My wife and I have become cord cutters. We cancelled our cable subscription and will now get all programming by OTT, or “over the top” media via Internet.
Many people have thought about cutting the cord from Comcast, Cox, AT&T, or whomever your cable provider is. The process can be intimidating, so let me take you through what I’ve found, and hopefully I can answer your cord-cutting questions.
Why? This is pretty simple – cable and internet can typically cost a combined $200 or so per month. If you can cut that in half, or even by a third, why not?
Who? There are may ways to get your favorite programming through services like Netflix, Hulu, Apple, and the apps for the individual networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox). Some cable channels like ESPN and BRAVO have their own apps, but many require a cable subscription. We looked at the services that provide most cable channels (and our local ones). The website cutcabletoday.com was a great resource for comparing AT&T’s DirecTV Now, Sling, Fubo, and Playstation Vue. They vary in terms of budget-friendliness, sports programming, DVR, and more.
Where? We have three televisions in our house, in the living room, the bedroom, and the front room where the treadmill is. If we are being honest, that last one isn’t used very much. We have an Amazon Fire TV (from our wedding registry – thanks Uncle Ricky!) and an older Apple TV. Unfortunately, the Apple TV was too old (needs to be 4th generation or newer) to run the new apps. So we bought an Amazon Fire TV stick for around $40. You just need TV’s with HDMI inputs, or even a newer app-friendly Smart TV.
What? We currently have a cable and internet subscription through AT&T U-Verse. Our choices here in suburban Michigan are that, Comcast (whose customer service has burned my wife one too many times), and WOW, as in “Wow, this knockoff internet and cable seems sketchy.” My two year promotional period was ending, and my rate was going to go up to about $200 for 25 MBPS Internet and their U200 TV package, which includes 360 channels. Of course, 300 of those channels we don’t watch. Of course you can “bundle” packages if you want to go to AT&T for your cell phone (we have Verizon) or home security (we have ADT), because they want a monopoly on your home. Furthermore, the quality of U-verse television was beginning to drop. AT&T wants to stop supporting it and get everyone over to DirecTV. We don’t want a dish on our roof.
After comparing the options (most let you try the service for a week free of charge), we figured we would simplify things and stick with AT&T and their DirecTV Now package. There’s no dish required, it’s all OTT (over the top, Internet based), and we already have an AT&T account. We tried DirecTV Now for a few days, but my wife really missed having a DVR.
Next we tried PlayStation Vue, which actually does not require a PlayStation console. We’re very happy with it. Like DirecTV Now, it had all four of our local Detroit channels and local news (this may be different for you if you live in a small town). And like the other service, we had all of our cable networks covered – TNT, TBS, Bravo, Travel Channel, Food Network, TLC, and HGTV for her, CNN and ESPN for me. What sold us on Vue, however, was that it was better than a DVR. Granted you have to retrain your brain for the guide as the channels go across (you can set your favorites), and the times go down the grid. But you can choose “My Shows” and they are stored in the cloud. There is no space limit – though the catch is they only get saved for 28 days. Let’s be honest though – if you haven’t watched something 28 days after it aired, you’re probably not going to. In addition to the DVR however, most popular shows have a CU in the guide – standing for “Catch Up.” If there’s a show or special you wanted to see but didn’t DVR, no worries – you can go back and watch it on demand for up to 48 hours after it airs. Yes, the guide lets you go BACK…IN…TIME!
Naturally, the cable company had to be difficult on my way out. To stream live TV, you really need 40-50 MBPS Internet Speed. I had 25, and would occasionally have some buffering. So I upgraded my speed from 25 to 50, assuming my $40/month would become $50/month. Not so fast.
The costs I was looking at were the BUNDLE prices. When I lopped the cable off my account, the web prices went up. Turns out my $50 for Internet was really $70. I did a quick comparison to Comcast, who charges you a monthly equipment fee among others. Deciding I didn’t want to deal with an install and complete equipment overhaul, I bit the bullet and kept AT&T. But I can handle the extra $20 for the web when you look at this television bill from BEFORE my promotional rate expired:
Yes, there are a few “kinks” in our new system. The Amazon Fire device and Playstation Vue app aren’t as intuitive and responsive as a standard cable remote. You can integrate Alexa, but I haven’t figured out that piece of it yet. The remote is small and easy to lose, but you can download an app and turn your phone into an identical one. There may be a bit of lag time on live sports, which will hurt with texts and social media, but I’m not going to worry about that, at least until football season. And finally, when you open Amazon or Vue, you get a pop-up with a viewing suggestion based on previous activity. While a minor annoyance, it takes all of 2 seconds to click “No Thanks.”
PlayStation Vue, like most other OTT services, offer a free 5-7 day trial period, during which you can cancel at no charge. Find the package that’s right for you, and try it. See if you can deal with a few minor inconveniences, and decide if it’s worth the cost savings. To go from $200 a month to $120, we decided it was worth it.
Archives for March 2018
WJPZ Banquet 33: Not Even the 1,000 Watt Flamethrower Could Melt All The Snow
“You know, I talk to about 3 people from college. I never understood why you were always in contact with so many Syracuse people. Now that I’ve come to Banquet Weekend, I get it. What you have here is so special. It’s a big family, and they welcomed me right in.”
That’s what my then-girlfriend and now-wife Ellen told me when I brought her to Syracuse three years ago for the annual reunion banquet of WJPZ, my old college radio station. For those who aren’t familiar, “college radio station” is an accurate representation of who’s in charge, but not how it’s run or what it sounds like.
Z89 is a Top 40 Radio Station that competes in the Syracuse market, and is completely run by Syracuse University students. It’s been called “The Greatest Media Classroom,” and I learned more in my time there than I ever did in a lecture hall. I learned radio, management and people skills, and I went from being a homesick freshman in 1998 to having to be dragged off campus teary-eyed in 2002. 75% of the friends I made in Syracuse I made at that radio station. 5 of the 7 people in this picture from 2001-2002 came back this weekend.
Anyone who went to Syracuse or spent any time in Upstate/Central New York knows how dicey the weather can be. And Banquet 2018 turned out to be an all-timer.
I was originally scheduled to fly to the great white north from Detroit on Friday afternoon, but as fate would have it, I was laid off on Monday. This gave me some flexibility in my travel plans. With a big storm hitting Michigan Thursday afternoon, and a FOOT of the heavy wet stuff hitting the ‘Cuse on Friday, I was able to hop in the car and embark on my 415 mile international drive – departing Metro Detroit Thursday at 10am, thankfully.
When I crossed the Canadian border back into New York, I got a funny look from the Customs and Border Patrol agent. Apparently the combination of Patriots front license plate, Syracuse shirt, and Michigan rear plate had him befuddled, until he ran my passport and discovered I was born in Massachusetts. He then proceeded (remember this is Buffalo Bills country) to tell me how awful Patriots fans are, how we are cheaters, and how Tom Brady is NOT the greatest quarterback ever.
Rather than reveal my internal monologue of “Are you bleeping kicking me right now? Let me into my own country!” I smiled wryly and said, “I know better than to argue with you. You have a badge.”
Some friendly debated ensued, as I realized I was only at mile 240 of 415. Finally I said, “You know, this is like politics. I’m not gonna convince you, and you’re not gonna convince me.” He laughed, I told him I’d learned the valuable lesson to take the Patriots plate off my car the next time I cross in Buffalo, and I was on my way.
While my five minutes of annoyance became a funny story, several compatriots dealt with travel nightmares. A fellow Detroit alumnus was lied to by Delta, and put on 3 flights before being ultimately cancelled and having to go home after sleeping (or not sleeping) on the floor at Detroit Metro Airport. Ironically, the final flight he was booked on was my original Friday departure – that was cancelled.
Meanwhile another distinguished alum was traveling in with her daughter from Houston. A different alum did a better job of rerouting her than Delta, and got her through Minneapolis, although her two bags went from Minny to New York and Atlanta respectively. But her determination to get to the 315 speaks to just how important this weekend is to all of us.
This was the first time I’d made the early Thursday arrival, and it made for a cozy night at Faegan’s Pub with a small but wonderful group.
Friday got off to a shocking start. Syracuse cancelled classes and all on campus activities, following an overnight of heavy, weight snow. This is a school that cancelled classes once from 1870-1993. In my time there from 1998-2002, we cancelled once for a microburst (Welcome Freshmen!) and classes were optional as the horrific events of September 11, 2001 unfolded.
Unfortunately, the cancellation of non-essential campus activities meant the same fate for the seminars we’d prepared for the students. This included one I’d worked on with fellow alumnus Lauren Levine on “The Do’s and Don’t s of Podcasting.” Students were also disappointed, so we made the presentation available by email.
The silver lining through the snowstorm meant a free afternoon and a 3.5 hour nap for my old bones, which ended up being a key factor in surviving the rest of the weekend. Friday night was the typical trip to Varsity Pizza, where I got to hear, “Jag, your wings are ready.”
Due to the snow, Varsity closed at 7:30, which meant an early arrival at Faegan’s. We continued our weekend tour of beers, though nothing can match getting your name on a plaque for completing all 45 libations over the course of Tuesdays in a semester.
Our weekend as spectators continued, as we watched the participants of a private party attempt at “Orange Crate Brewing Company” across the street try to navigate the accumulated snow in heels that were longer than their dresses. It was a night of networking, reminiscing, and laughs.
Saturday morning started with our annual alumni meeting, and some inspiring words from the station’s current student general manager, Kerri McAneney. The station is in great shape, now broadcasting at 1,000 watts (it was competitive at 100 watts), and poised for a great future.
Next up was the home basketball game against Clemson, with the Orange needing a win and a run in next week’s ACC Tournament to have a shot at March Madness. The game featured a painful first half, but an epic finish:
Next was the event itself, Banquet 33. It featured an inspiringly honest speech from Jubal Flagg, host of the syndicated Brooke and Jubal morning show. He concluded with a confession that he always wanted to go to Syracuse but couldn’t get in. So he made himself an honorary diploma.
As always, it was a night of radio, laughter, and family. One of my mentors at the station, Miami’s Mike Kruz, was able to return for the first time in many years.
We knew going in that it would be a smaller-than-usual group this year. We also knew, however, that would mean more interaction among alumni and more networking for the students. It did. And I speak for all alumni when I say that I hope the students reach out and ask for our help in any way possible.
If you’ve heard Mike in Miami, or Ralphie Aversa in New York City, or Rich Davis on SiriusXM (including afternoons on Pop 2K, one of my favorites), or seen Scott MacFarlane on NBC Washington DC…know that they (among many, many others) all started at WJPZ.
Oh, one final thing. We started a new tradition this year. Given that Syracuse’s colors are Orange and BLUE, this seemed appropriate.
RADIO!