Who has cut the cord?

An Amazon FireTV Stick with VLC app and storing media on thumb drives may simplify your situation.

-Kevin
KevinC im basically there with my setup. I have a Pi device with Kodi running Exodus Redux. I had the thumb drive for storage, but went to a laptop HD to maximize my storage options...i had it already "in stock" so it was nothing to add. Eventually I will add a NAS device across multiples. I really want to replicate data across both the home and boat network, which is the next steps.
 
KevinC im basically there with my setup. I have a Pi device with Kodi running Exodus Redux. I had the thumb drive for storage, but went to a laptop HD to maximize my storage options...i had it already "in stock" so it was nothing to add. Eventually I will add a NAS device across multiples. I really want to replicate data across both the home and boat network, which is the next steps.

I am actually replacing my FireTV sticks with a Lenovo TinyPC the year. It's running Win10 and I am using Playstation Vue via web and VLC for data stored locally. This seems to give me great flexibility. I am trying/hoping to install it where my 6-CD changer is but I need to make a bracket to install there. Eventually I want to distribute the output via COAX to any TV on board.

-Kevin
 
Since my kids only watch youtube these days. i'm going to try out the youtube premium subscription. This will allow them to download the videos they want to watch and play it back without the need for data service. The only drawback is that its $17 per month but still cheaper than the amount of data they would consume while on the hook.
 
Also running a Pc onboard with 2tb external hard drive and Kodi so far I have over 300 movies on it.
Added chrome cast devices to the other TVs and can cast a movie to any room using the onboard WiFi router.
Just another option for rainy days or cranky grand daughters
 
I have a small pc onboard running PLEX media server. I cut all my CDs, DVDs and Blu ray discs into digital files and can stream them around to any connected tv, iPad, whatever on or off the boat. Samsung smart TVs, all have the right apps installed.

I also have a netgear LB1121 cellular router connected to the network using a Verizon data package...15 gb. Not enough to watch more than a weekend worth of tv.

Data is the big bottleneck.
 
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I cut the cord with a side cutter. Really. A dispute over kids grades,sports and behavior.

To this day the only TV I have came with the boat. I don’t even know if it works.

I simply can not justify watching commercials for things I’ll never buy and have no interest in. Spending an hour watching 1/2 hour of commercials for an hour long program just doesn’t cut it for me.
I can use the $1-200 per month for something useful.

I live on my boat so there is always something that can be improved to make life more comfortable.

It’s bad enough the internet service is slow. I can deal with that.
 
Also running a Pc onboard with 2tb external hard drive and Kodi so far I have over 300 movies on it.
Added chrome cast devices to the other TVs and can cast a movie to any room using the onboard WiFi router.
Just another option for rainy days or cranky grand daughters
Joe, what TV's did you replace the cabin ones with? We still have 2 of the 3 original Zenith TV's.
 
Hey good topic.

Who uses a Sling Box?

Where I normally overnight (near state parks) and the marina has good wifi so I'm thinking this might be a great alternative to watch my cable in real time while away from the house.

I do. 2 of the 500's. One in Sarasota, and one in Huntsville. Note that a slingbox still needs a content server. So, in Sarasota, it is a Spectrum contract. In Huntsville, it is Xfinity. Not cord cutting in the least. It is subscription extension outside of the home. I can dial into any channel my cable box can get, because that is what is feeding it. I am a Roku house in both places, so there is some redundancy. However, I have the choice of "some" channels when not on the app's intended network, or all channels, like in the case of Spectrum just by having the boat on the same wifi as the house when at the dock. If we move out of that network, then I have to play games to get a service provider (the marina's wifi, my Verizon hotspot, a myriad of phones and tablets on board, OTA antenna, etc etc etc.
I recently came across ToGo. That may be the answer on the boat. Starting to seriously look into that one.
I signed up for Sling Orange the other day, and it is not the right mix of channels for pay. It's a goner. I've been at this since 2003, and a LOT of things have changed. So now I look at trends, and prepare for them.
OTA, local. OTT, everything else with a good internet signal. Cell or Wifi will become immaterial over time as your WAN connection. Most local stations are pretty good about having streaming versions of their channels as well, so even the OTA antenna will fall by the wayside. The only thing we REALLY need live, is sports if you care, weather, and news, but I would argue that one too. Even my weather app on my phone can give me what I need for upcoming summer boomers.
 
Joe, what TV's did you replace the cabin ones with? We still have 2 of the 3 original Zenith TV's.

salon and v berth are Samsung port stateroom is a Vizio.
No one uses the bunk room so that still has the zenith we have a small vizio that would be perfect for that room if needed
 
We primarily use the antenna on the boat and get a lot of channels from Detroit. I never changed the antenna...so my 2004 technology is perfect with smart tv's and receive HD... so try it before you invest in a new antenna

Stream - we have Netflix and Hulu... both are okay but just okay for content

I also have Show Box on an amazon fire stick - When it works it is very good...but it seems to get shutdown for days sometimes

At the main house I have a big antenna in the attic for half the TV's in the house and Direct tv for the 4 main TV's.... we just talked about cancelling that this past weekend... but not sure if we are ready yet.

What we have experienced is there is not one solution for everything... We have one solution at the condo another on the boat and another for the house. I think mainly because you use them differently.
damn that is a beautiful hull
 
I use area51 IPTV... I get all the sports ( hopefully ) and tons of channels, $10 a month use thru firestick with no issues 2 years now.. I rep Intellian and wouldn't use sat unless we stayed traveling in the islands
 
Finally ditched DTV on the boat.
After several months of service interruptions due to billing foul ups and ATT’s in ability to set up my direct payment, I killed the $70/month DTV and replaced it with the gold plated unlimited data plan on the phones and I pad for a mere $23 bucks in net cost for a savings of about $50/month.
Next I’m gonna cut the cord at home and go to free OTA programming and streaming. Total savings will be $120/mo nth when I add in the various streaming subscriptions.
 
We got rid of DTV a few months ago and went with YouTube TV, Netflix, OTA and Prime because my wife has an account .... never looked back
 
You guys are talking a foreign language, can't understand a word. Best no hassle, no BS set up....rabbit ears.:cool:
I hear you, wife is hung up on her ID Discovery crime shows though and in Benicia we are in the middle of a bit of a gorge that is a TV black hole for OTA signal. :(
CD
 
You guys are talking a foreign language, can't understand a word. Best no hassle, no BS set up....rabbit ears.:cool:

I'll translate. ;) He got rid of his satellite service (DTV). He switched to a combination of bunny ears (OTA - Over The Air), and streaming services over the internet: Netflix (movies, old TV, original programming), Amazon Prime (movies, old TV, original content, and YouTube TV (many live television channels - plus ability to record live TV).

He likes it. :)
 

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