No more online ABC TV without a TV provider?

[s219]

We don't have cable at our new house, and decided $80/month for satellite would be overkill. So I bought a Mohu HD antenna, and was pleasantly surprised to pull in 19 channels (all from 45-60 miles away). We got all the networks and a bunch of smaller channels, including MeTV which has a lot of great oldies -- which is what I mainly watched on cable at our old house. So I can get Bonanza, Hogan's Heroes, F-Troop, Mash, Rifleman, Mary Tyler Moore, Emergency 51, Dragnet, Wonder Woman (hubba-hubba), Gilligan's Island, etc.... for free. Pretty happy about that. If they ever get McHale's Navy, my life would be complete!

What I would really like is a DVR so that I can record a bunch of Westerns to have on tap for the short amount of time I get to watch TV at night, but not sure I want to pay $15/month for TiVo. I haven't seen any other real good options for over-the-air DVRs, though I understand a few products are set to come to market in 2014.

 

[Xfaxman]

DVR Plus - Subscription Free TV Antenna DVR | channelmasterstore.com

Ran across these from MDFarmer in another thread about TV. It records over the air (OTA) via antenna programming. No subscription. If it worth $250 to you to be able to record and play at your convenience, it is a solution.

You don't have to buy the Disc Drive from Channel Master, lots of good info here: http://www.avsforum.com/t/1481183/channel-master-dvr-owners-thread

We are OTA only, still using Sony DHG-HDD250 DVRs, made in 2005. Most digital OTA is transmitted on UHF , so the big old VHF antennas may not pick it up.

 

[ultrarunner]

This morning's paper gave me an insight to what might be happening.

"Appeals court ruling knocks the pins from under open-access regulations"

Thanks to the ruling, Broadband providers can now exert a lot more control over sites and services you visit.

The ruling would for example allow Comcast to bar Internet subscribers from seeing for Netflix or from using Vonage Internet Phone Service.

 

[thirdroc17]

I see a rise in video stores coming back. Actually still have one just down the road. We're shelling out over $100 a month, and simply can not afford to keep paying it. Big corporations can buy all the laws they want, but when it comes down to it, people who's jobs all went to China in the name of corporate profits, won't be able to keep paying the high prices. That simply economics 101. Corporate America has to wake up if it is to survive, they can't buy Congress and the courts forever if the people can't afford the bills.

 

[dmccarty]

This morning's paper gave me an insight to what might be happening.

"Appeals court ruling knocks the pins from under open-access regulations"

Thanks to the ruling, Broadband providers can now exert a lot more control over sites and services you visit.

The ruling would for example allow Comcast to bar Internet subscribers from seeing for Netflix or from using Vonage Internet Phone Service.

The ruling is complicated. My first read on it this morning was that the court overturned how the Obama administration inserted their ruling which appear to be a violation of regulation/law. The court was not saying that services providers can/should charge Netflix but that the regulation was not legally implemented.

The real problem we/many have is that internet service providers have a monopoly in most places. We simply have no other Internet service provider that has unlimited data and sorta fast access. We have one VERY unreliable and problematic provider. There are NO other choices. Some areas in my county have NO high speed access. My service provider certainly does not care about who I access, for the most part, though using Netflix does require them to install more capability. However, they COULD charge for that capability and we certainly would pay for faster access but it is not available. Comcast, on the other hand, would/could have a vested interest in charging more for video content. On the other, other, hand, I have read that the president of Comcast understands that his company's future is as an Internet service provider NOT a cable company. I think he is right but he also might want to make CONTENT. Comcast would be better placed if they were not only the pipe that got the content to the Customer but also provided the content. Cable has always been about providing the content, either via cable channels, and now, Internet streaming. I wonder if Comcast makes more money from selling Internet access or selling cable? I would think their profit margins are higher on Internet than cable TV.

Later,
Dan

 

[thirdroc17]

Charter has the monopoly here. They are going digital only for tv. If you need a box, they will provide it free. Of course there WILL be added surcharges and increases to your existing GUARANTEED rate.

 

[Leejohn]

I think they all should go to jail for double dipping. When I pay for something I don't they should get money for all the commercials and then charge me for watching them. And I shouldn't be paying for paid programs, again I'm paying for it to. While I'm bitching I would like to ask, what in the ----- did they do with the weather channel on Direct skam?

 

[ultrarunner]

I learned very quickly the difference between dealing with AT&T and Comcast/Satellite.

AT&T is highly regulated compared to the other two.

I was easy and affordable to get phone service in Olympia Washington... not so for the other two.

Comcast wanted $14,400 for hook up... neighbors on both sides have it.

Satellite Dealer had a run in with my tenants and refused to install.

Can you imagine AT&T refusing to provide service when no money is owed?

 

[Larro Darro]

I have just came in from the barn, where I used my tall ladder to hang rabbit ears over one of my shop lights. The FSU Miami game isn't on any of my Dish channels, but WMBB ch 13.2 out of Panama City has it. With the rabbit ears, a digital converter and my old RCA tube type TV, I was able to get a usable signal. So at 2000 I will be bundled up, but watching the game. Go Noles. Play fast, it's 44* and dropping.

Larro

 

[dragoneggs]

Ditto.. Record everything and skip commercials.. unless its Hulu, them no choice. Football I record for about 45 mins to an hour, then start.. By the time I catch up, is late in the 4th so still get to scream with every one else

Just don't look at any text, email, take phone calls while you are behind!