Cord Cutters:

[Akbens]

Re: Cord Cutters:

My fiancee and I just ditched DirecTV as of August. It just got to be ridiculous. $125 a month for all the basics plus HBO. Since we were moving into a new apartment we decided to give cord cutting a shot to save some money. I've had a Roku player for a while so we went with it full force. I pay for Hulu+, Netflix, HBO|Go and use Vudu for my UV movies and rentals. Neither of us are into sports so that's not a factor. So far it's been great!

[Chris Gerhard]

Re: Cord Cutters:

I cut the cord in 2009, dropping DirecTV after 12 years. The boxes I use are Google TV (Sony models), TiVo for OTA, Roku, PS3, Oppo BDP-93, LG BD590, Windows PC and Chromecast. The internet streaming services are Hulu, Vudu, YouTube, Netflix, Internet Archive, and a couple dozen others accessible by Google TV. Hulu works from the PC only. Roku is easy to use but doesn't do much compared to Google TV so it isn't used as much but I like it a lot for the little it is used for. If someone wants to watch religious programming, Roku is king, there must be a couple hundred religious channels available.

Google TV provides ESPN3, PGA.com, and CBSSports.com for some live sports programming, there are a few other options from time to time. The four major golf tournaments were covered nicely by OTA, ESPN3 or PGA.com, all four days of each this year. March Madness was available, at least some games with a time limit I reached and then my girlfriend reached, but I don't even remember where. Thankfully the games I wanted to see after the time limit was reached were available OTA.

I do watch a lot of Blu-ray discs and DVDs so my monthly data usage won't be over the limit. After my three month Netflix freebie from the Chromecast purchase is over, I will evaluate whether or not to continue that service. I will likely choose one of the three, Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus or Netflix but previously I haven't paid for any of the monthly subscription services. I have used free trials for each and like each service really well but Netflix is my favorite of the three as things stand now.

My next equipment purchase is going to be a better Windows PC to use as a server, probably early next year.

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: Cord Cutters:

I cut the cord in 2009, dropping DirecTV after 12 years. The boxes I use are Google TV (Sony models), TiVo for OTA, Roku, PS3, Oppo BDP-93, LG BD590, Windows PC and Chromecast. The internet streaming services are Hulu, Vudu, YouTube, Netflix, Internet Archive, and a couple dozen others accessible by Google TV. Hulu works from the PC only. Roku is easy to use but doesn't do much compared to Google TV so it isn't used as much but I like it a lot for the little it is used for. If someone wants to watch religious programming, Roku is king, there must be a couple hundred religious channels available.

Google TV provides ESPN3, PGA.com, and CBSSports.com for some live sports programming, there are a few other options from time to time. The four major golf tournaments were covered nicely by OTA, ESPN3 or PGA.com, all four days of each this year. March Madness was available, at least some games with a time limit I reached and then my girlfriend reached, but I don't even remember where. Thankfully the games I wanted to see after the time limit was reached were available OTA.

I do watch a lot of Blu-ray discs and DVDs so my monthly data usage won't be over the limit. After my three month Netflix freebie from the Chromecast purchase is over, I will evaluate whether or not to continue that service. I will likely choose one of the three, Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus or Netflix but previously I haven't paid for any of the monthly subscription services. I have used free trials for each and like each service really well but Netflix is my favorite of the three as things stand now.

My next equipment purchase is going to be a better Windows PC to use as a server, probably early next year.

impressive. If you are into BRD, why not convert them via D2D and have remote access to your library?

BTW, you have another SVoD provider to evaluate. Red Box has just started. Their selection is not as good as NetFlix or Amazon Prime, but something to consider since they too offer kiosk tokens for free kiosk rentals.

If you are going to invest in a Win/Tel machine, I am assuming you are too running Plex. I like to be completely divorced from client server setups. When all my content is being piped via a thin client right to the TV and no Win/Tel server is needed, I am much happier. For me, not having to administer anything is a convenience I am happy to reap the benefits of.

I just point my remote, click, a little wheel spins on my TV, and then I am clicking & watching. No feed from a local PC needed. For me, that is an efficiency I really appreciate.

[jjohns]

Re: Cord Cutters:

I am pretty sure they do this to keep some form of TV service in people's home, hoping at some time their mood will change and they will start to watch via cable again and then start to bump up their service.

They figure if they give away TV & Internet for a small amount less then internet alone, at least they have a chance for people to start to watch their TV services again. Otherwise, it is a lost customer.

I think it has more to do with wanting to keep their subscriber numbers up so that they can downplay the impact that cord cutting is having on their business. If they get you to keep TV service that you don't want by offering a great deal, then they can continue to count you as a subscriber even if you never use the service.

For an interesting read on the lengths that some TV providers will go to in order to keep customers from completely cancelling their TV service, check out the Frame Rate "Chicken Challenge" community page on Google+:

https://plus.google.com/communities/...58701461018530

[LuzRinggold]

Re: Cord Cutters:

Tonight I decided to do some exploring to see what all is really available on Roku. I came across PlayOn that offers MANY of the channels that are on Direct TV and Dish Network (including ESPN and ESPN3)! Are any of you familiar with this service or using it? It sounds to good to be true, so I thought I would check them out before giving them my money.

[Akbens]

Re: Cord Cutters:

Tonight I decided to do some exploring to see what all is really available on Roku. I came across PlayOn that offers MANY of the channels that are on Direct TV and Dish Network (including ESPN and ESPN3)! Are any of you familiar with this service or using it? It sounds to good to be true, so I thought I would check them out before giving them my money.

I've never used PlayOn but Plex is a really great channel to have! Add ssPlex onto it and you're golden.

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: Cord Cutters:

Tonight I decided to do some exploring to see what all is really available on Roku. I came across PlayOn that offers MANY of the channels that are on Direct TV and Dish Network (including ESPN and ESPN3)! Are any of you familiar with this service or using it? It sounds to good to be true, so I thought I would check them out before giving them my money.

It will turn a local PC into a media server. The Roku app is the TV client.

For me, no-thx. If you get it, I suspect it will become a heavy investment in personal time.

I already run PLEX to my Roku and iTunes to my AppleTV. I am trying to get away from client/server technology on my home LAN.

Instead, I like to just point my remote and click away without having to be a network application administrator to enjoy some entertainment.

The one exception I can think of, if I lived in an area with really bad internet, I may run this to download for uninterrupted playback to get around my bad internet connection getting in the way. However, I have a fast and reliable DSL. We do not have buffering problems, even with four TVs.

[LuzRinggold]

Re: Cord Cutters:

It will turn a local PC into a media server. The Roku app is the TV client.

For me, no-thx. If you get it, I suspect it will become a heavy investment in personal time.

I already run PLEX to my Roku and iTunes to my AppleTV. I am trying to get away from client/server technology on my home LAN.

Instead, I like to just point my remote and click away without having to be a network application administrator to enjoy some entertainment.

The one exception I can think of, if I lived in an area with really bad internet, I may run this to download for uninterrupted playback to get around my bad internet connection getting in the way. However, I have a fast and reliable DSL. We do not have buffering problems, even with four TVs.

We did a bit more research regarding PlayOn and PLEX and decided it wasn't for us. We don't have a PC that we can dedicate for something like that. Looking at forums and reviews, sounds like these options would be problematic.

Sooner or later I think we will be able to access some really great content on Roku. Sports is the number one thing missing from Roku. Apple TV has a Watch ESPN channel, so I really think it's only a matter of time before we have something available on Roku. The problem with Watch ESPN and a few other channels that are currently available is that they validate against your cable provider to make sure you have service. If not, you cannot watch. This sucks! They should allow you to pay for a subscription only to their content directly.

I think it's only a matter of time before several cable channels offer their programming directly to consumers. Or perhaps this is just me hoping for something better...imagine being able to pay ONLY for the channels you watch and not for a hundred or so channels that you never watch!

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: Cord Cutters:

No, I think you are right. The trend is clearly for providers to adapt to providing content via streaming. There are rumors that HBO-Go will become a stand alone service like Hulu+.

Here is a screen shot of my Roku.

LINK:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7kG...it?usp=sharing

Those nine channels contain a staggering amount of content. It is more then enough for me and my family's needs and we pay MRC (monthly reoccurring charge) only a fraction of what we use to under MSO / satellite service.

[lujan]

Re: Cord Cutters:

Tonight I decided to do some exploring to see what all is really available on Roku. I came across PlayOn that offers MANY of the channels that are on Direct TV and Dish Network (including ESPN and ESPN3)! Are any of you familiar with this service or using it? It sounds to good to be true, so I thought I would check them out before giving them my money.

Yes, I use PlayOn and PlayLater to view shows such as "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart". PlayLater is nice because just like a DVR, you can record the show to view later. It is recorded in real time though and all the shows are in SD. They tell me they will have HD in the future but that remains to be seen.

[LuzRinggold]

Re: Cord Cutters:

No, I think you are right. The trend is clearly for providers to adapt to providing content via streaming. There are rumors that HBO-Go will become a stand alone service like Hulu+.

Here is a screen shot of my Roku.

LINK:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7kG...it?usp=sharing

Those nine channels contain a staggering amount of content. It is more then enough for me and my family's needs and we pay MRC (monthly reoccurring charge) only a fraction of what we use to under MSO / satellite service.

How did you get the Target channel? Is that a private channel?

Also, have you seen that Roku is adding M-GO and CinemaNow? I may never use them, but it's nice to have a backup for many of our UV titles.

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: Cord Cutters:

How did you get the Target channel? Is that a private channel?

Also, have you seen that Roku is adding M-GO and CinemaNow? I may never use them, but it's nice to have a backup for many of our UV titles.

Public. Just add it from the channel store. It is under Movie / TV.

If you want to instead, you can add it to your Roku via their web portal, assuming your Roku is linked to a Roku profile. I find searching via the web portal a little easier, but whatever works for you.

Although CinemaNow, M-Go, and Target Ticket are encouraging to have as partners in the DECE community of vendors, Vudu remains the unchallenged leader in this field and will likely remain that way for the foreseeable future.

Their head start is monumental. The others are greenfielding. A much more daunting prospect.

[Walter-S_North_Carolina]

Re: Cord Cutters:

Yes they have a bad habit of doing that.

what would you do if you were in their shoes?

This is the "Vudu" forum.

There are other free forums on the internet.

Vudu need not subsidize the promotion of their competitors if they feel they needn't.

At least, that is my view.

[Grey Ghost]

Re: Cord Cutters:

Yes they have a bad habit of doing that.

what would you do if you were in their shoes?

This is the "Vudu" forum.

There are other free forums on the internet.

Vudu need not subsidize the promotion of their competitors if they feel they needn't.

At least, that is my view.

OK..., not quite sure what you are referring to. I was talking about how when recent movie releases are added to the Disc to Digital list they are often not read correctly by the Vudu to Go in home program.

[jjohns]

Re: Cord Cutters:

OK..., not quite sure what you are referring to. I was talking about how when recent movie releases are added to the Disc to Digital list they are often not read correctly by the Vudu to Go in home program.

I believe the post immediately above yours had referred to Vudu deleting posts that mention competitors. I remember when I read your comment, I assumed that you were also talking about that. I'm guessing Walter thought the same, though he can correct me if I'm wrong.

Ironically, all of those posts have suddenly disappeared, including that one from you.