Major Networks and Not Pay a Monthly Fee for TV • of Course You Won’T Get Any of the Special Interest Channels

The Computer Connected Villager Club, Inc. Presents

Ted Wright

1 www.connectedvillager.com

Copyright 2018 Computer Connected Villager, Inc • The Computer-Connected Villager Club serves to help Villagers understand and manage technology • We meet weekly on Mondays at Eisenhower Rec Center at 1 PM • Besides Cutting the Cord, we cover any tech affecting villagers • Topics include smartphones & tablets, autonomous vehicles, networking, email, air conditioning, water heaters, emerging tech, avoiding scams, transferring pics from phones, cloud computing, disaster preparedness, drones, 3D printing, robotics, and more • We hold workshops approximately every 2 months to give one-on-one help on Apple and Android devices, Windows computers, Chromebook, and any other tech topic – experts in each field for each group

• The cord that supplies TV service to your house • Comcast, CenturyLink, Spectrum • Satellite Providers • Why? – Cost – Poor service

Together these are grouped as cable providers

Service Splitter Provider HDMI Cable TVs Set Top Box TV Coax Wi-Fi Router Ethernet Wired Phones

Service Splitter Provider HDMI Satellite TV Fiber TVs Set Top Box Coax Wi-Fi DSL Router Fiber Ethernet

Wired Phones

• In reality you are only cutting the TV part of the cord • You still need internet to provide computer access • If you want to use an antenna you can get the 4 major networks and not pay a monthly fee for TV • Of course you won’t get any of the special interest channels – HBO, Discovery, MSNBC, etc. • You would have to buy a TiVo or similar to record and playback shows

Wi-Fi Streaming Media Player Antenna Splitter HDMI Coax TV TVs

Wi-Fi Service Cable Router Provider DSL Ethernet Fiber Wired Phones

• Ultra ($99) is top of the line (link) – 4K resolution, voice remote, private listening, expandable storage, night listening mode • “Streaming Stick +” ($70) probably best choice (link) – Also 4K, voice remote, private listening, powers off usb from TV – Not worth saving $20 to get the non + version

• Apple TV 4K ($179) top of the line – Probably not worth saving $30 with the standard version • Voice remote with Siri • Favors iTunes in choices • No Google app

• Fire Cube ($120) – 4K, built in Alexa, voice control (with compatible devices) – You can have Alexa control TVs without this also • Fire Stick ($40) – HD compatible, voice control

Not compatible with YouTube TV !

• Chromecast ($35) • Needs a supporting device (computer, Chromebook, tablet, smartphone) to convert to video and then send the video to the TV • Works over wi-fi to your device

• Compare to your other expenses – Utilities • Electric • Water • Amenities – Cell phone – Golf • You are probably paying more for cable than most (or maybe all) of these!

• TV – most expensive • Internet – you will need it anyway • Phone – do you really need a home phone when you have a cell phone?

Bundle prices are less than ala carte

• My Bill as an example

Item Sub-Item Price Total Xfinity Package 127.99 X1 Triple Play 124.99 Non-published number 3.00

Item Sub-Item Price Total Equipment & Services 42.93 DVR Service 10.00 Add’l TV with box 9.95 Add’l TV with adapter (x 2) 11.98 Modem/router rental 11.00

Item Sub-Item Price Total Other Charges 15.97 Univ connectivity charge 0.92 Regulatory recovery fee 0.30 Broadcast TV fee 8.00 Regional Sports fee 6.75

Item Sub-Item Price Total Taxes & Surcharges 12.74 State & Local taxes 1.18 State Communications tax 8.09 Local Communications tax 2.99 FCC regulatory fee 0.08 911 fees 0.40

Total 199.63 Xfinity Package 127.99 Equipment & Services 42.93 Other Charges 15.97 Taxes, Surcharges, & Fees 12.74

• Phone – use cell phone • Buy my own modem • Minimize add-on devices

• TVs – where I want them – Main TV – Bedroom TV – 2nd Bedroom TV – Office TV • Internet – at least 60 Mbps

• Cheaper TV plan • Over-the-air (OTA) – use antenna • Streaming

Copyright 2018 Computer Connected Villager, Inc 23 Determine Your Needs • What channels do you watch – Regularly – Occasionally • Do you really need those channels? • Make a list – Channels you must have • Live shows, real-time news – Channels you would like to have – Channels that may be nice to see This will determine your options and cost

• Must have – 4 major networks live – HGTV, Animal Planet, Discovery, • Like to have – PBS, CNBC, Fox News, Food Network, Travel, MSNBC, Bloomberg, Nat Geo, Science, DIY, Fox Business • Nice to see – Weather channel, A&E, History, BBC America, Smithsonian, CMT, E!, Food, TNT, BBC World News, Cooking

• OTA – Antenna • Can be inside attic • May not get NBC • For many locations you get the 4 major networks ok – If outside • Restrictions ? • Lightning

• Streaming – Safer but more costly – Takes a little learning – YouTube TV, Sony PlayStation TV, DirecTV Now, HULU, Sling TV – Using Smart TV, Roku, Fire Stick, Apple TV, ChromeCast, etc.

Copyright 2018 Computerhttps://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2489103,00.asp Connected Villager, Inc 28 Analyze my needs • Made a spreadsheet for all the channels in my current Comcast plan • Then made columns for each streaming option • Then highlighted the rows of my requirements – Red – must have – Pink – like to have – Orange – nice to see • Then noted where the needs met the supplier (an X in the box) • Those with the most hits win Copyright 2018 Computer Connected Villager, Inc 29 My Choices – Choice 1 YouTube TV & Philo $40+$16=$56 • Must have – 4 major networks live – HGTV, Animal Planet, Discovery, • Like to have – PBS, CNBC, Fox News, Food Network, Travel, MSNBC, Bloomberg, Nat Geo, Science, DIY, Fox Business • Nice to see – Weather channel, A&E, History, BBC America, Smithsonian, CMT, E!, Food, TNT, BBC World News, Cooking

Copyright 2018 Computer Connected Villager, Inc 30 My Choices – Choice 2 DirecTV Now $35 ($50+) ($60++) • Must have – 4 major networks live – HGTV, Animal Planet, Discovery, • Like to have • PBS, CNBC, Fox News, Food Network, Travel(+), MSNBC, Bloomberg, Nat Geo, Science (+), DIY (++), Fox Business • Nice to see – Weather channel (+), A&E, History, BBC America, Smithsonian, CMT, E!, Food, TNT, BBC World News (++), Cooking (+)

Copyright 2018 Computer Connected Villager, Inc 31 My Choices – Choice 3 Comcast + Philo $65 + $16 = $81* includes internet • Must have – 4 major networks live – HGTV, Animal Planet, Discovery, • Like to have – PBS, CNBC, Fox News, Food Network, Travel, MSNBC, Bloomberg, Nat Geo, Science , DIY , Fox Business • Nice to see – Weather channel , A&E, History, BBC America, Smithsonian, CMT, E!, Food, TNT, BBC World News, Cooking

Copyright 2018 Computer Connected Villager, Inc 32 My Choices – Choice 4 Comcast 10 + Philo $55 + $16 • Must have – 4 major networks live – HGTV, Animal Planet, Discovery, • Like to have – PBS, CNBC, Fox News, Food Network, Travel, MSNBC, Bloomberg, Nat Geo, Science, DIY, Fox Business • Nice to see – Weather channel, A&E, History, BBC America, Smithsonian, CMT, E!, Food, TNT, BBC World News, Cooking

Copyright 2018 Computer Connected Villager, Inc 33 My Choices Choice 5 Comcast 10+ DirecTV $55 + $60 = $115 • Must have – 4 major networks live – HGTV, Animal Planet, Discovery, • Like to have – PBS, CNBC, Fox News, Food Network, Travel, MSNBC, Bloomberg, Nat Geo, Science, DIY, Fox Business • Nice to see – Weather channel, A&E, History, BBC America, Smithsonian, CMT, E!, Food, TNT, BBC World News, Cooking

• Comcast Speed No term One year Blast 150 $ 44.99 Performance 60 $ 69.95 Extreme 250 $ 59.99 • CenturyLink Speed No term 25 45 80 45

• Spectrum 60 Mbps $44.99

• Comcast with basic TV Speed No term One year TV channels Basic 25 29.99 10+ Blast 150 59.99 10+ Plus 60 39.99 10+ Plus & Blast 150 54.99 10+ * Blast Plus 150 64.99 100+*

•*These two include HD, No box needed, Cloud DVR, STARZ 0r Cinemax • For the others you need extras!

Choice Quality Base Pkg Add-on Internet Total 1 75 YouTube TV $40 Philo $16 $45 $101 2 95 DirecTV Now $60 $45 $105 3 85 Comcast 100+ $65 Philo $16 Incl, need box $81 4 50 Comcast 10+ $55 Philo $16 Incl & no box $71 5 98 Comcast 10+ $55 DirecTV Now $60 Incl & no box $115

Feature Comcast 10+ Comcast 100+ YouTube TV DirecTV Now Philo Simultaneo Multiple ??? 1 TV/Box 3 2 3 us Use No box reqd DVR No Extra 9 mo, inf ch 20h free 30 d 30d inf ch $10/ mo 100h 90d

• Comcast 10+ and DirecTV Now - $115 • No additional equipment & services – Buying my own modem – No phone – No boxes • Yes, one time purchase of Roku Streaming Stick+ (4 units) – Just add taxes & fees - $29 • Total = $144, a savings of $55

Copyright 2018 Computer Connected Villager, Inc 39 Could I do better? • I could save $10 by not getting the TV with internet – not really worth it to do • I could save $25 by dropping some likes and nice to have by choosing the $40 DirecTV plan – I just decided I want what I want • What is really nice is that I can take a Roku stick anywhere there is wifi and get my services • Even nicer is getting all of it on my phone or tablet

• Sports • Movies • TV Series • News • Ethnic Channels • Specialty Channels Over 10,000 channels to watch!

• Major teams – football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer – Most leagues have their own channels for a price • College & specialty sports – Many also have their own channels • International sports

• Source of recently released (6 months old) features and older • Several services – Netflix, Amazon (included in Amazon Prime), Sony – More as old material is purchased – Cost around $10 to $15 / month • Free B, C, D, and other titles

• Many of the old shows • Recent popular series – Network shows from last few seasons • Popular oldies – Old western from the 50s & 60s – Variety shows

• Check news from your hometown • Around the world • In native languages • Different viewpoints

• Shows relevant to your ancestry around the world • Local customs

• Music for any genre • Relaxation videos • Adult comedy

• May not get all the channels (we are in the deep fringe) • Adds another complication to switching channels • Don’t have to run wires • Avoid the lightning problem • The main streaming channels give you almost all that the antenna does

51 Copyright 2018 Computer Connected Villager, Inc It is more than calling the cable guy • You have to invest some of your time to make it work • You need to learn how to connect these devices, register them with your wi-fi and create accounts with content providers • The interface for selecting shows is different (but similar) • You have more control

• Many videos on YouTube on how to each step • You need to know your passwords for each of the accounts (keep them different!) Write them down someplace secure • Read the instruction manuals (ugh) • Talk to people who have already done it • Get a buddy and do it together (usually 2 heads are better than one)

• Comcast • Hulu • CenturyLink • Philo • Spectrum • Roku • YouTube TV • Amazon Stick, Pure • Sling • Apple TV • DirecTV Now • Chromecast • Sony Playstation Vue • Spreadsheet of options

• And the thousands of channels you didn’t know you had time to watch!