Comments for Pulling the cable plug

Comment from Chad Everett on 2006-07-20

2006-07-21T01:42:23Z

We actually only have a "local channel" cable subscription, which costs about $10 per month (somewhere around $12 including taxes).

Mostly we do that because having the local channels is useful, we can't get much with rabbit ears (I have tried) and $10 a month is worthwhile. But strangely, we actually get every basic cable channel available (everything that doesn't require a converter box), including HBO.

Now if we had to pay for that, it would be vastly more expensive. And at least once, it's gone away. It could be because the cable Internet somehow interferes with whatever they have in place to prevent such things from happening. Or they don't expect anyone to just buy the $10 package.

But we only ask for the $10 package and do nothing whatsoever to circumvent their system, so we really have no qualms about using what they choose to provide. Should they cease to do so, we would likely take the same avenue as you. :)

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Comment from bryan duffie on 2006-07-20

2006-07-21T03:22:09Z

Congrats on cutting the cable cord. I've been cable TV free for several years now. It's a liberating experience. And makes commercials all that more distracting when you do see them.

I hope you're able to stay with it!

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Comment from pooya on 2006-07-20

2006-07-21T04:43:46Z

How long before we start cutting the internet cables? My laptop was broken for a week and I sent it back for warranty. I was feeling a better life (well, atleast different if not better) those days. Thanks for sharing the ideas.]]>

Comment from fozboot on 2006-07-20

2006-07-21T05:24:07Z

I don't have cable... I get by on a mix of broadcast TV (most of the shows I like (Lost, Veronica Mars, The Offfice, 24) are on broadcast TV) and I watch the rest via the ITMS and DVD. I get a bit antsy sometimes hearing about the latest Sopranos or Entourage episodes, but I figure patience is good for the soul. ]]>

Comment from fozboot on 2006-07-20

2006-07-21T05:25:18Z

Oh, and by the way, I tried signing in using OpenID and got an error. (Which I can't now reproduce since I'm signed in via Typekey and thus the OpenID option has gone away.)]]>

Comment from Steffen M. Boelaars on 2006-07-21

2006-07-21T08:01:48Z

Congrats. I've been cable-less for something like 6 years now. And I love it. I use to tell people I only watch "video on demand. DVD's from $webshop straight into the letterbox." Better quality, no ads, no 24/7 hanging behind the screen, no wasted money, etc...

It's funny how half the world thinks you're some alien if you don't watch cable TV. I was walking down Oxford Street (London, UK) and some Vodafone promotion team stopped me to try and make me buy this new phone and get a free DVR (SkyBox) thrown in! When I told them I don't watch/like tv they were flabberghasted for minutes.
It's a strange world....

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Comment from timsamoff on 2006-07-24

2006-07-24T18:33:17Z

Awesome, man... We recently decided to do the same thing.]]>

Comment from Ralph on 2006-07-26

2006-07-27T01:41:10Z

Disconnecting from TV was the best thing that I did for my children. In our family, we only watched TV on Friday after school and Saturday. After homework, the kids mostly read and we played games. After some initial discontent they forgot about TV. It is amazing, but I found TV and video games were much more likely to make them violent or angry. Home life is much better and more civil without TV or video games.]]>

Comment from Susan on 2006-09-07

2006-09-08T03:51:49Z

Congratulations! :) I love your philosophy of doing it for your children. My son's six, and I know he should be out with his childhood friends or in school, but mind you, he spends more time at home, but not with me--of course, with the tube.]]>