I just cut the cord

[jy2581]

Cable cord, that is. Using a mix of playstation vue (via the new amazon firestick) and an HD antenna. Honestly, I'm blown away. The PS vue is crystal clear, and allows for some pausing and dvr functionality. The HD antenna is crystal clear. And the best part is the vue subscription is only $35.

I know directv/att is launching a similar service next month. I might give that a try when it does. Anyone else out there cut the cord? Feels a little weird after being with direcTV forever

 

[ohio#1nolefan]

Isn't it a hassle to have to deal with numerous remotes/controllers and everything else?

 

[DFSNOLE]

Is there an option for HBO and the like on PS Vue?

 

[TennNole17]

Traditional cable is going to be extinct soon

 

[jy2581]

Is there an option for HBO and the like on PS Vue?

Yep, you just add it on separately for $15/month. You can also add nfl red zone for a one time fee of $40.

 

[jy2581]

Isn't it a hassle to have to deal with numerous remotes/controllers and everything else?

Yeah, a little bit. The switching back and forth from the locals to the PS Vue app is the biggest annoyance, but not too bad. I mean, it's to be expected you give up a few conveniences and features.

 

[MIKE_G]

Isn't it a hassle to have to deal with numerous remotes/controllers and everything else?

I have a Roku tv, so the one remote controls all tv functions. There are a couple minor annoyances, such as the Roku remote doesn't have a number keypad, so changing channels in antenna mode can only be done via up/down buttons. Also, every input is an "app" within the Roku menu. So instead of just cycling between inputs via a button on the remote, you actually have to exit whatever input you're in back to the main menu and select the input from there. This is particularly annoying when flipping between games on say ESPN on psvue, maybe WatchESPN, and a local on the antenna.

 

[MIKE_G]

Cable cord, that is. Using a mix of playstation vue (via the new amazon firestick) and an HD antenna. Honestly, I'm blown away. The PS vue is crystal clear, and allows for some pausing and dvr functionality. The HD antenna is crystal clear. And the best part is the vue subscription is only $35.

I know directv/att is launching a similar service next month. I might give that a try when it does. Anyone else out there cut the cord? Feels a little weird after being with direcTV forever

This has been my setup since august, except I use Roku devices. The Core pkg is great for sports fans.

 

[DanC78]

How does one get ESPN without cable?

 

[MIKE_G]

How does one get ESPN without cable?

Sign up for PS Vue or Sling TV. Sort of cable-light.

 

[noleclone2]

So as people "cut" the cord to cable tv but most cable companies provide internet, should we expect internet prices to start creeping up?

 

[DanC78]

So as people "cut" the cord to cable tv but most cable companies provide internet, should we expect internet prices to start creeping up?

I thought it was going down thanks to new companies like google fiber....wait???

 

[Gonolz]

For those who cut the cord, how do you get your internet to stream everything? For my cable, high speed internet alone was $77/month, bundled HD cable with it $104. When my one year deal runs out I will consider cutting the cord, but I see the big hangup to be how I will get reliable high speed internet.

 

[jy2581]

For those who cut the cord, how do you get your internet to stream everything? For my cable, high speed internet alone was $77/month, bundled HD cable with it $104. When my one year deal runs out I will consider cutting the cord, but I see the big hangup to be how I will get reliable high speed internet.

I have the upper tier service with Comcast, and so far no issues with lag. We have two tvs going right now.

 

[MIKE_G]

For those who cut the cord, how do you get your internet to stream everything? For my cable, high speed internet alone was $77/month, bundled HD cable with it $104. When my one year deal runs out I will consider cutting the cord, but I see the big hangup to be how I will get reliable high speed internet.

I pay about the same for internet. It actually is a bundled deal with the basic tv service--not HD. I disconnected the tv because I'd rather get my locals in HD via antenna than SD via cable. But it's cheaper for the deal I have through comcast to bundle than I would get with just high-speed internet alone. I took advantage of an offer for "Blast plus" which is like 50+ mbps, and they also gave me access to HBO Now and Showtime. I don't even watch much on either of those, but it seems like a good deal. I am not under any contract with them and the HBO/Showtime will not be taken away ever, so until something better comes along I'm ok with it. My Direct TV bill was about the same cost, so I'm saving at least $40, and not dealing with teaser rates or contracts. PS Vue gives me the channels I care about, plus the cloud-based DVR that Sling lacks. There have been outtages, since it's tied to the Playstation servers, which seem to be subject to hackers who like to bring the system down for whatever reason. Hasn't happened that often, but more than once.

 

[noleclone2]

We are dependant on internet data almost as much as oil. I wonder what happens if providers as one pushed their rates. I think i would probably pay 5-6 times more for it if I had too....totally addicted.

 

[whitworth15]

How does one get ESPN without cable?

You can watch any movie TV show or sporting event online for free including movie still in the theater

 

[squiffynole]

I recently bought a Roku 3 - works great - I'm sure having a direct connection to the router has helped.

What I don't know is how to get service to different tv's, like the one in my room the garage.

 

[TennNole17]

@Gonolz i pay about $50 a month for Uverse internet, which is the mid level package. I think it's a bundle with a home phone number, which is odd because I don't own a home phone.

For those thinking of switching, keep an eye out for free equipment from Sling or HBO, who will ship you a roku if you prepay like three months.

There's really nothing these days you can't stream.

Another thing to keep in mind, the "apps" differ slightly depending on your hardware. I much prefer the Hulu layout on Roku, but hate HBO on Roku and love it on AppleTv. Silly things like auto play next episode and subtitles and such.

Trust me, 8 was GLUED to direct tv for years, and it took some adjusting to get used to no cord, but single mans budget forced my hand.

 

[Naught-Nole-Buc]

So do most of you guys use antennas for local HD? Is there a way to dvr shows with PSVue?

 

[ericram]

I recently bought a Roku 3 - works great - I'm sure having a direct connection to the router has helped.

What I don't know is how to get service to different tv's, like the one in my room the garage.

You would use a Roku Stick or a other Roku box.

 

[ericram]

So do most of you guys use antennas for local HD? Is there a way to dvr shows with PSVue?

Yes an HD antenna.

 

[TallyNole93]

Antenna is fine if you can get the channels. Living in the Blue Ridge mountains of north Georgia, antenna is a no go. We are stuck with cable or a dish. We have the most basic cable package then Roku and Sling for the rest. Will most likely stop Sling after football is over.

 

[mjpwooo]

So, all you cord cutters, hiwmuch are you actually saving every month?

 

[NYCNole]

Used an HD Antenna for first time this past Saturday, picture was crystal clear and 15-20 seconds ahead of DTV feed. Put tv outside on deck since it was so nice. Flipped between FSU & World Series, worked great.

 

[MIKE_G]

So do most of you guys use antennas for local HD? Is there a way to dvr shows with PSVue?

I use an antenna for local channels. I live in Decatur, GA, less than 10 miles from most of the towers. Depending on where you live, you may need to experiment with antennas and proper placement. "antennaweb.org" is a great resource for plugging in your address and finding the orientation of your stations. As far as PSVue, yes, you can dvr shows. It is different than traditional cable/satellite DVR boxes. In some ways it's better, in some ways it's worse. On the plus side, you don't have any space limitations since you're not saving data to a physical hard drive. It's all saved in the "cloud". You choose shows you like and they get saved under "my shows". Every episode will be available, first runs, re-runs, different channels, etc., for 28 days. So the obvious downside is there is no way to specify by a specific episode. It can get tedious scrolling through dozens of football games, for example, to find your game, or a specific episode of a show that is syndicated and replayed a bunch of times.

 

[jy2581]

So, all you cord cutters, hiwmuch are you actually saving every month?

Well, without the Directv credits, our service was around $125 I believe. I think with the credits it was closer to 80-90. I pay $35 now (no HBO).

 

[jy2581]

Is there a way to dvr shows with PSVue?

Yes, you can DVR shows. Not sure what the limit is. You can also pause live tv up to 5 mins.

 

[MIKE_G]

I was paying around $80 with directv. Had one HD dvr box. I think I had Choice classic or something like that. No HBO or premium channels. I pay $35 now and can use the service on up to five devices.

 

[MIKE_G]

Yes, you can DVR shows. Not sure what the limit is. You can also pause live tv up to 5 mins.

There is no limit to number, just how long it's saved, which is 28 days.

 

[jy2581]

There is no limit to number, just how long it's saved, which is 28 days.

Nice. Good to know, thanks! Really liking it so far. Only weird thing is I seem to get better antenna reception at night than during the day. Other than that, no issues really.

 

[Bartdog]

I understand that you can go beyond the standard apps using the Amazon fire stick. Guys talk you hear things...

 

[MIKE_G]

Nice. Good to know, thanks! Really liking it so far. Only weird thing is I seem to get better antenna reception at night than during the day. Other than that, no issues really.

Antenna reception can be affected by all sorts of stuff. Best if you can mount one outside up high. I went from an indoor flat antenna to a small outdoor one. I repurposed the coax from my dish and have it mounted on my deck. It still gets impacted by weather and even planes and cars going by sometimes. But I'm not ambitious enough to get up on my roof. Might still experiment with placement a little though.

 

[helmetnuts]

Kodi....

 

[TennNole17]

I've seen a box loaded with Kodi, and was amazed at what the guy had to watch. Not user friendly enough for me yet, but it's just about there

 

[Naught-Nole-Buc]

Great responses, thanks!

A couple more questions: as far as networks like ABC, FOX, etc... do you use the antennae for locals to watch shows on those, or is there a standard (national version) of the networks on the Vue to watch ABC, CBS, etc shows? And use the antennae for mostly local news, events, and sports?

Also, so Fire TV box and Fire Sticks all work the same? I'm thinking of getting the Fire TV for the living room and a stick for each bedroom.

 

[jy2581]

Great responses, thanks!

A couple more questions: as far as networks like ABC, FOX, etc... do you use the antennae for locals to watch shows on those, or is there a standard (national version) of the networks on the Vue to watch ABC, CBS, etc shows? And use the antennae for mostly local news, events, and sports?

Also, so Fire TV box and Fire Sticks all work the same? I'm thinking of getting the Fire TV for the living room and a stick for each bedroom.

The locals are through the antenna. I know CBS and Fox have apps, where you can watch national programming, but you have to have a cable/satellite subscription to log in.

As far as the box versus fire stick, I'm not sure what the main difference is, besides more memory space. The box might be faster than the stick. In addition to the fire stick, I use my PS4 in the bedroom, and it's much quicker/more responsive than the stick.

 

[MIKE_G]

Great responses, thanks!

A couple more questions: as far as networks like ABC, FOX, etc... do you use the antennae for locals to watch shows on those, or is there a standard (national version) of the networks on the Vue to watch ABC, CBS, etc shows? And use the antennae for mostly local news, events, and sports?

Also, so Fire TV box and Fire Sticks all work the same? I'm thinking of getting the Fire TV for the living room and a stick for each bedroom.

I use an antenna for locals. PS Vue does have locals in some markets, it just depends where you live when you plug in your zip code. They have to negotiate deals with affiliates in each market. In the Atlanta market, I get Fox and CBS via Vue. I tend to watch live broadcasts via antenna for the better picture quality, but if I need to watch something on DVR, it's nice to have that option on those channels. The nice thing about NOT being in a market with all the locals is PS Vue is $10 cheaper across the board.

I don't have a Fire TV or Stick, but I have read that the Fire TV box is excellent for PS Vue, while the stick is laggy. But that was before the updated stick was released. I have heard the updated stick is much better. Probably worth a shot before investing in a more expensive box. I use Roku 3 and a Roku TV, and both perform well. Roku just has a very weak interface compared to the Amazon and Playstation apps. There is no guide on Roku, so you have to arrow back out of what you're watching to see what else is on. It's kind of like navigating in Netflix or Youtube. I'm used to it by now, but it is pretty lame.

 

[ATLNole1]

Great responses, thanks!

A couple more questions: as far as networks like ABC, FOX, etc... do you use the antennae for locals to watch shows on those, or is there a standard (national version) of the networks on the Vue to watch ABC, CBS, etc shows? And use the antennae for mostly local news, events, and sports?

Also, so Fire TV box and Fire Sticks all work the same? I'm thinking of getting the Fire TV for the living room and a stick for each bedroom.

The Fire TV box and stick are essentially the same except the box has a faster processor and you can direct connect to ethernet whereas the stick is wifi only. I think the new stick has a better processor but the previous version was noticeably slower than the box. I first tried the stick but ended up getting the box because of the lag with the stick.
I just use for Kodi now so cannot comment on PSVue but it would be interesting to see how much better the new stick is compared to the older version. Maybe it is on par with the box now as long as your wifi connection is strong.

 

[jy2581]

The Fire TV box and stick are essentially the same except the box has a faster processor and you can direct connect to ethernet whereas the stick is wifi only. I think the new stick has a better processor but the previous version was noticeably slower than the box. I first tried the stick but ended up getting the box because of the lag with the stick.
I just use for Kodi now so cannot comment on PSVue but it would be interesting to see how much better the new stick is compared to the older version. Maybe it is on par with the box now as long as your wifi connection is strong.

Not sure how it compares to the old version, but there's def a little bit of a lag with this new stick.