# Anyone cut the cord? (Cable) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 4, 2015, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-cut-the-cord-cable/729923 "2015-09-04T18:22:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-cut-the-cord-cable/729923/61 "2015-09-11T18:30:15Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > According to the site, local blackouts mean you get live video. Really? That’s not very common. The problem is that the leagues have sold the media rights for such exorbitant amounts that the limitations go on for shelf-feet, and most forms of selling to any second distributor are verboten. Maybe the changes in these agreements have already started to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-cut-the-cord-cable/729923/62 "2015-09-11T20:26:11Z")
Due to budgetry reasons Ms. Cups and I had to cut the cord and I HAAAAAATTTEEE it. But, then again, I love the shit out of TV. I hate having no channel variety, I am big into sports so I miss virtually all of those. We also don’t have HD which kills me. The moral to this threads story? IF you watch TV, keep cable, if not, cut it. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-cut-the-cord-cable/729923/63 "2015-09-11T20:27:58Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Due to budgetry reasons Ms. Cups and I had to cut the cord and I HAAAAAATTTEEE it. > > But, then again, I love the shit out of TV. > > I hate having no channel variety, I am big into sports so I miss virtually all of those. We also don’t have HD which kills me. > > The moral to this threads story? IF you watch TV, keep cable, if not, cut it. Awwww, see now I’m in doubt again 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-cut-the-cord-cable/729923/64 "2015-09-11T20:33:01Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Due to budgetry reasons Ms. Cups and I had to cut the cord and I HAAAAAATTTEEE it. > > But, then again, I love the shit out of TV. > > I hate having no channel variety, I am big into sports so I miss virtually all of those. We also don’t have HD which kills me. > > The moral to this threads story? IF you watch TV, keep cable, if not, cut it. Do you not have the streaming options that have been discussed in this and many threads? Most “channels” have free streaming of recent episodes, although you pretty much have to watch them on/from a computer. Hulu has absolutely tons of stuff including 1-day delay on a great many current shows, for $8 a month, and can be had on streaming devices as well as the computer. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-cut-the-cord-cable/729923/65 "2015-09-11T22:24:02Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Awwww, see now I’m in doubt again 😕 You’re starting to overthink things a bit. This isn’t an irreversible decision. Cut the cord. See how it feels. If it turns out you don’t like it, then reattach it. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-cut-the-cord-cable/729923/66 "2015-09-12T00:05:15Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > For a larger investment (hardware plus monthly fee) you can get an OTA Tivo, and record those admirable shows and watch them at your leisure. Or for $30 you can get one of [these.](http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ematic-AT103B-Digital-Converter-Box-with-Recording-Media-Playback/46646496) Plug in a USB stick or HDD and you have a no-subscription DVR. It will pass the signal to your TV so can record one channel and watch another one (using your TV’s tuner, as long as it has a digital tuner) at the same time, and it records in full HD with a HDMI port so you can watch your recordings in hi-def. Also, assuming you have a digital TV with an ATSC tuner, as all new TVs are required to have, it won’t hurt to get a cheapish pair of rabbit ears and see what you can tune in. I live in Tucson and get a total of 21 channels. Five of them are Spanish-language, but the other 16 hold my interest. All of them come in super strong and clear, even the one 45 miles away from me and have awesome stereo audio as well. I can receive ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, and the CW. Cozi TV, Antenna TV, and MeTV - all retro channels. Grit, This TV, and getTV - all classic movies. Ion TV - mostly dramas like _Blue Bloods,_ _Criminal Minds,_ and _The Ghost Whisperer._ Laff, which has comedy movies and sitcoms. Escape, which is mostly crime shows like _Forensic Files,_ _FBI Files,_ and _Unsolved Mysteries_ and crime thriller movies. I get all of this with an indoor antenna on top of my TV set. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-cut-the-cord-cable/729923/67 "2015-09-12T14:19:06Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Do you not have the streaming options that have been discussed in this and many threads? Most “channels” have free streaming of recent episodes, although you pretty much have to watch them on/from a computer. Hulu has absolutely tons of stuff including 1-day delay on a great many current shows, for $8 a month, and can be had on streaming devices as well as the computer. We do. We have both Netflix and Hulu plus and we get them through my PS3, and that’s whats sustaining us, but seasons are usually a season back, or they’re shows we just arent interested in. We can get ESPN on the computer because I just use a friends login (HBO too), but it’s not the same for us really. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-cut-the-cord-cable/729923/68 "2015-09-12T14:23:10Z")
No question that having full-spectrum cable brings advantages other options don’t, and if you’re really into sports or earliest-possible viewing of serial shows, it’s the only choice. Cable-cutting is for that vast middle ground of folks who really don’t get value out of $1000 or more a year for the complete subscriptions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-cut-the-cord-cable/729923.md?page=3)