Re: Why is it so difficult to cut the Cable?
I would never cut off my primary TV provider simply because the other methods of receiving TV are either unacceptable or inconvenient, except for OTA. I record 99% of everything I watch, with the exception of live sports programming. Last time I checked, when you watch a show on Hulu or other online service, the shows still contain commercials and don’t provide a method to fast forward past them. With my HTPC and Tivos, I can skip past the commercials, which reduces the time I spend in front of the TV by about 18-20 minutes for every 1-hour program. I watch a lot of TV so having the ability to cut my viewing time by almost a third is a no-brainer for me.
Watching a show on anything smaller than a 35-40″ HDTV is no longer enjoyable for me. I’ll admit it, I’m spoiled. I got into HDTV for the whole home theater experience, including topnotch surround sound. The idea of watching TV on a smart phone or tablet is completely repugnant. The younger generation sees this as being cool and like the convenience of it all. My tastes are a little more stringent. I don’t just watch TV, I get immersed in the experience. If you can’t get the maximum enjoyment out of it then you’re just wasting your time in front of the boob tube. My wife still doesn’t understand the difference it makes to me. All she sees is just TV.
I’ll confess I use Bittorrent sites to acquire a couple of shows from Showtime and a few other channels that I don’t subscribe to. I’m about to drop HBO, which costs me an absurd $22.99 per month from Verizon, so I’ll probably start getting those shows from BT sites as well. HBO only has a couple of good series each season, and only on Sunday nights. I get far more movies per month from NetFlix at a much lower cost, including HBO and Showtime series on Blu-Ray. I rarely bother with standard DVDs anymore.
I haven’t warmed up to any of the online streaming services yet, mostly because the picture quality and audio I’ve experienced isn’t yet comparable to what I can get on FIOS or Blu-Ray. Again, I’m just picky about what I watch and listen to. Call me an elitist or a snob if you must. I just know what I like.