Cutting the TV Cord
Taking control of the cord!
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7 Materials
10 Hours
It's pretty commonplace to cut the cord these days, and a while back we did just that. When we decided to cut ties with our satellite TV subscription (costing us approximately $170 per month) it seemed a little daunting, but after extensive research and an initial investment in various equipment, we took the plunge.
Transitioning from the familiar satellite service to an entirely new format, guide and way of viewing TV took a little getting used to, but we've never regretted our decision. At the beginning of our journey, we made the following initial investments:
Cable Modem
Outdoor antenna
Amazon Fire Sticks (4)
Amazon Recast DVR over-the air (OTA) (1TB - sadly now discontinued)
Subscription to streaming service Philo (7-day free trial btw)
Bundled subscription to Hulu and Disney+ streaming services
In total, the equipment and initial subscription costs amounted to about $570, and as I've indicated above the Recast DVR is now sadly discontinued, but still working well for us. This means we'll probably use it until it doesn't work any longer and then upgrade to a Tablo or something that can still do OTA for 4 televisions without requiring a subscription (Tablo no longer requires subscription).
So, after the initial expenses, our monthly outlay now stands at only $29.99 per month. It's worth noting that we benefit from a grandfathered rate of $20 per month on Philo, which has now increased to $28 for new subscribers, and we have bundled Disney+ and Hulu together for $9.99 per month with ads.
For $29.99 per month, we enjoy the following services:
Disney+ (with ads)
Hulu (with ads)
Philo (live TV with 70+ channels, including popular networks like Hallmark, Food Network, and HGTV)
Local network live TV (around 45 channels)
Additionally, we have access to Prime Video, Tubi TV, Pluto TV, Freevee, Roku TV, all of which are free (except for Prime Video included in our Prime membership). You'll want to double-check with your internet provider to make sure that the internet service/plan that you have will support the streaming you are wanting to do, but even for us, we were already paying this amount out anyway.
Also, be sure to check with your internet provider and see if they offer data warning messages. We have this feature turned on so that we get notices at 75% usage and 90% usage so that we can monitor this and not go above our allotted data per month.
This entire setup provides us with a vast array of channels and content, and we save approximately $1,700 annually.
The benefits are clear - why wouldn't you switch?
Materials
Cable Modem
Outdoor Antenna (or Indoor dependent upon your need)
Extra coaxial cable
Amazon Fire Sticks or Roku sticks depending on your preference
OTA DVR
Streaming subscriptions
Internet Service Provider
Tools
Screwdriver (Phillips or Flat head)
Impact driver or electric drill with attachments (all optional)
Patience :)
Wire cable mounting kits
Project Wins
Huge cost savings after initial expenditures
Actually have more channels than we did before
Project Fails
Give some thought into where you will want your "command hub" to be placed. This will be your modem, OTA DVR, and potentially your WIFI hub. We originally had this in an office/bedroom, but ultimately moved it into a hall closet which seems to work better for us.
Kevin Gallaher is the owner of this blog, papapinterest.com. I have applied a skill level based on my own experience and provided minimal instructions on how to achieve a similar outcome. Please remember that this blog is for entertainment purposes only. With all the posts on papapinterest.com, be certain to read and understand the project before starting. Build at your own risk and be safe. We will not be responsible for any injury or damage incurred while following any post from our site. None of our posts should be considered expert advice, so please consult a professional when necessary. Be sure to read and understand all safety and instruction manuals, and take safety precautions seriously. All projects performed from posts found on our site are done at your own risk.
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