OT - "Buy" Your Own Cable Box | The Boneyard

OT - "Buy" Your Own Cable Box

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DaddyChoc

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is that possible for cable subscribers?

that monthly fee to rent is a total rip-off especially if you have 3-5 boxes at $10-$15 per/month... over 5,10,15 yrs!

Does Amazon sell boxes that are compatible with the cable tv dealers?
 

rbny1

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As it so happens, today's New York Times has an article on this very topic:

Let Consumers Use Better, Cheaper Cable Boxes

The article says cable companies make it difficult to purchase (rather than rent) a cable box. It compares cable boxes to AT&T's rules years ago forcing consumers to rent rather than purchase their phones. But it says the rules for cable boxes may change in the next few years in favor of the consumer. A few excerpts:

“In 1996, Congress required cable companies to accommodate competing devices, which allowed companies like TiVo to sell set-top boxes directly to consumers. But most consumers have chosen not to buy these machines, which need an electronic card to verify your cable-TV subscription. Cable companies issue these cards, but often for a monthly fee, and experts say getting and using the cards can be a big hassle.

“The result is that most Americans rent set-top boxes, paying a total of nearly $20 billion a year to cable and satellite companies like Comcast and DirecTV….

“But the cable-box boondoggle could be coming to an end. .C.C. is expected to consider new regulations based on recommendations provided to the commission on Friday by a panel of experts from telecommunications companies, public interest groups and device makers.”
 
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Why bother? For $10.00 I built a tiny antenna off internet plans, I have it screwed to a board in my screen room (in Florida) aimed at Orlando, I get 54 stations, ALL the networks plus METV, COZI, other old movie stations etc. I watched all the girls games last year that were broadcast, I have ATT Uverse internet only which allows me to see ESPN3 on my PC, then I bought a Roku, which is connected to a large screen tv, so I can watch all ESPN3 stuff on the tv for free, via the monthly internet fee.
During the girls season when games were played on ESPN/ESPN2, I paid $20.00 a month for SLINGTV, which gives you both ESPN stations through the Roku, via wifi through the ATT Router. As soon as the girls season eneded I dropped SLINGTV.
We haven't paid a dime to cable tv in 4 years. A neighbor just paid a company 130.00 to set up a small antenna as they are not handy to do it themselves, and they get all the stations I get, using a Clearstream 2V HDTV Antenna, look it up, I had never heard of it, all they did was call a local cable installing company, and they have now cut the cable. I'll look up the plans I used to make the antennae and post a link here. I heard a bare coaxial wire works good, never tried it it. Any questions write me. This is not top secret information, using an antenna predates cable, but with digital signals, it is clearer then cable. There are no fuzzy stations, if they are not clear, they do not come in. I get all major stations on 1080i.
 

DaddyChoc

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I hear the cable companies make your service difficult
 
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I am not affiliated with Tivo in any way, just a user. Replaced Comcast boxes with Tivos and did saved money over time. Tivo is definitely an alternative .
 
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is that possible for cable subscribers?

that monthly fee to rent is a total rip-off especially if you have 3-5 boxes at $10-$15 per/month... over 5,10,15 yrs!

Does Amazon sell boxes that are compatible with the cable tv dealers?

Boxes have been available for 20 or more years to substitute for the Cable/Sat box--cable companies said they were "unauthorized"/illegal.

What bothers me more than the 5 buck a month charge DirectV gets from me for the extra box is:
Why can't I pick and choose those channels I want from any where--when CPTV was the only game in town --it was available on Satellite but they wouldn't let me buy it. I got Chicago stations I don't want with stores I'll never walk by or buy form--I get 200 channels I have no desire to use just so I can get SNY. The technology is here an now ready to do what I want--who is stopping this from happening?? Congress is bought off to make rules that are beneficial to Cable and Satellite--aren't they supposed to make laws/rule that are for the Taxpayer??? Just my venting... Anyone else think so??
 
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