Starting Out
Cut the Cable Cord
Try these sources of free or super-cheap programming and movies, and pocket the savings.
By Erin Burt, Contributing Editor, Kiplinger.com
March 5, 2009
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I canceled my cable subscription a year and a half ago, and I honestly haven't missed it that much -- especially considering that by cutting the cord I've slashed the $60-a-month bill and saved more than $1,000 so far.
Don't get me wrong. I enjoy vegging in front of the TV as much as the next person, and I have favorite shows I regularly watch. But as I weighed the cost against what I was getting out of a cable subscription, I started to see it as a luxury instead of a necessity.
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I'm not alone in my thinking, especially among young adults. In fact, only one in four people age 18 to 29 says cable or satellite TV is a necessity, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. (Americans age 50 and older, incidentally, are much more attached .)
Members of the YouTube generation are open to getting entertainment in nontraditional ways. And thanks to the Internet and other resources, it's easier than ever to get what you want without a hefty price tag. Since ditching cable, I've discovered plenty of places to get free or super-cheap TV shows and movies -- many of the same ones I had watched before -- but for a fraction of the cost. Here are some of my favorites:
Tune in to savings
Go digital. TV's conversion from analog to digital has been a boon in my house. I used to get only two fuzzy channels using my set's rabbit ears. But with a new digital converter box ($50 retail, but I used a coupon for $40 off from the government), all the basic network TV channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW) come in crisp and clear -- just in time for me to heckle the contestants on the latest season of American Idol.
Hulu.com. Online video has come a long way from the days of jerky motion and pixilated pictures (buffering ... buffering ...). Nowadays, a broadband Internet connection is a portal to free (and 100% legal) online programming of decent quality. And at Hulu.com, you can watch full episodes of more than 300 shows from NBC Universal and Fox stations.
For instance, one of the things I missed most about dropping cable was getting my satirical fix from The Daily Show and The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. Hulu to the rescue! The episodes online are a day old -- but I usually recorded the shows and watched them the next day anyway. You can even watch past shows, new and old, from Arrested Development to The Simpsons to The Mary Tyler Moore Show. And if I miss a new episode of Chuck or 30 Rock, I catch up at my convenience online.
Hulu also has a decent collection of full-length movies, though most are a few years old. But with titles including The Karate Kid, A League of Their Own and Muppets From Space, there's something for everyone.
Network Web sites. If your favorite show isn't on Hulu, you can check individual network Web sites, such as ABC.com and CBS.com, which increasingly are posting full episodes online. You'll find current programming, such as Grey's Anatomy and CSI, as well as classic episodes of Beverly Hills 90210, Twilight Zone and Hawaii Five-O.
Even cable channels offer freebies, including breaking news videos at CNN.com, live sports at ESPN360.com and Hannah Montana episodes at Disney.com.
Netflix. Netflix offers thousands of movies, plus a huge selection of TV series on DVD -- including those from premium channels, such as HBO -- making the service an economical alternative to cable.
The cheapest plan allows you to rent two DVDs a month for $5 a month. But the real value lies in its unlimited plans, starting at just $8.99 per month: You get unlimited DVD rentals, plus instant gratification via on-demand streaming to your computer or TV through a Web-enabled device, such as an Xbox 360 or a TiVo HD. My friend's 4-year-old daughter even knows how to order her favorite Caillou episodes on-demand by herself.
iTunes. If you don't want to wait for a whole season's worth of your favorite TV show to turn up on Netflix, you can download current episodes at iTunes for as little as $1.99 a pop. If you're particularly addicted to a show, you can buy a season pass. That quickly gets pricey, though, so check at Hulu and network Web sites first to see if your show is available for free. For example, a pass for the current season of The Amazing Race costs $21 on iTunes, but you can watch the episodes at CBS.com at no cost.
But the immediacy of iTunes can come in handy. For instance, the second season of AMC's Mad Men isn't due out on DVD until July, with a sticker price of $50. But you can download the entire season on iTunes now for $23.
You can also rent movies from iTunes, which lets you watch the flick as many times as you want within 24 hours. New releases cost $4 and older titles are $3. It's convenient to watch a movie at the click of a button, and it isn't a bad deal in a pinch. But you have cheaper options for movie rentals.
Redbox DVD. These DVD kiosks, conveniently located in places such as Wal-Mart, McDonald's and neighborhood grocery stores, are stocked with new-release movies. Rentals cost $1 per day, but my family has rented everything from The Dark Knight to Tinker Bell for free using coupon codes we found online through www.insideredbox.com.
The public library. This is a staple for free and dirt-cheap entertainment at my house. Many libraries will let you check out recent movies and TV episodes on DVD for free; others may charge a minimal fee. My local library, for instance, charges $2 for entertainment movies, but all educational DVDs, from yoga instruction to Blue's Clues, are free. Ask your library about its policy.
And while you're there, pick up a book for some good old-fashioned entertainment!
Some trade-offs
Cutting the cord isn't for everyone. For instance, if you want to watch the latest hot cable show so you can discuss up-to-the-minute details at the water cooler, you may be out of luck. If you're a sports junkie, cable may still be the easiest way to catch all your favorite teams. And if you like to watch TV with other people, gathering your friends around your laptop isn't as satisfying as hanging out in front of your 42-inch plasma.
I also miss PBS. I can't get reception for it, even with my digital converter box. It took some adjusting for my daughter to do without Sesame Street. I try to satisfy her Cookie Monster craving with free DVDs from the library, or with clips at SesameStreet.com.
And I'll admit I miss curling up to watch HGTV or the Food Network on a lazy Saturday afternoon. But on the bright side, I've been more productive without those channels. Now I spend my Saturdays actually working on home improvement projects or trying new recipes in the kitchen instead of watching other people do it.
But for the most part, my experiment with a cable-less life has been a success. I can watch almost anything I want at any time, without having to pay for cable or even a TiVo subscription. I've had to make a few small sacrifices, but the savings has been worth it.
Do you have a favorite source for cheap or free entertainment? Share with us below.
Reader Comments (47)
Posted by: Amy Richards at 03/04/2009 03:36:46 PM
In my area I can have basic cable for $12/mo. and it includes all public channels. I'm going back to that service, although I will miss MSNBC. I find I don't make the best use of Netflix, because I will hang on to a movie for 2 or 3 weeks simply because I don't have time to watch it.
Posted by: Evie at 03/04/2009 04:00:01 PM
Wow - great topic! My coworker and I were just talking abou this subject yesterday. He decided he didn't need 900 channels, after all, and downgraded his plan to save money. A wise move indeed.
Posted by: Greg at 03/04/2009 04:21:32 PM
I understand your thinking, but next week someone will write an article on cutting your internet cord as well, saying you can get most of the data from your work computer or television.
Posted by: advocatus at 03/04/2009 04:33:24 PM
How can you cut the cable and have a digital box? That requires a cable subscription. Unless CNET, CNN, and the FCC are all wrong.
Posted by: Andy Oliver at 03/04/2009 07:21:03 PM
OVGuide.com is a great resource to direct you to free TV and movies online. The site searches over 3,000 of the top online video sites so you don't have to. Hulu is just one of them! Enjoy!
Posted by: Sam Harrison at 03/04/2009 08:26:42 PM
The switch to digital is not a boon to most antenna viewers. We get 17 channels on analog. Some can be a bit fuzzy but can be watched. On digital, we get 6 channels if the weather is good. Add some rain or wind and we are down to 3. Seems that many people will be required to subscribe to cable or satellite if they want any real choice in TV viewing. Did the cable companies write the law converting to digital?
Posted by: Charity at 03/04/2009 09:52:19 PM
Unfortunately, we need to have cable for our internet service.
Posted by: Limoman at 03/05/2009 08:05:05 AM
Well, If you want to have to Sign on, go thru all that hassle just to watch a program? BMG! And maybe those without the Income to spare may need too. And to Sit and watch your programs on a 14-21" Computer monitor? No thanks. Maybe can get a HD TV and Run your Computer thru it, but that costs too. I think the Real Solution is? > Getting the Cable Co. to allow One to SELECT Which Channels they want and only pay for them.. > Right now it's just a Socialisum program supporting about 50% of the Programs and Channels the most of us Don't want.. (Like paying to watch the Shopping Channel? Or Tatto Ink or 5 different Basketball Channels or American Chopper Motor Cycles -#1 among the Biker Gangs ! ) What's next? How to Grow and Sell Marijuana or Cocaine! Or The Chef Channels... ! Do you really care about being a Chef or how to be one and be insulted all the time? It's such a Small niche that a few 1 hr specials is all one needs..at best.. and Get rid of the Constant Re-Runing the same Movies over and over every Month in and Month out.. and calling them a Premire everytime.. Most have Died out of New programing and best just go their Merry way.. HD AND ON DEMAND> HD is a FRAUD adn is just another way to get more $ out of you ( ours is $100/yr) and just another way to Get you to use their Fee for movies. On Demand.... Which really should be ? FREE HD and paid by the $ they make from On Demand! Hopefully the Dems will clean this Mess up and allow us to Buy What We Want and not be forced to Subcidize other channels they aren't interested in.. And allow Supply and Demand Decide which Channels should survive.. and/or Charge Extra for those Channels that Don't for those who want them.. It, like Franchising all the Fast Food businesses have been way over sold and Excess has Killed the Goose Laying the Golden Eggs.. Like What Little Town of Pop. 5-10,000 Needs 10 Fast food Places,a Wal Mart Super Store, Home Depot and a Lowes? No wonder they're closing up shop..
Posted by: Rose at 03/05/2009 08:19:58 AM
Thank you for mentioning the public library - we need all the press we can get! Strange about your PBS station, though. When we bought a new TV, we were able to get not just the HD PBS, but two HD sub-stations we didn't even know existed, including the Create Channel, devoted to food, travel and crafts - it fills the need for Food Network, Travel and HGTV nicely.
Posted by: RJK at 03/05/2009 08:53:53 AM
The switch to digital is a great idea...what I don't understand is why it hasn't happened yet. We only had 2 years to transition. Now my TV picks up about 15 channels whereas before it could only get 2-3 and the picture quality will be better with broadcast over the air since the cable companies compress their digital images first. That is why you need a digital box to watch Digital TV from the cable company.
Posted by: CancelCable.com at 03/05/2009 10:36:31 AM
Great discussion of cable tv alternatives! We canceled cable TV last year and use a combination of Hulu/Netflix/Roku to watch just about all our favorite shows. We've been blogging about our experience at CancelCable.com and even created a show finder tool to help locate our favorite shows online.
Posted by: AMen_CPA at 03/05/2009 11:16:40 AM
I haven't done pay-to-watch tv in over 20 years. Never missed it. Bought my converter box and now get more channels than ever before for free. Can't see wasting money on something that is hardly productive. If just wanting to veg, I watch the news or read.
Posted by: Don from Mich at 03/05/2009 01:48:24 PM
Nothing replaces channel surfing with the TV remote. I tried dropping cable completely for Internet content and the contast mouse clicking and searching content on Hulu and other RSSTV feeds is not satisfying enough to drop cable. I still use Itunes and other services to download movies instead of driving to blockbuster though
Posted by: Ryan McClelland at 03/05/2009 09:17:49 PM
I cut the cord a couple years back and rarely miss it. Cable is just too expensive for the amount I watch TV. I have a PC connected to my HDTV (very easy to do these days) and watch Netflix, Hulu, Comedy Central, NBC, etc more than broadcast TV. The paradigm has changed and TV will never be the same.
Posted by: Richard at 03/05/2009 09:59:25 PM
All good info, but no mention of "Free to Air" (FTA) satellite radio & TV. Google that to find a dealer who can supply a kit that will get over 100 free channels. A bit of tech savvy is needed to install. Downside is most are in languages you will not understand. Weed through to select favorites. Especially good for news buffs.
Posted by: Val from SW Mich at 03/08/2009 12:49:29 PM
I disconnected my $60/mo cable when I plugged in the digital converter box. The picture is great and I find more interesting programs than what my cable provider offered. When I want a movie I rent a DVD, which is what I was doing anyway since there was never anything decent offered by cable on the weekends. Cable companies need to wake up and smell the coffee. Hopefully this will be their demise after killing us with exorbitant fees and poor offerings. When cable was first introduced they promised no advertising in exchange for your monthly fee. What ever happened to that concept? Greed?
Posted by: Amy Brown at 03/08/2009 01:04:43 PM
All the posted comments are valid depending on where you live, and what is available in your area. With our old analog tv we could pick up a lot of channels but on occasion they were fuzzy. When we switched to the digital converter box, the picture became very clear when it was there, but it would cut out completely at regular intervals. We also lost CBS and at times NBC. Strangely enough this was only true in the living room not the bedroom because of the direction of the rabbit ears in relation to the signal from the broadcast tower. We live in an apartment and aren't allowed to put an antenna on the roof or on the side of the building. If I could watch my favorite shows off the internet I would but the major networks don't post full episodes of all the shows and you can't find them on hulu either, there are only 2-4 minute clips for a lot of the most popular shows. I hate cable, I think it is a rip off and a waste of money but that seemed to be the only way we could get a decent signal. As soon as we buy a house I'm dropping cable immediately. I have to agree with Limoman about the fact that with cable it is a scam that you have to pay for a lot of junk you don't want and can't get rid of it and simply keep what you do want and pay accordingly.
Posted by: Paul staebler at 03/08/2009 08:45:06 PM
To Erin Burt, I would not give up PBS...
Posted by: Ron at 03/08/2009 09:10:42 PM
How much would I save by dropping cable? $15 a month, as long as I keep my broadband internet service. Monopolistic cable companies have you coming and going around here.
Posted by: john terry at 03/09/2009 12:55:00 PM
I'm retired on a fixed income and I can afford two dollars a day for cable. I would think a working journalist like Erin could afford cable to. If it's a choose between food and cable, food would win. I hate network TV. What's up with 5 hours of prime time Leno. He's funny but 5 hours? And I don't like reality shows. Make me laugh, help me get away from reality. Networks have more reality then anything else. I like sports and it has almost all gone to cable. I have a friend that comes over to watch sports that he can't see on because he doesn't have cable. My wife and I have gotten into arguments about him coming over. Like Erin I know he can afford cable. He is doing better then I am. On ion I can watch Boston Legal reruns. You can't find BL anywhere on the internet or ABC.com. With the economy the way it is I thing two dollars a day is a good value.
Posted by: Lori from AR at 03/09/2009 06:13:37 PM
Here's what I did. I disconnected my cable a year ago. I had the whole shebang, premium channels, a DVR. It was costing me about $180 a month! I did this for 5 years, ooh to have all of that money back!! I purchased $200 desktop pc. I connected it to my 32" lcd tv (which I found at Sam's for $150, it was returned!) Since the tv is digital ready I get all of my local channels crystal clear. I got a wireless keyboard & mouse $83. I watch Hulu, youtube, and the network websites. I can surf the internet on my tv too. I watch what I want when I want. I do pay for internet obviously $45 a month. Even with the purchases I made for a pc & tv I'm still saving $$. I will NEVER go back to cable tv again. I can't believe I used to pay that much. I'm trying to talk my friends into doing the same thing. I have found that I have a lot more free time, which my dog enjoys.
Posted by: Howard Gould at 03/09/2009 06:25:55 PM
As an employee of the "Cable Industry" one thing I didn't know until I became an employee is the cost of programming. Some channels are very pricey to broadcast. Advertising only pays a small portion of programming cost. If you look at most entertainmnet such as going to a movie at the theater; going to a ballgame or attending a concert its going to cost you somewhere. I agree there are other options; but before you drop your cable or satellite service do plenty of research and be prepared for limited programming options or everyone gather around the laptop for movie night.
Posted by: chuck at 03/09/2009 10:22:12 PM
There are several flaws with your article.The first big one is you have to have a broadband connection...The second one is the post card size picture kind of defeats buying a big screen TV.
Posted by: Gary at 03/10/2009 02:30:12 AM
Hulu is OK, but the best source of free TV and current movies is Graboid.com. You can download or stream 4MB per month for free, or you can upgrade like I did to 10MB for $4.99/month. Check it out, the quality is excellent and the selection beats Hulu hands down. I have no connection to Graboid except as a new customer who is glad to have discovered their site.
Posted by: DVL at 03/10/2009 05:49:53 AM
...(Is) Mr. Terry somehow beholden to the cable company in his area? In New York the bills for BASIC service & ISP, along with the attendant taxes, surcharges, recovery fees, etc. come to more like $3+ a month. Competition is a healthy thing. It weeds out the obsolete, keeps price gouging in check and impels product enhancement. All of whic have been missing in NYC.
Posted by: Mark Friedrich, Mich at 03/10/2009 10:58:56 AM
On average, 90 of the top 100 prime time TV shows are carried on broadcast networks that could be received for free (and in high definition), yet 85% of the viewers are paying for them. We cut the cord several months ago and believe so strongly that others will, we started a company installing antennas and converter boxes. I understand those that can afford it and can't miss a sporting event, or use children's programming as a babysitter, but for the rest of us, this is a great money saver. In the twelve years we've lived in our home, we paid the cable company over $10,000. For the next twelve years, we'll be putting that money in the bank.
Posted by: Lori from AR at 03/10/2009 12:07:41 PM
Howard - I don't know about the "cost" of programming, but do you really 'watch' all 120 channels? I think most people have their favorite shows or channels and go to them on a regular basis. Sure you surf through the other channels when you can't find a show that interests you, but your not really watching it's just filler. Chuck - Yes a broadband connection is best and I'm willing to pay for it, it's still a heck of a lot cheaper than the cable tv I was paying for $45 vs $180. As far as sitting around a laptop, well that's just silly. Most newer tvs and I mean the one I bought 4yrs ago, had a monitor connection. I'm pretty sure most of the ones for sale today have them as well. All you have to purchase is a monitor cable. Hulu and most of the network websites allow you to expand to full screen. It looks great on my 32" lcd. You do need to know how to adjust your screen size to make it look best but it's not rocket science.
Posted by: Jane at 03/12/2009 12:38:33 PM
I had to get cable because I can't get digital stations. Analog was fine. That's progress.
Posted by: chynalemay at 03/18/2009 12:56:11 PM
"If" you "had to get cable" cuz you can't receive digital TV - but could get analog, chances are you need an antenna and/or antenna cable upgrade, a larger antenna, coax cable...(P)roper tuning of the antenna, can do wonders,(see tvFool.com and antenna web.org - go for an antenna at lesat 2 classes larger, preferably a Weingard oe Channelmaster brand). I've only had cable when it was under $10~ a month, the late 80's and a year in late 90's, otherwise, my antenna mounted attic gets 23 stations, most are broadcast in HD and that money isn't "gone". An HDMI cable from the computer to the 47" HDTV means the TV is a second monitor to watch streaming shows via internet or DVD's from my laptop on my TV! I lived in the 60's and 70's when virtually nobody had cable and life was fine - we ALL (almost anyway) can do it again!
Posted by: Neurotic Nomad at 03/23/2009 01:38:21 PM
I'm about 9 months into a "cable free" life and evangelize it every chance I get. I recently put up a survey asking "Have you switched from Cable to The Internet?" In early results, 52% says they either stream or download shows, and a full 24% of those who responded answered “Yes! I’ve cut the cable and am a 100% internet TV watcher.” (Google "Replace Television" to read more or cast your vote.) You are totally right about Hulu. It's my first go-to spot. The networks are hit-or-miss, but they've gotten a lot better in the last two months. TV.com (the CBS owned venture) really needs a re-model, but they have a lot of content.
Posted by: Duane Bush at 03/31/2009 02:04:14 PM
I too am cable free and agree it's not so bad. But how long before cable lobbies congress to charge for internet downloads? They got to make up all that money they are loosing somehow.
Posted by: ek in kville at 04/02/2009 06:28:07 AM
Right on, Erin. Great article! I just 'cut the cable' myself last month, and it's funny--the sky didn't fall, nor did the apocalypse follow. Sure, I miss camping out in bed for hours watching 'Flipping Out' and 'Real Estate Pros', but like you I now have more time to actually DO something constructive. I've rediscovered my kitchen and the outdoors--not to mention that $85 per month.
Posted by: Traynor at 04/02/2009 09:16:05 AM
We have a survialist cable (around $15, but get two good pbs channels) hook-up mainly for the Internet. Obviously, we miss some channels we would love to have, but the local cable monopolies are too greedy. Not only do they get big ad bucks (remember when they said there would be no ads when cable started), they charge ridiculous rates because they have no competition. for instance, my 85 year old dad was paying $150 a month to his...cable monopolist in South Carolina. That is obscene for a person on a limited income. What we need to do is get legislation that allows for competition. Then we might see some changes. Think about it, network television existed for years just on the ads. Why should we pay $50-150 for cable?
Posted by: Bob at 04/02/2009 10:29:44 AM
No one "needs" cable. Today society thinks they "need" a lot of things. For example, when I was growing up we never had cell phones....I am only 32 years old, which may seem old to you, but is still considered a "young adult" to most. Parents today and even kids claim they "need" a cell phone for an emergency. I ask you parents, what did you do when you had an "emergency?" I do not know about you, but I simply picked up a public phone and made a collect call or went down (to) the school's office and asked to make a phone call. So why can you not do that today? No one needs cable, however most of her suggestions in this article require a broadband interent connection. Now if you already have it, then cutting out the other stations is no big deal, however if you follow the author's advice in this article, cutting the higher stations at $60 a month and adding a broadband connection will save you nothing. Its a wash. Comcast in my area charges 60 for an internet connection and 40 if you buy the 12 dollar basic cable, so you might as well get the basic + internet connection for 60 dollars. So basically you are robbing one hand to pay for the other...get one or the other. for those that like cable, use cable, for those that like internet get the broadband. They both wind up costing you the same, unless you get both, then just drop one of the services and for Pete's sake, stay away from digital cable, if you want clear pictures, rent the DVD or blu-ray, or place it on your netflix list.
Posted by: Mickie Schneider at 05/04/2009 02:26:21 PM
Excellent article....Another added bonus for you people who want to express a little self control and cut the cable, besides saving money and possibly losing weight, if you're a smoker you will more than likely smoke less frequently when you drop the cable, because you may find yourself more active doing things(for instance I will only have one cig in an hour of fishing vs. 2 or 3 in an hour of watching TV). Cable is taking, taking, taking, from America, and Americans foolishly give, give, give. Not me, not anymore! 6 years strong cable free.
Posted by: Limoman at 05/14/2009 06:28:21 PM
If we could CHOOSE which Channels and pay for them Seperately? Would be the difference.. But This Form of SOCIALIZED programming like paying for the Home Shopping Channels and 75% of the others is just plain Wrong! Reruns? OMG they have been reRunning the same movies for Yrs now! and have Increased the Commercials by 45% to the Point of getting only 25 Min of the Movie and 35 Min of Commercials. And paying $100/yr for HDTV? That's a real Joke as well..and a Fraud! Time for Regulation to step in..
Posted by: Texan 1st at 06/11/2009 04:30:33 PM
Limoman, don't you mean it's time for regulation to step out? Big government and big corporations work hand-in-hand to limit competition. MOST regulation is just some form of competition supression. Currently the large Networks or "content" providers are the ones trying desperately to keep their "content" from appearing on the web. They know that the old style advertising, though supremely profitable and easily monopolized, is on its way out. Read up on the "content" providers vs. Boxee battle going on through Hulu. You will realize that the Cable conglomerates are desperately trying to hold on to their crumbling monopoly.
Posted by: Rama at 06/13/2009 07:14:37 PM
I could actually do without cable except for I am a sports junkie and as she mentions in the article trying to watch games without cable can sometimes get hard. Even with downloads you can't watch whole games only bits and pieces of them. Ideally I would be able to choose a custom package where I would only have to pay for the sports channels that I would get and be able to scrap the rest but currently the best way to watch sports is to have some kind of cable system.
Posted by: Poison Ivy 1908 at 06/13/2009 08:14:30 PM
How about we start reading books more, also! People have forgotten the importance of TRUE literacy - or what it even is, for that matter.
Posted by: K. B. at 06/14/2009 10:14:03 AM
After perusing through many of the comments, I think it comes down to this, priority and affordability. Personally, I went from making a very comfortable living to, shall we say, a more limited income. The household budget HAD to be cut. I've spent the past few years "simplifying my lifestyle" out of necessity and the last to go was cable. As a result I DO read more, and have become more active. My dog and I go for a run in the country everyday and we're both in better shape; a nice side-benefit. And I've taken up my old hobby of playing guitar and mandolin (I'm certainly not ready to take it out on the road) and I do get a lot of enjoyment out of it. I have found, as others have stated, that I can find most of the things I want to see on-line. To the person who "will miss MSNBC", go to msnbc.com and you can catch nearly everything there. In the long run, I'm kind of glad I had to "Cut the Cable", otherwise I'd still be ten pounds heavier and my sweet old guitar would still be gathering dust.
Posted by: Kelly at 08/28/2009 01:02:46 PM
I recently cancelled my cable, when I realized I hardly needed it anymore anyway. I use Hulu and Netflix heavily, and found a converter box for about $30 to hook my old tv to a laptop. The new setup has got everything I need and nothing I don't.
Posted by: Mike at 09/04/2009 04:57:52 PM
I know that its an expensive system, but i've also used my PS3 to watch tv, you can either purchase shows and movies online from the PS3 store or watch episodes on You Tube and Hulu from it. I like it just cause i can watch them on our Flatscreen tv and not the computer moniter
Posted by: Watch TV Online at 09/07/2009 09:58:11 AM
Internet TV is free and you can watch the TV shows on demand and in high definition 100% legal. Go to: bbpctv.com
Posted by: Weevie at 09/14/2009 04:41:13 PM
If you really miss PBS, you might want to get a better (roof mounted) antenna. This will pick up stations father away than your standard indoor antenna.
Posted by: MICHAEL MELL at 09/21/2009 08:00:33 PM
ERIN: THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUGGESTIONS! IF YOU GET A "ZINNER" CONVERTER BOX, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET PBS AND A WHOLE LOT MORE! I LIVE IN CLEVELAND AND CAN PICK UP DETROIT WHICH IS 140 MILES FROM ME....
Posted by: Mike at 09/25/2009 12:01:28 PM
HGTV and FoodNetwork have their own website with shows on there with multiple full episodes for most of their shows.
Posted by: DannyT at 10/02/2009 02:43:32 PM
I got sick and tired of paying for a bunch of channels I didn't want. It doesn't matter if it's satellite or cable. The whole thing is a racket and they are all a bunch of crooks. I built a Media PC. A Media PC (with Windows Media Center or MythTV or something similar) with tuner card and a good outdoor antenna is the way to go. It works like a TiVo but doesn't cost a cent once you buy or build the computer. It's amazing how many good programs are out there over a 24-hour window as opposed to the short time period during which many people sit down to watch TV. In addition, there is free software available that detects and skips over commercials. I doubt that I'll ever go back to cable or satellite until true a-la-cart programming becomes a reality.