[NTLUG:Discuss] Some background on tomorrow's meeting, Saturday 10/19

[Stuart A Johnston]

I was thinking the same thing but OTA reception can be a problem in DFW, 
depending on where you are. However, if you are able to get a good 
signal, I'm a big fan of the HDHomeRun tuners which you connect to your 
network and work great with Linux/MythTV.

(If only there was a MythTV frontend for Roku.)


On 10/21/2013 11:56 AM, David Simmons wrote:
> Chris - appreciate you sharing the information/thinking/testing/results.
>
> One thought about your 'Live TV' events is since these are all 'over the
> air' signals (and the Aereo service is at least $96 per year) - why not get
> a a standard HD antenna, plug it into a recorder (bet you already have one
> of those or could find cheap) and combine it with MythTV for the DVR
> functionality?
>
> Even when we had cable, I would watch the local games OTA for one reason -
> NO COMPRESSION.  The HD signal OTA is clean/clear/awesome.  The cable guys
> (and I'm guess Aereo) compress the signal to save when the 'ship it around'
> through their gear.
>
> Just a thought.
>
> -dave
>
>
> On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 12:46 PM, Chris Cox <cjcox at acm.org> wrote:
>
>> So begins the search for change...
>>
>> 1.  Get rid of U-verse U200 TV (too expensive)
>>
>> 2.  Explorer streaming options (but focus on Roku for device)
>>
>> 3.  Media server for existing purchased DVDs/BDs/CDs.
>>
>> Why Roku?  Does what it does for cheap and it the number one steaming
>> device.  (And I went to school with its creator)
>>
>> On 1, canceling U-verse saves us $120/mos.
>>
>> On 2, we looked at Hulu, Neflix and Amazon Prime.  Ultimately, stuck with
>> Netflix ($8/mos) and Amazon Prime ($79/yr).  We found Hulu to be sadly
>> lacking.  Amazon Prime is certainly the cheapest and has the added benefit
>> of free 2 day shipping if your an Amazon consumer.  But as far as pure
>> content goes, Netflix is the largest (by a huge margin).
>>
>> More on #2 in a bit...
>>
>> On 3, chose Plex Media Server as the software base.  It's well used and
>> very friendly and has a plugin (channel) for Roku.
>>
>> On 3, I asked my wife for permission to spend upwards of $350 on a server.
>>   It needed to "at least" have:
>>
>> Minimum reqs
>>
>> 1. 500GB harddrive built in.
>> 2. Ability to do on the fly transcodes
>>
>> I didn't really care about "size" of the box.  It's a server... so didn't
>> matter much to me.
>>
>> Desired Extras
>>
>> 3. Low power, so it could actually be on 24x7 even.
>> 4. Quiet
>> 5. Small
>>
>> I began my hunt anticipating having to wait for year end deals.
>>
>> I looked at Intel NUC, Gigabyte's Brix, and Zotac's Zbox.  The problem
>> with most of these was cost vs. what you actually got.  They sound "cheap"
>> until  you add memory and disk, etc.  While you might be able to get a
>> good setup for $350... it was tough in my mind to justify... was hoping to
>> do better.
>>
>> Going consignment (used) was certainly one way of answering 1 and 2 and
>> even 5, but likely it would not be all that quiet and would likely consume
>> some power (80+W).
>>
>> What I didn't expect was the sale on the Lenovo's Q190.  Which pretty much
>> met all my requirements including desired requirements.  And all for under
>> $250.
>>
>> So armed with roku front ends, Netflix, Amazon Prime and Plex integration
>> to a central Q190 based server, we have just about everything to make up
>> for loss of TV.... except...
>>
>> Except... for "live TV"... and in particular sports.  Giving U-verse meant
>> no more Cowboys games, no more Aggies, etc.. (or perhaps it means I had to
>> "bum" off of friends in order to watch games).
>>
>> I had signed up to be on the watch list for Aereo.  And lo and behold,
>> guess what, Aereo came to Dallas about 1 week after we ditched U-verse.
>> Aereo is high quality over the air TV and your own remote PVR for $8/mos.
>>
>> And there  you have it.  I can record the games, I can record Marvel's
>> Agents of Shield, etc... and I have access to a ton of movies, TV shows
>> (from last year and earlier) and access to all of my already purchased
>> media all from any device, including my phone....
>>
>> Done....
>>
>> Next....
>>
>>
>>
>>> My (former) U-verse TV is (was) U200 and costs us $103/mo.
>>>
>>> $21 of that is the extra receivers we have.
>>> $10 is for HD
>>>
>>> The base U200 is $72.00
>>>
>>> Then come the "taxes" of $16.43 for various state and local taxes....
>>> (yuk)
>>>
>>> That brings my total TV bill to $119.43/mo.
>>>
>>> ........
>>>
>>> Well, that's the message that helped start it all.  AT&T in a classic
>>> "bait and
>>> switch" technique tricked us (employees) to sign up with huge discounts
>>> during a
>>> time in which they knew they were selling our division off to IBM (and
>> the
>>> employees did *not* know)....  thus we got U-verse U200 for around $50,
>>> additional receivers were free, digital phone was free, etc..
>>>
>>> Obviously, once we were sold, the price went back to the "norm".  Genius
>>> move on
>>> AT&T's part?  Maybe...  maybe, not!!
>>>
>>> Having been a Comcast and Time Warner customer, I know that at least
>>> compared to
>>> those, U-verse is the "Cadillac" of subscriber style television
>> (including
>>> price)... but all of the providers aren't interested in a price war, so
>>> prices
>>> stay elevated and really based on "costs" more in tune with the early
>>> 2000's.
>>>
>>> Shoot, I think we can all think of something to do with $120/mo., right?
>>>
>>> And... is it possible to do better than the "cadillac" of providers??
>>>
>>> And... did AT&T "bait and switch" us again?  (that setup was too easy, I
>>> think
>>> you know the answer is "yes", but find out how they did it this time).
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>
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