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For those that cut the cable and cut the TV watching, was there a period of withdrawal? The dang $30 per month eats at me as I only watch 1 PBS program each night. What did you replace it with to get past a life long habit?
I keep thinking instead of Telly I'll finally have no excuse for not: studying Italian, reading, meditation, learning about Opera (my new curiosity) and saving $360 a year.
Sometimes it is just the noise. You can listen to audio books (from library) and the radio to provide that background noise. We did without for about 6 years while husband was in school and we both were working. Got a lot more done. I am watching less and less tv as it is less and less interesting.
would you be able to get pbs without cable? You can where I live through the local PBS channel.
awakenedsoul
6-27-14, 8:06pm
I cut it out to reduce expenses. I used to watch Oprah every day. When she went off of regular t.v. I canceled my cable. I haven't really missed it. I listen to Suze Orman's podcast every Monday. I watch some of the free hour shows from OWN on youtube. I also knit, work an hour a day on my on line sight singing class, and swim. It's worth the savings to me. Plus, then I don't feel as guilty for spending time on line!
I cancelled my satellite connection as I was watching about an hour a week. I really don't like the sound of the TV shows and ads but use the DVD player and TV to watch lectures I have bought and movies from the library occasionally.
Miss Cellane
6-28-14, 5:58am
I've had cable and not had cable off and on my entire adult life.
No withdrawal period, really. Once or twice a sort of wistful wondering about one or two shows I liked, but that didn't last long. It's surprising how TV can take over your life when it is always there, waiting to be turned on, and how very little you miss it when it is not there.
During my cable-less times, I found myself reading a lot more, cooking more--I always cook, but more complicated, time-consuming dishes, baking all my bread, sewing and crocheting more. And my house was a lot cleaner and neater.
I've been watching podcasts and/or youtube videos regarding subjects I like such as crochet/yarns/knitting, etc. Pick a subject, there's a podcast for it and they are out there at no charge. While I watch most of the podcasts through our Apple TV, most can also be viewed on youtube or the presenter's personal website.
As another poster mentioned, sometimes it really is just background noise to have in the house.
I'm sure there are many for learning Italian and Opera, etc. There really was so little on cable tv we watched that it was easy to cut it.
Our only comparable switch was when we turned off HBO and Showtime. There was one summer during which we were a little lean on choices for television (we watched shows like Wipeout! and other OTA broadcast trash) but by the next summer, our Netflix DVD subscription kept us flush with choices. Now, several years later, and with so many great new choices on both OTA broadcast and cable over the summer, we shut down our Netflix DVD subscription after just a month, with two dozen discs for just HBO and Showtime series in our queue, and we should have more than enough to watch through the summer without Netflix. If not, we can always turn it back on for a month and pick up another season of something.
As expensive as cable is, I just don't see going down the cord-cutting path. Just randomly looking at what we buy, there are few discretionary purchases that provide so much value per dollar as cable. I suppose if you're eliminating all discretionary purchases, living life only on the bare essentials, that would be one thing. But I just don't see the value in switching to other hobbies and leisure pursuits that cost money.
We have never had cable. We do however get three network channels plus a movie channel and the three PBS stations. These are more than enough when we feel like vegging in front of the tube which is not very often. Free by using with a cheap little antenna that sits behind the TV.
I used to like certain shows on TV, especially when I was a kid--does that tell you something, right there? Okay, so a person, as an adult, in addition to other goals, needs to develop a perspective, based on reporting of current events, that will help them participate in a democracy & live their life right, by adhering to norms. TV, is supposed to be a tech advance, that is a source of information, concerning that stuff, but jeeez---it's all a bunch of brainwash! I run across people that I use to describe with my own term--that are "TV Educated". They, are dumber than if they were "Born Yesterday" I guess I made the mistake of going to college for awhile, and ran across the concept of "critical thinking", which eventually ended my interest in both a college degree AND Television. Newton Minow was right, when he coined the phrase "Vast Wasteland". I have to do other things, now. Later.
Many PBS shows can be.watched on its website.
Gardenarian
6-29-14, 12:12pm
If it's just the cost, you can watch an awful lot of stuff on Hulu.com for free. Helped me through my foot surgery!
I looked into antennas indoor and outdoor around my house. I live in an area that requires some sort of cable to transmit television programming into the home. Many of my neighbors are opting to DishTV as they are advertising a lot in this market lately. Basic Charter Communication cable is $30 per month. Given I watch on average 1 hour per day and typically only evening news and PBS programming I thought hard about was this a real need or just a long term habit. I dislike intensely paying for TV. I read through all the replies and appreciate the responses. In the end, I am keeping the cable for now. I like what I do watch and enjoy Masterpiece Theater.
i do not have internet at home. I have a pre-paid Iphone 4 from Verizon Wireless that works well enough at $47 per month. I notice I only ever have 2 bars out of 5 so connectivity is sometimes slow. I live at the far end of all transmissions lines as I am the last town in my county. It's fairly rural for Massachusetts. I enjoy my little telefonino :)
Do you have a mini basic plan available to you from Charter? My TV bill is 17.41 a month. I only get network channels, Cspan and some shopping channels, plus local gov. This is the compromise we got to, since antennas wouldn't work for us either. I like being able to have local TV in the event of a weather or other emergency, for some news, etc. I do have multiple PBS stations, including Create, which is my (better) substitute for HGTV and Food Network. We get some HDTV channels, one of which carries a lot of old movies.
miradoblackwarrior
7-2-14, 3:02pm
Hi, Cypress--
I, too, hail from the Commonwealth, although I'm closer to Boston than you may be. I cut the cable (comcast, the EVIL empire!) a few months ago, as I decided paying ridiculous prices for very little content (and WAY too many commercials) wasn't very interesting. I got a Mohu Leaf antenna, which wasn't flexible. Then I got a set of rabbit ears from Radio Shack (via Amazon for $7.00), stuck some foil on the ends, and I get "good enough" TV from over the air. Nowadays, I save my TV viewing for PBS and Netflix. I'm able to catch up on all those wonderful series I never got to see because of my weird schedule, usually through marathon weekends.
I can get almost 20 channels (many more, if you count the Spanish and shopping channels). I got to see the USA vs. Belgium World Cup match yesterday in HDTV over the Spanish Univision, and it didn't cost me a dime! I've researched this a great deal--do you want some pointers?
You may find, cutting the cord, that you lose patience with TV, and discover there was a whole world out there, free of charge! Good luck!
Susan
I called Charter Communications asking about the Mini Basic Plan and there isn't one available. I have Basic TV Service at the rate of $24.99 the extra $5 are fees. The customer rep said this is as low as can be. However, she did talk about the need for a digital converter box by the end of the calendar year. Apparently, Charter is going all digital and I will need a digital box to see anything. The box is now available for a rental fee of $6.99. She said as an incentive to Basic TV Service clients, there will be "free" digital box for a two year period as incentive to stay with Charter. The channel capacity will change to more PBS stations in my area. I lost two other PBS networks, from Springfield and PBS 44 due to some reason I cannot explain. There are digital boxes for sale, but I think it won't work unless rented? I read about this before and there isn't a loophole around the rental of the device. I'll wait until this offer comes in the mail and hopefully, expand the service at that time for the same cost. Or, so I am led to believe.
I get digital channels just fine without a box, but my TV is relatively new (last 5-7 years?) and is meant to handle digital signals.
We have been tv free for many years and we didn't experience withdrawl. Though our reasoning wasn't financial, it was because we felt we were wasting time and energy on a mind numbing pursuit. Giving it up was the best thing we ever did. There is so much to enjoy in life and we now have the time to do it.
ToomuchStuff
7-3-14, 10:17am
I get digital channels just fine without a box, but my TV is relatively new (last 5-7 years?) and is meant to handle digital signals.
It isn't about digital verses analog, the signals are all (almost all in truth) digital now. (very few exceptions on the analog with their time running out). What it IS about is ENCRYPTION. Cable got it through congress to allow them to encrypt ALL their signals, so they can even encrypt the same stuff one would receive with an antenna, and after the mandated must provide time frame (think two years), they can charge you for the box. What this means for the cable companies is a return to the 70's, where you were billed per tv. (more money for them)
Without the internet, the options are pretty much find other things to do, or find someone who will let you use their tv.
OR... get Congress to decide that cable companies should be regulated utilities with their rates and services dictated by public utility councils.
There's a reason why cable was deregulated. A lot of people fought for deregulation. Both consumers and service providers derive benefits and detriments. Indeed, Congress still imposes regulation when there isn't "effective competition". When there is effective competition, that is a clear signal from society itself that the market is in control and what results is a fair reflection of the price for value proposition. Even if we wish we could pay less for more.
Now, if you're someone who wants the essentials (food, power, shelter, healthcare, etc.) tightly regulated by government, you're not going to like the effect of deregulation, no matter what. But if you're not someone who feels that way - if you're someone that believes that government shouldn't have that much say over every aspect of life, then what we see in cable is pretty much what you want even though this one manifestation of what you want may not be something you especially like.
It isn't about digital verses analog, the signals are all (almost all in truth) digital now. (very few exceptions on the analog with their time running out). What it IS about is ENCRYPTION. Cable got it through congress to allow them to encrypt ALL their signals, so they can even encrypt the same stuff one would receive with an antenna, and after the mandated must provide time frame (think two years), they can charge you for the box. What this means for the cable companies is a return to the 70's, where you were billed per tv. (more money for them)
Without the internet, the options are pretty much find other things to do, or find someone who will let you use their tv.
I think you're missing the part about the governments desire to sell more access to service providers. The over-the-air frequency spectrum is finite. If I recall correctly, capacity on those frequencies is magnified by a power of 10 by eliminating analog transmissions.
Cable has never used over-the-air radio frequencies, although the same, or higher, capacity increases occur over copper wire when signals are digitized.
In short, it's all about capacity.
ToomuchStuff
7-3-14, 7:35pm
I think you're missing the part about the governments desire to sell more access to service providers. The over-the-air frequency spectrum is finite. If I recall correctly, capacity on those frequencies is magnified by a power of 10 by eliminating analog transmissions.
Cable has never used over-the-air radio frequencies, although the same, or higher, capacity increases occur over copper wire when signals are digitized.
In short, it's all about capacity.
Sorry Alan I thought the quote I had in my reply, was on the subject of digital CABLE, which doesn't have to do with capacity. If the Time Warner purchase goes through, there will be a lot fewer cable companies that choose to not encrypt everything.
For those that cut the cable and cut the TV watching, was there a period of withdrawal? The dang $30 per month eats at me as I only watch 1 PBS program each night. What did you replace it with to get past a life long habit?
I keep thinking instead of Telly I'll finally have no excuse for not: studying Italian, reading, meditation, learning about Opera (my new curiosity) and saving $360 a year.
I have gone thru long periods of time without TV or internet. I really enjoyed it and found my life was better in many ways (time-wise especially) without TV or internet (especially internet as that is a real time-suck for me where as TV isn't as addictive). But I do go thru withdrawals and get sort of fidgety (I'm fidgety anyways and zoning on the boobtube calms me down). But that only lasts a week and then that feeling is gone and I really feel like I'm more engaged in life then before.
Thanks for the thoughtful replies. The company, Digital TV keeps sending a flyer weekly to my mail box and have collaborated with AAA (Auto club) on a further discount of product. However, I recently read that AT&T is attempting to buy Digital TV. It's in negotiations. So, if that deal goes through, what happens to all the customers. The market is so complex and changes often. Buyer beware.
Unless you're way out in the sticks a $30 antenna from Radio Shack should be able to pull in a PBS signal. That aside, we cut the cable quite a while ago and only missed a couple foodie and designer shows. That faded to black with a smart TV and a world wide web of far more interesting (and far less dramatic) replacements. We probably flip the tube on twice a week later in the evening if it gets too hot/cold/buggy/rainy to sit on the deck or in the garden.
iris lilies
7-18-14, 10:02am
Unless you're way out in the sticks a $30 antenna from Radio Shack should be able to pull in a PBS signal. That aside, we cut the cable quite a while ago and only missed a couple foodie and designer shows. That faded to black with a smart TV and a world wide web of far more interesting (and far less dramatic) replacements. We probably flip the tube on twice a week later in the evening if it gets too hot/cold/buggy/rainy to sit on the deck or in the garden.
Well, I live in the urban core and PBS can often be hard to pull in. While the change to digital signal was good because it gave us 4 PBS channels instead of just one, digital PBS is less reliable. Forget about it if there is a storm or wind.
The vast majority of the PBS audience is in a much better situation digital, but there are two small groups that aren't: Obviously, the folks on the fringe of the viewing area now will be unable to lock onto the signal (whereas before they would see the results of having a crappy signal - static). Less obvious are the folks in the center of cities with skyscrapers. Multipath interference (signal bouncing off of large buildings) causes a strong signal from PBS to reach televisions twice, slightly out of sync, therefore resulting in failure to lock onto the signal.
We haven't had a television for 3 years now, at first it wasn't particularly a choice as our tv broke when we moved house and there was so much going on we didn't get around to getting a new one and the kids seemed fine so we just left it. Every so often I get a pang of wanting to watch something trashy ;) but then we do watch dvd's and can watch some tv shows online. I read a lot more, listen to music, knit, talk and we also went through a jigsaw phase :)
I have also heard that security systems from big box stores, office buildings, etc. can disrupt digital transmissions. Not sure how true that is, but it sounds plausible.
I've never had cable or satellite. There is plenty available on youtube and we do pay for Netflix about $8 a month. I think we watch too much. When the kids go off to college I'll drop the Netflix.
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