Time to ditch DISH

I have just decided to do this. I signed up for YouTube TV, I have Netflix through T-Mobile, I pay for HBO Max, BritBox, CBS All Access/Showtime, Amazon Prime, and Hallmark. My bill is almost $100 less than using DISH with the add-ons. The biggest CON is everything is via internet so I'm held hostage to Comcast. I do like having unlimited DVR though. Oh, we have Apple TV+ and Disney too.

I looked at using HULU Live TV but when you upgrade to larger DVR storage etc, it's $15/month more than YouTubeTV. HULU Live TV and YouTubeTV and the only stremers that support high resolutions. Many are 720p.

I am still considering getting an OTA antenna and an OTA DVR like the TIVO Edge. This setup would drop my bill another $65/month. There is an initial $$$ outlay of about $500 but that would cover the EDGE, Mini box extender (like a Joey), lifetime subscription, and OTA antenna. I went ahead and ordered an OTA antenna to see how well they work. It should arrive next week. I'll report results.

 

YouTubeTV is a good choice. It and ATT TV and TV Now are also good for PQ, even a little better than YTTV.

For OTA DVR I used to use a Tivo but decided it just was too much of a hassle with switching devices on my setup. Not a weakness of the Tivo, just an irritating weakness of my setup.

So I’ve tried out both Amazon’s Recast and AirTV Anywere OTA DVR boxes. Both are 4-tuner, 1TB hard drive units. No additional charges or fees for guide info on either. Recast has 2 week guide, AirTV has a 1 week guide. Recast only works with FireTV devices and does it very well. AirTV works with almost anything by using the SlingTV app.

 

DISH is just not competitive right now - even with the cable guys. Take off all the promos and go head to head on regular cost, cable beats DISH and you get your sports channels. It did not used to be this way.

 

Nobody is competitive with anybody today. Covid-19 has decimated new content in ALL services. Streaming only gives you more access to old programming that you might have missed.

 

Huh? DISH is more expensive than Comcast. And yeah, its the way Comcast is pricing out the internet now, but when you total the two up, DISH is over by about $50 or more dollars, depending on the package. And for Comcast's price you get the RSNs. And yes, the RSN fee and broadcast tv fee and HD feeis included in my Comcast proposal I am toying with. It's a $65 difference for the 1st year, and then a $45 difference. Is the Hopper worth $65 a month to me, more? I know Comcast's equipment is not as good. But this is a lot of cash.

 

And another pro for using Comcast - in the Central Division, under their newest Simple & Easy pricing, any/all model of TV boxes are now only $5/month each, which include any/all DVR boxes (with HDD's) inside, regardless of how many you get for your house. (you DO still have a $10/month DVR fee, just like any other provider, of course) But I believe there is no other (legacy) TV provider out there currently, that rents a full-featured TV box this cheap these days.
I just redid my Comcast triple-play under a new 2-year contract with this new pricing; not only is my DVR fee waived for 2 years, but the cablecard for my Tivo, is now completely FREE. (it was $7.50/month, under my previous contract) My legacy DVR box & new X1 DVR box are now only $5 each.

 

I went full cut shortly before we moved to this house almost 6 years ago. Returned all my equipment. Even Comcast gigabit Internet-only at $79.99 is a steal compared to what I would've wound up paying.

 

I looked at the recast. Max resolution is 1080i but usually 720p. It also tries too hard to adjust resolution based on bit rate. I've seen comments it changes wildly.

I'm trying YouTubeTV right now. I'm getting an OTA antenna today and will see what's available. May swap to a TIVO Edge if enough channels are present.

 

UPDATE: I can get 92 OTA channels. MANY are in a foreign language. My locals are all there although there is some signal weakness with one of them. I am having difficulty replacing the channels I have on DISH that I want to get somewhere else. Specifically Hallmark (don't judge) and The Weather Channel (wife). No one except the majors really carry Hallmark in high Def. FRNDLY has it in 720 but putting that on a 4k TV may not be the best despite upconversion. I may end up reducing DISH to a minimum and add Heartland package. I can still save $60/month.

 

I have weighed programing DTV vs Streaming TV and have the coverage we want with DTV, in one package. Our his and hers TV's for movies, we use Netflix. We do have DTV Ultimate pkg with added Regional Sports. Internet is ATT. There is also free program streaming on Roku.

Anyway, everyone has different needs, and have to investigate specific programs you must have or not, in deciding on You Tube, Amazon, Hulu...ATT TV.........etc. Or stay with cable.

 

Sure, how you select TV to watch is a personal choice.

For convenience you really can’t beat cable/sat. All in one simple box and fairly consistent. But it often comes at a fairly high price.

Streaming can be cheaper but it is less convenient unless you can find one provider that has all you want. Many of us that have switched to all streaming and learned how to manage it. It isn’t that daunting but it is nowhere near as convenience as cable/sat.

For most though it is probably a mix of cable/sat and some streaming with Netflix, Hulu and others. For others it is a cable replacement service like ATT TV, Sling, YouTubeTV and others as well as Netflix, Hulu and others.

IMO, you pays your money, you takes your chances!!

 

Welcome Pack includes The Weather Channel, Hallmark Channel, and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. The only Hallmark channel that would require the Heartland package is Hallmark Drama, which Dish only carries in standard-def.