Many cutting the cord on cable/satellite

mitzi

Well-Known Member
Do I have to have a Smart TV to be able to hook up computer to the tv and watch shows from online? Do you need a Smart TV to use Roku or the Firestick. I'm still trying to find ways (inexpensive) to cut this cable cord. TIA
 

warneckutz

Well-Known Member
Do I have to have a Smart TV to be able to hook up computer to the tv and watch shows from online? Do you need a Smart TV to use Roku or the Firestick. I'm still trying to find ways (inexpensive) to cut this cable cord. TIA

Most TV's, smart or not lately, have an HDMI port that most of the boxes use (Firestick uses USB I believe) - those will let you watch on your TV...

You can download their software to watch on your computer and you can watch on your phone too.

I have both Apple TV and Roku and I use SlingTV (don't get it confused with SlingBox) for my cable needs... went from $105/mo (MetroCrap) to $25/mo (SlingTV Blue Package).
 

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
Do I have to have a Smart TV to be able to hook up computer to the tv and watch shows from online? Do you need a Smart TV to use Roku or the Firestick. I'm still trying to find ways (inexpensive) to cut this cable cord. TIA

1. You don't need the computer
2. A smart TV has it's own version of a Roku or Firestick built in, that is why they call it a smart tv, I would avoid those though because their interface is never as good as a roku or firestick. You can use any modern TV with an HDMI port.
3. You just plug in the media device into your HDMI port, the sticks plug in directly and can get power from the TV's USB port, some don't provide quite enough power and you have to have a separate wall plug for that.

It really is that easy as plugging something into the back of your TV. I have used Sling for TV for almost a year now at $20/month I have been ecstatic to eliminate a $110/month bill.
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
And if I miss "The Blacklist" for two months because life intervened, I hate that On Demand may not have it.


how are you on copyright law ....

if you have a laptop you can connect to your TV and know where to download ....
 

nobody really

I need a nap
1. You don't need the computer
2. A smart TV has it's own version of a Roku or Firestick built in, that is why they call it a smart tv, I would avoid those though because their interface is never as good as a roku or firestick. You can use any modern TV with an HDMI port.
3. You just plug in the media device into your HDMI port, the sticks plug in directly and can get power from the TV's USB port, some don't provide quite enough power and you have to have a separate wall plug for that.

It really is that easy as plugging something into the back of your TV. I have used Sling for TV for almost a year now at $20/month I have been ecstatic to eliminate a $110/month bill.

I just did this!!!! I was told by the guy at best buy that most TV's manufactured in the last 15 years have this HDMI port. I plugged in a roku, and my brother installed an HD antenna (for local channels)...BUT you can stream CBS All access and get the live local channel. I love it. My Direct TV went from $110, now I use Netflix, CBS all access and pay less than 15.00. Now that Verizon offers unlimited data, that makes it great. I couldn't do it until they offered unlimited data, since I don't have cable and FIOS isn't offered in north beach where I'm at.
 

mitzi

Well-Known Member
I just did this!!!! I was told by the guy at best buy that most TV's manufactured in the last 15 years have this HDMI port. I plugged in a roku, and my brother installed an HD antenna (for local channels)...BUT you can stream CBS All access and get the live local channel. I love it. My Direct TV went from $110, now I use Netflix, CBS all access and pay less than 15.00. Now that Verizon offers unlimited data, that makes it great. I couldn't do it until they offered unlimited data, since I don't have cable and FIOS isn't offered in north beach where I'm at.

So what you're saying is subscribed to CBS All Access I could still watch Channel 9 news live?
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
I just did this!!!! I was told by the guy at best buy that most TV's manufactured in the last 15 years have this HDMI port. I plugged in a roku, and my brother installed an HD antenna (for local channels)...BUT you can stream CBS All access and get the live local channel. I love it. My Direct TV went from $110, now I use Netflix, CBS all access and pay less than 15.00. Now that Verizon offers unlimited data, that makes it great. I couldn't do it until they offered unlimited data, since I don't have cable and FIOS isn't offered in north beach where I'm at.

So let me understand - you get your TV via Verizon's unlimited data? What kind of reception do you get for Verizon in North Beach?
Also - are you using a specialized device for transmitting your wi-fi with Verizon - or your phone?

I would LOVE to do this - but in Hollywood, Verizon coverage is spotty and from experience, it fades in and out a lot.
 

Pete

Repete
I am cutting the cable..........the one that goes to the satellite dish that is. So we did not have cable out in the boonies where I live. We went with a Verizon wifi in the house and unlimited for internet and Direct TV. the WIFI got sketchy because the box Verizon sold us with the unlimited plan got old and slow (3G) and to upgrade unlimited was no longer available with the new 4G. Went with a 60G plan and ran over every month. Huge $$. Finally got cable and now pay $76 for 150mbs plan and got Apple TV.

In the meantime I gamed DirectTV every couple years and a decent plan started costing $60 a month and before long the "discounts" would run out and the next thing I know I am paying $150 to watch 5 channels because none of the 5 are in the same "package".

So I went and got Hulu Live for $39 and we have been testing it all week and it works fine. They do not have CBS live and maybe ABC so I just grabbed a HD Digital antenna at Best buy and I am going to bolt it to the Dish on the roof and see if I can pick up CD and Baltimore network TV.

My only worry is that Metrocast has a "somewhat" limit of 75GB a month limit and if you broach it often they may try to force you to the commercial plan. Or so I heard. So that is why I am going with the antenna.

My next call is to Direct TV to break the news that they can go screw themselves.
 
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Clem72

Well-Known Member
My only worry is that Metrocast has a "somewhat" limit of 75GB a month limit and if you broach it often they may try to force you to the commercial plan. Or so I heard. So that is why I am going with the antenna.
...
https://www.metrocast.com/policies/high-speed-internet-acceptable-use-policy said:
Excessive Bandwidth Consumption
High-speed bandwidth and network resources are not unlimited. Managing MetroCast's network is essential as MetroCast works to promote the use and enjoyment of the Internet by our customers. As explained above, the Service is for recreational, residential and personal use. MetroCast has established a monthly bandwidth usage limit per Service account. Service usage may not exceed the following limits for each type of subscriber account:

MetroCast Subscriber Account: Monthly Bandwidth Usage Limit:
MetroCast Access 50 GB
MetroCast High Speed Express 250GB
MetroCast High Speed Turbo 600 GB
MetroCast High Speed Ultra 1 TB
 

Pete

Repete
Can I assume that High Speed Ultra is the $76 per month plan and I could never hit 1TB streaming TV several hours a day?
 

warneckutz

Well-Known Member
Can I assume that High Speed Ultra is the $76 per month plan and I could never hit 1TB streaming TV several hours a day?

I have the 50gb plan and I stream Apple TV movies all the time. Pandora radio, Xbox, SlingTV... never an issue
 

Pete

Repete
I have the 50gb plan and I stream Apple TV movies all the time. Pandora radio, Xbox, SlingTV... never an issue

That sounds typical but we have 2 college kids who work evenings. They watch all day, leave, we come home and watch until 11. I say watch when I mean the TV is on.
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
Can I assume that High Speed Ultra is the $76 per month plan and I could never hit 1TB streaming TV several hours a day?

Yes, the $76 is the 1TB limit. You may or may not hit it, our household regularly hits 300-400GB with one TV watching Hulu/Netflix for a couple hours a day, plus several devices browsing the internet / streaming youtube occasionally.
 

Pete

Repete
Yes, the $76 is the 1TB limit. You may or may not hit it, our household regularly hits 300-400GB with one TV watching Hulu/Netflix for a couple hours a day, plus several devices browsing the internet / streaming youtube occasionally.

For us I think it will be fine. Especially when the kids go back to school. The only thing we are missing is football coverage. Hulu live has NBC and Fox and ESPN for MNF. We need to get ABC and CBS for some games. Other than that We don't need anything other than Netflix and Hulu.
 

Dakota

~~~~~~~
I am cutting the cable..........the one that goes to the satellite dish that is. So we did not have cable out in the boonies where I live. We went with a Verizon wifi in the house and unlimited for internet and Direct TV. the WIFI got sketchy because the box Verizon sold us with the unlimited plan got old and slow (3G) and to upgrade unlimited was no longer available with the new 4G. Went with a 60G plan and ran over every month. Huge $$. Finally got cable and now pay $76 for 150mbs plan and got Apple TV.

In the meantime I gamed DirectTV every couple years and a decent plan started costing $60 a month and before long the "discounts" would run out and the next thing I know I am paying $150 to watch 5 channels because none of the 5 are in the same "package".

So I went and got Hulu Live for $39 and we have been testing it all week and it works fine. They do not have CBS live and maybe ABC so I just grabbed a HD Digital antenna at Best buy and I am going to bolt it to the Dish on the roof and see if I can pick up CD and Baltimore network TV.

My only worry is that Metrocast has a "somewhat" limit of 75GB a month limit and if you broach it often they may try to force you to the commercial plan. Or so I heard. So that is why I am going with the antenna.

My next call is to Direct TV to break the news that they can go screw themselves.


You can get your antenna positioned correctly with an app and even if it doesn't work for you, you have a fricken ANTENNA so if ever tv goes out with crappy metrocast soon to be even crappier with the purchasing company or DTV or Dish, you have an antenna. Typically satellite picks up in a different directions as OTA.

I think having an OTA antenna is a must have. I put ours into our xbox which allowed me to pause and stuff. I posted in here somewhere that I have the 4 bow tie system, forgot the name and I get 4, 5, 7, 9, 20, 50 and a bunch of other stuff.

Sometimes I can sit and watch the home shopping club and suddenly feel the need to buy some random product I wasn't even thinking I needed until I saw it on TV.

If you do not have active gamers in the house, you won't hit 1TB. My house has come close and even over but everyone has grown up and gotten busy. Metrocast doesn't enforce the overage but who knows what the new guys will do.

Last night Game of Thrones caused a major outage with DTV.
 
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