Monday, March 21, 2011

Cancelling Cable TV

I know I'm new to the game on this, but I just did the math today.

My cable TV via Comcast is $126.00 a month.

Here is the breakdown of what I'm getting for that:

Standard Cable, Digital Preferred Channels(?), Music Choice (never use), Interactive Program Guide, Digital Receiver, Remote and On Demand Access = $73.97 a month.

All of the above is low-def shit that I never watch. Why? Because I pay an additional $15.95 for HD/DVR Service which basically duplicates most of the shit I get in low-def but in HD. So I'm paying for channels twice.

Then there is an $8.00 a month "HD Technology Fee". What. The. Fuck. I'm already paying for the Digital Receiver. I'm already paying for the HD Service. What the Hell is this? Sounds a lot like one of those "just because we can" fees. Fuck you.

Then there is the $16.99 for HBO which is the ONLY premium channel I get! But "Big Love" is over and I can get Bill Maher, I'm sure, online somewhere, so I don't really need HBO any more.

They charged me $4.99 for "Machete" On Demand and $5.99 for "Unstoppable" On Demand. Both of which were impulse purchases that I wouldn't have incurred if I didn't have access to Comcast On Demand! So fuck that!

SUMMARY: They are double charging me for the same basic cable channels, once in LD and again in HD, I only get 1 premium channel that I no longer need, and they charge me excessive DVD rental fees for shit I could get for free if I just waited a week.

Now, I already get streaming Netflix and Hulu Plus over my HD PS3 (which is also a Blu Ray DVD player).

My Comcast Internet connection which makes this possible is only $43.00 a month.

I could add a Boxee Box which ALSO provides streaming Netflix plus YouTube, Pandora, Facebook, Flikr, and any internet media format accessible including anything available on your home wireless network (porn...in HD...on 48" Toshiba HD/DLP screen). The Boxee Box is a one time purchase of $199.00 which would run on my existing $43.00 a month Internet Connection.

So, it looks like I can get everything I am getting today, and WAY MORE (HD porn), for an initial investment of $199.00 for which I could save $126.00 a month forever.

The only thing I would loose is being able to watch local news channels in real time.

I have a weather radio. I'm thinking this is a no brainer.

7 comments:

"The D" said...

You can get local channels in HD with an HD antenna. Look into it

Donna. W said...

You make me glad I have Direct TV. We have HD, DVR, and can watch Youtube videos, all for under $50 a month. We have no premium movie channels, though. Everybody talks about losing signal during storms, but it actually is pretty rare, and when it does happen, it's only for 5 or ten minutes. I won't talk about the cost of our DSL Internet, though ($50). We're in the country and have no other choice.

Anonymous said...

70 bucks for basic analog Time Warner. Don't get another box, use your computer to stream video. I am on the way to leaving cable. I have an HD antenna and get over 15 channels in HD for free, I am leaving out the religious channels, and the mexi stuff. It is all out there for free or very little cost.

I Travel for JOOLS said...

You mean you're going to miss Dancing with the Stars? lol oh nooo..Sunday football? Cracking myself up here..

Anonymous said...

You might check your rates though with wanting to drop TV. They'll probably charge more for your internet with no TV services. Do you have uverse available? We have it and its much cheaper than comcast.

Anonymous said...

XO you don't even need a high def antenna, its just a signal that will be picked up by a regular antenna. I got so tired of my wife "There's nothing on tv!" I discontinued my cable service and hooked up the antenna in my attic... perfect hd reception. So now there's really nothing on tv. It's horsecock that cable gigs us viewers for the technology we could recieve for free. They will price themselves out of existance if internet tv ever gets it right.

Anonymous said...

Life is rough when you complain about your cable bill.