# How much do you pay for your TV sevices? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 19, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294 "2005-09-19T00:40:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/1 "2005-09-19T00:40:22Z")
I was paying bills today and while handling Comcast, it struck me how much I pay for something I don’t actually use that much. I really like having all those channels even though I don’t ever watch them, so I doubt I’d ever drop it (plus I have two kids that would kill me), but as one who remembers when all TV was free, it seems like a growing extravagance. I pay $71 a month for digital cable, and the only extra thing I get is HBO. No ther pay channels, no HDTV, no Tivo. If I got everything they offered, I think the bill would be pushing $200 a month. That could be a car payment! Does anyone get the super-duper platinum package with all the extras? How much does it cost? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/2 "2005-09-19T00:58:39Z")
We have Adelphia’s Digital Package, with just about every Premium channel available. Costs us $97.35/month. Next month we are dropping all of the Pay channels except HBO. We just never watch them. I rarely go past Channel 310 anymore. It’s either that or… _So I bought a .44 magnum it was solid steel cast And in the blessed name of Elvis well I just let it blast ‘Til my TV lay in pieces there at my feet And they busted me for disturbin’ the almighty peace Judge said “What you got in your defense son?” “Fifty-seven channels and nothin’ on” I can see by your eyes friend you’re just about gone Fifty-seven channels and nothin’ on…_ ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/3 "2005-09-19T01:09:59Z")
I pay nothing, just use the antenna. I figured I’d only want to watch ESPN, Comedy Central, and Cartoon Network anyway, so why pay that much? Basically, it came down to either having DSL or having cable/dish, and I took the DSL. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/4 "2005-09-19T01:21:14Z")
Digital cable, DVR, one addon package, Roadrunner internet service - Just under $75 a month. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/5 "2005-09-19T02:54:37Z")
I have Comcast analog cable and high-speed internet: the combined bill is $98/month (I think the split is $45 for internet access, $53 for basic cable). I want **Fern Forest** ’s setup! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/6 "2005-09-19T03:19:51Z")
$12.98 for channels 2-24. We live in a rural area and don’t get good reception even with an antenna. I don’t miss good cable at all. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/7 "2005-09-19T03:39:54Z")
$0 / month. TV? What’s that? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/8 "2005-09-19T03:51:35Z")
We pay $107 for our Surewest package. We get super-high speed internet access, local and long distance phone as well as something like 120 channels, and 40+ channels of music all in one package. We don’t subscribe to any “pay” channels like HBO or Showtime. We have two boxes. We are very fortunate that **Suburban Plankton** ’s office reimburses us for $50/month for internet access as he often works from home. So out of pocket for all this $57…we can’t find a better deal. ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/9 "2005-09-19T03:59:55Z")
I use rabbit ears and my work pays for internet. So I don’t pay anything for any of it. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/10 "2005-09-19T04:03:12Z")
My work pays for internet too, so I exclude that. I am asking for all TV related expences, includind Tivo and HDTV. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/11 "2005-09-19T12:14:20Z")
$45 a month for basic cable. If money ever became tight, that’d be the first thing to go. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/12 "2005-09-19T12:17:36Z")
I bought my set at the thrift store for $20. That’s it. All I really watch is news, soaps and the Simpsons. I’m not paying to do that. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/13 "2005-09-19T12:20:20Z")
> [@Lamar Mundane](#): > > it struck me how much I pay for something I don’t actually use that much. I had that same thought five or so years ago, leading me to drop pay TV. I live in a rural area, so I do not get any stations. I have a dvd player and watch movies. When I am out I tend to watch the commercials playing on the bar TV. I spend the cash on other stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/14 "2005-09-19T12:58:05Z")
$46 a month for “advanced basic” cable, or something like that. Basically it’s the most channels we can get without going to digital cable, which I avoid like the plague because the last thing I want is yet another box and remote control in the living room. On top of that, add $20/month for 2 TiVos. This doesn’t include broadband, as we have a business broadband service because Mr. Athena works from home, and his business pays for the pricy-but-essential service. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/15 "2005-09-19T13:15:18Z")
I have Comcast digital cable and Internet access. This runs $89 per month. I don’t have any premiums except Encore & Sundance which are part of the base digital package. We are trying Netflix. This is another $19 per month. We love it so far 2 months in. We have 2 little kids and digital cable provides about 15 kids channels. Most valuable are PBS Kids & Discovery Kids. I need to get Yes Network which limits my satellite options. The Comcast Internet is always up and reliable, so I don’t really feel like switching. I don’t watch much TV anymore and the bulk of it is Yes & Comedy channel. With Digital we also get \*\*On Demand \*\* which is largely free programming and this has a service called Tube Time which gives me 1-2 Barney Miller Episodes per week. We also get a few free movies worth watching and some additional Children’s programming (Especially Scooby Doo & Thomas and Friends). ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/16 "2005-09-19T13:20:17Z")
I think we pay like $20 for basic cable, and $13 for HBO. We pay $10 a month for dial-up. We don’t use the internet much from home. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/17 "2005-09-19T13:20:31Z")
A few cents a month for running the TV. We don’t get cable here, so if you want more channels you have to pay exorbitant fees for Fox satellite service. But, you know, there are only so many hours in a day and I prefer to waste them on the internet. If you don’t count the news, I can go _weeks_ without watching TV so why pay for it? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/18 "2005-09-19T13:28:21Z")
I pay $105 for TV plus Internet. Take off $40 for the internet, and it’s a net $65 for just the TV. I get: Digital Cable HDTV channels Digital Music (mostly unused) DVR (TiVo knock-off, but wonderful) We watch a fair amount, so it’s worth it, the DVR is great, we never miss those things we enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/19 "2005-09-19T14:39:16Z")
$12.95 for basic cable ( you have to ask for this package from Comcast, they don’t advertise it) and $14.95 for DSL from SBC. We used to use cable internet and then our cable bill was about $60 for tv and internet but now that DSL is so cheap we are switching. We cut off our home phone entirely for a while b/c we switched to only using cell phones and that is why we had cable internet, but now that we are ‘new customers’ SBC is offering us all kinds of sweet deals, including home phone line for $9 a month. So now our total bill for home phone, DSL internet, and basic cable tv will be less than $50 a month even with all the fees and taxes. Pretty good! ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294/20 "2005-09-19T14:55:45Z")
We don’t have any TV service. $0. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-your-tv-sevices/322294.md?page=2)