Radio, TV and the Internet

Unless you HAVE TO SEE some pay for view program (e.g. sports), you can get everything for free Over The Air (OTA), just like TV used to be. And if you don't want to watch commercials, you get a Digital Video Recorder, that has a one time fee that records programs. (e.g. Channel Master $250 + HDD ~$80). You can play back, and fast forward with settable times (I use 1 minute), and reverse with settable times (I use 10 seconds).

My DVR needs to have an internet connection for the electronic program guide, and to simplify programing of series of programs.

You can also get a DVD player with a wifi connection, and set up a Netflix account this is commercial free ($9/months for HD and 2 users, $8 for SD and 1 user, $10 for UHD and 4 users). And there are other internet vendors (even HBO is getting into this), that can be connected to either a 'smart TV', or wifi enabled DVR with HDMI connected to HDTV. You can save lots of money over cable or satellite.

You can just live with OTA for free, and can stomach the existing adds for ED drugs, you still have to pay with your time to watch programming.

Surprisingly I find it's cheaper for me to purchase DVDs of TV series and documentaries than subscribe to a cable or satellite service. Fewer ads, watch any time you like and exact control over content. I watch very little TV now days and practically nothing online.

Times are a changing.

There was always advertising but as content and costs grew so advertising had to grow to help pay for it all. Supply and demand, and little is free in this world.

I just use file sharing sites and public media sites for what ever I want to watch of listen too and download what I want from there so I can listens or watch what ever it is at my leisure all while being commercial free.

After that the interest is just a another handy tool for finding items I need and information relating to stuff I want to learn about.

I'm with you...when I'm alone in the house, the TV's off!

That would mean you switch it on when somebody else is there. Seems to be a bit unsocial isnt it?

Or do you mean you never ever switch it on and the people/family that occupies the house with you are the switch on masters? Then I would worry about you as it seems there is no full recognition of yourself and the preference is TV over your company.

Sounds a bit like in my family. I compensate with a hefty mobile phone usage.

That does not teach a lesson but eases the pain... ;(

Yep same here! Pretty rare for me to turn on the TV just for myself.

Now as far as turning it off I seem to be the only one with the knowledge of how to do that. Aparently it's a skill similar to turning off lights when not in a room or at home and I am the only one who has any knowledge whatsoever of how to do any of those things.

I've been picked on and mocked my whole life for always reading books. Still my sister, who HATES technology and bought an electronic reader, makes fun of me but I'm the one they all call when they need any help. My brother doesn't know which end of the screwdriver to use to hammer a nail (his words) and good OLD sister has trouble turning on a faucet on her own. I'm the only member of my family who has an active and up to date in house library. I have repair manuals for household and professional equipment that isn't even made anymore. Can't tell you how many times I've fixed a 40 year old blender using an old repair manual that hasn't been in print for 20 years. I love books!

Watch PBS, frugal on commercials and the few they show won't try to fool you.

You have no obligation to watch your wife's soap operas; buy you a wide screen, make a recording schedule of the programs you can't watch at certain hours, and you'll always have fresh material to watch in your spare time.

A donation every once on a while wouldn't hurt...

Try amazon stick and "kodi". (less than $50.00) and watch what you want and when you want.

There was a time when the whole family gathered around a fire, told stories,and shared experiences.From the youngest to the oldest,they listened and contributed.

The young learned from the mistakes of their elders by listening to their mistakes and follies,as well as their successes in hunting,fishing,and life experiences.

As man progressed,radio became the campfire,and families gathered close around the radio to get news from around the world and current local events.

The entire world events could be covered in 30 minutes.

Then came television,and people gathered around a brightly lit tube to watch moving

images,and hardly anyone spoke,for fear of chastisement from the family leader.

People seldom looked at one another during the program.

Person-to-person communication dwindled.

Then came the 'Net,wi-fi and blue tooth devices,and a person can connect with

anyone in the world in an instant,but at the price of being oblivious to nearly

everyone and everything around them.

No need to get together as family group,or look a person in the eye.

The world has become smaller,but the spaces between people has grown.

Weather and news are broadcast 24/7,and to that end,reporters seek out every bad

thing possible,turning over rocks and rotten bones to fill the time slot.

Not to mention the current state of agenda journalism today.

There are organizations that depend on conflict and disaster for their survival.

Reporters are never more excited than when reporting from the eye of a hurricane, or

earthquake,flood or fire or riot.

There are in their element.

There is no good news,'cause it doesn't sell.

I seldom watch TV.

It is a waste of time,and one hell of an inconvenience to a bunch of electrons and

photons.

Perhaps the only time we will ever have peace is when we blow ourselves back to the

stone ages,and once again gather around a campfire.

Perhaps we have done this all before.

Will we ever learn?

15 + years no TV and do not miss it.. On the computer a lot communicating and learning. I like radio but only in the car due to some hearing issues that bother me in the home. My gripe is 900 channels of which only possibly 6 have any value. Cannot get the channels you want with out 4 packages and a price tag of about $ 75.00 or more. Movies I get at Walmart or charity stores from $ 2.00 - 5.00 and watch them on an old Sony CRT. so heavy I can hardly lift it but not complaining as it was a gift. The result of this is often I am asked advise or questions and many are amazed at my knowledge. My answer is you can be the same just unplug the TV, then when a question pops into hour head google it and do some cross referencing to ensure knowledge is worth keeping. Due to TV ( my opinion) the human attention span is now 8 seconds and a gold fish is rated at 12 seconds.