Roku

[fpoole]

Yep, that's the kicker on all the plans... believe sprint has unlimited use, but check for accessibility they were week in my area... the Cable Internet is 300 gig or unlimited for most people that's why I had to keep that one... good luck..

GTV (google tv) is in the middle of upgrading so but doesn't eliminate the caps...

 

[fpoole]

Well, it happened: Google TV = Bye-Bye...

Google is getting ready to say good-bye to Google TV: The company is getting rid of the branding, but will continue to make Android available to TV manufacturers.

Google TV is no more in name sense, using Android... so Android devices would be the ones to look for... for freedom of use... Internet etc..

 

[Mick'nSarah]

Hey Frank,

I was just reading up on a company called Aereo tonight. Right now the big corps are sueing them, but they are what Mick calls a "rebroadcast" company. It will eat up your data (and it sounds like you have to stay in your home network, which would make travel difficult), but basically they rebroadcast live tv over the web on your very own antenna (they put one up with your name on it...sort of...so you don't have to haul it around with you). And you log in through the web. Probably isn't ideal for travel, but for home it sounds pretty darned good at around $8/month. They aren't offering it on the west coast yet, but keep an eye out. They are expanding. We'll also see what happens with the law suits. Comcast and the rest of them sure don't like competition!

Just thought I would mention it.

 

[fpoole]

Kewl, Sarah, I'll check it...

Roku is now offering a open web browser so it's not as restricted as it was before, but still limited to the web for the shows and a lot are blocked, I guess due to locale broadcasts, i.e. the Daily show...

I'm thinking I'll wait on going any further with this. New Xbox has an open web too so I'll hold out for that when I can afford it... but the Antenna thing sounds interesting...

Comcast "Dongle" is just a device that "Rebroadcasts or Sends" the signal to a TV or other device. I had it, but returned it but now think I might get it back, $35 apx... and run of my home computer to recast to the big TV...

But thanks for the heads up on Aereo, will check it... thanks Sarah, appreciate it..

Just a previous announcement :
http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/51485531#51485531

 

[Dahava]

I have Aereo now. Doesn't really work for travel. I probably won't be keeping it at home either. We just don't watch that much TV and what we get from a little flat indoor antenna works fine around here.

We love iTunes downloads on the road though!

 

[Snudley]

I use the Google Chromecast at home and it's wonderful, but not on the road so much.

The fastest wifi connection I ever had on my month long trip last fall was not enough to stream properly, and the device doesn't really need that much data to work.

I can only presume that other streaming gadgets would have the same issue.

 

[David Olson]

I am frustrated with the increasing cost of cable TV, channels moving to more expensive packages, and so many useless, unwatched channels have been searching for other options. Antenna will provide a lot of PBS, and two major networks, but not the local channel.

Learned about Roku Friday. One neighbor uses Roku for movies only, yet still has expensive cable package.

Does anyone here use Roku instead of cable?

We just dumped Dish at the end of the year. I would never do business with them again. We live in the country and get our internet over our phone line. We bought a Roku 3 and have a Netflix subscription for $7.99 a month. Our average stream speed is 2.73 MBPS and never have any problems with breakup. I made our own antenna of PVC and copper tubing. We get anywhere from 12-20+ channels of FREE tv plus everything from Netflix.. Many more watchable channels than with Dish. All we had from them was 120 channels of nothing. Now I do miss the DVR but I can easily deal without it. The Roku cost us about $100. but it is ours and no subscription no contract. Netflix also no contract. And look I get to keep over $480. a year in my pocket.

 

[fpoole]

I have Roku, 2 of them accidently, but currently focusing on Dish.

I tried several others, i found that Google TV was the best all around thing in that you could browse to the websites. That being said, even getting to the websites like PBS Newshour or Daily show was a great lesson in frustrations... have to delay a day, spotty connection speeds (with comcast cable internet) so watching TV from websites just wasn't going to work.

It did do Netflix and all the additional channels, like Hulu and others, but I used it for Netflix and the PBS stations but only half worked on older computers.

ROKU is about the same as google, but no internet surfing, just their channels and again, I just used for Netflix.

Dish came back and am happy to at least see the local news again and look forward to the camping connections.

Internet went from Comcast to Century Link who went knocking on doors to say they had the new "Optic Fiber" but didn't say it would cost an arm and leg to get it.. Century is worse, but a little? cheaper, DSL lines, they're all a rip...

I don't get antenna tv as I'm in a gultch.. heheh no reception at all..

 

[Jay & Valerie]

I cut the cord about 7 years ago and haven't looked back since. I was paying about $100 per month back then and even then most of the stuff was crap reality. Now what used to be good channels with good content is all reality shows. You can only want a car being restored, or a motorcycle being built or some antique thing being dug out of a closet so many times. To make is worse, they rerun the same show 3 times a week. Enough was enough so I dumped it and now get everything from over the air (like we did when we were kids) or streaming from Netflix and Amazon Prime.

I have an Amazon Prime box in my living room that supports Netflix, hulu, etc. and the Roku box in my bedroom (pretty much the same content).

I pay $8.00 a month for Netflix and about the same for Amazon Prime.

I upped my internet speeds so as to handle the streaming content.

I am still saving about $60.00 or more per month.

Sure, I may miss some shows...I don't get the latest episodes of Walking Dead but I do get plenty of content to watch.