3 ms·

Between OTA HDTV, Netflix, Redbox, and Hulu, I've been without cable TV for quite a few years now. Actually, I've been without a TV completely for the last year

Between OTA HDTV, Netflix, Redbox, and Hulu, I've been without cable TV for quite a few years now. Actually, I've been without a TV completely for the last year and frankly it's quite enjoyable. Just not having that TV as the focal point of the house is really nice, especially since I have a 1 year old to be a dad to. Considering that digital cable is $50+ a month(not including internet), that's enough to buy new laptop or HDTV or iPad every year. Cable won't die, but I wouldn't be surprised if they are forced to eventually morph all of their offerings into a digital package like Netflix where you get Streaming TV + Internet for say $50. Right now I'm paying $35 for cable internet and $8 for Netflix, and a few dollars here and there for Redbox rentals, so $50 a month is just about right for what it should cost for cable companies to do that.

brandall10 15y ago
"Just not having that TV as the focal point of the house is really nice" This. I've always envied friends who didn't have a TV in their living room. It totally changes the character of the home. It's somewhat perverted that TV literally dictates how people setup their floorplans. I keep on toying with getting rid of the TV (currently use a 42" lcd hooked up to an HTPC w/ no cable) but spend at least 4-5 hours per week w/ the girlfriend on the couch watching netflix, daily show, TED, etc. If I may ask how does your family consume content? Have something like a 27" iMac in the den?
- lucasjung 15y ago
  >If I may ask how does your family consume content? If I may ask, what makes you assume they do? I haven't followed any shows since BSG ended, and my wife watches 2-4 hours a week of stuff she probably wouldn't miss all that much. Our daughter watches an hour of kid stuff (Dora, etc.) every day (1/2 hour during breakfast, another 1/2 hour while I cook dinner), but generally prefers to spend her time playing with my wife and I. If I were to sell the TV on craigslist tomorrow there would probably be some whining for a week or three, but eventually we'd settle down into a new routine and probably never miss it. When I "consume content," it generally comes sandwiched between a couple of paper or cardboard covers.
  - masterzora 15y ago
    >If I may ask, what makes you assume they do? I'm guessing the part where they said that they use Netflix and Redbox is probably a good indicator.
- programminggeek 15y ago
  Yes we still watch about 30-45 minutes at dinner on the laptop. Usually a show like Dr. Who or Top Gear on Netflix, or Castle when new episodes are on. Some nights we just sit and talk. It's nice. A laptop is plenty of screen if you're just sitting at the table. Also, if you want to watch a movie and get cozy on a couch, put the laptop on a chair in front of the couch and watch. Frankly, I can get more work done and spend more time with my family if I don't have a giant HDTV practically begging to be watched. Removing that time wasting magnet makes a much bigger impact than you would realize. Once you go TV free you start noticing things like how when you visit friends or family TV is almost always on. It's like a buzzing that people get addicted to, but don't realize it. Now I can't even go to many restaurants without there being a TV in there too. It's like a bizarre form of mind control. Also, since getting a Nook last year, I read a lot more, which is nice.
- jjtheblunt 15y ago
  (When did "this." become a sentence? It became cliche in, what, a week?) That said, I agree with the sentiment.
- zaphar 15y ago
  Laptops and an MacMini in the living room. Watching video is not a family activity in our house though. Dinner time and games are family activities and we do plenty of that. The only reason we have the Mini in the living room is because we want to monitor the kids usage, otherwise It would be elsewhere.
- furyg3 15y ago
  I live in a small apartment, so arranging things around a TV would be a big pain in the ass. Instead, our table is on gliders and slides easily out of the way, and a small projector (next to the couch) projects onto the wall where the table was. This is great, as there is zero sign of a TV when using the room to eat, receive guests, work or read. This was a practicality at first, but now I love it. It's dead simple to convert the whole space into a movie theater, but you have to actually initiate that mode switch. It's quite different than coming home and sitting down in a room which is already oriented around a TV (where I would end up watching TV even though that wasn't my intention). Similarly, no cable connection means we have to be proactive about what content we'd like to consume. Nearly all Dutch TV shows can be streamed online, US shows and movies we like are downloaded ahead of time. Result: I'm just as likely to read a book as watch TV when I come home, when I do watch it's always something I chose, and none of the time spent watching involves any commercials.

brandall10 15y ago

"Just not having that TV as the focal point of the house is really nice" This. I've always envied friends who didn't have a TV in their living room. It totally changes the character of the home. It's somewhat perverted that TV literally dictates how people setup their floorplans. I keep on toying with getting rid of the TV (currently use a 42" lcd hooked up to an HTPC w/ no cable) but spend at least 4-5 hours per week w/ the girlfriend on the couch watching netflix, daily show, TED, etc. If I may ask how does your family consume content? Have something like a 27" iMac in the den?

lucasjung 15y ago
>If I may ask how does your family consume content? If I may ask, what makes you assume they do? I haven't followed any shows since BSG ended, and my wife watches 2-4 hours a week of stuff she probably wouldn't miss all that much. Our daughter watches an hour of kid stuff (Dora, etc.) every day (1/2 hour during breakfast, another 1/2 hour while I cook dinner), but generally prefers to spend her time playing with my wife and I. If I were to sell the TV on craigslist tomorrow there would probably be some whining for a week or three, but eventually we'd settle down into a new routine and probably never miss it. When I "consume content," it generally comes sandwiched between a couple of paper or cardboard covers.
- masterzora 15y ago
  >If I may ask, what makes you assume they do? I'm guessing the part where they said that they use Netflix and Redbox is probably a good indicator.
programminggeek 15y ago
Yes we still watch about 30-45 minutes at dinner on the laptop. Usually a show like Dr. Who or Top Gear on Netflix, or Castle when new episodes are on. Some nights we just sit and talk. It's nice. A laptop is plenty of screen if you're just sitting at the table. Also, if you want to watch a movie and get cozy on a couch, put the laptop on a chair in front of the couch and watch. Frankly, I can get more work done and spend more time with my family if I don't have a giant HDTV practically begging to be watched. Removing that time wasting magnet makes a much bigger impact than you would realize. Once you go TV free you start noticing things like how when you visit friends or family TV is almost always on. It's like a buzzing that people get addicted to, but don't realize it. Now I can't even go to many restaurants without there being a TV in there too. It's like a bizarre form of mind control. Also, since getting a Nook last year, I read a lot more, which is nice.
jjtheblunt 15y ago
(When did "this." become a sentence? It became cliche in, what, a week?) That said, I agree with the sentiment.
zaphar 15y ago
Laptops and an MacMini in the living room. Watching video is not a family activity in our house though. Dinner time and games are family activities and we do plenty of that. The only reason we have the Mini in the living room is because we want to monitor the kids usage, otherwise It would be elsewhere.
furyg3 15y ago
I live in a small apartment, so arranging things around a TV would be a big pain in the ass. Instead, our table is on gliders and slides easily out of the way, and a small projector (next to the couch) projects onto the wall where the table was. This is great, as there is zero sign of a TV when using the room to eat, receive guests, work or read. This was a practicality at first, but now I love it. It's dead simple to convert the whole space into a movie theater, but you have to actually initiate that mode switch. It's quite different than coming home and sitting down in a room which is already oriented around a TV (where I would end up watching TV even though that wasn't my intention). Similarly, no cable connection means we have to be proactive about what content we'd like to consume. Nearly all Dutch TV shows can be streamed online, US shows and movies we like are downloaded ahead of time. Result: I'm just as likely to read a book as watch TV when I come home, when I do watch it's always something I chose, and none of the time spent watching involves any commercials.