant number and the conclusions they draw from their own data are kind of moronic, or Asian-Americans are in fact semi-mythical creatures.
It's true, I haven't cut the cord. I never had a cord that I could cut to begin with though.
Pretty much. And even then you can get stuff like NBA league pass.
Pretty much. And even then you can get stuff like NBA league pass.
dead souls
Member
Bullshit. I get all my shows the day they are released and don't have to waste bandwidth to watch them. Cable or satellite is still the best way to consume television.
Marty Chinn
Member
I disagree. Nothing surpasses it at this point. There are cheaper options, but they all have drawbacks. There is not a single cheaper option that surpasses it at this point in time.
We were cord cutters for 2 years. That all ended on Friday when we moved into our house. Our tenants will subsidize the TV bill so why not. Plus, like the article mentioned, I really missed watching sports. Euros in 2 weeks will not be denied.
The problem with TV is value. Unless you watch sports, or have a TV addiction, there really isn't good value. There are so many hours in a day and tons of good streaming options
You said the same thing four times 😐
The problem with TV is value. Unless you watch sports, or have a TV addiction, there really isn't good value. There are so many hours in a day and tons of good streaming options
dskillzhtown
keep your strippers out of my American football
I cut the cord last week. I signed up for SlingTV so I get my ESPNs. I am fine now, but I am going to have to get NBA League Pass in the fall. Having WatchESPN access via Sling will help as well during college football season. I don't think I could have done it without Sling, honestly.
Is there a Cord Cutting OT here?
oddly enough after this post our comcrap bill went up so i called to bitch. I actually got someone intilligent and nice, they said we were still paying for TV and im like i dont even have a cable box hooked up to my tv and even when i did it was from DirecTV, so she finally took it off our bill. Guarantee you comcrap was counting me as a subscriber for years even when we had DirecTV
no, but there are a few threads around created by myself and others that have a few helpful hints and tips.
Arthr2ShdsJcksn
Banned
Well, my cable company is forcing me to become a cord cutter... I mean, actually pay for cable.
I pay for internet, but have had free access to basic cable as well, but now they are requiring a digital adapter, so I guess I have to pay somewhere if I want my wife to be able to keep watch the Real Housewives (hint: I don't, but that really isn't the issue).
It seems like, in order to get a package anywhere that has cable news, and channels like Bravo, we'll end up paying close to $50 a month. Is there a decent way to just get access to like 2-3 channels? I don't want to pay that much. We don't watch sports, or really anything else on TV. I like seeing Seinfeld re-runs on TBS, various reality shows across a handful of channels (Bravo being the most 'important'), and preferably MSNBC and maybe CNN for the lolz.
Seeing the post just above mine, maybe the PSVue 'Access' package for $30/month might be a possibility.
I pay for internet, but have had free access to basic cable as well, but now they are requiring a digital adapter, so I guess I have to pay somewhere if I want my wife to be able to keep watch the Real Housewives (hint: I don't, but that really isn't the issue).
It seems like, in order to get a package anywhere that has cable news, and channels like Bravo, we'll end up paying close to $50 a month. Is there a decent way to just get access to like 2-3 channels? I don't want to pay that much. We don't watch sports, or really anything else on TV. I like seeing Seinfeld re-runs on TBS, various reality shows across a handful of channels (Bravo being the most 'important'), and preferably MSNBC and maybe CNN for the lolz.
Seeing the post just above mine, maybe the PSVue 'Access' package for $30/month might be a possibility.
smoothj
Member
PSvue has bravo plus ESPN and fs1. With DVR features it's awesome.
Your Entertainer
Member
Literally never getting cable again now that I'm on my own and actually paying for things.
Data caps are absolutely a factor in why many I know haven't fully cord-cut yet. Even if data caps stand in my way, I'll still never get cable.
Data caps are absolutely a factor in why many I know haven't fully cord-cut yet. Even if data caps stand in my way, I'll still never get cable.
Applesauce
Boom! Bitch-slapped!
Doing the daily searches at bing rewards will net you a $7.99 monthly Hulu voucher roughly every 25 days for free. You can use the online bot pogocheats if you don't want to mess with doing the searches manually.
Between that and Sling TV I there's plenty of content to view, I don't give a shit about cable anymore. I just need to get an antenna up before football season comes around.
dskillzhtown
keep your strippers out of my American football
Thanks! I'll look that up for Hulu.
I saw that PSVue is coming to Android this week. I need to do a comparison. I love the fact none of these services have contracts.
I just signed up for Sky again, half price for 12 months.
Already got BT infinity (Fibre internet), Netflix, Amazon, Plex......but missed how easy Sky is, and also Sky Sports.
Just like how most normal people dont use adblock, Im not surprised that most dont cut the cord either. Everytime I try to get my dad to do anything on the internet its still an ordeal.
Stream the NBA finals? Ok click here. Then there. Wait no not there that opened a new window. That window is over there. Close that. Now click here. There it is. Ignore that other window thats an ad. Ah you need to update your video player!...Click here. A separate flash player window will open. Yeah its safe to run this one dont worry about viruses. You have to close your browser to install. Ok now reopen...
Ok finally there is the video. Oh that means its buffering just wait a bit it will clear up. Just wait a bit more....
Meanwhile what does the cable subscriber do? Turn it to ABC. The end. As easy as those above steps are for someone used to the process, its hell for anyone else. At least on a PC. If its not on Roku or similar than forget it. And even then, still need some knowledge to get the right apps, activate them properly, etc
Like someone else said though...I am sure most true cord cutters arent afraid to pirate when need be. Even if they dont regularly. They know where to go if they need to
Stream the NBA finals? Ok click here. Then there. Wait no not there that opened a new window. That window is over there. Close that. Now click here. There it is. Ignore that other window thats an ad. Ah you need to update your video player!...Click here. A separate flash player window will open. Yeah its safe to run this one dont worry about viruses. You have to close your browser to install. Ok now reopen...
Ok finally there is the video. Oh that means its buffering just wait a bit it will clear up. Just wait a bit more....
Meanwhile what does the cable subscriber do? Turn it to ABC. The end. As easy as those above steps are for someone used to the process, its hell for anyone else. At least on a PC. If its not on Roku or similar than forget it. And even then, still need some knowledge to get the right apps, activate them properly, etc
Like someone else said though...I am sure most true cord cutters arent afraid to pirate when need be. Even if they dont regularly. They know where to go if they need to
Most cord cutters would turn it to ABC and have a better picture quality.
I live in LA where local channel reception requires god tier antenna placement
Anyway, you know what I mean
. This is the case for any cable programming. I mentioned the nba finals only because I literally went through that with my parents before essentially giving upI live in LA where local channel reception requires god tier antenna placement
Anyway, you know what I mean
Well, the other possibility with the finals if your antenna reception is garbage would've been to subscribe to Sling and use WatchESPN. Also, I know several people like myself who still get clear QAM locals from the cable provider, because it makes internet cheaper. For me, locals + internet = $57.99. Just internet = $74.99. It's dumb.
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