Cutting the Cord

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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby RiverDog » Tue Feb 27, 2018 6:52 am

Largent80 wrote:That's great, glad you made the switch. I swear, I have all the channels I watched before for 1/5th the cost and all in HD. I can't record everything but a lot of it I don't need to as you can get repeats all over the place. Kodi has tons of apps with everything under the sun. It's a huge learning curve but well worth it. It put over a hundred bucks into our bank account every month (after the overhead of the hardware).


It wasn't easy. I had to take a bunch of siding on the exterior of our house off and drill some holes in order to run an Ethernet cable to my main TV. I still have a puzzle to figure out for my big overhead projection TV, but even if I can't get it connected to stream programming, it won't be a deal breaker as I can still watch and record OTA broadcasts, which constitutes the bulk of what I use that TV for.

I was amazed at the amount of options that are available from free services like YouTube. Once we learn to access everything, we're going to have more options than with the outlandishly expensive satellite. We just discovered yesterday that we can not only schedule programs to record from our mobile devices, we can view programs on them. The only problem is that navigating between mediums is very time consuming, so you can't channel surf very well. But considering the cost savings, it's a minor inconvenience.
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby Largent80 » Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:27 am

Having a computer hooked into the system makes my setup way easier. I now have a 60" monitor !!!!

I sold my small handheld keyboard to my neighbor and bought a full size long range wireless keyboard and mouse. So I can switch from Hauppage tv to Sling or Hulu with ease. I can also stream from my Nvidia Shield. I hardwire everything, none of it is wi-fi, and I bought a powered USB hub to be able to connect everything and If your set top box is Android you can load Kodi which gives tons more options. Hell, even my blu ray player and my smart tv streams so I have like 5 ways to do it... :o

It is just a matter of spending some time with all of it to find out the best way to do it.
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby RiverDog » Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:10 am

Largent80 wrote:Having a computer hooked into the system makes my setup way easier. I now have a 60" monitor !!!!

I sold my small handheld keyboard to my neighbor and bought a full size long range wireless keyboard and mouse. So I can switch from Hauppage tv to Sling or Hulu with ease. I can also stream from my Nvidia Shield. I hardwire everything, none of it is wi-fi, and I bought a powered USB hub to be able to connect everything and If your set top box is Android you can load Kodi which gives tons more options. Hell, even my blu ray player and my smart tv streams so I have like 5 ways to do it... :o

It is just a matter of spending some time with all of it to find out the best way to do it.


I have mine connected directly to my PC as well. I'm thinking it's either my slow internet service or the router, a cheap model that was provided free from my ISP. Once I get everything settled in, I'll do as you suggest and start working with it. I'm calling Dish this morning to terminate my service with them.

One of the really neat things I'm going to love is that through my new system, I'll be able to view football games on my tablet so I can sit outdoors and watch the games. I had been looking for a way to stream games to my tablet but they were all pretty expensive, but anything I can get on my TV I'll also get on my mobile devices.
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby Largent80 » Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:24 am

Buy a decent router/modem from Best Buy, about $100. Up your internet service to a faster speed, usually the first year is cheap, then it goes up to about $70 but no issues with buffering with this method.

Plus all of these providers stick it to you with using their equipment. It costs a little to get going but in 3 months it is paid for. I'm already into a month without DirecTv and have not noticed it being gone.

Sorry Rupert, get your money elsewhere !!!!!
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby burrrton » Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:52 am

Up your internet service to a faster speed, usually the first year is cheap, then it goes up to about $70 but no issues with buffering with this method.


Isn't RD using Charter? If so, there's no upgrading needed- it's all 100Mbps now, I'm pretty sure. $30 or so a month (bundled with all their other services- not sure what it goes up to without bundling).

I envy you cord-cutters- I don't think I can pull it off because the primary TV watcher is my wife (and girls), and if I ever took her Tivo remote, she'd chop me in two. Yeah, I could go OTA, but if there is any complexity added (just switch over to this to watch Netflix, push this button to watch TV again, etc), she takes her shoe off and hits herself on the head with it until I put everything back how it was.
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby RiverDog » Wed Feb 28, 2018 1:44 pm

I'm not using Charter, at least not yet. I'm currently getting both my internet and LAN phone line via Frontier. I want to do away with our LAN line but not for another month after everything regarding my retirement is finalized. So sometime in April I'll completely do away with Frontier and bring in Charter for internet only.

I was considering getting an updated router but the people at Tablo, where I bought my digital DVR through, said it shouldn't be necessary. I'll wait until I get Charter as my ISP and see what kind of difference it makes.

The other thing that I'm going to like is that I'll be able to sit on my deck and watch games on my tablet as I enjoy sitting outdoors in the summer and fall but don't like having to miss SNF and MNF. I was looking for a means to do that but most options were very expensive.

You guys ought to have listened to the conversation I had with the Dish Network rep when I was trying to cancel my service. She kept trying to talk me out of it. My wife said it was a bizarre conversation listing to me tell her repeatedly that I wasn't interested.

I'm presently cleaning up the mess I made running an Ethernet to my main TV. You have to break some eggs if you want to make an omlet.
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby RiverDog » Thu Mar 22, 2018 6:16 am

I thought I'd bump this thread back up to the top.

We've completed our transition to OTA and internet streaming. It was a little expensive to get all the equipment I needed and I had to run an Ethernet cable to our main tv in our living room, but the monthly costs will be way, way lower. I've cut my costs from $150/month down to less than $50, and there's just a couple of stations we used to have that we don't now, but that's more than offset by the features/stations we have available now, such as live streaming to my tablet that I'll be able to access when we travel. Plus the old lady is happy with it and has become quite proficient in learning the new system.

In addition to our TV service, we've revisited all of our insurance policies (auto, home, RV, and umbrella) and did away with our LAN telephone service. It's good timing as tomorrow will be my last full payday as I hit the rocking chair on April Fool's Day.
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby burrrton » Thu Mar 22, 2018 7:36 am

Congratulations on your retirement, homeboy.
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby RiverDog » Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:40 am

burrrton wrote:Congratulations on your retirement, homeboy.


Thanks! :D

It's not official until April 1st. Can you think of a more appropriate date?
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby c_hawkbob » Thu Mar 22, 2018 9:54 am

I don't believe anything on April 1st, so I cant even sure be you're really retiring man ...
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby RiverDog » Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:00 pm

c_hawkbob wrote:I don't believe anything on April 1st, so I cant even sure be you're really retiring man ...


Hehe. You'd be a day late in your congratulations. :D

But it's just how it worked out. My wife got her disability application approved and started receiving payments on 4/1/16. After 24 months of disability, she's eligible for Medicare, meaning that I only have to buy health insurance for myself and a supplement for her (we're both 63) for 19 months until I go on Medicare. So knowing that, I worked my own retirement plans backwards from that date, having knee surgery last December, going on 3 months of short term disability at full pay/benefits, then using up the balance of my vacation, stretching my employment out until 4/1.

I haven't worked since 12/8/17, but will go in for one day next week to say goodbye.
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby c_hawkbob » Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:44 pm

I haven't worked since 12/8/17


Well that's good enough for a congrats, so ... Congrats on your retirement!
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby RiverDog » Thu Mar 22, 2018 2:50 pm

c_hawkbob wrote:Well that's good enough for a congrats, so ... Congrats on your retirement!


It's still a few days early for my victory lap, but I'll accept the premature congrats. Thanks! :D
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby Aseahawkfan » Thu Mar 22, 2018 3:52 pm

Congratulations, RD! Make sure you exercise and stay active. Too much sitting will make you age faster.
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby RiverDog » Fri Mar 23, 2018 12:58 pm

Aseahawkfan wrote:Congratulations, RD! Make sure you exercise and stay active. Too much sitting will make you age faster.


Thanks, ASF!

I've already stepped up my exercise routine, even lost 15 pounds since my knee surgery. I have a 1 acre lot so finding time to work a full time job and keep up the yard made it difficult to get to the gym regularly.

One of the bad things about work was that every time I set foot in the lunch room, someone was wanting me to try the food they'd brought to work, and I hated to say no as I didn't want to insult them. When they would have a pot luck, I'd try to stay out of the lunch room then go into the office and find a double stacked plate of food on my desk.
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby Aseahawkfan » Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:04 pm

RiverDog wrote:Thanks, ASF!

I've already stepped up my exercise routine, even lost 15 pounds since my knee surgery. I have a 1 acre lot so finding time to work a full time job and keep up the yard made it difficult to get to the gym regularly.

One of the bad things about work was that every time I set foot in the lunch room, someone was wanting me to try the food they'd brought to work, and I hated to say no as I didn't want to insult them. When they would have a pot luck, I'd try to stay out of the lunch room then go into the office and find a double stacked plate of food on my desk.


I'd recommend squatting and/or deadlifting. No need to start heavy. Practice good form. And build it up. The muscle and metabolic effects will keep you healthy longer and keep your leg and back muscles stronger. Leg strength assists longevity because it allows you to support your weight, work on your circulation, and stay active longer. And you can eat and drink more when you keep the muscle on and able to move as long as possible.
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby RiverDog » Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:30 pm

Aseahawkfan wrote:I'd recommend squatting and/or deadlifting. No need to start heavy. Practice good form. And build it up. The muscle and metabolic effects will keep you healthy longer and keep your leg and back muscles stronger. Leg strength assists longevity because it allows you to support your weight, work on your circulation, and stay active longer. And you can eat and drink more when you keep the muscle on and able to move as long as possible.


Thanks for the suggestions, my friend, and I'll keep them in mind.

Right now, my priority is on rehabbing my knee. It's still extremely stiff and I don't have the range of motion I want so I'm following an exercise routine recommended by my physical therapist, plus I'm doing about 40 minutes daily of aerobics on an elliptical and 20 on a recumbant bike, moving the seat as close as I can to force me knee to bend.

I'm not sure if you know anyone that's had a full knee replacement like I've had, but it's a very long and painful recovery process, one that I grossly underestimated. Even though the surgeon and therapist are both pleased with my progress, at the rate it's going, it's going to be a couple more months before I'm fully recovered.
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby burrrton » Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:40 pm

I don't have the range of motion


I was just about to ask how that was coming- it's Priority 1 (as I'm sure your PT and doc have made clear).
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby RiverDog » Sat Mar 24, 2018 1:44 pm

burrrton wrote:I was just about to ask how that was coming- it's Priority 1 (as I'm sure your PT and doc have made clear).


It's improving, but in very small increments, sort of like watching your kids grow. I've been working at it religiously, hitting the gym every day for 3 months. I had a conversation with the agent handling my disability claim, and he told me that total knee replacements were no brainer approvals, and I can see why. At this point, I'm about 85-90% of normal, but close to 100% of what the knee was prior to surgery.

Thanks for asking! :D
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby Aseahawkfan » Sat Mar 24, 2018 6:34 pm

RiverDog wrote:Thanks for the suggestions, my friend, and I'll keep them in mind.

Right now, my priority is on rehabbing my knee. It's still extremely stiff and I don't have the range of motion I want so I'm following an exercise routine recommended by my physical therapist, plus I'm doing about 40 minutes daily of aerobics on an elliptical and 20 on a recumbant bike, moving the seat as close as I can to force me knee to bend.

I'm not sure if you know anyone that's had a full knee replacement like I've had, but it's a very long and painful recovery process, one that I grossly underestimated. Even though the surgeon and therapist are both pleased with my progress, at the rate it's going, it's going to be a couple more months before I'm fully recovered.


Hopefully that comes along well. Definitely keep the blood flowing into the area for healing and mobility. I hope your PT at least worked in body weight squats. The squat is such a natural position for humans and good for health, it's good to practice it even if only squatting down at home for some reps now and again.
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Re: Cutting the Cord

Postby RiverDog » Sat Mar 24, 2018 6:47 pm

Aseahawkfan wrote:Hopefully that comes along well. Definitely keep the blood flowing into the area for healing and mobility. I hope your PT at least worked in body weight squats. The squat is such a natural position for humans and good for health, it's good to practice it even if only squatting down at home for some reps now and again.


Oh, yes, I'm doing squats. Part of my routine, recommended by the therapist, is to grab onto some overhead straps then squat down as far as I can go, like a baseball catcher. I also have a leg press that simulates the same motion, along with leg curls and leg extensions. Plus the aerobics helps promote blood circulation, especially one machine I use that's a cross between an elliptical and a stepper.

Squatting at home is a little difficult. I can't squat very far without something overhead to grab onto and displace my weight when I squat, and I don't really have anything I can use here at home that would serve that purpose.
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