New Study Renters Not Getting Cable

A new study shows that new apartment renters are not getting cable. Out of the number surveyed a pattern emerged that clearly shows younger renters can live without cable. With online content making it easier to access your TV shows online a new generation is signing up for high speed Internet, but not for cable TV service.

The bottom line is that cable companies should be scared. The movement for cable free living is growing at a faster rate then first thought. With more choice for TV viewing then just two years ago consumers are getting smart. A combination of a bad economy and more choice has created the perfect storm. With consumers finding out more ways to view content for free the need for cable TV is no longer an important part of daily life.

With free over the air digital TV a new movement for living cable free is growing. Adding in free content from the Internet the choice is clear. You no longer need to call the cable company to install service at your new home. All you need is your high speed Internet connection and a good over the air HDTV antenna.

Mario's Story Movie Review

There are stories that need to be shared. This is one story you want to watch. Based on the true life story of Mario Rocha.

In 1998, Mario Rocha, a young Latino kid from East LA, was convicted of murder and attempted murder on the basis of one eyewitness identification and no physical evidence. He was 16 years old at the time of his arrest, yet tried as an adult and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. Mario's chances of regaining his freedom are less than 1 percent. This inspiring film interweaves Mario's story and writings as an inmate in one of California's toughest prisons, with the efforts of an unexpected group of people who have come together to win his freedom.

This is an excellent documentary and if want to spend an evening watching movie, put this on the list.

You can get a copy on DVD check here for price>>>

Need TV While In The Hospital?

We all know that watching TV in the hospital can be expensive. It costs to rent the portable TV plus the cable service. If you want a cheaper alternative use your cell phone. If you are on a network that offers live TV and have a compatible cell phone it will cost you less. My network charges about $8.00 a month for service. The last hospital stay I paid around $40.00 for two weeks of service. The only problem you might have with this set up is that in hospitals they want you to turn off your phone. The way to get around this is to turn off you volume setting and watch slightly under the covers. Someone walks in you can quickly hide the phone. Not sure if it is in all hospitals that you need to turn off the phone or in certain areas of the hospital. Regardless if you can get away with it you will save money and screw the hospital cable provider out of your hard earned cash.

Where To Find Programs When You Cut The Cable Service

It's funny how many people are cutting their cable service, yet cable companies continue to say it's just a small percent. Large cable companies are seeing more and more customers setting up antennas and looking for program through the Internet. It's probably in their best interest to deny that this is happening. As more consumers hit by the economy or just pissed off at the cost of over priced cable service leave cable companies must learn. If the cable companies do not learn, and try to offer lower priced service or let customers pick the channels they want they will lose viewers. A great example would be what I have done to replace cable. At one point I was a TV junkie and would pay anything to get more and more channels. As the price for service went out of control I stepped back and took control of my TV viewing. It was a difficult decision to cut the cable, but I know I had to try something new and that I would be able to replace cable with new technology. There has not been one day since I cut the cable that I would say I miss the cable service. The future of television viewing is through over the air and Internet. As more people access movies and television shows through devices like the Xbox or the computer, a new generation is moving away from the traditional distribution channels. Anyone thinking of cutting the cable should first consider trying over the air channels with an antenna. In most areas the signals can be very strong and broadcasters are now sending out HD signals. As you move away from cable you will start to be creative as to where you get programs to watch. In most communities the library has a great selection of DVD's some now have Blueray movies. The cost is nothing and you get tons of great movies and shows to watch. The Internet also offers tons of free shows and movies. You just need to do a little Google search to find more programs then your cable provider could ever broadcast in a month. There is so much content on the Internet that you will never run out of programs to watch. There are also programs that let you watch live TV on your PC. These programs re-broadcast television station over the Internet that you can watch on your computer or hook up the computer to your TV. As I watch my bank account and see the money I have saved by cutting cable I have to encourage other to at least try to cut the cord. You might need a little time to get used to not having cable, but you are going to be proud that you cut the cord and joined a new revolution of consumers who have freed themselves from large cable monopolies that never cared about the consumers that payed for their service. As cable companies made more profit they kept raising their fees, let's see what they do as more and more people cut the cord.

Why Buildings Don't Want Satellite Systems

It's funny when you see on a rental agreement that a satellite system is not allowed. The fact is that most building don't want you to have a satellite because they get a fee from the cable company for access to the building. This means every month part of your cable bill goes to the buildings owner. This practice is unfair and many people are not aware that this is the case. The attachment of a satellite system over a balcony might not be a great idea, but there are many way to secure a dish without putting anyone at risk.

The time has come to expose building management and their secret deals with cable companies. It's not fair to consumers and creates a monopoly for those who live in apartments. There needs to be a secondary system for people in apartments to get access to television without depending on the cable company.

As you can see from this blog and others there is a fight from the people for fair pricing. We need to fight the cable and large media companies or else prices will keep going up and consumers are forced to pay for crappy programing. If you have made the move to free to air then congrats this is the best way to go right now. You get many free channels over the air and with a new HD TV most broadcast are now in HD. Save money and stop paying for cable. Those who are stuck in a building and not able to use an antenna complain to your local politicians . We can no longer let large monopolies control the price and way we watch television.

ESPN 360 Europe

If you are going to be traveling to Europe and want to watch ESPN, then their ESPN 360 service is the best way to get sports online. You sign up to the site here and then can log into the browser video player to watch your sporting events. You can watch all North American sports like hockey and football. It's a great solution for those living overseas or those that are from Europe and like US sports.

You can learn more about ESPN 360 by clicking here!

Live TV On Your PC

If you're like most PC users, you probably feel that there's more you can do on your PC other than working. And you know what? You're right! Electronics shops and cable companies will not want you to know this but in the next few minutes I will reveal to you one of the best kept secrets in the industry. This will show you how you can unlock and watch 1000+ TV channels and 4000+ radio stations in your PC.

Watch TV Anytime You Want!
Imagine: Its 5 minutes away from your favorite show on TV. And you’re still stuck in front of your computer with no television nearby.

Instead of bringing a TV into your office, what if you could Turn your PC into a SuperTV RIGHT NOW?
Take A Quick TV Break!
Are you feeling that the day is getting too long and you're falling asleep at your desk? Sneak in a quick energizer. Let us show you how to use your PC to catch a comedy just to brighten your day, update yourself with a quick news clip, or watch your favorite artist's music video at a click of a button! This is what the cable monoplies do not want us to know. There is a way to watch free TV and it's as simple as opening up a program on your PC.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH TV ON YOUR PC!

PC TV When HDTV Is Not Available

In some areas it is just not possible to get a clear signal. If you are in such an area you have a few choices to get free television. There are programs that you can install on your computer that will allow you to watch channels from all over the world with an Internet connection. If you have a new computer you should have an HDMI port on the back of the computer to hook it up to you HDTV. Then you just find a station to watch and it shows up on your big screen. This is the best solution for those who just can't seem to get a signal with an antenna. There are a few readers of this site that have had to go this way in order to watch TV. It take a little more effort but it does work.

Here is a list of software you can download to watch TV on you PC or HDTV.

Digital TV for PC Download Here!
Work very well and easy to use our readers number one pick.

Live TV for Me Download Here!
Another great program John from Milton Ontario watches a lot of sports with this one.

PCTV Download Here!
Great value and constant stream. Never stuttered in our tests.

All these programs cost less then one month of cable service or even the cost of an antenna. The programs work on any PC or Laptop with Windows. You can watch TV even when you travel. Some users stay in touch with news in other countries or sports matches that are not broadcast locally.

Philips MANT950 Indoor/Outdoor Amplified UHF/VHF/HDTV Antenna

This weekend I purchased the Philips MANT950 Indoor/Outdoor Amplified UHF/VHF/HDTV Antenna. With all the great reviews I read online I thought I had found the perfect outdoor antenna to catch a few more HD channels. This was not the case I did not get any more channels then I already was getting with my Terk antenna. The first location I picked to try this antenna out was outdoors and it did bring in a better picture on the channels I already had, but this was due to the fact I had it outdoors any antenna would do the same outdoors. Playing around with pointing I did not find any other channels. Well after playing around for an hour outside I figure I would try it in the same location indoor that I have my current antenna set up. The signal for some channels were better as this antenna is a little longer and pulls in a better signal for standard analog UHF channels. As for the HD channels I had to play around with the position in order to get the same HD channels I already had with my old antenna. What it did do better was catching the CW station from Buffalo New York. This station on my old antenna keep coming and dropping the Philips antenna did manage to keep the signal at full bar the whole time I was watching. Over all I would say that if you need an antenna and this is your first purchase then the Philips is a good outdoor antenna or placed indoors it does a little better at bringing in a better picture on weak signals. If you already own an antenna then skip this one it won't do much more then what you already have.

LOOK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON THIS PHILIPS ANTENNA!

LOOK HERE FOR MORE ON THE TERK INDOOR ANTENNA WHICH IS MY FAV!

More People Getting Rid Of Cable

It seems like there is a movement of people getting rid of cable. That makes me happy to know others are also saving money. With the saving on average at about $1000 a year most people are learning to live with out cable. At first for those who enjoyed hundreds of channels it seems a little odd to go down to 20 to 30 channels. The ones that survive the first week start to figure out other ways of getting entertainment. With DVD's online television and yes good old fashion books, it can be done. It's funny that I started to watch a few shows online that I never did on cable. Now I hooked on some great shows and the best part is that they are free and being online I can watch anytime. With a good HDTV antenna you can also watch all the major networks in HD and some station broadcast sub-channels with other programs like movies or older shows. As more and more people find out that there is life without cable new solution and service will pop up. The cable companies might also start to lower prices or offer only the channels you want to watch. As new developments on OTA (over the air) television and internet television I will keep this blog going and share my findings. There are a few topics I want to cover in a few weeks, and as I find time to do more research and write I will get those post up as soon as I can.

Free Cable Project How I Did It

A few months ago I canceled my cable television. This was a tough decision since I love watching TV. With a desire to save money and still be able to get my TV fix I researched my options. The first option was to get free HDTV from my local station with an indoor antenna. This worked out well and I did manage to get over 20 quality channels with very little invested. These local station provide me with news movies and all the major network programs. The next part of my project was to find online source for TV shows and movies when the local stations are not playing anything I might want to watch. This was also very easy to set up. With sites like HULU and almost every major network offering online shows I found thousands of hours of programing online. The online selection might even be grater then what I had on cable, and the best part is the I can watch these shows anytime I want. As for movies I found renting from iTunes a great choice the price is a few dollars less then the video store and I get my movies right away. The iTunes store also offers movies and TV shows in HD.



With these simple steps I am now able to save over $1000 a year and have more choice then ever before. If you are on the fence about getting rid of cable. The best way to do this is to start watching TV from and antenna and the Internet and forget about the able for a week. If it works out and you can live without cable then call the company up and say so long. If you are in Canada nothing feels better then calling Rogers or Cogeco and telling that you no longer need their over priced sucky service. You are now part of the OTA generation a group that values watching TV, but now save about $1000 a year on average.

BBC America Without Cable

For those who are fans of BBC America you can find a great amount of shows at their web site. At this time I was unable to find a live streaming service for this channel, but at least you can get some of the more popular shows. If you like the Top Gear show or Doctor Who they have these titles on DVD. Even Clatterford and Lost In Austin is on DVD. What I do with DVD's is watch them and then try to resell them online when I am done. This way I get to watch the shows I like and they do not end up costing me as much as owning them. This also allows me to keep a show as long as I need and then get rid of it.

BBC America's web site is HERE!

The Haier HLT71 portable LCD TV

If you want to watch free HDTV on the go or in the car then this is a great product. The Haier HLT71 LCD TV is great to take on the go. You can watch digtal channels with the built in ASTC tuner. If you are on a in an area where one channel come in better from a different angle then where your main TV antenna set up is, you can use the portable TV to tune in channels that come in from different directions in other parts of the house. You can also use it in the car for your passengers, but sometime the motion will cause the signal to fade. The unit includes a remote and is battery powered by rechargeable Li-polymer battery offers up to 2.5-hours of life between charges. This unit is now shipping in the US I wish I could get one here in Canada. This is the perfect unit to watch FREE HDTV on the go.

Click here for the full specs and details for the Haier HLT71 LCD TV prices start at $104.97.

HDMI (2 meter) 6 foot cable HQ 1080P 1.3b $0.01

This has to be the best deal on an HDMI cable only 1 cent. You can get this HDMI cable for $0.01 plus $2.98 for shipping. There is a limited supply make sure you get your before they run out.

Get this HDMI Cable Here!

Jericho Great Show Watch It on CBS

The free cable project has also introduced new shows, that I never watched when I was paying for cable. One such show was Jericho I never watched it on television, but became aware of this show when I went on cbs.com you can watch the full series on CBS's web site or on HULU. Living without cable has created a new way of watching television. When I go on online I find one show that seems interesting and I can watch it from season one till I catch up. Once I catch up I can watch it through my HDTV antenna each week or go online and watch episodes as they are posted.



This way I never miss an episode and I get to watch more shows then ever before. It's a new way of watching television and some might find it strange. When I think of the money that I am saving and the vast amount of new shows I can watch fro free it makes sense. If you have not watched Jericho make this one of your online shows. Enjoy your cable free television and put your money towards something better.

Download Unlimited Number of Movies

There is a new service called Movie Rocket which allows users to download an unlimited number of movies. The movies are also available in HD. This is the solution for those who want to get a vast amount of movies. This service is worth getting in addition to just your HD antenna as the choices for movies is a bit limited with just an antenna.

Company Details:
Movie Rocket is the product of more than 7 years of dedicated research and development to create an easy-to-use computer program that legally accesses thousands of HD DVD Movies including the latest & hottest DVD releases, TV Shows and Music Videos.

Unlimited 24/7 Downloads - no time limits, no bandwidth limits, no content limits. Users can download a full DVD movie or show within 30 minutes or less and play any download on their computer, home theater, or TV!


Download Movie Rock Software Here!

HDTV Over The Air Free The Best Thing Going

Just looking at Cogeco's web site and read that they charge $5.99 for local access to HDTV channels. These are the same channels I am getting for free with an HDTV indoor antenna. Even if you have basic cable you can get rid of the HD channel package from the cable company and buy a cheap antenna. You would save $71.88 a year just from cutting this out of the package. You can get a basic antenna for around $20.00, I have no clue why so many people don't know this. Spread the word let your friends and family know about alternatives to cable. There are so many choices. This week I watched a good amount of television and it cost me nothing. With Internet TV and local HDTV channels I had more then enough entertainment. Look for a more posts and information on getting the best free television viewing bookmark this blog.

JumpTV Internet TV

JumpTV (www.JumpTV.com) is the world's leading broadcaster of television over the Internet. With over 300 channels from 75+ countries, JumpTV delivers its audience news, sports and entertainment content on a real-time basis from all corners of the globe. JumpTV has viewers in over 100 countries who watch channels on JumpTV.com via ordinary Internet connections on their home computers, laptops, Internet-enabled television sets, and 3G mobile phones.

JumpTV allows viewers to remain connected to their homeland by providing an easy way to watch their favorite television networks, sporting events, dramas and movies from anywhere in the world. JumpTV channels are available on a subscription basis and select content is available for free to audiences in the United States. Channels are also available as part of national, regional or lifestyle packages. In addition to offering live streams, JumpTV offers complementary content on a Video on Demand (VoD) and Pay per View (PPV) basis.

Visit www.jumptv.com for more info.

HDTV Outdoor Antenna Clearstream 4

The Clearstream 4 has been getting some great reviews as an outdoor antenna. The users that have installed this antenna claim to have picked up double the channels they had with an indoor antenna. If you can place an antenna outdoors then try the Clearstream 4 with the unique design it is a serious outdoor HDTV antenna.

Product Description
ClearStream antennas represent a breakthrough in size and unmatched ultra efficient design and directionality. Advanced design software allows these 20" x 28" antennas to be smaller and powerful across the core UHF DTV spectrum offering consistent high gain. This advancement in antenna efficiency allows up to 98% of the available broadcast signal to actually reach the incoming antenna cable rather than being lost to impedance mismatches. The ClearStream4 quad-loop design receives all core DTV channels available with a range up to 65 +miles. There is also additional capability on higher level VHF frequencies. They are engineered for extra strength and durability, using anodized aluminum for corrosion resistance and are easy to assemble.

You can find this antenna ready to ship here!

More Online Shows At AMC

The AMC Networks TV website has many shows that you can watch online. They also have some great DVD box sets in their store. You can watch classics like the Prisoner. They also have a great section for Mad Men fans. The Prisoner is a great show from the 60's you can watch it at this link.

Click Here to Watch AMC Networks Online!

CTV Programs For Canadians Online TV

If you are in Canada or can hide your IP address from another country then CTV has many shows online. The CTV network has shows from Discovery MTV Much Music and Bravo. They also have a ton of show that air on the CTV network like Flashpoint. There is at least a few months of content to watch through their site. This is a must on your list of Internet TV. The other day I also tried the US based tv.com this site also has a good number of shows. Just with Internet TV you can fill months of TV viewing and best yet all for free through the Internet.

Roku Digital Video Player Review

A great alternative for movie watching without cable is the Roku Digital Video Player. This little box can only stream video from services like Netflix or Amazon. What it does very well is allow you to rent movies and play them back on your TV. The cost is only $99.00 and you can get up to 40,000 movies and TV shows from Amazon or 12,000 titles from Netflix. You do need to pay for the services, but again it cost much less then cable. A Netflix streaming account can be as low as $8.99 a month plus they always have free trials. There are many titles in HD and the box has an HDMI output along with standard cables. The unit also includes a remote. The main screen is easy to work with and you will be watching movies in just a few minutes after set up. This is a real bargain and a great addition to your setup. If you want movies and you are without cable this is money well spent.

Roku Full Details Click Here!

CNET Video On How to Cut Cable Bill

CNET had a nice video on alternatives to cable TV. The cost is broken down by alternative services to cable watch video here. Hit the back button to return here or please bookmark this page.

Get More Televison Show At No Cost or Low Cost

There are many television shows that you might not be able to watch if you cut your cable and are using free HDTV local programming. That is what the cable companies want you to believe. When in fact you can get most shows though a few different ways. With cost in mind the best way is to get show from the library. The library is a great source for TV box sets; they have everything from HBO shows to classics. All you need to do is reserve a copy and your selections are sent to the local branch. If a show you want is not available thought the library then you might have to buy it. You can buy the DVD box set of your show new or used if you look online there are many great deals. Then once you watch your show you can sell it on a site like eBay or Amazon. At least you will get some money back this way. If you still want more choice then iTunes from Apple has all the popular shows at a reasonable price. The iTunes store also has many shows in HD. There is no reason you need HBO or any other paid channel all these shows will be available to you in many formats and if you wait long enough they even end up on regular television.

Free Cable Project Update

This is just a quick update on how life is going without cable. The truth is I have not noticed any change. With my HDTV antenna I have been able to watch all my local stations. The most important was to be able to get local news which I get from three channels. The other shows I watch are show like TMZ and Family Guy. When it comes to movies I have been getting movies online and by asking friends if they have any move that I can borrow. The library has also been a great source for new movies and TV box sets. With the TVU player on my computer I was able to get Fox News and Sky News from the UK along with many networks. There are times that it takes a little effort to get Internet TV working and to change channels. Then I think that it is worth it as I am saving about $90 a month. There are many sources for entertainment that you can live without cable and will not miss it. The other non TV entertainment I have been using is the good old fashion book. With all these choices I would say in the first few weeks of being cable free the project is going well. If you have not cut off the cable what are you waiting for. If a couch potato like me can do it then so can you.

Hulu It's Great

The coolest way to watch Internet TV has to be HULU. This is a great site, but to get it from Canada take a little effort. If you are in the US then you are missing out if you do not watch TV through HULU. There are great movies and all my shows. The site does play some commercials, but not anymore then a regular television station. The idea of Internet video is perfect as alternative to cable TV. As more an more of us move away from cable the future will be a mix of Internet video and regular over the air television. The next generation might not even know what cable is other then for their Internet.

HDTV Tuners

If you live in the US then by now you know that you need an HDTV Tuner to get channels on an older set. The HDTV will turn the signal back into analog and you can continue to watch all your free station in even better detail. The Canadian change over will take place in the next 2 years and if you are in Canada you might want to pick up a HDTV Tuner in order to get US stations if you are near the border. It is very simple to convert the signal from HDTV to the old system. These tuners are perfect for those who do not have a new television with an HDTV tuner or those who still want to use their older television in addition to a new set. There are many HDTV Tuners on the market and I put together a small list to help narrow down the choices if you are in the market for one of these devices.

Tivax STB-T8 Digital to Analog TV Converter Box
Magnavox TB100MG9 Digital to Analog TV Converter Box, Silver
Digital to Analog TV Converter Box (with Analog Pass Through) ATVC102
Lasonic LTA-260 ATSC Digital to Analog TV Converter Box

Cogeco Cable New Terms

If you are a Cogeco cable user in Ontario take a careful look at your terms. The Internet is very limited and any little thing in the terms can cause your account to be charged extra or terminated. As an example did you know that if you run a fund raising campaign with Cogeco Internet that it is agains their terms. Wow imagine if you did a Church a favour by sending out an email news letter and find your account canceled. Not cool Cogeco, now we see why more and more users are going with Bell and other providers and getting their television free over the air. If you are with Cogeco for Internet look into some of the DSL providers there are some great deals and those companies want your business more then Cogeco.

TV on Your PC

My friend Tony in Boston has been using this new software to catch TV on his PC. He gave me a great review and said that you will get many of the channels that are not over the air. There is a small cost for the software, but it will pay for it's self. If you are in a building and can not get a strong over the air television signal, you might need to use Internet TV. As I find more services to review I will pass it on. The software that I use is perfect to catch the networks that I can not get over the air. It has really been a blessing to catch some of these networks through the PC. Like I mentioned in a previous post most new HDTV allow for a computer to hook up which make the use of this type of software an even better value.

Learn more about this software here!

Stack Of Movies

The last few days I was able to borrow movies on DVD from some friends. This is another great resource to add to my free cable project. Since most people only watch a movie once, they won't mind if you borrow a few movies. You can also join a service like Netflix and get a number of DVD's sent to you in the mail each month. The choice is yours on how to get movies. There are so many options that you will find a few sources. When I had the premium movie stations on cable I was lucky if I watched 3 movies a week. The number of movies worth watching was limited. The movie network had new titles each month, but the rest of the movies were stuff you would never rent or older titles. With my free cable project I have been able to find other sources for movies and have more selection then I ever did with cable. If you find that you want a constant number of movies coming in then a paid service like Netflix might be the best way to go. It is still cheaper then the cost of the movie channel. You can try Netflix for free which is a great way to watch a few movies and try out the service.

Coby DTV-140 ATSC High Definition Set Top Box

If you do not have an HDTV then this is the best option to convert HDTV back to analog. It is simple to set up and hook up to your older television. All you need to do is add the antenna to the input and do a channel search. Once the Coby High Definition box finds the signal it converts it back to a normal picture to be viewed on older television sets. This product works in both Canada and the US and includes a remote control. If you want a great set top box the price is right for this unit.

You can find out more about the Coby DTV-140 ATSC High Definition Set Top Box Here!

HDTV Antenna Pointing

In order to get a strong signal you will have to point your antenna in the right direction or in various directions. As an example in Southern Ontario where I am located there are about three directions to get a signal. The most powerful signals come from the CN Tower in Toronto. The way to tap into those signals is to place the antenna in a high position pointed to the CN Tower. The best place to position an indoor antenna is near a window in the direction of the tower You might also pick up signals through walls, but I have had not luck with this method. If you live in an apartment and have a balcony facing in the right direction then you can try an outdoor antenna if your build allows for this or try to hide it if possible.



The best chance of getting a strong signal are for those who can place an outdoor antenna high enough not to get blocked by building or trees. The outdoor antennas can produce many more channels and can be rotated with the right equipment to tune in channels from many directions. You might also have to play around with new antennas until you get the strongest signal. There are many channels hidden in your TV tuner. The television that I have had 2 channels not visible and I had to set them manually. It pays to read the instruction for your TV or to play with the settings, you might find some hidden channels that need to be add manually.

New TV Tuner USB Stick

The PC TV tuner stick is the best way to get PVR functions from an antenna. When I had cable I also had a subscription to TIVO. The TIVO service is amazing and I will never bad mouth their product. The TIVO service also works with an HDTV antenna and you can record over the air broadcast just as you would with cable. The only thing with using TIVO is that you would need to pay for the service. If you do add TIVO to your free cable project then you can also use it to get on demand movies from Amazon. Since this project is about going without cable and finding ways to save money I had to find a free PVR solution. Looking online I found great reviews for the Kworld USB TV Tuner. It was easy to install and the unit picked up a few extra channels that my TV's built in tuner could not find. If you are looking for a way to record television with an antenna then give this unit a try. The software is also able to get a tv guide based on the channels that it tuned in without you having to tell the software your location. The USB stick was perfect for using with my laptop or for my desktop PC. Once you have the tuner set up, you can record programs pause live TV and burn your recording to a DVD. The software was easy to use and has a very nice interface. This is the best way to record programs in HD.

Downloading TV Show Dollhouse

With cable gone I set a budget for downloading TV shows on iTunes. The amount I set for downloads was $20.00 this also includes movies. The first show I downloaded was Dollhouse a Fox show. Must admit I never watched this show on TV and the description in iTunes sounded like something I'd like. After about 20 minutes of downloading I had 3 episodes for a total of $7.47 which is about 3 hours of TV viewing. If I spread out this show out for a few months I have something to look forward to watching. If I can get this box set from another source then I will rent it which might cost less. Overall I would say that getting TV shows from iTunes is a good choice. Now this is going to make me want an Apple TV unit to stream videos from the PC to TV.

Is this Fake 52" LCD 1080p HDTV!

A few readers passed this contest to me for a 52" LCD 1080p HDTV! It just asks for a zip submit, but I am in Canada and can not enter. If you are the use let me know if this works. Results will be posted. Sure would be nice to win a 52" LCD TV. Would be cool to get free TV on a new HDTV.

More details here!

Cable Is Now Cut Off

Today the cable was officially cut off that means I am on my own for television viewing. The last few days I was preparing for this day and am ready to start watching free television. With my antenna and Internet TV there is more then enough programs to watch. Tonight I tuned into the CBC in HD picture looks amazing and the programing is fine. The only thing I miss is not having a television guide. This means I will need to go online to find out what is on. Other then that I just keep thinking of the money I am saving and how Cogeco my cable provider is losing over $1000 a year from me. They still have a great number of customers perhaps they might not even care, but at least I have my money. The money I will be saving can go into new technology to make watching Internet video a better experience on the TV. Looking at more online programing and will report back as soon as find some more sources.

Satellite Instead of Cable

If you are in a location in the US that is not properly covered for free over the air TV. Then you might want to consider a Satellite Dish. On average Satellite programing can cost less and offer more then cable. Looking online I found this deal for US readers.

DISH Network and Showtime starter package for only $9.99 with 3 months of Showtime FREE
Get HBO and Showtime with a new Dish install—FREE. Dish Network has been a very popular choice for those looking for alternative to over the air television and cable.

You can find out more about Dish Network here!

This promotion also includes the installation of the Dish, so you do not have to get up on your roof and do it yourself. That's a great deal here in Canada it can cost $99.00 just for the install, so getting it free is a very nice touch from Dish Network.

Getting Used to Free Cable TV

Today was my official first day with the HDTV antenna. It was what I was expecting, not to get
many HD channels. With the channels I did find there was enough programing to satisfy my TV viewing. The live TV channels are perfect for the local news and movies. There is a good number of movies on these channels. The networks have all my favourite shows and the signal is strong enough that I won't miss some of my favorites. Doing a little more research I found the the stations owned by CTV network in Canada have many online on demand videos of their most popular shows. These are full shows, for some reason they do chop up the video streams into parts. One show I was watching was in 5 parts. Going through some more Canadian networks to find more shows. The way I found these shows today was kind of like having TIVO or cables on demand service. It's going to take me a little while to get used to switching from antenna to laptop. There might be a better solution if I buy a dedicated PC just for media and leave it hooked up to the TV. The new netbook PC are cheap enough to work out as a media PC.

HDTV Antenna Arrived

My new HDTV antenna arrived and I was able to test the signal in my area. At first I was only getting one channel when I had it low to the ground. Once I place it at another window and at a higher level I got 4 digital HDTV channels and 16 regular channels. That's 20 channels for free without a bill from the cable company. In addition to all the stations I get online. In total with the antenna and the stations online that's about 100 free channels to pick from. There are also many free video on demand service and video content that I won't count as a station. Now the next step for my free cable project is getting a dedicated PC for video streaming. There are a few small PC's running Windows XP and the Intel Atom chip. These are like the netbooks, but have a little more power and cost in the $250 to $400 range. With one of these computer hooked up to the TV I would be able to stream and play back almost any media type. The prices of these PC's will be dropping as more companies come into the market I will keep looking for the best deal. In the meantime I have more TV to watch then ever before and it's all free.

HDTV is FREE Don't Pay Rogers Bell Cogeco

If you live in southern Ontario you are in one of the best spots in North America to get free HDTV. As I mentioned in an earlier post all you need is an HDTV antenna or UHF antenna. If you have a clear line of site to the CN Tower you would be surprised at how many TV stations you can get. If you are paying Roger Bell or Cogeco stop paying them. You do not need a service to get these channels. There are also a good number of stations from Buffalo and Rochester New York that broadcast in HD. All you need is to point a quality antenna in the right direction.

Joost Video Today

Today I went through the Joost video selection. They do have many programs to pick from. The cartoon section had some old show, but they were entertaining. It's been years since I watched Fat Albert and He Man those were favorites of mine growing up. It's nice to see these show on Joost. The full screen mode of the browser built player does work well and the video did not stutter. In the next few days I will check out their retro television selection. The are some older shows that are still fun to watch. Since I started my free cable project I have found so many sources for entertainment that I do not have time in my day to get to everything online.

Xbox Movies

The Xbox 360 also has a movie service built in. If you gave up HBO or another movie station when you gave up cable, you can use your Xbox to buy or rent movies online. Your Xbox 360 is also a media player, if you have movies downloaded in the right format then you can play them back with the Xbox. The cost of renting movies or buying is almost identical to the iTunes music store. If you own an Xbox play around with the supported movie files. You can also use the Xbox as an up scaling DVD player if you have it connect to an HDTV with and HDMI cable.

TVU Player

If you want to watch even more channels online then the free TVU Player will get you some great programs. This player is a download which means all video plays inside the player. The player brings up an ad every time you change the station. It can take a few seconds for video to start, but once it does the quality is low. This player is a great way to get extra station and they do have some major stations. The TVU Player should be part of your free TV gear. What I liked is all the news networks. If you are looking for movies then this player does not have any current movies. The stations I found for movies were all b-movies and very old. Overall you need this for networks and news stations.

HDTV Antenna

A few days ago I ordered my HDTV antenna, but I did find another great source. This site has HDTV antennas starting at $0.01. If you are looking for a low cost antenna give this site a look.

HDTV Antenna

Made It Through First Day Cable Free

This was my first day of being Cable free. The only thing that I needed to do was hook up a laptop to my LCD TV and I was ready to watch Internet video. The quality was great considering the source and the age of the laptop that I used for this project. In the next week I should have my antenna to test out and should get some free HDTV stations in my area. The only thing that I found a little troublesome was changing content to watch on the laptop. Since you do not have a remote control to change channels you need to find web sites and get the program you want to watch.. Once you do have your program set up you might want to stick to the program or stream. This is the only problem with watching Internet video, changing programs is much harder then just flipping through the channels. Other then that this first day has been a blast wathcing free video from the internet. Some time this week I will look into wathcing movies and what sources are available for free or very little cost.

More Free Online Videos Joost

If you want to watch older television show and movies then Joost is the answer. This site has been around for a few years and is legal and free. The Joost service has permission to use videos from a number of providers. You will find highlights from CBS shows and a few more networks. If you like old cartoons I even found Heman and a few more classics like G.I Joe. The older movies are not that great, but it can kill a few hours on a Sunday. The web site is very user friendly and you can make the video full screen. Overall I think for those looking for free programing online that Joost is a very worthy site to visit.

Can You Believe I Used To Pay For Cable

It's hard to believe that I was paying for cable just a few days ago. The Internet has changed everything. In less then 24 hours I went from cable to the world of online video and I must say I was surprised as to the number of free services online. In my last post I mentioned YouTube, but what about movies. Well there are a few options in this post I will mention the legal way of getting movies online. If you are in the US you can get videos on demand from Amazon here are a few titles that I found doing a quick scan of their service.

Knowing
Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Taken
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

There were thousands to pick from these were just the top movies listed. The cost per movie rental is $3.99 and you can download the movie to your computer or a media streaming device that I will review in a future post. This is a great deal since you got rid of cable and are saving on average $60 to $100 a month, even if you pay for a few rentals you are still ahead and it's 100% legal.

Online Stations

If you search online there are many free streaming TV services in many languages. You can watch TV from all over the world. While I am waiting for my antenna I am going to hook up my lap top to my flat screen and try to watch a few shows. My first choice was YouTube there is so much free programing on YouTube that it can fill hours of TV viewing. On average I would say I can spend maybe 2 to 4 hours a night watching television. Since YouTube has so many music videos and fresh home made content it will take me a few days to get bored and move on to a new video service. The nice thing about YouTube is that you can get videos on almost any topic and at leat you can learn something. Still not missing the cable.