How we watch "tv"

[heganboy]

I have found that over the last couple of years the tv habits of my family have completely changed.

Almost the only live tv that is really ever on is sports. I'm in the US, so even at that a lot of the sport I actually care about watching live is not broadcast on the american networks so I end up actually watching over the internet and cast to the tv.

As for the shows that I watch, a lot of that is binge watching, so 3/4 of a series at a time to watch an entire series at a clip usually on demand or netflix.

The exception is a pain in the arse, when I have got caught up in a series that is still on, and that series is a likely conversation topic then I hate spoilers so I may watch at the broadcast time.

For this I pay for netflix - less than $10 a month, and an internet and tv package which is absolutely completely overpriced at $200(due to no competition), compared to the rest of the world. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24528383)

Are others seeing the same changes?

are there other services out there that people are using that actually deliver value?
I have no problem paying for content, but I resent being ripped off to this degree.

[southdown]

Using a free Netflix trial at the minute, great job.

[Puckoon]

HB - I am the exact same. I rarely watch any TV in the conventional sense. Thankfully I have not signed up for digital cable/satellite. My HOA provides through the wall cable. We tivo some shows but mostly I just binge on things on netflix or amazon prime.

[Smokin Joe]

If only proper Broadband was in place I'd love to have those choices.

But with a broadband speed of 1MB streaming isn't a possibility for me.  I don't think that Satellite broadband is the answer for this either due to the relatively low d/l allowances that I see offered.

[armaghniac]

For this I pay for netflix - less than $10 a month, and an internet and tv package which is absolutely completely overpriced at $200(due to no competition), compared to the rest of the world. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24528383)

Ireland wasn't to the fore in the past, but with UPC TV/Broadband/Phone from €55-€75 it isn't the worse now in urban areas anyway. Even out of town, the services have improved in many places.

[ONeill]

We still stick to the schedule unless there's nothing on and then dip into the reserves.

[Tony Baloney]

My missus hates me watching the many variations on Motorway/Traffic Cops. Apart from that most tv is from Sky+. Watching scheduled tv is rare as our wains don't go to bed til late. 

[gallsman]

I read a number of articles about this trend in the wake of Netflix producing House of Cards and Arrested Development. The networks are terrified and have to move with the times. As you've said heganboy, people want to consume tv series multiple episodes at a time. Having to wait a week for the next episode just doesn't cut the mustard.

First I bought boxsets, now I download everything or watch on something like Netflix. As you've said, only broadcast TV I tune in to watch is sport.

[bcarrier]

Slingplayer back to Irish sky box?

[Eamonnca1]

I'm with you on the Netflix binge watching. I'm getting caught up with Doctor Who at the minute.  Watched the first three seasons of Downton Abbey in the space of 2 or 3 weeks.

I don't have cable TV, I fear the expense of what could be a time-sucker.  I had cable for a while in England and wasted god knows how many hours in front of that thing, I felt obliged to watch it and get my money's worth.  It's a bit annoying that I have a hard time watching live sports though.  I miss being able to watch an F1 Grand Prix, for example, and not even my VPN seems able to help me out there.

I'll watch The Daily Show, a bit of Colbert, and Real Time with Bill Maher. All of that you can get directly through the web (the latter by illicit means). 

[From the Bunker]

My missus hates me watching the many variations on Motorway/Traffic Cops. Apart from that most tv is from Sky+. Watching scheduled tv is rare as our wains don't go to bed til late. 

Ah the days of being able to watch TV comfortably before 9pm. Anyway, it's Netflix on smart tv, Various terestrial players on smart tv and the odd thing on Saorview/Freesat. No Sky thank you. I watch allot online on my laptop as well.

Don't have the patience to watch programs/series week to week! Unless they are stand alone episodes! Time and options has changed the game (called watching TV).

[heganboy]

.  I had cable for a while in England and wasted god knows how many hours in front of that thing, I felt obliged to watch it and get my money's worth.  It's a bit annoying that I have a hard time watching live sports though.  I miss being able to watch an F1 Grand Prix, for example, and not even my VPN seems able to help me out there.

I'll watch The Daily Show, a bit of Colbert, and Real Time with Bill Maher. All of that you can get directly through the web (the latter by illicit means).

Couldn't possibly comment but if you have flash, a good pop up and ad blockers on your browser apparently coolsport.tv allows you to get virtually anything including all sky sports and all theF1 including qualifying (allegedly) but for the record I have never checked....

Alternatively also on nbc sports channel after the soccer tape delayed on Sunday morning...

[gallsman]

.  I had cable for a while in England and wasted god knows how many hours in front of that thing, I felt obliged to watch it and get my money's worth.  It's a bit annoying that I have a hard time watching live sports though.  I miss being able to watch an F1 Grand Prix, for example, and not even my VPN seems able to help me out there.

I'll watch The Daily Show, a bit of Colbert, and Real Time with Bill Maher. All of that you can get directly through the web (the latter by illicit means).

Couldn't possibly comment but if you have flash, a good pop up and ad blockers on your browser apparently coolsport.tv allows you to get virtually anything including all sky sports and all theF1 including qualifying (allegedly) but for the record I have never checked....

Alternatively also on nbc sports channel after the soccer tape delayed on Sunday morning...

I couldn't possibly comment either but have heard from a reliable source who uses it regularly that it's very good and will even show PPV events. This source acknowledges that whilst the stream isn't in HD, it's generally decent enough that you could connect a laptop up to a TV and watch it on a bigger screen.

[Abble]

.  I had cable for a while in England and wasted god knows how many hours in front of that thing, I felt obliged to watch it and get my money's worth.  It's a bit annoying that I have a hard time watching live sports though.  I miss being able to watch an F1 Grand Prix, for example, and not even my VPN seems able to help me out there.

I'll watch The Daily Show, a bit of Colbert, and Real Time with Bill Maher. All of that you can get directly through the web (the latter by illicit means).

Couldn't possibly comment but if you have flash, a good pop up and ad blockers on your browser apparently coolsport.tv allows you to get virtually anything including all sky sports and all theF1 including qualifying (allegedly) but for the record I have never checked....

Alternatively also on nbc sports channel after the soccer tape delayed on Sunday morning...

I couldn't possibly comment either but have heard from a reliable source who uses it regularly that it's very good and will even show PPV events. This source acknowledges that whilst the stream isn't in HD, it's generally decent enough that you could connect a laptop up to a TV and watch it on a bigger screen.

gallsman, just on that one, i can connect my laptop up to tv for largescreen viewing pleasure, but my sound not so pleasurable coming just from laptop. i connect a VGA cable from laptop to tv, do i need something else for sound also to come from tv ?

also i'm now with those who like to watch a show from start to finish and i think now long gone are the days of waiting around for a week on next episode...currently worked my way thru 4 series of breaking bad in the past 3 weeks via XBMCHUB. this can be on laptop, mobile phone or tv digital receiver box plugin

[BenDover]

Abble your next question there should have been - does anyone else use XBMC and know of an add-on where I can watch Love/Hate from season 1?