Just got rid of cable TV

[Spicelon]

Now to find a good media streamer box. Anybody have any recommendations?

[Sandwurm88]

I've never had cable. Or satellite. I don't think brand really matters, just get something new, should work better.

[Omphalos]

I use a Roku box that is pretty good. I also have all kinds of streaming widgets on my TV. Once I get a cord run over there I should be fine cause the TV has an insane number of feeds programmed in, but for now my Roku Box and Apple TV do me just fine.

[Ampoliros]

Get a media PC if you have an HDTV. Full net access for streaming. My parent's got a Gateway setup for about $600. Not cheap, until you realize it costs less than a year of cable. Then all you are paying for is Netflix and maybe Hulu+. If you are less than honest or want to 'fight the evil hollywood machine' you can do that too on a pc.

If you like sports your SOL, cable can haz monopoly.

[Spicelon]

Get a media PC if you have an HDTV. Full net access for streaming. My parent's got a Gateway setup for about $600. Not cheap, until you realize it costs less than a year of cable. Then all you are paying for is Netflix and maybe Hulu+. If you are less than honest or want to 'fight the evil hollywood machine' you can do that too on a pc.

If you like sports your SOL, cable can haz monopoly.

I'm a big sports fan, but I can live without it. But you did touch on a relevant consideration: I'm looking for a $200 +/- solution. It seems some of the newer blu-ray players are playing at being media streamers. I already have Netflix access through my Wii, but now I'm looking at how to [cheaply] get my media files from my PC to my TV. Hulu wouldn't be bad to have either, I suppose.

[Ampoliros]

well as part of their same setup my parents did get a sony bravia tv and blue-ray reciever which acts as a basic streaming box. You can't beat a pc though. If you have a decent desktop you don't really use you could just buy a nice TV card for it and hook it up to the TV.

[A Thing of Eternity]

I'm cancelling my cable this month, no plans of replacing it with anything other than the good 'ol antennae.

[trang]

Hulu has an offer from apple on the table so I wouldn't go down that path. A PC under the TV with HDMI connection from a TV card with an HDTV antenna is a pretty good way to go. There are tons of Open source apps that can record the Antenna broadcasts. Most the Local station shows you can watch on their various sites. Netflix is a hell of a lot cheaper than dish/cable.

The only catch is, like me, sports, can catch a lot on open broadcast, just depends I guess.

I Just finished upgrading my main pc, so will be a bit before have cash to get another board/cpu/ram to rebuild my media pc. I have the case already and wireless keyboard an mouse.

Otherwise I think the console game boxes are what is out there for cheaper config.

[Omphalos]

We nuked cable last month. It's the best thing I ever did. We have Hulu+ and Netflix, but the only one who uses it is my daughter on the weekends, when we let the kids watch TV. The rest of the time its mostly off, though I do watch one or two shows occasionally. I am playing a LOT more music and hanging with the kids much more on weeknights now. I should have gotten rid of the thing years ago. Im happier now.

[Naïve mind]

appropriate cartoon

[Freakzilla]

I've got Roku with Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus and Netflix. I also have a digital HD antenna for local channels. The only time I really miss cable is when a sporting event I want to watch isn't on the local channels. Other than that I can find plenty of interesting shows. The kids don't seem to mind too much either. Jimmy seems to appreciate the anime selection on Hulu, Japanese cartoon boobs galore!