How Many Still Watch TV Or Have Some Kind Of Cable Service?

[oldgamerz]

I have been watching television lately. I just got Dish Network Satellite TV service installed in my game room and I have been enjoying it. For the longest time I was watching only Netflix and YouTube on my internet connection. satellite cable service maybe expensive but I got it anyway.

Now I am taking a break from my internet and video game collecting hobby. because I am sick from constant headaches and I can't focus on a video game anymore or at least right now in my life. Maybe I am too old for video games because the same thing happen to me when I was 19 years old and no longer held the  interest in toys. Or maybe I am just too depressed for video games I am only 29 years old. when I was a teen and growing up I used to play video games for sometimes 12 full hours or more when i didn't have school

[98dgreen]

Does Sling count?

[Agozer]

I do. I don't subscribe to any streaming services.

[tripredacus]

OTA for TV, only for sporps games or local weather events.

[burningdoom]

Of course. Sci-fi, wrestling, and comic book shows for me.

[rayne315]

do you consider the internet some sort of cable service? I have always been staunchly against cable/satellite tv because the whole business plan never made sense to me. why would I want to pay $150 a month for 600 channels when I only watch a hand full of channels? on top of that they have been adding morew and more commercials over the years so they are making money on top of the money I am spending to see them.

if they want my money (especially now a days) then they can offer a package that you only pay for the channels you watch. I would be very happy to spend 1-3 bucks a channel a month and only get the channels I care about.

[betelgeuse]

Ditched the cable service here. I was paying $160 a month because in order to view sports, you have to get the higher tiered package.
Got an antenna for local plus Netflix and Hulu on a fire stick. Most of the channels I use to watch on cable have an app I can view recent broadcasts with anyway. I still buy a lot of blu rays as well, so I’m not missing cable at all.

[seether]

My unlimited internet comes with a cable service so that's the only reason I have it.

I watch Suits and Gotham each week at the moment and they are literally the only things I turn the TV on to watch.

[stealthrush]

Been Cable (television) free since 2010. Only have basic channels for weather.

[aliensstudios]

I do. I still watch Rockies baseball almost every day. Other than that I watch Better Call Saul but nothing really other than that.

[oldgamerz]

Ditched the cable service here. I was paying $160 a month because in order to view sports, you have to get the higher tiered package.
Got an antenna for local plus Netflix and Hulu on a fire stick. Most of the channels I use to watch on cable have an app I can view recent broadcasts with anyway. I still buy a lot of blu rays as well, so I’m not missing cable at all.

ouch, what cable company charges $160 a month? were you getting 600+ channels? or were you ordering pay per view things?

 I pay $104 for
2 box rentals
250+ channels
I also pay for warranty to have free tech visits

I have DISH NETWORK

[oldgamerz]

My unlimited internet comes with a cable service so that's the only reason I have it.

I watch Suits and Gotham each week at the moment and they are literally the only things I turn the TV on to watch.

Are you on a contract Seether? usually bundles like that charge more after usually 1 year. My ISP used to bug me to sign up with cable and internet for less but the catch with Comcast is unless you cancel before the year or months are gone past they may hike up the price on you Seether

but if your on a contract with any company they you will get a large penalty for cancelling early

[hoshichiri]

My unlimited internet comes with a cable service so that's the only reason I have it.

I watch Suits and Gotham each week at the moment and they are literally the only things I turn the TV on to watch.

This is where my household is too- between the internet and the landline, it's not that much more to just do the full bundle & get the cable too. Plus, my mom gets a couple more options for classic TV channels, like the Heroes and Icons channel. It's basically just Star Trek half the time- and she's a diehard trekkie, so that works out well.

[tripredacus]

do you consider the internet some sort of cable service? I have always been staunchly against cable/satellite tv because the whole business plan never made sense to me. why would I want to pay $150 a month for 600 channels when I only watch a hand full of channels?

Internet has no official cable alternate. While certain shows and events can be found online, streamed illegally from their original broadcast, there is no way to watch television channels online. Television networks create specially packaged content for their online services. For example, there are only 2 channels I would watch from a cable television service: MLB Network and MSG. Both of these networks (MLB and MSG) do offer online subscriptions. However:

MLB.tv does not offer the ability to stream MLB Network programming. It does allow you to watch all MLB games and special events, but blackout rules still apply. I have no interest in watching entire games, MLB Network channel does a great job at making a general purpose channel for baseball with some games, and a lot of other programming with highlights, history and live-look ins.

MSG's online offering also does not include their television offering, and is catered directly for the NYC market, even though the network supports other markets. So for example, there is no way to pay a service to watch Buffalo Sabres (NHL) games online. MSG's online product does not show those games, and the Sabres recommend interested parties to purchase the NHL's online service... which also includes blackout rules.

For those not aware of blackout rules. Each major sports team has a broadcast zone that is determined by the team, and the television company. This zone can be fit onto a map:
http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3310263/NHL_TV_Markets.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MLB_Blackout_Areas.png
This means that specific areas have an exclusive TV deal. You can only watch the team on the exclusive network. If you can't get that network, too bad. If you can get another network that is showing that game specifically to people outside of the zone, but you are within the zone, the game will be blacked out. It is typically called a blackout, because even today, a lot of channel will simply just show a black screen when trying to watch a game like this, but some networks are set up to show alternate programming.

Being a former employee of both the cable and satellite TV industry, I can also talk about why the current subscription system is what it is, and why they don't offer a solution to the "why do i have to pay $120 for 2 channels" but I will post it later.

[Cartagia]

I have the absolute basic package (ABC, NBC, etc) that is required as my bundle.  I got free HBO as well, but I rarely watch anything live on there - at least while I’ve had it.  Usually on HBO GO.