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About a year ago we asked if you were planning on canceling your cable or satellite TV service. A lot’s happened in the world of streaming video, and in light of a new report that estimates a pretty large amount of people had cut the cable/satellite/fiber cord over the last couple of years, we wanted to pose the question again.
Research firm Convergence Consulting Group in a recent report estimates that 800,000 U.S. households had cut such services by the end of 2009, with the number expected to double by the end of 2011, notes Tech Crunch.
Yes, that’s still less than 1 percent of the satellite and cable subscribers, but nearly a million households is significant enough to represent the growing trend among viewership, especially as more products and software emerge that can facilitate alternatives (of course, you’ll still need some sort of broadband).
We’ve seen hardware such as Iogear’s wireless A/V kit, connected Blu-ray players like LG’s BD-390, a slew of networked products and televisions at this year’s CES, popular software aggregators such as PlayOn and Boxee, and more that let you enjoy Netflix, Vudu, Hulu, YouTube and other web videos.
There’s even more hope for live sports streaming’s greater web video presence with expanded programming of ESPN 360 and more.
Plus, if you’re tech savvy with your computer and TV/projection set up, you may have a desktop, laptop or netbook near your display to hardwire and send web video that way to a bigger screen. Dedicated home theater PCs, Mac Minis and more are easy to come by and may end up costing less as your yearly cable expenses, and last you much longer than that year’s time.
So have you, or do you plan to, cut the cord? If so, let us know your reasons why (or why not) in comments below.
If the prices of cable & sat services keep going up I think more and more people will. I have though about it but their are a few things that at present are keeping me with sat.
I have no plans on dropping my Direct TV. Video streaming has a long way to go , the HD resolutiion and High quality audio isnt there yet.
For those who can experiment Windows Media Center 7 makes for on very refined DVR. I use a dual atom Acer 3910 along with the Silicon Dust Dual OTA HDTV Tuner which outputs over ETHERNET. Stream to an PC in your house. Sweet!
No fees with the best picture quality, so its a no brainer solution
Over the air is only a viable option, of you can get it and they have something you want. Other then PBS there is VERY little I care about on broadcast over the air tv. The satiliate gives me plenty of selection both in viewing and in listening options. As I said in earlier post here, later this summer I won’t have my dsl, so streaming material will no longer be a option, at least not like I’m used to doing now..
If you can get good over the air, and find content you like all better, but many of us don’t care for the fare offered by the traditional broadcast networks.
Ken Lawson
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I live in mountains north of Phoenix. Thre is almost no possible over-the-air, and poor satellite service aournd here, in mid-sized cities.
I’m afraid we don’t all live in Kansas, techies. The monopolies and their constantly rising fees are our future and past, when you don’t live in the “flatlands”...