The Bus

I truly only watch a very small handful of shows regularly: Lost, 24, and as we wake up / as we go to bed, GMA / Conan O'Brien. Now I'm paying, and here I am using a financial term, "out the ass" for cable. Somewhere around $125. Now that includes digital cable, and all the channels, a DVR, etc. But I honestly don't watch TV that much and unlike in my teen years, I never have the desire that I must see TV on any given day.

I am thinking about this as a matter of principle rather than necessity. For that price I can get an HD receiver and get HD over the air. I watch maybe, maybe, three hours of non-broadcast network TV a week. And almost all of that is Adult Swim.

To me it seems not to be worth it. Now I realize you guys aren't the right people to ask this about but what do you all think? I know only I can make that decision, but are there things I haven't thought through?

I'm not quitting TV, just cable TV. Perhaps my stations (Philadelphia) don't do HD over the air?

Help is appreciated. Thank you.

Y2K Falcon

Man. Just ditch the pay channels (HBO's and such)? Sounds like you're not using it...

Is your DVR HD?

Are you getting anything else, like digital phone or high-speed internet for that price???

I'd just lower the channels I'm paying for, but make sure I had an HD DVR.

I'd switch to satellite, though.

Red Dog

3 hours per week of non-OTA TV doesn't make it worth it. Of course, this assumes that you can pull in HD OTA. I'm sure Philly's major stations offer HD OTA - you just need to be close enough to the transmitters.


edit: I see you have a DVR. Is it an HD-DVR? That adds a wrinkle to things. Can you live without that? If not, then unless you want to pay $500-600 for an OTA HD-DVR, seems like you have to stick with cable - but just cut down to the most basic digital cable package they offer + HD-DVR.

kitkat

I gave it up cold turkey over a year and a half ago for much the same reason you're considering it - I didn't feel the amount I was watching was worth what I was paying & I was sick of handing a wad of cash over to the cable company every month. I gotta say, I'm surprised I've lasted this long, but i don't miss it much (only once in a while). I was watching way more on DVD than TV when I made my decision, and that pattern continues, of course. I like the absolute control it gives me over what and when I watch. I don't have HD equipment, but if you do and can get it OTA it's supposed to be much better quality that way anyhow.

Go ahead, pull the plug, give it a try - you can always go back. One less hand in my wallet every month sure feels pretty good.

superdeluxe

Why not quit all that extra crap..and just keep basic cable?

FantasticVSDoom

Ive been considering the same thing...Im thinking after the upcoming season of the Sopranos just doing it and seeing how it is. Its not so hard giving up the channels because I dont watch much, but I will miss the HD-DVR. One of the problems is its not a whole lot more a month for the HD-DVR than it is for basic cable.

BassDude

What i was gonna say...

You'll want basic cable after the next major crisis for the CNN stuff. (I'm guessing.) That is the one thing that keeps me with cable, as waiting for the news at a specific time can be a pain. No reason for the digital channels or pay channels. And losing all that could save ya maybe $100. (Based on local basic rates and your provided $125 figure.)

Deadpool

Ditch the DVR and buy a dvd recorder with a hard drive

Unless it's a HD-DVR

maxfisher

I just signed up for Dish Network. 120 channels, the HD package and a free HD receiver for only $30/mo. for the first three months and around $50/mo. after that. Granted, I had to sign up for 18 months and am only getting a receiver, not an HD-DVR, but I'm still thinking it's a pretty good deal. I'd definitely think $125/mos. is too much, especially for the amount of television you said you watch.

wmansir

Echoing others I'll say it sounds like you should just dump all the extras and stick to basic cable. On my system that includes Cartoon Network.

After the first couple of months the premium channels really loose their appeal. The movies are all the same and you can get the good series on DVD. And the "digital" channels around here are a ripoff. All but a very few are crap, and the 'digital' quality is horrible. Plus in addition to the fee you have rent a decoder for each TV to receive them, totally not worth it

kitkat

I worried about that when I did it, but for anything halfway major the networks & locals go into expanded coverage anyway, and our Fox affiliate often goes to CNN. Regular news is as accessible (and crappy) as always. I usually prefer checking a few internet news sites anyway when I want to know what's going on. No waiting, no commercials, I can focus on what interests me & don't have to sit through what doesn't, I get the latest right away and can find more depth when I want it. That's been my experience going without cable, at least.

Red Dog

Yeah, I don't get the major need for cable news. If you are talking a really important event, the networks will break in and cover it. Otherwise, you can easily can get breaking news coverage from radio or the internet.

Morf

Like everyone else has said, dump the extra crap. Go for basic or extended basic. Extended basic runs me $48/month. I have a smallish TV, so I don't need digital cable, don't need HD.

EdTheRipper

I cancelled cable nearly 4 years ago and I don't miss it at all. It's extra money in my pocket at the end of the day.

maingon

just switch to direct tv or dish

DVDJay

Your bill is $125 for digital and a DVR? Wow. You're getting ripped....unless that includes phone service and high-speed internet (you'd still be getting ripped...but at least your bill would make a little more sense).

I'm getting rid of HBO soon because I never watch it now that 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' is done and who knows when 'Entourage' will be back. For my bill, it'll make a noticeable dent, but for $125.....who knows. That's a pretty sizeable bill if it's just for cable and the DVR.

huzefa

I would just get a DVR and the most basic package I can (like the HD channels and local's only) for approx $15/mth from Dish. Record everything u need and screw the rest.

J-DAM

I have Comcast also @ $125 a month. That includes cable internet @ $44, though. I would cut back to extended basic, but Comcast requires the Digital Plus package for DVR access. I would get satellite if not for the internet, since I have no HD set, but I get a discount as a dual subscriber. I hate Comcast as a company, but I'm kind of in a bind.

RedMetalZombie

Like others, I would also suggest a satellite company.

Orbi-Wan Techno

The only things that keep us from getting rid of cable are Sci-Fi Fridays, Monk and The Closer. Everything else we watch is OTA...

Chew

Really, you can do that?

(Of course, the upfront HD DVR "leasing cost" would be about $300).

Michael Corvin

I would love to dump the cable co. as everything I watch is OTA, but there are no reasonably priced stand alone HD-DVRs. That is what keeps me hanging in there.

Amel

I'd get rid of it. The only reason I have Directv is so I can watch all the Penguins and Steelers games with the hockey and football packages. And with the way EVERYTHING comes out on dvd now so quick, you can pick up Adult Swim and watch it at your leisure.

huzefa

I don't think u can lease the HD DVR unless you sign a full-term contract with them. However if you choose to buy the HD DVR from another source (say ebay, or any one of the countless dish retailers), then you could just pay for the channels you want (and a $5 service fee/month). I did it for a while since all I wanted was HD and HBO and locals.

mike7162

If it wasn't for 24 hour news, TCM, baseball and a relatively clear local networks signal, I wouldn't have cable either, so go for it.