How much would cable prices have to rise to before you cancel?

space_invader64 · November 29, 2007, 08:30:48 AM

The top shows on TV are on regular broadcast, many more are online. But the cable companies feel the need to raise the prices at 4 times the rate of inflation! is there a dollar amount that you would say, no more!!!

I don't think I'll get cable when I move into my next place. And if scifi and other mainstream channels are not in the basic package, it's a dealbreaker.

Geekyfanboy · November 29, 2007, 08:55:16 AM

Well we are TV people in this household. I actually upgraded to digital cable when I moved last month. I know most stuff comes out on DVD but I like to watch whats on now.. not wait six months for it to come out on DVD. As for how much I would pay, currently I pay about $55 for cable and would pay up to $100 a month for it before I would consider not getting it. We love our TV :) .

billybob476 · November 29, 2007, 09:08:01 AM

I pay about 80 right now, I think over 100 would start making me mad. Unfortunately my wife loves her TV so I don't think we'd be getting rid of it, maybe just downgrading a bit.

Rico · November 29, 2007, 09:51:21 AM

My bill is over $100 per month. But that is a combined Comcast bill of HD digital cable (no premiums) and high speed internet. But yeah, it's too high for what you get.

Geekyfanboy · November 29, 2007, 10:12:23 AM

Yeah my bill is also over $100 with our cable internet. But I could never go back to dial up.. it's worth every penny.

Bryancd · November 29, 2007, 10:26:29 AM

We have Cox and have tier 2 level which has some movie channels plus a STARZ package, no HBO. It's digital with a DVR function and we pay $90.90. Our High Speed internet is $44.95, so our total is 141.19 per month! I might get rid of some of those movie channels, we so rarely watch them.
For phone we have Vonage, so that $25/month unlimited.

wso32 · November 29, 2007, 10:56:41 AM

When I was in the US, I didn't have cable for the last year. I just watched with an HD antenna. I get a great signal so the HD programs were excellent. I was shocked at how much I didn't miss cable tv, plus I saved over $600 for that year.

space_invader64 · November 29, 2007, 10:58:24 AM

I wouldn't gripe so much if I felt like the content was better. I used to love TechTV, but it has been bought out and converted to a really bad channel. I still follow the old TechTV guys on TWiT and revision3 from their websites. And other podcasts are really good. The audio podcasts I listen to while driving. (BTW Rico's is a must for my comute)

Also I am an old school metal fan, but that content was moved off of VH1 to VH1 Classic so that VH1 gets to be another version of the E! channel.

Kyle XY is one of my favorite shows and it's online.

Youtube catches the clips if anything interesting happens on TV.

Scifi is good but it's in a higher tier on many cable systems. Normally not with VH1 Classic!

Larry King often podcasts his most popular interviews.

I'm not a sports guy.

Right now the only reason I have dish network is because I live to far out to pick up local TV. Most of what I watch is shows like Heroes and House, so I have to setup a dish an get a basic package, and then pay extra to see the locals!!!

When I move somewhere that I can get locals with rabbit ears, I'm just going to get naked (that means unbundled) internet, get dvds with netflix and I have a huge vhs and dvd collection. I don't think I would miss it one bit.

Bryancd · November 29, 2007, 10:59:58 AM

Yeah, I was mad when they took away my NASA TV!! :mad2:

jedijeff · November 29, 2007, 04:18:14 PM

I have a real high Cable bill, probably close to 200 a month, but my Internet is on the bill, two phone lines, HD TV with some movie channels, and Chinese Channel for my wife (which cost a lot). The company covers my internet and second phoneline since I work at home. I was thinking of dropping my Movie Channels but when I got HD, I actually started watching more. I have the Canadian version of TechTV as one of my extra channels, though I dont watch it as much as I should. If Cable got to expensive I might scale it back, but I would never cancel it.

space_invader64 · November 30, 2007, 09:54:58 AM

Quote from: jedijeff on November 29, 2007, 04:18:14 PM
I have the Canadian version of TechTV as one of my extra channels,

Oh that's right, there is still a TechTV Canada! How is it? How is Leo's show on that? What other things do they show?

wraith1701 · November 30, 2007, 10:14:45 AM

I actually watch very little TV. I watched the first season of Heroes, and I faithfully followed Enterprise and Buffy until they ended, but the only show that I watch now is BSG (and it is on break).

I pay a lot for cable, but the biggest reason I have it is for my internet connection. The different TV stations are largely a side benefit that I don't use enough to justify the cost. If only I could just pay for the internet connection, and not all of the useless channels... :dry

If only cable companies would offer a customizable package, allowing customers to purchase one or two channels and features ala carte. I'd love to only have to pay for internet, Sci-Fi channel, and maybe Comedy Central. That would make my day. ;D

Rico · November 30, 2007, 10:23:31 AM

It's really amazing to me how much each and every person pays for this entertainment and still they can't seem to have it trickle down to pay the writers more. Pretty sad.

Geekyfanboy · November 30, 2007, 10:26:58 AM

It's call GREED!!!

moyer777 · November 30, 2007, 10:48:42 AM

I have Comcast internet at 56 bucks a month and Dish Network at 49 per month.

Cable internet just screams. I love it.

I don't like cable TV at all because I'm spoiled with the Dish programming guide and information.

When I get enough money for a couple of HDTV's it will be 20 more dollars per month for the HD dish and I will have to buy a couple of HD DVR's at about $300. So, it's a ways off for the Moyer household.

Oh well. I'm not complaining!

Rick