Apple TV...

[93Devil]

Has anyone "ditched cable" for Apple TV? Is it better than a Firestick?

We already have Amazon Prime and Netflix streaming, so Hulu would be added, but what other additions have people done?

Can you record shows?

How many apps are you paying for?

 

[JohnHammond]

You can play hipster games on an Apple TV. It's just a more-powerful Amazon Fire or Roku. It does. Buyer beware, though, as the Apple TV does not currently have an Amazon Prime video app, but there are reports it is coming soon. It cannot record shows. There are rumors Apple will launch a sunscription TV service like Sony and Dish did.

You can get around sports blackouts and also access Netflix content in other countries, or watch British or Canadian TV.

 

[Bradley Guire]

I ditched two years ago and have no desire to go back to cable. Every show I watch is either on Netflix or Hulu. Wife and I also have iPhones so we can use AirPlay to stream a show on the phone and watch it on the big screen. I do this for Doctor Who since BBC America doesn't do next-day streaming. Also, we rent new digital releases via iTunes. There's a movie of the week rental every week for 99 cents. Last week it was the new Terminator.

I got the newest box, Apple TV 4 a month ago. The controler is way different, and it has Siri so you can ask it to search for shows/movies. Also a lot more game apps, but I don't mess with those.

Previously, my Dish bill was $90 a month, plus $50 to Cable One for internet. Now I pay $12 for ad-free Hulu, $9 for Netflix, and $10 for WWE Network. I added HBO during the summer for $15 for True Detective and turned it off once it was done. I paid $7 for CBS, but turned it off once a show finished. So I save some money by cancelling stuff when I don't use it. If True Detective gets a third season, I'll turn HBO backnon for a few months. Or maybe I'll just spend $30 on the iTunes season pass and keep the episodes.

If you like live sports, you'll have a tougher go. Doesn't bother me a bit since I just watch Alabama games. Most are on CBS, and I have a $20 antenna to watch my local affiliate. There is an ESPN app with extras like SEC Network, but you have to have a cable login. I use my parents' cable login to get around it if I need ESPN.

 

[93Devil]

Has anyone tried this...

A Best Buy employee said he gets basic cable so he can keep his comcast email which allows you to stream all the shows on the apps for ASBC/NBC/ESPN and others.

So I would get a strong internet package plus basic cable for about $100 a month. Add Hulu for $10 and this would save me about $100 a month, I think. Still researching this, but it's getting closer to being a reality.

I have a semi-smart TV so I can get Amazon on that.

 

[SFIND]

I can't speak for Apple TV (hate the company), but I love Fire TV and have cord cut that route in the last two months. I just got the 2015 Fire TV box model a month ago. I'd recommend that route for you since you're already an Amazon user. Mine works extremely fast, has a voice search and now has Alexa (its version of Siri) included. Alexa is awesome, and the voice searching/asking works well. She reads off sports scores, weather forecast, time, and information from Wikipedia. Will also start playing music if I tell her to.

I'm a Prime member and subscribe to Netflix. I also rent new releases from Amazon. Everything streams well with mediocre speed Uverse internet. In addition, I also subscribe to Sling TV, which is awesome! The picture quality is as good as Uverse's TV was. For $35 a month, I get their basic package plus HBO (HBO a $15 add-on, basic package $20). I know you can use the WatchESPN app with a Sling subscription.

 

[93Devil]

SFIND, that was awesome advice.

I will drop from $204 a month to about $120 a month. Fire + Sling + Hulu will be added to what I already have and I will lose HBO and the DVR. I already have an antenna, Prime and Netflix.

I am also losing a home phone, but that is not a big deal.

 

[JackReacher]

I'm curious....for those who are willing to share.....how much do you pay for TV?

Mine is TV and Internet combined. The highest-priced package on both with three cable boxes and whole-home DVR or whatever. I think ours runs $190/month through FIOS.

 

[Vombatus]

Zero. I go over to my girlfriend's and watch her TV. I cut cable 14 years ago.

I've got a different problem though - after 15.75 years, she wants me to pay her a couple of grand per year to help her now that's she's drawing retirement. Looks like I might finally have to get married so I can be a beneficiary.

 

[SFIND]

I was at $125 for Uverse for I canceled in November. I had the U200 tier plus HBO. As I mentioned earlier, now down to $35 with Sling. It's a great deal for me even with the loss of many channels since I rarely watch anything outside of HBO/live sports anymore.

 

[93Devil]

I'm curious....for those who are willing to share.....how much do you pay for TV?

Mine is TV and Internet combined. The highest-priced package on both with three cable boxes and whole-home DVR or whatever. I think ours runs $190/month through FIOS.

I think that is ballpark to what I pay for Xfinity for probably the same thing. I get 150 MBS blast service, but since FIOS is not offered where I live, I have to get the 10% Xfinity cost bump.

 

[93Devil]

Zero. I go over to my girlfriend's and watch her TV. I cut cable 14 years ago.

I've got a different problem though - after 15.75 years, she wants me to pay her a couple of grand per year to help her now that's she's drawing retirement. Looks like I might finally have to get married so I can be a beneficiary.

This post deserves it's own separate thread.

 

[JohnHammond]

The best deal, from what I've read, is just mooch off your parents' cable account. As for cutting costs, contact your pay-TV provider. I'm getting the highest Internet package and the best TV package (HBO, Showtime, Starz, Cinemax) for $130 total (includes taxes and other fees).

 

[bigpern23]

I'm curious....for those who are willing to share.....how much do you pay for TV?

Mine is TV and Internet combined. The highest-priced package on both with three cable boxes and whole-home DVR or whatever. I think ours runs $190/month through FIOS.

I have the sports package (including Red Zone) and HBO on whole-home DVR with three set-top boxes, along with 75 MBPS internet for $175/mo on FIOS. Also got a $300 Visa gift card on signup. The rate will expire in about a year and half, and I presume I'll switch to Cox with whatever promotional rate they're running at the time. Then I'll switch back to Verizon two years thereafter and so on ...

 

[apeman33]

Right now, I'm playing about $165 a month for DirecTV during football season (I'm getting Sunday Ticket Max for the price of the standard ST package because a DirecTV representative pissed me off during a phone call and this was one of the ways the supervisor got me to not cancel). We get the internet at no cost from Cox because my roommate works for Cigna out of the house and we're allowed to use it for ourselves outside of her business hours. When football season ends, I think the DirecTV bill will be $120 but we get more for that $120 than we'd get from Cox.

 

[Buck]

Zero. I go over to my girlfriend's and watch her TV. I cut cable 14 years ago.

I've got a different problem though - after 15.75 years, she wants me to pay her a couple of grand per year to help her now that's she's drawing retirement. Looks like I might finally have to get married so I can be a beneficiary.

Wait, what?

Why would you pay her a couple grand a year? Just split the cost of the entertainment package.
You should be in for $1,000 or $1,200 a year if you've got a crazy hefty entertainment package such as those discussed above.

We have DirecTv, with which we are well satisfied, and pay $100 per month.
We pay something like $17 or $18 a month for Netflix.

 

[Vombatus]

Wait, what?

Why would you pay her a couple grand a year? Just split the cost of the entertainment package.
You should be in for $1,000 or $1,200 a year if you've got a crazy hefty entertainment package such as those discussed above.

We have DirecTv, with which we are well satisfied, and pay $100 per month.
We pay something like $17 or $18 a month for Netflix.

Some of it is also for electricity, heat, water and services rendered.

 

[Buck]

Some of it is also for electricity, heat, water and services rendered.

That's crazy. If you spend that much time at her place that you need to pony up for utilities, you two should just share a place.
And sharing a place with a woman is infinitely better than marrying her.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

I was at $125 for Uverse for I canceled in November. I had the U200 tier plus HBO. As I mentioned earlier, now down to $35 with Sling. It's a great deal for me even with the loss of many channels since I rarely watch anything outside of HBO/live sports anymore.

SFIND, no technical problems with Sling TV? I was getting really gung ho to drop DirecTV and switch to Sling TV and save about $100 a month. Then I read reviews of Sling TV on a cord-cutting site and they were savage. Constantly freezing, drops in service that last for hours, etc. I know people are more likely to write a review if it's a bad experience, but what I saw scared me off.

 

[93Devil]

SFIND, no technical problems with Sling TV? I was getting really gung ho to drop DirecTV and switch to Sling TV and save about $100 a month. Then I read reviews of Sling TV on a cord-cutting site and they were savage. Constantly freezing, drops in service that last for hours, etc. I know people are more likely to write a review if it's a bad experience, but what I saw scared me off.

I have a feeling people need a strong internet feed to stream Sling, and if you are running at 15 MBPS, you are going to have problems.

 

[SpeedTchr]

I pay $201 a month for U-Verse 300 and mediocre internet. Have to have the 300 level to get the channels I actually watch. Wish I could cut loose the SHO, ESPN and a few other useless channels to save some cash.