Cutting the cord…
Are you cutting the cord?
In this day and age, remote controls use WIFI or Bluetooth (not Infrared), Smartphones proliferate, payphones are practically obsolete, and internet access is faster than dialup modem speeds of 19.2, 28.8 and 56k (…& anyone under the age of 30 might not fully appreciate this.) People over 30 probably remember the 80’s where along with a home phone (and perhaps a beeper/pager), people had cable. People over 40 probably also remember days WITHOUT cable and using either rabbit ears or a roof antenna for the TV. Some people still use rabbit ears or a roof antenna to get OTA digital tv. Today, many people do not have a phone landline (just text or IM them), and less and less have cable – the trend is to cut the cord. To ‘Cut the cord’ is to cancel your cable tv subscription and ‘untether’ yourself from the cable companies cord. You would then obtain your visual entertainment from elsewhere – i.e. from Hulu, Netflix, Redbox, Amazon, etc.
Here might be another reason to cut the cord I’ve never heard elsewhere… Over the years, living in a Massachusetts suburb, we’ve dislike the fact that whilst subscribing to cable, Boston Channels are sometimes blacked out and we are forced to watch RI channels. See here for more info: http://forums.comcast.com/t5/Channels-and-Programming/Boston-MA-vs-Providence-RI-marketplace-designation/td-p/733790. We’ve thought of petitioning the appropriate powers that be, but we’re busy and its becoming increasingly clear that it may not matter anymore. We ultimately blame the cable industry for if they really wanted to deliver Boston programming to me and you, they would do it. Ironically, we can receive Boston channels using an antenna mounted in our attics or on our roofs – without associated subscription fees. We believe this is a remnant from the analog tv signal era that ‘ended’ between 2009 and 2015.
DMAC Technology Group believes now is the time for cable companies to act in the best interest for you and me but they won’t because of the recent Net Neutrality ruling. For now, the more ISPs become irrelevant, the more cord cutting will continue UNTIL ISPs force us to pay more if we want to access services that may compete with their own services. Soon, Netflix may cost more if your ISP is not a partner and our recommendations below may change accordingly. Also, for now, the faster Wireless technologies become, the less reliance we have on wired ISPs but they can be considered the same, whether wired or wireless. We don’t believe cable companies want to just be a dumb pipe for data but they seem to be acting that way. The internet has created new market forces that have revealed new products and business models in the music industry and that same is happening to the mega-monopoly of cable companies… see here: http://allthingsd.com/20130211/dish-chairman-i-think-people-are-cutting-the-cord/ and http://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/cable-users-drop-6-as-streaming-subscribers-climb/.
Personally, I would say I watch about 5 hrs / week of tv (not including the New England Patriots) – my household probably follows 6-7 shows. I feel cable has been worth the cost (in the past) because of the ease and convenience of a DVR, whether rented or self built but I’m also a big fan of voting with your wallet and I’ve already started using amazon prime instant and have reduced my cable subscription to the lowest level saving hundreds a year (even though my kids do miss sprout.) I’m considering the additional cost of adding Netflix (with or without a DVD plan) but this needs to be a slick setup because of the W.A.F. Currently, xbox lets one do Amazon prime (and other options like HULU Plus) but only if you have a gold account – MSRP $60 / year per account!!! How audacious! I do not believe that a console should be the center of my Home Entertainment System, especially when A- I am forced to pay a unjustified subscription and B_ we live in an age of Open Source Software! Windows Media Center (and a companion xbox 360) is great… but could be better. Unfortunately, Microsoft (and perhaps the rest of the industry) no longer believes in Windows Media Center. I REALLY want to combine my internet ‘tv’ and DVR enabled OTA tv onto 1 device… a Computer should be able to handle this!
In 2011, the average cable TV bill was $86 per month ($1,032 per year) (estimate by the NPD Group). With that money for cable TV, you could instead have:
– a Netflix streaming subscription @ $7.99 per month ($95.88 per year) … Netflix also has rental DVD and combo subscriptions too.
– a Hulu Plus subscription @ 7.99 per month ($95.88 per year) … & don’t forget about Hulu which is completely free.
– or various other services such as Amazon Instant Video, Crackle, VUDU, CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC, Youtube, and more like Epix, Redbox Instant, YuppTV, HBO Go, NBA League Pass, NHL Gamecenter Live, MLB.TV, and NFL Game Access.
You can put the $800 you’re saving into a better television, a streaming box like an Apple TV, Roku or PlayCast, even more TV shows and movies, or simply save your money.
Check http://projects.marketwatch.com/are-you-ready-to-cut-the-cable-cord-interactive-calculator-2013/ to see if you are ready to cut the cord.
DMAC Technology Group can help with your Media streaming or Home Theater needs if you are ready to cut the cord. Here are some current marketplace home entertainment options…
XBOX One
No ota, no dvr, xblive gold subscription required, no hulu, no dlna-like ability to send video to a smartphone/tablet.
Has 10 ft unified interface, netflix, hulu plus, amazon, pandora and more.
XBOX 360
No ota, no dvr, xblive gold subscription required, no hulu, no dlna-like ability to send video to a smartphone/tablet.
Has 10 ft unified interface, netflix, hulu plus, amazon, pandora and more.
PS3/4
No ota, no dvr, no hulu, no dlna-like ability to send video to a smartphone/tablet.
Has 10 ft UI, netflix, hulu plus, amazon, pandora and more.
Windows Media Center (WMC)
No official hulu, no official hulu plus, no official amazon, no official pandora.
Has 10 ft UI and netflix (barely). Has ota, has dlna-like ability to send video to a smartphone/tablet. Additional functionality can be added – possibly (Amazon and Hulu and Hulu Plus).
Using a modern broswer
No 10 ft UI, no dlna-like ability to send video to a remote smartphone/tablet.
Has netflix, hulu, amazon, pandora, hulu plus, etc.
Roku
No ota, no dvr, requires subscription service for many features, no hulu, no dlna-like ability to send video to a smartphone/tablet.
Has 10 ft UI, netflix, hulu plus, amazon, and more.
Tivo Roamio
Requires subscription service for many features, no hulu.
Has 10 ft UI, dvr, ota, netflix, hulu plus, amazon, and more, has dlna-like ability to send video to a smartphone/tablet.
WD TV Live
No ota, dvr, hulu, amazon, dlna-like ability to send video to a remote smartphone/tablet.
Has 10ft UI,Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora.
AppleTV
No ota, no dvr, no amazon, no hulu, no dlna-like ability to send video to a remote smartphone/tablet.
Has 10 ft UI, netflix, hulu plus
Chromecast
No ota, no dvr, no amazon prime or hulu or hulu plus as an app, no dlna-like ability to send video to a remote smartphone/tablet.
Has 10 ft UI, netflix, youtube and more. (can use amazon and hulu and hulu plus through browser mode).
Smart TV
No dvr, no hulu, no dlna-like ability to send video to a remote smartphone/tablet.
Has 10ft UI, ota, netflix, youtube, amazon, pandora, hulu plus and more.
DTVPal
No longer available, no netflix, no hulu, no hulu plus, no amazon, no dlna-like ability to send video to a remote smartphone/tablet.
Has 10 ft UI, ota, dvr.
HomeWorx HW-150PVR
No netflix, no hulu, no hulu plus, no amazon, no dlna-like ability to send video to a remote smartphone/tablet.
Has 10 ft UI, ota, dvr.
ChannelMaster DVR+*
No netflix (yet?), no amazon (yet?), no youtube (yet?), no pandora (yet?), no dlna-like ability to send video to a remote smartphone/tablet.
Has 10ft UI, ota, dvr, subscription not required.
*More internet channel partners are to be added in the future. A small companion device will be released that turns the DVR+ into a whole-home digital video recorder.
SimpleTV v2
Subscription required, no netflix, no hulu plus, no amazon.
Has 10 ft UI, ota, dvr, dlna-like ability to send video to a remote smartphone/tablet. no hdmi video output.
Nuvyyo Tablo
Subscription required, not netflix, no hulu plus, no amazon.
Has 10ft UI, ota, dvr, dlna-like ability to send video to a remote smartphone/tablet. no hdmi video output.
Conclusion
General User Takeaway:
While there are many options, we believe the best bet here is to combine a Smart tv (i.e. Samsung 8000 series) for the internet and home streaming (i.e. netflix, amazon, hulu plus, pandora and more) with a free ota based dvr (i.e. Channel Master DVR+). A HomeWorx HW-150PVR might do the job currently until Channel Master DVR+ A- adds more internet channel partners and B- releases the small companion device that turns the DVR+ into a whole-home digital video recorder.
Advanced User Takeaway:
Advanced users can configure a DEVICE/PC running XBMC (or other Media mgnt and controlling packages such as RASPBMC, PLEX, MEDIAPORTAL, MYTHTV , MEDIABROWSER 3, OpenELEC, SAGETV, NextPVR, LinuxMCE, MythBuntu, LinHES (KnoppMyth), MiniMyth, GeeXboX, etc) or buy a MC001 media centre for about $230.
with any/all of the add-ons below:
- DVBLink Connect! Server (enable DLNA server ability on wmc); available at http://dvblogic.com
- ServerWMC (enable wmc as a PVR backend providing Live TV, PVR functions and EPG to XBMC); available at http://xbmcwmc.teknowebworks.com
- Free Cable add-on (internet content aggregator streamer for XBMC); available at http://code.google.com/p/bluecop-xbmc-repo/
- PlayOn (gives DLNA server abilities to wmc); available at http://www.playon.tv
- PlayLater (DVR for online video like Hulu and Netflix); available at http://www.playon.tv
- Navi-X (internet content aggregator streamer from a public directory of user contributed links and site scrapers) ; available at https://code.google.com/p/navi-x/
and content from:
- IceFilms
- Channel1
- SportsDevil
- CrunchyRoll
- edit: Mashup 1.4.0 has just been released (http://www.mashupxbmc.com)
cons: Tech luddites need not apply.
pros: you have Ultimate Control and Freedom of services and costs.
Devices and descriptions are owned by their respective manufacturers and spec are subject to change. For example, Sony removed Linux capabilities from the PS3 after selling the devices with the initial capability. DMAC Technology group recommends you verify all current manufacturer product specifications prior to any purchases.
