# I dumped cable. What's the simplest way to get some basic... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 30, 2018, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dumped-cable-whats-the-simplest-way-to-get-some-basic/811468 "2018-03-30T11:19:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dumped-cable-whats-the-simplest-way-to-get-some-basic/811468/41 "2018-05-07T14:58:45Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > I see people are still pushing me to over the air (OTA) options. I linked one not to “push it on you” but for the general education of people reading the thread, others of which may be interested in cord cutting as well. I don’t especially care if you buy an antenna or not but (again, for the sake of others) it’s a pretty basic part of the cord-cutting kit with a minimal one time cost. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dumped-cable-whats-the-simplest-way-to-get-some-basic/811468/42 "2018-05-07T15:06:12Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > There are silly people in life, and it might not be you that is silly; it is me, because I do not want an antenna of any type. I’m not spending $2 or $20 on an antenna, and if you gave it to me for free, I’d not attach it to the TV, etc. > > It costs me $20 bucks per month to have background noise in my life. Morning news is on while I have my coffee, and it paces me as I leave daily, so I leave with some connection to the world and key info. > > . Oh, it’s definitely you who is silly, since you specifically asked for ways to watch local broadcast stations in your OP. People are trying to help, not only you, but others who are confused by the process. I have a $17 antenna (from amazon) that looks like a black sheet of paper, hooks straight to my tv and sits in the window behind my tv. It allows me to watch about 20 local channels if I so choose (but I only got it for PBS). Netflix and Amazon through my Roku take care of all of my other needs. For those who are feeling intimidated, I _promise_ it’s not as complicated as some make it sound. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dumped-cable-whats-the-simplest-way-to-get-some-basic/811468/43 "2018-05-07T15:14:02Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > See, this here is part of the problem - I don’t even know what half of these things are (and I suspect half of them aren’t available here in Lethbridge, either). Is there someone I can hire to figure out how to cut our cable for me? (Only partly joking.) I think that it’s fair to say that if you have a decent internet connection with a wireless (wifi) router, you can get all of the services that I mentioned from almost anywhere in the world. I, and many others here would be happy to step you through the process of “cutting the cable.” This really isn’t that complicated. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dumped-cable-whats-the-simplest-way-to-get-some-basic/811468/44 "2018-05-07T16:56:34Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > \ > I, and many others here would be happy to step you through the process of “cutting the cable.” This really isn’t that complicated. Hmmm. I think I’ll start a separate thread and take you up on that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dumped-cable-whats-the-simplest-way-to-get-some-basic/811468/45 "2018-05-07T17:30:14Z")
I dunno, it was pretty easy when I went into the store and told them they needed to cut my bill by at least $50 per month and the clerk said she couldn’t do it. I told her to remove my cable (and keep the internet) and she did it right there, no arguments. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dumped-cable-whats-the-simplest-way-to-get-some-basic/811468/46 "2018-05-07T17:41:50Z")
I had an easier time than any of you with my cable-cutting - I just chose a different cable to cut. My TV’s power cord has been redundant for several years - not really missing much. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dumped-cable-whats-the-simplest-way-to-get-some-basic/811468/47 "2018-05-07T17:41:51Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Hmmm. I think I’ll start a separate thread and take you up on that. 🙂 [Done and done!](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=20945522) 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dumped-cable-whats-the-simplest-way-to-get-some-basic/811468.md?page=2)