To Cut, or Not to Cut....The Cords!
My family made a big decision today after months of deliberation. We decided to cut off our Verizon Fios TV (and phone) service and just stick with the internet. I think it was the best and most tedious decisions I have made in the 1 year (and change) that we have been considered a family.
First with the good part:
I have been looking to do this for months now. To be honest, I stopped watching live television ages ago. At first, I relied on DVR heavily. I had schedules and everything set up so I didn't miss a thing. And that never stopped working. Shows would get recorded and I would get home and watch at my convenience. This came in especially helpful when there were two programs on at the same time.
The issue didn't start until I had kids and the luxury of choosing my free time faded. I started having to push my dear "couch time" to later in the week and was limited to about two hours, generally. The shows were still available on DVR but at that point, they were also available on Apple TV. And it was like a lightbulb went off in my head and shattered all across my mind floor. "If I can catch these shows on Apple TV then why the hell am I paying for a million and 2 channels that I don't watch?" At the time I didn't know the answer but now it is extremely clear. It was convenience. We had to give that convenience up.
Now with the annoying part:
My wife loved cable. This is not because she watched a ton of it. Instead, she appreciates not having to think when she watches tv. And frankly, this is is the best part about cable, you fall in love with the ease of sitting back, grabbing the remote and pressing power. That's it. Sure, you could change the channels to find the exact program you wanted to watch. But in reality, you didn't have to. You could just hop on the couch (or bed) and take it in. It makes you just say "Ahhh!"
On the other hand, with streaming tv, you have to actively participate in the channel surfing. Either you are previewing movies that you either decide to watch or add to your wish list. Or you are forced to begin watching something that you may not like. But every now and then there is a binge-worthy show that slows you down for an entire weekend and makes it all worth the turmoil.
At the end of the day:
I think that cord cutting is worth it. I save about $200 a month and I have WAYYYYY fewer wires. However, if I was suggesting this to anyone, I would say make sure you know what you want to watch.
My setup:
Just in you were considering cutting the cords yourself, here is my set up. This may give you an idea of how to get started.
Livingroom:
- 65" Samsung Smart TV - 1080p ($1,100 - Walmart)
- Apple TV 4th Generation - 64 GB ( $150 - Bestbuy)
- Verizon Fios Internet - 75 up/75 down ($75/month)
- Netflix ($8/month)
- Hulu - No commercials ($12/month)
- HBO, Cinemax, Showtime - I subscribe as needed.
Bedroom:
- 55" Samsung TV - 720p
- Apple TV 3rd Generation