Anyone else here ditched the TV?

[Esox]

Back in the day, we'd call that a "book".

Today, its called a My Book.



I've had to clean up my 4TB once so far to make more room. I may add another 6TB My Book soon to double my storage capacity to 12TB.

Data I really need to keep safe and secure is backed up on 3 different physical drives, internal and external.

Cable can be spendy but I’d rather have one provider than a multitude. If I only liked on niche of programming then I might feel differently. But I am not willing to pay a bunch of providers for a more fragmented viewing experience.

I’ve known a few that pirated all their content. In the end it was no cheaper for them because the stored it on a server overseas to stay out of reach and all of their bandwidth cost. Silly

Many people dont even seem to care how much things cost a month. They dont get a paper bill in the mail, they get an invoice alert to their cell phone and just pay it without looking, or even worse, set up auto pay so it just comes out of their bank account once a month.

I asked a friend not that long ago what his monthly bill was, he didnt even know. He has the same services I do, the same internet package, home phone and a 'premium' tv package, $330 a month was his bill. Thats nearly 50% more than the cost of his yearly property taxes! Another friend pays $370 a month with the same service I have, with two cell phones attached to his plan.

Canada pays the highest prices in the world for technology.

My monthly bill for tv cable, internet and home phone is $172.87 down from $247.95 last year. If I was to pay to subscribe to all the shows I watch from so many different services it would be $300+ a month.

I've been with the same cable internet company for 20 years next month. The only time I've had any issues was when I ran an ftp server on my machine so friends could log into my other drives and download whatever they wanted, but that was years ago. I may even be able to run an ftp server again but I dont bother. If someone I know wants something I have, I just upload it to a cloud server and email them the link for it. With internet this fast it makes a lot easier than it was even 10 years ago.

There are many cloud storage sites and most offer free accounts with ample storage capacity for what I use them for. Mega, for example, offers 50GB storage and as far as I know, unlimited bandwidth. I can download anything I put on Mega at my line speed. Fast and free. On my connection, Mega will support 14 simultaneous downloads at near line speed.

I also share a Rapidgator Premium account with a friend. $99.95/year for 12 TB bandwidth and 10TB storage. Download speed isnt the best for me, it maxes out at 3.3mbps, but my connection will support 10 file downloads simultaneously.

Pirating is free. If it isnt, they're doing it wrong lol.

 

[Polarbeard]

View attachment 1029169

Um ... not prepared for that question, Senator.

 

[Chandu]

Pirating is free. If it isnt, they're doing it wrong lol.

That used to be the case, today it's rather more complicated. Some of the methods everyone considers "anonymous" or "untraceable" are far from it. Some of those things are run by agencies and some by content creation companies.

 

[Esox]

That used to be the case, today it's rather more complicated. Some of the methods everyone considers "anonymous" or "untraceable" are far from it. Some of those things are run by agencies and some by content creation companies.

It can be completely anonymous. Even the URL doesnt say what it is, the links are encrypted. Torrents are another matter, I dont use them.

Direct downloads through jdownloader are fast, easy, safe and secure, assuming, you know where to get the links for the files you're looking for. Its more like Usenet news groups than anything else but easier. Android and Kodi set top boxes operate the same way but with far less flexibility. I do manually what those boxes do automatically for the user.

You can have complete anonymity on the net, learning how can be the difficult part.

 

[Chandu]

@Esox I personally don't engage so don't know all of the ins and outs, but the person I was talking to (approx 1 year ago) makes a living as a server/network engineer and was talking about what he did to stay clean, so I have to take him at his word. Now if you want to talk LDAP administration or SAML Federations, then I'm a bit more versed

One other pitfall, time sink I never fell into was the sheer fun and enjoyment of running my own media server at home wherein I'd have TB's of storage, and take a movie and then out put it optimized for different sized screens, maintaining a network to do all that, upgrading for every new thing that came along. Yippee, let's sling 4k video around the house! I look at those folks and roll my eyes. I want technology to allow me to enjoy things or do things easier, I do not want to become a slave to maintaining that crap. It's a useless waste of time. I'll maintain the stuff my employer has and get paid nicely, but when I'm at home, I'm off the clock. Guess who will NEVER have a smart home?

My cable experience is like yours. Lighting fast internet and very few issues over the years.

 

[Esox]

Now if you want to talk LDAP administration or SAML Federations, then I'm a bit more versed

I'm with you! I right click my desktop and change the display to my plasma tv, double click the movie I want to watch and thats that!

A smart home? I dont even have the beginners package of a smart phone haha. I just want to watch high quality tv without a never ending stream of incredibly loud and irritating commercials. Thats not a lot to ask for, but it sure seems like it is.

 

[oc_in_fw]

That's my next project

I don't use social media, other than a couple of forums, and am trying to get a 4G phone that isn't riddled with apps that help themselves to your data. I've seen a couple of feature phones such as Nokia's new 8810, but although it isn't a smartphone, it comes infested with Google stuff, so that's no better. Nokia 220 looks stalker free, but haven't found one in the UK yet.

If I wanted a tracking device, I'd be a criminal. They fit you with one for free.

Actually, no. In many areas they charge a daily fee for ankle bracelets and it can cost hundreds a week.

 

[oc_in_fw]

That's my next project

I don't use social media, other than a couple of forums, and am trying to get a 4G phone that isn't riddled with apps that help themselves to your data. I've seen a couple of feature phones such as Nokia's new 8810, but although it isn't a smartphone, it comes infested with Google stuff, so that's no better. Nokia 220 looks stalker free, but haven't found one in the UK yet.

If I wanted a tracking device, I'd be a criminal. They fit you with one for free.

Actually, no. In many areas they charge a daily fee for ankle bracelets and it can cost hundreds a week.

Ask Jennifer Lawrence and many others about that.

What aggravates me about Apple devices is the need to use iTunes and iCloud. Any and all internet storage devices are vulnerable. The only way to keep data truly safe is to put it on a wired device and disconnect it from the internet.

Almost everything I do is internet based. Movies, tv shows and music. They all come from the internet and are streamed from my PC to my tv and/or stereo.

You don’t have to use iCloud. You can do backups to local computers.

 

[Esox]

You don’t have to use iCloud. You can do backups to local computers.

Yes, but as I understand it you need to use the Apple software to do it. Import/export to and from iTunes/iCloud. Unless its a jailbreak device. I know very little about anything Mac/Apple however.

 

[preidy]

I still have one (wife Hallmark) but I quit watching regular TV years ago (except occasional sports and Petticoat Junction reruns). I listen to all my baseball on the radio in my office (garage). When they land on Mars (if I'm still around) I may come in and watch that.

 

[Chandu]

I still have one (wife Hallmark)

Mine too. The Christmas specials have started. Did you see the one where the big city executive came to a small town inn to get away from a frantic life and a failed relationship. The small town inn was financially struggling and due to be bought out by BIG RESORT. Anyway, the big city exec finds love and helps save the inn. It's the one in which the handsome man that the big city exec falls in love, with wears a scarf. I really enjoy that one. I hope it's on again this season.

 

[naughtilus]

My favorite digital technology is the delete button. I've bought pseudo-intellectual garbage books throughout the years that I don't have the stomach to throw in the trash (they weren't cheap) and it's inhumane to gift them away. Same problem with any physical media, music, cinema, software...

I only store and backup clients files for work, but everything else I remove after consuming.

 

[preidy]

Mine too. The Christmas specials have started. Did you see the one where the big city executive came to a small town inn to get away from a frantic life and a failed relationship. The small town inn was financially struggling and due to be bought out by BIG RESORT. Anyway, the big city exec finds love and helps save the inn. It's the one in which the handsome man that the big city exec falls in love, with wears a scarf. I really enjoy that one. I hope it's on again this season.

I sure it will be. My wife started watching them during July pre-Xmas. It will be non stop until the Super Bowl. It will be cold in my office.

 

[T.Orso]

Ex took the TV when we split up 24 years ago. I was glad to be rid of it.

Life got better in a lot of ways, I found a better partner, and we are raising two great kids without any TV, which some people are surprised to learn is even possible.

I run into the ex sometimes. She has a role on a popular series. Have I seen it? she asks.

Well no, you took the TV.

 

[naughtilus]

Well no, you took the TV.

 

[oc_in_fw]

Mine too. The Christmas specials have started. Did you see the one where the big city executive came to a small town inn to get away from a frantic life and a failed relationship. The small town inn was financially struggling and due to be bought out by BIG RESORT. Anyway, the big city exec finds love and helps save the inn. It's the one in which the handsome man that the big city exec falls in love, with wears a scarf. I really enjoy that one. I hope it's on again this season.

I loved that one

 

[George Kelley]

I use the tv screen for YouTube videos and gaming.

 

[dimab]

Ditched mine some 30 years ago. Never looked back. Use my PC both for gaming and occasional news update.

 

[Toothpick]

I just can’t!!!! I tried so hard over the years too! Now I got the MLB.TV package and I’ll be watching baseball till September.