Cord cutting revisited

[🏀]

So apparently we are not out of the cord cutting program...yet.  I noticed that I do not get CBS Sports Network with our TDS package so I decided to try a free Youtube TV trial for Wed night's game.  My wife has been unhappy that we don't get Turner Movie Classics with our TDS package and is now binge watching that on Youtube TV. 

So I did some (more) comparisons.  With Youtube TV we would pick up a ton of sports channels that we currently do not get and only lose Food Network and HGTV.  We can pick those two up via Philo if we desire.  So YouTube is $40, Philo is $16 (maybe), showtime addon is $7.  So now just need to find reliable internet for around $50 and we could switch and not be out any money per month (maybe even save some if we do not add Philo) and get better sports options with unlimited online DVR capability.  Right now we are at about $125 per month total.  We might be able to get that down to $100(ish). 

This is what I do. I only subscribe to Philo when a season we want to watch is complete. I think we will have it 7 months this year due to not being able to binge as much.

[mu03eng]

So apparently we are not out of the cord cutting program...yet.  I noticed that I do not get CBS Sports Network with our TDS package so I decided to try a free Youtube TV trial for Wed night's game.  My wife has been unhappy that we don't get Turner Movie Classics with our TDS package and is now binge watching that on Youtube TV. 

So I did some (more) comparisons.  With Youtube TV we would pick up a ton of sports channels that we currently do not get and only lose Food Network and HGTV.  We can pick those two up via Philo if we desire.  So YouTube is $40, Philo is $16 (maybe), showtime addon is $7.  So now just need to find reliable internet for around $50 and we could switch and not be out any money per month (maybe even save some if we do not add Philo) and get better sports options with unlimited online DVR capability.  Right now we are at about $125 per month total.  We might be able to get that down to $100(ish).

Just make sure the internet you get is high speed. YouTube TV is awesome but seems to be a bandwidth hog

[SERocks]

Just make sure the internet you get is high speed. YouTube TV is awesome but seems to be a bandwidth hog

I would assume 100 Mpbs would be plenty?

[Herman Cain]

I haven't gone down the cord cutting path. I need ACC Network and Big Ten Network to watch the kids plus Fox News FS1 and all the other channels Big East teams are on. The Missus likes all her cooking and outdoor shows. So we just stick with it.

[mu03eng]

I would assume 100 Mpbs would be plenty?

That'll do

[mu_hilltopper]

Hmm .. the idea that YouTubeTV requires any different amount of bandwidth does not make sense.  A stream is a stream.   Youtube suggests 13 Mbps per stream for reliability on an HD stream. 

https://support.google.com/youtubetv/answer/7129766?hl=en

If you currently can watch Youtube videos without issue, you're likely not going to have any problems with YoutubeTV. 

It's also hard to make generalizations on internet stream quality, from region to region, home to home.   You could have a 25 meg fiber connection that has far less packet loss, latency, and jitter than a 300 meg coax cable connection.  (And vice versa, frankly.) 

So the best advice is .. figure how many HD streams you'd run simultaneously in your home, and multiply that by ~10, and that's your minimum.

In honesty, 100 megs is nice, but double what you really need.  (Source: networking is part of my job.)  -- Until 4 months ago, my household had 15 M service for a family of 4.  It was absolutely fine.

[🏀]

To echo topper, we only had 60 mbps when we went to YouTubeTV. I went max out the line, 4 TVs, daughter on iPad, wife on laptop and playing COD. Barely an issue. I only had to bump up to 100 mbps due to data limits.

[SERocks]

Thanks guys!

[Benny B]

I'm jealous.  When I cut the cord, I faithfully bought a Tivo and antenna.

My problem, I'm 2 miles from every local transmitter.  You'd think that'd be fantastic, but instead, it's awful.  I've tried 5 different antennas .. in a bunch of locations and orientations.  I've tried bare wires and paperclips.  Nothing gets me consistent signals of the 5 major channels.   Got tired of watching DVR'd stuff that was all jumbled.

So .. I gave up on the Tivo and watch all locals via streaming.

TV signals can bounce and reflect off trees, buildings, etc.  What probably happened is that you bought an omnidirectional antenna and because the signal was so strong you were picking up the main signal along with a reflected "ghost" signal, which the TV cannot process and clean up, resulting in a jumbled signal.

Put a sheet of wire mesh 1" behind the entire antenna on the side opposite the direction of the transmitter, and it will clear it right up.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

TV signals can bounce and reflect off trees, buildings, etc.  What probably happened is that you bought an omnidirectional antenna and because the signal was so strong you were picking up the main signal along with a reflected "ghost" signal, which the TV cannot process and clean up, resulting in a jumbled signal.

Put a sheet of wire mesh 1" behind the entire antenna on the side opposite the direction of the transmitter, and it will clear it right up.

Benny: is there anything he can't fix?  What a macgyver.

[barfolomew]

Benny: is there anything he can't fix?  What a macgyver.

Well, we haven't seen him weigh in on the torn meniscus thread, now have we?

[Dr. Blackheart]

Ban des guys^^^^^^^^^^^

[Jay Bee]

Benny: is there anything he can't fix?

Flying during a snowstorm.

[T-Bone]

The other option to resolve OTA broadcast issues is installing an in-line attenuator.  In urban areas, the signal can be "too strong" and essentially it cuts the strength without losing quality.  I bought a 3 pack of varying strengths and figured out which was the best fit for my situation.  (Bear in mind I am using a 10+ year old plasma TV, which may not have all that modern an HD tuner).

[4everwarriors]

Gettin' any ghosts on dat plasma, hey?

[Benny B]

Flying during a snowstorm.

I'm pretty content with my plane not getting off the ground this morning because odds are it would have returned to the ground at MSP about 500' earlier than expected.

Mystic wanted to charge me a fee inside the 24 hour cancellation deadline... fortunately, I fixed that too despite being the lowest roller of the bunch when I hit the tables there.

[T-Bone]

Gettin' any ghosts on dat plasma, hey?

Not really. I don't watch much of anything with a ticker at the bottom.

[Benny B]

The other option to resolve OTA broadcast issues is installing an in-line attenuator.  In urban areas, the signal can be "too strong" and essentially it cuts the strength without losing quality.  I bought a 3 pack of varying strengths and figured out which was the best fit for my situation.  (Bear in mind I am using a 10+ year old plasma TV, which may not have all that modern an HD tuner).

Does the plasma double as a space-heater in the winter?

[T-Bone]

You people are all anti-plasmaites.  It replaced a console TV with Hi-Fi in an oak cabinet. 

It really doesn't get hot. 
Ghosting is minimal - for a 10+ year old plasma, that's awesome.
Great picture despite being only 720p.  (honestly looks better than some 1080p LCD/LEDs I've seen).
It has excellent speakers. 
http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatvreviews/panasonic-th42px600u-review.html

It's the sh!t for 2006. 
(i should get a new tv, until then: get off my lawn)

[#UnleashSean]

You people are all anti-plasmaites.  It replaced a console TV with Hi-Fi in an oak cabinet. 

It really doesn't get hot. 
Ghosting is minimal - for a 10+ year old plasma, that's awesome.
Great picture despite being only 720p.  (honestly looks better than some 1080p LCD/LEDs I've seen).
It has excellent speakers. 
http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatvreviews/panasonic-th42px600u-review.html

It's the sh!t for 2006. 
(i should get a new tv, until then: get off my lawn)

If your still rocking a plasma, ya need to pickup a 400 dollar TV that weighs less and looks better buddy

[4everwarriors]

How's dat Betamax treatin' ya, hey?

[D'Lo Brown]

Not really. I don't watch much of anything with a ticker at the bottom.

Hah, besides MU games of course.

Seriously though, weren't the concerns over plasma seriously overblown, very early issues? I'm pretty sure you'd have to be a complete idiot and leave your TV on for days or weeks with the same image going, to experience any "ghosting" that would be more than a momentary annoyance.

I don't think the major reason they didn't catch on was how well they worked but more to do with weight. My parents still have one and I think it weighs 80 lbs. The still picture quality is great, and it is ideal for action/sports/fast-moving stuff. But the average person would struggle to mount one of these things on the wall, and surely most retailers would prefer to sell 55-65" TVs that weigh 25 lbs versus ones that weigh 150 lbs.

[T-Bone]

How's dat Betamax treatin' ya, hey?

Come on man, laser disc.

[Chili]

Hah, besides MU games of course.

Seriously though, weren't the concerns over plasma seriously overblown, very early issues? I'm pretty sure you'd have to be a complete idiot and leave your TV on for days or weeks with the same image going, to experience any "ghosting" that would be more than a momentary annoyance.

I don't think the major reason they didn't catch on was how well they worked but more to do with weight. My parents still have one and I think it weighs 80 lbs. The still picture quality is great, and it is ideal for action/sports/fast-moving stuff. But the average person would struggle to mount one of these things on the wall, and surely most retailers would prefer to sell 55-65" TVs that weigh 25 lbs versus ones that weigh 150 lbs.

It's weight and energy use. Once the EU banned the sale it sort of kills the market. I do miss my old Panasonic Plasma though the LG OLED helping me thru these troubled times.

[TallTitan34]

Switched from DirectTV to YouTubeTv and Philo at the recommendation of PTM.   I'm saving $120 a month.  Still get my local channels and regional sports network so I can get all the Marquette and Cubs games still.

I access YTTV and Philo from my Roku sticks/Roku TVs which have several free channels filled with TV shows and movies.  So I am paying $120 less a month for more content.