# I'm not ready to cut the cable\[tv\] am I? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 16, 2013, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349 "2013-01-16T02:35:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/1 "2013-01-16T02:35:39Z")
At $180 a month, I so want to. I’m hoping I can get some ideas from you guys. I’m rather tire of paying $180 a month for a service I only use 80% of. These are the things that I simply must have: AMC: Gots to have my Walking Dead. I’m willing to give up AMC if I can keep WD. MSNBC: Look down on me if you must. 🙂 HBO. Local channels. Also, I work nights. A DVR is an absolute must as most of my shows air while I’m at work. My TV has Netflix and Amazon Prime built in, so I got that covered. Despite posting this, I’m pretty sure my only option is to keep cable if I simply ‘must have’ all these things. But I figured I’d post this anyway as this board has a wealth of knowledge and has been known to surprise me from time to time. Any input is appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![jacobsta811](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jacobsta811/32/2893_2.png) [@jacobsta811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacobsta811)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/2 "2013-01-16T02:51:15Z")
It looks like you might be able to buy the Walking Dead individually on itunes, and you can get the news content in pieces via the internet. But HBO shows are only available on HBO Go, which requires a cable/satellite subscription. And your local stations you can obviously put up an antenna. So really the only way to get everything you want is either piracy, or to wait. If you can hold off until the next season is out just about everything comes out on DVD/Itunes/Amazon VOD, and often for free on Netflix streaming. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2013, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/3 "2013-01-16T02:55:14Z")
There was another thread like this just recently. I’ve just cut Comcast cable (leaving phones and ISP) and replaced it, in large part, with a Roku streaming box. You can pay a few bucks for each show or series you want at a fraction of the cost of maintaining cable. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/4 "2013-01-16T13:26:41Z")
There are no other options for HBO, and I’m not aware of a way to watch MSNBC through streaming internet services. Otherwise, Netflix + Hulu + a-la-carte from Amazon will get you everything else for $20-$25/month. How much is comcast internet alone, maybe $60/month? Is it really worth **$1440** per year to watch MSNBC and a few series on HBO? Still, if you’re not willing to cut everything, you could probably just subscribe to the cheapest TV + internet combo, which will cover MSNBC, and just add HBO for $10/month. From a quick glance at Comcast’s offerings, that’ll cost you $70 at introductory rates, which probably will ratchet up to $90 or $100 after a few months. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/5 "2013-01-16T13:51:36Z")
The option for HBO is to wait a couple years for your library to buy the DVDs and then have your own marathon weekend. The other option is to buy the Season Pass on Amazon for like $40 or so. Cheaper than even one month of cable. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/6 "2013-01-16T17:35:18Z")
> [@](#): > > and I’m not aware of a way to watch MSNBC through streaming internet services. There are at least four places to watch MSNBC through streaming services. I wonder if they are legal. Where advertisements should be they have MSNBC promotional material. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/7 "2013-01-16T18:19:42Z")
The bottom line, for me at least, is that cable or any equivalent is awfully expensive if you don’t watch it several hours a day - and even then, if you only watch specific scripted shows, you can get them cheaper in several ways. I wonder how many people who (1) have decently fast internet service would (2) get rid of cable/satellite if they (3) realized they were paying $700-1000 a year for it. For us, that made every episode of Justified, SOA, Mad Men etc. cost around $20… and that was often via on-demand anyway. Internet plus a Roku or other streaming device plus Netflix streaming plus Hulu+ plus Amazon Video gives almost as much selection and at a fraction of the cost, especially if you discount the cost of the internet service you’re using for other purposes. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/8 "2013-01-16T18:31:22Z")
We cut our digital cable and downgraded to the regular limited basic service (local TV channels plus a few other things like the discovery channel, bonus PBS stations, foreign language stations, and radio stations), which is something like $25/mo. The internet runs $75-ish by itself, discounted to $60/mo with a cable TV subscription, so we end up paying like $10-15 a month for the TV itself. We don’t really miss pay cable most of the time (my wife might disagree). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/9 "2013-01-20T23:43:07Z")
I have no problem watching MSNBC online from their website. Maybe not every show is represented, but the ones I care to watch are. (I don’t have cable, so I don’t know what’s actually on that station anymore). ---
**Author:** ![Doggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Doggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doggo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/10 "2013-01-21T09:27:21Z")
Here’s a thought. Give up tv entirely and live life. You’ll be glad if you do and after a while you won’t miss those “essential”" shows. I did it for years when I was younger. Now I’m old and decrepit, I watch, but only because I can’t get out much. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/11 "2013-01-21T13:36:36Z")
I’m about to do it I think-sports are about the only rationate anymore, but I can stream those can’t I? ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/12 "2013-01-21T13:40:21Z")
Is there anything that really airs anymore that can’t be viewed online? We don’t even have basic TV service due to the cost, but we’ve gotten by just fine with Netflix and the internet. I can’t even conceive of paying $180 a month for television. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/13 "2013-01-21T13:42:58Z")
I can’t figure out how to get PBS, sports, and HBO without paying for cable, so I do. There’s a few others - like AMC and some local channels - that I could live without but prefer not to. But $180? I just re-negotiated my cable/Internet bill and got it down to like $140/month, and that’s with the fastest home Internet rate they offer. All the channels except a few premium pay channels (Starz and a couple other than I never watch). I’m guessing if you don’t want to super-fast Internet that I do (I work from home), you could get it down to around $100. Still not cheap, but probably worth a call to your cable company. They _do_ jack it up every year - I have a yearly reminder set on my calendar to call the cable company in January before they start fucking me. It always works, too. They always have some new deal they can get me on that saves me $50-$60 a month. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/14 "2013-01-21T13:45:08Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > Is there anything that really airs anymore that can’t be viewed online? We don’t even have basic TV service due to the cost, but we’ve gotten by just fine with Netflix and the internet. I can’t even conceive of paying $180 a month for television. Sports, PBS and HBO are what I want and can’t find. At least, not if I don’t want to wait, in some cases over a year. Game of Thrones and PBS is worth the cost of cable to me, sports are worth it for Mr. Athena. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/15 "2013-01-21T14:52:00Z")
Just do it. We did it years ago. You’ll find one there’s so more more time to live, and more living to do, without a television. Curious you should mention The Walking Dead so prominently. On the back of each of the trade paperbacks are a series of questions. One of them is, “How many hours are there in a day when you don’t spend half of them watching television?” ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/16 "2013-01-21T15:51:11Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Just do it. We did it years ago. You’ll find one there’s so more more time to live, and more living to do, without a television. > > Curious you should mention The Walking Dead so prominently. On the back of each of the trade paperbacks are a series of questions. One of them is, “How many hours are there in a day when you don’t spend half of them watching television?” It _is_ possible to have a TV - even one with cable - and not spend half your waking hours watching it. I’m just sayin’ ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/17 "2013-01-21T16:04:03Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > Sports, PBS and HBO are what I want and can’t find. At least, not if I don’t want to wait, in some cases over a year. Game of Thrones and PBS is worth the cost of cable to me, sports are worth it for Mr. Athena. PBS is the one thing that’s almost always available online. They usually put up everything within a day of its airing. HBO and Sports are a problem. I’m _this_ close to cutting the cable, but there’s exactly enough that isn’t available otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/18 "2013-01-21T16:44:43Z")
Why do some people not watch television? So they can tell everyone that they don’t watch television. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/19 "2013-01-21T16:53:29Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > It _is_ possible to have a TV - even one with cable - and not spend half your waking hours watching it. I’m just sayin’ However, it’s a peculiar use of funds to spend $160 on something you rarely use. I would tend to think anyone struggling with the decision of whether they should drop $160/mo cable in favor of $9/mo netflix and $8/mo hulu+, probably watches quite a bit of cable television. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-ready-to-cut-the-cable-tv-am-i/647349/20 "2013-01-21T17:01:38Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Why do some people not watch television? So they can tell everyone that they don’t watch television. Uh, no. 🙂 I wasn’t going to say anything until you posted. I replaced my TV watching with taking classes on Coursera, and my life is so much richer for it. I didn’t plan it, it just happened. I ran out of time to watch TV. Now I don’t miss it at all. I admit to a half-hour of HGTV or Food Network before bed, but if I didn’t live with two TV junkies I’d get rid of the cable TV and just keep internet.