Cable has way too many commercials for a pay service. I'm looking to move away from it, while keeping high-speed internet. I think Comcast carries OTA broadcasts for a low fee, but not sure. Maybe it makes sense to get a small PC with a blueray player? Or Apple TV? There must be an ultimate solution out there that doesn't require a genius to put together and operate.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

Our cable company just dropped or claims that the channel provider dropped them for HGTV and Food Network.
Whatever the case, they seem to be dropped with no reduction in the bill or any planned substitute.

In addition, they're quietly but surely dropping their analog channels, so those that can be watched without the cable box are fewer and fewer.

FIOS is much better in our neighborhood than it used to be re: installs, they're offering a reasonable package that'll include 3 boxes, which we need as we don't have HD TVs, while cable is only including one box for the same price give or take 2 bucks.

The big deal killer with Fios had been that it doesn't work with our old style series 2 Tivo non-HD without a cable card with the lifetime service, but their new box apparently works.

Add the dozens or what looks like close to 100 more of extra channels including the two that are not available at any price through the cable company now and cable is not looking so good.

So now, I've got a call into my cable company to see if they can retain us. I've been with them for decades.

This should be interesting. I've got Fios calling me back tomorrow night to likely sweeten the deal since I had to talk it over with the wife before making a commitment to making an appointment.
If I can get a DVR added to the fios package, that just might put it over the edge, unless cable steps up somehow and increases my package in addition to the 2 more cable boxes.

I suspect cable will do nothing though based on past attitudes and history.

If I do the switch, I'll need to take a day to "work from home", since I luckily can once in a while, to make doubly sure the fios installers do it the way I want, and not cut things so there's no way to restore.

If the Tivo doesn't work as so far promised, no way, and I've made that clear to them. At least we'll know right away and be within the full refund and removal trial period.

We'll see what cable has to say. If nothing, then Fios will get it for sure.

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85' 300D No inspection, No registration fees, Cheap insurance
"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're going to see some serious %$&^."

You may want to consider a BluRay equipped game console, like a Sony Playstation, instead of a BluRay PC. Apple TV currently has too many limitations and even Apple execs have stated that it's "just a hobby" product for them at this time.

Unfortunately, there is not one good "do it all" solution yet. Not all the content is available online, and it's available in different places. I have an apple TV that is good for streaming media from my computer to my TV, but it doesn't handle web content without being hacked. You can get a roku box that gives you access to netflix and online content, but that won't get you everything. You can use an x-box to do something similar. At this point, there is no one solution that does it all. If you want to replace your cable completely, you will have to work at it. I assume a good solution will be available within a few years.

Not much work - we just don't watch TV. Problem solved!

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1961 220b: first project car - sold.
2000 CLK 430: first modern Benz - sold.
2001 CLK 55: OMG the torque!!! - sold
1972 280SE 4.5: Baby Gustav
1991 300TE 4Matic: Gretel the Snow Bunny - sold
1978 300SD: Katz the Free Man - given away
1980 Redhead: Darling Wife

That works too.

My research so far has turned up the new Dell Zino HD computer which can be set up as a home entertainment center. Standard: HDMI out, Windows 7 Media Center, and USB ports for added storage, etc. Optional: blue-ray player, TV tuner for OTA or cable QAM, audio upgrades, and wireless keypad. Of course nothing is free and you have to balance the cost ($700+ with options) against the savings from reducing or eliminating the cable service.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

OTA cable: We also have that option but comcast doesn't advertise that it is available, you have to ask for it. Not sure but it might be a state law that they offer it?

I'm very curious as to how that conversation is going to go. I also have Cablevision, and, although the service is excellent with regard to support, the price for the TV has become outrageous. The old $99. triple play, which I took when I dumped the DSL is now a whopping $141. The TV is about one-half of this amount.

I've been thoroughly impressed w/ the digital transition. I picked up a converter box on a whim and at my grandparents I can get a ton of stations w/ a ghettofied clothes-hanger antenna. 8 public television stations, plus all the usual b-cast, and I even watch one of the Japanese stations sometimes because it has old'ish cartoons (Lupin the 3rd, Eureka Seven, maybe others), and w/ outstanding quality (only occasional pixelization versus non-stop snow) compared to the signals I pulled in before. Since I'm in the boonies most of the time I'm stuck paying $30/month for a 3mb internet line and ~$60/month for digital cable. It's alright, but it's not worth the cost IMO, especially when I could get 6mb for $30/month, netfllix for $10, and high quality OTA in civilization. I don't think paying $50/month for the latest and greatest is worth it when I can get the same stuff on netflix (well, technically at higher quality) at a later date.

All you really need is the internet

I've played around with an xbox 360, but I believe that a PS3 can do it as well.

For a while I had my room mates xbox 360 set up to stream videos from my computer over a cat 5 line to his xbox. It worked pretty well, but they hated me when I wanted to play games online.

So I took my mini 2.5in 250gb drive and copied over all of his movies/music.

WOW, definitely worth the trouble of getting the hard drive set up in some weird configuration for HFS+. I wonder if they've finally fixed it. Either way I will never purchase cable or satellite in my life since such configurations are so easy to get these days.

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-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

I wasn't home when FIOS did the install at our house but my wife was. The strange this was that the installer couldn't find the signal from the Comast line that led upstairs to our bedroom. She told me he spent about half an hour trying to find the connection. So we had to have him run a line for an extra $55. Hmmmm.

About a month later while doing some yardwork I discovered the reason. When he did the installation, all the cables were behind a bush that we later removed. That's when I noticed the Comcast line that used to lead to the bedroom cut in half. The cut was obviously done recently since it was still pretty clean. So I figure he makes a few extra bucks a month if he's able to do a few extra cable runs in addition to the regular install. That really burns me up!!! Other than that we've been happy with the service and quality of FIOS.

But the bill is still pretty high....

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Current:
2014 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion 43,000 miles.

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (wife's).

Past:
2006 Jetta TDI 135,970 miles. Sold Nov. '13.
1995 E-320 Special Edition. 220,200 miles. Sold Sept. '07.
1987 190-E 16 valve. 153,000 miles. Sold Feb. '06.
1980 300-D 225,000 miles. Donated to the National Kidney Foundation.
1980 240-D manual, 297,500 miles. Totaled by inattentive driver.

I only have my DSL from a local company, no paying for TV, what a waste. There's enough available online to waste your whole life in front of it for free.

My only "service" bills are my $49 DSL and $40ish a month electric. Beat that!

People with the big expensive TV plans are wasting mula big time.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)