Anyone give up satellite TV for something like Netflix?

[sixdogs]

First of all, I'm not sure I understand this but I've been reading about people giving up traditional cable or satellite for Netflix and apparently watching "TV" on their computer. This sounds interesting and all I know is I pay a large amount of money to watch a relatively few channels.

We have Direct TV and watch about 10 of the umpteen, but mostly useless channels. Am I hearing right that I can watch those 10 good channels on the computer via Netflix? Does anyone know if this is so and how it works or the cost?

 

[MoKelly]

Am I hearing right that I can watch those 10 good channels on the computer via Netflix? Does anyone know if this is so and how it works or the cost?

You can't watch channels on Netflix --- only Netflix movies.

You can get other services to watch some channels, but I'd be willing to wager those are not the "good" channels you are referring too.

The most difficult thing to replace is ESPN and other live sports channels. To me, that is the big drawback.

If you primarily like movies then you can cut the cord. You need a really good and fast internet however.

MoKelly

 

[Industrial Toys]

Firstly, I must say, I certainly miss the good old "free to air satellite" days. Now I have some free basic sat channels as part of a program to offer basic service to those that lost local VHF, UHF TV signals.

I got Net flix some time ago. My neighbour pays for it, as I supply High Speed Internet for both of us. It's alright, but I wish the offerings were a little broader. It's sometimes a little hard to find a movie to watch. My choice would be just to have the History and Discovery channels, and these are not available by themselves on any Sat TV offering and arn't on Netflix either.

There are not just movies. I watch around eight seasons of "Breaking Bad" over Christmas! Good if you like wasting your time!

And yes, you do need a good stable high speed connection. I actually got an Apple TV unit and there is You Tube on there as well with various TV shows.

 

[jeff9366]

You can also order movies on DVDs via the mail. I have awful AT&T ancient mariner internet service which precludes downloading movies, so our movies arrive via mail. Netflix began by offering DVD movies by mail, then added downloads as internet speed improved in most areas.

 

[Ken]

We had the DSH tv. for about 3 years and always could tell that rough weather was coming the Dish was out.
Then a thunder/lightening storm and again call Dish repairman to change the dish head equipment at cost exceeding 120 bucks at least 4 time year.

The price was always 20 a month more then year before and added channels we never watched.
So returned to digital tv from station. We get 22 and only miss the apc (All Political Comments) news shows.

But can see these on the computer.

Notice several new antennas appearing here lately.
ken

 

[mikim]

not sure but you may be confusing the term "Netflix" for the overall internet TV. Netflix is only one of the services you can get over the internet to watch on your TV. My TV is a "smart" TV and connects directly to my inet service. There are also "hulu" "amazon" and a host of other services that you can connect to over the inet (for a monthly fee for each). Each service has it's niche of content. hulu is mostly TV shows, netflix is mostly movies. I have both satellite and netflix....my neighbor has free broadcast TV for the local stations plus netflix. We have too many channels that we like that are only available here on direct tv or that would be my route.

 

[dave1949]

We ditched our cable tv subscription and are happy with streaming Netflix content. We have good enough cable speed for that.

Best way to see what is available is to go to Netflix on-line and look at what is streaming now.


It's mostly tv serials and movies, commercial free on demand. We don't watch sports much--although the Super Bowl was available free for streaming via NBC on the 'net.

Amazon is another source.

 

[ustmd]

We went to internet only content in Jan 2014 and haven't looked back-Netflicks, Hulu and Amazon Prime. I have just signed up for Sling--which is Dish network's streaming service ~$20/month. You can stream a bunch of their channels live or watch anything that was on the previous 72 hours. The biggest downside of Sling is that you cannot skip/fast forward or avoid the commercials. It is like watching TV pre DVRs.

 

[sixdogs]

We don't watch sports and only a couple movies. Wife likes cooking show, news, History Channel and that kind of thing. We used to have a big dish n New England and I had one here for a while. Now it's Direct TV and I've about had enough of paying so much. There has to be a better way.

 

[mx1alex]

I'd love to drop dish and just do streaming but we can't get fast enough internet where I live to do it.... Unless we use a cellular and use our phone or wifi hotspot but then we have to watch our data usage.