Kicking Cable to the Curb

[kiba]

We have the psvue and it was cool at first but Idk if i had to choose I'd probably pick netflix/hulu instead. My gf seems to use those much more. You can get a free 30 day trial for Hulu rn.

rn all we have is netflix/hulu, PS vue and HBO, my cousin complained about the local channels thing at first so I converted the old satellite dish on the roof to antenna and ran it through the house coax. It wasn't easy as I had to climb 30 feet up a ladder and slide around on the roof... & tbh Idk if he's even used it.

just think about how much you actually need local channels, they usually suck anyway... we could of kept the fios TV with just the local channels for like 40 bucks a month, (which have like nothing good on, ever) or used some of that money for hbo/netflix/hulu instead, which we did, and it's much better.

 

[2legsshrt]

Well decided on Vue. Much better quality. Tried Sling one more time this morning and what we were watching started buffering that made up our mind.

 

[retired1]

We have the psvue and it was cool at first but Idk if i had to choose I'd probably pick netflix/hulu instead. My gf seems to use those much more. You can get a free 30 day trial for Hulu rn.

rn all we have is netflix/hulu, PS vue and HBO, my cousin complained about the local channels thing at first so I converted the old satellite dish on the roof to antenna and ran it through the house coax. It wasn't easy as I had to climb 30 feet up a ladder and slide around on the roof... & tbh Idk if he's even used it.

just think about how much you actually need local channels, they usually suck anyway... we could of kept the fios TV with just the local channels for like 40 bucks a month, (which have like nothing good on, ever) or used some of that money for hbo/netflix/hulu instead, which we did, and it's much better.

The problem I have with Netflix and Hulu is their blanket ban on the use of VPNs. As long as the account address and VPN are both in the US, there shouldn't be an issue with using one. Yet both services flat refuse to let you stream while using a VPN. Hulu is opening a new location in San Antonio and I think I may pay them a visit once they're up and running.

 

[Ken_A]

The problem I have with Netflix and Hulu is their blanket ban on the use of VPNs. As long as the account address and VPN are both in the US, there shouldn't be an issue with using one. Yet both services flat refuse to let you stream while using a VPN. Hulu is opening a new location in San Antonio and I think I may pay them a visit once they're up and running.

Amazon is the same. If you have a VPN, then they don't like you.

 

[kiba]

The problem I have with Netflix and Hulu is their blanket ban on the use of VPNs. As long as the account address and VPN are both in the US, there shouldn't be an issue with using one. Yet both services flat refuse to let you stream while using a VPN. Hulu is opening a new location in San Antonio and I think I may pay them a visit once they're up and running.

Idk if we've ever tried, we've got two routers one with openVPN one without... You get some increased speed on the main router so we pretty much just use the one with kodi.

 

[mikepetro]

I have trouble with all three mentioned on VPN. I usually have to just turn the VPN off to use those services.

Whats scary, is that if these guys can do it, soon all ISPs, and membership based websites can do it, making VPN useless.

They all want their demographic data.......

 

[retired1]

The streaming services (Hulu, Netflix, etc.) say they do it to prevent people from outside the geographical area from getting access to programming that they'd otherwise not have access to. When I was in Canada, it was the rage to get Netflix, and then snag a US VPN to watch US content that would otherwise be unavailable in Canada.

The streaming companies say they had to crack down due to their agreements with the studios. I say it's the providers themselves (AT&T, Bell, Comcrap, etc.) whining because they can't force users to pay for THEIR content.

 

[mikepetro]

The streaming services (Hulu, Netflix, etc.) say they do it to prevent people from outside the geographical area from getting access to programming that they'd otherwise not have access to. When I was in Canada, it was the rage to get Netflix, and then snag a US VPN to watch US content that would otherwise be unavailable in Canada.

The streaming companies say they had to crack down due to their agreements with the studios. I say it's the providers themselves (AT&T, Bell, Comcrap, etc.) whining because they can't force users to pay for THEIR content.

Agreed, otherwise why would Netflix care if I am a USA subscriber (which they know by user/pass) coming in through a USA VPN endpoint?

 

[retired1]

Agreed, otherwise why would Netflix care if I am a USA subscriber (which they know by user/pass) coming in through a USA VPN endpoint?

Here's what Canadians are up against.

Getting U.S. Netflix in Canada? That's stealing, Bell Media's new president says

Of course, she claims it's piracy. How can it be piracy if you're paying for the content?

 

[2legsshrt]

Everyone is ought to make a billion dollars. I see a new streaming service called FUBU read some good reviews and several bad. Vue is pretty good but get sick of commercials. I got the $45 package which I will change next month to the lowest price. Can still watch my Nascar and most PGA tourneys. I don't golf but love to watch these pros do it. It's amazing they can hit a little ball like that 300+ yards and actually get it within a few feet of where they are going.

 

[Ken_A]

They all want their demographic data.......

they don't need demographic data anymore. It's called "Big Data" and you wouldn't believe what they can find out from just one hour's of spying.
I have to learn all about it from work because my company wants to gather Big Data for what they claim is ways to help the customer. I've seen behind the scenes, and it's a way to target ads. they can get around the whole "we will not share our data with anyone else" by simply sending you an ad that says:
"based on what we have seen so far, we think you would love to buy these chips from this other company, and we see that they are having a sale."

 

[DaveP]

You'll love fiber optic, I couldn't work from home otherwise bc I have to upload huge files daily.

I recently switched to the new "gigabit" for the same cost (around 75/mo) Idk if it's true gigabit but my uploads regularly hit ~500mbps while my gf and roommate are both watching streaming media in separate rooms.

You are fortunate to live in a highly saturated internet environment. I pay $70 a month for 16mb cable internet because I live just over the county line from Cox Cable's franchise. The local cable company had a Cox backbone run into the office their territory and sells it at a premium. If I were a couple of blocks South I could get the same 16mb cable internet for $29.95 or the the 50mb plan for about $70 (which I'm paying now for 16mb).

The cable companies around here are franchised into a lockout mode and prices are steep.

 

[kiba]

You are fortunate to live in a highly saturated internet environment. I pay $70 a month for 16mb cable internet because I live just over the county line from Cox Cable's franchise. The local cable company had a backbone run into their territory and sells it at a premium. If I were a couple of blocks South I could get the same 16mb cable internet for $29.95 or the the 50mb plan for about $70 (which I'm paying now for 16mb).

The cable companies around here are franchised into a lockout mode and prices are steep.

It's just the fiber optic that's cheap out here, bandwidth-wise you can't get a better deal... but cable is still expensive, starts at $29 I think, but if you want any kind of speed you pay for it.

FiOS started offering "gigabit" a few months back which they automatically upgraded us. it's actually a but cheaper than what we had & blows everything else away price-wise. I have to upload several gigs each day when I'm working from home, which completely hijacks the connection on the slower speed one (50mbps/$39/mo) that we had when my gf and I moved in. With this one (1gbps/$70/mo) I can upload while the others stream TV or w/e.

 

[DaveP]

It's just the fiber optic that's cheap out here, bandwidth-wise you can't get a better deal... but cable is still expensive, starts at $29 I think, but if you want any kind of speed you pay for it.

FiOS started offering "gigabit" a few months back which they automatically upgraded us. it's actually a but cheaper than what we had & blows everything else away price-wise. I have to upload several gigs each day when I'm working from home, which completely hijacks the connection on the slower speed one (50mbps/$39/mo) that we had when my gf and I moved in. With this one (1gbps/$70/mo) I can upload while the others stream TV or w/e.

Google fiber is what I'd like to see in our area. We are a mile from I-75,so the backbone would probably be close. It's just that in our city with 100K population it seems that the big companies would rather stay around the Atlanta area and they haven't seen the benefit in a startup operation in our area. Cox has it sewed up.

Internet providers seem to cherry pick their areas

 

[r77r7r]

We're lucky to get ConCast out here where I am. Verizon holds out on the Fios. Up until a yr ago I was getting 3mp from Verizon for $35mth! And they whined when I cancelled, lol.

 

[retired1]

Google fiber is what I'd like to see in our area.

Never happen. The cities that are currently being built out will be the last to see it. Google is going to concentrate on the wireless aspect now.

https://www.wired.com/2017/03/google-fiber-was-doomed-from-the-start/

 

[2legsshrt]

I am sort of lucky although I am paying $160 a month for DSL at 40Mbps but lots of bandwidth and unlimited data through a business plan. Sure makes a difference. I have 5 devices hookes and still get 37Mbps which is ample for Kodi. The streaming services don't really need that much.

 

[DaveP]

Never happen. The cities that are currently being built out will be the last to see it. Google is going to concentrate on the wireless aspect now.

https://www.wired.com/2017/03/google-fiber-was-doomed-from-the-start/

Franchise controlled internet is killing the availability of fast, reliable internet. I agree with the wired article. Municipalities should take over the fiber installation and lease to multiple internet providers who will fight through pricing to gain market share. The consumer wins in that scenario, IMO.

Google once talked about balloons for internet wireless. The latest I could find quickly was the link below.

Google wants the US' wireless spectrum for balloon-based internet

Looks like they are really serious about balloons. They now have wireless balloon lifespan up to 20 days.
A Google Balloon Crashed in This Country and People Thought It Was a UFO

 

[2legsshrt]

Well everything quit working for me on Kodi except Wolf Pack but as far as Ely, Sp,Ex, can't get anything forgot where I was.

 

[mikepetro]

Most of my addons are working, after I did some tweaking, but none connect with Trakt anymore, none of that history and custom lists are accessible. They are recommending using IMDB now.