Suggestions on replacing cable

[Travis]

I still have cable, and I was planning on getting rid of it when I'm done with this deployment.  My family back home still uses it to some extent, but with my bill having just gone up another $5 a month I'm seriously looking at options to get rid of it sooner.  We tend to watch educational channels, BBC, news, and kids programming.  We rarely if ever watch network tv and "normal" tv shows.  Any ideas on alternatives?

Edit: We already use Netflix, but selection can be a mixed bag.

[usmarine1975]

Netflix is what we use.  Limited to shows but we haven't found it to be a problem.  Tried switching to Red Box but found it to be more expensive picking up movies more and not always returning them etc...  7.99/month for netflix.  Other options do exist and I will let the others tell you those. 

With Netflix you do have to have an internet connection.

[gimp]

I use torrents and a large hard drive... and amazon prime.

[schimt]

If you are even slightly tech savvy, I like my midnight G-Box 2, with XBMC! Pretty much has everything, for free. It was a $100 on amazon, and works well. You tube G-box and also look at XBMC to see what it has to offer.

[4alpacas]

Anyone have NCAA football replacement options?

[MrsPotts]

The Missus-Pottes use Netflix, Amazon Prime, and a $40 Costco antenna that allows us to get Big Bang, Big Bird, and the Jesus Channel. 

[t-rymz]

Apple TV and netflix (or get rid of the TV all together and use the computer)

[DecD]

Netflix, youtube, and an antenna for PBS.  Want a great $3 antenna?  We built this and it works beautifully.  We get perfect, free, HD network tv (that we almost never watch, but it's nice to know it's there.)  http://makezine.com/projects/digital-tv-coat-hanger-antenna/

[MrsPotts]

Anyone have NCAA football replacement options?

Bar??

[MDM]

If your TV is in the US, you can check http://www.antennaweb.org/Address.aspx for what stations you might be able to pick up with an antenna.

[Hotstreak]

Replace it with walks outside, card games, and conversations with the family.

[Simple Abundant Living]

We replaced satellite with antenna, roku, and our bluray player. On roku, our favorite channels are Netflix, amazon prime, PBS and PBS kids, as well as others. We have tons of tv still, but it's only on when we really want to watch something, which is a bunch less than when we had satellite. My only worry is what's going to happen when college football season comes...

[Travis]

We replaced satellite with antenna, roku, and our bluray player. On roku, our favorite channels are Netflix, amazon prime, PBS and PBS kids, as well as others. We have tons of tv still, but it's only on when we really want to watch something, which is a bunch less than when we had satellite. My only worry is what's going to happen when college football season comes...

We don't watch sports so that's not really a big concern, but we tend to watch a lot of educational and documentary-style programs.  I always thought Hulu was just sitcoms and the like, but I looked everything up last night and saw that between Roku, Amazon Prime, and Hulu they have quite a number of possible networks to choose from.

[Travis]

Replace it with walks outside, card games, and conversations with the family.

We already do that to the extent possible. DW is a SAHM and our son is 4 years old, but we also live somewhere that rains most of the year.  We don't watch much tv, but when we do I cringe at how much we're paying and barely using it.  I work 12 hours a day, and this year I'm not even in the country so the cable is being used even less.

[JGB]

Hulu is another option. You can watch the free version (which has ads) and get most of the shows that the networks are currently airing. If you want access to past seasons, you have to pay for Hulu+

[MooseOutFront]

If you are even slightly tech savvy, I like my midnight G-Box 2, with XBMC! Pretty much has everything, for free. It was a $100 on amazon, and works well. You tube G-box and also look at XBMC to see what it has to offer.

I need to see what this is all about.  The closer I get to setting up a proper OTA DVR to more I'm like eff it lets set something up that does more. 

[Simple Abundant Living]

We replaced satellite with antenna, roku, and our bluray player. On roku, our favorite channels are Netflix, amazon prime, PBS and PBS kids, as well as others. We have tons of tv still, but it's only on when we really want to watch something, which is a bunch less than when we had satellite. My only worry is what's going to happen when college football season comes...

We don't watch sports so that's not really a big concern, but we tend to watch a lot of educational and documentary-style programs.  I always thought Hulu was just sitcoms and the like, but I looked everything up last night and saw that between Roku, Amazon Prime, and Hulu they have quite a number of possible networks to choose from.

We also really like the TED channel on roku for education and entertainment.