Cutting the COX Cable cord.....

[MsProudSooner]

My favorite channels are PBS, HGTV, all the sports channels, STARZ, TCM, History Channel when it actually has history programs - stuff like that.

[FighttheGoodFight]

My favorite channels are PBS, HGTV, all the sports channels, STARZ, TCM, History Channel when it actually has history programs - stuff like that.

You might want a Roku or FireTV. You can get a service called SlingTV. It is 20 dollars a month and I believe covers the channels you enjoy. https://www.sling.com/

You will need good internet to run it in HD.

[Patrick]

I apologize if this question has already been asked - but if a person were going to cut the cable cord, what special equipment would you need? I have NETFLIX on my blu-ray player. I'm beginning to shop for a new laptop to replace my almost 6 year old one. Would the new laptop need anything over and above what most laptops come with? I saw something about the laptop needing something special to allow it to talk to your TV. Will I need a new TV? I have a 4 year old LG flat screen.

Shouldn't need a new TV, as long as you have HDMI ports on it and your laptop has HDMI. Otherwise, they sell VGA to HDMI adapters. If it's a smart TV, you should just be able to connect via wifi. Are you planning on just receiving OTA broadcasts for the network stations?

[MsProudSooner]

Shouldn't need a new TV, as long as you have HDMI ports on it and your laptop has HDMI. Otherwise, they sell VGA to HDMI adapters. If it's a smart TV, you should just be able to connect via wifi. Are you planning on just receiving OTA broadcasts for the network stations?

I don't really know. I just know I might be interested in doing it in the future.

[BBatesokc]

Keep in mind, if you're going to have to have a fast Internet connection anyway, you can bundle it with the COX TV Economy package for less than the SlingTV subscription and not slow down your Internet because you're using it for TV streaming.

Economy TV is $35 according to my current bill. They took off $25 for my bundle, making the TV portion just $10/month.

Cheaper than any other add-on and I don't have to have an ugly antenna showing.

Speaking off.... While the "HD Antenna" is marketing hype - they are much more attractive than the old style antennas and some are more powerful (with electronic [plug in] boaster/filter capabilities)

For about the same price you can buy one to put in your attic and just connect it to your existing coax (with some modifications) or run new coax from the attic antenna to your TV's and only need the one antenna and its hidden in your attic. We did that at a relatives and it worked great.

We keep one TV connected to over-the-air signals so we can watch channels you can't get with cable and as a backup in case we loose cable for some reason.

To also save on your bill - consider buying a good factory reconditioned WiFi modem online. You save the $7/month COX charges to rent you theirs and with that savings your purchased one will be paid for in about 7 months.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Keep in mind, if you're going to have to have a fast Internet connection anyway, you can bundle it with the COX TV Economy package for less than the SlingTV subscription and not slow down your Internet because you're using it for TV streaming.

Economy TV is $35 according to my current bill. They took off $25 for my bundle, making the TV portion just $10/month.

Cheaper than any other add-on and I don't have to have an ugly antenna showing.

Speaking off.... While the "HD Antenna" is marketing hype - they are much more attractive than the old style antennas and some are more powerful (with electronic [plug in] boaster/filter capabilities)

For about the same price you can buy one to put in your attic and just connect it to your existing coax (with some modifications) or run new coax from the attic antenna to your TV's and only need the one antenna and its hidden in your attic. We did that at a relatives and it worked great.

We keep one TV connected to over-the-air signals so we can watch channels you can't get with cable and as a backup in case we loose cable for some reason.

To also save on your bill - consider buying a good factory reconditioned WiFi modem online. You save the $7/month COX charges to rent you theirs and with that savings your purchased one will be paid for in about 7 months.

Is that with a box rental fee?

I just tend to stay away from TV as the fees are insane all the time just for basic features. I went with Sling because there are no real fees and no promo prices. It is just the same price forever. I am fed up with promo prices and calling all the time to lower the bill after it ends. /rant over

[BBatesokc]

Is that with a box rental fee?

I just tend to stay away from TV as the fees are insane all the time just for basic features. I went with Sling because there are no real fees and no promo prices. It is just the same price forever. I am fed up with promo prices and calling all the time to lower the bill after it ends. /rant over

I'm a TIVO user so I don't rent a box from COX. I much prefer TIVO's features. Plus I bought the box used and received the lifetime subscription for an extremely low rate.

[stile99]

I'm a TIVO user so I don't rent a box from COX.

So they actually backed down from that SDV horsecrap? Last I knew they had gone the other direction and not only do you not still need a tuning adapter with a TiVo, you also now need one (under a different name) just to run cable from the wall to the back of a cable-ready TV. Last time I checked you even need the Mini box if you have the very lowest tier, TV Starter, which Cox has upfront admitted will be free for the first year, then the charges start. Since this decision was made even after they lost a lawsuit in Oklahoma specifically over forcing people to rent unnecessary boxes from them, I'm really impressed if they've backed down.

[BBatesokc]

So they actually backed down from that SDV horsecrap? Last I knew they had gone the other direction and not only do you not still need a tuning adapter with a TiVo, you also now need one (under a different name) just to run cable from the wall to the back of a cable-ready TV. Last time I checked you even need the Mini box if you have the very lowest tier, TV Starter, which Cox has upfront admitted will be free for the first year, then the charges start. Since this decision was made even after they lost a lawsuit in Oklahoma specifically over forcing people to rent unnecessary boxes from them, I'm really impressed if they've backed down.

COX makes you get a tuning adapter still - coax to COX adapter to TIVO to TV. But I don't pay for it. It sits on top of my TIVO. We then use a MoCA network to stream anything that's on the TIVO to other TV's in the house.

We also have AppleTV on 5 of our TV's.

[SoonerDave]

So they actually backed down from that SDV horsecrap? Last I knew they had gone the other direction and not only do you not still need a tuning adapter with a TiVo, you also now need one (under a different name) just to run cable from the wall to the back of a cable-ready TV. Last time I checked you even need the Mini box if you have the very lowest tier, TV Starter, which Cox has upfront admitted will be free for the first year, then the charges start. Since this decision was made even after they lost a lawsuit in Oklahoma specifically over forcing people to rent unnecessary boxes from them, I'm really impressed if they've backed down.

They've not backed down. You have to have a tuning adapter if you use a device based on a cablecard. And when they shut down analog entirely, you'll have to have the $3/mo converter to get anything. It's infuriating. And I've already ranted on the DRM crap. I hope OKC rakes Cox over the coals on their next franchise negotiation.

Bring on Google Fiber.

[baralheia]

Interesting. I have one of Cox's DVRs which has a CableCARD slot in the back of it but they have said nothing to me about needing a tuning adapter...

[SoonerDave]

Interesting. I have one of Cox's DVRs which has a CableCARD slot in the back of it but they have said nothing to me about needing a tuning adapter...

The Cox STB's, I believe, actually have a type of "cablecard" and TA equivalent built into the hardware, so you don't need an external one. I don't think it's exactly the "retail" cablecard you go in and rent for $3/mo, but functionally it either doesn't need or already encompasses the functionality of the TA. I've had the same STB since before Cox implemented SDV, thus necessitating TA's for "external" CableCards, so I'm inferring that what the TA does is artificial and implemented in the STB's firmware (via download).

Getting a TA to work is a royal pain in the tookus.

[shawnw]

An HDMI to VGA adapter is not particularly expensive. My current laptop is HDMI-only but I have a VGA monitor I sometimes connect to so it's handy to have the adapter, plus I don't know what else I might be connecting to to make a presentation...

[Kemotblue]

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.

[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.

[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,

[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.

[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

[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!

[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.