OT: Home Internet upheaval

[PromoTheRobot]

Today we dumped Comcast/Xfinity for 1Gig fiber from Consolidated/Fidium. It's great but also a royal pain in the tuchas. First you have to reconnect all those smart devices you forgot you had. And some of those devices you can't just type in a new password.

Then we have to adapt to YouTube TV on a smart tv instead of the cable box we've used for decades. I looked at every tv streaming service and each one is missing something you want. YouTube was missing the least. (No NHL TV for example.) 

Too much change for old people. Harrumph, harrumph.

 

Edited February 9, 2022 by PromoTheRobot

[Marvin]

I am looking at this kind of change myself.  Thanks for this information.

[ddaryl]

If you have a playstation 4 or you can pick one up cheap they make great set top boxes for streaming pretty much any service

But I understand your pain completely.

[PromoTheRobot]

6 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

I am looking at this kind of change myself.  Thanks for this information.

It's worth it. We had maybe 50-60mb with Xfinity. Here's my speed test just now.

Edited February 9, 2022 by PromoTheRobot

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

11 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Today we dumped Comcast/Xfinity for 1Gig fiber from Consolidated/Fidium. It's great but also a royal pain in the tuchas. First you have to reconnect all those smart devices you forgot you had. And some of those devices you can't just type in a new password.

Then we have to adapt to YouTube TV on a smart tv instead of the cable box we've used for decades. I looked at every tv streaming service and each one is missing something you want. YouTube was missing the least. (No NHL TV for example.) 

Too much change for old people. Harrumph, harrumph.

 

 

[North Buffalo]

Just use the mouse.... how quaint!

[Indabuff]

15 hours ago, ddaryl said:

If you have a playstation 4 or you can pick one up cheap they make great set top boxes for streaming pretty much any service

But I understand your pain completely.

I just did this very thing last night.  Disney Plus is throwing an error code on my smart tv so I streamed it through the PS4.  Never dawned on me. 

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, Indabuff said:

I just did this very thing last night.  Disney Plus is throwing an error code on my smart tv so I streamed it through the PS4.  Never dawned on me. 

I have my smart tvs setup but when I am on the PS5 tv, I just run everything through it. The PS5 interface is better and I think it loads and streams better than the smart tv. 

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, Indabuff said:

I just did this very thing last night.  Disney Plus is throwing an error code on my smart tv so I streamed it through the PS4.  Never dawned on me. 

 

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

I have my smart tvs setup but when I am on the PS5 tv, I just run everything through it. The PS5 interface is better and I think it loads and streams better than the smart tv. 

Not a gamer so that's not an option. I have an older Vizio Smart Cast which is close to useless but the wife doesn't want me to buy a new tv, even thought I could get a 55" 4K Roku for not a lot.

[LGR4GM]

16 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Not a gamer so that's not an option. I have an older Vizio Smart Cast which is close to useless but the wife doesn't want me to buy a new tv, even thought I could get a 55" 4K Roku for not a lot.

Just get a new tv, the layout and speed on newer stuff blows anything that is 5 years old or more away. 

Hell, 2 years old even. 

[SDS]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Just get a new tv, the layout and speed on newer stuff blows anything that is 5 years old or more away. 

Hell, 2 years old even. 

People should do their best to get the longest life out of their electronics.

 

[LGR4GM]

19 minutes ago, SDS said:

People should do their best to get the longest life out of their electronics.

 

That's true. I had the same 47" lg for 8 years and gave it to a buddy when I upgraded tvs last summer. That LG is still going strong. 

[PromoTheRobot]

9 minutes ago, SDS said:

People should do their best to get the longest life out of their electronics.

 

Most TV's that break down, it's usually something on the motherboard or power board. Not that hard to fix if you don't mind popping the set open. Often times the these are fairly inexpensive but they go out of stock after 5-7 years. So any older TV is destined for the dump.

[Zamboni]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

That's true. I had the same 47" lg for 8 years and gave it to a buddy when I upgraded tvs last summer. That LG is still going strong. 

Yea I’ve got a similar situation. 15 year old Panasonic Plasma 42” tv. Still works like a champ. Got a PS4, and Roku hooked up to it. With Surround sound. Not gonna upgrade until it dies.  👍🏼

[Doohicksie]

On 2/9/2022 at 2:50 PM, ddaryl said:

If you have a playstation 4 or you can pick one up cheap they make great set top boxes for streaming pretty much any service

But I understand your pain completely.

Or a Roku stick.  Or a Firestick.  Or a Chromecast stick.  Or any of a number of other streaming devices.

[North Buffalo]

11 minutes ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

Or a Roku stick.  Or a Firestick.  Or a Chromecast stick.  Or any of a number of other streaming devices.

We have internet and a cracked firestick... easy enough to do via youtube vids

[ExWNYer]

20 minutes ago, The Ghost of Yuri said:

Or a Roku stick.  Or a Firestick.  Or a Chromecast stick.  Or any of a number of other streaming devices.

So, basically, you want us all to 'stick it'. 😇

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, North Buffalo said:

We have internet and a cracked firestick... easy enough to do via youtube vids

What's the advantage to cracking it? I have an old one that I haven't used in a while since you can get Prime Video on other platforms.

[North Buffalo]

On 2/11/2022 at 3:06 PM, PromoTheRobot said:

What's the advantage to cracking it? I have an old one that I haven't used in a while since you can get Prime Video on other platforms.

Not totally sure, but you can watch download apps, Amazon Prime, Netflix, which my wife has an account anyway for her phone, I can watch NHL and NFL... basically internet TV for cost of internet access.  Also, network TV access as well and lots of free movies.

[MattPie]

On 2/10/2022 at 8:57 AM, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Not a gamer so that's not an option. I have an older Vizio Smart Cast which is close to useless but the wife doesn't want me to buy a new tv, even thought I could get a 55" 4K Roku for not a lot.

A Roku stick is like $35, I have one in my Vizio Smart Cast for times when the ChomeCast doesn't like something (or RosePie can use the remote). I have one on the monitor on my desk too, for doing the odd stream or AirPlay screen mirror (mostly for working out, my bike trainer is in here too).

10 hours ago, North Buffalo said:

Not totally sure, but you can watch download apps, Amazon Prime, Netflix, which my wife has an account anyway for her phone, I can watch NHL and NFL... basically internet TV for cost of internet access.  Also, network TV access as well and lots of free movies.

Depending on what you're doing with a cracked stick, you might in a legal grey area (or even not so grey). No judgement, everyone can make their own decisions. I don't know if anyone is really cracking down (pun intended) on it, but they could I suppose.