I just signed up for only the basic package (local channels) for $19.95 a month. For the general basic (cable channels plus local) I think it's around $40. Digital cable lineup is more, of course, but I'm not sure the cost. I don't watch many channels other than the local, so I'm saving a little money by getting the cheapest pkg. possible.

Yes, you can get the shows you mentioned on DVD through a program like Netflix. I use Blockbuster's online program~ they have everything! For $19.95 a month I get 3 movies out at one time, plus one free in-store coupon a week. They have all the sitcoms/tv shows that are out on dvd. Plus it generally takes only 2 days for me to receive new movies once I've dropped mine in the mail. Check them out and compare to Netflix. I'm sure they're both competitive so it just depends on what company you want to go with. :)

We have Wide Open West and we only have the local basic service, which I think we're paying around $15-16 for (don't know for sure anymore, it's bundled with our cable modem). We got lucky though, in our area WOW doesn't have the equipment to seperate local basic from regular basic....so while we are only paying for local basic, we get regular basic....bonus for us!

We've had Netflix for years. We took a break from Netflix to try out Blockbuster, and ended up switching back. I loved that Blockbuster gave you free in store rentals, that was great for those nights where you just want to wander through the video store and pick something out, or when there's a specific movie you want to watch right now instead of waiting. But we found that Blockbuster's availability status was not what it looked like. Just because a movie was marked as available that didn't mean you would actually get it next when you sent your movie back. We stayed with Blockbusted for about 3 months, and I don't think I was EVER sent any of the top 4 or 5 movies in my queue, even though they were all marked as available. Tech support basically told me that those ratings are based on how many copies they have and how often it's rented, not on the movies actual availability. I like the fact that Netflix actually means it when they say a movie is available...if it's in the number one spot on your queue when you send a movie back, that's the next movie they send. Maybe Blockbuster got better, I don't know. This was when Blockbuster's online movie rental thing had just started, so maybe they have since worked out the kinks.

You can rent anything that's available on DVD (except adult movies) from Netflix, although you rent them one disc at a time. So if you rent a movie that has a second disc with bonus features, you have to get the two discs as two seperate rentals. Same with TV shows....a season of a show might have 6 discs, you have to rent them one disc at a time.

Judi E, my brother had that same problem with Blockbuster~ he found out that if you only keep about 5 movies in your 'queue' they will send those out to you in order. It seemed that the more movies he had in his queue, he never got his top 5 choices. I, on the other hand, never have more than 3 or 4 movies in my queue so they are always sent right out if it shows available. I think it's a flaw in their system or something. If I ever have problems with that then I'd switch to Netflix, too, but so far it's working great for me.

momof2girls,

I'm glad their system is working for someone. It wouldn't be so bad, but my husband writes movie reviews, and he needs to get the movies he's expecting in the order that he's expecting them. And if we were to only keep a small number of movies in our queue, then we'd have to maintain a list of about 150 movies off the site (yes, we watch movies that often), and that would just be a pain.

I really wish they would get it sorted out. I LOVED having those free in store rentals!

What bugged me most about it is this: What's the point of having a queue and putting movies in the order you want to receive them, if they aren't going to send them in that order? We kept getting like number 8 on our queue. Eh, oh well, we've had great luck with Netflix, we'll stick with them until we hear that Blockbuster has fixed it's system. I made sure to let them know why we were going back to Netflix, and had registered several complaints about it before we left, so I know they are aware of the problem.

I signed up for Netflix. It helps knowing several people who already use it... 72 episodes of Lucy, Andy, Mamma, and Golden Girls are on their way to my apartment... and I'm not giving that monopolizing cable company one red cent! No commercials... just good clean fun, I can't wait. Thanks for responses!

52.00 a month deluxe tv plus high speed internet service

Where I live the local cable company was just bought out by Comcast a few months ago. I pay 103 dollars a month for cable tv and internet. 39.99 for internet, 16.99 for the digital cable portion and around 40 something for full basice cable. then add taxes and franchise fees and you got $103 and change.

I had Blockbuster online's one dvd at a time service too but I would watch the dvd and forget to send it back for over a week or more, so I canceled that since I have plenty to watch its actually cheaper for me to go to the store up the street and pay the 4 bucks to rent one when I'm in the mood.

I just moved to South Carolina, and can only get satellite, about $48.00 a month, but where I lived in Lebanon, PA, the basic cable, which was 72 channels, cost me about $78.00 a month! That was through Comcast. Didn't think I'd like satellite, but boy was I ever wrong...love it!
Emma in SC

I got rid of my cable years ago. I had basic through comcast, local channels. I think it was under $20....I had everything local, Disovery, hallmark, QVC, and the preview guide. Every week they took away another channel and added something I didn't need until I was paying for everything I didn't want.

I tried Intelliflix, Hated it....they were sooooo slow on sending out dvds, in fact, there was a class action suit filed against them.

Blockbuster is very quick, as those above said....but I agree with those who said they do not send out movies in the order that they're listed in your queue. Another thing you need to watch is the disk you're ordering! Make sure you're selecting the movie and not bonus materials! Blockbuster lists bonus disks as a seperate selection. More than once we ended up sitting down to watch a movie and it was deleted scenes, or trailers, no movie.

Also, it's true that you should keep your queue under 10 movies so you'll actually get the movie you want, otherwise that one you REALLY want may sit there at #1 for 2 months.

Netflix also lists bonus disks seperately, but we've never wound up with a bonus disc accidentally. During the time that we were trying Blockbuster, Netflix made some changes to their system, and when we went back to them it was much easier. We are bonus disc watchers, and it used to be kinda hard to know if a movie had a bonus disc, it was easy to miss it. Even easier to miss it at Blockbuster. Anyway, on Netflix when you add a movie to your queue that has a bonus disc it automatically tells you that there's a bonus disc and has an Add To Queue button right there. We haven't missed a bonus disc since.

$45.00 for basic cable.

Why do the cable companies show so many commercials? I think its a rip off to do this when they are making so much money to begin with.

We have basic cable plus the local channels. It's $50 a month. Acutally $42 but taxes and stuff add the other $8 to the bill.

Just moved to a townhouse and my new cable bill will be $88/month for digital cable. 140 channels plus 7Mbit/sec cable modem.

I pay $40 a month for basic cable... a little less than 100 channels.

$50 a month for basic cable here in NoCentral Florida. That includes tax.

I pay $89.99 per month for basic cable.....no HBO, Showtime, etc... and we also pay an additonal $29.99 for intenet,sooo id you add both together its over $100. EVERY MONTH.

I am from NJ and the cable here is expensive.....and since we are renting they don't allow sattelite

ma28, a rental agreement cannot ban installation of a satellite dish if it can be done completely within the confines of your rented space and doesn't require modifications to the building. The FCC has some good information about this on the link I've provided

Here is a link that might be useful: FCC Info sheet on satellite restrictions

tobszanski,

What I was told was that since we are renting a condo and under their Home Association it states that no satellite could be mounted on the roof; if I wanted to install a satellite it has to mounted in a bucket full of concrete.......and because of the location of the condo, a sattelite that is mounted this way would be impossible to recieve any signal for satellite network.

It really doesn't matter to me now because we are in the process of moving.

But one thing I tell you: when I buy my house I WILL NOT have cable anymore.......its too expensive!!!

Thank you for the link-I will read the article.

ma28, not mounting on a common element, a roof in this case, is an acceptable restriction based on the law.

Congratulations on your move, I just moved to a very nice townhouse from a north-facing condo, so I know all about the satellite restrictions. One of my neighbors had a pole mounted dish, attached to the outside of the building that our condo board forced them to remove since it was outside of the confines of their space. They also had to pay for repair to the siding.

I'm a cable-type guy, primarily because I work from home several days a week and need the speed and low latency that cable provides that satellite can't match.

$48.00 for basic package plus $49.00 for internet access.

Well... I've had Netflix for two months and am already having a problem. I sent them the following e-mail. Let me know what you think. Sometimes I have trouble being assertive enough that I don't get walked all over, OR being too assertive or aggressive. I'm trying to find the balance! Has anyone who tried both companies had a faster "send out" rate with Blockbuster than with Netflix? I am thinking that they are saying it was shipped when it wasn't and blaming it on the mail to slow the turnover rate. You should see the e-mail Triple A is about to get for taking 8 hours to come get my car! Thanks

Here's what I sent customer service:

I'm having a serious problem receiving movies from Netflix. I actually canceled cable to save money, and decided Netflix would be a better option for me. This is the second time that a movie has taken too long to get to me and I am very upset about it. When I ordered Cheaper by the Dozen 2, it took 6 days to get to me. I reported it missing, it came on the sixth day. So, I got it twice, because I couldn't cancel the replacement. 6 days is unacceptable. I live right beside the city that the distribution center is in. And, I missed getting another movie because I got one twice. There is no reason for this to happen, EVER. Now, I see that an I Love Lucy disc was supposedly sent out by Netflix on December 1st. It's the 4th and I still don't have it. I'm off today with nothing to watch. I know the company saves money by treating customers like this, but if we all leave and go to Blockbuster (which I am considering) Netflix will not make any money. Something needs to be done to satisfy me, and my movies had better start coming in a timely fashion. If I continue having problems, I shall be forced to cancel my account. It is obvious that you try to avoid customers considering the hour it took me to find a link to contact you. If this is what I have to look forward to, I am glad that I've only been with you two months and am not under a contract. I know there has already been a lawsuit and now I can see why.
Good day