Well as cable costs have kept creeping up its time to cut the cord.  I think this will save me about $80 a month.

 

The Wife and I found that between skiing in the winter and boating we just don't watch that much TV.  Plus these are expensive habits so something had to go.  We purchased a Roku to stream TV show through Hulu Plus, but where I am having an issue is with the over the air channels.  I didn't think this would be much of a problem as I live in Middleburg...@6 mi away from all the transmission towers.  Most indoor antenna's recommend that you be with in 10 mi.  Well Channel 19 doesn't want to be added to my television.  Which is an absolute pain as CBS is the only affiliate that isn't on Hulu. 

 

I was wondering if anyone has ever gone through with this and what their experience was like. 

 

I cut Time Warner Cable... and signed up for DirecTV.  Best move I ever made.  Less money per month and more channels I want to watch. 

http://www.tvantennaplans.com/  I built one of these and it works well.  Aim it by looking here, http://antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx  I occasionally pull in Dayton ch2 and it is 50 miles from me.  I haven't had cable in years, over the air and internet is enough. 

Get an antenna, consider getting Hulu or Netflix depending on your favorite shows/movies. Way cheaper.

http://www.tvantennaplans.com/  I built one of these and it works well.  Aim it by looking here, http://antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx  I occasionally pull in Dayton ch2 and it is 50 miles from me.  I haven't had cable in years, over the air and internet is enough. 

 

Thanks Dizzy! TWC, you're on notice!!

This Time-Warner/Scientific-Atlanta set top box (terminal) for digital cable receives periodic firmware updates over the cable.  At this time, when I press the channel 3 button, the terminal will not change to channel 3 for over ten seconds.  If I turn the terminal off then on, it begins to work normally.

---

I have heard that there are TVs that are internet compatible.  The TVs have keyboards that work through infrared communication, so that you can select programming while sitting on the sofa.

We don't have cable or Roku, rather work off an antenna.  The outdoor antenna at best buy is probably the best antenna.  In Medina, 20 miles the way the crow flies to the towers, we can get all channnels.  Fox was the toughest one for us.  We still get an occassional freeze up that may last 1 or 2 seconds, but thats all.  We also tried every antenna in the book until the outdoor one.  The nice thing is, the people before us had a dish, so I was able to mount in place of that, and use the cable wire out there to get to every TV in the house. 

We don't have cable or Roku, rather work off an antenna.  The outdoor antenna at best buy is probably the best antenna.  In Medina, 20 miles the way the crow flies to the towers, we can get all channnels.  Fox was the toughest one for us.  We still get an occassional freeze up that may last 1 or 2 seconds, but thats all.  We also tried every antenna in the book until the outdoor one.  The nice thing is, the people before us had a dish, so I was able to mount in place of that, and use the cable wire out there to get to every TV in the house. 

 

I did get an antenna, and last night got it positioned to pick up Channel 19.  Because we are close to the towers, hell I can see them out my back door, I just have a small indoor antenna.  The signal is not terribly strong (I think WKYC has the strongest) but it is able to be picked up.  Now I just need to figure out if this is the best spot or use another and then route it to the other TV's.

 

One thing that is making more complex is replacing the DVR.  Right now there is nothing really good on the market for just working with OTA stations.  Tivo is good, but at $20 a month I don't think is worth it.  I mean the whole point was to lower the bill not replace it.  One interesting product was displayed as CES this year:

 

https://www.simple.tv/

 

It is a relatively cheap stand alone DVR.  You have to provide your own external storage and it only has one tuner, but with Hulu Plus I really only need it for CBS programming.  And $5 optional monthly service is a bargin as well.

I gave up cable awhile ago.  I've had a 25 foot HDMI cable for years that I got on sale for like $20, and I use it to mirror my desktop workstation monitor to the TV I have downstairs.  I stream Netflix and Hulu, and use it as a DVD and Blu-Ray player as well.  I live right in downtown Cincy, within site of all the broadcast towers, so my antenna gets perfect 1080 of all the local channels.  The only things I ever watch "live" are sporting events, so it works out perfect for me. 

I gave up cable awhile ago.  I've had a 25 foot HDMI cable for years that I got on sale for like $20, and I use it to mirror my desktop workstation monitor to the TV I have downstairs.  I stream Netflix and Hulu, and use it as a DVD and Blu-Ray player as well.  I live right in downtown Cincy, within site of all the broadcast towers, so my antenna gets perfect 1080 of all the local channels.  The only things I ever watch "live" are sporting events, so it works out perfect for me. 

 

If your TV is downstairs, and the computer is upstairs, are you running back and forth to change the program ever hour/half hour?  Must be a really nice workout... :D

In Medina, 20 miles the way the crow flies to the towers, we can get all channnels.  Fox was the toughest one for us.

 

Remember on Married With Children where they'd have to "assume Fox network viewing positions"?

We were antenna plus laptop for years, we've recently shifted to Roku plus antenna (easier to be lazy). Not too bad, though if you are a sports fan (esp. Ohio teams), you basically can't watch them.

That deal where Dolan moved the Indians games to cable tv irked me.  I used to enjoy  seeing the game on in every little pizza shop in town.  Dolan made his billions in cable tv and saw the move as a way to get more viewers.

I use Roku as well. I would like to get rid of Time Warner. But i have Their roadrunner service as well. I think you have to keep the internet but throw out the cable but their pricing won't let me. They always want me to bundle. Can't wait for Fioptic.

I gave up cable awhile ago.  I've had a 25 foot HDMI cable for years that I got on sale for like $20, and I use it to mirror my desktop workstation monitor to the TV I have downstairs.  I stream Netflix and Hulu, and use it as a DVD and Blu-Ray player as well.  I live right in downtown Cincy, within site of all the broadcast towers, so my antenna gets perfect 1080 of all the local channels.  The only things I ever watch "live" are sporting events, so it works out perfect for me. 

 

If your TV is downstairs, and the computer is upstairs, are you running back and forth to change the program ever hour/half hour?  Must be a really nice workout... :D

 

Ha, no, I have a wireless mouse and keyboard in a drawer in my coffee table, and a tiny little receiver hidden on a ledge overlooking the first floor.  That limits my workout to changing discs when I'm watching DVD's or Blu-Rays.  Eventually, I'll get too lazy for that and build some sort of robotic arm.

Tangentially related to this topic, Netflix beat expectations last quarter and the stock jumped 15% or so after hours. Apparently it's reclaimed 75% of the lost subscribers and, after a catastrophic Fall and Winter, is slowly becoming a stock and fanboy darling.

 

Internet (Netflix + Hulu + Megavideo) + Redbox = my roommate and I don't see any value with cable. It's much cheaper this way.

That deal where Dolan moved the Indians games to cable tv irked me.  I used to enjoy  seeing the game on in every little pizza shop in town.  Dolan made his billions in cable tv and saw the move as a way to get more viewers.

Not for this discussion, however, he just wanted to own the network that his team played on, very similar to what Steinbrenner did in New York several years ago.  It's a very, very good business decision.  However, he needs better broadcasts on the station in-between.

We were antenna plus laptop for years, we've recently shifted to Roku plus antenna (easier to be lazy). Not too bad, though if you are a sports fan (esp. Ohio teams), you basically can't watch them.

 

I use this site to watch live sports. There's other ones like it if this one gets shut down.

 

http://www.firstrow.tv

That deal where Dolan moved the Indians games to cable tv irked me.  I used to enjoy  seeing the game on in every little pizza shop in town.  Dolan made his billions in cable tv and saw the move as a way to get more viewers.

 

I'm glad you brought this up. I don't think it's a coincidence that the Tribe has lost popularity since leaving Channel 43. Obviously not the only factor, but certainly helped further the disconnect.

 

Personal example, I remember one summer I had to wait until July to get to the Jake. I remember being shocked to find out OF Jason Michaels was a white guy!

 

p.s. lots of good info on this thread. I've been without cable since 01 and I get by just fine over the airwaves, plus european sites for sports, youtube (watched the entire wire series on there) and friends netflix account. 

They used to pipe 43 all the way down to Columbus so that we could see Indians games.

They used to pipe 43 all the way down to Columbus so that we could see Indians games.

 

Doesn't C-bus still get 43/19?

 

What would you all do with ACTION NEWS! 

That deal where Dolan moved the Indians games to cable tv irked me.  I used to enjoy  seeing the game on in every little pizza shop in town.  Dolan made his billions in cable tv and saw the move as a way to get more viewers.

 

I'm glad you brought this up. I don't think it's a coincidence that the Tribe has lost popularity since leaving Channel 43. Obviously not the only factor, but certainly helped further the disconnect.

 

Personal example, I remember one summer I had to wait until July to get to the Jake. I remember being shocked to find out OF Jason Michaels was a white guy!

 

p.s. lots of good info on this thread. I've been without cable since 01 and I get by just fine over the airwaves, plus european sites for sports, youtube (watched the entire wire series on there) and friends netflix account. 

 

Luckily, neither of us really care about baseball.  Ohh we'd go to the ballpark and what have you but it is one thing I cannot stand to watch on television. 

 

surf, what you mention about watching a youtube and european sites for sports needs a computer hooked up to your tv.  We are not going that route. 

 

I really do wish that ESPN had a ESPN3 app or something.  I have access because WOW (we are keeping them for internet and phone) has a deal.  I don't think I'd have access to sportscenter but just having all the games (and one's I'd actually want to watch) would be spectacular. 

 

Anyway good that this thread popped up, reminded me that I do need to actually call and cancel the cable. 

They used to pipe 43 all the way down to Columbus so that we could see Indians games.

 

Doesn't C-bus still get 43/19?

 

What would you all do with ACTION NEWS! 

 

Nope, they took it off when STO happened. What was threw me off was when the news anchor Bob Heatherington moved from 43 up there to Channel 6 down here in the late '80s/early '90s. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary -- it took me years to figure out that he had actually moved here from another city in that time. I was watching an episode of the Dukes of Hazzard that I had taped off 43 when I figured it out.

^^ You should seriously consider getting a cable to hook up your computer to your TV. Especially if you have a laptop.

 

Either way, it's not impossible to watch stuff on a monitor.

That deal where Dolan moved the Indians games to cable tv irked me.  I used to enjoy  seeing the game on in every little pizza shop in town.  Dolan made his billions in cable tv and saw the move as a way to get more viewers.

Not for this discussion, however, he just wanted to own the network that his team played on, very similar to what Steinbrenner did in New York several years ago.  It's a very, very good business decision.  However, he needs better broadcasts on the station in-between.

 

I actually think that Dolan took the Tribe full-time to cable with FoxSports first before creating his own network for the games.

 

Anyways, this is exactly why I'd have a hard time letting go of cable, although I love the idea of doing so.

^^ You should seriously consider getting a cable to hook up your computer to your TV. Especially if you have a laptop.

 

Either way, it's not impossible to watch stuff on a monitor.

 

It's usually not even a "special" cable, just S-Video. Most TVs sold today have an S-Video input.

^Honestly most new HDTV's have HDMI output.  And most video cards have that port. My computer is hooked up to a 42 inch HDTV through HDMI as we speak. lol

Yeah, S-Video is pretty much obsolete at this point. When's the last time you purchased a TV, GCrites80?

 

Most new TVs also have the old type of monitor port (SVGA I think?), which would make hooking up to an older PC (without HDMI) fairly simple.

 

Then there are composite ports on old and new TVs which most other outputs can be converted to with a cheap cable.

 

Overall it's a simple operation, the most likely problem would be the distance between a desktop PC and the space where you watch TV, which can be overcome like Ram23 was talking about. But some people may not wish to go through the hassle of remedying that situation.

 

With the money saved from cutting cable, though, one could easily buy a low-end laptop (netbook) or compact desktop PC for media. If distance is a problem because you only have a desktop, purchasing a laptop/netbook is probably a good option, just to get the benefits of a portable computer. WiFi is magical! Another good option: get a tablet! Toshiba Thrives are frequently on sale and come with full-sized ports (HDMI and USB). You can take it to bed and watch movies and Youtube and stuff, too.

Yeah, S-Video is pretty much obsolete at this point. When's the last time you purchased a TV, GCrites80?

 

Ahaha, I guess the last time I hooked my a computer to a TV was in the S-Video days. I still use S-Video a lot with my tube TV and older game systems since it's the best output available for them. One problem that I've run into when using HDMI to a TV from a computer is that it can disable your ability to use any other output for audio, sticking you with the TV speakers. I built a PC for a buddy to use with the iRacing sim that wouldn't let him use the headphones for audio when it was outputting HDMI to the TV. There wasn't a setting anywhere in the video card's settings to change it. Headphones are really important for hearing the engine, other cars and the tires in iRacing.

Doesn't C-bus still get 43/19?

What would you all do with ACTION NEWS! 

I think you meant "without", but it's still hilarious.

 

Here is another fix for TV programming

www.pbs.org has "The American Experience", Nova, Frontline.  I used to watch Bill Moyers Journal until he retired.  I miss "Now".

www.thedailyshow.com and www.colbertnation.com for the best news team on the planet

There are network shows.  I found the premier episode of "Newhart": it was killer funny.

Yeah, S-Video is pretty much obsolete at this point. When's the last time you purchased a TV, GCrites80?

 

Ahaha, I guess the last time I hooked my a computer to a TV was in the S-Video days. I still use S-Video a lot with my tube TV and older game systems since it's the best output available for them. One problem that I've run into when using HDMI to a TV from a computer is that it can disable your ability to use any other output for audio, sticking you with the TV speakers. I built a PC for a buddy to use with the iRacing sim that wouldn't let him use the headphones for audio when it was outputting HDMI to the TV. There wasn't a setting anywhere in the video card's settings to change it. Headphones are really important for hearing the engine, other cars and the tires in iRacing.

 

You can then use an audio out port on the TV, but that's obviously not very convenient. Might mean needing a wireless headset or something, which is yet more $$$.

 

I don't typically use headphones for anything on a TV so I've never encountered the problem. Actually, I guess I sort of have. I don't like that my laptop's speakers stop working when I plug it into a TV. It would be cool if you could split the audio output depending on which screen a given application is running on (e.g. Netflix on TV playing through TV speakers, music player on laptop screen playing through laptop speakers). Not that I often want to listen to two audio streams at once.

Tangentially related to this topic, Netflix beat expectations last quarter and the stock jumped 15% or so after hours. Apparently it's reclaimed 75% of the lost subscribers and, after a catastrophic Fall and Winter, is slowly becoming a stock and fanboy darling.

 

Internet (Netflix + Hulu + Megavideo) + Redbox = my roommate and I don't see any value with cable. It's much cheaper this way.

 

Netflix?  ROFLMAO!  Please.  OMG...funny post I've read in a while.

I rarely watch tv since I'm out and about more but my building provides free extended cable and T3 Internet...which I get better use out of.  I don't miss having to pay comcast, and I definitely don't miss cable Internet

Ugh, this transition is going to be tough.  Hulu Plus is not all its cracked up to be.  I can understand the commercials even though you are paying for a subscription, but what really drives me nuts is the content that is available on plain Hulu is not available on Hulu Plus, ie Happy Endings and Suburgatory.  Extremely annoying.  Good thing that there is a free trial week because I don't think it will make it through that.

 

re: using a tablet, we have an iPad 2 so I think we are going to be purchasing the HDMI connector, which at $40 is a pretty good deal.  That should allow us to watch all those NBC and ABC programs (suprisingly we don't watch anyting on FOX) now if CBS would get out of their 2000 era technology we would be perfect.

Ugh, this transition is going to be tough.  Hulu Plus is not all its cracked up to be.  I can understand the commercials even though you are paying for a subscription, but what really drives me nuts is the content that is available on plain Hulu is not available on Hulu Plus, ie Happy Endings and Suburgatory.  Extremely annoying.  Good thing that there is a free trial week because I don't think it will make it through that.

 

re: using a tablet, we have an iPad 2 so I think we are going to be purchasing the HDMI connector, which at $40 is a pretty good deal.  That should allow us to watch all those NBC and ABC programs (suprisingly we don't watch anyting on FOX) now if CBS would get out of their 2000 era technology we would be perfect.

 

CBS president Les Moonves refuses to accept Hulu's terms, where Hulu sells ads on CBS shows and splits revenue with CBS.  He insists that CBS will only license its shows if they are guaranteed a flat amount of profit.

 

Also, is seems Hollywood is getting pretty desperate and fearful of Netflix.  Currently, DVD rentals don't begin until 28 days after a movie becomes available on DVD.  Under new a new agreement, movies now won't be available for 56 days after they go on sale.  On top of that, users won't even be able to add new releases to their instant queues, they'll have to wait 28 days after they're released on DVD to do so.

I can't understand the hysteria media companies have with streaming. The technology exists, and there's nothing they can do to put that genie back in the bottle, so they can embrace it, or spend millions/billions on chasing down evey single person trying to do it illegally. Hey, maybe you can propose a legislation banning the internet unless you subscribe to cable (premium package only, mind you). You shouldn't have access to information unless you pay for TV.

I have Netflix routed through my Wii and I think it's overrated. I don't think the movie selection is that great. It's not that cheap, either, if you factor in the console you have to buy to run it through. I literally don't use the Wii for anything other than Netflix but I'm sure a lot of you would play video games with it anyway. If you don't mind watching a limited selection of things that came out last year and before, then Netflix is for you but I'd rather rent moves as soon as they come out and see my favorite shows on Cable as they air for the first time. Just me.

Sticking with DirecTV until better options are available for live sports.  If it weren't for this I would've chucked cab/sat a while ago.  Any reliable suggestions?

Ive been cable free for over a year and a half.  I bought a Logitec Revue (google tv) in Dec and love the commercial free channels on TV Redux.  I have mlb.tv and netflix too.  $110 savings per month than when I was with TW.

I have Netflix routed through my Wii and I think it's overrated. I don't think the movie selection is that great. It's not that cheap, either, if you factor in the console you have to buy to run it through. I literally don't use the Wii for anything other than Netflix but I'm sure a lot of you would play video games with it anyway. If you don't mind watching a limited selection of things that came out last year and before, then Netflix is for you but I'd rather rent moves as soon as they come out and see my favorite shows on Cable as they air for the first time. Just me.

 

I streamed some stuff through my roommate's account on his Wii about a year ago and the quality and selection were terrible at that time. There wasn't anything I wanted to see. I ended up watching coverage of a Moog keyboard festival. It looked like Youtube video from 2007 and my tube TV couldn't even "analog out" much of the blockyness. But I haven't used it recently.

^ I stream Netflix on a 52" 1080p LCD TV and it looks fine.  The selection is limited, but it is full of independent and foreign movies, which is what I prefer to watch over the big budget Hollywood films, personally.

 

The only thing that is going to get me to switch back to cable is my need to watch the Reds win 100 games en route to the world series this year.  The quality of the sports streaming sites just isn't high enough for me to watch baseball on.

 

That said, I wish there were better options available for channel packages.  I really hate having 400 channels, but the basic set of 60 doesn't include the ones I do want, like AMC, IFC and the multiple other ESPN's.  I'd gladly pay ~$30 a month for 20 or 25 channels if I could pick the exact ones I wanted.  Instead I'm stuck paying $70 for 20 channels I want and 380 I don't.

My friend has DirecTV. It has the most annoying channel line-up. There's over 1000 and literally about 950 of the channels are bullsh!t you have to skip through. The good channels aren't even in close proximity to each other so you're constantly going to the tv guide or memorizing "channel 253" so you can skip to it from channel 8 because there's nothing in between... That sort of thing.

You won't find the latest movies streaming on Netflix, but as Ram23 said, you will find more indie films. It also has lots of TV series (which is a great deal compared to the cost of buying TV show seasons on DVD).

 

Ive been cable free for over a year and a half.  I bought a Logitec Revue (google tv) in Dec and love the commercial free channels on TV Redux.  I have mlb.tv and netflix too.  $110 savings per month than when I was with TW.

 

I had a Logitech Revue as well, but I found it less than useful since all of the TV networks (and Hulu) blocked Google TV's web browser from streaming content. Now, I have my old laptop permanently connected to my TV, streaming Netflix and anything else you can load in a browser, as well as acting as my DVD player.

 

My friend has DirecTV. It has the most annoying channel line-up. There's over 1000 and literally about 950 of the channels are bullsh!t you have to skip through. The good channels aren't even in close proximity to each other so you're constantly going to the tv guide or memorizing "channel 253" so you can skip to it from channel 8 because there's nothing in between... That sort of thing.

 

There have been cries for years that the cable companies need to offer channels a la carte, but they haven't listened. The emergence of Google TV & Apple TV may be the death of cable for this reason, if enough cable channels get the guts to renegotiate their contracts and stream directly to the consumers' TV sets.

 

HBO released an app for the iPad that allows you to stream their current and past shows, but it currently requires you to log in w/ your cable company's ID to prove you pay for HBO.  Clearly they've thought that somewhere down the road, when they have a chance to renegotiate contracts, they will attempt to bypass cable providers altogether and allow consumers to directly subscribe to their iPad/Apple TV/Google TV apps.

You won't find the latest movies streaming on Netflix, but as Ram23 said, you will find more indie films. It also has lots of TV series (which is a great deal compared to the cost of buying TV show seasons on DVD).

 

Ive been cable free for over a year and a half.  I bought a Logitec Revue (google tv) in Dec and love the commercial free channels on TV Redux.  I have mlb.tv and netflix too.  $110 savings per month than when I was with TW.

 

I had a Logitech Revue as well, but I found it less than useful since all of the TV networks (and Hulu) blocked Google TV's web browser from streaming content. Now, I have my old laptop permanently connected to my TV, streaming Netflix and anything else you can load in a browser, as well as acting as my DVD player.

 

My friend has DirecTV. It has the most annoying channel line-up. There's over 1000 and literally about 950 of the channels are bullsh!t you have to skip through. The good channels aren't even in close proximity to each other so you're constantly going to the tv guide or memorizing "channel 253" so you can skip to it from channel 8 because there's nothing in between... That sort of thing.

 

There have been cries for years that the cable companies need to offer channels a la carte, but they haven't listened. The emergence of Google TV & Apple TV may be the death of cable for this reason, if enough cable channels get the guts to renegotiate their contracts and stream directly to the consumers' TV sets.

 

HBO released an app for the iPad that allows you to stream their current and past shows, but it currently requires you to log in w/ your cable company's ID to prove you pay for HBO.  Clearly they've thought that somewhere down the road, when they have a chance to renegotiate contracts, they will attempt to bypass cable providers altogether and allow consumers to directly subscribe to their iPad/Apple TV/Google TV apps.

 

That would be great. I only care for a hand full of channels. HBO, Showtime, History, Discovery, NatGeo, Comedy Central and Fox (not Fox News, the regular Fox with sitcoms). I cringe just having to see Bravo and Lifetime for a split second while skimming through it.

 

 

Just from an organized person's standpoint: DirecTV is cluttered. So many channels just don't exist. If there's a channel 120 but no channel 121-225, then shouldn't channel 226 really be channel 121? Channels that are similar, aren't put anywhere near each other. You have all these foreign channels for immigrants that most people aren't going to watch. You really should be able to pick your own lineup. I don't recall stumbling onto what turned out to be a great show from some channel I normally wouldn't watch.

I have Netflix routed through my Wii and I think it's overrated. I don't think the movie selection is that great....

I streamed some stuff through my roommate's account on his Wii about a year ago and the quality and selection were terrible at that time. There wasn't anything I wanted to see. ...

I perused the Netflix catalog online and didn't find anything I wanted to watch.  I searched on obscure comedies like "In God We Trust" and they did not have it.

 

I heard that $5.00 of *your* monthly cable TV bill is so you can watch the ESPN channels--with commercials.

^ Want to be really upset for paying for cable... <a href=http://allthingsd.com/20100308/hate-paying-for-cable-heres-the-reason-why/>check this out</a>

 

While this doesn't give the whole picture, it does shed some light on what you are paying for (or not paying for) in your cable bill.

In the Cleveland metro area, the OTA broadcasts for Fox and CBS were at very low power for a very long time.  I am many floors above ground level in my downtown Akron midrise and couldn't get either of them (admittedly, my windows face south and west).  At some point just in the last year or two, something must have changed, because they come in much more clearly now.

 

Nevertheless, even then, I did not consider getting cable, even though TWC is my ISP.  (RoadRunner Turbo is all kinds of awesome, at least until prices come down enough that I can have my own personal T3 line ...)  I haven't had cable or satellite service since my days at OSU (when it came included with the room & board).

^^ that chart illustrates why there's so much home shopping and Jesus on cable. They aren't listed because those channels pay the cable companies to be on the air rather than the cable companies paying them. I like how Fox News is one of the most expensive channels.

Oh, another reason I hate Netflix. I was watching some gay movie; I think this happend because I watched "I love you Phillip Morris". I thought it was going to be a documentary about the Marlboro man or something! Anyway, I also watched Scarface. So now, when everyone gets on my Netflix, one of the main categories for movies recommended that comes up, is "Gay movies from the '70s" and everyone who uses the Netflix is now questioning my sexuality thanks to some genius' algorithm.

 

My taste in movies is so varied. There's no way Pandora, Netflix or anyone else can guess what I'm going to like or not like.

 

I have to admit though, I'm not sure what you guys are talking about when you say Netflix is bad quality streaming video. For me, it's about the same as cable and I've never had any loading or "buffering" issues at all, despite having multiple devices connected to a router. I use WOW! Cable for internet service. Maybe you guys aren't getting enough bandwidth or less is allocated to devices other than the computer and Netflix software is designed to use a lower resolution with less bandwidth. That's my guess. The quality is pretty remarkable for streaming video, IMO.

^If you have the time, they have something like a 20 page survey asking you about every possible movie genre / sub genre, style, language, etc. that you could think of.

 

At the end of the day, the streaming library of any provider is going to be slim until the media companies get on board (MTS get on that, will you?). It can be done so we can get the content, and the people making the movies get what they deserve. But someone's got to admit that they can't control everything from production to distribution, to how the public consumes it. We get to have a say too. If it were up to the movie houses, we'd all still watching newsreels in the movie theaters.