Drop Kick the Cable Box

First, a little history. In the early 80s most people watched TV over the air, via antenna. When cable came on the scene it was initially a tough sell. After all, they had to convince the average television viewer to buy a product that they had essentially been getting for free all their known life. The selling point was of course a larger channel selection, about 30 channels as opposed to the usual Big 5, commercial-free viewing on most of those channels and, the big draw, the option of movies at home via HBO or Showtime. So these features sold the product, but the price had to remain low to get them in the door. Back then, one could get basic cable for about $6/mo and the movie channels for a few dollars more.

Today, a standard line-up of channels can easily cost $60/mo and movie packages can quickly double that figure. That’s a 1000% increase in less than 25 years. And to compound the matter, commercial-free is a rare communist slogan. Of course, with these steady price hikes we have gotten some return on our money: more channels, around 100 or so now, plus music channels, and DVR and VOD services. But the later costs additional dollars. Although there are some free choices, Video-On-Demand generally runs $4 or more per viewing, which can easily add a hefty sum to the monthly bill.

There is also a catch to the addition of more channels. While it multiples the available content, it also tends to lower the quality of that content. Consider 24hr news stations that simply repeat the same sound bites all day long. Or science documentaries that take an hour to explain 10 minutes worth of material by reiterating everything proceeding each commercial break. And the continual reruns of old movies on TNT, AMC and so on. The fact is, there is only so much content that can be produced and only so much that can be consumed. And both come at a price in time and money.

So here we are some 25 years later, and the system has approached its saturation point. Consumers are paying a larger chunk of their earnings toward video then every before and cable companies continue to drive prices upward to meet modern market capitalism’s growth expectations, while there is little room left for real product enhancement. Indeed, all that seems to be left to them is the High Definition switch over, and the companies are in no rush to spend the money on infrastructure upgrades it requires. So you can expect another 10 years before HD content is pervasive and of course you can count on even higher cable bills.

Meanwhile, we find ourselves in an economic depression. I have discussed this fact with many people, and it continually surprises me how unwilling most people are to part with their cable box, even when money is tight and doing so could easily save them over $500 per year. People, I have noticed, tend to get stuck in their luxuries. Tell them you can save them money and they are all ears, but tell them they’d have to give up one thing, even a minor thing, and they’d rather continue being fleeced. There is little one can do about this. Eventually one must come to the realization one’s own, that it is not worth all the money or the time wasted on finding something good to watch or the constant bombardment of commercials. There are alternatives, and while they may not provide every little detail of what you have become accustomed, what they do offer is superior in every way.

So I am going to explain how you can save a large sum of money every year and have a much more enjoyable television watching experience, while making only, what is in truth, some very minor sacrifices to your current customs.

This is the age of the Internet. This age does not just mean a big computer network we can google. It brings with it a whole change in mindset. Information is accessible to us on request, at our discretion. It is the new Pull Paradigm replacing the old Push. And though still in the early stages in high-bandwidth information such as video, it is nonetheless available now, and in some creative forms as well. For as it turns out, the medium is not actually the issue. The Pull paradigm has been successfully applied to video-on-demand, not via digital networks, but via good old fashion snail mail. Combine this with the developing online VOD services and the new over-the-air digital TV, and you have a recipe for finally replacing the cable box.

So what exactly do you need to make the move to Pull? Your cable company may still have you by the shirt tails in one respect, but few people realize that you can get Internet service from them without also having cable, and for a much better price because Internet service is tax-free. That’s right, there are no tax or government fees to tag on. You pay a straight price. And, by law, companies are required to offer economic access. You could pick up low-end broadband for about $25/mo. If you are already using the Internet anyway (and why wouldn’t you be?), then this is just cake. Now all you need is Netflix, for around $22/mo. Now you can watch all the movies and popular television shows you want, generally when you want and all practically commercial free. You simply have to be willing to plan a couple days ahead and watch your TV shows a season behind original release (and no, that is not as hard as it might seem). In addition, plunk down $99 for a Roku box or other Netflix ready device, and you can watch your choice of 12,000+ titles at your beck and call.

But what about traditional viewing: news, soaps, morning shows? You’re in luck. Thanks the the digital switch over scheduled for mid-Feburary, a whole new line-up of channels will soon be available over-the-air along side the traditional big five. All you need is the new digital converter box and that old antenna. The government is giving out $40 rebates for the boxes, and you can expect all new TVs to have converters built-in.

So for a little money down, you can kiss the those big cables bills away for good. Yes, there are some sacrifces to make, but in the end the experinece is much more enjoyable. You are are in charge or what you watch. And hey, personally, I miss my rabbit ears.