Why you don't need cable

I've been without cable for about 8 months now and I couldn't be happier. By not paying approximately $80 a month and still staying on top of my favorite shows, I feel like I have more control over the media I enjoy while sticking it Comcast. There are varying levels of investment a person can commit to in order to compensate for the loss of cable which I will outline below

1. OTA HD cable - Few outside of geek circles realize there is an FCC mandate which states the major networks must provide free HD channels over-the-air (OTA). In addition to these channels, most major metropolitan offer many channels of HD free OTA. I would advise anyone considering this option to head over to Antennaweb and find out the type of antenna needed to pick up nearby HD signals. For sometime I was using this method, and while it does take a little know-how to setup, this signal is astonishing and well-worth the time.

2. Physical media - With almost all TV and movies heading to DVD, simply subscribing to a Netflix account or hitting up the local Redbox can be sufficient for many but the most die-hard media fans.

3. CPU-to-TV - I know that for at least a decade technologist have spoken about a time when computers would be connected to your TV, and I believe that time has come. Between the dropping prices in TV and computers coupled with the sheer volume of media available online, now is a great time to pursue this option. In fact, not only do I believe this, but I have this setup today. I am actually using my 40'' Samsung TV as a monitor. If you're considering the route, I would suggest a small computer with some processor power but enough graphical oomph. I am currently using an upgraded Zino HD, but I was considering the Mac Mini at one point as well.

What's great about this option is it can encompass the former two options as well. For mine I have a TV tuner connected to the TV, and with Windows Media Center built-in to Windows 7, the computer acts like a super Tivo. As for Netflix, I have the choice of popping in a DVD or blue-ray or watching a netflix show online. Finally, I can show off a YouTube or Hulu video on a big screen.

Especially with an HDMI connection, a computer-to-TV setup has overcome many of the technical obstacles than inhibited average joe's from buying into this setup. I would highly suggest this setup and of course I am open to helping people create this kind of setup.