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Post by peano on Apr 16, 2021 13:55:20 GMT
We are doing a bedroom remodel soon and want to get rid of the cable box. We’ve been wanting to do this for a while anyway but researching always makes my head explode, so I just back away. So can anyone give me an explanation of how to get what we want, as if I were a 5 year old.
1. Get rid of cable box but retain the ability to DVR things. Our primary concern for doing this is getting rid of the cable box, but if you have ideas for cost-cutting, that would be awesome. I think there’s a thing called a Firestick made by Amazon? The tv itself is a ROKU tv so not sure how that fits into the equation.
2. We don’t watch local stations much or sports, except major tennis tournaments, which are usually on ESPN or ESPN 2 and the Super Bowl, so would be nice to still be able to get them.
3. Discovery+ is a must for DH. He also likes HGTV and cooking shows on the Food Network. Bravo is a must for me.
4. We already subscribe to Netflix, Prime, Britbox through Prime, Hulu, HBO Max. Would like to retain access to regular HBO and Showtime. I think you can buy them a la carte on Prime but not sure.
Would appreciate any input. Thanks!
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Post by floridagirl on Apr 16, 2021 14:18:51 GMT
We did something similar months ago and we are so happy. We use a firestick and subscribe to Hulu, ESPN2 and Disney Plus as a bundle. We also have Discovery Plus, Hulu, Netflix and Prime and Frndly TV (for gameshow network and Hallmark movies). We save so much $$$.
We also have youtube t.v. because hubby loves his live channels. It does have a dvr function that records my shows each week.
Good luck.
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Post by workingclassdog on Apr 16, 2021 14:22:50 GMT
I got rid of Directv a few months ago.. I am still struggling getting what I want. I can't figure out how to get Discovery+ on my TV.. there is no app for it.
I think I need to see what YouTube TV is all about??
I am using an antenna for local stations (and there are 999 other weird channels.. there is one that runs The Price is Right 24 hours a day!!)
What I really miss is the ability to record stuff to watch later.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 20:12:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2021 14:23:11 GMT
We did something similar months ago and we are so happy. We use a firestick and subscribe to Hulu, ESPN2 and Disney Plus as a bundle. We also have Discovery Plus, Hulu, Netflix and Prime and Frndly TV (for gameshow network and Hallmark movies). We save so much $$$. We also have youtube t.v. because hubby loves his live channels. It does have a dvr function that records my shows each week. Good luck. We have Roku and also subscribe to a few things but - how do you record things? |
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Post by annaintx on Apr 16, 2021 14:25:22 GMT
We got rid of ours too. I was worried I couldn't record my fave shows. But we are using Fire Sticks, and YouTube TV. It (YouTube TV) allows me to record my fave shows, sometimes I can even watch them on demand. It hasn't been as bad as I was expecting. The nice thing is that I can take my Fire Stick with me when I travel and watch my stuff.  |
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Post by floridagirl on Apr 16, 2021 14:37:48 GMT
We did something similar months ago and we are so happy. We use a firestick and subscribe to Hulu, ESPN2 and Disney Plus as a bundle. We also have Discovery Plus, Hulu, Netflix and Prime and Frndly TV (for gameshow network and Hallmark movies). We save so much $$$. We also have youtube t.v. because hubby loves his live channels. It does have a dvr function that records my shows each week. Good luck. We have Roku and also subscribe to a few things but - how do you record things? Youtubetv that we subscribe to allows us to record our favorite shows. Also there is a mystuff area of Hulu that keeps track of your shows for you to watch. |
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Post by peano on Apr 16, 2021 14:39:55 GMT
We did something similar months ago and we are so happy. We use a firestick and subscribe to Hulu, ESPN2 and Disney Plus as a bundle. We also have Discovery Plus, Hulu, Netflix and Prime and Frndly TV (for gameshow network and Hallmark movies). We save so much $$$. We also have youtube t.v. because hubby loves his live channels. It does have a dvr function that records my shows each week. Good luck. Who do you get the Hulu, ESPN2 and Disney+ bundle from? Is it only ESPN2 or regular ESPN? Discovery+, Hulu, Netflix, Prime are all separate subscriptions? When you say YouTube tv gets live channels, what do you mean? And is YouTube tv the only option for a DVR function? What is available on YouTube tv? |
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Post by peano on Apr 16, 2021 14:42:16 GMT
I got rid of Directv a few months ago.. I am still struggling getting what I want. I can't figure out how to get Discovery+ on my TV.. there is no app for it. I think I need to see what YouTube TV is all about?? I am using an antenna for local stations (and there are 999 other weird channels.. there is one that runs The Price is Right 24 hours a day!!) What I really miss is the ability to record stuff to watch later. We ran into this issue on our oldest tv this week. Couldn't figure out how to get the app on it. We decided the tv is too old. If anyone else has input on this, would appreciate it. When you say you're using an antenna for local stations, where is the antenna located? I only know about the ones on the roof, and the old-timey rabbit ears. |
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Post by peano on Apr 16, 2021 14:43:02 GMT
We did something similar months ago and we are so happy. We use a firestick and subscribe to Hulu, ESPN2 and Disney Plus as a bundle. We also have Discovery Plus, Hulu, Netflix and Prime and Frndly TV (for gameshow network and Hallmark movies). We save so much $$$. We also have youtube t.v. because hubby loves his live channels. It does have a dvr function that records my shows each week. Good luck. We have Roku and also subscribe to a few things but - how do you record things? Is Roku an alternative to a Firestick? |
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Post by peano on Apr 16, 2021 14:44:55 GMT
We have Roku and also subscribe to a few things but - how do you record things? Youtubetv that we subscribe to allows us to record our favorite shows. Also there is a mystuff area of Hulu that keeps track of your shows for you to watch.I thought the my stuff area was just a place to log shows you want to watch. Does it do something else beyond that? |
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Post by mollycoddle on Apr 16, 2021 14:46:13 GMT
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Post by floridagirl on Apr 16, 2021 14:51:35 GMT
We did something similar months ago and we are so happy. We use a firestick and subscribe to Hulu, ESPN2 and Disney Plus as a bundle. We also have Discovery Plus, Hulu, Netflix and Prime and Frndly TV (for gameshow network and Hallmark movies). We save so much $$$. We also have youtube t.v. because hubby loves his live channels. It does have a dvr function that records my shows each week. Good luck. Who do you get the Hulu, ESPN2 and Disney+ bundle from? Is it only ESPN2 or regular ESPN? Discovery+, Hulu, Netflix, Prime are all separate subscriptions? When you say YouTube tv gets live channels, what do you mean? And is YouTube tv the only option for a DVR function? What is available on YouTube tv? I get the hulu ESPN2 and Disney Plus from Hulu.
Here is a link to YouTubeTV: youtube tv depending on your zipcode it will tell you what channels you get. I also Have a mystuff area of Hulu that "records" my stuff each week.
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Post by workingclassdog on Apr 16, 2021 15:31:08 GMT
I got rid of Directv a few months ago.. I am still struggling getting what I want. I can't figure out how to get Discovery+ on my TV.. there is no app for it. I think I need to see what YouTube TV is all about?? I am using an antenna for local stations (and there are 999 other weird channels.. there is one that runs The Price is Right 24 hours a day!!) What I really miss is the ability to record stuff to watch later. We ran into this issue on our oldest tv this week. Couldn't figure out how to get the app on it. We decided the tv is too old. If anyone else has input on this, would appreciate it. When you say you're using an antenna for local stations, where is the antenna located? I only know about the ones on the roof, and the old-timey rabbit ears. We have a brand new TV as of last year.  Yep old fashion antenna.. except new version.. not rabbit ears. It's flat like a sheet of paper and the size of a sheet of paper, then find the best location to put it.. I have mine just stuck behind a mirror to hold it up on the wall to get the best reception. I can take it down anytime. I think it has some sticky stuff on the back to hold to the wall but it has to be moved once and awhile for better reception. |
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Post by littlemama on Apr 16, 2021 15:33:50 GMT
We use Hulu Live for Live tv viewing. When we decided to make the switch we looked at the channel lineups for each provider (hulu live, Youtube tv, direct tv now, and Sling TV) for our area. Hulu Live far and away met our needs over the others. I would recommend doing the same for your area.
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Post by peano on Apr 16, 2021 15:49:38 GMT
Who do you get the Hulu, ESPN2 and Disney+ bundle from? Is it only ESPN2 or regular ESPN? Discovery+, Hulu, Netflix, Prime are all separate subscriptions? When you say YouTube tv gets live channels, what do you mean? And is YouTube tv the only option for a DVR function? What is available on YouTube tv? I get the hulu ESPN2 and Disney Plus from Hulu.
Here is a link to YouTubeTV: youtube tv depending on your zipcode it will tell you what channels you get. I also Have a mystuff area of Hulu that "records" my stuff each week.
So are you saying that you are able to DVR shows on Hulu, even though you subscribe to youtube tv, and not Hulu Live? |
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Post by floridagirl on Apr 16, 2021 15:53:53 GMT
I get the hulu ESPN2 and Disney Plus from Hulu.
Here is a link to YouTubeTV: youtube tv depending on your zipcode it will tell you what channels you get. I also Have a mystuff area of Hulu that "records" my stuff each week.
So are you saying that you are able to DVR shows on Hulu, even though you subscribe to youtube tv, and not Hulu Live? Yes...I have to watch commercials...but my show is there. |
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Post by teacherlisa on Apr 16, 2021 15:57:22 GMT
I got rid of Directv a few months ago.. I am still struggling getting what I want. I can't figure out how to get Discovery+ on my TV.. there is no app for it. I think I need to see what YouTube TV is all about?? I am using an antenna for local stations (and there are 999 other weird channels.. there is one that runs The Price is Right 24 hours a day!!) What I really miss is the ability to record stuff to watch later. in your particular case, you probably need a streaming device ( roku fire stick apple tv) and you will be able to get discovery TV. Since you have an antenna already, look into Tivo or Tablo for a dvr. I personally have Tablo and find them wonderful! Amazon has one as well, but I forget what it is called right now! |
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Post by teacherlisa on Apr 16, 2021 16:02:56 GMT
We did something similar months ago and we are so happy. We use a firestick and subscribe to Hulu, ESPN2 and Disney Plus as a bundle. We also have Discovery Plus, Hulu, Netflix and Prime and Frndly TV (for gameshow network and Hallmark movies). We save so much $$$. We also have youtube t.v. because hubby loves his live channels. It does have a dvr function that records my shows each week. Good luck. We have Roku and also subscribe to a few things but - how do you record things? depending on what you want to record, you will have a different answer. If you want to record local channels, you will need a Tivo or Tablo or something like that ( a DVR). If you want to record from a live streaming service (like Hulu Live, YouTube TV, Sling) most have a DVR included. It is cloud based. If you want to record from an on demand service like Discovery + or regular hulu, it is not necessary to record the programing because it is always available on demand. Most have a watchlist, or like previously mentioned hulu has "My Stuff" where you can keep track of the things you want to remember to watch. |
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Post by teacherlisa on Apr 16, 2021 16:05:42 GMT
We did something similar months ago and we are so happy. We use a firestick and subscribe to Hulu, ESPN2 and Disney Plus as a bundle. We also have Discovery Plus, Hulu, Netflix and Prime and Frndly TV (for gameshow network and Hallmark movies). We save so much $$$. We also have youtube t.v. because hubby loves his live channels. It does have a dvr function that records my shows each week. Good luck. Who do you get the Hulu, ESPN2 and Disney+ bundle from? Is it only ESPN2 or regular ESPN? Discovery+, Hulu, Netflix, Prime are all separate subscriptions? When you say YouTube tv gets live channels, what do you mean? And is YouTube tv the only option for a DVR function? What is available on YouTube tv? personally, I get the bundle from Verizon as a benefit for having an unlimited plan. You can purchase the bundle from either Hulu, EPSN + or Disney +. Yes, they are all separate subscriptions, if you chose to purchase them. YouTube TV is different from YouTube. YouTube TV is an option that is similar to cable and has a lot of live channels as well as an on demand library. |
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Post by teacherlisa on Apr 16, 2021 16:08:14 GMT
I got rid of Directv a few months ago.. I am still struggling getting what I want. I can't figure out how to get Discovery+ on my TV.. there is no app for it. I think I need to see what YouTube TV is all about?? I am using an antenna for local stations (and there are 999 other weird channels.. there is one that runs The Price is Right 24 hours a day!!) What I really miss is the ability to record stuff to watch later. We ran into this issue on our oldest tv this week. Couldn't figure out how to get the app on it. We decided the tv is too old. If anyone else has input on this, would appreciate it. When you say you're using an antenna for local stations, where is the antenna located? I only know about the ones on the roof, and the old-timey rabbit ears. Roku used to have (maybe still does) a streaming device that has the old ports ( the red yellow and white thingies). It was available on their website and at Walmart. I live in a rural area and did not have a lot of luck with an indoor antenna so I had one put on the roof so I could get my locals. I am very happy with it. There are many locals not available with cable, and cable charges so much for locals its crazy when you realize they actually are free lol. |
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Post by teacherlisa on Apr 16, 2021 16:10:13 GMT
We have Roku and also subscribe to a few things but - how do you record things? Is Roku an alternative to a Firestick? Yes. There are streaming devices ( roku, fire stick, comcast, apple TV ) and streaming services ( Hulu, Philo, Prime, Hulu Live, YouTube TV, Sling, and tons of free content is also available) |
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Post by teacherlisa on Apr 16, 2021 16:14:29 GMT
I get the hulu ESPN2 and Disney Plus from Hulu.
Here is a link to YouTubeTV: youtube tv depending on your zipcode it will tell you what channels you get. I also Have a mystuff area of Hulu that "records" my stuff each week.
So are you saying that you are able to DVR shows on Hulu, even though you subscribe to youtube tv, and not Hulu Live? The DVR is only with Hulu Live. With regular Hulu, a DVR is not necessary because you only have access to the on demand programming. So, you put the program into "my stuff" and when the new episodes are available, they show up in your "my stuff" for you to watch. They are not really in a DVR, they are available on demand to you. It is difficult to "wrap your head around" at first, because we are so used to the DVR but having programing available on demand works just about the same way...you just go to the show and click on it and begin watching it at any time. |
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momto4kiddos
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,156
Jun 26, 2014 11:45:15 GMT
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Post by momto4kiddos on Apr 16, 2021 18:18:36 GMT
We have Roku and also subscribe to a few things but - how do you record things? Is Roku an alternative to a Firestick? Yes, roku and firestick are basically the same thing, plug in device that allows you to stream on the tv. We have the roku because at the time I think something we wanted didn't work with firestick (can't recall what though.) We actually helped my 75 yo parents cut cable last year without too much trouble and if they can do it anyone can. There are many options for what to stream, you just need to research which platforms will give you the channels you want. We tried out a few when we got rid of cable, trying to find which ones worked best and had the most channels that we watched. We have hulu live which has the dvr ability. The other thing that I like about streaming is that the services are month to month so you can order up a couple and try them, but if they aren't working out you just turn them off. Much easier than dealing with cable. |
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DEX
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,438 
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Post by DEX on Apr 16, 2021 18:53:15 GMT
I cut cable several years ago and have AT&T Now. I have 20 hours of DVR, get the local channels without an antenna and after recording I am able to skip through all the channels. I have a Firestick and Apple TV. I much prefer the Firestick.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Apr 16, 2021 19:31:55 GMT
What I really miss is the ability to record stuff to watch later. All of the major streaming options offer DVD cloud recording. The amount depends on the company. We have YouTube TV now and it has unlimited storage. The others (Hulu, DirectTv, SLing) all had limits and I got tired of policing everyone's accounts to keep enough space open. I can't figure out how to get Discovery+ on my TV.. there is no app for it. If your tv doesn't have the app, then you will need either a Roku, AppleTv, or Firestick. They have all the apps and allow you stream programming to the tv. What tv brand/model do you have? |
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Post by peano on Apr 16, 2021 22:38:31 GMT
Thanks for all the input. It was very helpful.  I just have one more probably stupid question, but do you have to literally cut the cable (unplug everything) before you can try out a Firestick, to see what it's like, or can you double-dip? |
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Post by krcrafts on Apr 16, 2021 23:18:51 GMT
We use Philo for regular “cable” channels. There are about 60 channels and have most of the ones we wanted. No sports though, but we don’t watch sports. It’s $20/month and it might have a free trial. You can have several profiles where each person can save their own channels and shows. You can also record shows. You save them on your profile and it will save each episode or show for 30 days. A great plus is that if you want to watch a show live and you’re late starting, it will start at the beginning instead of missing that part.
We sub to Paramount+ for CBS shows because our antenna wasn’t picking it up on a regular basis and I was missing my CBS reality shows. If I watch anything on ABC, it’s usually on Hulu or online the next day.
ETA: If your tv is a Roku, you don’t need anything else except internet connected to it. Then you can find apps for the channels you want or sub to. If you have Sirius or Spotify, you can also listen to that on a Roku tv. I’m able to listen to podcasts on my tv.
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Post by mollycoddle on Apr 16, 2021 23:43:26 GMT
I have a smaller tv upstairs that is not a smart tv. The associate at Best Buy suggested Chromecast, as he felt that it was simple to use. Just want to say that it is very easy to use, in case that helps anyone.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 20:12:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2021 23:58:39 GMT
I cut cable several years ago and have AT&T Now. I have 20 hours of DVR, get the local channels without an antenna and after recording I am able to skip through all the channels. I have a Firestick and Apple TV. I much prefer the Firestick. I'm even more confused. I thought AT&T service was cable. How do you get the service if not via cable? |
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Post by scrappinmom3 on Apr 17, 2021 0:57:18 GMT
I cut cable several years ago and have AT&T Now. I have 20 hours of DVR, get the local channels without an antenna and after recording I am able to skip through all the channels. I have a Firestick and Apple TV. I much prefer the Firestick. I'm even more confused. I thought AT&T service was cable. How do you get the service if not via cable? AT&T now is AT&T’s streaming service as opposed to At&t Uverse, which is cable. |
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