When we moved overseas, we got a Slingbox. For those not familiar, it essentially hooks up to a cable box and makes all the content and controls available via the internet. An image of the remote control appears on the computer screen and you can click on the buttons with a mouse, just as you press them at home. Any content that is available on the box is available to you, including live TV, pay per view (though we've never done that), and DVR.
You locate the Slingbox hardware in a home that has cable. It really needs its own cable box because otherwise, you could have people trying to watch in the home and others trying to watch via the Slingbox and they'd be changing the channels on each other. There is no monthly fee. Buy the box, and that's it.
We have a small computer hooked up to our TV, so the TV acts as a giant monitor, and we use a wireless mouse to control the box. Even with our extremely shitty German internet (~1.5MB, sometimes worse), it works fine, though our picture certainly isn't HD quality.
For the cost of a cable box (I believe we give my parents $10 a month to pay them for the cost of their extra cable box with DVR), we have access to full cable. We do this primarily so we can have American content overseas, though in reality we probably watch only a few hours a week. But I don't see why it wouldn't work for someone in the States, though I don't know about the legality, admitedly. Seems like it could be a very Mustachian way to get cable, for someone who isn't ready to give it up entirely. Find someone who already has cable and get them to get an extra box and hook up your Slingbox.
