Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Are you tired of paying for cable TV?

Are you trying to budget? Would you like to get rid of that monthly cable bill? Well keep reading and see if you can!

You Don't Have to Pay for Cable TV by Dan Schointuch courtesy of MoneyTalksNews & Yahoo!Finance

Almost a year ago I moved into a new apartment and did something revolutionary: I didn't set up cable or satellite TV. I was frustrated by the lack of choice (only one provider), lengthy contracts, and inexplicably high price. As someone who watches a lot of television, this seemed like a truly difficult problem, but I resolved to find a way to see my favorite shows without paying a cable or satellite bill. Fortunately, it was much easier than I thought.

You might not know it, but you can watch HDTV with an antenna.
Over 99% of U.S. TV households can receive at least one local station over the air, while 89% can watch five or more. The picture is perfectly clear thanks to the switch to digital TV completed on June 12, 2009. You'll either see a crisp, beautiful image or no image at all (static is a thing of the past). And the best part? All your favorite programming will still be in HD.

HDTV is more expensive for local stations to produce, so it's common to see a station broadcast in regular standard definition during the day, but switch their signal to high definition for prime time. So while the local news may not be in HD, your favorite shows like Glee, America's Got Talent, and The Bachelorette will be.

Of course, you will need an antenna to make this work, but your HDTV will also have to have an "HDTV tuner" built in. This is sometimes referred to as "integrated HDTV". If not, you'll need to buy a separate HDTV tuner that connects your existing HDTV to an antenna. To check, you may have to consult your HDTV's manual, do a search online, or contact the manufacturer.

What about shows that aren't on broadcast channels?
Two of my favorite shows, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, air on Comedy Central, which isn't a channel you can receive with an antenna. Fortunately, Internet to the rescue! If you've got a computer and Internet access (there's no way I'd be able to live without paying for Internet), both shows can be watched in their entirety on their respective websites for free. (Full episodes of The Daily Show and full episodes of The Colbert Report). Like most online shows, you'll have to sit through a few commercials, but less than you would see watching the same show on television and without having to pay for the privilege.

The popular website Hulu has hundreds of shows available to watch online, all free, commercial-supported, but it's not the only option. Netflix is a great way to watch past seasons of favorite shows, which can be streamed instantly to almost 100 devices like your computer, Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, iPhone (soon), etc. You can watch as much as you want for only $9 a month; compared to the cost of a cable or satellite subscription with premium movie channels, a pittance. Plus, they've got almost every movie you've ever heard of, offer a 2 week free trial, and let you cancel whenever you want.

To read the rest of the article please click below:
You Don't Have to Pay for Cable TV

Pumps, Purses & Positivity
Real Life, Real Talk, Real Women

1 comment:

  1. I'm just old--cant really afford cable--BUT thats all I can do for intertainment is TV--and I have a 55'' TV my son gave me--cause eyes are bad. Is there a way I can watch tv on it--set this up myself--or who could--who would I get for this--how much would it all cost.

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