All right, it has come up enough, I need to explain it so people will stop asking.
Carly and I cut the cable about five or so years ago. I noticed, before we moved to New Jersey, we weren't really watching anything on TV of any importance. We used to play this game with Headline News: "IS THIS NEWS?" Between the stories about giant pumpkins and twins riding tandem bicycles cross country, the scores were low. So, when we moved to NYC area, I determined that we just didn't need cable. We got FiOS internet, but no cable television. It was the best thing that ever happened to my eyeballs.
Before we cut the cable access, I set up a computer to stream various things from the internet. At first, there were some less-reputable streams, but eventually we had Netflix and Hulu to supply our entertainment needs. Now, five years later, it's an institution. We do not pay for cable. We do not have a DVR. We do not watch regular television programming, and we do not miss any shows that we want to watch. We just have to be patient. By doing so, we save about $1200 a year. Here's how:
Basic principles: all big, flat-screen TVs, be they plasma or LCD, are basically massive computer monitors. Computers hook right up to them. The cables come in the box.
"Computers" is a broad category. It includes XBox 360 and Playstation 3 and better, nearly all modern laptops and desktops. I'm betting some smartphones are powerful enough to stream decent TV.
We have a computer hooked up to our TV. The end.
Not really. Or, rather, it needs a little explanation.
A few years ago, I just bought a top-end entertainment-optimized HP desktop. The key was getting a sick, top-end graphics card. That's really it. I spent about $750 two or three years ago. Our remote is a bluetooth mouse and keyboard. The cable connecting the computer to the TV is included in the box, usually.
We watch nearly all of our TV on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and HBO Go.
Netflix: we pay for a streaming-only service, which is about $8/month. You almost never get new shows, but you have so much available from years past, and stuff usually comes available on the schedule of DVD releases. Also, they have original shows like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, which are amazing. Hemlock Grove can suck a dong.
Hulu: we use the free service. This means that we sometimes have to wait for shows to come out (a day, sometimes three months), and not everything is available. But so much is available it doesn't matter. Eventually, it comes out on Netflix.
Amazon: we pay $80/year for Amazon Prime. This gives us free 2-day shipping on most things from Amazon.com and access to a whole host of TV and movies. We use it mostly for rentals. New movies are usually $4 or $5 for a 48-hour rental and they're great. We also buy season passes for things like Walking Dead and American Horror Story for reasonable amounts. It's worth it to see them as they come due.
HBO Go: technically, we're stealing this. My sister has HBO and we are using the account. If you can get someone to give you their password for HBO Go, do it. When HBO starts offering online-only accounts, I'll pay for one.
The computer is also a great way to stream music (iTunes is right there), set up photo slideshows, everything. Hell, I even have games on there (Starcraft II is STUPID AWESOME on the big 46" TV).
If you require HDMI connections, that makes the process a little tricky, especially if you switch between HD and standard definitions frequently. I understand the human eye isn't as savvy as we think it is, and HDMI inputs have never impressed me. In fact, I wrote an Intellectual Property thesis on how HDMI is the death of innovation. Goddamn Sony... I love you, I hate you, I love you, I hate you....
If you have questions about this, just ask. I'm around.
The thing is, it's not about the money, or at least, not totally. It's more about control. I'm totally in control of what I see at any given interval. The only thing is... it reminds me of my trip to Europe years ago. I hit this wall where I was so free, had so many options, had no one to guide me... I just couldn't clearly choose which museum to visit, which awesome thing to see that day. I just sat in my hostel in Naples for a few days. It was weird. They looked at me like I was weird.
This is probably what motivates my wife to plug in the antenna. In our new place, we get really good antenna reception, and something like 40 channels, half of them in HD. So she though, WHEE! PBS MARATHON! The reality is, she watched morning shows and THE VIEW. Goddamned TV.
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