What Satellite & Cable Companies are doing as a Result of Cord Cutting

[kcflhrc]

Everyone's needs and wants are different. If folks would worry more about themselves instead of other's we would be a lot better off.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I'm sure cable and internet service providers do the same as newspapers....

They subscribe to a service that runs an algorithm on their customer database rate table. It selects all the accounts that are paying "promotional" and regular rates and finds the ones that are about to expire. They know that if they increase the price on all of the accounts that are about to expire, even though some will drop the service, the ones that stay with the service at the higher rates will offset the losses of the dropped accounts. They actually make more money by dropping accounts. Seems foolish, but they aren't in it for the long haul. They are in it for maximum profits now, and will get out when they can't squeeze that lemon any further.

Satellite dishes are fast becoming extinct as more and more rural districts get better contact with the outside world without a dish. My local phone company is in the process of installing a full fiber optic system to include phone, internet and cable tv. The price for all in a bundle will be about the same as I am paying for dish now but then I will have my cable plus high speed internet and phone. Right now the best internet speed I can get is 5 Mb and the new fiber optic will be std. at 125 mb with option to get up to 5 GB.
I will be so happy to be able to run my 2 ROKU devices at the same time and not loose my TV service every time a cloud comes up, although I will loose my early warning system for rain or bad weather coming (TV always blanks out 5 minutes or so before rain storms arrive.)

 

[goeduck]

Your link just shows the USA map. Tell us where the towers are in reference to you and about how far away

If your in a metro area you can use an old style rabbit ears, or just a simple indoor one. The market is pushing the digital antennas but the old style analog ones work just fine without issue. If you don't have one, then agree, find one that specifies the range you need. If your within 20 miles, don't get a 70 mile one.

Look at where the transmission towers are. If they are close enough and in different directions, get a omni (non-directional) antenna. This will allow signals to be picked up in different directions. If they are further, then you may need to get a directional one and a rotor

I did click to add my home address and have the station list. Is a 70 mile antenna worse than a lesser one? There is one station a ways out there that the lesser mile antennas will not reach. I would think a 70 mile amplified anntenna is going to receive the stronger stations just fine. No?

 

[AllDodge]

Its actually good that it doesn't show your position, because you don't know who is looking here. It would give everyone your address and GPS locations

To much signal power can cause issues, think of putting to much power in to something that is not rated for that amount.

You can probably use lets say a 70 mile antenna with things much closer so long as the amplifier is not ON.

 

[paulfun9]

This got a good laugh from both me and the wife today!
Just last week we had to return a call to her sister and realized we didnt have her latest new number written down in our address book. There is no room to write it in there because it’s been crossed out so many times.

My wife told her if she changes it even once more that we wont ever call her again!

No joking here in the last 4 years she changed both hers and the brother in laws numer 12 times each! They have lived in the same house for almost 20 years and have now had more than 24 different phone numbers that I am aware of.

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^ This is my reality as a property manager... not enough room to write down all the new phone numbers and often a property visit needed because none of the numbers I have work.

The change is dramatic when not a single tenant is using a landline and this is in a span of 30 years.

When I was working in Austria their was a national push there for Fiber... every little mountain top with 3 farms was being connected... even those with electricity... Austria decided fiber is the future...

It already had free Satellite… as the mountain valleys were excluded from over the air TV... no problem with Sat...

 

[Kubota L39]

Sounds like 5G might be an alternative to Cable or DSL internet when that's rolled out in a couple years. I'm hoping then I can cut the cord & be done with Charter for good. Not that the major cell companies are much better.

 

[goeduck]

Sounds like 5G might be an alternative to Cable or DSL internet when that's rolled out in a couple years. I'm hoping then I can cut the cord & be done with Charter for good. Not that the major cell companies are much better.

Hopefully it will give them more competition. Running a hard connection that last mile to your home is $$$. 5G avoids that if you are close enough for service. I am sure it will be in higher density areas.

 

[oosik]

To the OP - - what does the term - - "environmental rolloff" mean??

 

[thekkfan]

I did click to add my home address and have the station list. Is a 70 mile antenna worse than a lesser one? There is one station a ways out there that the lesser mile antennas will not reach. I would think a 70 mile amplified anntenna is going to receive the stronger stations just fine. No?

There is more in the equation than distance..... hills, mountains, is it flat? All will determine height you will need to mount. For antennas, size does matter.

I have one similar to this in my attic (https://www.amazon.com/Channel-Master-CM-3018-HDTV-Antenna/dp/B000SAKJ4Y with a 30db preamp (https://www.amazon.com/Channel-Master-CM-7777HD-Amplifier-Adjustable/dp/B01FTX7M26/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=channel+master+amp&qid=1550499133&s=electronics&sr=1-5) .

It is directed towards two stations on fairly flat terrain around 42 miles out. I can pick up stations on the back side of this antenna that are over 80 miles out (no rotor), because they are being transmitted from mountain tops and nothing between us. I do get channels to the left and right( 30-40mi) as well without re-positioning and have no issues with overpower.

Again, this is in my attic with shingle roof. I'm sure if I pole mounted I could increase signals, but isn't worth the corrosion to install outside.

I run my antenna into my Tablo (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078YKTWV6/ref=twister_B07FWS72XV?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) and watch (and record) all my channels over the Rokus I have installed at each TV.

So while I'm at work its recording gunsmoke and bonanza from MeTV for me to watch in the evenings while I cook dinner or kick back. And, unlike other streaming providers w/ DVR capability, I CAN FAST FORWARD THROUGH THE COMMERCIALS. :dance1: