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OT: Well, I made the switch.

BedouinCock

Active Member
Jan 4, 2008
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Several weeks ago I dropped DirecTV. The antenna that I mounted in my attic is bringing in 44 free channels and great quality HD pictures. Yesterday, I purchased a Roku box and signed up with Sling TV. For $25 I get their basic channels and the additional sports package, including the SEC Network. The quality of the picture is outstanding. Really happy with how this is working. It is a freeing feeling being out of that huge tv bill every week!
 
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Several weeks ago I dropped DirecTV. The antenna that I mounted in my attic is bringing in 44 free channels and great quality HD pictures. Yesterday, I purchased a Roku box and signed up with Sling TV. For $25 I get their basic channels and the additional sports package, including the SEC Network. The quality of the picture is outstanding. Really happy with how this is working. It is a freeing feeling being out of that huge tv bill every week!

So let me ask? Who do you use as your internet provider? TWC? And what kind of TV antenna did you get?

And with Sling TV which package did you get to get the sports package with the SEC network?
 
Several weeks ago I dropped DirecTV. The antenna that I mounted in my attic is bringing in 44 free channels and great quality HD pictures. Yesterday, I purchased a Roku box and signed up with Sling TV. For $25 I get their basic channels and the additional sports package, including the SEC Network. The quality of the picture is outstanding. Really happy with how this is working. It is a freeing feeling being out of that huge tv bill every week!
I would do that but am afraid of missing out on some important FB games plus I like the DIY network. DTV raised my bill to $124PM this year and that's without a special sports or movie package.
 
So let me ask? Who do you use as your internet provider? TWC? And what kind of TV antenna did you get?

And with Sling TV which package did you get to get the sports package with the SEC network?


I have a 6 MB telephone/internet line from Windstream that works just fine.

I bought a "Clearstream 2V" antenna at Best Buy that is good for 50 miles and mounted it as high in my attic as I could get it.

I got the basic $20 channel package and added the Sports channel package that has ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Bases Loaded, SEC Network and several other sports channels. They are listed on Sling TV's web site.

There is no contract and a 7 day free trial. The setup is immediate when you call SlingTV. Hope this helps.
 
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I have a 6 MB telephone/internet line from Windstream that works just fine.

I bought a "Clearstream 2V" antenna at Best Buy that is good for 50 miles and mounted it as high in my attic as I could get it.

I have the got the basic $20 channel package and added the Sports channel package that has ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Bases Loaded, SEC Network and several other sports channels. They are listed on Sling TV's web site.

There is no contract and a 7 day free trial. The setup is immediate when you call SlingTV. Hope this helps.


I can do everything you listed, but it looks like I'll have to have that high speed internet from TWC because of working from home and my kids streaming and gaming...
 
I can do everything you listed, but it looks like I'll have to have that high speed internet from TWC because of working from home and my kids streaming and gaming...

Several weeks ago when I was doing my research on the subject and my various options, the rep from Sling TV told me it would work if the speed was at least 2.7 MB. I do not know about that but increased my speed from 3 to 6 MB to make sure. The crazy thing is that when I increased the speed from 3 to 6 MB, Windstream decreased my monthly bill by $5 because of a special they had going. So, it was win-win for me.
 
Several weeks ago I dropped DirecTV. The antenna that I mounted in my attic is bringing in 44 free channels and great quality HD pictures. Yesterday, I purchased a Roku box and signed up with Sling TV. For $25 I get their basic channels and the additional sports package, including the SEC Network. The quality of the picture is outstanding. Really happy with how this is working. It is a freeing feeling being out of that huge tv bill every week!

Another note is that it only works on one television at a time.
 
Go with Dish Network .
No way. My bill wouldn't be any cheaper than I have with Time Warner even with a promotional offer that only lasts a year, then the bill would double and I would still have a year on my contract. AND they can raise the price at any time WITH me on the contract and there is nothing I can do but cancel and still pay $20 until the contract runs out. I rather just pay an extra $25 a month for Sling TV during basketball and baseball season. Eventually they'll probably have a seasonal plan anyways. I renegotiated my deal with Time Warner. Got a new DVR box that records 6 channels at once and has a lot more drive space. Got HBO and and some other channels. And I have Sling TV. I'm happy.
 
4 more months of video purgatory then I can get rid of DTV and AT & T. Could these carriers possibly care less about their customers?
 
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I've been thinking about this but I'm concerned about not having a DVR. We only watch live TV when watching sports. Most other shows we watch are off the DVR. I looked at a Tivo box that would record TV off the antenna, but I would want to record the sling TV shows as well. Anybody have any experience with this?
 
I've been thinking about this but I'm concerned about not having a DVR. We only watch live TV when watching sports. Most other shows we watch are off the DVR. I looked at a Tivo box that would record TV off the antenna, but I would want to record the sling TV shows as well. Anybody have any experience with this?


From what I am reading about Sling TV it will be very difficult to record programs on this streaming system. This was not a deal breaker for me.
 
The cable companies are still going to find a way to win. Services like Sling TV aren't a major threat yet. But once they are, cable companies will simply put tighter caps on wifi and add tiered data plans just like the mobile providers have done. I'd much rather not have to worry about losing my TV when the internet goes down, so I think I will stick with cable.
 
So in a nutshell, I predict your savings to be temporary unless these services never catch on. On that case, you will save money with just a few minor inconveniences and sacrifices.
 
I signed up for dish 2 weeks ago and love It. 4 HD boxes with the Hopper 200 channels plus all the movie channels. Cost me 60 bucks a month
 
I have dish and pay right at $80 a month. I get nfl network and sec network and all espn channels. I get my internet through the local phone company for $40 a month.
 
Several weeks ago I dropped DirecTV. The antenna that I mounted in my attic is bringing in 44 free channels and great quality HD pictures. Yesterday, I purchased a Roku box and signed up with Sling TV. For $25 I get their basic channels and the additional sports package, including the SEC Network. The quality of the picture is outstanding. Really happy with how this is working. It is a freeing feeling being out of that huge tv bill every week!

You sir are a smart smart man, and to the guy who said the cable company's will put a cap on their internet, I don't see that happening, I see them coming out with a similar service suck as sling. My generation have grown up with the great Netflix and Hulu plus streaming applications, in fact the only thing I would use cable for is my sports games, but even then I have the watch ESPN app. But I do have a question regarding that, is ESPN3 getting better about their black outs? I think it's an incredible deal that sling TV has put together with the help of the different networks. Why pay 100 a month for TV and Internet, when you can get TV for 25 bucks Internet for a max of 40, and then add on Netflix for 9 more dollars and 7.99 for Hulu plus if you want? It's still cheaper than by half of what we pay now! But hey change is hard for some ole timers, (my dad).


But sling TV I read has a limited "DVR service" they keep the newly aired TV shows on for 3 days, then they will go off.
 
You sir are a smart smart man, and to the guy who said the cable company's will put a cap on their internet, I don't see that happening, I see them coming out with a similar service suck as sling. My generation have grown up with the great Netflix and Hulu plus streaming applications, in fact the only thing I would use cable for is my sports games, but even then I have the watch ESPN app. But I do have a question regarding that, is ESPN3 getting better about their black outs? I think it's an incredible deal that sling TV has put together with the help of the different networks. Why pay 100 a month for TV and Internet, when you can get TV for 25 bucks Internet for a max of 40, and then add on Netflix for 9 more dollars and 7.99 for Hulu plus if you want? It's still cheaper than by half of what we pay now! But hey change is hard for some ole timers, (my dad).


But sling TV I read has a limited "DVR service" they keep the newly aired TV shows on for 3 days, then they will go off.


I disagree completely. Having worked in strategic pricing for one of the major players, I can assure you that data caps on wifi are seriously being considered. The whole reason these alternative services exist is because the cable companies refuse to offer a la carte services. They aren't going to simply offer a streaming service to cannibalize their revenue while they still have control over bandwidth. The major providers are powerful. It'll take more than a few gnats for them to respond, but if these services truly takeoff, they've got other options to control the market - at least for now.
 
I disagree completely. Having worked in strategic pricing for one of the major players, I can assure you that data caps on wifi are seriously being considered. The whole reason these alternative services exist is because the cable companies refuse to offer a la carte services. They aren't going to simply offer a streaming service to cannibalize their revenue while they still have control over bandwidth. The major providers are powerful. It'll take more than a few gnats for them to respond, but if these services truly takeoff, they've got other options to control the market - at least for now.

SOS, I appreciate your professional knowledge regarding the issues being discussed; you seem to speak from good experience and will most likely end up being a prophet. I do hope you miss it on this one, my fellow Gamecock. I will enjoy my savings as long as I can get them as I try to survive on my retirement income at age 70 plus. At my age my tv priorities are such that when I am "eventually priced out of enjoying the sports channels" by the greed of the cable and sports networks, I will be very content and enjoy my 44 free channels. At this stage in my life tv is not that important with the years the Lord has left for me. Much of what is on tv is like having the city sewerage running through ones living room anyway. There are other more important things on my bucket list to do before I get to Glory and start enjoying eternity with the rest of my family and friends. Besides, nothing ventured, nothing gained regarding the Sling TV experiment. Better to have tried and failed than not tried at all. Peace my friend, peace.
 
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I disagree completely. Having worked in strategic pricing for one of the major players, I can assure you that data caps on wifi are seriously being considered. The whole reason these alternative services exist is because the cable companies refuse to offer a la carte services. They aren't going to simply offer a streaming service to cannibalize their revenue while they still have control over bandwidth. The major providers are powerful. It'll take more than a few gnats for them to respond, but if these services truly takeoff, they've got other options to control the market - at least for now.

What caps would they put on the wifi? I don't want to believe they would do it, 1) because I am a college student and sometimes have to spend 6-8+ hours a day using wifi on my computer for school work, to me that seems like an incredible amount of data being used, and 2) that would shake the very landscape on which many businesses would function.
 
Several weeks ago I dropped DirecTV. The antenna that I mounted in my attic is bringing in 44 free channels and great quality HD pictures. Yesterday, I purchased a Roku box and signed up with Sling TV. For $25 I get their basic channels and the additional sports package, including the SEC Network. The quality of the picture is outstanding. Really happy with how this is working. It is a freeing feeling being out of that huge tv bill every week!

Im doing the same thing. May I ask how you routed the coax cable from the antenna in the attic to your tv?
Thanks
 
Im doing the same thing. May I ask how you routed the coax cable from the antenna in the attic to your tv?
Thanks

My television is upstairs in the bonus room and near a door that gives entry into the attic. The coax is routed along the bottom edge of the wall, on the carpet and through the door. I purchased a 50 foot cable but probably could have gotten by with less length. At some point I could drill a hole in the wall directly behind my tv and bring the cable straight into the television rather than the way I have it. Hope it works out for you.
 
What caps would they put on the wifi? I don't want to believe they would do it, 1) because I am a college student and sometimes have to spend 6-8+ hours a day using wifi on my computer for school work, to me that seems like an incredible amount of data being used, and 2) that would shake the very landscape on which many businesses would function.

I hate to tell you, but some providers already have soft caps at around 250GB for residential users. That's a pretty generous allotment. But for someone who would stream all of their TV, it may not be that much. As of now, the point is to curb heavy users (those who upload and download huge files and constantly stream). I can assure you that they will attempt offset churned cable revenues with Internet revenues.

For anyone who is interested, look up ARPU (average revenue per user). It is a critical metric that telecommunications and cable companies are measured upon by analysts. The major providers will do everything to raise, or at the very least, maintain their ARPU.

Mobile companies have been doing this for years. Think about it - as voice started to become commoditized and people used their phones away from talking and more to texting and surfing, the major companies shifted their pricing plans towards data pricing and unlimited talking. They refused to let their ARPU die as a result of falling call usage.

This same strategy will happen with wifi usage. Before you know it, home internet usage will need to be monitored as much as we monitor our smartphone data usage.
 
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