I am tired of paying nearly $200 a month for basic cable and internet. What are some of the alternatives you techy types have tried and would recommend? Firestick sounds like a good idea. Anyone tried it? How about internet options? Thanks in advance.

my setup which I absolutely love and would recommend.

- Fios gigabit internet ($85 monthly)
- AppleTV 4K ($175 one time cost)
- Hulu + Live TV ($51 monthly)
- ESPN+ ($50 annually)
- HBO Now ($15 monthly)
- Netflix (free from T-mobile)

All breaks down to about a $155 a month bill. But I get more content than I know what to do with and don’t have any junk cable boxes.

Living in NOVA, my biggest issue is if I drop FIOS cable, how do I get MASN?

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Hulu Live is pretty good. We have low tier FIOS internet and have zero issues streaming.

(09-21-2019 05:44 AM)dukes5 Wrote:  Living in NOVA, my biggest issue is if I drop FIOS cable, how do I get MASN?

Sent from my FRD-L14 using CSNbbs mobile app

That’s the one channel I wouldn’t be able to get with any of these cord cutting options. I’m realizing though that I don’t REALLY watch Nats games enough to miss it too much and even if JMU games air on MASN, you can usually get them on madizone or Flo Sports.

If you have to have nats games, sometimes ESPN+ will pick up a MASN game and there’s always MLB.TV. I think that might be $40/season if you get a single team access.

There’s also free MLB YouTube condensed game highlights of every game posted within 24 hours. That seems to satisfy my MLB missed games enough and further drives that I don’t really need MASN.

(09-21-2019 05:32 AM)jmu007 Wrote:  my setup which I absolutely love and would recommend.

- Fios gigabit internet ($85 monthly)
- AppleTV 4K ($175 one time cost)
- Hulu + Live TV ($51 monthly)
- ESPN+ ($50 annually)
- HBO Now ($15 monthly)
- Netflix (free from T-mobile)

All breaks down to about a $155 a month bill. But I get more content than I know what to do with and don’t have any junk cable boxes.

I’m guessing you’re going to look into that Disney, Hulu and espn combo package when it comes out? I’m curious how it’ll impact the Hulu live tv customers. I think it’s only for regular Hulu.

(09-21-2019 08:04 AM)Potomac Wrote:  

(09-21-2019 05:32 AM)jmu007 Wrote:  my setup which I absolutely love and would recommend.

- Fios gigabit internet ($85 monthly)
- AppleTV 4K ($175 one time cost)
- Hulu + Live TV ($51 monthly)
- ESPN+ ($50 annually)
- HBO Now ($15 monthly)
- Netflix (free from T-mobile)

All breaks down to about a $155 a month bill. But I get more content than I know what to do with and don’t have any junk cable boxes.

I’m guessing you’re going to look into that Disney, Hulu and espn combo package when it comes out? I’m curious how it’ll impact the Hulu live tv customers. I think it’s only for regular Hulu.

I’m very interested in how that plays out. I’ll be sure to follow up here once that goes live in November. Disney+ is going to save me soooooo much $$$ with a 6 month old in the house. Much rather pay monthly vs buying 50 movies haha.

(09-21-2019 08:14 AM)jmu007 Wrote:  

(09-21-2019 08:04 AM)Potomac Wrote:  

(09-21-2019 05:32 AM)jmu007 Wrote:  my setup which I absolutely love and would recommend.

- Fios gigabit internet ($85 monthly)
- AppleTV 4K ($175 one time cost)
- Hulu + Live TV ($51 monthly)
- ESPN+ ($50 annually)
- HBO Now ($15 monthly)
- Netflix (free from T-mobile)

All breaks down to about a $155 a month bill. But I get more content than I know what to do with and don’t have any junk cable boxes.

I’m guessing you’re going to look into that Disney, Hulu and espn combo package when it comes out? I’m curious how it’ll impact the Hulu live tv customers. I think it’s only for regular Hulu.

I’m very interested in how that plays out. I’ll be sure to follow up here once that goes live in November. Disney+ is going to save me soooooo much $$$ with a 6 month old in the house. Much rather pay monthly vs buying 50 movies haha.

Yeah it’ll be a game changer if it is as advertised. Every Disney movie all time available streaming. 100% worth it with kids. Marvel, Star Wars, Lucas film and the Disney channel content too. If they give all of that, that’s a steal and Netflix has their work cut out for them.

Comcast customer?

Start by calling comcast, say "cancel service", and when you get a rep tell them you're cancelling because your bill is way too high for basic services. They'll probably find you a 12-month bundle rate with better channel line ups for $99/month. Get em to include DVR or HD. I think our bill is around 130 with the add ons we have. When the plan expires and your bill goes up, you call and repeat. The number of people that simply pay it because the bill went up without contesting the charges has got to be astronomical.

How HD TV is still an "add on" for Comcast in 2019 is astounding.

Verizon Fios Internet: $57 monthly
DirecTV Now / AT&T Now: $50 monthly - I was grandfathered into one of the DirecTV Now options which is a package that is no longer offered. I get ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, and NBCSN)
Netflix: Plead the fifth
ESPN+: Free trial as of this past Saturday

Reddit covers most everything else I care to watch (out of network NFL games)

Have an Apple TV and a Roku, both I got for free via DirecTV now promotions a couple years ago.

(09-21-2019 07:50 AM)Potomac Wrote:  

(09-21-2019 05:44 AM)dukes5 Wrote:  Living in NOVA, my biggest issue is if I drop FIOS cable, how do I get MASN?

Sent from my FRD-L14 using CSNbbs mobile app

That’s the one channel I wouldn’t be able to get with any of these cord cutting options. I’m realizing though that I don’t REALLY watch Nats games enough to miss it too much and even if JMU games air on MASN, you can usually get them on madizone or Flo Sports.

If you have to have nats games, sometimes ESPN+ will pick up a MASN game and there’s always MLB.TV. I think that might be $40/season if you get a single team access.

There’s also free MLB YouTube condensed game highlights of every game posted within 24 hours. That seems to satisfy my MLB missed games enough and further drives that I don’t really need MASN.

MLB.TV blacks you out in-market, though

I have a Roku Ultra (for 4k) and can definitely recommend Roku also. I got mine for $50 on Cyber Monday...I think they're usually around $75. I think they're about to release a new version also.

Sharing my parent's ESPN account through Comcast for now, but I have a feeling they'll be dropping that soon. At that point, we'll probably get YoutubeTV, since we could return the favor and share that with them and it has everything necessary - and a much better ESPN selection than the standard xfinity.

With a 5-month old I'm pissed that I was lazy and procrastinated too long for the 3-year for the price of 2 bundle deal they had until Labor Day. Either way, I'm sure we'll probably get that at some point. The catalog of movies alone is worth it, especially considering it's half the price of Netflix.

(09-23-2019 08:05 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  Comcast customer?

Start by calling comcast, say "cancel service", and when you get a rep tell them you're cancelling because your bill is way too high for basic services. They'll probably find you a 12-month bundle rate with better channel line ups for $99/month. Get em to include DVR or HD. I think our bill is around 130 with the add ons we have. When the plan expires and your bill goes up, you call and repeat. The number of people that simply pay it because the bill went up without contesting the charges has got to be astronomical.

How HD TV is still an "add on" for Comcast in 2019 is astounding.

A customer shouldn't have to call every 2 years and give **** to an underpaid customer service rep in another country just because they love to nickle and dime you for EVERYTHING.

You should just pay a standard rate, know it's the fairest rate everyone pays. Then you forget about it for 20 years.

(09-23-2019 10:39 AM)Potomac Wrote:  

(09-23-2019 08:05 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  Comcast customer?

Start by calling comcast, say "cancel service", and when you get a rep tell them you're cancelling because your bill is way too high for basic services. They'll probably find you a 12-month bundle rate with better channel line ups for $99/month. Get em to include DVR or HD. I think our bill is around 130 with the add ons we have. When the plan expires and your bill goes up, you call and repeat. The number of people that simply pay it because the bill went up without contesting the charges has got to be astronomical.

How HD TV is still an "add on" for Comcast in 2019 is astounding.

A customer shouldn't have to call every 2 years and give **** to an underpaid customer service rep in another country just because they love to nickle and dime you for EVERYTHING.

You should just pay a standard rate, know it's the fairest rate everyone pays. Then you forget about it for 20 years.

hell of a concept isn't it

My question for the various "live" streaming services (Hulu, DirecTV Now, etc.), what is the limit for number of simultaneous users you can have? If i want to watch something in one room, can my wife also use the service to stream something else on a different TV?

(09-23-2019 08:05 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  Comcast customer?

Start by calling comcast, say "cancel service", and when you get a rep tell them you're cancelling because your bill is way too high for basic services. They'll probably find you a 12-month bundle rate with better channel line ups for $99/month. Get em to include DVR or HD. I think our bill is around 130 with the add ons we have. When the plan expires and your bill goes up, you call and repeat. The number of people that simply pay it because the bill went up without contesting the charges has got to be astronomical.

How HD TV is still an "add on" for Comcast in 2019 is astounding.

No, I have Spectrum, but I think they are merged with Comcast now.

That's a great idea. I will try it.

(09-23-2019 03:18 PM)lingerba Wrote:  My question for the various "live" streaming services (Hulu, DirecTV Now, etc.), what is the limit for number of simultaneous users you can have? If i want to watch something in one room, can my wife also use the service to stream something else on a different TV?

Most allow 3-4 streams simultaneously. However, most also require you to be watching at your home location. What I like about YoutubeTV is that it's not bound my an IP address or location and you still get 3 simultaneous streams. However, most things can be watched on dedicated apps for the channel now anyway, so that should increase the flexibility as far as location and simultaneous streams (just not always for live tv).

(09-23-2019 10:22 PM)jmufan2008 Wrote:  

(09-23-2019 03:18 PM)lingerba Wrote:  My question for the various "live" streaming services (Hulu, DirecTV Now, etc.), what is the limit for number of simultaneous users you can have? If i want to watch something in one room, can my wife also use the service to stream something else on a different TV?

Most allow 3-4 streams simultaneously. However, most also require you to be watching at your home location. What I like about YoutubeTV is that it's not bound my an IP address or location and you still get 3 simultaneous streams. However, most things can be watched on dedicated apps for the channel now anyway, so that should increase the flexibility as far as location and simultaneous streams (just not always for live tv).

AT&T Now is only 2 streams but you can pay $5 for another stream. I've been logged in from several different states at the same time as my wife back at home.

(09-23-2019 03:18 PM)lingerba Wrote:  My question for the various "live" streaming services (Hulu, DirecTV Now, etc.), what is the limit for number of simultaneous users you can have? If i want to watch something in one room, can my wife also use the service to stream something else on a different TV?

I use Youtube TV. $49.99 up to 6 simultaneous users. I have tried DirecTV Now and Sony Vue. So far I feel YouTube TV has been the best for the price.

(09-23-2019 03:18 PM)lingerba Wrote:  My question for the various "live" streaming services (Hulu, DirecTV Now, etc.), what is the limit for number of simultaneous users you can have? If i want to watch something in one room, can my wife also use the service to stream something else on a different TV?

Yes....at least on Hulu. Did it last night for about the first 14 Bears points, then turned it off in disgust.