# Time for a new TV Solution



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Looking for info on whats out there for us Canadians right now. We currently run 100% internet based TV. Using Roku with Netflix and a few other subscription services. Netflix has just come down on most all of the VPN services again and I am not paying for the Canadian version, it sucks. So looking for a brand new solution. Whats out there and where do we get it. I have heard of a few new things buthave no really looked into anything.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

just let it go, man. free yourself from the chains of television. the internet has a never ending amount of free content. i watch a different series 2 times or more every day, and have never seen the same thing twice, unless i wanted to.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I don't watch much myself but the wife has her programs. I want nothing to do with cable or dish just streaming


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

I know details are tough to get BUT as of March 1 2016, all cable providers are supposed to offer a basic 25 dollar package.
I know the devil is in the details but I did hear that a smaller provider if offering 40 channels for that basic rate.
Should be interesting to see what the big boys will offer for the basic package.
They cant keep it a secret forever so keep a look out.

G.


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## Stonehead (Nov 12, 2013)

Ive just recently cut my cable package down to the 35.00 p/m essentials package. I'm on the hook with Telus Optik TV until December. Their product is not worth paying for IMO. I was paying $110.00 p/m for them to pump commercials and crappy movies into my home. I would agree with the OP that Canadian Netflix is crap. Up until yesterday I was using American Netflix but they hit my VPN service and i can no longer stream from the American site. I am currently using my free trials of Crave TV and Shomi. These two services have a lot of the content that the American Netflix has so it makes up for the lost content on the American side. Their interfaces are a lot slower and less sophisticated then Netflix but they do get the job done. I also use Popcorn Time for movies and Firstrowsports for hockey and football. By December this year i will purchase a digital antenna and cut the Optik TV completely. My wife has to have her local news read to her each night so the antenna should get her the 3 or 4 local stations here in Calgary.
Crave TV is $7.99 pm and Shomi is $8.99 p/m Netflix is $7.99. If i subscribe to crave though Telus i an get it for $4.00 p/m. So down the road here I'm looking at roughly 25.00 p/m for all 3 major steaming services + my Internet fees. My bills used to be around 260.00 p/m for my home services now I'm down to about 100.00 p/m. I also ditched my home phone as well to save another 30 bucks a month. It's not that i can't afford these services I'm just tired of paying for garbage and channels i don't watch.

Update: My Ameican Netflix is up and running again, it was down for 4 days in total. Ill probably dump Shomi and keep CraveTV


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## Lord-Humongous (Jun 5, 2014)

My wife and kids watch too much TV. I just go play my guitar in the other room. I have been watching American Idol, but I'm sure that I could live without it. I'd love to just cut the cable and Netflix and leave them each a pile of books instead.


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Since you're not following the rules when using a VPN why not just download everything on torrent?


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

GTmaker said:


> I know details are tough to get BUT as of March 1 2016, all cable providers are supposed to offer a basic 25 dollar package.
> I know the devil is in the details but I did hear that a smaller provider if offering 40 channels for that basic rate.
> Should be interesting to see what the big boys will offer for the basic package.
> They cant keep it a secret forever so keep a look out.
> ...


I'm waiting to see what happens with this. I would miss my PVR if I gave up on Shaw as I pvr everything I watch and skip over the commercials. I'm paying $130/month for Shaw right now and it has to get better after those rules come into effect or I will have to look at other options.


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## Moosehead (Jan 6, 2011)

HD antenna. 25 bucks, no monthly fees and Niagara gets quite a few channels. Im sure there are better ones but the cheap 25 dollar ones work fine for me.

I also use netflix and anything else I need I can download or stream. 

Some useful sites: 

Firstrowsports.eu or www.stream2u-tv.me/ for all sporting events
projectfreetv.so for tv shows and movies

I use the pirate bay for torrents.

The local watering hole is a good spot to go as well. My home away from home.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

For me there's not enough on t.v. to make it worthwhile but the wife has her programs she watches. We probably have the same telus optik pacage Stonehead had. The wife is talking about thinning it down a bit....maybe. Netflix, crave and other things like that are not interesting either. Why should I pay to watch something now when I didn't watch it when it came out? The magic box on the t.v. downstairs hasn't been turned on for at least 4 months. There are 4 'computers' hooked up to that t.v. plus the VCR and one or two other ways to watch movies etc.. I can even hook up a video camera to it so I can record and watch myself play....haven't done that yet but I could.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Netflix has just come down on most all of the VPN services again and I am not paying for the Canadian version, it sucks.


I know people who follow some of the BBC shows that are on Canadian Netflix, that aren't on the US version--so they're happy...

But it depends on what you want to watch I guess.
I normally only watch stuff when others are watching, or there's a good music doc on or sports (Mostly NHL & CFL)


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

I recently started using Plex to watch some of the programs and movies I had on my computer. I'm pretty impressed with it and found out recently that you can also watch other shows on it for free. I watched "American Pickers" on my tablet in bed last night. Yes, I know Frank and Mike aren't the stuff good dreams are made of. You can start watching shows or movies on one TV and continue watching on another device somewhere else if you want to. It's worth a look.


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Maybe this could interess you.

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/business/android-box-streaming-1.3455524


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Crave TV is pretty awesome. I can't believe the amount of shows they have, and have no idea how they got the licensing for them all. The HBO library on there is amazing.

As far as the Canadian Netflix sucking, I personally find it's consistently gotten better. It doesn't have the movie content the US one has, but constantly improves as far as TV. And, it has some cool stuff that the US Netflix doesn't have.

But anyway, get the Crave trial and try it out. I think you'll be impressed.

Or you can get an Android box running Kodi. You will find everything you ever wanted to watch. I personally try to support good services like Netflix and Crave where I can. I see people on Facebook commenting on all the android boxes without accounting for the fact that most the content is from pirated sources on them. If you don't care about that, that's your own call. But a lot of people just seem oblivious to the fact and comment on how 'everything is free'. I can pirate anything I want. I just try to make an effort not to. I want to see services like Crave succeed.

Also of note, I am really curious to see how Netflix plans to crack down on VPN's. I personally think they are just saying that because they have to appear that they are making an effort. For every VPN they find a way to block, there will be 20 more. It's a pretty impossible battle in the end.


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2016)

I'd like to get rid of cable, but, my wife has her shows that she wont let go.
I recently picked up an older LCD that I _may _need to get another digital/analog box for.
This the newest one we own now (~12 years old).
I've been browsing around some DIY sites about making an HD antenna. 
Anyone here have one? Whether bought or made?
Keep in mind, I'm looking for low/no cost TV.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

I live in the Orangeville Ontario area, which is full of valleys and has the escarpment between here and Toronto. But my friend that lives up on the high ground in Mono with horizon views 3 ways get's 10 channels through a simple set of HD rabbit ears. So how well it works is really dependent on where you live.

This site has a whole bunch of info: http://overtheair.saveandreplay.com/ . It's an ugly, aging site but still seems to be the main one.


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## dodgechargerfan (Mar 22, 2006)

laristotle said:


> I'd like to get rid of cable, but, my wife has her shows that she wont let go.
> I recently picked up an older LCD that I _may _need to get another digital/analog box for.
> This the newest one we own now (~12 years old).
> I've been browsing around some DIY sites about making an HD antenna.
> ...


I bought a cheap one just to see how many channels I can get - even with poor reception. I just wanted a count.
I pulled in a handful of decent channels and a few that are hit and miss.
Keep in mind that I just hooked it up and stuck it to the wall in our bedroom. I spent zero time trying to find the best placement.
And it's indoors.

It was 7 bucks at factory direct. Looks like it's up to 10 bucks now.
http://m.factorydirect.ca//Product.aspx?param=Iwg1TPWo0JFxvQS8IlHU0A==

And it kinda looks like the Bat signal.

I'm going to use it in the spare bedroom where we don't have any cable run, but the experiment was successful enough that I want to investigate a better outdoor solution that will serve the whole house.


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2016)

Thanks TDU and DGF.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

I have something like this








that I hooked up to the Sony Watchman to see if it would be any good here. Because of the trees, buildings etc. it depends where I am on the property as to how many channels I get.


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## Moosehead (Jan 6, 2011)

Larry check out my post on page 1.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

torndownunit said:


> Crave TV is pretty awesome. I can't believe the amount of shows they have, and have no idea how they got the licensing for them all. The HBO library on there is amazing.
> 
> As far as the Canadian Netflix sucking, I personally find it's consistently gotten better. It doesn't have the movie content the US one has, but constantly improves as far as TV. And, it has some cool stuff that the US Netflix doesn't have.
> 
> ...


Frankly I have no sympathy whatsoever for the big cable companies and sat providers. They have bled people dry for years with grossly over priced packages and channels that nobody wants. Only now are they prepared to come out with affordable base packages and a possible pick and pay. If it was affordable people would not have left to look for other options. I have always been prepared to pay for TV but at reasonable rates and I am not paying $100 plus for 10 channels I want and 20 I don't. I have been on Internet only for 2 years


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

the original question was "new TV solution"?
I don't know why I didn think about this before but here is something completely different.
For the details you need to call Rick Wilson at Neutron Electronics Guelph cause I know they sell this package there.

Basically Rick recommends 3 components...
Rotary Antenna
Receiver
Booster amplifier.

You stick the antenna on the roof...and plug the stuff into your TV..

All this for a one time cost of about 300 dollars.
What do you get...? that's a tough one to answer cause it all depends on where you live.
Apparently if your across Lake Ontario like Oakville , you can get over 100 HD channels.
There is a web site that you can plug in your postal code and it will give you a list of all the channels available to you.

Sorry about the missing details but I did get it all a while back and I cant find the info right now.

OK...now back to your regular scheduled programming.

G.


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2016)

GTmaker said:


> There is a web site that you can plug in your postal code and it will give you a list of all the channels available to you.


you're thinking of tvfool
enter your location and up pops the chart.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I'm interested in testing an HD antenna because it is the purest and least compressed signal you can get. I'd like to see the pic quality - and if there's much difference to the compressed cable signal I watch. 

But watching TV in real time? Nah. That'd be like watching stuff on youtube - too many ads you can't jump. I don't even watch sports in real time - I usually get myself a buffer of 30 minutes so I can jump the ads and halftime and all the talking head stuff. 

Maybe you could feed that on-air signal into a computer to work like a PVR, but I doubt it would work as good as a PVR.


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2016)

High/Deaf said:


> I'm interested in testing an HD antenna because it is the purest and
> least compressed signal you can get. I'd like to see the pic quality


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Ti-Ron said:


> Since you're not following the rules when using a VPN why not just download everything on torrent?


News group is far better.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

laristotle said:


> you're thinking of tvfool
> enter your location and up pops the chart.


I clicked the link and filled in what info I figured they needed and found out I could get CBC, CTV and Global.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

laristotle said:


>


Can't see any difference.


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2016)

We can't, but, the guy on the vid says there is.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

CAn you not still get a free dish with 12 channels because of the analogue to digital switch?
I know my bro inlaw got one.


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

Here's what I've been using for a while, the Channel Master DVR+: http://www.channelmaster.com/Antenna_DVR_s/336.htm
Along with the HD Frequency Cable Cutter antenna: http://www.hdfrequency.com/Cable-Cutter

I'm getting 34 channels with the antenna and the DVR+ adds additional internet based channels. You can read more about it on the Channel Master website.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

laristotle said:


> We can't, but, the guy on the vid says there is.


Well, that's reassuring. It's a moot point anyway. I can't see any difference between Hi Def and regular tv on either hi def tvs here . Maybe I should put them side by each and see. Nah. Not worth it.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

My hubby and sons are TV junkies! Me I can live or live without it! I would rather play my guitar or heaven forbid read a book!


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Electraglide said:


> I can't see any difference between Hi Def and regular tv on either hi def tvs here . t.


Really? Are you sure your hi def is working/set up properly. The difference should be quite obvious. Find a CBC Hockey game broadcasting on both an HD and SD channel. If you flip back and forth on the same TV you should quickly see that SD looks terrible in comparison.

TG


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

traynor_garnet said:


> Really? Are you sure your hi def is working/set up properly. The difference should be quite obvious. Find a CBC Hockey game broadcasting on both an HD and SD channel. If you flip back and forth on the same TV you should quickly see that SD looks terrible in comparison.
> 
> TG


Yes it's working and set up properly. The package we have includes HD channels and SD channels such as KSPS and The Discovery Channel....those I watch....so I don't have to find a hockey game. Thank god for that. I have flipped back and forth and to me there is no real difference. They both look about the same and for the most part there is not much to watch. No Benny Hill, no Red Dwarf or Hitch Hikers or shows like that. A lot of what I watch I have to find on youtube which is where the PS3 comes in. Where else can you find the first two seasons of Dr. Who. The early BBC ones are the only ones worth watching IMHO.


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Torrrents + Plex + Chromecast and/or Nexus Player is the way to go. I actually have a big cable package and I still download the tv shows to not have to fast forward commercials


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

zurn said:


> Torrrents + Plex + Chromecast and/or Nexus Player is the way to go. I actually have a big cable package and I still download the tv shows to not have to fast forward commercials


I'm starting to like Plex the more I use it. At my age there's a learning curve but it's starting to look like part of the solution for getting rid of my $130/month Shaw bill.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

traynor_garnet said:


> Really? Are you sure your hi def is working/set up properly. The difference should be quite obvious. Find a CBC Hockey game broadcasting on both an HD and SD channel. If you flip back and forth on the same TV you should quickly see that SD looks terrible in comparison.
> 
> TG


I agree. If he can't see the dif, I doubt he's actually seen HD. It is that significant!

But I know some people can't hear the difference between .mp3 and .wav - I sure as hell can. Sad for those of us that can, I guess. Or else we could still be watching a b&w 20"480i TV and listening to it on the internal 3" oval speaker.


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## Guest (Feb 26, 2016)




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## jimsz (Apr 17, 2009)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Looking for info on whats out there for us Canadians right now. We currently run 100% internet based TV. Using Roku with Netflix and a few other subscription services. Netflix has just come down on most all of the VPN services again and I am not paying for the Canadian version, it sucks. So looking for a brand new solution. Whats out there and where do we get it. I have heard of a few new things buthave no really looked into anything.


You can try this...

http://tvonline.tw/


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

High/Deaf said:


> I agree. If he can't see the dif, I doubt he's actually seen HD. It is that significant!
> 
> But I know some people can't hear the difference between .mp3 and .wav - I sure as hell can. Sad for those of us that can, I guess. Or else we could still be watching a b&w 20"480i TV and listening to it on the internal 3" oval speaker.


I've seen HD tv. My son upgraded to this. 
* Samsung 65" 4K Ultra HD LED Tizen Smart OS TV (UN65JU6390FXZC) *
and I assume that that's HD. I tried to watch it the last time we were there but it's too damned big. Not pleasant at all. He set my t.v. up downstairs but when he tried to set the one upstairs up the wife threatened to chop off his hands. To you guys there might be a significant difference....to me there isn't. Especially on the 24" down stairs. As far as mp3 vs wav goes, I didn't know there was a difference but then I doubt if I listen to either.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

Electraglide said:


> Yes it's working and set up properly. The package we have includes HD channels and SD channels such as KSPS and The Discovery Channel....those I watch....so I don't have to find a hockey game. Thank god for that. I have flipped back and forth and to me there is no real difference. They both look about the same and for the most part there is not much to watch. No Benny Hill, no Red Dwarf or Hitch Hikers or shows like that. A lot of what I watch I have to find on youtube which is where the PS3 comes in. Where else can you find the first two seasons of Dr. Who. The early BBC ones are the only ones worth watching IMHO.



There are far better ways to watch stuff like that than youtube.

If you are interested, I can provide some links to good streaming sites. Also, if you spoof your IP address to a British one you can watch stuff like that online from the BBC, Channel4, etc.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Electraglide said:


> I've seen HD tv. My son upgraded to this.
> * Samsung 65" 4K Ultra HD LED Tizen Smart OS TV (UN65JU6390FXZC) *
> and I assume that that's HD. I tried to watch it the last time we were there but it's too damned big. Not pleasant at all. He set my t.v. up downstairs but when he tried to set the one upstairs up the wife threatened to chop off his hands. To you guys there might be a significant difference....to me there isn't. Especially on the 24" down stairs. As far as mp3 vs wav goes, I didn't know there was a difference but then I doubt if I listen to either.


Relax, Electra. You don't have to shout......

Yes, that is a very good HD television. But what you see on it also depends on the signal you are sending to it. What you get with a TV like that (especially 4K) being fed a less than high-quality signal is a clearer image of a crappy (noisey) picture. I worked in the broadcast business for a decade and I can tell you if you A/B'd my little 55" 1080p setup (via an HD PVR or blueray), there seriously is no comparison. When I first went HD in 2006, for the first two months I didn't watch TV (i.e. the programming), I watched 'The TV" (i.e the massively improved picture quality). It took at least two months to begin taking it for granted and just watch the program (which I do now). I just think something isn't right if the diff doesn't jump out and bite you in the arse.

Also, some people just don't care enough about the differences. Working in the broadcast business, I developed a pretty good eye (you have to for the sake of survival) much like a recording engineer develops a pretty good ear. I imaging those guys are hating an mp3 world! I'm sure you've listened to both - .wav is CD's format and mp3 is the extremely compressed format that most music files are these days. It's much smaller file size is convenient for electronic transfer/storage (8 million songs on an ipod) and enough people just don't hear (or care about) the quality difference. Queue the Neil Young Pono rant......................................................(I don't think he's wrong, he's just beating the dead and rotting carcuss of that poor mare).


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

colchar said:


> There are far better ways to watch stuff like that than youtube.
> 
> If you are interested, I can provide some links to good streaming sites. Also, if you spoof your IP address to a British one you can watch stuff like that online from the BBC, Channel4, etc.






youtube seems to do the job quite nicely.


High/Deaf said:


> Relax, Electra. You don't have to shout......
> 
> Yes, that is a very good HD television. But what you see on it also depends on the signal you are sending to it. What you get with a TV like that (especially 4K) being fed a less than high-quality signal is a clearer image of a crappy (noisey) picture. I worked in the broadcast business for a decade and I can tell you if you A/B'd my little 55" 1080p setup (via an HD PVR or blueray), there seriously is no comparison. When I first went HD in 2006, for the first two months I didn't watch TV (i.e. the programming), I watched 'The TV" (i.e the massively improved picture quality). It took at least two months to begin taking it for granted and just watch the program (which I do now). I just think something isn't right if the diff doesn't jump out and bite you in the arse.
> 
> Also, some people just don't care enough about the differences. Working in the broadcast business, I developed a pretty good eye (you have to for the sake of survival) much like a recording engineer develops a pretty good ear. I imaging those guys are hating an mp3 world! I'm sure you've listened to both - .wav is CD's format and mp3 is the extremely compressed format that most music files are these days. It's much smaller file size is convenient for electronic transfer/storage (8 million songs on an ipod) and enough people just don't hear (or care about) the quality difference. Queue the Neil Young Pono rant......................................................(I don't think he's wrong, he's just beating the dead and rotting carcuss of that poor mare).


Sorry about that. I clicked on the link and didn't notice that it had changed the font for a while. A 55" is little? I would expect that the signal my son gets is the highest you can get in Ardrie, I know we pay for the best you can get from Telus here in Red Deer. From the mid 60's until the late 80's I had a lot of indirect association with the broadcast industry in B.C.. Mom worked for radio and t.v. stations on the coast, the Island and the Interior. I did a short stint at trying to be a 'disk jockey' but that was in the am days. 
As far as HD goes, I presume that HDMI is the same. I have a HDMI splitter and into that are the PS3, the magic box from Telus Optik, a laptop, the Patriot Box Office....says it's 1080p hd....and an open spot for my tablet if I so choose. All of which output in HDMI. As far as I know they are all HD and they are all connected to the internet. I also have an Asus HDMI adapter.....it supposidly converts signals into 1080 HD. I might hook the VCR up to that. I have the T.V.'s and ways of getting HD signals into the t.v.s but as you pointed out, some people just don't care about the differences.....going by the people I know most over 55 don't give a damn about the differences. I got the Patriot at a yard sale in a box of stuff I paid $10 for, it had a 500g HDD in it that is now in the PS3. The Asus came with an external HDD....1gb....that's loaded with movies. Paid $25 for those. 
If wave is cd then I've listened to it I guess. I rip cd's onto micro sd cards, put the cards into a usb adapter and plug that into the stereo of the 'Glide. I use Windows Media Player to do the ripping. Sound quality is not really important. I don't listen to music files in mp3 format as far as I know unless that's what you get on internet satellite radio. Anything I listen to or 'borrow' off the net are music vids which are mpeg.4 format. I have an ipod, a little older, it holds a gig. I'm not sure how to put tunes on it. 
What it boils down to is I'm one of those guys who see's a set up like my son has and wonders what the big deal is. I just watch the program....if I find it interesting. 
That being said and to get back to the OP, if it was up to me I would cancel the t.v. portion of what we have and use the t.v.s as large monitors for the internet, watching what I want to watch when I want to watch it. If you don't want to watch the commercials etc. then pay for a service of some sort....there again, I can't see enough difference in any of them to say which is the better one. My son's girlfriend has Crackle, Netflix, Showmi and Crave hooked up to her t.v.. Spends all her time wondering what to watch, in HD. I have Crackle on the PS3 but I don't recall watching it in the last year or so. Here, antenna t.v. is not an option, neither is satellite unless I cut down some trees and possibly move part of the neighbors house.


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## boyscout (Feb 14, 2009)

Would it be hijacking this thread to ask what others are doing about storing media for the TV?

I guess streaming makes storage less necessary for some things; if you want to watch it again you can stream it again (though with the same often-sluggish or -kludgy controls for rewinding and fast-forwarding). But sometimes you might want to capture something for off-line viewing? How to do it?

A bigger question for me is storing movies on disc. We have hundreds of DVDs and Blu-rays that we don't want to haul with us as we move around in the coming years. I spent hours this morning ripping just one Blu-ray movie onto an NAS disk system... I'd be dead before I could rip all of ours! I used MakeMKV to rip the Blu-ray (30Gb) then VLC to convert it to low-quality MP4 (2.8Gb). That process took about three hours on a very fast computer, and the result sure doesn't look like Blu-ray. If I kept all our movies as MKV files to retain video quality I'd need about 200 terabytes of disk space and an app to play them (iTunes won't).

I can't be the first to this party... anybody found a good solution? Thanks in advance.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

boyscout said:


> Would it be hijacking this thread to ask what others are doing about storing media for the TV?
> 
> I guess streaming makes storage less necessary for some things; if you want to watch it again you can stream it again (though with the same often-sluggish or -kludgy controls for rewinding and fast-forwarding). But sometimes you might want to capture something for off-line viewing? How to do it?
> 
> ...


I've never tried to rip a blu-ray....I think I have maybe 2....but for normal stuff, when I do it, I used DVDFab9. There might be newer versions out there. Put in a dvd, figure out what you want to 'copy' and where you want it to go and click start. Doesn't take too long iirc. It all depends on the size of the movie on the disc and what format you want the end result to be. I think it will do blu-ray but I'm not sure. And it's free. Plus I have a laptop set up to do things like that. I just don't do it much anymore. Not too sure what a NAS disc system is.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Frankly I have no sympathy whatsoever for the big cable companies and sat providers. They have bled people dry for years with grossly over priced packages and channels that nobody wants. Only now are they prepared to come out with affordable base packages and a possible pick and pay. If it was affordable people would not have left to look for other options. I have always been prepared to pay for TV but at reasonable rates and I am not paying $100 plus for 10 channels I want and 20 I don't. I have been on Internet only for 2 years


I haven't had cable for over 10 years. I was a very early cord cutter. I am slighter younger than some of the forum regulars, so I was just on the technology very early. I have no love for cable and my post wasn't meant to imply any. What I do want to do is support new technology though. Netflix is a pretty awesome experience. And I want to support companies like them that are creating awesome original content as well as pushing the technology. THAT is why I try not to pirate. I run Kodi just like a lot of people and yes I use it to watch a lot of stuff I can't easily find and don't want to pay for. So I am not guilt free. But, I pay for Netflix and CraveTV because I want these services to succeed so that eventually they will be able to offer so much content I don't have to look for any pirated content.

I mainly just wanted to point out the fact that no one discusses why the free content using Kodi etc. is free. It's all pirated content. If someone doesn't care that's totally fine. But the people selling the Android boxes advertise all the 'free' content. I have talked to people who bought a box and had it set up for them, and have absolutely no clue the content is all pirated. The people selling them don't tell them that.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Good points, torndown. No one wants to produce quality content for free. Everyone (all of us here included) wants to believe what we produce has some value and people will be willing to pay something for it. Even hackers and fraudulent CRA scammers, I suppose.



boyscout said:


> Would it be hijacking this thread to ask what others are doing about storing media for the TV?
> 
> I guess streaming makes storage less necessary for some things; if you want to watch it again you can stream it again (though with the same often-sluggish or -kludgy controls for rewinding and fast-forwarding). But sometimes you might want to capture something for off-line viewing? How to do it?
> 
> ...


I don't think this will be much help, as I've found nothing that can save a bunch of space without sacrificing quality. 

I use the plastic stackers that blank discs are sold in to store my DVD's and BR's. So I can store 100 movies in one of those stacker thingys (that's about 3 TB if they are all BR's). And I can probably get 16-20 of those in a wine box from the liquor store (our old standard moving box size reference). So I'm thinking 3 to 4 wine boxes will handle about 200 TB. Not the most elegant solution, and searching / retrieval can be a bit of a bitch. But no loss of fidelity.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

High/Deaf said:


> Good points, torndown. No one wants to produce quality content for free. Everyone (all of us here included) wants to believe what we produce has some value and people will be willing to pay something for it. Even hackers and fraudulent CRA scammers, I suppose.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Have you played around with Kodi or Plex as far as a playing and Library solution? They are both pretty good for that. I believe you can even just rip ISO/DiskImages that way as well. It will read anything.

As far as ripping I will admit a 1080p MKV or MP4 with good audio is pretty decent quality in my eyes and ears. 5-7 GB file size.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

High/Deaf said:


> Good points, torndown. No one wants to produce quality content for free. Everyone (all of us here included) wants to believe what we produce has some value and people will be willing to pay something for it. Even hackers and fraudulent CRA scammers, I suppose.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What ever happened to plastic milk crates? They made them smaller so an lp won't fit easily but the still are usefull and a lot stronger than wine boxes.


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