In order to get out the early term fee, you need to be AT LEAST 12 months into your contract, if not 18 months.

We got out of our early term with Dish Network but we only have 6 months left. By signing up for basic service ($10 a month) for the next 6 months, they waived the disconnect charges on all of receivers. So essentially we're saving $120/month for the next 6 months.

How long after a show airs are you having to wait to watch it without cable? Instantly? 24 hours?

I don't watch network TV and never have, so I can't really answer that.

I know some of the kids' shows are on Amazon a week after they initially air.

If I was going to dump DirecTv....it would have to be for something that would be simple for my wife to operate. I'm not dumping something just so I can hear her bitch about how she can't watch her shows. Everything she watches is on network TV. The only thing I'd really be giving up would be Sunday Ticket....but I could just stream those....at least I'm assuming that I could.

Depends greatly on the source. If it's like Hulu, or other legal source, it's usually 24/48 hours after airing.

If you're getting media from illegal sources, streaming from Primewire or downloading torrents or something, it's usually available within 4-6 hours of airing. The more popular it is, the faster it will be available.

There's also direct streaming sites that let you stream content live as it airs..

Sometimes within 20 minutes of the end of the show via torrents.

Depends on the popularity of the show. Game of Thrones usually gets uploaded almost as soon as it's done airing. So, I can usually watch it that night. Walking Dead seemed to take longer, and I'd wait until the next day. It's quick, though. I use 1Channel.

Yeah...this is an issue for me. XBMC is pretty nice and easy to use (once you get it set up ) IF you can get a stable platform with good connectivity. My wife and the kids don't use it, though. They use netflix.

What kind of setup do you have?

I use a GBOX MX2 Midnight on my wireless network. It's an okay budget option, but I'd probably invest a little more if I were doing it again and get something a little beefier (a true HTPC) but still run XBMC.

heh. out here in the west, the torrent is already downloaded and ready to watch before the Network shows air out here.


Honestly, if anyone is interested in cutting cable and getting an XBMC box, it is an Amazon Fire TV. I am amazed at how quickly and well they are developing for it.

I'm already starting to run into issues with my Gbox Mx2 so when I have finally had enough of it I will get the Amazon Fire TV as well.

Its not a big issue but when the thing crashes in the middle of a show it is kind of annoying spending the extra few minutes to get it booted back up and back to where I was in my program.

Yeah it is really lame how Matricom doesn't support their boxes. Don't get me wrong, Amazon isnt exactly supporting XBMC on the Fire TVs either, but they are not advertising them as the end all be all of an XBMC box.

I am of the opinion that the Fire TV is the best thing to happen to XBMC since AMD's APU. Why buy a no support, chinese, piece of crap for $100 when you can get the Fire TV, run legit apps, run XBMC and play an impressive amount of games for the same price?

I'm probably going to get a Fire TV box just so I can yell find Gary Busey at it all the time. The only thing holding me up is I read the USB doesn't support external storage. Right now I'm rocking the Ouya since I got it cheap on Amazon a few months ago. If it wasn't for the Wifi just flat out not working at times, it'd be all I need. I figure if I get the Fire TV, I'll have a box for my bedroom and the livingroom.

First off: how is Gotham? Considering upgrading my GBOX, but I've held off for now.

Secondly, anyone have any thoughts about flashing a linux XBMC install vs. the Android XBMC install on the Gbox? Found this video that shows how to do it, but I'm not sure that it's really worth it. Thoughts?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp2CWBcEd8I