Cutting the Cable TV

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by jocampo

ok, so ... a silly question ...

I managed to find or install a channel with today's or most recent CBS news or CBS Early Show. It is a private channel, NoWhere TV. How these channels are recorded and later broadcasted this way, captured from regulate national TV? Also, are they paying fees or royalties for doing that, is this legal ?

By the way, the quality, again, better or same than my regular UVERSE, I'm surprised.

It's really hard to tell. It could just be pulling them off the CBS web site. If so, then I don't see that it would be illegal.

From reading the web site it seems like they are getting it from legit free sources online.

BOb

[jocampo]

Thanks Bob.

We feel weird using Roku ... let me explain ...

We have so many channels and so many recorded shows (which honestly, we don't watch or can keep the pace) that knowing we can't watch those anymore, feels weird.

I bought the Roku yesterday at 11am, Sunday. I made it home, configured, and unplugged the UVERSE box. Because I paid the whole months a few days before, I would like to wait a bit before cutting services for good. But when was 6pm CST, my wife asked me about 60 min, the CBS show. I said, but we watch it sometimes ... she replied ... yeah, but now we will have to wait, we can't watch today's episode.

What was funny is that she missed the previous one, and the one before, and 1 hr later, the most recent one was also available via Roku.

We're so accustomed to have hundreds of channels that we never watch that now we feel like we're missing something.

[SolRaven]

Originally Posted by jocampo

We have so many channels and so many recorded shows (which honestly, we don't watch or can keep the pace) that knowing we can't watch those anymore, feels weird...

...We're so accustomed to have hundreds of channels that we never watch that now we feel like we're missing something.

I think it's like when I left my cell phone at home when I went to class. If I'm in class, I keep the cell phone off and don't plan on driving and talking, so why did I feel like I was missing something when I didn't have it? I didn't want to use it; I just liked knowing it was there.

If you tape everything (I do as well) then you aren't used to watching something when it's actually on. I was just watching 20/20 which was recorded on Friday. If it was Friday at 10PM, I'd watch something already recorded because I won't be able to skip the commercials if it's live.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by SolRaven

If you tape everything (I do as well) then you aren't used to watching something when it's actually on.

That is correct. The exact same argument that I had with my wife. She started arguing that we were missing the current episodes, but when I asked when exactly she was watching those and how many we had on the UVERSE hard drive, she had no other choice than smile!

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by jocampo

That is correct. The exact same argument that I had with my wife. She started arguing that we were missing the current episodes, but when I asked when exactly she was watching those and how many we had on the UVERSE hard drive, she had no other choice than smile!

Having had a TiVo for quite a while, and a replay TV before that we very seldom watched anything live. We were always time shifting. So that was not an issue that we had.

BOb

[SolRaven]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Having had a TiVo for quite a while, and a replay TV before that we very seldom watched anything live. We were always time shifting. So that was not an issue that we had.

The only thing that we'd like to have live is sports games. That being said, my beau usually has to record the game and watch it later because of schedule conflicts, but the few times that he's lucky enough to have lounge time, he would like to see the game live.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by SolRaven

The only thing that we'd like to have live is sports games. That being said, my beau usually has to record the game and watch it later because of schedule conflicts, but the few times that he's lucky enough to have lounge time, he would like to see the game live.

Agree. I'm a big soccer fan (I'm Latin) so I will miss Gol TV . ... however, I just watch it during new tournaments , not all the time.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by SolRaven

The only thing that we'd like to have live is sports games. That being said, my beau usually has to record the game and watch it later because of schedule conflicts, but the few times that he's lucky enough to have lounge time, he would like to see the game live.

that's what the antenna is for. Unless of course you like to watch out of area teams or more "obscure" sports than the networks cover.

I think you can get MLB Live on Roku. Also, I think there are talks in the works to get NFL Season ticket for Roku too.

We are really on the bleeding edge of IP TV.

BOb

[jocampo]

Houston, we have a problem!

Wife had a "soap opera" attack today and last night. She is able to compromise if... in absent of her favorite soaps,... she can watch local or national news but real time.

Will the antenna fix that issue? I really want to keep the Roku but I also want to keep my sanity! My life will be miserable if she keeps reminding me that we lost the local news.

What are your experience using those mini antennas/digital converters? I guess it depends of the area, right? Also, if I recall well, digital signals are all or nothing, not channels with noise and poor reception, like the TV dad gave me during the 80s. Am I right about that?

Please help/advice ...

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by jocampo

Houston, we have a problem!

Wife had a "soap opera" attack today and last night. She is able to compromise if... in absent of her favorite soaps,... she can watch local or national news but real time.

Will the antenna fix that issue? I really want to keep the Roku but I also want to keep my sanity! My life will be miserable if she keeps reminding me that we lost the local news.

What are your experience using those mini antennas/digital converters? I guess it depends of the area, right? Also, if I recall well, digital signals are all or nothing, not channels with noise and poor reception, like the TV dad gave me during the 80s. Am I right about that?

Please help/advice ...

Jo, I don't know if you read back to where I went through this, but I dumped DirecTV and bought a laptop and Happauge usb tuner and now use that to record over the air (news and science and other) shows. Works almost as well as DirecTV for local programming.

I do have an outside antenna on my roof.

I've never tried an indoor antenna.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Jo, I don't know if you read back to where I went through this, but I dumped DirecTV and bought a laptop and Happauge usb tuner and now use that to record over the air (news and science and other) shows. Works almost as well as DirecTV for local programming.

I do have an outside antenna on my roof.

I've never tried an indoor antenna.

Kenny,

Can you explain the basic setup, please? I have a bunch of computers at home to use for that, even a Mac.

I'm not sure I need the recording capabilities you have though, but short term, the indoor antenna will keep the "boss" happy I think.

[kennyc]

I have a Dell laptop i3 processor running windows 7 64 bit. It has a hdmi output (to TV)
I plug my Hauppauge USB Tuner: http://www.hauppauge.com/site/produc...a_hvr1950.html which connects to the antenna.

I use Windows Media Center to schedule and record (or play live TV) via the HDMI to the TV. And yes the Remote control for the Hauppauge box works with it.

It's really that simple.

(there is also Hauppauge software that comes with the tuner, but I don't use it)

[jocampo]

Let me see if I understand.

Antenna to Win TV ... and WinTV to a computer with hdmi output? ... of course, a software running on the laptop, in order to schedule or record.

Am I missing something?

[SolRaven]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

that's what the antenna is for. Unless of course you like to watch out of area teams or more "obscure" sports than the networks cover.

I think you can get MLB Live on Roku. Also, I think there are talks in the works to get NFL Season ticket for Roku too.

We are really on the bleeding edge of IP TV.

Hmmm... he does have MLB and although it was the same price to do it through cable, he wanted to try it via the Samsung & LG apps on the TV. It's not as flawless. It does pixelate once in a while, but it's not a deal breaker.

The more I think about it, the more I'm leaning towards returning it. For me, I'm going by future purchases. I called Comcast to cancel next month and they offered us a promotional price for 6 mos., so we'll keep cable tv for at least that long. The other reason is that I'm planning on replacing the tv in the kitchen with an internet ready TV, when I find one that's under 26" that I like. The TV in the bedroom barely gets used, so it's low on the priority list. It only makes sense for me to keep the Roku if the the TV's weren't on WiFi, or if it had such great content, that I couldn't resist. For now, I'd rather have the $100 go towards a TV with everything built in. Who knows? Maybe Roku will partner up and build itself right into a Toshiba or something.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by jocampo

Let me see if I understand.

Antenna to Win TV ... and WinTV to a computer with hdmi output? ... of course, a software running on the laptop, in order to schedule or record.

Am I missing something?

Sounds like you got it. Antenna -> WinTV box -(usb)> computer -(hdmi)> TV