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April 30, 2021 8:36 am  #1


Does Cable TV Have a Future?

This is an American story, so you won't see the usual Canadian giants mentioned in it. But the question is relevant here, as more and more people tell the big cable/sat giants, "no more, and no thanks."

Does Cable TV Have a Future?

So the question: would you consider dropping your cable subscription in favour of streaming only - or have you already done that? Would you just keep the basics to get the local stations and nothing else? I agree with the author of the piece - he's a long-time reporter on the TV industry - cable will be with us for a while yet. It might be another generation before it fades. But we'll see. 

 

April 30, 2021 8:49 am  #2


Re: Does Cable TV Have a Future?

No cable TV here for years.  Antenna and Nvidia Shields (2).  No regrets.  Pay for Internet and 2 cell phones from Rogers, so I guess I'm still "cabled"

 

April 30, 2021 9:24 am  #3


Re: Does Cable TV Have a Future?

I still have Rogers Digital cable, until at least March 2022. I am not sold on Ignite as I have read some stories of unhappy customers on various Rogers Community Forums. An antenna is not an option for me because  1. I don't have a balcony to attach it and 2. my apartment faces north so no Buffalo reception. I am in the very early stages of reseaching the IPTV world. Fellow SOWNYite Radiowiz has kindly given me a few tips to point me in the right direction. I have plenty of due diligence ahead of me before making a final decision. I find the ustvgo.tv site useful, particularly so for the Super Bowl.

 

April 30, 2021 9:41 am  #4


Re: Does Cable TV Have a Future?

Important to note: Rogers cable is now Legacy cable, and it is no longer available to new customers.
It has been grandfathered. 
All new customers (or if you move) will be transferred to the new ignite TV service without choice or option. 

I'm still paying for cable at this point in time, but I do like IPTV. 
The one thing that gets me to keep my cable is my Nextbox 3.0 cable box.
I love being able to rewind live TV. 
Sometimes it's also good to rewind and pause CP 24 when reading the text in the bottom left corner.
(sometimes it goes too fast, lol)
I don't trust IPTV to allow me to do that. (unless I am watching the catch up feature)
I do have both IPTV and cable though, because they both have their own unique purposes.
(& it's nice to get rid of the sim sub, if desired to do so)

Last edited by Radiowiz (April 30, 2021 10:28 am)


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

April 30, 2021 11:59 am  #5


Re: Does Cable TV Have a Future?

I have cable, but only because it's included in my rent.

The biggest problem where I live is that although OTA is available, it's not reliable due to mountainous terrain, so I have to have cable to get some of the local channels as only CBC streams live online without either being geo-blocked or available only to cable/satellite subscribers.

In the United States, I believe CBS is available for streaming online for free. You can even pick your local affiliate and get all the local news, and syndicated programming, regardless of whether it's an O&O or not.

Last edited by MJ Vancouver (April 30, 2021 11:59 am)

 

April 30, 2021 2:00 pm  #6


Re: Does Cable TV Have a Future?

I've been streaming and OTA only for three year now. The only thing I miss about cable is sitting down to mindlessly flip through channels -- certainly not something worth $90/mo.

Sports will be the game-changer for cable. Whoever can personalize ads to each viewer during live sporting events first...wins. My bet's on Google/Youtube.

 

April 30, 2021 2:12 pm  #7


Re: Does Cable TV Have a Future?

Again, this is very American-oriented, but a site called Cordcuttersnews.com has this guide for anyone considering ditching cable for streaming or other video sources. 

The Beginner’s Guide to Cord Cutting 2020

     Thread Starter
 

April 30, 2021 2:30 pm  #8


Re: Does Cable TV Have a Future?

mace wrote:

I still have Rogers Digital cable, until at least March 2022. I am not sold on Ignite as I have read some stories of unhappy customers on various Rogers Community Forums. An antenna is not an option for me because  1. I don't have a balcony to attach it and 2. my apartment faces north so no Buffalo reception. I am in the very early stages of reseaching the IPTV world. Fellow SOWNYite Radiowiz has kindly given me a few tips to point me in the right direction. I have plenty of due diligence ahead of me before making a final decision. I find the ustvgo.tv site useful, particularly so for the Super Bowl.

i've been on Teksavvy TV since July2020.  i run it on an Amazon Firestick.  i have VDSL 50Mdowm/8Mup.

Basic+News+Sportsfan = 20+8+20 = $48/month

was on Rogers cable 30+ years. now i'm a very happy TekTV user.

the bonus is the TV schedule/guide is blinking fast  .. i'm so glad to never use again that clunky, super slow, awful remote of the Rogers box.

 

 

April 30, 2021 2:58 pm  #9


Re: Does Cable TV Have a Future?

RadioAaron wrote:

I've been streaming and OTA only for three year now. The only thing I miss about cable is sitting down to mindlessly flip through channels -- certainly not something worth $90/mo.

Sports will be the game-changer for cable. Whoever can personalize ads to each viewer during live sporting events first...wins. My bet's on Google/Youtube.

$90? I hope that includes the Super Sports pack! I pay $44 a month, (no Sports pack) but it's bundled into my internet & phone as a packaged deal. If I drop one, the others go up. 
 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.