caseyctsv Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 My mom and dad are retired and want to get rid of cable - they are paying like 200 / month. I thought about getting them a Roku for Christmas but what else would they need. He has wireless and Road Runner but if they wanted local TV could I just get them an HD antenna? They are technology challenged so it needs to be simple to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeesammy Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 ATT Uverse. Still kind of cable, but dirt cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRed05 Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 $200 a month?! Christ, just going down to basic cable will save them $100+. Roku should be good, it's pretty simple to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseyctsv Posted November 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 $200 a month?! Christ, just going down to basic cable will save them $100+. Roku should be good, it's pretty simple to use. To be fair that includes their internet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 Visit http://www.antennaweb.org/ to help figure out what size HD antenna (and what direction to poit it if directional is needed) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojoe Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 Still high. We have basic with some HD channels, and a little faster internet(forgot what speed), and we are at $108 with TWC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigOxley Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 I have HD antennas and Netflix. I watch a lot of PBS now... They now have DVRs for HD free TV so you can record prime time shows, but I dont have one yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copperhead Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 To be fair that includes their internet Unless they have 100 Mbps and all the extra movie channels that's still way over priced. 15 Mbps is plenty for streaming whatever. If they want sports, local channels and news you should do a trial run with an antenna. Here's a cheap one to try: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008KVUAGU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1OBLJ1TLZNI6L&coliid=I5R2KMO05DEJE There are websites that show where tv stations broadcast from so you can see what direction to aim it. Depending on where they live and what they want to watch there are also larger outdoor antennas. For streaming the new hotness is the Amazon fire stick. It does all the standard stuff like Netflix and Hulu but also Amazon prime, which opens up a lot of options for what to watch. Plus it's cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farkas Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 An air antenna will get the local channels they'll want... but yes, internet and roku will do them great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRTurbo04 Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 They are technology challenged so it needs to be simple to use. to be completely honest I would just stick with cable and find a way to get it cheaper. Going the other option if they are not very good with technology might be difficult and frustrating for them just my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseyctsv Posted November 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 to be completely honest I would just stick with cable and find a way to get it cheaper. Going the other option if they are not very good with technology might be difficult and frustrating for them just my opinion I am leaning more this way to be honest.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 to be completely honest I would just stick with cable and find a way to get it cheaper. Going the other option if they are not very good with technology might be difficult and frustrating for them just my opinion ^^ this. even I won't ditch cable for the mere fact that I won't have to hear the wife and kids complain. If the $180 per month we pay for everything including internet and phone becomes too much I'm making the wife go back to work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Pomade Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 The Roku is easier to operate than a standard channel guide for cable. Don't be discouraged because you think your technology-inept parents will have a difficult time navigating it. They won't. I have heard similar things about the simplicity of the Amazon Fire stick. It will do the same things as the Roku. Both devices - the Roku and the Fire stick - are just ways of connecting the TV to the internet to get to Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc. The HD antennae is also super simple as well. In fact, it's even more simple - you just plug it in to where the cable normally goes and - voila! - you now have all your standard channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox) in HD. Casey, I think you are thinking of this perfectly: all you need is a Roku (or an Amazon Firestick or Google Chromecast or Apple TV or any of the devices that get you streaming stuff) + an HD antennae + wireless in the home and you have a perfect receipe for saving a shit-ton of money while not sacrificing all that much. BTW, I am speaking to you from experience. We cut the cable a couple of months ago and it's worked out great. We have a Roku, a fairly standard wireless connection (nothing uber fast or anything), and pay for Netflix and Hulu. Our monthly costs are right about $45 - and before we were paying in the area of $170/month. What are the drawbacks? Well, so far, not many. In fact, the only one that comes to mind is that I no longer have ESPN and can't watch a lot of the live sports I used to be able to watch. However, whether this is just reality or cognitive dissonance I don't know, but I really don't mind not having ESPN or all the sports. ESPN pretty much sucks 95 percent of the time when they aren't showing actual sports (it's like MTV for sports anymore) and, if I want to watch a sporting event that isn't on, then I can just go to BW3's or somewhere like that and watch it if I care that much about seeing it. I'm a huge Ohio State fan and this year only had to go to a sports bar a couple of times (three, maybe) because Ohio State's game wasn't on ABC. I would recommend the move without hesitancy. I have a wife and two kids, and they have been fine with the shift too. The kids just stream shit to their ipads or will watch streaming content on Netflix or whatever (there are like 1 trillion cartoons and shit, so it's actually more convenient than cable when it comes to kids), and my wife is far too busy in the kitchen to worry about what's on or not on television. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 Roku is good. Apple TV is also pretty idiot-proof. The trouble is the HD digital antenna. I don't have cable (because I don't really watch much TV) but, on the rare occasion that I have watched something on the HD antenna the results have been mixed. When the weather is good the picture is HD and awesome - every bit as good as you'd get from a cable package. However, when the weather is bad, the signal can be faint and, unlike analogue antennas of yesteryear, when the signal is faint the picture just stops. That is, in the old days, you'd get a few lines on the screen and have to play with the metal rabbit ears. But you wouldn't really miss the action and the sound would clue you into what was going on. With the modern digital antenna, the picture distorts into cube-like shapes and then the transmission simply stops: no sound; no movement; nothing. Then, when the signal improves, it picks up wherever the broadcast currently is and you have no idea what happened in the intervening time. When watching sports, this sucks. Edit: I agree with JohnnyBravo, generally - it's still a good move to dump cable. But one should be aware of the digital antenna drawbacks. FYI - I have been on the Netflix + Digital Antenna system for a couple of years now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordell Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 I tried having no cable, netflix gets old, hulu doesn't have much I wanted to watch, and just local channels sucks. Got Direct TV and I'm glad I did, been better the WOW's bullshit, and it came with nicer hardware then anything else I looked at. At&T internet works great too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverMaker Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 I don't see old people switching inputs to roku/apple tv/whatever. "Oh switch to HDMI 1 to watch this, then go do HDMI 3 for broadcast TV. Use THIS remote for roku, or THAT remote for other stuff." They just won't like it. Then it will be your problem to change it back and make it easier or be tech support constantly. Find a cable/internet package for $100 and be done with it. With promos you can usually get something for around $80/mo. for 1 or 2 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Pomade Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 Adding a Roku (or other streaming device) won't necessarily add any more overall remotes. You need two remotes regularly - one for cable, the other for the TV - and you only need two remotes when switching - one for the Roku (or whatever) and one for the TV. And really how much trouble is it really to switch HDMI inputs on a TV? It is worth $50 a month for the convenience? And, if it is a bit more cognitively complex, then he'll be doing his parents a favor: research demonstrates that engaging in cognitively complex tasks in later adulthood assists in preserving cognitive functioning and reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRTurbo04 Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 (edited) And really how much trouble is it really to switch HDMI inputs on a TV? It is worth $50 a month for the convenience? I know it sounds silly but many older people have this issue. My wifes grama is as sharp as a tack but cant grasp the concept of how to use a dvd player, and cant figure out how switch from The cable to the dvd player option. Some people are just technologicaly impaired. Edited November 28, 2014 by Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRed05 Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 Lots of TV's have HDMI auto switching. Samsung calls theirs Anynet. So on mine for example, I just turn my PS4 on, or start casting something to Chromecast and it will automatically switch to that HDMI input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffro Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 We cut the cord back in october. Were paying 37 dollars a month for 18 megabit internet thru ATT and have an XBMC media center for things we don't get on one of the 27 over the air channels we receive. This might be beyond your parents scope of capabilities though. I get all my live sporting events through wiziwig.tv and use a chromecast to stream them to my TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radio Flyer1647545514 Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 I have 30mbps from WOW for 30 a month and just hook my computer up to the TV. If I didn't use my computer I'd get a Fire Stick and be done with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokin5s Posted November 28, 2014 Report Share Posted November 28, 2014 http://www.jetflicks.mobi... you are welcome. best service ever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spidey2721 Posted November 30, 2014 Report Share Posted November 30, 2014 ok i dont get these boxes. i mean i can subscribe to netflix hulu etc etc etc on my own. why the heck do i need a box? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B3NN3TT Posted November 30, 2014 Report Share Posted November 30, 2014 The box connects to your HDTV and has its own remote control. It keeps everything centralized and affords some conveniences that you don't get by just plugging in a computer to your tv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sully Posted December 2, 2014 Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 We cut the cord back in october. Were paying 37 dollars a month for 18 megabit internet thru ATT and have an XBMC media center for things we don't get on one of the 27 over the air channels we receive. This might be beyond your parents scope of capabilities though. I get all my live sporting events through wiziwig.tv and use a chromecast to stream them to my TV. So, what do you use to browse the web on your tv? Do you hook a laptop up to your tv? Some other device? I really want to cut the cord. However, I am a college football fanatic. I have 3 tv's set up in my man-cave. I need to be able to watch 3 different games at the same time. If I could use this wiziwig.tv that you speak of on all three tv's, problem solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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