HDTV antennas and Netflix

[gsabc]

Thinking of cutting the cable for television and going the broadcast and Netflix route. What are the BB's experiences with either? My searches give me conflicting reviews for the best antennas, and the Netflix website gives you only highlights of what they offer for television shows (w/o channel affiliations). Figure if I drop the TV part and go to the Double Play of phone and internet, I'll save $100 a month or so. Makes the payback time for the installation and antenna costs fairly short. Thanks for the help.

I don't post too often, but check in almost daily. Just got back from the bat mitzvah of a first cousin once removed. She and parents attended BD's wedding, and we don't see them too often so I figured to return the favor. A good time was had by all. But who told them to turn I-90 through Chicago into a Jersey-barrier-lined road for 60 miles, for three years? Not the most delightful drive on an interstate that I've ever taken.

The more immediate fambly is well. HGS is growing and way too cute for his own good. BD has found a job, which unfortunately for their finances doesn't start for nearly two months. I'm still doing the consulting gig, which needs renewing at the end of the month. Prospects look good, since they just assigned me a new task with a timeline out for another six weeks or so. And life goes on. Boring is sometimes good.

[bazodee]

I have relied solely on rabbit ears for 20 years and am very satisfied (not to be spending $100 per month.) Occasionally there are reception problems when airplanes fly over low or in some weather conditions.

My antenna is an ordinary run of the mill antenna; the same one I used with the analog TV. Reception seems to vary more in relation to location in the house as opposed to the type of antenna.

I also subscribe to Netflix DVDs. Their catalog of "must see" TV series is pretty good if you don't mind being one full season behind on Mad Men and Homeland.

[Bob Juch]

Thinking of cutting the cable for television and going the broadcast and Netflix route. What are the BB's experiences with either? My searches give me conflicting reviews for the best antennas, and the Netflix website gives you only highlights of what they offer for television shows (w/o channel affiliations). Figure if I drop the TV part and go to the Double Play of phone and internet, I'll save $100 a month or so. Makes the payback time for the installation and antenna costs fairly short. Thanks for the help.

I don't post too often, but check in almost daily. Just got back from the bat mitzvah of a first cousin once removed. She and parents attended BD's wedding, and we don't see them too often so I figured to return the favor. A good time was had by all. But who told them to turn I-90 through Chicago into a Jersey-barrier-lined road for 60 miles, for three years? Not the most delightful drive on an interstate that I've ever taken.

The more immediate fambly is well. HGS is growing and way too cute for his own good. BD has found a job, which unfortunately for their finances doesn't start for nearly two months. I'm still doing the consulting gig, which needs renewing at the end of the month. Prospects look good, since they just assigned me a new task with a timeline out for another six weeks or so. And life goes on. Boring is sometimes good.

I didn't see that you had gotten a contract. Very good!

I may be heading up your way soon for a new contract with IBM at State Street Bank. I'll know more tomorrow.

[Estonut]

You may also want to check out content on Hulu Plus to see how their offerings correspond to your favorite shows.

Also, there are some Blu-ray players that are Wi-Fi ready and web-enabled, so you can play Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc. on a big-ass screen in the living room. Mine is a Samsung, received as a set with a Samsung TV from Costco.

[themanintheseersuckersuit]

I use a Roku box with subscriptions to Netflix streaming and Hulu Plus. I would recommend cutting the cord. I have the broadcast tier for cable and that is very cheap.

[ghostjmf]

Definitely check out Aereo, coming to Boston today, I believe. I remember your problems with antennae as being that you are on the fringes or worse of digital TV broadcast reception.

Aereo, which sets up teeny antennae near the broadcasting tower for each customer (so as to get around various "rebroadcasting" copyright laws), then sends the signal to your internet address for playing on the connected devices of your desiring, sounds like the service for you. It only transmits broadcast signals, of course. It also only costs $8.00/month, just like cable used to about 40 years ago. And it has you hooked up to a "cloud" DVR service for 20 hours of saved programming. You want a DVR with more storage, you pay more.

This is definitely not for me, yet, for 3 reasons; 1 is that I want a recording device from which I can easily make physical copies of programs I want to save, 2 is that I don't have an internet address (i.e. computer etc they can beam the stuff to) & 3 is that I don't have digital TV monitor. But for you, it would be better than waiting for broadcast TV you can't tune in anymore to turn up on the various other services.


And much congrats in how the job is turning out so far.

[macrae1234]

Don't forget to check the websites for the networks the major ones CBS NBC ABC FOX stream most of their shows within a day or so, other networks like USA may be a month behind

[ghostjmf]

You definitely need a UHF antenna if you go the antenna route after all. Mine, I just stick against a window. Since you own your home & have roof access, I can see why you would want to have something installed, but try the $40.00 antenna out a window 1st; you might be surprised. Or not; I remember you talking about bad reception via antenna when the digital conversion happened. I'm in central Somerville, so the only thing hurting my reception is (a) planes overhead & (b) whole stations that stop broadcasting during & after a storm. PBS & Channels 4 (CBS) & 38 (owned by 4) are the only stations this has happened to so far. That problem with the shared antenna they broadcast from isn't entirely fixed.

[silverscreenselect]

Don't forget to check the websites for the networks the major ones CBS NBC ABC FOX stream most of their shows within a day or so, other networks like USA may be a month behind

If you have a computer that's wired into your TV via an ethernet or similar cable, you can watch most series on most networks within a few days of broadcast. The main popular exception seems to be AMC (Mad Men, Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, The Killing). They don't show entire episodes of any of those series.

If you use Hulu Plus and a Roku box like we do, you can't see as many things. Some shows (F/X, USA, History) are available on regular Hulu, but not Hulu plus. The Roku box is also good for picking up live news feeds from a number of sources. You just have to do some research to find where they are.

Finally, there are plenty of bootleg channels that are very easy to find. These can allow you to watch several recent seasons of almost every popular show, even shows on pay channels like Homeland and Game of Thrones. Again, you probably won't be able to stream them through a Roku box, but if you're wired into the TV you could watch them.

[silverscreenselect]

Also, there are some Blu-ray players that are Wi-Fi ready and web-enabled, so you can play Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc. on a big-ass screen in the living room. Mine is a Samsung, received as a set with a Samsung TV from Costco.

You can watch Hulu Plus (if you pay the $8 a month) if you have a Blu-ray, Xbox, Wii, Roku, Smart TV or similar device, but you can't watch regular Hulu (free with more shows available). There's ways to watch Hulu with one of those setups but they involve adding software to your computer and using it to stream to the remote device. You need a lot of computing power and the results can be very hit or miss (I was never able to get them to work).

[silverscreenselect]

This site will tell you where you can find movies and TV episodes for streaming, rental, or on-line purchase:

http://www.canistream.it/

Just enter the name of the movie or episode of a TV show and it will tell you if it's available and in what format. Although it lists Hulu Plus (which is a streaming service), it does not list Hulu or any of the networks' web sites.

[macrae1234]

If you have a computer that's wired into your TV via an ethernet or similar cable, you can watch most series on most networks within a few days of broadcast.

I just watch on my monitor the first TV we had was a 17" black and white with snowy antenna reception. A 23" HD monitor is great.

[Ritterskoop]

PAFBoy has gone no-TV since moving a year and a half ago, becoming addicted to watching older shows (and some current ones) on Netflix. No broadcast TV. He goes to a sports bar for singular games.

I know that's not an option for everyone, but he's thrilled, and saving gobs of money.

[ToLiveIsToFly]

We've used Roku and a broadcast antenna for years. Works pretty well. We have netflix streaming and amazon prime (which comes with some shows streaming for free and you can buy episodes/seasons of other shows). In general it serves our needs very well. We pay for Doctor Who and Mad Men and we paid for last season of Downton Abbey (which I'm now disgusted enough that I probably won't pay for anymore), and just about every other show we want to watch, we're willing to wait until it comes to netflix. Roku also will show Hulu Plus if you're willing to pay for it, which we're not.

Sports can be a problem, but it's generally fine.

I keep hearing that the new generation of BluRay players do everything that a Roku does, and some have browsers so you can watch youtube on the big tv too. I have no idea how true that is.

As for a broadcast antenna, we built this one, and it picks up everything in the Chicago area very well from Evanston. I am totally not handy. It took an hour and cost <$20.

[Bob Juch]

We've used Roku and a broadcast antenna for years. Works pretty well. We have netflix streaming and amazon prime (which comes with some shows streaming for free and you can buy episodes/seasons of other shows). In general it serves our needs very well. We pay for Doctor Who and Mad Men and we paid for last season of Downton Abbey (which I'm now disgusted enough that I probably won't pay for anymore), and just about every other show we want to watch, we're willing to wait until it comes to netflix. Roku also will show Hulu Plus if you're willing to pay for it, which we're not.

Sports can be a problem, but it's generally fine.

I keep hearing that the new generation of BluRay players do everything that a Roku does, and some have browsers so you can watch youtube on the big tv too. I have no idea how true that is.

As for a broadcast antenna, we built this one, and it picks up everything in the Chicago area very well from Evanston. I am totally not handy. It took an hour and cost <$20.

The Sony Blu-ray players have many, many, apps built-in including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu Plus; they keep adding new ones through downloads. The Ethernet one is $100, the WiFi one is $130, and the 3D one is $150. We have one of each here.

[silverscreenselect]

I keep hearing that the new generation of BluRay players do everything that a Roku does, and some have browsers so you can watch youtube on the big tv too. I have no idea how true that is.

There are private Roku channels that pick up Youtube. They took down the best known one, but we still have one that works.

[Bob Juch]

I keep hearing that the new generation of BluRay players do everything that a Roku does, and some have browsers so you can watch youtube on the big tv too. I have no idea how true that is.

There are private Roku channels that pick up Youtube. They took down the best known one, but we still have one that works.

The Sony DVD players have YouTube as well.

[littlebeast13]

There isn't much about this thread I even understand....

lb13

[jarnon]

There isn't much about this thread I even understand....

lb13

Found it!