Cutting the Cord…

[mchepp]

I would love to cut the cord but have not found a sports solution. So I am stuck with cable. I only watch about 6 or 7 shows and sometimes I like to have the golf channel on in the background when doing some work so I am way over paying for what I use it for, but no alternative yet.

[Shindig]

I would love to cut the cord but have not found a sports solution. So I am stuck with cable. I only watch about 6 or 7 shows and sometimes I like to have the golf channel on in the background when doing some work so I am way over paying for what I use it for, but no alternative yet.

Which sports? I have an older desktop hooked up to my T.V. and I periodically go to the pgatour website or the Golf channel website and just watch something they have available, throwing it onto my TV. It lacks remote control, but is otherwise fine. A few months ago I accidentally marathoned a season of Haney project. If you're a hockey or baseball fan, those leagues have streaming options. If you're an AFL fan, many of the teams have legal streaming (some in HD) available during games, even away games. Some of them have great announcers, too. If you're an NFL fan, most games that you'd get with cable anyway are available OTA (and the rest aren't available without one of the most expensive cable packages).

[dsc123]

If you're a hockey or baseball fan, those leagues have streaming options. If you're an AFL fan, many of the teams have legal streaming (some in HD) available during games, even away games. Some of them have great announcers, too. If you're an NFL fan, most games that you'd get with cable anyway are available OTA (and the rest aren't available without one of the most expensive cable packages).

This nails it.   You pretty much only miss games that are on ESPN.  Unless you have someone else's cable log-in, in which case you get those, too.

[rkim291968]

I am armed to the teeth with Kodi (formerly XBMC).  If it is not for the 1080i broadcast of GC, I'd drop Dishnetwork in a heartbeat.   Smart guy, those Dishnetwork guys.   To get HD GC, you have to buy their highest Family subscription at $74/month.   I did ran into an illegal HD streaming of GC but it is not reliable.

[Morocco Mako]

Sports is the Achille's heel of cord-cutting. Or, to put it another way, sports is the only thing that is keeping cable/satellite alive.

I cut the cord at least 5 years ago. I've had numerous people talk to me about it, and live sports is the one recurring objection. An OTA antenna; Netflix & Amazon prime accounts; and an occasional Redbox rental gives us more than enough variety to replace cable...except for live sports.

Putting up a digital antenna will get you all of the local channels that broadcast sports (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CW) for free. That covered about 70% of my sports viewing anyway (which is mostly local pro teams and college football).

As for the other 30 percent? Getting cable so I could watch a few additional college football games or golf tournaments would cost about $800 a year (or about $20 per game if I watched 40 additional games beyond what I see on OTA channels).  It's hard to justify that expense when I break it down that way.

[Morocco Mako]

I am armed to the teeth with Kodi (formerly XBMC).  If it is not for the 1080i broadcast of GC, I'd drop Dishnetwork in a heartbeat.   Smart guy, those Dishnetwork guys.   To get HD GC, you have to buy their highest Family subscription at $74/month.   I did ran into an illegal HD streaming of GC but it is not reliable.

$74 a month ($888) to WATCH golf?

You can PLAY a lot of golf for that.

[Braivo]

Sports is the Achille's heel of cord-cutting. Or, to put it another way, sports is the only thing that is keeping cable/satellite alive.

I cut the cord at least 5 years ago. I've had numerous people talk to me about it, and live sports is the one recurring objection. An OTA antenna; Netflix & Amazon prime accounts; and an occasional Redbox rental gives us more than enough variety to replace cable...except for live sports.

Putting up a digital antenna will get you all of the local channels that broadcast sports (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CW) for free. That covered about 70% of my sports viewing anyway (which is mostly local pro teams and college football).

As for the other 30 percent? Getting cable so I could watch a few additional college football games or golf tournaments would cost about $800 a year (or about $20 per game if I watched 40 additional games beyond what I see on OTA channels).  It's hard to justify that expense when I break it down that way.

I came to this exact same conclusion.  I find that I don't miss seeing most of those games anyway.  The best college games are on ABC, etc.  Althought the College Football Playoff is on ESPN, clearly their last play to keep cable relevant.  If not for ESPN I imagine most would cut the cord.

[rkim291968]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkim291968

I am armed to the teeth with Kodi (formerly XBMC).  If it is not for the 1080i broadcast of GC, I'd drop Dishnetwork in a heartbeat.   Smart guy, those Dishnetwork guys.   To get HD GC, you have to buy their highest Family subscription at $74/month.   I did ran into an illegal HD streaming of GC but it is not reliable.

$74 a month ($888) to WATCH golf?

You can PLAY a lot of golf for that.

I am stuck.  I don't watch golf a lot but my wife does so around the clock.   To stay married, the GC stays.

[Morocco Mako]

I am stuck.  I don't watch golf a lot but my wife does so around the clock.   To stay married, the GC stays.

Youtube has entire golf tournaments available online--I'm talking hours in length.

Check out an xbmc plugin called IPTV. It enables you to stream a significant number of non-US channels.

[turtleback]

I am armed to the teeth with Kodi (formerly XBMC).  If it is not for the 1080i broadcast of GC, I'd drop Dishnetwork in a heartbeat.   Smart guy, those Dishnetwork guys.   To get HD GC, you have to buy their highest Family subscription at $74/month.   I did ran into an illegal HD streaming of GC but it is not reliable.

Can you elaborate?  I have been looking at Kodi. Does that get you any live sports or network feeds?

[mcat12]

Just made the move to Ooma. Saving about $38/m for phone service. If i could have my way, id cancel the home phone altogether but my better half is not yet ready. Ill take the savings though. Still have solid cable internet and cable TV with DVR and HD. Cant do anything anout the net. The cable i have netflix and amazon prime, a smart tv, xbox, etc. I really only watch Penn State football, Syracuse Orange basketball, live big time sports events, and golf (any and all).

[nevets88]

ESPN streaming sans cable coming soon: http://www.tomsguide.com/us/sling-tv-streaming-video-service,news-20092.html

[saevel25]

ESPN streaming sans cable coming soon:

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/sling-tv-streaming-video-service,news-20092.html

Until the internet companies decide to slow down your internet speed or install tier usage data plans. That would just demolish the whole video over internet. I doubt that Time Warner or Comcast would let this slide.

They really need to split apart these cable companies. They are way too powerful, near monopolies.

[sethatk]

I am a Ord cutter with an antenna-lots of golf on the local channels on Saturday and Sunday. We use Amazon prime via the app on the tv, but seriously considering chromecast as well. The cable companies are definitely a duopoly and they are consolidating rather than breaking up to have more leverage over the content. Either way we are stuck with them, they own the pipeline, or last mile to the house. Be interesting to see how the internet plays out the next few years.

[nevets88]

I agree with you both @saevel25 and @sethatk , we're at the mercy of the people who run the pipes. I would not recommend a Chromecast unless you really need the tab casting and Google store. It's laggy and doesn't sync well especially with iOS. I'd recommend the Fire stick over the CC. I have both.

[bste]

I cut the cord a couple years ago. Had dishnetwork for the golf channel. Ran about $70 a month.

Have Hulu Plus and Netflix now and OTA antenna, enjoying the savings but missing the golf.

Brian

[turtleback]

Well here is an interesting development.  It goes in the direction that I think we are ultimately headed.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2015-01-05/gadget-show-tv-channels-delivered-by-internet-new-tv-sets

Quote:

LIVE SPORTS — NO CABLE OR SATELLITE BILL

Dish will offer a package of channels, including ESPN and CNN, starting at $20 a month. The availability of ESPN as part of the Internet package addresses a major reason people were loath to "cut the cord" — live sports. NFL games will be blocked on mobile devices, however, because Verizon has those rights.

Dish said it isn't worried that its current subscribers will cancel satellite service in favor of the cheaper Internet package. Rather, Dish is hoping to lure those who don't pay for TV channels at all because they find it too expensive.

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"A lot of big incumbents don't like change, but everything else is changing around you," says Joe Clayton, Dish's CEO. "Technology is broadening the consumer viewing opportunity, and they are taking advantage of that."

Sony Corp. also has an Internet television service, PlayStation Vue, expected to debut by the end of March, with channels from Viacom, Discovery, CBS, Fox, NBCUniversal and Scripps. HBO and Showtime already have announced plans for stand-alone Internet offerings, and CBS launched one in October. Those are limited in live sports, though, given that ESPN has rights to many of the leading leagues.

The Dish offering, dubbed Sling TV, will launch in a few weeks and also include channels from Disney, Scripps and Time Warner's Turner. About 20 channels will be available, such as the Disney Channel, ABC Family, the Food Network, HGTV, the Travel Channel, TNT, TBS and the Cartoon Network. Sling TV is not to be confused with the SlingTV device that allows viewers to watch TV remotely. Sling Media, the maker of that device, is owned by EchoStar Corp., which was spun off from Dish in 2008.

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The $20 price for Dish's basic package will be far cheaper than what people would pay for a cable or satellite. (Dish said its average monthly bill is about $85.) Dish says it keeps the Internet service cheap by excluding most over-the-air network channels, which can be costly for pay-TV providers as broadcasters demand higher fees. An Internet service also won't require special equipment, such as a satellite and receiver dishes. For those who want more than the basic channels, Dish will offer various add-ons for $5 each, including extra channels for sports and a package for kids.

[Braivo]

Well here is an interesting development.  It goes in the direction that I think we are ultimately headed.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2015-01-05/gadget-show-tv-channels-delivered-by-internet-new-tv-sets

That is a game changer right there.  Massive cord cutting ... but still left with the cable companies controlling the internet connections.  This will be interesting.  Also, death of hundreds of useless cable channels as people move to this a la carte style of TV.