Broadband and TV deals

[The Family Cyclist]

We've been with BT for ever and therefore getting shafted price wise. Got all excited as through blue light discount could get a stonking deal.....which BT have withdrawn

So plusnet seems cheapest. However that's just broadband. We don't have any extra BT TV like sport but will the TV box we have work if we switch? Also see BT likely to want it back, they've just given us a new one as old one died. We actually the router died not the TV box.

[Bluebottle]

All depends on what you want (or "need") to watch. We got hacked off with the Virgin Media service (or lack thereof) and consciously uncoupled. TV is now via freeview occasionally supplemented by the smarts in a new TV (but was a Roku stick before that) so no need for a box as such but we did have to install an aerial that had previously been removed. Suits us, YMMV.

If you are worrying about the router, any new broadband provider should be supplying that.

[fd3]

IME I have never had a provider ask for the box back.  Our new (smart) TV has everything that the old box had anyway (and isn't tied to a network so we can subscribe via internet).  Also less cables (but no recordy facility).

I believe boxes work based on internet connection, so should work if you change providers.  I have not tested this though.

[lissotriton]

IME I have never had a provider ask for the box back.  Our new (smart) TV has everything that the old box had anyway (and isn't tied to a network so we can subscribe via internet).  Also less cables (but no recordy facility).

Some smart TVs will let you record if you plug in a USB stick. My LG can do this.
Though I've not actually bothered yet. Most stuff is available on iplayer etc if you want to watch it later.

[Morat]

With video services (formerly known as Television) becoming so divided between a myriad of providers it gets expensive very quickly.
My favorite option is to use a TV with a Chromecast (either a box or built in) and control all the subs/playback from my phone.
However, Mrs Morat does not agree - she likes the All-In-One interface provided by a Sky Puck which you use to login to Netlix, Apple, Prime etc etc and it will let you search once across all the things. In theory.
Their remote control is very good, though - and has illuminated buttons which is handy.

Whether you like Sky themselves or find their services useful is totally up to personal preference. I only subscribe to Sky Sport so we can watch F1. Sadly F1 is even more boring than ever at the moment so I'm considering cancellation. Whether that will be blocked by Mrs Morat, maybe.

[Wowbagger]

I find Not Watching Television to be a good option. We don’t own one, but I do pay for a licence for the purposes of iPlayer. Jan and I only watch on our computers.

[Kim]

I don't think it stops counting as television if you watch it on a computer.  Even the shitvertisers and TV Licensing people have worked that out.

[barakta]

Political parties have worked out streaming services or video on demand (iPlayer alikes) aren't restricted from political broadcasts before elections, so alongside a random raise in what they can spend that may happen for this year's Westminster General Election.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/apr/14/political-ads-could-heading-uk-tv-screens-legal-loophole-itv

[rafletcher]

I don't think it stops counting as television if you watch it on a computer. 

Indeed, and watching on a TV sized screen is (IMO) more confortable that a laptoip screen. However YM (and viewing habits as a couple) MV.

[Kim]

I think my computer screen qualifies as 'TV sized' by any reasonable measure.  At 32" (16:9) it's certainly bigger than that of most televisions I've owned.  (Our last telly was not replaced years ago, in order to make room for more bikes.)

Barakta's unusual in that she prefers watching video in a relatively small area, in order to keep it all inside the non-double-vision part of her visual field.  'Laptop-sized' is probably about right for her, though that's usually a window on a bigger monitor.  That said, I have gone to the effort to run a cable^[1] from my computer's audio out to her mixer, so we can watch video together on my large screen.


_{[1] I know that pipeware or arseaudio or whatever does sound on lunix this month can stream over the network, but as the dead troll once famously put it "I've got a girlfriend and things to get done."}

[Wowbagger]

I don't think it stops counting as television if you watch it on a computer.  Even the shitvertisers and TV Licensing people have worked that out.

It does when you don’t tune in more than about once every other week.

[Tim Hall]

I don't think it stops counting as television if you watch it on a computer.  Even the shitvertisers and TV Licensing people have worked that out.

It does when you don’t tune in more than about once every other week.

Surely that's "I have a tv but I don't watch it very often"?