Is there such a thing as Internet cable? (Page 1/2)
82-T/A [At Work] SEP 02, 09:09 PM
I'm paying like $180 dollars for JUST cable TV right now... and I don't even watch it. I have no interest in any of it. I use a Roku. But my wife refuses to really do much with the Roku, even though we have a Roku TV. She only wants to watch cable. I also get Gigabit internet (separately), so I'm wondering if there's anything I can stream over the internet that is like an "Internet Cable" provider... not one of the local ones, but where everything is literally streamed over the internet. I realize Comcast, Verizon, blah blah... they're doing the same thing. But why aren't there any providers that provide basic cable TV, and do so through a box I get sent to me in the mail, for like half the price?

How come for "Cable TV" I can only select between the providers that are available in the immediate area?

Is there some kind of FCC rule or something?
Raydar SEP 02, 11:00 PM
There are any number of streaming services. Hulu. Netflix. Disney, etc., etc.... Essentially "TV over internet".
You will need a smart TV or a Firestick or something similar.

Sorry... I'm not up on what all is out there. It's been a very long time since we streamed anything. We moved 2.5 years ago. Our "internet service" at our new residence sucks bawlz. 10 up / 10 down on a good day. But we're promised fiber by the end of the year.
(We had DirecTV, but told them to pound sand. Our TV viewing is currently OTA only, and we have very few complaints. "Free" is good.)

If you want to know anything about OTA, give me a shout.

Edit - Yeah... local cable companies have a monopoly in their respective coverage area. In that respect, they're just like landline phone companies. Bastages.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 09-02-2022).]

Patrick SEP 02, 11:55 PM

quote
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:

I'm wondering if there's anything I can stream over the internet that is like an "Internet Cable" provider.



This may or may not be something along the lines of what you're after... A buddy of mine gave me his password for BlueCurve TV. It's an app he has access to that basically provides everything online that he gets in his cable TV service. The catch is that it doesn't appear to be a standalone service, I believe it's only available as a "free" addition to a cable TV package. I'd be surprised though if something similar isn't offered just for the internet in each region around the country, as obviously the technology is in place to do so.

I watch basically no TV. I just required access to local broadcasts of NHL games, that I in turn then watch on my PC monitor (although it would be easy enough to feed it out via HDMI to a TV.
ls3mach SEP 03, 03:15 AM
My wife loved Philo. I think it might have the cake feel that your wife is looking for. I think it used to be $30. No idea what it's even like now.
fieroguru SEP 03, 08:22 AM
We ditched Direct TV ($145/mo) and went to internet only through I3 Broadband for $55/mo.

We primarily watch shows on Amazon that are free with Prime, and did pay for Disney+. We don't have a smart TV, but our DVD player provides the smart interface for most streaming services, but we also have the Roku, which has several more free options. Thinking about getting a digital antenna for the some of the local network shows.
Raydar SEP 03, 09:17 AM

quote
Originally posted by fieroguru:
...Thinking about getting a digital antenna for the some of the local network shows.



If you already have an over-the-air antenna - even an ancient one - it will work fine, if it's in good condition.
The new format actually uses fewer frequencies than the old "VHF/UHF, 2 - 83" used. Some of the upper frequencies were sold off for wireless data usage, and very few users still populate the low VHF channels, mostly some PBS stuff, although there are a few exceptions.
The antenna can't tell whether the signal is analog or digital. That distinction was all marketing.

I live 65 air miles southwest of Atlanta, and can receive all of the Atlanta stations that I want to, with a $50 (IOW "small") antenna on top of a 30' mast, made of chainlink fence top rail.
Since all the stations are within a few degrees of each other (from my perspective) I don't even need a rotator.

I will mention that reception is occasionally subject to atmospheric conditions. (Temperature inversions and stuff like that seem to affect it worse than rain.)
I'd probably have to raise it to eliminate that, but it's just not worth the trouble. It doesn't happen too frequently.

OTA is interesting. Each "channel" is usually divided into sub-channels. They are entered/displayed on the TV as 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, etc. All the subchannels can offer different programming.
Which means that if you can only see 8 RF television channel transmitters, you can actually receive 48 (more or less) different programs.

Also, just to be more confusing...
Just because it appears on your TV on channel 2-1, doesn't mean that it is carried by TV channel 2. It can actually be carried by any other channel, and merely displayed on Channel 2. It's all in how it's encoded. It's all tightly controlled, and will vary from city to city. It will be fairly seamless to the viewer.
(Since the industry is still in flux - newer encoding is being introduced on a regular basis - you will occasionally have to re-scan your channel list. Not a big deal. Just takes a minute or so. Just recognize that it's "a thing".)

An advantage of OTA, is that the signal is usually a much better quality than cable. Cable compresses the signal to use the minimum bandwidth. OTA doesn't have those constraints. Think of VCR quality vs DVD or BlueRay.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 09-03-2022).]

kslish SEP 03, 10:12 AM
If you are looking for the traditional cable TV "experience" (channel guide and DVR) from a streaming provider, there are some.

DirecTV Stream is the closest to cable but also the most expensive. There is also Sling, if you are willing to give up some local channels. I subscribe to Philo, which doesn't have any locals, but I'm grandfathered into a $16/month plan.

There is also YouTube TV, FuboTV and Hulu Live but I've never personally subscribed to any of those three.

[This message has been edited by kslish (edited 09-03-2022).]

ls3mach SEP 03, 11:49 AM

quote
Originally posted by kslish:

If you are looking for the traditional cable TV "experience" (channel guide and DVR) from a streaming provider, there are some.

DirecTV Stream is the closest to cable but also the most expensive. There is also Sling, if you are willing to give up some local channels. I subscribe to Philo, which doesn't have any locals, but I'm grandfathered into a $16/month plan.

There is also YouTube TV, FuboTV and Hulu Live but I've never personally subscribed to any of those three.




Philo, that sounds like what we were paying. She was always on about being grandfathered.

It had food network for her, so I just let it go.
82-T/A [At Work] SEP 03, 12:29 PM
Thank you guys, I really appreciate it. Raydar, I love OTA... I have an antenna in my attic, and I have it wired to a patch panel with a coax going to almost every single room in the house. It has a booster on it and I get about 75 local channels and sub channels here in Tampa.

We also do have some streaming services... I have a Roku TV, which comes with 1000 channels that I watch, I also pay for This Old House Insider (don't laugh), and One America News... but honestly, I've been watching the "Thrill-Her" channel... which is basically Roku's streaming of Lifetime (entertainment for women) movies... I know... I'm only admitting this because most of you guys have never met me... but I am addicted to those female drama movies. It's always the same BS... twin sister didn't get the same life as the other sister, comes by and tries to take her place, or lady grows up without knowing her family, and then while searching for her family, learns more than she wanted to... blah blah, I'm addicted to them.

Anyway... it's for my wife... she wants to watch her college football, and all the silly superhero movies... and I don't really get that on Roku.


DirectTV Stream... this is EXACTLY what I'm looking for... guys, I really appreciate it!!!
theogre SEP 03, 04:06 PM

quote
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: Is there such a thing as Internet cable?


Actually there is such a "thing" for Set Top Boxes...

Comcast has "Flex" STB that basically moves a TV off "Normal Cable TV" to their Data Service.
"Cable TV" because Comcast TV and some other "TV Cable" services had been 100% digital for years and the STB is nothing but another internet device just using another network w/in whatever company.

This is why many TV STB now can carry Netflax, Discrap+ and more.

Note: If any of you have Comcast and maybe others you are often connected to 3 company nets @ minimum...
TV and Internet as mention here but 3nd is to make you a Xfinity Hotspot when you have any Gateway/Router from them. Hotsnot function is Default On and must turn off and monitor stays off by login to Xfinity·com/account/devices.

Sling et al are "3nd Parties" that try to emulate a STB from whatever TV cable But that and even any web browsers have limits...


quote
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:
How come for "Cable TV" I can only select between the providers that are available in the immediate area?
Is there some kind of FCC rule or something?

So you saw Disney/ABC and many others want's a login from active cable and some ISP account...
Part maybe FCC but likely Not. This more likely related to where most TV Cable Bills have Broadcast and Sport Fees. In very short, the fees allow TV cable to use local stations and way more. When you go thru ISP, and mean any ISP, Disney etc want's to know what Market for the login and actual location. If the account is in NYC but location is LA then can, often will, change what's seen or refuse that access completely. More so w/ Sports Channels that blackout X game in Y market but allow same in Z market. IOW You very likely can't login w/ NYC account in LA to watch blackout Lakers home game. Even if ESPN etc will log you in at all.

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