Try talking about antennas. There are a lot of folks who have no idea that digital OTA TV exists. The look of amazement and bafflement is priceless.
I have a lot of trouble understanding how that’s possible since it was in the news local and national for months and months.
What about all the converter boxes sold at walmart, best buy, sears, target, etc. - and ever wonder dad, what’s that for? Maybe people are ignorant and never bother looking to see antennas and ask “what are those for” or were raised in such isolation that they believe cable is all that exists. Don’t they recall TV at all other than cable? Have they never seen any magazines or all the chat on the Internet in all sorts of places, OR in all of the electronics stores trying to sell antennas that would handle digital? No wonder the country is in such trouble - such a simple concept and that many are ignorant of it? What else don’t they know about? Do they know who the president of the U.S. is? You scare me for our country.
OTA, even back in the good ole days (before the digital gov’t mandate), even then, OTA was hard for many people to receive (and it still is, truth be told). So, for many you got no channels, or maybe just one even. In those areas, things like satellite and cable became “the norm”, because there was just no other way to get anything (practically speaking).
Everything I just said is still true, just now instead of a somewhat snowy picture, many people get nothing now because it’s all digital.
So… people chose “cable” (and friends) and have lived with it for quite some time. OTA via antenna has always been a more problematic way of getting content. Main reason to ditch it… availability of online streaming sources (like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and many networks now)… and utlimately because for all the volume for “cable”, the prices continue to increase and never decrease… also, any “deals” are offered freely only to “new” subscribers and not those that have been “loyal” (which in short means that AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, TWC, etc… really do not care at all about their customer base… at all). This is their game to lose, and they are sooo very greedy right now that they are wanting to challenge the intelligence of the market just to see how long the can keep their customers (i.e. their “suckers”) on the line…
So… why leave? Mainly because of cost. Also because of stupid arrogance. And just the way they treat you (like scum).
If a new provider could provide content at a reasonable cost and actually run the business in an honorable way… I may give them a shot, but it’s time to take the existing establishment and punish them into the ground. They are evil in the worst way. They have no concern for their market or their customer base. They need to be utterly destroyed. And sadly, after it happens, they are so full of pride they’ll never understand how it all happened… very sad…
Sure… you want a “deal”? Just threaten to cut your service. My point is, why do you have to do that? Why didn’t they give you the “deal” for being a good customer? Punish the abusers of mankind… It’s time for a revolution. For right now, OTA using Tablo is one way to send a very powerful message. “We’re not just going to ‘take the abuse’ anymore.”
You and I might hang on every story about cord-cutting, but it is just noise to many. And, yes, it is frightening how uninformed Americans are.
Saw an interesting stat today. 83% of new households do not have pay TV. The cable operators have already lost the war. Content creators have the upper hand going forward. The cable industry’s only play now is to buy politicians to protect their turf.