Yeah. I don't have any reason to buy cable TV. My location is about 70 miles away from any source of TV stations; so I invested a good deal of money on powered directional outdoor antenna (I paid $150). It works great!TomatoTomahto wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 2:00 pmI bought “ Digital HDTV Antenna - Includes Magnetic Base and Coaxial Cable - 50 Mile Range - Indoor or Outdoor” for $19 on Amazon. Works like a charm.
Verizon is ridiculous [Looking for alternatives]
Re: Verizon is ridiculous
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Re: Verizon is ridiculous [Looking for alternatives]
This is a great resource for picking an antenna: https://www.antennaweb.org/ . It’ll tell you (and show you on a map) exactly what stations are within range of your house, which type of antenna you need, and which direction to point your antenna (if it isn’t multi- directional).
Re: Verizon is ridiculous
Yup, I think I remember that with satellite too.
Re: Verizon is ridiculous
My floor was pretty close to $0.pizzy wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:32 pmTypically, cord cutting involves canceling your cable service and then replacing the entertainment lost with one or more (usually 2+) streaming services to replicate the cable company package.
Otherwise, yes, it’s very easy to cancel and not consume entertainment via television any longer.
So, the floor isn’t $0. You’ll still need internet and some form of entertainment package setup. (Most people)
Therefore, I feel you never save enough to jump through the hoops of cord cutting.
Had internet + cable TV + Netflix + Amazon Prime.
Cut the cord and now have internet + Netflix + Amazon Prime + free tier Peacock + local channels via antenna
All savings, very few hoops.
Re: Verizon is ridiculous
Isn’t what you pay for internet + Netflix + Amazon Prime your floor? How much is it?bluebolt wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 11:35 pmMy floor was pretty close to $0.pizzy wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:32 pmTypically, cord cutting involves canceling your cable service and then replacing the entertainment lost with one or more (usually 2+) streaming services to replicate the cable company package.
Otherwise, yes, it’s very easy to cancel and not consume entertainment via television any longer.
So, the floor isn’t $0. You’ll still need internet and some form of entertainment package setup. (Most people)
Therefore, I feel you never save enough to jump through the hoops of cord cutting.
Had internet + cable TV + Netflix + Amazon Prime.
Cut the cord and now have internet + Netflix + Amazon Prime + free tier Peacock + local channels via antenna
All savings, very few hoops.
Vanguard/Fidelity | 76% US Stock | 16% Int'l Stock | 8% Cash
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Re: Verizon is ridiculous
Good point! I forgot to mention that I upgraded my Verizon router to the g3100 and it made a huge difference in WiFi coverage and sped throughout my home.brianH wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 7:49 pmDid you make other changes like a new router?SmileyFace wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 7:04 pmI do actually. 200/200 was not adequate for us. Kids streaming games while oldest is on zoom calls for college while I am on zoom calls for work while spouse is streaming TV. When I upgraded to 1Gbps service all our problems went away.Escapevelocity wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 5:08 pm You don’t need gigabit. Ask your provider about 200/200. That’s what I have and it’s more than adequate
Zoom calls only use like 5Mbps max, and 4K video is max 25Mbps. 200Mbps with a high quality router and/or wired links should be very difficult to saturate with typical streaming/conferencing use.
Re: Verizon is ridiculous [Looking for alternatives]
I try, sometimes successfully, not to hijack threads with my own info, but since everyone else is doing it, I have a couple questions.
We're moving to an area where one provider has a monopoly on physical delivery to the home, their own fiber only. We currently pay an embarrassing amount for DirectTV's best package and Spectrum's 200 mbs internet with additional paid streaming services of Prime, Hulu, Netflix, plus other free streaming services. That's just over $300, with DirectTV at $230 because that's the only way I can watch my favorite baseball team on the east coast during the regular season ($30/mo less off season). No landline. We get a lot of storms that knock out the satellite, Spectrum TV service is not great, and neither is their internet service. DirectTV only offered 20 mbs. No fiber available.
The new provider at our new location, Home Telecom, offers up to gigabit internet but we would only sign up for their top tier package on TV and 300 mbs for the internet for $149 a month combined. Also looking for a more comprehensive streaming service. They charge monthly for their DVRs and we would need two. They are transitioning to cloud dvr for their TV package but we would need Firesticks to record streaming over Home Telecom's cloud dvr service.
Access to sports, mainly baseball is the big unknown as well as cloud recording. We've watched baseball at our daughter's house on her full price Hulu service which costs $60 a month. I'd prefer to avoid paying $300 a month combined in the future.
Any suggestions on how to get baseball games and record them on the east coast so we don't have to stay up until 1am? Home Telecom only offers MLB.com, which according to that service (I called) doesn't show every game. Anyone familiar with cloud recording? Are there DVRs that you can simply buy and record everything that comes across your TV, including streaming?
We're moving to an area where one provider has a monopoly on physical delivery to the home, their own fiber only. We currently pay an embarrassing amount for DirectTV's best package and Spectrum's 200 mbs internet with additional paid streaming services of Prime, Hulu, Netflix, plus other free streaming services. That's just over $300, with DirectTV at $230 because that's the only way I can watch my favorite baseball team on the east coast during the regular season ($30/mo less off season). No landline. We get a lot of storms that knock out the satellite, Spectrum TV service is not great, and neither is their internet service. DirectTV only offered 20 mbs. No fiber available.
The new provider at our new location, Home Telecom, offers up to gigabit internet but we would only sign up for their top tier package on TV and 300 mbs for the internet for $149 a month combined. Also looking for a more comprehensive streaming service. They charge monthly for their DVRs and we would need two. They are transitioning to cloud dvr for their TV package but we would need Firesticks to record streaming over Home Telecom's cloud dvr service.
Access to sports, mainly baseball is the big unknown as well as cloud recording. We've watched baseball at our daughter's house on her full price Hulu service which costs $60 a month. I'd prefer to avoid paying $300 a month combined in the future.
Any suggestions on how to get baseball games and record them on the east coast so we don't have to stay up until 1am? Home Telecom only offers MLB.com, which according to that service (I called) doesn't show every game. Anyone familiar with cloud recording? Are there DVRs that you can simply buy and record everything that comes across your TV, including streaming?
Re: Verizon is ridiculous [Looking for alternatives]
I pay $50/month for Optimum 1 gigabit. It's true 1 gigabit fibre directly to your home - right now over Wifi I'm getting 939 Mbps download and 944 Mbps upload. Verizon was twice the price and half the speed even though it was supposedly gigabit internet.
We change streaming services based on what we're watching. Optimum gave us 1 year of HBO Max free to switch, but other than that we're in and out of most other products. I'm a big F1 fan, so will sign up to some service to watch that based on what is cheaper. Disney+ for the kids and rest we're just in and out of.
I'd say we're at about $70/month most months, higher during F1 season.
Ported the landline years ago to Google Voice, my wife needs a land line to work from home so has a Google Voice office number setup on a Obihai box that works with our old cordless Panasonic phones exactly like a landline. Paid $70 for it in 2018 and our landline cost has been zero since.
We change streaming services based on what we're watching. Optimum gave us 1 year of HBO Max free to switch, but other than that we're in and out of most other products. I'm a big F1 fan, so will sign up to some service to watch that based on what is cheaper. Disney+ for the kids and rest we're just in and out of.
I'd say we're at about $70/month most months, higher during F1 season.
Ported the landline years ago to Google Voice, my wife needs a land line to work from home so has a Google Voice office number setup on a Obihai box that works with our old cordless Panasonic phones exactly like a landline. Paid $70 for it in 2018 and our landline cost has been zero since.
Re: Verizon is ridiculous
As noted elsewhere, something else must be responsible for the change. Video calls are >5Mbps. Streaming video is less than 25Mb - typically much less - more like 5-8Mb. Gaming uses almost no bandwidth while playing. In our house of 5 where we were all remote last year, game, have YTTV in every room, plus other streaming services, our peak sustained usage is never above 50Mbps - and usually much less.SmileyFace wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 7:04 pmI do actually. 200/200 was not adequate for us. Kids streaming games while oldest is on zoom calls for college while I am on zoom calls for work while spouse is streaming TV. When I upgraded to 1Gbps service all our problems went away.Escapevelocity wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 5:08 pmYou don’t need gigabit. Ask your provider about 200/200. That’s what I have and it’s more than adequateSmileyFace wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:54 pmGigabit internet in my area is $100 a month by itself.Escapevelocity wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:21 pm Sign up for internet only 39.99 a month all in. YouTube TV adds $65. Buy your own modem. Total cost per month $105 all in.
Re: Verizon is ridiculous [Looking for alternatives]
YouTubeTV with MLB.tv add-on. $65/month + $25/month in-season. Recording all of your teams games is a single button click and they’ll be available from any device.vested1 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 21, 2021 4:48 am I try, sometimes successfully, not to hijack threads with my own info, but since everyone else is doing it, I have a couple questions.
We're moving to an area where one provider has a monopoly on physical delivery to the home, their own fiber only. We currently pay an embarrassing amount for DirectTV's best package and Spectrum's 200 mbs internet with additional paid streaming services of Prime, Hulu, Netflix, plus other free streaming services. That's just over $300, with DirectTV at $230 because that's the only way I can watch my favorite baseball team on the east coast during the regular season ($30/mo less off season). No landline. We get a lot of storms that knock out the satellite, Spectrum TV service is not great, and neither is their internet service. DirectTV only offered 20 mbs. No fiber available.
The new provider at our new location, Home Telecom, offers up to gigabit internet but we would only sign up for their top tier package on TV and 300 mbs for the internet for $149 a month combined. Also looking for a more comprehensive streaming service. They charge monthly for their DVRs and we would need two. They are transitioning to cloud dvr for their TV package but we would need Firesticks to record streaming over Home Telecom's cloud dvr service.
Access to sports, mainly baseball is the big unknown as well as cloud recording. We've watched baseball at our daughter's house on her full price Hulu service which costs $60 a month. I'd prefer to avoid paying $300 a month combined in the future.
Any suggestions on how to get baseball games and record them on the east coast so we don't have to stay up until 1am? Home Telecom only offers MLB.com, which according to that service (I called) doesn't show every game. Anyone familiar with cloud recording? Are there DVRs that you can simply buy and record everything that comes across your TV, including streaming?
Re: Verizon is ridiculous [Looking for alternatives]
@Tom_T your pricing is pretty good - it will be hard to save much below what you are currently paying, but you should be able to avoid the yearly run-around by breaking your ISP’s bundle. YouTubeTV may be ‘the same price you are paying now’ but IMHO it’s not just about the price - I would never go back to cable tv because YTTV is so much better. Better interface. Better DVR. Adding an additional room is as simple as placing a streaming tv or device in the room and logging in or picking up any device even if you are away from home.
You should be able to get to somewhere between $100-150/month for internet plus YTTV depending on your local market.
You should be able to get to somewhere between $100-150/month for internet plus YTTV depending on your local market.
Re: Verizon is ridiculous [Looking for alternatives]
Excellent, thank you.onourway wrote: ↑Thu Oct 21, 2021 5:15 amYouTubeTV with MLB.tv add-on. $65/month + $25/month in-season. Recording all of your teams games is a single button click and they’ll be available from any device.vested1 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 21, 2021 4:48 am I try, sometimes successfully, not to hijack threads with my own info, but since everyone else is doing it, I have a couple questions.
We're moving to an area where one provider has a monopoly on physical delivery to the home, their own fiber only. We currently pay an embarrassing amount for DirectTV's best package and Spectrum's 200 mbs internet with additional paid streaming services of Prime, Hulu, Netflix, plus other free streaming services. That's just over $300, with DirectTV at $230 because that's the only way I can watch my favorite baseball team on the east coast during the regular season ($30/mo less off season). No landline. We get a lot of storms that knock out the satellite, Spectrum TV service is not great, and neither is their internet service. DirectTV only offered 20 mbs. No fiber available.
The new provider at our new location, Home Telecom, offers up to gigabit internet but we would only sign up for their top tier package on TV and 300 mbs for the internet for $149 a month combined. Also looking for a more comprehensive streaming service. They charge monthly for their DVRs and we would need two. They are transitioning to cloud dvr for their TV package but we would need Firesticks to record streaming over Home Telecom's cloud dvr service.
Access to sports, mainly baseball is the big unknown as well as cloud recording. We've watched baseball at our daughter's house on her full price Hulu service which costs $60 a month. I'd prefer to avoid paying $300 a month combined in the future.
Any suggestions on how to get baseball games and record them on the east coast so we don't have to stay up until 1am? Home Telecom only offers MLB.com, which according to that service (I called) doesn't show every game. Anyone familiar with cloud recording? Are there DVRs that you can simply buy and record everything that comes across your TV, including streaming?
- SmileyFace
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Re: Verizon is ridiculous
Sustained bandwidth might be 50Mbps or less but microbursts happen causing latency and jitter which I don't see at 1 Gbps. If you are happy with 200/200 service that's great. I wasn't (and most of my connections are wired not wireless - so can't blame wireless) - put a packet analyzer inline and could see the microbursts and subsequent retransmissions (I don't want to be that guy on conference calls with the jiitery video; don't want my 4K TV to stop and buffer, etc).onourway wrote: ↑Thu Oct 21, 2021 5:11 amAs noted elsewhere, something else must be responsible for the change. Video calls are >5Mbps. Streaming video is less than 25Mb - typically much less - more like 5-8Mb. Gaming uses almost no bandwidth while playing. In our house of 5 where we were all remote last year, game, have YTTV in every room, plus other streaming services, our peak sustained usage is never above 50Mbps - and usually much less.SmileyFace wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 7:04 pmI do actually. 200/200 was not adequate for us. Kids streaming games while oldest is on zoom calls for college while I am on zoom calls for work while spouse is streaming TV. When I upgraded to 1Gbps service all our problems went away.Escapevelocity wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 5:08 pmYou don’t need gigabit. Ask your provider about 200/200. That’s what I have and it’s more than adequateSmileyFace wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:54 pmGigabit internet in my area is $100 a month by itself.Escapevelocity wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:21 pm Sign up for internet only 39.99 a month all in. YouTube TV adds $65. Buy your own modem. Total cost per month $105 all in.
Re: Verizon is ridiculous [Looking for alternatives]
Why don't you use the millennial set up: cheap internet + Netflix?
- TomatoTomahto
- Posts: 17158
- Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 1:48 pm
Re: Verizon is ridiculous [Looking for alternatives]
Now that these other Gigabit providers are showing up, I assume that they also don’t require using the ISP modem/router. We have Eero mesh Wi-Fi and plug the Ethernet cable directly into Eero without bothering with any additional rented (or purchased) hardware.
You probably know about Ethernet directly into your Wi-Fi Router, but I think many consumers might not realize it’s an unnecessary expense.
I’m surprised that your Fios was half speed; ours wasn’t true Gig either but close enough not to care.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
Re: Verizon is ridiculous
Internet is $40. Netflix is free with my mobile plan, and I'd be paying for Amazon Prime anyway.pizzy wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 11:38 pmIsn’t what you pay for internet + Netflix + Amazon Prime your floor? How much is it?