TV Program Viewing Method Poll (1 Viewer)

[Citizen87645]

I'm curious how people are keeping up with TV programming these days.

Vote in the poll above this post, as well as provide any comments in this thread.

 

[Jim Mcc]

100% by Netflix streaming and discs from the library. I cannot stand commercials. The only thing I watch on "live TV" is football games.

 

[Jason Charlton]

My wife and I don't watch that much "first run" TV, so virtually everything we DO watch is DVR'd and we watch it days, or even weeks later. Even if we have the time when the shows are on "live" we'll wait about 20 or so minutes so we can skip commercials.

For our 5-year old boys, we have a bunch of preset series recordings that store 5 episodes of whatever they like to watch and they usually watch from that. If we're not around, or they happen to turn on the TV when one of their shows is on, they'll watch that.

That's pretty much it except for the local news that's on in the bedroom in the mornings (for "listening" mostly, our eyes are still shut), or the occassional sitcom rerun we catch if we opt to eat dinner in front of the TV.

Streaming TV programming holds no interest for me. The fears (warranted or not) of poor A/V quality, signal dropouts, buffering pauses as well as the hassle of trying to physically connect my TV/HT system to the Internet make the concept of streaming way more trouble than it's worth. I leave what little need I have for "watching stuff from the Internet while NOT on my computer" to my iPad. I'll stream some YouTube and/or movie trailers for the wife to see before turning the lights out at bedtime.

 

[Dan Driscoll]

Primarily on my Xfinity DVR. The exceptions are the evening news and live sports.

 

[Type A]

Primarily on my Xfinity DVR. The exceptions are the evening news and live sports.

+1 with the occasional exception. The final season of The Adventures of Merlin didnt seem to be airing on my Comcast BBC channel but as soon as it hit Netflix we watched the final season. I think Netflix also came in handy for missed seasons and episodes of The Walking Dead. But as long as we can DVR it we wont usually wait for Netflix. Netflixs' loss of all the seasons of South Park was noticed.

 

[Brian McHale]

"My wife and I don't watch that much "first run" TV, so virtually everything we DO watch is DVR'd and we watch it days, or even weeks later. Even if we have the time when the shows are on "live" we'll wait about 20 or so minutes so we can skip commercials."

That pretty much sums it up for me.

 

[schan1269]

@ Jason. If your Ipad is a 2 or a "new one"...(just not a 1) you can purchase the Apple AV Adapter. I got mine from Ebay for $27. Target has them for $40. Not tried it on the Ipod...as everything the Ipod has...the Ipad has it...


Otherwise...

I hardly watch live TV, Sports yes...but even then I'll let it go ahead, cook some food...then watch(except for the Superbowl...cause if the game is a dud...at least you have the commercials...). Easily 90% of my viewing is from the DVR...even if the show is actually on...I'll still watch from the DVR feed as I catch up to live. I also have every channel on Directv, my DVRs(4 of them) are always recording something.

Been catching up on The Walking Dead on Netflix and Skins(UK show) on Hulu. Those two shows are the extent of my "streamed" TV viewing.

 

[Jason Charlton]

@ Jason. If your Ipad is a 2 or a "new one"...(just not a 1) you can purchase the Apple AV Adapter. I got mine from Ebay for $27. Target has them for $40. Not tried it on the Ipod...as everything the Ipod has...the Ipad has it...

That looks like a pretty neat gizmo that would alleviate the headaches of "setting up" for streaming. Might have to consider that..

 

[schan1269]

I watched two more episodes of The Walking Dead on Netflix last night. Occasionally you have to "plug it in two or three times" for it to send over(depending on app it isn't mirror...it is "screen or sent"). But everytime(once you what what app does what) you know instantly if the connection was made. So it isn't "plug it in and wait a minute to see if it works"...which is good. Last night took two plugins...which took about 15 seconds, then it was up and running.

On the apps that are "send over"(like Netflix), the iPad itself turns into an "app remote" of sorts. Pause, rewind etc. Also on ours(could be a setting I lucked out with...???) the volume automatically gets set "full" when the AV adapter is plugged in, then returns to wherever you had it when unplugged.

 

[Citizen87645]

Although it's not a huge sample at this point, I'm somewhat surprised by the results. I would have figured more people would DIY a HTPC. So far, it's just me!

 

[Mike Frezon]

Although it's not a huge sample at this point, I'm somewhat surprised by the results. I would have figured more people would DIY a HTPC. So far, it's just me!

I'm intrigued by the idea, Cameron...but don't know enough about how to go about it. I'm good with the building my own PC...just not sure what parts/software/etc. I would need and how it would integrate into my HT.

So, I'm currently tied to my Time-Warner DVR. My two-year commitment to them is up this month. I got a kick-ass deal after returning to them after fleeing to Dish Network for two years. I won't be going back to satellite. That was a nightmare for me.

 

[schan1269]

I'm intrigued by the idea, Cameron...but don't know enough about how to go about it. I'm good with the building my own PC...just not sure what parts/software/etc. I would need and how it would integrate into my HT.

So, I'm currently tied to my Time-Warner DVR. My two-year commitment to them is up this month. I got a kick-ass deal after returning to them after fleeing to Dish Network for two years. I won't be going back to satellite. That was a nightmare for me.

Your satellite was a nightmare cause you chose Dish...

 

[Rob_Ray]

Current TV holds no interest for me. I occasionally record a title from TCM onto a DVD recorder, but I'm ready to cancel DirecTV altogether and just use over-the-air since MeTV and Antenna TV are offered free. I still watch it live on the rare occasion that I watch broadcast TV at all.

99.5% of all TV I watch are BluRays and DVDs. I don't have the time or the patience for the endless assault of commercials on television these days. I get news from the newspaper, radio and the internet.

 

[Jim Mcc]

Your satellite was a nightmare cause you chose Dish...

We had Dish Network for about 10 years and were very happy with it. Excellent pic quality and cheaper than Direct TV.

 

[Citizen87645]

I'm intrigued by the idea, Cameron...but don't know enough about how to go about it. I'm good with the building my own PC...just not sure what parts/software/etc. I would need and how it would integrate into my HT.

A lot has changed with program delivery since 2006, when I first set up mine. I can see the HTPC DVR and even turnkey solutions like Tivo getting progressively dated, especially the notion of saving copies of recordings long term. Given the technical components I would never recommend it for someone looking for something simple and bulletproof. Between local stations changing up their broadcast settings, location-based issues with over-the-air reception, and issues with the DVR software and hardware itself, it's a fun thing for tinkerers but a definite nightmare for anyone else. My latest hardware issue had me considering paid alternatives, but the fix was simple enough to keep things status quo for awhile. But if things truly go belly up, I likely wouldn't be looking at a 1:1 replacement.

 

[Mike Frezon]

A lot has changed with program delivery since 2006, when I first set up mine. I can see the HTPC DVR and even turnkey solutions like Tivo getting progressively dated, especially the notion of saving copies of recordings long term. Given the technical components I would never recommend it for someone looking for something simple and bulletproof. Between local stations changing up their broadcast settings, location-based issues with over-the-air reception, and issues with the DVR software and hardware itself, it's a fun thing for tinkerers but a definite nightmare for anyone else. My latest hardware issue had me considering paid alternatives, but the fix was simple enough to keep things status quo for awhile. But if things truly go belly up, I likely wouldn't be looking at a 1:1 replacement.

Do the devices only work for OTA reception? Can they not be hooked up to a cable signal...or does T-W now scramble everything (not just the premiums) and require their own set-top boxes to descramble the signal for viewing?

 

[Citizen87645]

There are both types (the best being from SiliconDust), the ones for cable using CableCard to access encrypted and subscribed channels.

I'm on Comcast solely for Internet, and was pulling in local HD channels as part of the ClearQAM requirement. But the laws changed in the last couple years and Comcast has basically scrambled everything, requiring its own decoder like you mentioned, so I had to go back to OTA, which is somewhat less consistent.

I know MattCR is very familiar with the CableCard units.

 

[sidburyjr]

Live events (news, sports, etc) are mostly watched live.

For most other stuff we watch some of it live but typically watch it live + 15 minutes to skip through commercials on our DVR.

Currently we have a DISH package that is costing us a small fortune (we have everything more or less). But we are moving soon to the Charleston, SC area and will rethink our setup. We will probably end up with some (cable/satellite) package with none of the premium stuff but with HiDef. We are also complicated by the fact that within a year we will be living in the Boston area in the summer and Charleston the rest of the year, and I don't want to pay double for internet, TV, and phone. I am considering building an HTPC because I do have enough spare computers and parts to maybe make it work.

 

[schan1269]

Live events (news, sports, etc) are mostly watched live.

For most other stuff we watch some of it live but typically watch it live + 15 minutes to skip through commercials on our DVR.

Currently we have a DISH package that is costing us a small fortune (we have everything more or less). But we are moving soon to the Charleston, SC area and will rethink our setup. We will probably end up with some (cable/satellite) package with none of the premium stuff but with HiDef. We are also complicated by the fact that within a year we will be living in the Boston area in the summer and Charleston the rest of the year, and I don't want to pay double for internet, TV, and phone. I am considering building an HTPC because I do have enough spare computers and parts to maybe make it work.

Dish (starting this year) and DirecTV(began 3 years ago) have "service everywhere".

So, get either in Charleston...then use the "stream service"(Dish has been running the "Shut up, I'm watching my iPad" commercial for months, have you not seen it?) in Boston.

Also, go completely cellular. I haven't had home phone in 14 years. Haven't had "land internet" in 9.

My current home has Wild Blue internet because it was required for the ADT networked home. The WB and ADT are on the same bill.

 

[Joe Bernardi]

I DVR everything (Dish Hopper/Joey system), including NHL and NFL.

I don't have to sit through two 17 minute period intermissions in hockey.

I watch NFL games using the 30 second skip to get to the next play as soon as the play is dead (on the rare occasion I miss the start of the next play, I hit the 15 second rewind).