|
|
04-23-2019, 10:07 AM | #1 |
Free Thinker
16902
Rep 7,455
Posts |
Entertainment center gurus...need advice
Hey Folks,
I'm dumping DirecTV because it costs us just shy of $160/mo and we rarely watch TV. Wifey watches The Voice on NBC a couple nights a week and we sometimes catch a series on PBS. Otherwise we watch movies and baseball on my Apple TV. We have internet through the local cable company, so today I added the basic package of local networks, which comes in unscrambled and needs no set top box. The cable company charges $10.95/mo per box and $14.95 for DVR service if I want to record shows. I'm sure I can buy something to record TV shows for far less than a year's worth of rental/service fees from the cable company. Thing is, every time I search for a DVR, I get hits for a pricey system to record from security cameras. That's not what I want. I just want to be able to record the occasional TV show. I'd rather not have to pay any monthly fees for a service. Can one of you entertainment center gurus recommend a good TIVO-like device? Are there such things as recording devices that are also tuners? Something I can run a coax to and then use HDMI to the TV? Current DirecTV/cable internet cost is $230/mo. The plan outlined above will be $113/mo. Pretty good savings there, so I don't mind spending a bit for a good tuner/recorder if one exists. Thanks for any suggestions.
__________________
|
04-23-2019, 11:35 AM | #2 |
"Salud"
13837
Rep 4,675
Posts
Drives: F01 & F15 / Mineral White
Join Date: May 2013
Location: The GYM! (The Burbs - N TX)
|
I'm still a diehard DIRECTV guy! Having young kiddos and even myself have a large variety of viewing habits makes it hard to cut the cable. But I'm exploring options every so often. If I come up with a viable solution, I'll report back...
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-23-2019, 11:36 AM | #3 |
"Salud"
13837
Rep 4,675
Posts
Drives: F01 & F15 / Mineral White
Join Date: May 2013
Location: The GYM! (The Burbs - N TX)
|
Trust me... If anyone needs to cut the cord, it's me!
I have a total of 6 DirecTV Receivers all of which have monthly fees! Plus I have a entertainment Pkg. |
Appreciate
0
|
04-23-2019, 12:02 PM | #4 | |
Captain
1041
Rep 654
Posts |
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-23-2019, 12:37 PM | #5 |
Loves me some MHD!
1858
Rep 1,719
Posts |
Search the phrase cable tv dvr
Lots of variations come up...
__________________
1and1
135i - E82.N54 2009 BSM - MHD / xHP / DCI, PR CP & 7.5" Race IC / N55 mid & Borla . . WL RSFI, Koni, Eibach & Dinan CP's, M3 CA's / EBC Red's & Firehawk 500's X1 - E84.N20 2013 MGM - JB4 - The Wife's, now with new turbo & ewg |
Appreciate
0
|
04-23-2019, 01:04 PM | #6 |
Free Thinker
16902
Rep 7,455
Posts |
Thanks, all. A quick stop at Best Buy squared me away. Grabbed a couple of Alura-tek tuners with recording options. At $50 each, it was a no-brainer. I didn't think it would be that easy. I can't believe the cable company charges $26 every month for the same capability.
Last edited by M_Six; 04-23-2019 at 04:05 PM.. |
Appreciate
0
|
04-24-2019, 01:54 AM | #7 |
2JZ-GTE
3038
Rep 3,992
Posts |
I have comcraptic. 100 meg down and every single channel they offer for about 180 A month with all the taxes and stuff.
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-24-2019, 08:27 AM | #8 | |
Guest
0
Rep n/a
Posts
Drives:
|
Quote:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/alurate...B&gclsrc=aw.ds I was gonna suggest trying to see if you could catch local channels over the air and then record them with something like this, but sounds like you found a good solution: https://smile.amazon.com/Fire-TV-Rec...gateway&sr=8-1 Report back with your thoughts after spending some time with it. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-24-2019, 10:21 AM | #9 | |
Free Thinker
16902
Rep 7,455
Posts |
Quote:
__________________
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-24-2019, 10:33 AM | #10 |
Major General
2452
Rep 7,341
Posts |
Altice here (formerly Optimum/Cablevision). $180/mo for phone/cable/internet at 300MB. No complaints. I only keep the phone for the home alarm system but I may ditch that and go with Nest and self-monitor. I am a die hard TiVo proponent so I only rent the very cheap cable cards. I also purchased my own cable modem so I'm not renting that either.
While most channels offer some type of programming via apple TV, they also require a cable subscription... so what's the damn point!? How do you cut the cable when cable is required?
__________________
The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Bimmerpost.
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee High Altitude Hemi | 2010 S4 Sold | 2010 BMW 135i Retired | 2006 Lotus Exige Sold |
Appreciate
0
|
04-24-2019, 11:10 AM | #11 |
Free Thinker
16902
Rep 7,455
Posts |
The pay apps we use on AppleTV are the MLB single team package, which would cost me the same no matter how I view it, and Netflix. Ditto for that. The other apps like NBC, PBS and Youtube are free. Oh, and Amazon Prime as well. There's also a cost to that, but it isn't TV specific.
__________________
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-24-2019, 12:22 PM | #12 |
Guest
0
Rep n/a
Posts
Drives:
|
Apple TV here too...$40/month for Fios 100/100 and another $50 for YouTube TV. No tax, no renting equipment, no non-sense technology fees, etc. Save well over $80/month compared to Comcast.
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-25-2019, 04:01 PM | #13 | |
Free Thinker
16902
Rep 7,455
Posts |
Quote:
__________________
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-25-2019, 06:57 PM | #14 |
Lieutenant General
9156
Rep 14,522
Posts |
no cable for me! always used Netflix and Hulu
__________________
~F90Conversion~21"3Piece Forged AvantGardeWheels~KWV1Coilovers~CQUENCE slotted/drilled rotors~GoodridgeStainlesslines~MeisterschaftQuadEx haust~Akrapovic 4"tips~VRSF DP~VRSF CP~TurboSmart BOV~K&N filter~CarbonFiberExteriorComponents~GladenAlphaCo mponents~MatchUp7BMW~Punch P300-12T~ Follow me on Instagram: lsturbointeg |
Appreciate
0
|
04-25-2019, 07:27 PM | #15 |
Primo Generalissimo
4672
Rep 4,022
Posts
Drives: All of them
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: DC area
iTrader: (0)
Garage List 2017 Porsche 911 Ca ... [10.00]
2023 BMW M2 [9.00] 2023 Porsche Macan GTS [10.00] 2022 Ford F-250 Tremor [8.50] |
I am using PlayStation Vue and feel like the price point is decent for what you get. Adding Netflix and Amazon Prime Video and I have way more than I can watch and spend a good bit less than I did with cable.
And I just recently splurged on the Motor Trend app....just seeing if I like it and so far I do. |
04-25-2019, 11:46 PM | #16 | |
First Lieutenant
90
Rep 333
Posts |
Quote:
Depending on where you live an antenna is the way to go. Those boxes you got will work for that too. Why pay cable company for something that is free already? Use that savings to donate to local PBS and get the Passport app. Be Leary of the cheap units. Storage is usually limited and reliability is questionable. Even the cable company cheap boxes are junk, we keep 3-4 spare on hand at work and are constantly having to swap them out. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-26-2019, 12:04 AM | #17 |
-
11817
Rep 23,187
Posts |
Can you come to my house and do this I'm a semi-functioning retard when it comes to this. If I could get all the sports I want wouldnt care about TV otherwise just watch movies and need internet wifi stuff.
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-26-2019, 12:12 AM | #18 |
First Lieutenant
90
Rep 333
Posts |
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-26-2019, 07:37 AM | #19 | |
Free Thinker
16902
Rep 7,455
Posts |
Quote:
What is the monthly Tivo fee for? I read their site and still don't get what it is that they offer for the charge. And I tried an antenna once and got nothing. We live in east central IL in the middle of vast cornfields. We're 50 miles from the nearest large town.
__________________
|
|
04-29-2019, 04:51 PM | #21 |
Primo Generalissimo
4672
Rep 4,022
Posts
Drives: All of them
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: DC area
iTrader: (0)
Garage List 2017 Porsche 911 Ca ... [10.00]
2023 BMW M2 [9.00] 2023 Porsche Macan GTS [10.00] 2022 Ford F-250 Tremor [8.50] |
Just to add more to this. We watch more movies than anything plus binge on shows, so don't typically watch a weekly show unless there are several to watch in a row. We find it easier to remember what happened on previous episodes. Getting old sucks lol.
Anyway, the amount we've saved on cable, we have been able to get a decent Samsung 75" UHD HDR TV and Atmos 7.1.4 soundbar. We also save money on going to movies since we are very happy with our home setup. The only exception would be going to an IMAX movie like Avengers. But that's like once or twice a year. |
Appreciate
0
|
04-29-2019, 10:12 PM | #22 |
First Lieutenant
90
Rep 333
Posts |
|
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
|
|