cut the cable, & (amazon) Silk browser

[Mick Doobie]

I cut the cable several months back. Hell, we didn't watch but a few cable channels, just as often watched local TV channels. W/ antenna I get around 25 channels, and no monthly bill. Win.

Kept internet service, of course. Got the Amazon Firestick, Amazon Prime. Can watch movies/docs on Prime, apps such as Youtube. However, Google(who owns Youtube) and Amazon aren't playing nicely, so Amazon ditched the Youtubes app on 1/1/18, or Google ditched Amazon, whichever. What to do?!

So apparently foreseeing the displeasure of its customer base, Amazon offered a get-around so customers could still watch Youtube. They prompted a download for a BROWSER, Silk. A browser. Wow, who would have thunk possible. So not only can I do the youtubes, I can also browse the net on the TV. As I haven't booted the desktop comp up in months, only laptop, I only hear the HR Clinic through laptop speakers. Now, with silk, might be awesome.

Just downloaded Silk a few days ago, so can't give a proper review. We'll see. Anybody else using Firestick and Silk?

 

[Mick Doobie]

Just went to the Clinic. Hm, looks like soundcloud isn't going to play.

However, listening now to Robus' posting, "Mayfield: Now with Jimistone". Sounds good, guys! Smooth vocal Jimi, very impressive. Recording sounds pretty awesome through my Bose.

Bummer about soundcloud.

edit: Oops, jumped the gun. Soundcloud app not available, but "listen in browser" works. Duh.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

Yeah, I just discovered the same thing-- had heard about YouTube going away from Fire TV Stick, but my Blu-Ray player has YouTube so I wasn't worried. Turns out the YouTube app on my Blu-Ray player doesn't work anymore (it's an older model), so I decided to try it on my Fire TV Stick even though I knew it was supposed to not work. That's when I saw the options to install either Silk or Firefox to watch YouTube. I decided to install both, but so far I think I like a Silk better. I'm not really into watching a lot of YouTube videos per se, but it's a great way to listen to albums that people have posted, or watch concert videos.

 

[CoolCat]

I really need to cut my cable. I also have the old school antenna (hanging in my closet) that pulls in the local channels for FREE.....and the internet is only $45 month unlimited that offers all the streaming, like Netflix wich is enjoyable commercial free tv...and a lot of independent shows that must be booming for the indie film biz.
I could go from $200 month to $65 pretty easily. cut the cable....makes sense.

 

[DM60]

I dumped cable about 9 years ago. Just have antenna, Netflix and Amazon Prime. I will be honest, that is more than enough TV.

 

[Mick Doobie]

It felt senseless to pay a monthly bill to for the most part watch TV channels I could get for free with an antenna. The cost of cable TV here has remained somewhat stable, it's the net bill that steadily increases. If I could offset those increases by cutting TV, a no brainer. I'm using a set-top type antenna, but they have some pretty cool outdoor antennas out there, a far cry from those ugly old fashioned type. Mount on the exterior of your home or in the attic, some have a remote operated rotor. We're selling the house and moving, so when we get where we're going....

Listened to some of the offerings in the Mp3 Clinic here at HR yesterday using the Silk browser. I know it's not the proper or favorable system to listen to critique or offer suggestions for improvements, but it's still pretty damn cool. It does fit the bill for "listen to your own recordings on different systems" to see where you're at, so helpful in that way.

It's been so far so good with the Silk browser. I anticipate bugs to be worked out, but still pretty awesome. I would suggest, if you're using an Amazon Firestick, go into Settings, Apps, Manage Apps, and periodically empty the cache for each app. I'm not certain how to tell what might still be running in the background, but I also do a Force Stop on apps i've recently used. Sometimes when things seem to be operating a little wonky, i'll do those two things and it smooths things out.

Technology, wow.

You guys have Kodi? A whole nother topic, that one.

 

[TAE]

We have been without cable for about 10 years now.....Serious savings annually..

I am a big TIVO fan...Love skipping them damn commercials and it records all the shows we want to watch...just dropped a 3 TB drive in it so tons of room.....I have gone through a couple iterations of models ....I always buy the one with the lifetime subscription (hate monthly subscriptions). Via the Tivo unit we can watch dozens of online content providers like Youtube and also subscription ones like Netflix, Hulu Amazon etc. . In regards to watching the internet / youtube on your TV without Tivo, Chromacast does rock....we happen to have a Vizio TV that came with it but the chromecast thingy can be had for $35...

More than one road to Rome these days....

Another money saver IF you like living in a Conastoga covered wagon with a landline phone We've had the same landline home phone number for some 35 years so giving it up was not really something we wanted to do soooooo..
I ported it over to a temporary mobile phone and then ported that new mobile number over to one of my google voice accounts...ta da! Old landline number saved forever..(or until google is shut down after the Chinese take over)

But what to do with all those cool landline phones in the house...I use em! I invested $50 in a little box called Obihai and connected it to one of my google voice accounts and then connected my landline to the Obi...frickin free calls in the U.S. Canada and really cheap international calls....awesome voicemail and call filtering /blocking features AND it rings on my computer wherever I may be in the world...

 

[TAE]

I could go from $200 month to $65 pretty easily. cut the cable....makes sense.

When speaking of subscriptions I NEVER look at the monthly... always the annual amount ...suddenly starts to get serious ..i.e. From $200 to $65 a month is only $135 a month but that's $1620 a year in savings...Then I multiply by 10 years ...$16,200 gets damn serious then doesn't it? ....That's a lot of recording gear, fancy dinners maybe even a free fishing boat! BTW 10 years goes by REALLY quick these days.....

 

[DM60]

But what to do with all those cool landline phones in the house...I use em! I invested $50 in a little box called Obihai and connected it to one of my google voice accounts and then connected my landline to the Obi...frickin free calls in the U.S. Canada and really cheap international calls....awesome voicemail and call filtering /blocking features AND it rings on my computer wherever I may be in the world...

I did this about 4 years ago (using an OBI). But getting rid of the land line was really hard, even though the only people who called it were telemarketers.

 

[TAE]

I did this about 4 years ago (using an OBI). But getting rid of the land line was really hard, even though the only people who called it were telemarketers.

I was able to keep the old landline # by porting it to mobile phone and then porting to GV then use Obi.....nice.... You know whats sweet about GV is the call filtering...I have it set so that you have to say your name (if you are not on my favorites list) strangely all those damn jack ass telemarketers don't want to do that so they hang up and the automated ones can't so they show up in my e-mail as "missed calls" funny thing is I don't fricking miss them AT ALL! FRicking love GV.....

 

[DM60]

I was able to keep the old landline # by porting it to mobile phone and then porting to GV then use Obi.....nice.... You know whats sweet about GV is the call filtering...I have it set so that you have to say your name (if you are not on my favorites list) strangely all those damn jack ass telemarketers don't want to do that so they hang up and the automated ones can't so they show up in my e-mail as "missed calls" funny thing is I don't fricking miss them AT ALL! FRicking love GV.....

When I am overseas on a trip, I use GV over WiFi and cost me nothing. Overseas calls from US costs 9 cents or less a minute. I keep about $10 on the account and it usually lasts me about a year. It really is a nice setup.

 

[TAE]

Listened to some of the offerings in the Mp3 Clinic here at HR yesterday using the Silk browser. I know it's not the proper or favorable system to listen to critique or offer suggestions for improvements, but it's still pretty damn cool. It does fit the bill for "listen to your own recordings on different systems" to see where you're at, so helpful in that way.

BTW dude....The "NEW AND IMPROVED" Show Off Forum is where we now are supposed to post if we just want to let people listen to our stuff... people still critique and give advice but the Clinic is where we develop work on our recordings ...the show off forum is where we put things we are pretty much done with.... Not a fan of the title of the forum but it works as a place to post stuff you've done

 

[TAE]

When I am overseas on a trip, I use GV over WiFi and cost me nothing. Overseas calls from US costs 9 cents or less a minute. I keep about $10 on the account and it usually lasts me about a year. It really is a nice setup.

Absolutey! until you get to China and the great firewall says SO SORRY CHARLEY! NO GOOGLE FOR YOU! then it's time for the illusive VPN...I used to drag a Vonage box with me back in the olden days 15 years ago....

 

[DM60]

Absolutey! until you get to China and the great firewall says SO SORRY CHARLEY! NO GOOGLE FOR YOU! then it's time for the illusive VPN...I used to drag a Vonage box with me back in the olden days 15 years ago....

I've avoided traveling to China in my career. I really don't trust that place.

 

[Mick Doobie]

I dumped cable about 9 years ago. Just have antenna, Netflix and Amazon Prime. I will be honest, that is more than enough TV.

I just dumped Neflix. Truth, I don't really watch that much TV, and spend almost as much time searching Netflix and Prime for something to watch than watching. Having both just seemed overkill. Gotta have Youtube, though.

If you're using the Amazon Firestick, the remote takes a little bit of getting used to. I would suggest getting the "Sideclick" remote accessory. It clips on the side of the regular remote, has 8 more buttons you can assign to different functions...turn TV on, change channels, adjust volume, etc. No juggling of multiple remotes.

 

[Mick Doobie]

BTW dude....The "NEW AND IMPROVED" Show Off Forum is where we now are supposed to post if we just want to let people listen to our stuff... people still critique and give advice but the Clinic is where we develop work on our recordings ...the show off forum is where we put things we are pretty much done with.... Not a fan of the title of the forum but it works as a place to post stuff you've done

Ah, yeah man, i've seen that. I remember reading talk of it, but for some reason have passed it by...maybe the title? I'll check it out, Thnx for the reminder.

edit: The last time I clicked on something I was just noticing, it was the Moderator Thread, a fluke foul up in the system....I was all like, hm, wuts that, guess i'll click on it. Didn't end well, got me a ban from Prime Time for a bit.

 

[dachay2tnr]

I’ve been using one of these new OTT services for about 15 months now. It has some quirks, but nothing egregious, and some pretty decent savings. My cable package was $65 (for tv, not including internet and phone), plus $8.75 x3 for the set top boxes, and another $14 for DVR.

Playstation Vue costs me $45, includes unlimited DVR, and no cable boxes. You do need a streaming device (Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, etc) for each TV. But it’s a one time expense, and I already owned one anyway for Netflix.

There a quite a few other OTT services out there (Hulu, Youtube, DirectTv, and more), but you need to do your research. Some have no DVR. Some are missing some local channels. Some may not have all the channels you want. Etc. But in the end, you can save some coin, and still get mostly the same services you had with cable.