# Your TV Watching Devices



## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

How do you watch TV these days? There certainly are a lot of options today as opposed to back-in-the-day when you had only a tube TV with an antenna or cable. I’m sure I left out something so you have the “Other” option. And I’m sure there’s someone who doesn’t watch TV, you can check “Other” too. 

Select as many as apply to your situation. For example, you may have two TVs of different sizes. Remember the measurement is of the TV's diagonal.


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

I have Comcast cable and I use a ROKU to watch some sports. The ROKU is a device you plug into one of your empty USB slots on your TV(if your TV has any). It connects with your WIFI (also Comcast). Since moving to FL, I’ve been unable to watch Phillies baseball games in HD. Comcast has a baseball package but it’s not HD and it’s more expensive than a Phillies subscription to MLB.TV. Once you get a subscription on MLB.TV you can connect via the ROKU. 

Feel free to use this thread to discuss your reception, costs, channels, or anything that’s TV related.


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## LezLee (Feb 21, 2014)

I’m not sure how this is a poll. We’re not voting for anything, just stating facts. Surely it’s a survey?


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I also have Comcast cable and am satisfied, although I've not tried satellite service.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

I don't watch a lot of TV, but if I want I could watch TV on every digital screen in the house.
I usually watch on the big TV in the living room which is connected to a mediabox (digital TV receiver) from Dutch provider Ziggo. 
On every other screen that's connected to the internet (desktop, laptop, phone), I can watch TV through their website or phone app (after logging in).


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

I have a TV, but very rarely use it. It goes several months without being used sometimes. 

I suspect that the policy changes concerning "net neutrality" that are coming soon will make it more difficult, or at least more expensive, for Americans to watch TV shows and movies using online streaming. The same might be true with online audio streaming/YouTube. With that in mind, is TC taking any steps to ensure American members will be able to view their site without any unwanted ISP fees/throttling?


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## Annied (Apr 27, 2017)

I have a relatively small 27" television hooked up to a DVD recorder and a satellite receiver, both of which have hard drives. I rarely watch live television preferring to record programmes that look interesting and play them back when it suits me, skipping all the ad breaks on commercial channels, which I find very intrusive. My satellite dish is motorised and can pick up "Free to Air" (FTA) channels from 25 satellites. I use it mostly for watching German television and some French language channels. (An added bonus is that many of the live screenings at cinemas are FTA if you know where to look for them and don't mind not viewing them on a big screen.)


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I haven't watched TV since 1984. I watch some movies and old shows on the computer, and of course opera. My computer has a 22-inch diagonal screen.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Usually on our 32" TV, sometimes on the tablet, very rarely on the laptop.


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## T Son of Ander (Aug 25, 2015)

43" plasma TV with cable and a Playstation 3, which plays DVD and Blue-Ray. It also has Apple TV and an Amazon Fire Stick, so we can stream from a phone, tablet, or the computer.

I also have an older 50" DLP TV with a Blue-Ray player and a karaoke system hooked up to it.

The only reason I'm holding onto cable is for live sports. When I can stream the games I want live, cable is done. For now, I can't do that, and I imagine the cable companies will hold out as long as possible.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Thirty two inch Sony LCD. I pay for hundreds of channels, yet I only watch one.....sad.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Where is the Black and White TV choice


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Where is the Black and White TV choice


It got a tubal ligation.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

hpowders said:


> Thirty two inch Sony LCD. I pay for hundreds of channels, yet I only watch one.....sad.


What aspect of it is sadder, the fact that you pay for many channels you don't watch or the sadness of the one channel you do watch? 

Do you get the Music Choice channels on your cable package? There's some pretty good music on the classical channels. There's no horrors like opera on there. The last time I listened to that channel, they had some good stuff on there like a Vieuxtemps violin concerto. Stuff like Vieuxtemps' violin concertos are too hot for TC, but they are surprisingly available on cable TV!



Fritz Kobus said:


> I haven't watched TV since 1984. I watch some movies and old shows on the computer, and of course opera. My computer has a 22-inch diagonal screen.


Let me guess the last thing you watched on TV. Was it NBC on October 14th, 1984? Or was it something else that turned you off on TV? Perhaps a bad episode of _Mama's Family_? :lol:


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Klassik said:


> What aspect of it is sadder, the fact that you pay for many channels you don't watch or the sadness of the one channel you do watch?
> 
> Do you get the Music Choice channels on your cable package? There's some pretty good music on the classical channels. There's no horrors like opera on there. The last time I listened to that channel, they had some good stuff on there like a Vieuxtemps violin concerto. Stuff like Vieuxtemps' violin concertos are too hot for TC, but they are surprisingly available on cable TV!
> 
> Let me guess the last thing you watched on TV. Was it NBC on October 14th, 1984? Or was it something else that turned you off on TV? Perhaps a bad episode of _Mama's Family_? :lol:


Yes. I get the music as part of the cable package-it's way, way back at the end of the cable "dial". The music is very fine-whatever genre you want, they have it.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

hpowders said:


> Yes. I get the music as part of the cable package-it's way, way back at the end of the cable "dial". The music is very fine-whatever genre you want, they have it.


There is a lot of variety in those music channels, but those looking for opera, atonal music, and Alpine yodeling will be disappointed.  Actually, they may have yodeling on one of those channels.


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## LezLee (Feb 21, 2014)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Where is the Black and White TV choice


That would fit in the 24" and under category! Until recently I had a working 14" b/w portable TV from the 1960s. You could always turn off the colour on a modern TV for nostalgia purposes.


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## Guest (Nov 25, 2017)

We have a 65" OLED 4K LG TV--has a fantastic picture. Comcast is our cable provider--we have their premium digital package with HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, et al, plus Netflix and Amazon streaming. For audio, we run all of those through a surround sound system, so there's little need to go to the cinema these days!


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

My Comcast has two fantastic classical music channels: classical masterpieces and light classical. The former typically plays the entire work. Right now its are playing Prokofiev's 7th symphony. The latter typically plays a shorter piece or one movement of a work. Right now I see it's playing a Mozart string quintet no. 4 , 1st movement.
The best thing about them is that it's continuous commercial-free 24/7 music.


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## Dr Johnson (Jun 26, 2015)

My TV Watching Device is an armchair.

Slumped in this, clutching the remote, I face the TV, the precise size of which I have either forgotten or never known.


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## Tristan (Jan 5, 2013)

I have a 32" Samsung TV in my room, and an Apple TV for streaming purposes. I don't have cable.


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

Pyotr said:


> I have Comcast cable and I use a ROKU to watch some sports. The ROKU is a device you plug into one of your empty USB slots on your TV(if your TV has any). It connects with your WIFI (also Comcast). Since moving to FL, I've been unable to watch Phillies baseball games in HD. Comcast has a baseball package but it's not HD and it's more expensive than a Phillies subscription to MLB.TV. Once you get a subscription on MLB.TV you can connect via the ROKU.
> 
> Feel free to use this thread to discuss your reception, costs, channels, or anything that's TV related.


secret time...we bought the MBL & NHL cause we are big bucco and pens fans living in ca. last year. i do think the cable co. didn't turn it off cause we are watching again this year!!! please dont say anything


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

Dr Johnson said:


> My TV Watching Device is an armchair.
> 
> Slumped in this, clutching the remote, I face the TV, the precise size of which I have either forgotten or never known.


I use a pair of eyes I've owned for over half a century now. To this I add a pair of distance glasses when I get tired and can no longer focus more than 3 feet away.

Otherwise my equipment sounds much like yours.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I bought a 32 inch Vizio about 7 months ago, but I've yet to take it out of the box. Not much of a TV watcher. In fact I hate television. It's the opiate of the masses.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Klassik said:


> There is a lot of variety in those music channels, but those looking for opera, atonal music, and Alpine yodeling will be disappointed.  Actually, they may have yodeling on one of those channels.


True. There are two classical choices, "light" and "regular". Short shrift compared to three or four jazz stations and so many rock and gospel channels. Actually my favorite choices are "pop hits of the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's."


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

hpowders said:


> True. There are two classical choices, "light" and "regular". Short shrift compared to three or four jazz stations and so many rock and gospel channels. Actually my favorite choices are "pop hits of the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's."


Classical music where I am:
- Baroque sewing machine stuff
- 18th century bowing and scraping
- The age of rage - all Beethoven, all the time
- Me me me - the early romantics.
- In-depth neuroses - the late romantics
- Toodle-oo - French impressionism, for the ladies only
- 20th century - don't even ask.


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## LezLee (Feb 21, 2014)

‘Baroque sewing machine stuff’ 
Ha! :lol:


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

KenOC said:


> Classical music where I am:
> - Baroque sewing machine stuff
> - 18th century bowing and scraping
> - The age of anger - all Beethoven, all the time
> ...


When I lived in Brooklyn, New York during the 1960's-1980's, I got spoiled by two terrific radio stations-one public, the other commercial-that were run by classical music lovers for classical music lovers. One morning I tuned in to the commercial station and got shocked with "Roll over, Beethoven"! The station was sold and became hard rock-just what NYC needed-a thirteenth all hard rock FM station.

There were two traumatic events in my life:

1. The Brooklyn Dodgers moving to Los Angeles.

2. WNCN FM transforming itself from the finest classical radio station in NYC to all rock music.

Anyhow, it is difficult for me to listen to serious music through television speakers. I have never heard any that are satisfactory. I have added on some Bose speakers to channel the television sound through, but even so, I'd rather listen through my music listening room audio system.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

hpowders said:


> True. There are two classical choices, "light" and "regular". Short shrift compared to three or four jazz stations and so many rock and gospel channels. Actually my favorite choices are "pop hits of the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's."


It seems that Music Choice does have an opera channel, but it's only available through online streaming. It seems that cable subscribers can get Music Choice for free online in addition to the cable channels.

I actually heard a relatively new Keiko Matsui piece I liked on the smooth jazz channel some time back. It's nice to hear some enjoyable new music even if it isn't classical. 



hpowders said:


> When I lived in Brooklyn, New York during the 1960's-1980's, I got spoiled by two terrific radio stations-one public, the other commercial-that were run by classical music lovers for classical music lovers.* One morning I tuned in to the commercial station and got shocked with "Roll over, Beethoven"! The station was sold and became hard rock-just what NYC needed-a thirteenth all hard rock FM station.*
> 
> There were two traumatic events in my life:
> 
> ...


You can blame William F. Buckley for that. At least you can blame him for the first time the station flipped formats away from classical.

Perhaps the classical fans in New York should have staged a "Rock Demolition Night" at Shea Stadium or Yankee Stadium similar to the "Disco Demolition Night" at Chicago's Comiskey Park. Classical fans could have gathered rock LPs and blown them up in the outfield to protest losing their station! :lol:



> Anyhow, it is difficult for me to listen to serious music through television speakers. I have never heard any that are satisfactory. I have added on some Bose speakers to channel the television sound through, but even so, I'd rather listen through my music listening room audio system.


You should be able to hook up your cable box to your stereo one way or another if they are near one another. In the past, I had one set of outputs from the cable box sending audio and video (HDMI) to the TV and one output (analog line-out) going to the stereo. Using the HDMI connections on your receiver is another option if you have them. Of course, some cable boxes may only have RF or HDMI outputs. If the latter is the case, perhaps an HDMI splitter and HDMI-to-analog setup might work. A completely different option is to hook your computer to the stereo and use the Music Choice online streaming option that I mentioned above.

The music from the Music Choice is somewhat compressed (both in terms of digital file compression and level compression), but it's not too bad. It's certainly better than HD radio or satellite radio. I've never used their online streaming. The quality on that might be even worse.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Klassik said:


> It seems that Music Choice does have an opera channel, but it's only available through online streaming. It seems that cable subscribers can get Music Choice for free online in addition to the cable channels.
> 
> I actually heard a relatively new Keiko Matsui piece I liked on the smooth jazz channel some time back. It's nice to hear some enjoyable new music even if it isn't classical.
> 
> ...


I enjoy the "pop hits" channels-a fine choice of irresistible memories of songs I used to enjoy as a kid, growing up in Brooklyn; each song, a point of my life, frozen in time, a source of poignant nostalgia for me now.

As a kid, my family had a big, heavy, console Dumont TV, which was as much a piece of fine furniture as it was a source of entertainment. It had a dial numbering only channels 2-13. A much simpler, uncomplicated time. It also needed repairs, once or twice a year, unlike the indestructible Sony and Sharp TV's of today.

Thanks for the advice.


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## philoctetes (Jun 15, 2017)

It's almost cable-clipping time at last, as I am presently on a free 1-week trial with Hulu's live TV service which rolled out this year. I am able to watch anything I would usually watch on cable, including Warrior games, with just a little more effort to use an app or browser. So now I can finally clip Comcast when my latest 2-year commitment expires in February.

I am using two TVs as external monitors, 24 and 48 inchers, which I can use with a Windows laptop, a Linux laptop, or my Raspberry Pi, all by HDMI cable. Unfortunately the RPi does not work with all video services due to incompatible ARM hardware, but that will not be for long. 

I also recently looked into Spotify and like what I see there as well. My ultimate objective is to get as much content as possible by internet streaming and cut my cable and CD costs down to size, and if I can do all that through a Raspberry Pi, I won't need a Roku or Firestick or Chromecast or...


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

After all the trashing of smart phones, streaming and digital technology on here I'm gonna say that I watch sketches of my favourite programs, drawn by the same crappy artist who draws the scenes from major court cases for the television news. TV is evil and you will all die after it fries your mind. The nearest I come to TV is watching a cardboard box with drawings of Bruce Forsyth on it.


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## Gradeaundera (Jun 30, 2016)

Internet + Large projector

Netflix and other streaming sites, I don't watch traditional "TV"


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

My 24" flat screen computer monitor. It's all I got.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

ArtMusic said:


> My 24" flat screen computer monitor. It's all I got.


And your fellow music lovers on the internet.


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

For those of you getting over-the-air antenna reception, do you know what your video resolution format is?

Here in the U.S. it's 1080i, which represents 1,920 pixels arranged horizontally and 1,080 pixels vertically.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

Pyotr said:


> For those of you getting over-the-air antenna reception, do you know what your video resolution format is?
> 
> *Here in the U.S. it's 1080i*, which represents 1,920 pixels arranged horizontally and 1,080 pixels vertically.


Not necessarily. CBS and NBC broadcast in 1080i, but corporate owned ABC and FOX stations broadcasts in 720p. The local PBS station broadcasts in 1080i, but other PBS affiliates may broadcast in 720p.


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## Dr Johnson (Jun 26, 2015)

Merl said:


> After all the trashing of smart phones, streaming and digital technology on here I'm gonna say that I watch sketches of my favourite programs, drawn by the same crappy artist who draws the scenes from major court cases for the television news. TV is evil and you will all die after it fries your mind. The nearest I come to TV is *watching a cardboard box with drawings of Bruce Forsyth on it.*


I can't get that in my area.


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