Who still has cable?

How do you watch TV


  • Total voters
    142
  • Poll closed .

Dman374

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
56
We use HULU Live plus (No Ads). It is $99.99 a month. Comes with ESPN+ and Disney+ no ads.
We also have:
Paramount+
Netflix
HBO MAX ( Comes with our AT&T Fiber Internet)
Amazon Prime Video ( Come with Amazon Prime)

Hulu has been fine. My only issue is they advertise "Hulu has live sports". This is BS. No streaming service has live sports. They carry 45 second delay sports. I have signed a class action lawsuit against Hulu due to false advertising of their product. My ESPN app will update the score way ahead of what HULU provides. Any game I watch it is usually 45 seconds to a full minute behind. This can be infuriating when you get a notification on your phone that GT scored a TD and you still see them on the 40 yard line and that TD doesn't happen for 2 more plays on your TV.
I have checked about it being my internet speed and used different devices. None matter. My download speeds are anywhere from 650mbps to 975mbps download and 400mbps to 650mbps upload with 0% latency. It is squarely on HULU. I have heard and seen many complain the same issue with Youtube TV as well.

We are likely going back to cable due to this. It drives me up the freaking wall. Especially as an avid live sports bettor. The live odds are not the game I am watching so it is hard to even attempt to live bet a game because of the delay.


My advice is stick with satellite or cable. Streaming is perfect if you don't want to watch LIVE sports. I got HULU because of the live sports option
Fact check me, but try an Antenna direct to the TV for the main ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX games. Every single place I've used an antenna it always picked up the coverage before cable/satellite/streaming. And I have to preface use ATSC 1.0, not the new ATSC 3.0 tuner because it's garbage. (I bought a tuner and returned due to DRM issue). I don't know if this is true, but I was told the antenna will always be faster than any cable/satellite/streaming because they are rebroadcasting your local network. Apparently the time it takes them to send the local rebroadcast is longer than the airwave travel time it takes to get to your home.
 

cpf2001

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,196
No cable, sometimes youtubetv.

Cable is more convenient for a couple of reasons (delay and time to change channels) but YouTubeTV is doing more and more with multi-view which helps with the latter. Nobody is really doing anything about the delay which sucks but I know firsthand would be a very expensive problem to solve, and as more and more people are delayed it’s more like nobody is delayed anyway. ;)

ATT fiber for me is both faster and cheaper than cable internet so that’s one reason; the other is that the less I have to deal with cable customer service to cancel or reconnect, the better. And I don’t want to have to put more boxes in more places than I already have.

Eventually I’m sure some of the streamers will get more annoying to deal with, but the lack of physical monopoly on access hopefully keeps that away for a long time.
 

L41k18

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
177
We use HULU Live plus (No Ads). It is $99.99 a month. Comes with ESPN+ and Disney+ no ads.
We also have:
Paramount+
Netflix
HBO MAX ( Comes with our AT&T Fiber Internet)
Amazon Prime Video ( Come with Amazon Prime)

Hulu has been fine. My only issue is they advertise "Hulu has live sports". This is BS. No streaming service has live sports. They carry 45 second delay sports. I have signed a class action lawsuit against Hulu due to false advertising of their product. My ESPN app will update the score way ahead of what HULU provides. Any game I watch it is usually 45 seconds to a full minute behind. This can be infuriating when you get a notification on your phone that GT scored a TD and you still see them on the 40 yard line and that TD doesn't happen for 2 more plays on your TV.
I have checked about it being my internet speed and used different devices. None matter. My download speeds are anywhere from 650mbps to 975mbps download and 400mbps to 650mbps upload with 0% latency. It is squarely on HULU. I have heard and seen many complain the same issue with Youtube TV as well.

We are likely going back to cable due to this. It drives me up the freaking wall. Especially as an avid live sports bettor. The live odds are not the game I am watching so it is hard to even attempt to live bet a game because of the delay.


My advice is stick with satellite or cable. Streaming is perfect if you don't want to watch LIVE sports. I got HULU because of the live sports option

You're seriously that mad about 45 seconds?
For real?
Why does it make any difference?

We have Hulu Live TV and I love it. $89.99/mth.
 

MWBATL

Helluva Engineer
Messages
6,489
I cut off the cable because of their high costs and limited access to some things I really wanted to see. But mostly it was a cost issue for us. Since then, I have been using DirectV at about $105 per month. I get Disney+ and Amazon Prime as parts of other packages I purchase anyway. My internet is via Verizon at $40 per month. So, overall, I am content even though the lagging with streaming is QUITE annoying. I also added Hulu to avoid having to train my wife on different remotes for different TV's. (It was well worth the cost to avoid that quagmire!) My experience though is that Hulu doesn't really work all that wekl unless you get their Ultra equipment. No monthly fee, but a one time up front fee. The Ultra can be found for $80 when it goes on sale (it's usually $100).

I do think occasionally about going back to Comcast (which is the only cable service where I live), but by the time we get 3 cable boxes for our 3 TV's etc etc, it is well into the $250 a month range...that doesn't work well for me.

I have a second home in a different state where I do use Spectrum for internet only. It's $105 a month these days, and I am seriosuly thinking abput making the switch to Verizon for that account IF it would work there (it's a pretty rural area).
 

GTHomer

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
916
I do think occasionally about going back to Comcast (which is the only cable service where I live), but by the time we get 3 cable boxes for our 3 TV's etc etc, it is well into the $250 a month range...that doesn't work well for me.

For consideration, if you use Smart TVs, you can download the Xfinity app on them and watch TV programs that way. I think that you would only need 1 box (DVR so that we can record from any device) in this case. I was able to eliminate my adapters (and monthly fees) when I did this.
 

LongforDodd

LatinxBreakfastTacos
Messages
3,165
When we (BellSouth) started installing fiber out into the suburbs, we had a plan called Fiber to the Curb. That was supposed to do away with that requirement that you be close to the switch box. There is also a feature (requirement) in the 1934 Telecommunications Act that required the phone companies to grandfather in outdated technology as long as customers were using it. There could still be customers out there using rotary dial phones. Until I cut my land line a few years ago I still had a Princess phone I could plug in during storms if the power went out. I guess the CO still sends out that 24 volt surge to ring those phones.

Don't move and you will likely be able to keep Uverse.
So that 6 ft cube near my house is called a switch box? We've been 99.9% pleased with our uverse and internet where we live ITP
 

UgaBlows

Helluva Engineer
Messages
6,754
I had U-verse when it first came out (trial customer). Worked well for me, but it was a dead man walking as soon as ATT bought DirecTV. Then I got a multi-year deal for DirecTV from Costco.

Of course, ATT finally realized that they wasted their money buying DirecTV just as streaming was taking off, so they spun it off. Full disclosure, I am a retired ATT employee, and think a lot of their senior management decisions have been head-scratchers.
Randall Stephenson is a damn fool
 

MusicalBuzz

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
226
You're seriously that mad about 45 seconds?
For real?
Why does it make any difference?

We have Hulu Live TV and I love it. $89.99/mth.
$90 a month! 😲Seriously? You’re paying that? On top of your Internet bill?? Seriously, the fallacy of not-cable is that it’s cheaper — but it’s only so if you’re paying for a few select services. Cut-the-cord has been an effective slogan (also: I hate Clark Howard). But your cable provider and bundling services is the best way to go if you’re paying this much. (and I don’t say this just because I work for a service provider.. it just is). Go back to your local cable provider and support your neighbors working in your community.
 

cpf2001

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,196
I just checked my local cable co and the cheapest internet (300 down) and cheapest TV that had RSNs was over $150 “for 12 months” with no clear disclosure of what it would be after that intro rate. Oh and add another $7 for the sports plan with the ACC network.

My internet + YouTube TV is a good thirty or forty less. Even that $90 Hulu plus Live plan would be less than $157 for me.
 

L41k18

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
177
$90 a month! 😲Seriously? You’re paying that? On top of your Internet bill?? Seriously, the fallacy of not-cable is that it’s cheaper — but it’s only so if you’re paying for a few select services. Cut-the-cord has been an effective slogan (also: I hate Clark Howard). But your cable provider and bundling services is the best way to go if you’re paying this much. (and I don’t say this just because I work for a service provider.. it just is). Go back to your local cable provider and support your neighbors working in your community.

Customer service for cable companies are the absolute worst. I hate it for you that cable is dying as you seem to have some sort of stake in that industry.
 
Last edited:

orientalnc

Helluva Engineer
Retired Staff
Messages
9,846
Location
Oriental, NC
$90 a month! 😲Seriously? You’re paying that? On top of your Internet bill?? Seriously, the fallacy of not-cable is that it’s cheaper — but it’s only so if you’re paying for a few select services. Cut-the-cord has been an effective slogan (also: I hate Clark Howard). But your cable provider and bundling services is the best way to go if you’re paying this much. (and I don’t say this just because I work for a service provider.. it just is). Go back to your local cable provider and support your neighbors working in your community.
My local cable provider has offered me deep discounts to "try" their service, but I have so far declined. We use the internet for a lot more than TV so I do not include the cost in my TV package. We have the basic YouTube TV bundle, which includes all of ESPN except ESPN+ and all our local channels including PBS. I have CNN, Fox, MSNBC, and slew of stuff I never watch. We have the base plan at 72.99 per month, no contract, and I can turn it off and on any time I wish while we are traveling. I have unlimited DVR. I have it set up to record every NCAA basketball game in addition to a separate folder for GT basketball. I can watch games from the beginning, key plays, live, or from the point I last watched. The recording is available for 9 months. Spectrum can't beat that.

I do not have Bally or CW, so I miss a few games.
 

UgaBlows

Helluva Engineer
Messages
6,754
My local cable provider has offered me deep discounts to "try" their service, but I have so far declined. We use the internet for a lot more than TV so I do not include the cost in my TV package. We have the basic YouTube TV bundle, which includes all of ESPN except ESPN+ and all our local channels including PBS. I have CNN, Fox, MSNBC, and slew of stuff I never watch. We have the base plan at 72.99 per month, no contract, and I can turn it off and on any time I wish while we are traveling. I have unlimited DVR. I have it set up to record every NCAA basketball game in addition to a separate folder for GT basketball. I can watch games from the beginning, key plays, live, or from the point I last watched. The recording is available for 9 months. Spectrum can't beat that.

I do not have Bally or CW, so I miss a few games.
You could have all that plus the CW at about the same price with youtubetv
 

Bogey

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,659
I have YouTube TV for $72.99 and T-Mobile home internet for $50. I hate cable companies and consider AT&T's billing practices to be faudulent based on my experience with them and during their ownership of DirecTV.
 

GT05

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
274
I’m trying to get out of a dish deal. Dish tv we added late last year, never mentioned a contract of any kind. They do not have abc for reasons unknown we were not told that. I called to tell them we were not getting what we were told, all local channels, they said they’d reach an agreement with abc in the next few months that’s been 3 months ago. Channels get added and my bill goes up without me adding anything.

They say I’ll be charged $20 a month for length of contract if I cancel. Ridiculous
And never again
 

boger2337

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,435
$90 a month! 😲Seriously? You’re paying that? On top of your Internet bill?? Seriously, the fallacy of not-cable is that it’s cheaper — but it’s only so if you’re paying for a few select services. Cut-the-cord has been an effective slogan (also: I hate Clark Howard). But your cable provider and bundling services is the best way to go if you’re paying this much. (and I don’t say this just because I work for a service provider.. it just is). Go back to your local cable provider and support your neighbors working in your community.
Not even close. Comcast quoted me at $250 for equal internet and tv channels. Direct TV was $220. I'm paying $90 for Gig internet that includes HBO Max, and paying $100 for Hulu but that comes with Disney+ and ESPN+.

I would subscribe to HBO, Disney and ESPN+ on their own. If I bought HBO Max, Disney+ and ESPN+ on their own I would be paying an additional $40 a month.

Price of living is just higher. I don't switch to Youtube TV because I would ultimately pay more by losing Disney+ and ESPN+.

My mom is still paying $218 for 300mbps internet and their 2nd lowest TV option. It's insane.

The only reason I would go back to cable is due to it's actually LIVE TV not 1 minute delayed TV.
 

boger2337

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,435
$90 a month! 😲Seriously? You’re paying that? On top of your Internet bill?? Seriously, the fallacy of not-cable is that it’s cheaper — but it’s only so if you’re paying for a few select services. Cut-the-cord has been an effective slogan (also: I hate Clark Howard). But your cable provider and bundling services is the best way to go if you’re paying this much. (and I don’t say this just because I work for a service provider.. it just is). Go back to your local cable provider and support your neighbors working in your community.
ALSO

You have to pay per box each month. We have 5 TVs. So That alone would be an additional $40 bucks with the cable/satellite company. They just nickel and dime you too much.
 

boger2337

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,435
You're seriously that mad about 45 seconds?
For real?
Why does it make any difference?

We have Hulu Live TV and I love it. $89.99/mth.
Oh I am PISSED about 45 seconds.

Like I said, I am paying for LIVE sports. I should be seeing the play happen same time as the people in the stands are seeing it, or at worst 1-2 second delay. It's 2024... This should be easy.

I did mention I am an avid sports bettor. Live betting in particular. Short of being their in person, I need to see the game as current as possible to have any edge.

ALSO it makes a difference when I am watching the damn superbowl and my phones tells me a team scored before the TV even shows it. That defeats the purpose of even watching.
 

roadkill

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,791
Not even close. Comcast quoted me at $250 for equal internet and tv channels. Direct TV was $220. I'm paying $90 for Gig internet that includes HBO Max, and paying $100 for Hulu but that comes with Disney+ and ESPN+.

I would subscribe to HBO, Disney and ESPN+ on their own. If I bought HBO Max, Disney+ and ESPN+ on their own I would be paying an additional $40 a month.

Price of living is just higher. I don't switch to Youtube TV because I would ultimately pay more by losing Disney+ and ESPN+.

My mom is still paying $218 for 300mbps internet and their 2nd lowest TV option. It's insane.

The only reason I would go back to cable is due to it's actually LIVE TV not 1 minute delayed TV.
Your arrangement isn't a bad deal for what you are getting. I'm thinking of going this route as well since my DirecTV has been seeing regular price increases of late. How many GT games are on ESPN+?

As FYI, I pay only $65 for ATT 1gig fiber, after a $5 increase last Aug. It's not a limited-term "teaser" deal. Includes HBO Max (or is that from my formerly bundled DirecTV sub? Not sure)

Also, DirecTV only requires one box per household - the rest is distributed via cable, assuming your home is prewired. Not sure about Comcast.
 
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