Entertainment Bundle: TV, Landline, and/or Internet?

[michigan girl]

I have secured housing, signed a lease, and in the process of choosing providers. I realized that I may not need cable service. However, I'm not sure if I should keep or ditch the landline service. I heard there are pros to keeping a landline. I usually just depend on my cell phone. High-speed Internet is definitely on my necessary list.

If you were living in an apartment, which would you choose? I'm looking at $25/mo for only Internet or $45/mo for DSL/Landline (no long distance).

[LingGrad2009]

Internet only for me. I'm in the same position, so this is not only what I would do, it's what I just DID do. The only reason I'd get a landline is if DSL was the only internet available. For TV, the signal that comes in via antenna is perfectly fine for the little I watch, especially now that we've finally switched to digital. In fact, the over-the-air signal, if you get good reception, is of far greater quality than by cable or satellite. I don't need 100 channels clamoring for my attention when I'm supposed to be reading for grad school anyway.

One other thing is that if it's a bundled package provided by your cable company, it's probably not actually a "landline" in the traditional sense (copper cable to tip and ring). It's more likely VoIP, so the purported emergency services benefits of POTS don't apply anyway.

[kahlan_amnell]

I barley ever watch TV, so I'm probably going for Internet and landline, which is what I have now. Landlines are good to have for emergencies, since cell phones don't always work. By landline, I mean one from a phone company, not one from a cable company that relies on a cable modem. Those are useless if the power goes out, and don't have real 911. I couldn't manage without internet at home. As for TV, I manage with the free channels, and I barley even watch those. I think it has been months since I last used the TV for watching TV, I mostly use it for video games and DVDs.

[michigan girl]

Hi Kahlan, did you also purchase a wireless modem? I currently use the service at home (I can use my laptop in any room) but I'm not sure if it's worth it when I move.

[kahlan_amnell]

Hi Kahlan, did you also purchase a wireless modem? I currently use the service at home (I can use my laptop in any room) but I'm not sure if it's worth it when I move.

I have a wireless router that a previous roommate gave me, but I'm not currently using it. In a one bedroom apartment I don't find I need to use the internet in my bedroom instead of the main room. It depends if it is worth it to you. I imagine a wireless router would be cheaper than a wireless modem, and it serves the same purpose. However, it can slow down your connection a bit.

[Louiselab]

I know, no one needs TV. When I visited and we were at grad students' houses, I couldn't help but notice there was something missing... a television. I cannot imagine living without one. Although, having said that, I know a few people who can plug their laptops into their tvs and watch shows that way, or you rent it from netflix...

Personally, I need tv and I'm not ashamed to say it. But my rent include TV and internet 'cause my landlord had the building wired for it and he gets satellite tv and the old tenants left their box. I'll be living alone, so I like having the TV sound in the background or when I have dinner. Although the new news anchors will perhaps be a little jarring... I should get a land line 'cause I've lost 4 cell phones in five years, but... eh.

[kahlan_amnell]

[quote name="Louiselab

[rising_star]

You have time for a lot of things, if you're good with time management. I'm a huge football fan and do a ton of work during the week in the fall so that I can watch whatever games I want on the weekend. And yes, I have time for that. I also have a host of TV shows that I watch regularly, either when they air, recorded using the DVR, or online if that's an option. When? While I'm reading email, cooking, relaxing when I get home, relaxing before bed, etc.

Think about it. We all did lots of things outside of class as an undergrad. There's time for that in grad school too. School doesn't have to--and really shouldn't--be your life. You have to do something for fun and, if that's TV for you, it's well worth it to have it. I know personally, I'd spend more than $60 a month at bars on beer and food while watching football (I watch college and pro) so having cable at home is well worth it and I'm not about to give it up. I actually had less time for TV as an undergrad due to working a couple of jobs and having extracurriculars that were 20 hour a week commitments.

Like I said at the beginning, the key to anything is time management. I try and keep banker's hours (9-4 or 9-5) during the semester, regardless of whether or not I have class. I stay at school, working on campus or in my office when I'm not in class. Why? Mainly because it means that a lot of times, I come home and don't have any schoolwork (either for class, TA, or research for my project) that really has to be done. So, I can read for fun, watch TV, hang out with friends, and/or read something academic if the fancy strikes me. It definitely leaves time when I'm home to watch TV because by 7pm, I've already done everything I need to do each day.

[Louiselab]

Like I said at the beginning, the key to anything is time management.

I would agree. I'm in 5 grad classes plus three part time jobs during the semester, and at 11:00pm I make time for Murder She Wrote. It doesn't take that long to do the work, and I'm actually looking forward to all the spare time I'll have since I'll have fewer classes and none of the outside part time jobs. I have friends who work 7-6 mon-friday and if they have time to watch tv, I think I will too.

[plus those people who insist they don't need it are usually the first to knock on your door saying, "so _____ is on tonight and I REALLY need to watch it..." It's entirely personal choice though.

[cardnav]

I can't live without my trashy Bravo shows.

[kahlan_amnell]

[quote name="Louiselab

[aginath]

I haven't had a landline since October 2006.

[LingGrad2009]

All the shows I can't miss (the list pretty much begins and ends with Psych) are on Hulu anyway.

[aginath]

We're planning on hooking up an old laptop to one of the inputs permanently just for Hulu. :mrgreen: Still, we'll be getting a cable package to go with our internet. I spent more than half an hour this morning in "live chat" with Charter Communications. Ugh. I appreciate that they're pitchmen, but I don't need them to ask leading questions hoping to add more services to my account. I would love to have just had a calender on the website to pick an installation date and be done with it.

[Stories]

I'm an entertainment junkie. I own a HDTV, receiver + speakers, PS3. Getting cable TV is something of no brainer to me. I watch too many sports not to get the package. I'd go crazy without my sports.

[frankdux]

i'm definitely getting cable, and having already done one master's degree i can easily say it's not too hard to make time to watch a little bit of television on the weekdays, and the weekends are even easier. people who say you'll never have time for it are clearly doing something wrong. if you're taking classes and studying for 16 hours a day, then you really need some new time management skills and you're most likely going to burn out soon anyways.

[rising_star]

I'm an entertainment junkie. I own a HDTV, receiver + speakers, PS3. Getting cable TV is something of no brainer to me. I watch too many sports not to get the package. I'd go crazy without my sports.

Dammit! Why couldn't you come to Arizona? I need more sports junkies!!

[purplepepper]

good god, I love TV. And, as strange as it sounds, there are so many cultural nuances that you get from watching TV that are important to be aware of..kinda connecting you to life outside of the university so you don't turn into some space alien scholar....this only my opinion though!

. people who say you'll never have time for it are clearly doing something wrong. if you're taking classes and studying for 16 hours a day, then you really need some new time management skills and you're most likely going to burn out soon anyways.

and thank goodness I'm not the only one who thinks that either.

[ErinM]

I'm only going to have Internet. I don't watch much TV, and all the shows I watch can be watched online (legally, I mean). I got a second monitor instead of a TV to make multitasking easier.

[was1984]

I'm giving up my tv when I move because I've found I hardly ever used it anyway. The 1 or 2 shows I watch at any given time I can watch online and save myself $60+ a month.

I've never understood people who don't have time for anything but school. Even if you work 12 hours a day (I figure I will work more like 9-10, which is a reasonably educated guess), that still leaves a couple of hours of free time every day and most of the day on weekends. I routinely put in 10 hour days at my previous job and had plenty of free time. For a few months last summer I also took a grad class in addition to my 50+ hour workweek and still had a decent amount of free time.

[kahlan_amnell]

I'm giving up my tv when I move because I've found I hardly ever used it anyway. The 1 or 2 shows I watch at any given time I can watch online and save myself $60+ a month.

I've never understood people who don't have time for anything but school. Even if you work 12 hours a day (I figure I will work more like 9-10, which is a reasonably educated guess), that still leaves a couple of hours of free time every day and most of the day on weekends. I routinely put in 10 hour days at my previous job and had plenty of free time. For a few months last summer I also took a grad class in addition to my 50+ hour workweek and still had a decent amount of free time.

Eh, I have time for stuff other than school, I just don't find TV to be a good use of my free time. If I had a specific TV show I wanted to watch every week, I'd have to plan things around being home and not doing work at that time. I'd rather just watch a movie or go on the internet in my spare time, that can be done whenever I'm home and done with work.

[frankdux]

This thread reminds me of my favorite scene from Pulp Fiction:

VINCENT

What's her name?

JULES

Mia.

VINCENT

How did Marsellus and her meet?

JULES

I dunno, however people meet people.

She usta be an actress.

VINCENT

She ever do anything I woulda saw?

JULES

I think her biggest deal was she

starred in a pilot.

VINCENT

What's a pilot?

JULES

Well, you know the shows on TV?

VINCENT

I don't watch TV.

JULES

Yes, but you're aware that there's

an invention called television, and

on that invention they show shows?

VINCENT

Yeah.

JULES

Well, the way they pick the shows on

TV is they make one show, and that

show's called a pilot. And they show

that one show to the people who pick

the shows, and on the strength of

that one show, they decide if they

want to make more shows. Some get

accepted and become TV programs, and

some don't, and become nothing. She

starred in one of the ones that became

nothing.

[TKassis]

I think a fast Internet connection is all you need. I absolutely hate cable with all the useless programming and flooded with annoying advertisements. Just get a NetFlix subscription which will let you watch any show you want via DVD or some shows instantly. Much cheaper than cable. As for things like news, most news channels these days have gone so much downhill that you can't call them news channels anymore. Get your news from online websites/blogs/newspapers.

As for a landline, you don't need that. Just get a Skype-in number for $60/year which includes unlimited free calls in the US and Canada as well as voicemail.

In conclusion, you only need an fast Internet connection for everything. If you use a laptop, might to well in investing in a large moniter for your movie needs. I ordered one two days ago from Dell, they have some pretty cheap 22" on sale.

Whatever you decide to do , don't waste your money on cable. Awful channels and you get to watch ads all the time in addition to paying an outrageous monthly subscription (compared to 7 other countries I've lived in).

[kahlan_amnell]

I think a fast Internet connection is all you need. I absolutely hate cable with all the useless programming and flooded with annoying advertisements. Just get a NetFlix subscription which will let you watch any show you want via DVD or some shows instantly. Much cheaper than cable. As for things like news, most news channels these days have gone so much downhill that you can't call them news channels anymore. Get your news from online websites/blogs/newspapers.

As for a landline, you don't need that. Just get a Skype-in number for $60/year which includes unlimited free calls in the US and Canada as well as voicemail.

In conclusion, you only need an fast Internet connection for everything. If you use a laptop, might to well in investing in a large moniter for your movie needs. I ordered one two days ago from Dell, they have some pretty cheap 22" on sale.

Whatever you decide to do , don't waste your money on cable. Awful channels and you get to watch ads all the time in addition to paying an outrageous monthly subscription (compared to 7 other countries I've lived in).

I agree, except for the landline. It is necessary for emergencies and bad weather. In an emergency, cell phones often are not reliable, so having a landline is a good idea to be able to reach people. Also, things like Skype don't have true 911, which makes me nervous. They don't route you to the local 911 dispatcher, they do something else, which I imagine could cause delays. Also, any phone that relies on the internet will be down if the power is out. A basic phone for a landline doesn't need electricity, and works even when the power is out.

[cardnav]

I agree, except for the landline. It is necessary for emergencies and bad weather. In an emergency, cell phones often are not reliable, so having a landline is a good idea to be able to reach people. Also, things like Skype don't have true 911, which makes me nervous. They don't route you to the local 911 dispatcher, they do something else, which I imagine could cause delays. Also, any phone that relies on the internet will be down if the power is out. A basic phone for a landline doesn't need electricity, and works even when the power is out.

Keep in mind your phone will only work when the power is out if it is a traditional landline. Cordless phones stop working the minute the base stops getting electric power. Since most people tend to have cordless phones they tend to forget this.