Foo - Going a year without TV

Anybody else not use their TV's? I think I can cut a few bucks, and also I can find pretty much any show I like on hulu, or any other news website out there.

I didn't watch TV for years. Even now, we can afford anything and still only have airwaves. There's practically nothing on cable or satellite that sounds worth watching. Even if there were, I know we have better things to do.

However, we also have netflix, so most weeks, we'll watch at least one DVD.

I have not had a TV for years. I don't miss it at all. We subscribe to netflix and watch movies on the computer.

Toss it, you wont miss it.

You won't miss much. If you want a show, grab it off of iTunes, or other sources.

TV is a life sucker.

I am a daily visitor of my local Blockbuster (LB?...LBS?...), and the more I think about it, I only watch like three channels.

I have a nice LCD TV, but only because my co-worker gave it to me. It's hooked up to my desktop which just works as a media machine for watching movies, playing music, etc. Really don't miss cable, especially after hearing my co-workers complaining about the terrible shows that are on!

Got rid of mine when I moved. I get everything I want as far as media from printed words, radio, and the web. My favorite shows (which I don't watch all that much of anymore) are available commercial free and uncensored with the web. Screw TV!

I no longer watch my radio.

meh I dont do tv much. I don't have cable either... or netflix.

We got rid of our cable connection about a decade ago. I do have the tv connected to an antenna for those rare moments there is something on tv, but we mostly rent dvds or buy them when they are on sale. I love watching stuff on dvds without all of the pesky commercials!

Stopped watching television about a year ago, and I haven't missed it yet. My attention span seems to have increased and I've discovered I still know how to read. Wish I had done it years ago.

What? Are you guys all freaks? What about Space? A&E? etc, etc, etc

Okay, well here's a second part to my question: Where do you get your media from online? For me, I use hulu like it's going out of style.

Going without a TV doesn't mean ANYTHING anymore in the internet age.

Now If you want to be serious about it what you need to do is to go without any monitors/screens.

Then we're talking.

Anthony

I use the pirate bay

My television monitor is only connected to my receiver, so I can watch DVDs. No cable or antenna connected. Been that way since halfway through 2005, and I don't miss commercial television in the least.

The shows worth something are available commercial-free in DVD box sets. Easy.

I can't use Hulu from Canada (boo!), but I have used Joost. It's okay. When all else fails, youtube or PBS.

This question is ironic. Tonight directtv called and asked about an upgrade. I have 3 TVs at home and two on trhe boat. For only $10/month, I can upgrade to all movie channels for 4 months. I'm hooked like a drug addict

Okay, well here's a second part to my question: Where do you get your media from online? For me, I use hulu like it's going out of style.

I just checked that out and it only had a minute of each episode of the show I wanted to watch, fail.

Going without a TV doesn't mean ANYTHING anymore in the internet age.

Now If you want to be serious about it what you need to do is to go without any monitors/screens.

Then we're talking.

Anthony

Exactly. What we have with computers is what I call "customized TV". We (mostly) choose what content we have shining on our faces.

One thing I've learned that TV can do but online content or movie rentals just can't quite match is a sense of occasion -- that what you're seeing is happening right now, and you need to pay attention if you want to come along for the ride.

This was really evident during the Olympics. Watching it in Youtube clips and page updates at sports websites absolutely did not do it justice. Instead, I left the TV switched to NBC for the entire Games. It wasn't always turned on, but if it was on, it was Olympics. We did it like that at home for as long as I can remember, too. Even if events were tape-delayed, TV's got this immediacy that I just don't feel when looking at a web clip.

Or there's the World Series. I hardly care about baseball, I didn't even know who was playing until the beginning of tonight's broadcast (I know that the Nationals suck, though). But I watch the series, because it seems like they're really trying hard, putting together the pieces that they've developed since off-season training, laying it out there one last time. Seeing a runner get thrown out at home plate by a cannon from the outfield on live TV is actually cheer-worthy.

It's part of why I still go to the movies, too. An afternoon or midweek show is pretty free of crowds, so it's mostly just me, a friend or two, and the film. It's not the same at home, where I have the occasional ping of an incoming email, or the noise of the moving truck starting up, or just other things around the house that snag my attention. Then, because I can't rewind the film projector, I'll miss things now and then -- which adds to any suspense that the story is trying to build.

(I dunno, that last sentence sounded awfully corny, but somehow I like it when I go, "Wait... what did he just say..." Or when I got bombarded with "Uncle F*cka" in South Park and could do nothing but laugh out of my chair)

TV has its limits with me, though. Dramas aren't part of my consciousness. Sitcoms are probably even worse, with their choreographed "line" *laugh* "line" *laugh* chuckle-snooze. So-called reality TV is a cheap abomination (and will never approach the early seasons of Real World, IMO). Travel shows make me cringe as the "host" wanders around some Third World country trivializing the people of a culture into mere entertainment for Westerners.

So yeah, I agree that a lot of TV completely sucks. For live events, though, I think it's still the way to go.

I’ve never had a tv. I really didn’t miss it growing up or now. I wouldn’t even watch much when at a friend’s house when growing up. Now we do watch the occasional movie on a lcd monitor.

Too many more interesting things to do…..

I have a TV but I don't know how to turn it on. There are four remotes to the things all attached to it but they are on top of the TV.

I'd rather read.

Anybody else not use their TV's? I think I can cut a few bucks, and also I can find pretty much any show I like on hulu, or any other news website out there.

I haven't owned a TV since I moved here a year ago. I rarely watch TV or movies, so not spending the money on owning one makes sense. Keep in mind that I've been like this for a very long time, so not owning a TV is much easier for me than for someone who is used to watching it.

In fact, I have lots of DVDs here that have gone unwatched since I got them months ago. I'm notorious for renting at Blockbuster and not only never watching the DVD, but never returning it either.

I just don't feel that there's any value in watching TV, when the bulk of my enjoyment comes from reading stuff online and learning. Before, it was Slashdot (where I actually kept up with IT, sort of), and now it's BikeForums. On top of riding my bike so often now, I don't have time for TV and the crap that it delivers (most of the time).

We haven't had a TV since 2000 - I think the last time we watched it was the millennium celebration going around the countries in the world, and my wife watched more of that than I did.

We watch tv shows and have a lot of boxed sets, but no TV. The adverts drive me crazy when it is on at the relatives - if it isn't telling you what to buy, it is telling you what is on next, what is on after that, what's on tomorrow, whats on next week, what the weather is doing. Then when the program finally comes back on for five minutes, it's got these stupid banners popping up telling you what you're watching right now - and which channel it is on and.... GRRRR.

Don't even get me started on remote controls and the way people jump all over.

I don't watch much TV either, but it seems most posters here are not the typical North Americans glued to their daily vices each evening, HDTV and flat screen sales has been very successful the last two years. I was told 36" is not a big TV anymore :eek:.

What? Are you guys all freaks? What about Space? A&E? etc, etc, etc

Oxygen, Lifetime and E! are the best!!!!

So, what were we talking about?

Got a TV, but its only hooked to a roof antenna. I usually only turn it on for the morning business news (4:30am) and the early news here in Los Angeles area. Other than that I get news from a newspaper (the WSJ, the only paper left with decent written content), and the internet. For entertainment I rent DVDs and read threads here on BF.

Here's the funny thing -- I've never even BOUGHT a TV. :lol: We had a TV at home; my college roommates had TVs; I once got a TV for my birthday that crapped out and got exchanged for store credit, which got me a few CDs and a subwoofer for my car; my current TV is a hand-me-down from some friends.

I have a TV but I don't know how to turn it on. There are four remotes to the things all attached to it but they are on top of the TV.

I'd rather read.

Well, if it's an LCD...you can connect it to your PC and have DOUBLE the viewing area! That means one monitor can be burned in on Bikeforums!!

Just kidding. Sort of.

I'd love to ditch ours. We use it mostly to watch VHS or DVD. But we do tune in the weather channel, CNN and the like on a daily basis.

The only cable channels I enjoy beyond that are Turner Classic, Sundance and IFC, for movies.

I don't know that I need to ditch it completely (maybe limit time in front of it is sufficient) but just saving $110/month would be nice. Time Warner are rich enough....

I'm really surprised at the numbers of people who DON'T have televisions. I thought this was going to be a bit difficult, but I've gone all night without a television and I can't believe how productive I have been with getting bills paid, writing articles, etc.

I'm really surprised at the numbers of people who DON'T have televisions. I thought this was going to be a bit difficult, but I've gone all night without a television and I can't believe how productive I have been with getting bills paid, writing articles, etc.

BF crowds are different, riding a bike already means you are different from most North Americans, add not watching TV, most people would have a heart attack.

I'm really surprised at the numbers of people who DON'T have televisions. I thought this was going to be a bit difficult, but I've gone all night without a television and I can't believe how productive I have been with getting bills paid, writing articles, etc.

This is a website on cycling. Most of us have found that cycling often lessens the demand for TV.

In my case, it actually gave me something else to occupy my time, which wouldn't have been replaced with TV anyway.

when i think back to the days before I had cable/internet it's amazing the difference. I am sure my IQ has been reduced markedly since then.

This is a website on cycling. Most of us have found that cycling often lessens the demand for TV.

In my case, it actually gave me something else to occupy my time, which wouldn't have been replaced with TV anyway.

Noted. I see your logic.

I no longer watch my radio.

I am stalking your radio. just so you know.

I'm really surprised at the numbers of people who DON'T have televisions. I thought this was going to be a bit difficult, but I've gone all night without a television and I can't believe how productive I have been with getting bills paid, writing articles, etc.
It blows my mind how much TV people watch. What the heck out there is worth wasting so much time on? Most of the programs are just torture to watch.

Going without a TV doesn't mean ANYTHING anymore in the internet age.

I agree, somewhat. But when I'm online I'm usually learning something, except when I'm goofing off here, which is probably 20% of the time. When I would watch TV, it was just mind-numbing nothingness, not counting the occasional documentary. And near the end, the commercials would nearly drive me crazy. I finally figured it wasn't worth it, and haven't looked back.

Tivo? (http://www.angryasianman.com/2008/10/parry-shen-in-tivo.html)

I've gotten 3 TVs for free from people at work. First, they find out that I don't have one. Then they upgrade their old TV to a new HDTV, and offer me their old one. I feel bad saying no, so I'll take it and then donate it to Goodwill or a nursing home.

Anybody else not use their TV's? I think I can cut a few bucks, and also I can find pretty much any show I like on hulu, or any other news website out there.

I went without it when I was in college for about 2 years. It wasn't as hard as I thought. I read a LOT of books to compensate back then.

Books make your brain happy.

I have had no TV for 5 years and counting. I like thinking my own thoughts TYVM.

I have no problem with the media. A/V is probably the best teaching device ever invented. I just don't care for the overwhelming majority percentage of the *message*. Be it subconscious or obvious.

We have no cable (no reception without it), haven't had it for over 3 years, and don't miss it one bit. :)

We do occasionally use the TV for movies, but are more likely to be found with books (or in front of our computers :rolleyes:).

I read a LOT of books to compensate back then.
What a nerd. The chicks probably did not realize you were compensating...

TV's in every room, always on, we're addicted. About to buy one for the pool area and start having some serious parties.

It's funny I should just find this post. The last 6-7 months My TV has been out of commision.

Word got out here at work and next thing I know I'm giving a coworker 15$ for an almost new 20" TV.

I brough it home, hooked it up about a week ago.


That night I thought I'd maybe take a look at what was on, only to turn it off 5 minutes later in dissapointment.


Internet is where it's at.

We might watch hour of TV per week and not even that much any more.

As far as watching a movie on the computer, I have no idea how anyone could do that. We have tried twice and no way. Way too uncomfortable.

I found that I can watch the Red Wings games live on the internet. I don't need a television anymore.

I've got a big HD TV. Can I get an HD signal from the internet (via my computer) to my TV? I don't know a lot about TV and computers and stuff (I'm not even a licensed plumber - but don't need the license), but I'd love to cancel my cable service and save $50 / month, or more.