# Tell me the Cons of ditching my TV **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 9, 2014, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-the-cons-of-ditching-my-tv/704155 "2014-11-09T15:52:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hopeful\_Crow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/da6949/32.png) [@Hopeful\_Crow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hopeful_Crow)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-the-cons-of-ditching-my-tv/704155/21 "2014-11-10T17:39:27Z")
Check your local thrift stores. In our state, they’ll take all old computers and televisions so that they can be recycled rather than wind up in landfills or just dumped somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![BaldDudePeekskill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@BaldDudePeekskill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldDudePeekskill)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-the-cons-of-ditching-my-tv/704155/22 "2014-11-10T18:26:13Z")
> [@Hopeful\_Crow](#): > > Check your local thrift stores. In our state, they’ll take all old computers and televisions so that they can be recycled rather than wind up in landfills or just dumped somewhere. Maybe not-Most of the thrift stores, donation centers, won’t take any tube televisions or old computers… indeed…you can’t even throw a tube television out on regular bulk trash day… ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-the-cons-of-ditching-my-tv/704155/23 "2014-11-11T14:22:53Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Did you read the OP? She doesn’t watch it, that’s why she’s getting rid of it. > > And why wouldn’t someone want to know about local news? The OP asked for the “cons of ditching” it – meaning, the arguments against pulling the plug. I presented exactly such an argument. When was the last time you learned something from the local TV news that actually raised your level of summary awareness of the character of the community you live in? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-the-cons-of-ditching-my-tv/704155/24 "2014-11-11T14:30:11Z")
> [@kiz](#): > > We’re no longer using our 20+ year old TV thanks to the housemates. They ditched cable years before moving up there and can’t believe we still have it. They reconfigured our cable box to their flat screen (which actually is a desktop monitor – it’s probably between a 36" and a 40") and added external speakers. We got Chromecast. They have Netflix. We’ve spent the last couple of weekends catching up on the X number of Doctor Who seasons we’d missed since cutting back to basic cable 🙂 I hate to tell you this, but you’re still watching TV. ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-the-cons-of-ditching-my-tv/704155/25 "2014-11-11T15:14:20Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Most people would keep a portable radio around that runs on batteries. Yes I do have a radio and batteries > [@ZipperJJ](#): > > You’re not really getting rid of something useful that can’t be replaced fairly cheaply with something that is much better. > > If you get rid of this you get rid of a big space hog, that doesn’t even work. Even if you had an antenna you’d still need to get a converter box to make it all work. > > If you get rid of it and at some point in your life you decide you need a tv, you can go to Wal Mart any hour of the day and get a nice small one with a built-in converter and a $20 antenna. Or you can get a bigger one which will still be lighter and take up less space and have the converter built in. > > There’s no reason to keep it. Which, you have figured out already 🙂 Yes! Thank you! > [@johnpost](#): > > you should have a tv with an antenna to get local weather and news. > > if you have a good signal then a loop or bowtie antenna would work. i made a 4 bowtie antenna that could get some stations some of the time at 70 miles. > > go to > > [http://www.tvfool.com/](http://www.tvfool.com/) > > click on > > “Check Your Address for Free TV” > > enter zip code or address. > > it will show you what you can get with what type of antenna. I live in a valley. To get any reception I need a huge roof top antenna. Ugh! No way! > [@Erdosain](#): > > Reason #1: So you don’t turn into one of those people who feels the need to inform anyone in earshot that you DON’T EVEN OWN A TELEVISION. I pledge to never mention it. 😃 > [@GreenElf](#): > > Someday you’ll want to get cable again so you can watch a good TV show every now and then. If not, then get rid of it. Never. I am far to Yankee Frugal to pay for cable. I am happy to pay for Netflix that has an excellent selection of shows from cable. > [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Did you read the OP? She doesn’t watch it, that’s why she’s getting rid of it. > > And why wouldn’t someone want to know about local news? I check local news twice a day via internet. > [@Quercus](#): > > Can I just mention that a tube TV is more or less hazardous waste (it’s full of lead), and shouldn’t be dumped in the regular trash. > Most towns will take them one way or another, but you might have to take it to the dump yourself or something (my town will pick them up with the trash; you just have to call them ahead of time to let them know). Fortunately there is a computer store in the next town that takes every type of old electronic equipment for free. ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-the-cons-of-ditching-my-tv/704155/26 "2014-11-11T15:19:03Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > The OP asked for the “cons of ditching” it – meaning, the arguments against pulling the plug. I presented exactly such an argument. > > When was the last time you learned something from the local TV news that actually raised your level of summary awareness of the character of the community you live in? The things I learn from local news: bear sightings moose sightings accidents that closed a road and collectively: most crime in my state happens “West of the River” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-the-cons-of-ditching-my-tv/704155/27 "2014-11-11T15:44:27Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Suppose there is a major weather or other catastrophe in your area and the internet is down, but the TV is still broadcasting. Most people would use the TV to keep up with what is happening. Power on my street went out the night Hurricane Ike blew through Houston. It was restored by 6PM the next day. (One street over, they never lost power; one street in the other direction, power was out about 3 weeks.) Cable & the Internet were down for several days but the local broadcast stations kept going. Having a TV was really useful. But the OP has a piece of crap that needs to be recycled. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-the-cons-of-ditching-my-tv/704155.md?page=1)