Does anyone NOT own a television? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Yong Fang · 05-12-2023, 09:41 AM

That is pretty much the question.

I will be moving back to America for a period of time and even when I can back to visit just didn’t watch that much television whatsoever. Most of the shows I like are on YouTube. There is another website I can use to watch current or past TV shows. This can be hit or miss; but I watched the latest episode of Young Sheldon from this website.

I would say if I was in a position to have a career and my own home in America, unless I had small children, I would not even own a television. I would be very content to watch shows from my IPhone like I have for several years although I would buy a couple of IPad devices if I had a family at home. Maybe I would have some pause if I had children and what they can dial up to watch; and the weirdo people they can meet online. But for me the internet has been the greatest invention of the 20th Century. I don’t have children but I would monitor who they talk to online and what they see for the most part.

I think TVs now are ugly. Just black as death rectangles in a room. I would like to see floor model TV sets like in the 1970’s and 1980’s. But I think if I wanted one badly enough I can hire a cabinet maker and maybe an electrician of some sort to make a modern floor TV……

But for me and for me and my wife only; there wouldn’t be enough TV to watch where I cannot get from YouTube. I can get news from YouTube (liberal to conservative), I can from a “streaming service”. I have watched so much free Netflix content over the years. Thank you for all of you who pay for it. I might sound like a jerk (since I cannot call myself by a more colorful name) but it was nice during the fake COVID in China to watch “The Tiger King” twice in two days.

But I can see myself a jerk for consuming content stolen from “streaming” sources but again am mostly happy with YouTube. YouTube is amazing as hell.

So How many are just watching TV by mobile devices? Maybe Mr Data is correct in Star Trek that TV will cease to be a thing by 2040. That’s 27 years from now. If I am alive however, I will be 83 years old, done consuming some awesome marijuana and binge watching Sanford and Son I have long memorized. You big dummy. Give my caretaker $200 for a Happy Meal from McDonalds.

stevea · 05-12-2023, 07:56 PM

The current structure of TV is a loser for everyone but the legacy TV/Cable industry. Every entity from the local channel to the cable company to the satellite company to the TV network adds their own "carriage fees," and the subscriber ends up paying all these fees, plus having to put up with the commercials. What started out as Community Antenna TV (CATV) has gotten way out of hand.

So one can see why streaming has proliferated.

There was something to be said for TV in the 1950s and 60s--a rooftop antenna and TV for free--only penalty being the commercials.

By the way, I think everyone has a TV--maybe percentage being in the 90s. I think most people want to watch the gigantic screens rather than an IPhone.

Steve_uk · 05-16-2023, 12:27 PM

I haven't owned a television for several years. It's not just the £150 annual cost ( $198) of the licence fee, but I didn't have time to settle down and get my money's worth. The only live shows I occasionally miss are Eurovision and Wimbledon, but even those two events aren't like they used to be.

icecream · 05-16-2023, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve_uk

I haven't owned a television for several years. It's not just the £150 annual cost ( $198) of the licence fee, but I didn't have time to settle down and get my money's worth. The only live shows I occasionally miss are Eurovision and Wimbledon, but even those two events aren't like they used to be.

Wow, there isn't any annual license fee to own a TV here.

Steve_uk · 05-16-2023, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icecream

Wow, there isn't any annual license fee to own a TV here.

I think it's a relic from the age of Empire icecream, and in any case nostalgia for the time when Great Britain stood alone at the start of WW2, broadcasting via radio to Nazi-occupied Europe. In the digital age with so many more channels available the BBC licence fee is now uncertain.

biffbronson · 05-17-2023, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

Maybe Mr Data is correct in Star Trek that TV will cease to be a thing by 2040. That’s 27 years from now.

17 years.

merlinjones · 05-18-2023, 02:26 AM

I can never understand why anyone would want to watch TV on a tiny iPhone when they could watch the same thing on a large TV screen -- or even a laptop or computer monitor.

What's the appeal of squinting?

Coffeecup · 05-29-2023, 03:07 PM

I do like to watch tv but the prices of cable keep going up. I wish I could choose certain stations, keep the DVR and pay $100.00 a month instead of the $250.00 for internet, phone and tv. The phone is only $10.00 a month so if I got rid it only saving $10.00 a month. Can one buy a DVR and use with the Comcast service. The companies have you over a barrel.

Edward216 · 05-30-2023, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icecream

Wow, there isn't any annual license fee to own a TV here.

Yeah at least we don't have to deal with that in the U.S. I think making people get a license to own a TV is just weird.

Ed.

Steve_uk · 05-30-2023, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward216

Yeah at least we don't have to deal with that in the U.S. I think making people get a license to own a TV is just weird.

Ed.

It is Edward216 and millions of Brits think the same way. I would just say this: you are paying for television whatever content you watch. We Brits pay £159 for the BBC and it's a compulsory annual levy whether we watch the BBC or not. However we (UK, USA et al) are also paying for the commercial channels in the form of higher prices for goods due to advertising. So really every time anyone goes round Walmart and fills a trolley you are paying for television programmes, whether you watch them or not.

PaperClips · 05-30-2023, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coffeecup

I do like to watch tv but the prices of cable keep going up. I wish I could choose certain stations, keep the DVR and pay $100.00 a month instead of the $250.00 for internet, phone and tv. The phone is only $10.00 a month so if I got rid it only saving $10.00 a month. Can one buy a DVR and use with the Comcast service. The companies have you over a barrel.

I use an OTA Antenna for local channels and a ROKU for streaming. $50.00 for the internet and 18.00 for the phone. $250.00 is insane.

ThisLittlePiggy · 06-01-2023, 04:44 PM

$50. Internet
$45. Phone
$15. Amazon Prime

I got rid of Cable TV 10 years ago.

05-12-2023, 09:41 AM	#1
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	Does anyone NOT own a television? That is pretty much the question. I will be moving back to America for a period of time and even when I can back to visit just didn’t watch that much television whatsoever. Most of the shows I like are on YouTube. There is another website I can use to watch current or past TV shows. This can be hit or miss; but I watched the latest episode of Young Sheldon from this website. I would say if I was in a position to have a career and my own home in America, unless I had small children, I would not even own a television. I would be very content to watch shows from my IPhone like I have for several years although I would buy a couple of IPad devices if I had a family at home. Maybe I would have some pause if I had children and what they can dial up to watch; and the weirdo people they can meet online. But for me the internet has been the greatest invention of the 20th Century. I don’t have children but I would monitor who they talk to online and what they see for the most part. I think TVs now are ugly. Just black as death rectangles in a room. I would like to see floor model TV sets like in the 1970’s and 1980’s. But I think if I wanted one badly enough I can hire a cabinet maker and maybe an electrician of some sort to make a modern floor TV…… But for me and for me and my wife only; there wouldn’t be enough TV to watch where I cannot get from YouTube. I can get news from YouTube (liberal to conservative), I can from a “streaming service”. I have watched so much free Netflix content over the years. Thank you for all of you who pay for it. I might sound like a jerk (since I cannot call myself by a more colorful name) but it was nice during the fake COVID in China to watch “The Tiger King” twice in two days. But I can see myself a jerk for consuming content stolen from “streaming” sources but again am mostly happy with YouTube. YouTube is amazing as hell. So How many are just watching TV by mobile devices? Maybe Mr Data is correct in Star Trek that TV will cease to be a thing by 2040. That’s 27 years from now. If I am alive however, I will be 83 years old, done consuming some awesome marijuana and binge watching Sanford and Son I have long memorized. You big dummy. Give my caretaker $200 for a Happy Meal from McDonalds.

05-12-2023, 07:56 PM	#2
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,688	The current structure of TV is a loser for everyone but the legacy TV/Cable industry. Every entity from the local channel to the cable company to the satellite company to the TV network adds their own "carriage fees," and the subscriber ends up paying all these fees, plus having to put up with the commercials. What started out as Community Antenna TV (CATV) has gotten way out of hand. So one can see why streaming has proliferated. There was something to be said for TV in the 1950s and 60s--a rooftop antenna and TV for free--only penalty being the commercials. By the way, I think everyone has a TV--maybe percentage being in the 90s. I think most people want to watch the gigantic screens rather than an IPhone.

05-16-2023, 12:27 PM	#3
Steve_uk Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jun 29, 2012 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 5,803	I haven't owned a television for several years. It's not just the £150 annual cost ( $198) of the licence fee, but I didn't have time to settle down and get my money's worth. The only live shows I occasionally miss are Eurovision and Wimbledon, but even those two events aren't like they used to be.

05-18-2023, 02:26 AM	#7
merlinjones Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 30, 2019 Location: los ángeles Posts: 933	I can never understand why anyone would want to watch TV on a tiny iPhone when they could watch the same thing on a large TV screen -- or even a laptop or computer monitor. What's the appeal of squinting?

05-29-2023, 03:07 PM	#8
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	I do like to watch tv but the prices of cable keep going up. I wish I could choose certain stations, keep the DVR and pay $100.00 a month instead of the $250.00 for internet, phone and tv. The phone is only $10.00 a month so if I got rid it only saving $10.00 a month. Can one buy a DVR and use with the Comcast service. The companies have you over a barrel.

06-01-2023, 04:44 PM	#12
ThisLittlePiggy Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Nov 02, 2013 Posts: 84,525	$50. Internet $45. Phone $15. Amazon Prime I got rid of Cable TV 10 years ago.