CongCrasht/Xfinality has failed again. Our DVR blew up this morning.

[MineralMan]

"Our first available appointment to replace your DVR is Tuesday, between 8 and 10 AM."

Now that's fast service, I must say!

So, I dug out the rabbit ears and let the TV find the local digital over-the-air broadcasts. Not bad, really. All the basic networks are there, along with secondary channels of one sort or another, including four public TV channels. We have a Google Chrome dongle plugged in, too, so my wife's streaming stuff will still work, if she gets out her Chromebook and uses that to tune in.

Maybe we'll cut the cord after this four-day trial. We shall see whether that pleases the other person who has to agree to any decisions we make.

[RKP5637]

1. Have you tried Roku. It's incredible. n/t

[samnsara]

2. my phone and laptop crashed on the same day..

....but at least i still had my tv.

[jayfish]

3. You Can Go To A Comcast...

store and swap out for a new, probably better, unit. ...just saying.

[MineralMan]

5. Nah. Why should I? Let them bring the damn thing here

and install it. For the amount I pay each month, they should clean my house, too, while they're here.

I see this as a way for my wife to see that we lose nothing really from using the antenna for network broadcasts. She watches streaming stuff on her iPad, anyhow, rather than on the TV. I'll show her how to use her Chromebook to stream the rest of the stuff.

I really only watch the CBS News on the TV anyhow.

I'd love to stop paying for cable TV, but I have to convince her it will work. So, we get a long weekend to play around with cutting the cord.

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. If it helps....

we cut the cord quite some time ago. Mr. dixie was reluctant, at first, so we agreed to a trial period of a few weeks.
It helped that Dish was being difficult and annoying about any problems we had with them.

even with lousy dsl internet out here, we do just fine without tv. Internet provides us with more content than we can ever watch, esp. after Netflix streaming began.

The key win is we are in charge of what and when we watch/read, and hear,
and no blaring commercials.

[mwooldri]

4. I hear and feel ya...

Unless Comcrap have a means for you to pick up a new DVR at a store... That is the way that Spectrum (Charter, also ex Time Warner Cable) have been going... go to a store, plug in the box at home and do it yourself.

I believe Comcast have an app for your cable channels so you can use your phone to stream to the Chromecast in the meantime. Obviously recording shows is not going to happen but it's at least something.

Also a good time to re-evaluate your video media needs. Also be careful, Comcast love to pump up the rate of your Internet if you discontinue TV service. A lot of cable channels can be got via a streaming package - I'd vouch for Sling, AT&T's "Watch TV" and YouTube TV.

If all you watch are the broadcast networks then get a better antenna and cut the cord. There are antenna-based DVRs available.

[hunter]

6. Maybe it's the universe telling you it's time to quit Comcast.

I quit them years ago and significantly improved the quality of my life.

[Wellstone ruled]

7. So your ancient DVR

finally ran out of Hamster food . Like most in St Paul,that equipment is so old,the Moss has moss.

[Codeine]

8. Yep. Last week I had a Monday appointment

to have AT&T upgrade my internet to fiber. They showed up two hours late (after I left work early to make sure I was there ) and then had the account screwed up and couldn’t do the work.

Rescheduled for Wednesday after an hour on the phone getting the error corrected; nobody ever showed or called. Another twenty minutes on the phone resulted in a rescheduling for Friday.

Again they were two hours late, but at least the third time actually resulted in decent, non-laggy internet.

[Demonaut]

10. sucks but shit breaks, do they have a office you can swap it out?

probably closed Saturdays

sorry

[NutmegYankee]

11. I use an antenna and get like 50 channels.

Many in High Definition.