# Now it's time for my "cut the cord" advice thread. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 3, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817 "2018-01-03T20:54:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/41 "2018-01-06T00:24:45Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > There are many VOIP providers you can use that would likely be cheaper–around $10/month or so. One good thing about using an independent VOIP provider is you don’t have to do anything special when you change ISPs. So it may be worthwhile to just use Comcast for internet and get phone from somewhere else. You could use what I use - get an [Obi200](https://www.amazon.com/OBi200-1-Port-Adapter-Support-Service/dp/B00BUV7C9A)and get free local and US long distance service from Google Voice. I pay $0 a month to call my wife at home in Chicago for hours every day. It’s impossible to port your number, but that’s the one all those Telemarketers already have. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/42 "2018-01-06T00:27:52Z")
> [@Allecher](#): > > And to take this idea one further - you can connect with your friends on Plex. That would allow me to watch your video collection over the internet. I’ve used that to access my personal collection from a hotel room too. Yeah, just set a friend up with the Plex client on his Roku and invited him into my Plex server. I bought a lifetime Plex Pass when they were running a special a year or two ago. I love this software! ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/43 "2018-01-06T01:40:47Z")
I use [Phone Power](https://www.phonepower.com) for my VOIP, but I’m pretty sure many of them are pretty similar. It’s $8.33/mo if you prepay a year. You actually get 2 lines with the service (although they’re attached to the same number). The porting is pretty easy and will only take a few days. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/44 "2018-01-06T02:06:47Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I bought a Roku for Christmas, hooked it up, attached our Netflix and Amazon Prime accounts to it We did that exact thing one year ago. Signed up with Playstation Vue through the Roku, but we recently dumped that service when they jacked their prices up. Now we just use Hulu. So that gives us Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, the free stations on Roku, and an indoor antenna for the local news and such. The Roku channel ain’t too shabby, and Crackle’s not bad, either. Tried Pluto, but we don’t like it at all. We’ve just discovered Roku’s casting abilities. So we can now stream from our laptops and tablets straight to the TV. There are a couple of ways to do it on Windows 10, and one of the methods screws up the sound. If you’ll just hit the _Cast_ button from Windows Media Player, it plays perfectly. Works for disks, too, if your laptop has a Blu-ray / DVD player. Biggest recent problem we’ve had is BBC America through Hulu doesn’t have the Doctor Who Christmas Special. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/45 "2018-01-06T14:20:43Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > Hook an antenna up to your TV to see what regular channels you can get. Often you’ll get the networks and a lot of different sub channels. There are also websites you can use to enter your address and it’ll tell you what channels it thinks you can get. Consider a DVR for the OTA channels, since it allows you to have a library of network shows that would otherwise be spotty to try to find over streaming. Tivo has the [Roamio](https://www.amazon.com/TiVo-Roamio-OTA-DVR-Streaming/dp/B01DR4T73Q) which does OTA recording with no subscription fee. > > Hulu is good for streaming most network/cable content. They don’t have everything, but they have a wide variety of on-demand content from the channels you’re used to with satellite. > > PlutoTV is a streaming channel which packages up other free streaming channels and gives you a channel guide like you already have with satellite. Obviously it’s not all the same channels, but there are news channels, movie channels, sports, etc. > > Many TV’s have smart capabilities. They won’t be as good as Roku, but it’s a way of having streaming to other TVs as well. As broadcast tv gets more popular, the more sub channels are added and more variety of shows are added to the line ups. I travel for work all over the area counties and satellite dishes are disappearing and antennas going up > [@Chefguy](#): > > $140/month? Hell, you’re getting off easy. Comcast is raping me for about $230/mo. I need to dump some premium channels and HD, cuz upwards of $3,000/year for fucking TV/internet/phone is ridiculous. Yeah, start adding up monthly costs and then talk about needing 24/7 tv anything. Why anyone would want to spend 1000+/- for tv…Get up and walk away from the tv if youre watching 24/7. Why is anyone addicted to that any more? Or should they? I get news on the internet now. TV news is so warped anyway. You can get local news on broadcast and (inter)national news broadcast too. Anything else is available online. Internet pricing needs adjustment at some point in the future or now We pay 39 a month now for internet. I need it for work so I can do away with that > [@salinqmind](#): > > I can’t live without PBS, TCM, and AMC. I just can’t. Do any of these things provide these? I loved those channels too. Lots and lots of PBS channels via antenna on the roof. TONS! We had to cut the cord. Cable/satellite tv is not what it used to be. When the history channel, discover channel etc dont play what the channel name suggests and 75% of the other channels are reality tv…makes ridiculous fees. > [@pulykamell](#): > > Same here. I was reviewing my accounts last month and couldn’t believe cable & internet had gotten up to $250/mo with all the taxes and fees. (ETA: Sorry. $235/mo looking at the last bill. And we don’t even get HBO or Showtime or any of that!) 250 month makes 3000 a year??? OMG! If living in the city, you can get many many channels with a simple cheap antenna but out here in the boonies bigger higher antennas are needed. Its a one time cost. Isnt there something else you could enjoy with 3k a year instead of giving it to some corporate giant?? I think cable and dish companies are getting their rude awakenings these days ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/46 "2018-01-08T19:11:12Z")
I went to Comcast this morning and slashed all the premium channels off. I expected resistance, but they just said “sure thing”. By doing this, I’m adding $1200 a year to my checking account, as my bill dropped from $276/mo to $176/mo. $35 of that is their bullshit fees and taxes. They did try to up-sell me with their home security package, included for free for two years. Problem with those kinds of offers is that after two years, they just start charging you for it, rather than asking if you want to continue. If my wife didn’t insist on being able to watch the Blazers games, I could have slashed it to about $100/mo. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/47 "2019-01-15T21:21:47Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > We did that exact thing one year ago. Signed up with Playstation Vue through the Roku, but we recently dumped that service when they jacked their prices up. Now we just use Hulu. > > So that gives us Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, the free stations on Roku, and an indoor antenna for the local news and such. The Roku channel ain’t too shabby, and Crackle’s not bad, either. Tried Pluto, but we don’t like it at all. > > We’ve just discovered Roku’s casting abilities. So we can now stream from our laptops and tablets straight to the TV. There are a couple of ways to do it on Windows 10, and one of the methods screws up the sound. If you’ll just hit the _Cast_ button from Windows Media Player, it plays perfectly. Works for disks, too, if your laptop has a Blu-ray / DVD player. > > Biggest recent problem we’ve had is BBC America through Hulu doesn’t have the Doctor Who Christmas Special. Never mind my above advice. I’ve just unplugged both Roku units and tossed them into a drawer. [Streaming platform Roku hosts Infowars channel after Facebook, YouTube bans](https://thehill.com/homenews/media/425474-streaming-service-roku-adds-infowars-after-facebook-youtube-ban-channel-for) > [@](#): > > “Customers choose and control which channels they download or watch, and parents can set a pin to prevent channels from being downloaded,” the statement continued. “While the vast majority of all streaming on our platform is mainstream entertainment, voices on all sides of an issue or cause are free to operate a channel. We do not curate or censor based on viewpoint.” Do they have a KKK channel, too? ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/48 "2019-01-15T21:29:45Z")
That seems silly. Did you also throw away your computer when you found that the infowars web site was available on it? ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/49 "2019-01-15T21:33:36Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > That seems silly. Did you also throw away your computer when you found that the infowars web site was available on it? You’ll notice that I didn’t say that I threw away my TV. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/50 "2019-01-15T21:59:07Z")
Check if your local library system has a partnership with Kanopy. If so, it’ll get you up to five movies a month. The collection is reasonable. Mostly classic or art house, but they have he entire A24 collection right now which is neat. And you can’t beat the price (free). ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/51 "2019-01-15T22:06:53Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > You’ll notice that I didn’t say that I threw away my TV. I see. You’re angry that the Roku software allows infowars to be seen. So have you stopped using Chrome (or Edge or Firefox or whatever browser you’re using) because it allows the infowars web site to be seen? ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/52 "2019-01-15T22:07:35Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I see. You’re angry that the Roku software allows infowars to be seen. So have you stopped using Chrome (or Edge or Firefox or whatever browser you’re using) because it allows the infowars web site to be seen? I have no interest in arguing nonsense. Bye now. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/53 "2019-01-15T22:39:54Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I see. You’re angry that the Roku software allows infowars to be seen. So have you stopped using Chrome (or Edge or Firefox or whatever browser you’re using) because it allows the infowars web site to be seen? I think the issue is that InfoWars is listed in the Roku channel listing. Roku isn’t like a browser where you point it at some random address and it displays what is presented. Roku has some criteria for channels to be added to the official list that Roku users can find in the Search feature of the Roku box. It is possible to add unofficial channels to your Roku, but that is a manual step. A browser analogy would be if InfoWars came up as one of the official tiled sites in the New Tab screen on a fresh install. It’s one thing if you manualy enter the InfoWars url as a bookmark, but it’s different if Chrome ships with an InfoWars bookmark built in. By allowing InfoWars to be easily searchable from the Roku interface, it means it’s much easier for InfoWars to find an audience. Although some savvy users could add it manually, most customers would give up if InfoWars did not return any search results. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/54 "2019-01-15T22:44:15Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I had a thread like this. I never cut the cord for this reason: I am addicted to the 24 hour news cycle. If there is a way to have my cake and eat it I’d love to know. Go ahead and cut it. A television is the WORST possible device for finding out about important things that are going on in the world. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2019, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/55 "2019-01-15T23:24:52Z")
Netflix is raising their rates about $2/month: > **[Netflix Raising Prices for 58 Million U.S. Subscribers; Hike to Mark Its...](https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/netflix-raise-prices/55540/)** > > Netflix is raising its U.S. prices by 13 percent to 18 percent, its biggest increase since the company launched its streaming service 12 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/56 "2019-01-16T01:18:04Z")
[Roku has reconsidered](https://twitter.com/Roku/status/1085343064418267136): “After the InfoWars channel became available, we heard from concerned parties and have determined that the channel should be removed from our platform. Deletion from the channel store and platform has begun and will be completed shortly.” ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/57 "2019-01-16T01:57:43Z")
Damn! Even before I had a chance to RO about this all over Twitter. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/58 "2019-01-16T03:34:49Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > I think the issue is that InfoWars is listed in the Roku channel listing. Roku isn’t like a browser where you point it at some random address and it displays what is presented. Roku has some criteria for channels to be added to the official list that Roku users can find in the Search feature of the Roku box. It is possible to add unofficial channels to your Roku, but that is a manual step. > > A browser analogy would be if InfoWars came up as one of the official tiled sites in the New Tab screen on a fresh install. It’s one thing if you manualy enter the InfoWars url as a bookmark, but it’s different if Chrome ships with an InfoWars bookmark built in. > > By allowing InfoWars to be easily searchable from the Roku interface, it means it’s much easier for InfoWars to find an audience. Although some savvy users could add it manually, most customers would give up if InfoWars did not return any search results. You’re right. I had actually incorrectly thought that infowars was a private Roku channel, not a public one. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/59 "2019-01-16T03:40:43Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I’d swap the landline over to AT&T (who I’m also paying for iPad connection), but want to keep my current number. Now that I think of it, I’m probably over $400/mo for all the damn electronic connections and services. It’s insane. If the landline number is local (I can’t imagine it isn’t), then you should be able to swap it to any company. Call them up and say you want to port your number over to their service. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817/60 "2019-01-16T04:34:39Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I’ll have to check it out. We don’t use smart phones, so landline is how people reach us. We do have basic flip phones with AT&T, but don’t generally give out those numbers. I’d swap the landline over to AT&T (who I’m also paying for iPad connection), but want to keep my current number. Now that I think of it, I’m probably over $400/mo for all the damn electronic connections and services. It’s insane. You can still have a “home” phone without it being a land line. When our kids were younger and everyone knew our land line number we moved to a flip phone (cellular) that sat on a charger in the same place and with the same number as our old land line. The kids could also take it if they needed a phone for some reason and we could confuse the heck out of my mom when we went on vacation and told her to just call the home number if she needed us 🙂 . This was about 15 years ago so I’m pretty sure you could do the same. Plus it tied into our other cell plans and had unlimited talk and long distance so it cost maybe $10 extra per month over our cell plan way back then. $400 is about 4 times what it sounds like you should be spending. To address the OP. A hint I stumbled upon is I got an Amazon Fire Replay (OTA DVR) and put it in a guest room on the second floor. I put the antenna in a window with a clear “line of sight” to the broadcast antennas. There isn’t even a TV in that room, but I can stream the OTA signal to all of my TV’s… even the ones in the basement that couldn’t get a good signal with an antenna down there. We have a basement bar/game room with 2 Big TV’s (50" and 65") and we can watch pretty much what you would see in a sports bar using a combo of Sling TV and OTA (through the DVR). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-its-time-for-my-cut-the-cord-advice-thread/805817.md?page=4)