Cutting Cable

[FrugalKube]

I checked out a few topics around the site that people had asked a variety of questions. Come next month we are cutting cable. We have a roku with Amazon Prime and Netflix. It should drop my cable/internet bill from $153 to $60ish

I checked out the guide by Daley (very informative btw!) and I checked my cable signal and it looks like I'll get 10-15 channels with just an indoor antenna. I have several friends in the area who have cut their cable recently as well and have had good luck with indoor antennas.

Got any recommendations on a particular brand? I was reading this article on http://lifehacker.com/five-best-indoor-over-the-air-hd-antennae-1513572532 and I have heard of the Mohu Leaf and the Winegard. One of those should work

Thanks again!

[libertarian4321]

I checked out a few topics around the site that people had asked a variety of questions. Come next month we are cutting cable. We have a roku with Amazon Prime and Netflix. It should drop my cable/internet bill from $153 to $60ish

I checked out the guide by Daley (very informative btw!) and I checked my cable signal and it looks like I'll get 10-15 channels with just an indoor antenna. I have several friends in the area who have cut their cable recently as well and have had good luck with indoor antennas.

Got any recommendations on a particular brand? I was reading this article on http://lifehacker.com/five-best-indoor-over-the-air-hd-antennae-1513572532 and I have heard of the Mohu Leaf and the Winegard. One of those should work

Thanks again!

I have the Mohu Leaf.  It is probably better than an old set of rabbit ears, but it is NOT spectacular.  If you are right in the center of a city, it should do well, but if you are 20 or so miles from most of the stations (as we are), you'll find it a bit challenging to consistently get channels- especially in poor weather.

It also works much better if you can stick the thing on an outer wall (or better yet, window).

Not a big deal for me, since I mostly stream. 

One more thing.  If you decide to cut the cable, become good friends with your local library- they should have tons of movies and even full seasons of TV shows.

[Khaetra]

There's quite a lot on the Roku itself and a few good ones are free.  Nowhere TV has free, live streaming news channels including BBC News, CNBC Europe and a few others if you need your fix :). 

[zurich78]

Depending on what shows you watch, check out Sling TV.

Offers many cable channels, over your home internet, for $20/month and it is a product of Dish Network.

You can get ESPN, TBS, TNT, DIY Network, HGTV, A&E, Disney, etc.

[FrugalKube]

Thanks for the suggestions. We tried SlingTV it may become part of this package. Local library does have a lot of dvds. They also offer some sort of streaming service but it's $15 a month. We already have Amazon Prime and Netflix and are looking into Hulu Plus.

I did also get a deal on HBOGo for a year for $30 which was nice

[okkiedokki]

We cut cable back in February and got a mohu leaf.  We get the local stations fine on good days, but stormy or windy weather and stations cut out.  Between that and neflix there isn't anything else we feel we need; but we limit tv time making our kids read or play.

[Mother Fussbudget]

If you're in the Seattle area, I'll happily GIVE you a TERK Amplified Indoor HDTV Antenna.  I was going to sell it on CraigsList, but what the hell.  It worked great when I was in my last apartment.  But doesn't work well in my 'new to me house' because of the hill between me and the Seattle/Tacoma towers.  Feel free to try it out, and keep if you like it, or return if it doesn't work for you.  Private message if interested.
http://www.amazon.com/TERK-Amplified-Indoor-HDTV-Antenna/dp/B0007MXZB2/ref=sr_1_36?ie=UTF8&qid=1430153162&sr=8-36&keywords=amazon+indoor+hdtv+antenna

[Mother Fussbudget]

And some resources...
http://antennapoint.com - Enter your address, shows you where to point your antenna.
http://transition.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/dtvmaps/ - get an idea regarding which stations you *might* be able to reach. 

I've found Windows Media Center a nearly FREE invaluable resource in use as a DVR to record shtuff, and skip commercials - all it takes is a Windows 7 PC/laptop and a TV-tuner card/device.  In my area, 7.2 GetTV shows Columbia Studios entire back catalog, but with 5 minute commercial blocks.  Same for LAFF TV (7.3), Antenna TV (22.3), iON TV (33.1) etc.  PBS, you name it.  I don't have the ROKU box, but use my old XBox 360 as a Netflix AND Windows Media Center portal.

[Lis]

I did also get a deal on HBOGo for a year for $30 which was nice

Oooh... care to share how? I'd love to get HBOGo once I move, but I'm dragging since I don't have an iPad or Apple TV. I hate that they're exclusive with Apple right now, but I'm hoping that'll end in a year or so.

[Gumbo1978]

I'd look at an either or on the Netflix/Amazon front.  A lot of the same content.  Hulu+ is nice to have to catch recent episodes from current seasons of popular shows.

I cut cable 5 years ago and pay about $15/month for Amazon/Hulu+ (wife is in school so I get Amazon Student rate).  I have some friends that cut a $40 cable bill but then pay more for combined Amazon/Netflix/Hulu+/HBO GO content.  Should have stuck with cable.