I don't know what the "Time Warner mess" was or is. I moved into a new apartment in 2007, leaving TW behind in favor of RCN, for which the new building was wired. I then switched to Verizon because it had the Big 10 Network. Ah, the good old days of apolitical sports! I remember, however, that TW had the best DVR box. Maybe times have changed - e.g., way too much content now and disabled features because the cable provider doesn't want to deal with people who can't figure them out (like, I was told, the "picture-in-picture" or PIP button) - but that basic TW box worked better than anything I've had since. Oh, I'm sure new boxes hold more, but the search and channel guide functions were much better then. For example, you used to be able to save searches in case (say) a movie you wanted to watch would pop up down the road.
I haven't had internet access in my house since I bought it 3 years ago. I watch the news on broadcast sometimes (it's been particularly interesting recently as you all know). I access this forum through my phone.
The glowing puck went out two decades ago. Although the technology is used to show the first down line in football broadcasts. Large screen tvs and HD help enormously for what was once televising a hockey game is like pouring the Atlantic Ocean in a fishbowl as Stan Fischler once said. But you do need a sl0w mo and someone adapt enough to show how it was set up to truly appreciate what looks like pell mell.
I have just "unwatched" this thread. It is these gratuitous comments that leads us down that forbidden path. Sure, it seems innocuous at first, but it is an invitation to further forbidden comments. There really is no point in saying anything but "I watch the news on broadcast sometimes" and leaving it at that.
I apologize for the offense! What I meant was that until very recently I didn't even watch broadcast news, it wasn't sufficiently dramatic enough for me to bother.
Not a problem. I'm learning myself. I note that I made a similar statement about my dislike for football (above) now as opposed to a few years ago. I didn't need to say why networks like BTN were important to me then but not now.
As I've noted somewhere here, I enjoy the OTA MeTV broadcasts. But, I work 2nd shift maintaining a high pressure boiler and having a tablet on my desk keeps me awake. I have YoutubeTV and TUBI available but I'd like to watch MeTV if I can. I downloaded the app and registered an account, however I can't figure out how to view the current programs. Anybody have any input/advice they'd like to share. TIA
I cut the cable, too. Like almost all the lineup I can now get for free, and got back the TV and antenna costs thanks to garage sales and auctions. I am one cappy hamper.
When the wife and I were deciding to dump DirecTv, I was concerned about recording the network shows like THE BLACKLIST and YOUNG SHELDON that we liked if we went to a service without the local channels; being at the TV when these came on like we had to before VCRs simply isn't an option for us. I remember seeing a device that made me think it worked as a DVR for over-the-air broadcasts. Since with we went with Roku and YouTubeTV, it wasn't anything I had to look into further, but a quick search showed several articles on OTA DVRs. JcS
Ironically, that's exactly what my wife calls them! Lately, she can't get over that woman they chose for their "business" spots (supposedly filmed in Canada?). She's like, where did they find her and what's up with that hair? I personally have a huge problem with the "blue dress vs the blue set". These commercials are about as LOW budget regarding worth and bad actors as a company this size could possibly get.
To go with my last post above ... Here is the commercial for those of you who have not seen it, along with others and behind the scenes views of how they made these horrible new commercials ... Spectrum Business – No Nonsense, Just Business — Laura Kathryn Lapham
Install uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger and Ghostery, all free. Do some creative sleuthing online and you will be shocked what can be found live streaming. All the major sports, PGA and LPGA. Probably would break some rule to post the links here. Yes, this raises some ethical issues, but the never-ending upward creep of cable TV pricing is like a crime unto itself.
I only keep Verizon because I like the reliability of the DVR box with a healthy capacity. We get five cable channels (the cheapest package) and I watch only two or three of them. I switch them out every so often, depending on whether a show is coming up that I want to watch. This month it was AMC (for Better Call Saul). I thought about cutting the cord recently, but was disappointed that I could not get MeTV or Decades over the air . . . plus, the over-the-air reception (with a proper antenna) isn't so good around here.
OK, so I got my higher cable bill and I was ready to drop Spectrum cable TV. I had already reduced my package as far as I could. I'm paying high prices and not even getting the channels I like. I have already signed up for HULU Live/D+ package, which suits my needs. Dropping cable TV would lower my Spectrum bill from $208 to $94. Still pricey but a good $50 less a month, total. I can live with this. OK. I call. There's a wait. Do you want a call back? Sure. 10 minutes later I get the call. I wait. Here comes the girl. I tell her what I want. OK, let me transfer you to someone who can help with that. 10 minute wait. "Hi, I'm so and so, how can I help you?" Drop the cable. "Let me take a look at your account." 10 minutes more on hold. "Hi, thanks for waiting. you have an older account, I need to transfer you to someone else." Biting my tongue. "OK". 20 minutes more on hold. "Hola, mi llamo such and such, quien es el blah blah blah..." Are you freaking kidding me?!? "Hi, this is such and such, can I have you name..." I tell her my name. I tell her I want to drop the cable. I said in the last 6 months bill has gone from $174 to $190 and now to $208. I told them 6 months ago that I could not afford another increase. "What shows do you like to watch?" No relevant. Kid shows. "Do you stream?" You're damn right I do and I'm going to go full stream ahead once you cut the song and dance. So for the next 20 minutes we sit in silence while she putters around "entering code". At one point she says, "Oh, we have a promotional package, we can give you what you have now at $167." Knowing full well this is the rate BEFORE the converter boxes and other BS taxes, I stick to my guns. More silence. 5 minutes pass. "So you're going to go ahead and keep the current package at $167." "Uhhh, no." "Ok. Just so you know your current bill is through the end of May. I can end your cable now but you're paying for 3 weeks of cable that you'll lose." Being billed for something I haven't used yet seems suspect, but whatever. "You have to turn in the equipment anyway, so why not cancel your cable then in person." I guess this makes sense. I sure as hell am not spending 90 minutes on hold again. Fine. 3 more weeks. Then I march into the Spectrum store at the mall and end this once and for all. Do they do this on purpose? Is the goal to anger the customer to the point that I want to throw a converter box at someone's head? How do they possible get away with such idiotic behavior? And why am I the idiot who keeps coming back for more? I've been threating for years. This time it's really over. I mean it.
They do it because... Exactly! The agony of cancellation and the time it takes inhibits thousands of customers from doing so. They continue to collect the monthly fee. Take back the box and insist that you get a written confirmation of cancellation. If you become disatisfied with HULU or YouTubeTV, which I use, you can cancel on line in a few minutes and never have to speak to a human being to try to stall or argue with you. Welcome to the new world!
FWIW, I was taking a Media Law class in 1982 when Milwaukee was deciding its cable contract. 6 firms bidding, one of them being then Warner Cable, the lizard-like predecessor to Spectrum. 3 advisory boards - Citizens, Gov, and combo. All 3 advised under no circumstances go with Warner Cable. At that time they were under criminal investigation in two states and on trial in another Guess what happened. I still remember my Professor's face when he walked in the classroom the next morning. Even more interesting is that most of those alderman who at the last minute inexplicably voted for Warner Cable ended up somewhere else soon after. In a city where aldermen usually clung to their jobs, sometimes for life. Most locations in US have a duopoly (or less) and few have more choices. This is ultimately a Congressional issue, and Congress effectively allows citizens to be screwed. Corruption with very deep roots. ESPN, Disney, professional sports ("Steroids?!" said acting comissh Bud Selig. "I am shocked! Shocked"), all part of it. This story is only the tip of the iceberg. Advent of Warner cable brought clarity to political landscape
I had no trouble dropping Frontier cable TV awhile back. One call, minimal hold time, done in a few minutes. Kept the internet though, for which they offered a decent rate. The big negative about Frontier for internet is that they, like Verizon did, use AOL for e-mail support and they want an additional 6 bucks a month to help you with anything. For history's sake I had Time-Warner from 1988 until 2011 then switched to Verizon, which stuck me with Frontier when they left the area. The first two were fine but Frontier was the pits. I kept getting e-mails saying they had to drop so-and-so because they had gotten too expensive but my bill kept going up despite the continuing content loss. Use YouTubeTV now and it has its pluses and minuses. I added AMC+ for 6.99 a month. Frontier had dropped MLB Network (included here) and did not have high def TCM (included here). Cloud storage with unlimited space but content gets deleted 6 months after last recording (I had 2 and 3 year old saved programs on Frontier). Thing I really like is that you can customize your station order, putting the ones you use most near the top of the guide. You can also set stations you have no interest in to not be displayed. When YouTubeTY had a dispute with Disney over new pricing and it was not available they immediately credited 15 bucks to my monthly bill until it was resolved. Heck for 15 bucks a month they could have kept all those stations ;-). All-in-all which I had done this sooner.
I've had TWC and now Spectrum for over 30 years. They have no interest in taking care of long time customers. My bill went up over $10 and I called them a few days ago. The "bundle" specials I had expired with no new programs currently available. Will be calling on Monday to drop cable but will need to keep internet. Just don't watch much network TV anymore. Wish there was more than one cable provider in my area so I could play one against another.
at some point in time later on, please let us know how much per month you are paying for various streaming services + internet + landline and/or cell phone. i'm guessing that when add all those up you will be really close to that $180 a month.
The only thing I signed up for that I have to pay for is HULU at the lowest level. What is miss the most is sports, especially the Golf Channel. I still watch golf Saturday & Sunday on regular TV (which my wife considers to be plenty). There's nothing on TV anyway whether I have cable or not so I'm saving the money!
I'll miss watching the NFL when I drop Spectrum cable. Is there a way to watch the NFL without cable?
