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OT: Need advice on alternative to cable/directv

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AlSwearengen

Redshirt
Aug 22, 2012
1,237
0
0
My parents live in an apartment and tried to get hooked up to directv, but a tree is preventing that (according to the technician). They don't want comcast b/c they hate them. A girl at the apartment office suggested that they get roku.

What are their best options? And I need somewhat detailed information b/c I am not fluid in all of this new t.v. technology outside of directv.
 
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jeremyrbrown

Junior
Sep 4, 2008
1,546
213
63
Roku is good if you have a watchespn, hulu plus, and HBOgo subscription. However you can't access watchespn unless you have a cable provider that gives you access.

I find it hard to believe that there is nowhere at their apartment complex where directv can put a satellite.
 
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Big Sheep81

Freshman
Feb 24, 2008
2,134
55
48
Pine beetles for pine tree; Spike/Arsenal for anything else.

Once the landowner cuts the dead tree I can give your parents my Direct TV account number for my $10 credit.
 
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biscuit.sixpack

Redshirt
Feb 22, 2007
211
14
18
I had the same problem. I got an Apple TV box (put the sticker on the back window of my car so I'm cool....its next to my Yeti and Salt Life stickers) and subscribed to Hulu and Netflix. Being close to Memphis, I got a regular antenna. This gave me locals and about 15 more stations. It's actually good stuff. I used my parents login for HBOGO app and WatchESPN apps. I have saved about 100 bucks a month "cutting my cable" so to speak. The main item to pay for is the internet provider. Get the largest bandwidth that you can. Hope this helps.
 
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Dawghouse

Senior
Sep 14, 2011
1,134
961
113
First I have to preface this info with a disclaimer, if they don't have high speed internet then you can skip all the way to the bottom where I talk about rabbit ear antennas because that would be the only option.

Assuming they do have highspeed internet (at least 6Mb per/Sec download)

Roku - VERY easy to setup. Best channels are Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Instant Video, Watch ESPN, Redbox instant. There are others but these are the ones we use the most. Of course you have to pay subscription fees to all of these except ESPN (but that does require that your internet provider has a deal with them or you can't watch).


Amazon Fire TV - this is brand new (like just came out this week). It will marry you to content from Amazon but I hear they are making a huge push into content to try and beat Netflix.


Apple TV - I'm not an apple person so I can't offer to much info on this but if your parents are already on the Apple train with their phones this is an option to look into. Someone else can give you more info on this.

Chromecast - From google, works like a Roku but again you're setting yourself up to get most of your content through Google (I think). I don't have this either but from what I've heard it's about like a Roku.

So as you can see there are 3 content providers trying to get you to use their streaming device and then there's Roku who just provides the device and lets you find the content via channels (channels can be created by anyone but you have to find those via private channel IDs).

I don't like brands and don't want to get locked into a content provider who could decide at anytime to stop offering 3rd party content and force me to buy theirs so I have a Roku. Everyone in our house has more TV than they can watch and we pay just for Netflix.


Add a good antenna to the TV to pick up all the locals in HD. This one is a little complicated because it depends on what kind of TV they have. Some TVs have built in digital converters that can take the HD signal and just show it, some TVs you have to get a digital converter box.

I can answer anymore specific questions if you have them. I would recommend the Roku due to ease of use. you can get a lot more complex systems that include the ability to record programming but sounds like you just need info on getting started.

The big downside to everything mentioned above is not being able to watch "live" cable programming. With the antenna they can watch all the network shows and with a Roku they can find tons of content but it will probably be a year old or more.
 
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mjh94

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
1,317
0
36
Have they tried to get Dish Network

first, let me say, i'm a directv snob... i love DTV. but, i know folks with Dish and it's pretty good.

Anyways.. Dish networks satellites rely on much more a south-western view, whereas DTV rely on a more southern-view. The tree may not be in the view of the Dish satellites. This will only apply if your parents are located in the SE part of the US.

ETA: when i lived in an apartment about 8 years ago, i first called about Dish.. they came out and couldn't get a clear view of their satellites. DTV got my service because they could get a clear view of their satellites, been with them ever since.
 
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WrapItDog

Senior
Aug 23, 2012
4,302
723
113
Buy a directv dish on ebay and install it yourself. Add a receiver to your home account for $6.00 a month and hook up the receiver at their apartment. You can most likely get signal at their apartment just not where Directv wanted to install the dish. I installed a dish at my camp house (huge oak trees) with 90% signal that any directv empolyee would tell you there is not signal at the location.
 
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RocketDawg

All-Conference
Oct 21, 2011
18,997
2,084
113
I had the same Problem with DirecTV. It was my neighbor's tree so I couldn't have it trimmed or cut down. At first, it was only a problem with rain, when the leaves would get wet and sag just enough to block my satellite view. Then as the tree grew, it was more blockage than clear view.

I switched to Dish and haven't had the problem. Dish's satellites are a bit more southerly than Direct's so going that route may solve your parents' problem.

Dish is just as good as DirecTV ... the only difference is the channel numbers ... and an occasional channel that's better or worse depending on which you have. DirecTV doesn't have the Weather Channel (but they have an alternate weather channel) and Dish doesn't have ESPNU in HD, and they don't have ESPN Classic at all. But I'm still happy with it.

Of course, depending on where they live, they should be able to get local stations over-the-air, with rabbit ears, and that's totally free.
 
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RocketDawg

All-Conference
Oct 21, 2011
18,997
2,084
113
Well, how 'bout that. They sure did, and also added ESPNNews in HD. I haven't had occasion to watch those channels in the past month or so. Had to suffer through several games in SD on that channel, so no more. I guess they won't have many SEC games with the addition of the SEC Network though.

I emailed them about it a couple of times, and mentioned it to Customer Service when I had a need for a service tech, and they didn't know when it would be coming. But now it's here. I suspect it was some sort of contractual thing and not bandwidth, seeing's how several junk channels were in HD already.
 
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