Author Topic: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC  (Read 15079 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline steve dave

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 88614
  • Romantic Fist Attachment
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #25 on: April 03, 2010, 02:46:51 PM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

Offline ChiComCat

  • Chawbacon
  • Contributor
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 18075
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #26 on: April 03, 2010, 02:51:15 PM »
Go to a casino with Roulette.  Put $50 on black.  If you lose, put $100 on black.  So on and so on.  Eventually, you will win $50.  Do this twice, then cable will be essentially free.   :cool:

But the Watch Instantly on Netflix still kinda sucks, I assume its the same as when you had it.


Offline 06wildcat

  • Katpak'r
  • ***
  • Posts: 1666
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #27 on: April 03, 2010, 04:00:18 PM »
We cut cable and now our bill is 19.99 for 12-15 mbps cable internet. I had to talk them down to it, but I'm not complaining. I'll probably go back to Netflix when they add HD streaming on PC's. How big is their streaming selection? I had it when they first started it and it was pretty lackluster. How new is their stuff?

It's not great, but there are several old movies on there that I can watch again and again (Shawshank Redemption being one) and I watched the first two seasons of Dexter on there before having to rent the third. You'll also get whatever is on Starz each month on Netflix, it was just announced everything Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly, Dollhouse etc) directed will be on there in full. Don't really know what your tastes are though.

In the end, you usually wind up watching a lot of horrible movies and finding the occasional gem you'd never heard of and they're getting better about bringing out newer movies faster. The Proposal is one that's been up for about a month and just came out last year.

Thing is, Netflix probably has the go-ahead to double its online library but like most sites, continues to release things slowly to keep people coming back.

Offline jtksu

  • definitely not a racist piece of shit
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 3673
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #28 on: April 03, 2010, 04:06:32 PM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

Exactly.  I just can't understand poor people.  I guess they like being poor, cause otherwise they wouldn't be so damn lazy and would just go make more money.  Amirite?  :dunno:

Offline ew2x4

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 3918
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #29 on: April 03, 2010, 04:07:17 PM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

Probably is, but not for how little I watch tv.

Offline BigCat

  • Combo-Fan
  • **
  • Posts: 966
  • Bob Esponja
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #30 on: April 04, 2010, 11:37:49 PM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

pfft yeah maybe for saps who have "jobs" :jerk:



Ooh, nice outfit. What is that, Dacron?

Offline OK_Cat

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 16224
  • Hey
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #31 on: April 05, 2010, 09:42:30 AM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

Probably is, but not for how little I watch tv.

Seems like an awful lot of trouble being McGuyver and rigging up crap with toothpicks and hairties if you don't watch tv that much, bro.

Offline ew2x4

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 3918
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #32 on: April 05, 2010, 10:36:41 AM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

Probably is, but not for how little I watch tv.

Seems like an awful lot of trouble being McGuyver and rigging up crap with toothpicks and hairties if you don't watch tv that much, bro.

Yeah, computers these days have a ton of rigged up crap in them. They're super hard to operate, too. Like, old people aren't even allowed to own them.

Offline ew2x4

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 3918
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #33 on: April 05, 2010, 10:50:43 AM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

Probably is, but not for how little I watch tv.

Seems like an awful lot of trouble being McGuyver and rigging up crap with toothpicks and hairties if you don't watch tv that much, bro.

btw, in case people were wondering, it took me about 1 hour to actually build the PC itself and another 1.5 hours to install the OS and the programs I wanted. There's 1 HDMI cable running to my TV. Total cost was $208. $35 more for the remote. Now I'll be able to get stuff like Pandora up and running on my TV. And since we mostly watch movies, HD movies will stream no problem to the htpc. I can download them to my WHS from work if I wanted to, it's that easy. And best of all, cheap.

also, I downloaded a 720p .mkv file of Sherlock Holmes over the weekend. Streamed no problem over G wireless. A 7 GB file.
« Last Edit: April 05, 2010, 10:57:44 AM by ew2x4 »

Offline pissclams

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 47962
  • (worst non-premium poster at goEMAW.com)
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #34 on: April 05, 2010, 11:19:29 AM »
so you've decided to save money by stealing your entertainment options.  why not just splice the neighbors cable and save all the trouble with this HTPC nonsense?


Cheesy Mustache QB might make an appearance.

New warning: Don't get in a fight with someone who doesn't even need to bother to buy ink.

Offline steve dave

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 88614
  • Romantic Fist Attachment
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #35 on: April 05, 2010, 11:23:57 AM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

Probably is, but not for how little I watch tv.

Seems like an awful lot of trouble being McGuyver and rigging up crap with toothpicks and hairties if you don't watch tv that much, bro.

btw, in case people were wondering, it took me about 1 hour to actually build the PC itself and another 1.5 hours to install the OS and the programs I wanted. There's 1 HDMI cable running to my TV. Total cost was $208. $35 more for the remote. Now I'll be able to get stuff like Pandora up and running on my TV. And since we mostly watch movies, HD movies will stream no problem to the htpc. I can download them to my WHS from work if I wanted to, it's that easy. And best of all, cheap.

also, I downloaded a 720p .mkv file of Sherlock Holmes over the weekend. Streamed no problem over G wireless. A 7 GB file.

fwiw, my western digital tv live can do all of that.  It was like $110.

Offline OK_Cat

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 16224
  • Hey
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #36 on: April 05, 2010, 11:25:41 AM »
yeah, i pay $106 for internet and digital cable/dvr/hd channels

i just push a button and it's on my screen.   :bwpopcorn:

Offline Saulbadguy

  • Administrator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 9939
  • what
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #37 on: April 05, 2010, 11:28:34 AM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

Probably is, but not for how little I watch tv.

Seems like an awful lot of trouble being McGuyver and rigging up crap with toothpicks and hairties if you don't watch tv that much, bro.

btw, in case people were wondering, it took me about 1 hour to actually build the PC itself and another 1.5 hours to install the OS and the programs I wanted. There's 1 HDMI cable running to my TV. Total cost was $208. $35 more for the remote. Now I'll be able to get stuff like Pandora up and running on my TV. And since we mostly watch movies, HD movies will stream no problem to the htpc. I can download them to my WHS from work if I wanted to, it's that easy. And best of all, cheap.

also, I downloaded a 720p .mkv file of Sherlock Holmes over the weekend. Streamed no problem over G wireless. A 7 GB file.

fwiw, my western digital tv live can do all of that.  It was like $110.
Can it play super nintendo games? :fatty:
Where did you get that overnight bag?

Offline steve dave

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 88614
  • Romantic Fist Attachment
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #38 on: April 05, 2010, 11:41:44 AM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

Probably is, but not for how little I watch tv.

Seems like an awful lot of trouble being McGuyver and rigging up crap with toothpicks and hairties if you don't watch tv that much, bro.

btw, in case people were wondering, it took me about 1 hour to actually build the PC itself and another 1.5 hours to install the OS and the programs I wanted. There's 1 HDMI cable running to my TV. Total cost was $208. $35 more for the remote. Now I'll be able to get stuff like Pandora up and running on my TV. And since we mostly watch movies, HD movies will stream no problem to the htpc. I can download them to my WHS from work if I wanted to, it's that easy. And best of all, cheap.

also, I downloaded a 720p .mkv file of Sherlock Holmes over the weekend. Streamed no problem over G wireless. A 7 GB file.

fwiw, my western digital tv live can do all of that.  It was like $110.
Can it play super nintendo games? :fatty:

no  :frown:

Offline Saulbadguy

  • Administrator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 9939
  • what
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #39 on: April 05, 2010, 11:53:03 AM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

Probably is, but not for how little I watch tv.

Seems like an awful lot of trouble being McGuyver and rigging up crap with toothpicks and hairties if you don't watch tv that much, bro.

btw, in case people were wondering, it took me about 1 hour to actually build the PC itself and another 1.5 hours to install the OS and the programs I wanted. There's 1 HDMI cable running to my TV. Total cost was $208. $35 more for the remote. Now I'll be able to get stuff like Pandora up and running on my TV. And since we mostly watch movies, HD movies will stream no problem to the htpc. I can download them to my WHS from work if I wanted to, it's that easy. And best of all, cheap.

also, I downloaded a 720p .mkv file of Sherlock Holmes over the weekend. Streamed no problem over G wireless. A 7 GB file.

fwiw, my western digital tv live can do all of that.  It was like $110.
Can it play super nintendo games? :fatty:

no  :frown:
Well then, i'd say all the "macguyvering" is worth it, no? 
Where did you get that overnight bag?

Offline steve dave

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 88614
  • Romantic Fist Attachment
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #40 on: April 05, 2010, 11:54:06 AM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

Probably is, but not for how little I watch tv.

Seems like an awful lot of trouble being McGuyver and rigging up crap with toothpicks and hairties if you don't watch tv that much, bro.

btw, in case people were wondering, it took me about 1 hour to actually build the PC itself and another 1.5 hours to install the OS and the programs I wanted. There's 1 HDMI cable running to my TV. Total cost was $208. $35 more for the remote. Now I'll be able to get stuff like Pandora up and running on my TV. And since we mostly watch movies, HD movies will stream no problem to the htpc. I can download them to my WHS from work if I wanted to, it's that easy. And best of all, cheap.

also, I downloaded a 720p .mkv file of Sherlock Holmes over the weekend. Streamed no problem over G wireless. A 7 GB file.

fwiw, my western digital tv live can do all of that.  It was like $110.
Can it play super nintendo games? :fatty:

no  :frown:
Well then, i'd say all the "macguyvering" is worth it, no? 

I'm not the one that said "macquyvering".  But, I guess it would depend on how much you like SNES :dunno:

Offline Saulbadguy

  • Administrator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 9939
  • what
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #41 on: April 05, 2010, 11:55:50 AM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

Probably is, but not for how little I watch tv.

Seems like an awful lot of trouble being McGuyver and rigging up crap with toothpicks and hairties if you don't watch tv that much, bro.

btw, in case people were wondering, it took me about 1 hour to actually build the PC itself and another 1.5 hours to install the OS and the programs I wanted. There's 1 HDMI cable running to my TV. Total cost was $208. $35 more for the remote. Now I'll be able to get stuff like Pandora up and running on my TV. And since we mostly watch movies, HD movies will stream no problem to the htpc. I can download them to my WHS from work if I wanted to, it's that easy. And best of all, cheap.

also, I downloaded a 720p .mkv file of Sherlock Holmes over the weekend. Streamed no problem over G wireless. A 7 GB file.

fwiw, my western digital tv live can do all of that.  It was like $110.
Can it play super nintendo games? :fatty:

no  :frown:
Well then, i'd say all the "macguyvering" is worth it, no? 

I'm not the one that said "macquyvering".  But, I guess it would depend on how much you like SNES/NES/Sega Genesis/Nintendo 64/Playstation/etc... :dunno:
FYP...
Where did you get that overnight bag?

Offline ew2x4

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 3918
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #42 on: April 05, 2010, 11:58:13 AM »
Seems easier to just make $100 more per month

Probably is, but not for how little I watch tv.

Seems like an awful lot of trouble being McGuyver and rigging up crap with toothpicks and hairties if you don't watch tv that much, bro.

btw, in case people were wondering, it took me about 1 hour to actually build the PC itself and another 1.5 hours to install the OS and the programs I wanted. There's 1 HDMI cable running to my TV. Total cost was $208. $35 more for the remote. Now I'll be able to get stuff like Pandora up and running on my TV. And since we mostly watch movies, HD movies will stream no problem to the htpc. I can download them to my WHS from work if I wanted to, it's that easy. And best of all, cheap.

also, I downloaded a 720p .mkv file of Sherlock Holmes over the weekend. Streamed no problem over G wireless. A 7 GB file.

fwiw, my western digital tv live can do all of that.  It was like $110.

But it doesn't do DVR stuff. You had me looking at the WD TV and it looked pretty cool, but I just wanted to be able to play with it and not be limited. Hulu, Boxee, etc. were all pretty necessary in giving up cable.

Clams- What channel is Sherlock Holmes on? tia.
« Last Edit: April 05, 2010, 12:09:00 PM by ew2x4 »

Offline pissclams

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 47962
  • (worst non-premium poster at goEMAW.com)
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #43 on: April 05, 2010, 12:23:21 PM »
Channel 1550 in KC, it costs $5.


Cheesy Mustache QB might make an appearance.

New warning: Don't get in a fight with someone who doesn't even need to bother to buy ink.

Offline ew2x4

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 3918
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #44 on: April 05, 2010, 02:21:28 PM »
Channel 1550 in KC, it costs $5.

How would I watch ppv by tapping into someone's cable?

Also, I've always used digital copies of movies. Mostly I rip my own. All my tv needs have been on Hulu or Boxee.

Offline pissclams

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 47962
  • (worst non-premium poster at goEMAW.com)
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #45 on: April 05, 2010, 02:28:10 PM »
Channel 1550 in KC, it costs $5.

How would I watch ppv by tapping into someone's cable?

Also, I've always used digital copies of movies. Mostly I rip my own. All my tv needs have been on Hulu or Boxee.
genius idea:  save money by stealing.  :users:


Cheesy Mustache QB might make an appearance.

New warning: Don't get in a fight with someone who doesn't even need to bother to buy ink.

Offline ew2x4

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 3918
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #46 on: April 05, 2010, 02:43:02 PM »
Channel 1550 in KC, it costs $5.

How would I watch ppv by tapping into someone's cable?

Also, I've always used digital copies of movies. Mostly I rip my own. All my tv needs have been on Hulu or Boxee.
genius idea:  save money by stealing.  :users:

Someone is jealous.

Offline Saulbadguy

  • Administrator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 9939
  • what
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #47 on: April 05, 2010, 02:55:04 PM »
Channel 1550 in KC, it costs $5.

How would I watch ppv by tapping into someone's cable?

Also, I've always used digital copies of movies. Mostly I rip my own. All my tv needs have been on Hulu or Boxee.
genius idea:  save money by stealing.  :users:
not sure why I never thought of this before. 
Where did you get that overnight bag?

Offline Saulbadguy

  • Administrator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 9939
  • what
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #48 on: April 05, 2010, 02:55:34 PM »
I won't be stealing movies.  Who the hell wants to watch a crappy rip anyways? Blu-ray ftw, thx.
Where did you get that overnight bag?

Offline pissclams

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 47962
  • (worst non-premium poster at goEMAW.com)
    • View Profile
Re: Dumping Cable, getting an HTPC
« Reply #49 on: April 05, 2010, 03:02:34 PM »
blu ray is def "for the win"


Cheesy Mustache QB might make an appearance.

New warning: Don't get in a fight with someone who doesn't even need to bother to buy ink.