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My mom has been using this horrible DISH service for 13 years -- with this giant 8 foot saucer on her roof. They now charge her almost $80 a month and have removed most of her channels. She wants U.S. live CNN, C-Span, History, MSNBC and Discovery, and the main ones (ABC, NBC, CBS, etc). What is a better alternative? 

Gracias in advance!

Poe Bango

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I have a feeling Mom isn't going to want to deal with Internet TV. The only viable option, then, is Shaw Satellite, which does cost a lot to set up. And there are worries that it will not last long. But I give it a good 5 to 7 years: 5 because we may lose some important channels, 7 because they won't stop broadcasting until the satellite dies.

Right now, it gets all the channels you mention except C-Span.

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I know the setup cost is high but what would the monthly cost be to be getting those channels? I mean your own system, not part of a stacking scheme that can come tumbling down with one wrong move by any one member.

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25 minutes ago, pappysmarket said:

I know the setup cost is high but what would the monthly cost be to be getting those channels? I mean your own system, not part of a stacking scheme that can come tumbling down with one wrong move by any one member.

Most "brokers" here charge $50 US/mo. I would say if you have your own account, they start around $75 Cdn/mo for anything decent. I pay almost $160/mo.

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12 minutes ago, Poe Bango said:

Thanks Angus and ComputerGuy - I'll look into both those. 

Internet TV: ComputerGuy, what would make this too complicated for Mom? How (who) do I go about setting it up? Thanks!

Since I make it a point to not yet get involved in streaming boxes, I suggest you use Google to do some research, or just wait a bit, because there are a number of people here who do this and will go to great lengths to describe the processes. I don't do it for other people because it is for the most part best left to people who are "into" computers. Certainly my own Mom would have blanked completely, but then she couldn't figure out how to get back to the TV stations after watching a DVD.

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Computer Guy knows full well I am hardly a tech-savvy person.  But we are getting along reasonably well with an android box that has countless channels including all you mention Poe Bango.  Purchase of box (Mercado Libre) was about $1,089 pesos.  Person to program and then set up in our house $300 pesos.  After that it's totally free.  Yes, some times of day does not work really well --- others is perfect. But If I can learn the basics (don't use it for MANY things it would do) then anyone can. 😀

NOTE:  is dependent on WiFi being available and "on".

By the way, because I want to see Guad news on  Mexican channels, I maintain the most basic (52 channels) Telecable service ($200 per month) so do have to go back and forth between "regular" tv and android box setting.  Easy once you get the drift!

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1 hour ago, ComputerGuy said:

Most "brokers" here charge $50 US/mo. I would say if you have your own account, they start around $75 Cdn/mo for anything decent. I pay almost $160/mo.

Thanks, I had no idea what the monthly cost is and friends sometimes ask.

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If I was doing it over, I would invest in a pre-flashed router which you can find vendors for using Google. I would then purchase a 1 year VPN subscription to ExpressVPN for $99 US. With that setup you will then "appear" to be in the US and take your choice of any of the streaming services available: Hulu Live, DirectV NOW, YouTube TV, Sling, PlayStation Vue, Philo Fubo, and of course Netflix, Amazon Prime and many others. Just remember that your CC billing address will dictate your local channels so when your actual ISP address is out of the area you will probably receive the nets from that area only, each service is different. You will need a good internet signal, minimum of 5 and better closer to 10. Forget super, ultra def, you need 25 minimum for that. Get a good newer Roku player and hook it up to your TV(s) and connect via your wifi or via ethernet cable and you will be watching everything you can get in the US with the exception of C Span, never seen that included. Make sure you always are connected to your VPN whenever contacting the content providers or they will bust you. Between Hulu Live, Philo, Sling Orange and Amazon Prime we have more to view than we have time to do so. Also install an app on your Roku called NewsOn, even without a VPN you can watch the local newscasts on a huge number of US stations, many on demand so you can watch the 11:00 news the next morning if you prefer.  You just connect your flashed router to your Infinitum modem/router with an ethernet cable. If you decide to go cheaper like I did and flash your own router with support from EVPN, remember one thing: You have to connect a computer to the router with an ethernet cable. Most laptops no longer have an ethernet port. After a near heart attack I learned that they make a USB to ethernet adaptor that Amazon Mx got to me in 2 days for under $200 MX. No visit to the ER was required! I should have said FIRST check the ExpressVPN site for a list of the routers they support. THEN buy one, pre-flashed or straight which is cheaper.

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4 hours ago, Poe Bango said:

My mom has been using this horrible DISH service for 13 years -- with this giant 8 foot saucer on her roof. They now charge her almost $80 a month and have removed most of her channels. She wants U.S. live CNN, C-Span, History, MSNBC and Discovery, and the main ones (ABC, NBC, CBS, etc). What is a better alternative? 

Gracias in advance!

Poe Bango

Since you are researching alternatives, let me share my set up.  This may or may be at a level you want for your Mother.  All you need is to be able to use a computer.

1. My TV service is USTVNow which cover most of the channels depending on the plan you select. Top plan has an on-line DVR. Cost: free to $40.00 per month.

2. A computer with HDMI (for TV) and Bluetooth (keyboard) connections.

3. 42" TV with HDMI connect. It does not need to be a smart TV.

4. HDMI cable.

5. Regular router.  VPN (Private Internet Access $49.99 per year) is on pc so I can turn on encryption  for banking and off for tv.

6. Bluetooth keyboard $39.99 only if the pc keyboard is not near you.

So any thing I can do on a computer browser, I can see on the tv.

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21 minutes ago, Poe Bango said:

Wow! I can't thank each of you enough for the great information. I will look into each of your suggestions. I really appreciate it so much! 😀

Didn't you ask for more information? 

I am not sure about steaming boxes, but most computer browser players allow you to set the data rate you receive for shows/movies.  This help if you have a slower internet.

If you have a smart tv, USTVnow have a web address for smart tv's. You need nothing else.

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15 minutes ago, Tiny said:

 

That is interesting. That web address is registered in the island kingdom of Tonga.

The physical location is in the US. Is it important to you where a web location is? "The government of Tonga sells domains in its ccTLD to any interested party. The .to ccTLD is administered by the Tonga Network Information Center " Most sites what to avoid US regulations such as DACA.

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4 minutes ago, Joco said:

The physical location is in the US. Is it important to you where a web location is? "The government of Tonga sells domains in its ccTLD to any interested party. The .to ccTLD is administered by the Tonga Network Information Center " Most sites what to avoid US regulations such as DACA.

USTVNow does not.

I will give it a try.

I don't think the pricing is a third. If you want than 10 hours of DVR per month, you will pay around $25.00 per month. USTVNow is $39.99 per month.  

You do not need a VPN with USTVNow either.  One thing I do not like StreamLive is you have select each time a program is on for it to record. Unless I missed it, I can not find how to set up a series for a show one time.

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Hulu Live has a neat cloud dvr. If you move any show from any network into "My Stuff" it will record any new episode of that show automatically. You get 50 hours of recordings and then it will record over the oldest one. Philo has unlimited dvr and works the same way but shows only last for 30 days. I'm old and used to watching TV shows when they air but after this, except for sports, we rarely watch anything live anymore. And if you click in on something live you have the option to "Start from beginning" so no more trying to remember what's on at what time. Always a good feature as we age, lol.

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4 hours ago, Tiny said:

USTVNow does not.

I will give it a try.

I don't think the pricing is a third. If you want than 10 hours of DVR per month, you will pay around $25.00 per month. USTVNow is $39.99 per month.  

You do not need a VPN with USTVNow either.  One thing I do not like StreamLive is you have select each time a program is on for it to record. Unless I missed it, I can not find how to set up a series for a show one time.

I paid $49 for a year.'s service. They run specials. StreamLive also broadcasts more stations than USTV plus movies. 

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7 hours ago, Joco said:

I paid $49 for a year.'s service. They run specials. StreamLive also broadcasts more stations than USTV plus movies. 

Lucky you with the $49 special. The only offer was $5 off the first month. 

It is not the number of channels they offer, it is the number of channels you that you want to watch that is important. Samething with movies.

The TV Guide for StreamLive only showed two days of shows.

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5 hours ago, Tiny said:

Lucky you with the $49 special. The only offer was $5 off the first month. 

It is not the number of channels they offer, it is the number of channels you that you want to watch that is important. Samething with movies.

The TV Guide for StreamLive only showed two days of shows.

Don't use its TV Guide.  Use http://www.tvguide.com/listings/

I was with the service a few months when it ran the special and I took advantage of it.

Most of the channels it has that USTV doesn't have are popular channels, HBO. Starz, Cinemax, etc. 

 

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7 minutes ago, Joco said:

Don't use its TV Guide.  Use http://www.tvguide.com/listings/

I was with the service a few months when it ran the special and I took advantage of it.

Most of the channels it has that USTV doesn't have are popular channels, HBO. Starz, Cinemax, etc. 

 

If you do not use their TV Guide, how do you set up recording to the DVR? I watch every little live. 

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19 hours ago, Joco said:

The physical location is in the US. Is it important to you where a web location is? "The government of Tonga sells domains in its ccTLD to any interested party. The .to ccTLD is administered by the Tonga Network Information Center " Most sites what to avoid US regulations such as DACA.

Interesting in the Terms of Service.

''17.3 Governing Law.

These Terms will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of China, Bejing, without giving effect to any principles of conflicts of law.''

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35 minutes ago, Tiny said:

Interesting in the Terms of Service.

''17.3 Governing Law.

These Terms will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of China, Bejing, without giving effect to any principles of conflicts of law.''

Please, don't use them. Please erase it from your mind. 

Yeah, you wouldn't want to be sued (for what) in China but, I will tell you, if you ever are, ignore it. I don't think if China got some $10 dollar judgement against you, it will be enforceable in Mexico. What is it a subscriber to the service can be sued for, not paying? The customer is shut off if he doesn't pay.

I have a dozen of other free services I use to watch programs I missed. If you weren't driving me nuts, I'd give them to you. I can watch without commercials anytime I want and I get more selection like everything on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and other TV series and movie producers.

 

 

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