In regards to giving up cable: Technical questions

[TexasNative]

1. Would I need to hook up an antenna to get the local channels?
2. Is there any way to get a digital video recorder with no service fees? It looks like TiVo requires a subscription?

I am tired of wasting good blocks of time watching the damn tube. I love to read but I never do because it's too easy to flip on the TV.

[amyschiff]

Originally Posted by TexasNative

1. Would I need to hook up an antenna to get the local channels?
2. Is there any way to get a digital video recorder with no service fees? It looks like TiVo requires a subscription?

As of June 2009, all TV carriers were required to broadcast in digital only. This means that you need a digital converter box plus the antenna you would have normally needed for local channels. The government is offering a coupon to offset some of the cost of the converter box, but it looks like you need to apply before July 31st to be eligible.

As for a DVR, the only way to have a subscription free one that I know of would be to convert a PC into a DVR. I'm not sure what sort of copyright issues this raises though.

[hermione]

I've been trying to figure this out myself. Amy, you seem to know a little about this, so maybe you know the answer to this one:

I just recently bought a Samsung HDTV with a built-in digital tuner. Does this mean I don't need a converter box, but still need an antenna in order to get local channels? I haven't tried getting an antenna because my family got one 10 years ago for our old TV (it as new then) and it didn't do anything, so I haven't wanted to spend money to try another.

[TightFistedMiser]

If your TV has a digital tuner then you don't need a converter box. One DVR that doesn't require a subscription is the DTVPal DVR. There are also some that work through your computer. I haven't used them myself so I can't make any specific recommendations.

[jalapeno]

We've been without cable for maybe 10 years but are subscribing again this week actually. Basically because of the digital conversion. My in-laws bought us a new TV that was supposed to pick up the digital channels. (I don't know why they bought us a TV - our old TV was perfectly fine but that's another story.) Anyway, turns out we are in a "digital dead spot" or something like that. So we essentially are down to 1 channel. And we did find a bundle deal to include our phone/internet/cable for slightly less than we currently pay for phone/internet! So I guess my advice would be to get the antenna and conversion box prior to actually cancelling your cable. Then physically disconnect the cable cord to see what you'll be getting without the cable to be sure you're ok with that. (So that you don't end up having to pay a reconnect fee or anything like that).

[amyschiff]

@hermione: you will not need the converter box since your tv has a digital tuner, but you do still need an antenna. http://www.dtv.gov/consumercorner.html#faq6

[hermione]

Thanks! I'll put a couple of antennae on my Amazon price tracker and snag one on sale. Though sometimes I wonder if it would be better to continue on without TV. The past 10 or so years has been quite nice without that TV commercial noise in the house. It sort of changes the ambiance of a house. Hulu ads are so much better than TV ads.

[hermione]

Hmm ... looks like I might be wasting my money getting an antenna as my zip code has practically no DTV reception - 2 channels with weak signals and the rest dead. Well, that solves my problem. Vivent les DVDs!

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/

[gt0163c]

Originally Posted by fast1

lol but aren't the dvds a more expensive situation?[IMG]http://*********.com/img/3322/n09x0302vnsn/clear.gif[/IMG]

Depends.
If you go with Netflicks of Blockbuster's DVD service, you pay around $15-$20/month. That's less than most cable companies charge.
If you're buying DVDs, there's lots of options for getting them used or discounted. Movies can regularly be found for under $10/movie new, even less used. TV shows be regularly be found for $20-$30/season. Depending on how much you want to watch, again, it's not hard to keep it cheaper than cable. That's even more the case if you can borrow DVDs from the library and/or from friends. Supplimenting your viewing with on-line viewing (free and legal) and, for the most part, it's very easy to not have a television and not miss anything. Live sporting events are about the only big exception.

[TexasNative]

For rentals I pay $5 to netflix for 2 dvd's a month, and I also use redbox frequently. 99 cents a rental baby!