Fire stick / cable alternatives?

3 years ago

Wed Dec 08, 2021 5:31 am

Cassie

DeveloperLoves long talks on the beach

Cassie has been gardening for over 2 years.

Level55 Last INQFriday, February 14, 2020 Gardening For4 years, 7 months, 2 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes Next Level in27 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes on October 14th INQ 1yr onSunday, February 14, 2021 INQ 1yr reached3 years, 7 months, 2 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago INQ 2yr onMonday, February 14, 2022 INQ 2yr reached2 years, 7 months, 2 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago

BrutalBodyShots wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 12:37 am Can someone school me on a fire stick? I hear people talk about them all the time but I don't know what they actually provide and at what cost. So I ditched cable probably 2 years ago and get by fine with just Netflix and Prime Video. My son and I are fine with the movies/shows between those two services. What I do miss however are live sports, only local stuff really. My son enjoys watching Yankee games among other things. I usually just use stream2watch for live stuff; tonight I had the Knicks and Rangers games going for example at the same time. It does suck though fighting through pop-ups to get a stream going, then an occasional pop-up during a game, sometimes a stream cuts out, etc. I mean, you get what you pay for ($0) lol. Anyway, does a fire stick or anything else make it possible to see live local sports games?

What about using a $20 HDTV antenna like this one from Amazon for watching the local over-the-air broadcast? I bought 2 of them as backup for when Comcast cable is out due to a power outage in the area. It works great, and picks up a lot of channels from pretty far away!

TU8 799/EX8 786/EQ8 805 EQ5 770/EX2 757 8/18/2023

3 years ago

Wed Dec 08, 2021 5:52 am

Saeren

Rebel Administrator

Recent HP or new account.

Level0 Last INQFriday, August 23, 2024 Gardening For24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes Next Level in6 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes on September 23rd INQ 1yr onSaturday, August 23, 2025 INQ 1yr in11 months, 6 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes INQ 2yr onSunday, August 23, 2026 INQ 2yr in1 year, 11 months, 6 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes Goal6 months Goal DateSunday, February 23, 2025 Goal In5 months, 6 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes

All that a Fire Stick does is act as a device to run streaming apps on. You still have to either subscribe to services or use pirate apps to get the things you want to watch. For live stuff, YouTube TV or if you're specifically interested in sports, I've heard Fubo TV, are the things to look at.

I have a Fire Stick 4K and it's an okay device for what it is. I used it when I went to other people's houses so I could have Kodi available to let me stream anything I wanted to. I run an Nvidia Shield TV at home.

3 years ago

Wed Dec 08, 2021 7:20 am

BrutalBodyShots

Senior AdministratorGoodwill Saturation Technique Author

BrutalBodyShots has been gardening for over 2 years.
BrutalBodyShots has achieved the Garden Goal !!

Level27 Last INQMonday, May 23, 2022 Gardening For2 years, 3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes Next Level in6 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes on September 23rd INQ 1yr onTuesday, May 23, 2023 INQ 1yr reached1 year, 3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago INQ 2yr onThursday, May 23, 2024 INQ 2yr reached3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago Goal24 months Goal DateThursday, May 23, 2024 Goal Achieved3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago

Cassie wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 5:31 am What about using a $20 HDTV antenna like this one from Amazon for watching the local over-the-air broadcast?

Could possibly work, although I think 50 miles may be a bit short on range. I'm about 75-80 miles away from NYC and I'd imagine most of the broadcasts I'm looking for come from there. I should have been more specific when I said "local" earlier.

3 years ago

Wed Dec 08, 2021 7:53 am

Cassie

DeveloperLoves long talks on the beach

Cassie has been gardening for over 2 years.

Level55 Last INQFriday, February 14, 2020 Gardening For4 years, 7 months, 2 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes Next Level in27 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes on October 14th INQ 1yr onSunday, February 14, 2021 INQ 1yr reached3 years, 7 months, 2 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago INQ 2yr onMonday, February 14, 2022 INQ 2yr reached2 years, 7 months, 2 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago

BrutalBodyShots wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 7:20 am
Cassie wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 5:31 am What about using a $20 HDTV antenna like this one from Amazon for watching the local over-the-air broadcast?
Could possibly work, although I think 50 miles may be a bit short on range. I'm about 75-80 miles away from NYC and I'd imagine most of the broadcasts I'm looking for come from there. I should have been more specific when I said "local" earlier.

Check the FCC's digital tv reception map here: https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps That will tell you what channels you're likely to receive with the antenna at the link I posted. I've seen some on my own TV that the FCC shows as 60 miles away. I'm 30 miles from the Canadian border and get CBC Channel 9 from Windsor, Ontario with that little antenna. (As with most Canadian stations, all they broadcast is hockey, news, and various indigenous wildlife. lol)

3 years ago

Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:56 pm

BrutalBodyShots

Senior AdministratorGoodwill Saturation Technique Author

BrutalBodyShots has been gardening for over 2 years.
BrutalBodyShots has achieved the Garden Goal !!

Level27 Last INQMonday, May 23, 2022 Gardening For2 years, 3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes Next Level in6 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes on September 23rd INQ 1yr onTuesday, May 23, 2023 INQ 1yr reached1 year, 3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago INQ 2yr onThursday, May 23, 2024 INQ 2yr reached3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago Goal24 months Goal DateThursday, May 23, 2024 Goal Achieved3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago

Thanks. No dice for me. The 2 channels I'm most interested in are YES and MSG. Strait up ESPN would be nice too for the occasional big match up game shown there.

3 years ago

Wed Dec 08, 2021 6:01 pm

Cassie

DeveloperLoves long talks on the beach

Cassie has been gardening for over 2 years.

Level55 Last INQFriday, February 14, 2020 Gardening For4 years, 7 months, 2 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes Next Level in27 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes on October 14th INQ 1yr onSunday, February 14, 2021 INQ 1yr reached3 years, 7 months, 2 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago INQ 2yr onMonday, February 14, 2022 INQ 2yr reached2 years, 7 months, 2 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago

BrutalBodyShots wrote: ↑Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:56 pm Thanks. No dice for me. The 2 channels I'm most interested in are YES and MSG. Strait up ESPN would be nice too for the occasional big match up game shown there.

Oh sorry about that. I don't know if a subscription to ESPN+ streaming is worth it, but it's out there on Firestick.

3 years ago

Wed Dec 08, 2021 7:06 pm

BrutalBodyShots

Senior AdministratorGoodwill Saturation Technique Author

BrutalBodyShots has been gardening for over 2 years.
BrutalBodyShots has achieved the Garden Goal !!

Level27 Last INQMonday, May 23, 2022 Gardening For2 years, 3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes Next Level in6 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes on September 23rd INQ 1yr onTuesday, May 23, 2023 INQ 1yr reached1 year, 3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago INQ 2yr onThursday, May 23, 2024 INQ 2yr reached3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago Goal24 months Goal DateThursday, May 23, 2024 Goal Achieved3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago

Looks like for MSG and YES I'll have to continue to use streaming sites.

Would be great if providers came up with a la carte deals on channels. All of these 500-1000 channel packages and I'll I'd use are probably 4-5 of them. That's the main reason I ditched Fios TV. $140/mo or whatever it was and I rarely even turned it on. When I did it was always the same couple of channels.

3 years ago

Thu Dec 16, 2021 11:42 am

Birdman

Primer AuthorCo-Founder

Birdman has been gardening for over 2 years.

Level30 Last INQWednesday, March 2, 2022 Gardening For2 years, 6 months, 14 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes Next Level in15 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes on October 2nd INQ 1yr onThursday, March 2, 2023 INQ 1yr reached1 year, 6 months, 14 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago INQ 2yr onSaturday, March 2, 2024 INQ 2yr reached6 months, 14 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago

You can buy a lot of channels à la cart. You might also check out sling, someone I know uses that and is very happy.

3 years ago

Thu Dec 16, 2021 8:38 pm

BrutalBodyShots

Senior AdministratorGoodwill Saturation Technique Author

BrutalBodyShots has been gardening for over 2 years.
BrutalBodyShots has achieved the Garden Goal !!

Level27 Last INQMonday, May 23, 2022 Gardening For2 years, 3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes Next Level in6 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes on September 23rd INQ 1yr onTuesday, May 23, 2023 INQ 1yr reached1 year, 3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago INQ 2yr onThursday, May 23, 2024 INQ 2yr reached3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago Goal24 months Goal DateThursday, May 23, 2024 Goal Achieved3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago

Birdman wrote: ↑Thu Dec 16, 2021 11:42 am You can buy a lot of channels à la cart. You might also check out sling, someone I know uses that and is very happy.

Can you? From what sources? I am unfamiliar with Sling, but will have to check it out.

3 years ago

Fri Dec 17, 2021 3:08 am

Birdman

Primer AuthorCo-Founder

Birdman has been gardening for over 2 years.

Level30 Last INQWednesday, March 2, 2022 Gardening For2 years, 6 months, 14 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes Next Level in15 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes on October 2nd INQ 1yr onThursday, March 2, 2023 INQ 1yr reached1 year, 6 months, 14 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago INQ 2yr onSaturday, March 2, 2024 INQ 2yr reached6 months, 14 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago

Many offer it directly you can buy HBO Showtime starz Disney many of those alone or in a package. Sling offer some good packages and à la cart I believe and then add the digital antenna with amplifier if necessary for local channels.

3 years ago

Fri Dec 17, 2021 8:02 am

BrutalBodyShots

Senior AdministratorGoodwill Saturation Technique Author

BrutalBodyShots has been gardening for over 2 years.
BrutalBodyShots has achieved the Garden Goal !!

Level27 Last INQMonday, May 23, 2022 Gardening For2 years, 3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes Next Level in6 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes on September 23rd INQ 1yr onTuesday, May 23, 2023 INQ 1yr reached1 year, 3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago INQ 2yr onThursday, May 23, 2024 INQ 2yr reached3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago Goal24 months Goal DateThursday, May 23, 2024 Goal Achieved3 months, 24 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago

I guess I mean more of the obscure channels, not the major stuff like HBO etc.

I used to have Fios TV for example, which was I don't know $125/mo or something for a package of channels 99% of which I never used. It would be nice to pick a handful of channels from their lineup a la carte style to arrive at a win-win. I get the channels I want, they get me [back] as a Fios TV customer. I still use Fios for internet, just dropped the TV.

3 years ago

Mon Dec 20, 2021 1:27 am

Birdman

Primer AuthorCo-Founder

Birdman has been gardening for over 2 years.

Level30 Last INQWednesday, March 2, 2022 Gardening For2 years, 6 months, 14 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes Next Level in15 days, 10 hours, and 47 minutes on October 2nd INQ 1yr onThursday, March 2, 2023 INQ 1yr reached1 year, 6 months, 14 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago INQ 2yr onSaturday, March 2, 2024 INQ 2yr reached6 months, 14 days, 13 hours, and 13 minutes ago

Depends on which channels you want many are available à la carte