[NTLUG:Discuss] Some background on tomorrow's meeting, Saturday 10/19

[Chris Cox]

So begins the search for change...

1.  Get rid of U-verse U200 TV (too expensive)

2.  Explorer streaming options (but focus on Roku for device)

3.  Media server for existing purchased DVDs/BDs/CDs.

Why Roku?  Does what it does for cheap and it the number one steaming
device.  (And I went to school with its creator)

On 1, canceling U-verse saves us $120/mos.

On 2, we looked at Hulu, Neflix and Amazon Prime.  Ultimately, stuck with
Netflix ($8/mos) and Amazon Prime ($79/yr).  We found Hulu to be sadly
lacking.  Amazon Prime is certainly the cheapest and has the added benefit
of free 2 day shipping if your an Amazon consumer.  But as far as pure
content goes, Netflix is the largest (by a huge margin).

More on #2 in a bit...

On 3, chose Plex Media Server as the software base.  It's well used and
very friendly and has a plugin (channel) for Roku.

On 3, I asked my wife for permission to spend upwards of $350 on a server.
 It needed to "at least" have:

Minimum reqs

1. 500GB harddrive built in.
2. Ability to do on the fly transcodes

I didn't really care about "size" of the box.  It's a server... so didn't
matter much to me.

Desired Extras

3. Low power, so it could actually be on 24x7 even.
4. Quiet
5. Small

I began my hunt anticipating having to wait for year end deals.

I looked at Intel NUC, Gigabyte's Brix, and Zotac's Zbox.  The problem
with most of these was cost vs. what you actually got.  They sound "cheap"
until  you add memory and disk, etc.  While you might be able to get a
good setup for $350... it was tough in my mind to justify... was hoping to
do better.

Going consignment (used) was certainly one way of answering 1 and 2 and
even 5, but likely it would not be all that quiet and would likely consume
some power (80+W).

What I didn't expect was the sale on the Lenovo's Q190.  Which pretty much
met all my requirements including desired requirements.  And all for under
$250.

So armed with roku front ends, Netflix, Amazon Prime and Plex integration
to a central Q190 based server, we have just about everything to make up
for loss of TV.... except...

Except... for "live TV"... and in particular sports.  Giving U-verse meant
no more Cowboys games, no more Aggies, etc.. (or perhaps it means I had to
"bum" off of friends in order to watch games).

I had signed up to be on the watch list for Aereo.  And lo and behold,
guess what, Aereo came to Dallas about 1 week after we ditched U-verse. 
Aereo is high quality over the air TV and your own remote PVR for $8/mos.

And there  you have it.  I can record the games, I can record Marvel's
Agents of Shield, etc... and I have access to a ton of movies, TV shows
(from last year and earlier) and access to all of my already purchased
media all from any device, including my phone....

Done....

Next....



> My (former) U-verse TV is (was) U200 and costs us $103/mo.
>
> $21 of that is the extra receivers we have.
> $10 is for HD
>
> The base U200 is $72.00
>
> Then come the "taxes" of $16.43 for various state and local taxes....
> (yuk)
>
> That brings my total TV bill to $119.43/mo.
>
> ........
>
> Well, that's the message that helped start it all.  AT&T in a classic
> "bait and
> switch" technique tricked us (employees) to sign up with huge discounts
> during a
> time in which they knew they were selling our division off to IBM (and the
> employees did *not* know)....  thus we got U-verse U200 for around $50,
> additional receivers were free, digital phone was free, etc..
>
> Obviously, once we were sold, the price went back to the "norm".  Genius
> move on
> AT&T's part?  Maybe...  maybe, not!!
>
> Having been a Comcast and Time Warner customer, I know that at least
> compared to
> those, U-verse is the "Cadillac" of subscriber style television (including
> price)... but all of the providers aren't interested in a price war, so
> prices
> stay elevated and really based on "costs" more in tune with the early
> 2000's.
>
> Shoot, I think we can all think of something to do with $120/mo., right?
>
> And... is it possible to do better than the "cadillac" of providers??
>
> And... did AT&T "bait and switch" us again?  (that setup was too easy, I
> think
> you know the answer is "yes", but find out how they did it this time).
>
>
>
>
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