Cable Free
May 28, 2010
I’ve now been (somewhat) cable free for a few weeks and I am happy to report that it is working out great. Here is how it’s all come together.
Internet
I currently get my internet from Comcast. I got a special rate of $29.99 for 22Mb for 12 months, which is pretty good. When I switched I initially tried to use a 4G wireless service offered in my area called Clear, but unfortunately the signal strength wasn’t good enough. Hopefully it gets better by the time my 12 months is up.
TV
I built the antenna so that I could get broadcast TV, but Comcast includes super basic channels with the Internet package. It’s essentially what I would get from my antenna so I use it instead (for now).
Living Room
In my living room I have a Dell PC hooked up to my TV. I use three applications to get my content; Windows Media Center, Boxee, and Hulu desktop. I originally only planned to use WMC and Boxee but the picture quality you get from Hulu desktop can’t be beat. It is as good as an HD signal. I use WMC to watch TV from the tuner. If I was able to run a coax cable directly to my TV I might consider bypassing WMC since it’s a little clunky (but it adds nice features like DVR and a guide). I am able to switch between these application pretty easily using plugins for WMC that adds links to the other applications.
Bedroom
In the bedroom I have a TV with an Xbox connected. The cable runs directly to the TV for broadcast viewing and the Xbox is used to view media files on my network and recorded TV from the WMC in the living room.
I was concerned about the sacrifice of giving up cable but to my surprise I don’t miss a thing, and the extra ~$100 a month in my pocket doesn’t hurt either.
