Cutting the COX Cable cord.....

[BBatesokc]

I'm saving money up to purchase a Channel Master DVR+ so I can record my favorite shows or when I can watch LIve sports shows I can record the games and watch at a later date.

I looked at that unit. Its nice. I can't get over the limitations of just 2 tuners and the $400 price tag seems a bit steep when you're still gonna have to subscribe to an Internet provider - which means you'd already have access to on-demand programming. No monthly subscription (or lifetime subscription) is nice though.

[Pete]

I just bought my first Roku unit for an extra room and I have to say I'm quite impressed. Very quick loading and menu scrolling and queues up streaming content very quickly.

[tfvc.org]

It looks like the FCC is working on doing away with cable box rental fees, also people can start to bring their own box and companies like Roku will start designing boxes that will accept a cable.

Tom Wheeler fires back at cable lobby, says cable box fees are too high | Ars Technica

[Stew]

I've got a roku, Apple TV, google chrome cast and Amazon Fire TV. All gifts for one occasion or anther. Roku is my favorite for legal content streaming. It's really slick. The new Apple TV 4 needs some maturing. The google chrome cast is lost on me. I used to think the Amazon Fire TV was the worst of the lot until I discovered I could side load Kodi onto it. Now it's my go to streamer for media that may not be so freely available on the other boxes.

Don't judge me,

[SoonerDave]

It looks like the FCC is working on doing away with cable box rental fees, also people can start to bring their own box and companies like Roku will start designing boxes that will accept a cable.

Tom Wheeler fires back at cable lobby, says cable box fees are too high | Ars Technica

While there are actually a lot of moving pieces to this, certainly this is one huge component. What's really being pushed is the delivery of content to devices such as XBox Ones and PS4's as a de-facto replaement for STB's. IT is a bit disingneuous for the FCC to act indignant at this pont, when they could have acted years ago to stop the closed-loop nonsense that the cable cos have built.

[stile99]

IT is a bit disingneuous for the FCC to act indignant at this pont, when they could have acted years ago to stop the closed-loop nonsense that the cable cos have built.

It could be argued that they did try. Several times. Cable boxes used to be literally required. Your TV simply had no ability to tune the channels. So then we got cable-ready TVs. Cable companies tried to charge extra for each outlet, they were smacked down. Then they switched to charging a 'digital access fee'. They started requiring cable boxes again, giving various excuses why. Thanks largely to companies like TiVo, we got the CableCard, which the cable companies did everything in their power to make it worthless before it ever left the drawing board. Then when that came out, they just flat out refused to support it, telling people that it was an 'untested' technology that rarely worked, so the FCC said you know what? Eat your own dog food time, use the CableCard in your own boxes as well. Now, miracle of all miracles, they work perfectly! In the cable box. The same card in your TiVo? Untested, tetchy technology. People started figuring out the lie there, so then came the tuning adapter...which really WAS an untested, tetchy technology, and it gave the cable company an out. It's not THEIR fault the service you're paying ever-higher costs for doesn't work, it's that tuning adapter! Since they didn't make the tuning adapter (just gave the exact specs to the company that did make it, and then forced you to use it) it isn't THEIR fault!

[Bullbear]

I've got a roku, Apple TV, google chrome cast and Amazon Fire TV. All gifts for one occasion or anther. Roku is my favorite for legal content streaming. It's really slick. The new Apple TV 4 needs some maturing. The google chrome cast is lost on me. I used to think the Amazon Fire TV was the worst of the lot until I discovered I could side load Kodi onto it. Now it's my go to streamer for media that may not be so freely available on the other boxes.

Don't judge me,

I wont judge.. I love Kodi! Kodi and Netflix cover me for anything I want to see.

[SoonerDave]

It could be argued that they did try. Several times. Cable boxes used to be literally required. Your TV simply had no ability to tune the channels. So then we got cable-ready TVs. Cable companies tried to charge extra for each outlet, they were smacked down. Then they switched to charging a 'digital access fee'. They started requiring cable boxes again, giving various excuses why. Thanks largely to companies like TiVo, we got the CableCard, which the cable companies did everything in their power to make it worthless before it ever left the drawing board. Then when that came out, they just flat out refused to support it, telling people that it was an 'untested' technology that rarely worked, so the FCC said you know what? Eat your own dog food time, use the CableCard in your own boxes as well. Now, miracle of all miracles, they work perfectly! In the cable box. The same card in your TiVo? Untested, tetchy technology. People started figuring out the lie there, so then came the tuning adapter...which really WAS an untested, tetchy technology, and it gave the cable company an out. It's not THEIR fault the service you're paying ever-higher costs for doesn't work, it's that tuning adapter! Since they didn't make the tuning adapter (just gave the exact specs to the company that did make it, and then forced you to use it) it isn't THEIR fault!

I get where you're coming from, but I think the pattern there is that the FCC was reactive to many things that they really knew (or had reason to believe) were on the way and could have pre-empted had they been marginally more consumer-oriented.

[warreng88]

My wife and I are fed up with COX, the slow internet, terrible service and now that they have gone all digital, I have to order a cable box in our bedroom for about 15 channels. I am seriously considering cancelling once Google Fiber comes around. We have Netflix, would get HBO Go and Hulu and would probably pay less than our bill right now. My biggest issue is sporting events. Is there a way to stream OU and Thunder games through something so I don't have to get Fox Sports SW? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Ozmondo]

My wife and I are fed up with COX, the slow internet, terrible service and now that they have gone all digital, I have to order a cable box in our bedroom for about 15 channels. I am seriously considering cancelling once Google Fiber comes around. We have Netflix, would get HBO Go and Hulu and would probably pay less than our bill right now. My biggest issue is sporting events. Is there a way to stream OU and Thunder games through something so I don't have to get Fox Sports SW? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

You can get ESPN and several other channels using Sling TV. UI cut the cord and get everything I need OTA, Sling and Roku.

[FighttheGoodFight]

You can get ESPN and several other channels using Sling TV. UI cut the cord and get everything I need OTA, Sling and Roku.

Mind you he would still need Cox internet plus boxes (one time purchase) for each TV. They have Roku, FireTV, or Apple TV. I would say also to check out PlaystationVue. New service like SlingTV that people are loving right now.

For streaming live TV you would probably need a decent internet speed and wireless router if they are wireless devices.

[Thomas Vu]

You can get ESPN and several other channels using Sling TV. UI cut the cord and get everything I need OTA, Sling and Roku.

Didn't they announce cutting ESPN, but including fox sports?

[Bullbear]

My wife and I are fed up with COX, the slow internet, terrible service and now that they have gone all digital, I have to order a cable box in our bedroom for about 15 channels. I am seriously considering cancelling once Google Fiber comes around. We have Netflix, would get HBO Go and Hulu and would probably pay less than our bill right now. My biggest issue is sporting events. Is there a way to stream OU and Thunder games through something so I don't have to get Fox Sports SW? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sportsdevil add on to Kodi works like a charm.

[Lifeofacheapman]

The best option i found is PS Vue.
They have 3 package. 30, 35, 45 dollars no tax.
Now sure you are going to say "I don't own a PlayStation."
You don't need to own a PlayStation to use the service.
The ps vue app is only available on Amazon fire tv and sticks and also PlayStation 3 or 4 units.
If you don't want to purchase additional equipment.
You can sign up. And simply use the individual channel app and sign in with your ps vue login
on your computer, tablet or cell phone.
I'm signed up on the 30 dollar plan. It comes with fox sports 1 and 2, espn 1 and 2, nbc sports and 50 other channels
Includes a cloud base dvr. Its not perfect but for 30 bucks . It by far beats sling.

[SoonerDave]

The best option i found is PS Vue.
They have 3 package. 30, 35, 45 dollars no tax.
Now sure you are going to say "I don't own a PlayStation."
You don't need to own a PlayStation to use the service.
The ps vue app is only available on Amazon fire tv and sticks and also PlayStation 3 or 4 units.
If you don't want to purchase additional equipment.
You can sign up. And simply use the individual channel app and sign in with your ps vue login
on your computer, tablet or cell phone.
I'm signed up on the 30 dollar plan. It comes with fox sports 1 and 2, espn 1 and 2, nbc sports and 50 other channels
Includes a cloud base dvr. Its not perfect but for 30 bucks . It by far beats sling.

Sling and PSVue are prime examples of how third-party providers are trying to race ahead of the Cable set-top box model. About a year or so ago, I read that the broader content market was pushing toward devices like consoles (such as the PS4 or XBox) as the de-facto next-generation STB's, essentially orphaning the "traditional" box model the CATV oligarchy has imposed. The primary reason we haven't seen even more rapid development in this area is the difficulty of implementing digital rights management (DRM) (to say nothing of the expense of certification), which is actually a $100 way of saying "make it tougher for legitimate customers to record content they've paid for."

A 4K XBoxOne console is on the way, too. All this, combined with direct view of video in HTML5 and you can see at least the general notion of a a non-CATV future. Its still a little fuzzy and clunky, but it's getting closer to reality.

[RadicalModerate]

We just got yet ANOTHER notification from Cox Communication indicating that we've not yet done anything to become part of the New! Improved!! All-Digital Universe they can provide. This one reminded us that it was our "Last Chance" to get onboard. So, here's the question: Since we already have a DVR (FROM COXCOM), what exactly is it they are expecting us to do? Continue to ignore their push to acquire whatever that box is they want people to buy? Or what? (this was probably covered several pages ago on this thread, but I simply can't go back and mine for the answer.)

[turnpup]

RadMod, I *think* it's only for any of your TVs where you don't have a box. If your TVs all have boxes already, then you can probably ignore it. We have all our TVs on boxes and still get the junk mail from them about the new boxes. And we toss them in the trash.

I'm so sick of Cox. Can't wait for Google Fiber!

[BBatesokc]

FYI - Pay for a month of Sling and get a FREE ROKU! Sweet......

https://www.sling.com/freerokustick?...&adid=12175633

[OkiePoke]

Has anyone used the Amazon Firestick and downloaded KODI?

I just got one last night and installed it. Not sure how to watch all the movies and livestream tv/sports. I heard Exodus was good, just don't know how to download it...

[SoonerDave]

Has anyone used the Amazon Firestick and downloaded KODI?

I just got one last night and installed it. Not sure how to watch all the movies and livestream tv/sports. I heard Exodus was good, just don't know how to download it...

Keep in mind that Exodus serves up primarily content of questionable legality. The developers behind Kodi are getting aggressive at fighting the association that Kodi is just a pirate stream content server, pursuing trademark infringement against sellers/promoters of Kodi-named boxes that have such additional stream sources "baked in." Many developers have threatened to quit Kodi development entirely for this one issue. KODI development on Android seems to have stalled out, as the primary (lone?) developer behind it has started his own fork of the code branch to continue working on it apparently in a degree of defiance against current Kodi leadership.

My take: Kodi is a great tool, and there are lots of ways to use it legally. Be careful about what add-ons are providing legit content.

[Thomas Vu]

Most Kodi builds come with a repository. Replace the word "apps" in the mobile world with "add ons" and should be good to go.

[stick47]

I'll stay connected to Direct TV for sports and current TV shows but bought a Firestick, and loaded Kodi on it to watch some old shows and a few movies that don't come around much on TB anymore. (1940s movies were the best!)
Going to program the Nephews Firestick when he brings it over so they can cut to the Cox TV off their plan.

[BBatesokc]

Any long time Sling users here? I'm doing a month right now and I'm not really sold on this product/service.

I've noticed several times I loose connection - even happened during the OU game. Some searching online showed that can be a common issue. It's also happened a few times while watching programs - get the circling buffer thing for about 20 seconds. Really kills the momentum of a movie. I've never experienced this while streaming HBO, Showtime or Netflix on their independent apps.

Also, I guess I'm too used to services like Netflix and my DVR. I was hoping Sling would have more on demand programing. I find very little. I also hate that the live streams most often will not let you pause or rewind.

Right now its not feeling like a good tradeoff from COX Cable with TIVO.

Anyone else experience the lost connections with Sling?

*I'm currently streaming on a Apple TV 4th generation.

[sooner88]

Any long time Sling users here? I'm doing a month right now and I'm not really sold on this product/service.

I've noticed several times I loose connection - even happened during the OU game. Some searching online showed that can be a common issue. It's also happened a few times while watching programs - get the circling buffer thing for about 20 seconds. Really kills the momentum of a movie. I've never experienced this while streaming HBO, Showtime or Netflix on their independent apps.

Also, I guess I'm too used to services like Netflix and my DVR. I was hoping Sling would have more on demand programing. I find very little. I also hate that the live streams most often will not let you pause or rewind.

Right now its not feeling like a good tradeoff from COX Cable with TIVO.

Anyone else experience the lost connections with Sling?

*I'm currently streaming on a Apple TV 4th generation.

I've had Sling since September. I signed up for it solely to watch Thunder / NFL Red Zone and I have experienced connection problems almost every time I use it. It may work for a majority of the game, but there will be at least one time per game I will have to restart the app. Like you said, with a tv show that's not a big deal but with live sports it is frustrating. I am streaming through a Firestick.

[Roger S]

Have a friend that used Sling and he had the same complaints... He's switched over to the Sony streaming service... Think it's called PS Vue... and he's been pretty happy with it.