Life Without Cable

One of the offshoots of pinching pennies in this unfortunate economy has been living without cable. It started when I moved out of my sister’s and my cable-friendly apartment, a place where you’d seldom find the television off, and in with These Guys. Here, the huge television screen was reserved for use as a third computer monitor, streamer of Manchester United games, and occasional purveyor of DVDs. No cable, no satellite, nada.

“How is that even possible?”

The idea of not having television once seemed preposterous to me, considering this is largely what my life revolved around (hi, my name is Sachi and I chose screenwriting as my college major to avoid ever having to pursue any career outside of media, a-thank you). And it wasn’t just me. I’ve noticed people have an adverse reaction to not having a television. They’re not just shocked, they’re downright appalled. I actually cut down on divulging my TVlessness after seeing a few reactions, feeling like a pariah amongst fellow pop culture addicted peers, but I’m thinking of bringing it back for the sheer shock and awe it induces.

Fortunately, I wasn’t so media-obsessed by move-in time to have a major meltdown about it. Two weeks living at an orphanage in Thailand made me swiftly realize just how much I could live without. Not to mention that I’m currently too broke (or is it cheap?) to afford a monthly cable bill that includes the premium channels I want. Still, I like keeping up with shows. I miss them when they’re not in my life. With premieres fast approaching, I was admittedly starting to sweat a little about not being able to watch them.

Thankfully, there’s the internet.

The smart shows have made their episodes available for online streaming the day after they air. I appreciate that. AMC not doing so for Mad Men and instead putting eps on iTunes for $3 each? Not so much. I don’t care how many Emmys you’ve won, AMC, you’re still basic cable. Get with it.

Also, Hulu has been exceptional. The short commercials don’t bother me at all. It’s still less than I’d be getting watching it on regular TV. Plus the HD quality is stellar.

More recently, I discovered a gem called surfthechannel.com that beats Hulu not in quality but in reach. It links me to pretty much every show that I want to watch, ripped and commercial-free. It’s a beaut and I highly recommend it.

*9/13 ETA: Was just informed of another awesome site with HQ streams at NinjaVideo.net. You’ll be prompted to download DivX if you don’t already have it. And make sure to click on the Helper and keep that applet open while viewing or the videos won’t work.

Until I’m flush enough to get back my OnDemand cable and DVR, these options will happily suffice.

The best part of watching shows from my computer?

I connect my laptop (with its teensy 13″ screen) to a projector that gives me a screen the size of my vast bedroom wall. Watching anything using this thing made me wonder why I ever wanted a regular TV in the first place. Connect too a set of cheap speakers (or even some swanky ones if you’re not in dire straits) and it’s like having a theatre in your home. It enhances your experience ten-fold. Ours is a ViewSonic PJ510 bought used on Amazon for $250. Totally worth it.

Want to find out when your favorite shows are returning? Or when and where you can expect to watch the most anticipated new ones? The full 2009 Fall Premiere Schedule, conveniently categorized in chronological order, can be found at The TV Remote. Happy watching!