# Ugh, Cutting the Cable Cord **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 19, 2016, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853 "2016-06-19T23:37:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/1 "2016-06-19T23:37:00Z")
We are trying to cut ties with Comcast cable TV. We have alternate resources for everything that we watch except for the instrumental music channel. Unfortunately, this is the channel we use the most. Is there commercial-free, easy-listening, instrumental music for your house out there? There are no broadcast radio stations in my area for this apparently niche market. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/2 "2016-06-20T00:27:01Z")
I guess the kids no longer think Pandora is cool, but it works pretty darn good. You can build your own station by seeding it with a couple of artists that you like or by starting with one of their pre-seeded stations, like the [Instrumental Easy Listening station.](http://www.pandora.com/station/910406923799705116) After that you need to “train” your station, which takes a little time, but (to me at least) is well worth the effort. You can end up with a station that plays mostly your favorites and every once in a while throws in new songs for your approval. I’ve found a lot of obscure and not-so-obscure cuts in my favorite station. And above all, it’s addictive. I might turn it on just to fill a few minutes and end up listening for hours because the next song is always something I can’t turn off. Yes, it takes some time to train your station to that level. As for ads, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Streaming music is expensive. Pandora runs 2 to 4 fifteen or thirty second ads per hour or you can pay a monthly fee to get ad-free. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/3 "2016-06-20T00:40:39Z")
Amazon Music has stations like Pandora without ads. You can even make your own playlists and download music to your device to play offline. It’s included with Prime. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/4 "2016-06-20T00:40:52Z")
I’m familiar with Pandora and it’s ilk on my computer and Sirius in the car but how does that translate into my home? I may just be missing the obvious but I’d like to be able to use the entertainment system speakers. I’ll forego the free part for an ad-free music experience. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/5 "2016-06-20T00:47:11Z")
> [@Ruby](#): > > I’m familiar with Pandora and it’s ilk on my computer and Sirius in the car but how does that translate into my home? I may just be missing the obvious but I’d like to be able to use the entertainment system speakers. > > I’ll forego the free part for an ad-free music experience. Just plug your computer’s audio output into your home system’s aux input. Might need an adapted to go from 1/8" stereo to 2 RCA’s, but those are cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/6 "2016-06-20T00:57:56Z")
I guess I’ll have to scab an old laptop from somewhere and just dedicate it to the home theater setup. I won’t be plugging and unplugging in that rats nest of cords back there on a regular basis. Thanks for the input! ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/7 "2016-06-20T00:59:22Z")
Just buy a [cable like this one](https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMR-206-Stereo-Breakout-Cable/dp/B000068O33/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466384006&sr=8-1&keywords=3.5mm+%281%2F8%22%29+Stereo+mini+plug+to+dual+RCA+cable), plug the single connector into the back of your computer, plug the dual connectors into any input jack on the back of your stereo receiver (except the PHONO jack) and you should be in business. There are also more expensive and exotic wireless solutions, but this should do ya. Edit: Just like **snfaulkner** said. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/8 "2016-06-20T01:31:57Z")
If you like Sirius XM, you can [take it home with you.](https://listenercare.siriusxm.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3576/~/can-i-get-sirius-or-xm-radios-for-my-home,-too%3F) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/9 "2016-06-20T01:42:02Z")
Do you have an appliance like Roku, AppleTv, Chromecast or Amazon Fire Stick as part of your cable-free setup? You should… Whichever you have should have one or more music app on it such as Pandora or Amazon Prime Music or iheartradio. If you don’t have one of those and don’t plan on getting one then I highly recommend Amazon Echo as a music appliance. It can play Amazon Prime Music, Pandora, Spotify and I think iHeartRadio. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/10 "2016-06-20T01:51:38Z")
Aha! I think something like Roku is exactly what I’m looking for. I didn’t realize they had music apps too. Yay! ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/11 "2016-06-20T02:55:12Z")
Go to YulTube, enter the search terms /instrumental easy listening playlist/. You will get dozens, maybe hundreds of lists that will play for hours. Lok at the list of titles in each playlist, pick out a few you like, bookmark them, make sure your browser has Ad-Block running, and just sit back and let them segue through without interruptions. Here’s the first example that popped up when I tried it: https://www.youtube.com/embed/HSgn_xqmJpY?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PL9B24150F0BD55B2C ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/12 "2016-06-20T14:56:26Z")
> [@Ruby](#): > > I guess I’ll have to scab an old laptop from somewhere and just dedicate it to the home theater setup. I won’t be plugging and unplugging in that rats nest of cords back there on a regular basis. > > Thanks for the input! You could get a Bluetooth receiver for about $20 and plug that into your stereo. Then you simply stream from any available Bluetooth device (phone, tablet, etc.). We do this and it works great. Something like [this](https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Bluetooth-Receiver-NFC-Enabled/dp/B00KXYXXK2/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1466434275&sr=1-7&keywords=bluetooth+audio+receiver). ---
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/13 "2016-06-20T15:31:48Z")
Here’s the [Spanish Guitar](https://play.google.com/music/listen#/wst/st/39822e13-cc54-3dee-abe0-9b49e9192ea8) station on Google Play Music. I have it saved as one of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/14 "2016-06-20T15:33:26Z")
Got the Fire Stick for Father’s Day yesterday-still getting the hang of programming and using it, but I think I’ll have it down in a day or so. We’ve got Amazon Prime, so it’s _really_ expanded my viewing possibilities(4000 channels) and almost no buffering delay at all. It comes with free photo storage on the Amazon Cloud Drive, which is something My Beloved is certainly going to abuse, and tons of ad-free music. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/15 "2016-06-20T16:32:31Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > You could get a Bluetooth receiver for about $20 and plug that into your stereo. Then you simply stream from any available Bluetooth device (phone, tablet, etc.). We do this and it works great. > > Something like [this](https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Bluetooth-Receiver-NFC-Enabled/dp/B00KXYXXK2/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1466434275&sr=1-7&keywords=bluetooth+audio+receiver). I would go with the Chromecast Audio. $35, you don’t have to worry about ringers & notification sounds playing over the speakers, and synchronized multi-room sound if you have more than one. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ugh-cutting-the-cable-cord/757853/16 "2016-06-20T18:06:51Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > Amazon Music has stations like Pandora without ads. You can even make your own playlists and download music to your device to play offline. It’s included with Prime. I bring my $50 fire tablet to work and stream the Americana channel all day. Prime radio rocks.