best option for internet based (real time) TV ??

[alarmguy]

Glad you guys are muddling through the TV mud. Thanks for the sling info. We have 3 Ruku 2s (plus my daughter has 1 at college) one in the house is an old one and were thinking about replacing that one old one as the new ones are faster and if I remember correctly also compatible with the 5ghz band on my tplink ac1750 router. It doesn't really matter 2.5 or 5ghz in my house but since I have both bands for the fun of it I spilt up what bands use what freq. and again if I remember correctly now have 2 of the rukus on 5ghz but the third is only 2.5. I just got this router about 6 weeks ago and thrilled with it, my older netgear router was getting overwhelmed at times, think we have something like 12 devices now, not all at one time of course. With the sling deal it might be worth it just to try and keep the Ruku if I don't continue. Will see. My wife likes the speed of the 2 newer ones, doesn't matter much to me as I rarely get to watch that other one.

 

[JC1]

Is anybody using an android box with Kodi installed? I have owned this android box for just over a year. Didn't really spend the time before to look at it. Now I've installed Kodi and then gotten Phoenix and genesis apps installed. There are a lot of TV shows and movies available. I'm still trying to figure it out.

 

[dwcopple]

It's Roku, not ruku

 

[Tundragod]

Can you add an HDD to record?

 

[mcrn]

So I have been looking into this a lot.....got a roku stick and a chromecast stick.....you can download discoveryGo.....with hulu and slingtv....plus all the stuff for free on my phone that I stream to chromecast via an app called local cast.....im done with cable tv

 

[alarmguy]

Welcome to the club. I havent paid for TV for a couple years now and have WAY more then I can watch, we miss nothing. I dont pay for a home land line, except $4.50 a month for tax, the service is free, unlimited calling, caller id etc. Better then crystal clear, even overseas (addl cost of course) I slashed all my car, bike and homeowner insurance bills by constantly, on a yearly basis making sure I am getting the lowest price possible, if not, I switch insurance companies at the drop of a hat. I have had 3 different home ins companies of the last 5 years. Ins companies know most people do NOT check their home insurance policies since its tied to their mortgage payment. All coverage's are top of the line. Slashed my cell phone bill to unlimited data, text, talk, never an overcharge, never an activation fee, never ANY fee, includes all taxes, ATT/Cricket total monthly payment for 3 lines, $90.00 (actual payment) larger family? 4 lines $100 ACTUAL PAYMENT, if you get 4 lines, 5th line is free, $100 all five lines, actual payment ... www.cricketwireless.com (not at a cricket store) THIS IS ATT CELL SERVICE< ATT OWNED CRICKET With the savings, its paid for the new Harley Road King I bought back in 2014. I guess I could have put the money in the back but :o)

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted By: wsar10

We have 2 providers. We use DISH for TV and Verizon for DSL. Our DISH bill is roughly $90 and the DSL $45 (which is ridiculous) At this point we have to increase our internet speed to do more online (work and entertainment). The current solution seems to be go to a cable provider (COMCAST). With their basic plan the internet speed is upto 30mbps (we currently have 7mbps) and basic local HD channels for $85 a month after promo ($45 or so during the promo). And fill in the premium channels with an internet solution. But we are still looking, using the above option we will pay in the end the same amount for both internet and TV as we currently do for JUST DISH !!!! We also currently (and will continue to) have NETFLIX, beyond that we just pay "per movie or episode" from another app on our smart TV if we want something else. So if we add another $10-$20 a mo service or app we will still be far ahead of what we are now.

The best deals are Double/Triple Plays. Going individual produces the highest bills. Internet access will keep rising, simply because more people are switching to internet TV shows. It is not the type of market that produces lower monthly bills when subscriptions are increased. It works just-the-opposite..... increased demand means higher monthly cost.

 

[alarmguy]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en

Originally Posted By: wsar10

The best deals are Double/Triple Plays. Going individual produces the highest bills. Internet access will keep rising, simply because more people are switching to internet TV shows. It is not the type of market that produces lower monthly bills when subscriptions are increased. It works just-the-opposite..... increased demand means higher monthly cost.

I disagree ... My costs are: 1. 21 channels, all major networks in better HD quality then Dish or cable through our attic antenna distributed to 5 TVs in my house and 1 channel master DVR, Cost $0.00 2. 4 Ruku players - cost $0.00 3. Hulu plus subscription - Cost $8.00 4. Netflex subscription - Cost $8.00 5. TWC internet connection - Cost $29.00 (which I would have with TV or not) 6. Ooma unlimited nationwide phone service - $4.50 (just as good if not better then landline quality, na, better then landline) 7. ACTUAL MONTHLY PAYMENT - Total internet, tv, phone, cost $49.50 (includes all taxes) plus occasional redbox rental. Other stuff, my internet may jump up in price $20 a month next year but I can call and most likely get it back down, I have many options in my area, they know it and either way, I need internet. more other stuff, to me, double and triple pay packages are nothing more then a come-on. They know darn well 80% or more of the people will keep the service after the promotional period ends, by that time they have their "hooks" in you and you are unlikely to switch. You become a pay TV cash cow slave, paying retarded amounts of money for programming you never watch. IN fact that programming could not survive without your monthly payment. If anyone doesn't believe me, READ the fine print below EVERY SINGLE pay TV add you ever read, which they know 90% of the public never reads. You need a magnifying glass for gods sake. :o) The advertised price is NEVER the monthly payment, good god, surcharges, taxes, administration fees! equipment surcharges (for gods sake they add on the cost of their office workers!!! *L* My $50 a month is way more then we can ever watch, way more phone service then we can ever use and internet speed that is just right. $50 a month, no other costs. If, if, if I was a sports nut I would have to get a sports programming channel, that can be bought for $20 a month along with 10 other channels from sling tv. But I only watch sports I dont have to pay for, I think sports teams and players make more money then me and I refuse to pay them more. *LOL* If anyone reply's to this post and starts quoting prices, quote the ACTUAL monthly payment because I know for fact, NO one who selects a pay TV package understand how much they are paying until the bills start arriving because then never read the fine print. :o)

 

[SrDriver]

My wife and I have a Roku 3, an Android TV Box bought from EBay, and an over the air antenna. More TV than we can possibly ever watch..

 

[JustinH]

We are interested in dumping directv this summer. Sling tv looks ok for 20 bucks per month. The thing that annoys me is one stream per account. PlayStation vue looks very good, but the cost approaches that of cable and no A&E or history channel and that is what we watch. Either way I will put up an attic antenna and see how that goes first.

 

[alarmguy]

When you get to the TV antenna, use quality coax cable and a cheap powered RCA antenna boaster, $15 in Walmart, cheaper online. In the meantime, google TV antenna aiming, TV fool, tons of information, even government sites that WE pay for. Punch in your address and it will show you where the TV broadcast towers are, how far they are and which way (using a compass) to point the antenna. If you really get into it, do it properly, spare no expense since this is a ONE TIME cost (not a monthly fee) and you will be AMAZED at what a high quality HD picture you get over using cable or satellite which will be inferior if the screen is big enough and you look closely. Again, tons of reading on the internet and if you are happy with the results, then spend some money on a Channel Master DVR+ and you will never know you dont have pay TV. One other thing, this isnt like the old days of static, snow and a bad picture, broadcasts now a days are digital signals, you either get the signal or you dont, however you do need a good signal, gosh, even the TVs now have a signal strength meter built in. With the RCA boaster Im at 100% on all my channels, you need 75% or so for a good solid signal. One channel that was weak for me was FOX at around 70% or so if it fell much below that sometimes you would get digital artifacts in the picture, once the boaster was installed Im at 100% and NEVER, EVER have ANY issues with reception. The reason I say get a cheaper boaster is you can over boast the signal, getting a cheap one will assure you that you do not, however, if your in a fringe area maybe you would need one, I have no idea. Im about 40 miles (straight line, not road miles) from every major station. I used this antenna, not because I thought it was best, but I was impatient and did not want to wait for one to be shipped, I figured if it didnt work I could then order a larger one. I have this one mounted in my attic, works perfect. Semi Large TV antenna from Lowes, click here.