Frazod's Great Technology Leap of 2023

[Frazod]

So here's the plan:

Step 1: Purchase or build new computer capable of running Starfield, which I realized a couple of weeks ago that my existing one isn't. Old computer goes to the wife. Wife's old computer, which was my previous computer and is at least 15 years old, failing and still running Windows 7, goes to the dungeon to join the massive collection of shit I should throw out but never do.

Step 2: Upgrade internet service from slow-as-**** overpriced AT&T to T-Mobile 5G (already existing phone service). It would be nice if Starfield didn't take a day and a half to download.

Step 3: Shitcan overpriced/now useless DTV, get Amazon firesticks for all the televisions.

Here's reality:

Step 1: Completed; mostly a success. Found a computer to buy that was pretty much as good and reasonably priced as anything my IT buddy and I could have built, with infinitely less grief. Got this:

https://www.microcenter.com/product/...g443-gaming-pc

Works great; No issues (so far-knocking on wood). Pain in the ass reloading software and navigating the endless password/verification gauntlet, but eventually I got through it. The only real problem was with my old computer. The AIO CPU liquid cooler was starting to go, and whether it was just ironic timing or being jostled a bit during the relocation, it died almost immediately when I moved it to the new location. When I first fired it up the goddamn thing sounded like a dosimeter at Chernobyl. Eventually it quieted down, but apparently that just signaled its death, because soon after the computer shut down and wouldn't reboot because of overheating. God that pissed me off. So the replacement is out for delivery, and hopefully that will be successfully installed today. I don't trust myself and my limited skills to directly **** with the CPU, so IT buddy is coming over to deal with that one - I'll probably do the work, but under supervision.

Step 2: The new T-Mobile system is also supposed to be delivered today. They say it's easy to install. I'm assuming it will be a pain in the ass, because that's just how my luck rolls. I guess I'll find out later today.

Step 3: Commencing after the end of the month/baseball season, so the wife's nightly Braves viewing is not interrupted and she doesn't kill me in my sleep. Beyond watching a couple of YouTube videos, I know exactly dick about firesticks and this will be completely new territory for me. Seems easy enough in the videos. But I've learned that this shit is rarely as easy as they make it look. At least for me. I wonder if I have to remove/shitcan the dish myself, or if they'll come and get it. I guess I'll find that out in October.

Anyway, I'm old and cranky and mostly hate change of any sort, so I expect to be in Ari Gold mode over all this crap for the next month or so. But when I'm done everything should be much better, and by dumping AT&T/DTV, much cheaper, and I'll be happily enjoying Starfield. Wish me luck!

[gh4chiefs]

Originally Posted by Frazod

Firestick was the one I was familiar with and had heard people talk about. That's pretty much it.

I was just wondering if there was an advantage I was missing out on.

Honestly I don’t use Roku or Firestick either one as much anymore I got new LG C2 tv earlier this year and it has nearly all the apps I want built in. Works pretty well so far.

I will say this about Firestick. When I’m down at the farm and just have a shitty att mobile hotspot signal for WiFi, the Firestick seems to work better than Roku.

[Frazod]

One thing I've learned is that in order to get local channels, I'll need to get some sort of service like Hulu, Sling or YouTubeTV (or **** around with antennas, which I'm not going to do because I'd need to mount one for each TV). I was all set to get Hulu, since it includes Disney Plus, but apparently Hulu and Sling don't work and play well with T-Mobile. The reason is that T-Mobile, being completely wireless, will occasionally change your IP address (because... reasons), and Hulu interprets this as you attempting to use the service away from your home, so their service stops working without notice. Restoring it requires calling customer service, since it has to be fixed on their end, or logging out and back in with a mobile device. And that's a pain in the ass I'm simply not willing to deal with, especially in the middle of a game. Since T-Mobile is my only decent high speed option, it looks like YouTubeTV is the service I'm going with, regardless of whether or not I continue Sunday Ticket. Some good news - I've seen that they also have an arrangement with T-Mobile, so I should be able to get a break on the monthly subscription price. Have to check on that. The bad news is I still have to pay extra for Disney Plus. And I probably won't go with Sunday Ticket for now, since pretty much all Chiefs games are either in prime time or locally broadcast. I might miss a couple of them or have to find some backdoor stream, but there's no need to pay through the nose for a service I've barely needed since the Chiefs became the NFL's apex predator.

I may end up dumping some other services that I rarely use, like Netflix and Apple TV.

Also checked on what I have to do with my DTV shit when I cancel with them. I'll probably have to return the various boxes (dump them at a local FedEx or UPS store at no charge, if they want them back at all), but not the dish itself. Which means getting the ****ing thing off the side of my house is on me, but there's no need to do it immediately (or ever, I guess, if I don't mind it being there).

[lawrenceRaider]

How far out do you live from a major city? I just use an antenna. My folks do as well and they are 15 or so miles north of Springfield.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Frazod

One thing I've learned is that in order to get local channels, I'll need to get some sort of service like Hulu, Sling or YouTubeTV (or **** around with antennas, which I'm not going to do because I'd need to mount one for each TV). I was all set to get Hulu, since it includes Disney Plus, but apparently Hulu and Sling don't work and play well with T-Mobile. The reason is that T-Mobile, being completely wireless, will occasionally change your IP address (because... reasons), and Hulu interprets this as you attempting to use the service away from your home, so their service stops working without notice. Restoring it requires calling customer service, since it has to be fixed on their end, or logging out and back in with a mobile device. And that's a pain in the ass I'm simply not willing to deal with, especially in the middle of a game. Since T-Mobile is my only decent high speed option, it looks like YouTubeTV is the service I'm going with, regardless of whether or not I continue Sunday Ticket. Some good news - I've seen that they also have an arrangement with T-Mobile, so I should be able to get a break on the monthly subscription price. Have to check on that. The bad news is I still have to pay extra for Disney Plus. And I probably won't go with Sunday Ticket for now, since pretty much all Chiefs games are either in prime time or locally broadcast. I might miss a couple of them or have to find some backdoor stream, but there's no need to pay through the nose for a service I've barely needed since the Chiefs became the NFL's apex predator.

I may end up dumping some other services that I rarely use, like Netflix and Apple TV.

Also checked on what I have to do with my DTV shit when I cancel with them. I'll probably have to return the various boxes (dump them at a local FedEx or UPS store at no charge, if they want them back at all), but not the dish itself. Which means getting the ****ing thing off the side of my house is on me, but there's no need to do it immediately (or ever, I guess, if I don't mind it being there).

YoutubeTV does the same location check that Hulu and others do. Not every single time you open the app. But every 3 months, it requires you to do a location check from your home address. Not sure if that will give you an issues with T-Mobile.

[Zebedee DuBois]

I have T-Mobile internet and YouTubeTV.

I still have HULU, but not the LiveTV version - that doesn't work with TM
On YouTubeTV, you can enter your zip code, so that it will load your local ABC,CBS,NBC,PBS, and Fox channels.
You will find that despite that - you will get commercials and search results that are not local. If your streaming service airs ads, they may be from out of state. When you do a search from your laptop for Lowes or Best Buy - it will probably default your local store to somewhere that is not your local store. Easy enough to change, but still off-putting.

[Zebedee DuBois]

I was getting ad-free Hulu for $14/month.
The offered a bundle of Hulu with ads, ESPN+, Disney+ for $11, after 3 months it went up to $16/month.
I intended to cancel, but haven't. There are always a few games on ESPN+ I like to catch.

[gh4chiefs]

Originally Posted by Frazod

or **** around with antennas, which I'm not going to do because I'd need to mount one for each TV).

Well I can’t believe I’m going to suggest this given my experience but I thought I’d throw this out just a FYI. Since you already have Firesticks you might want to look at the Amazon Recast. You hook it to the antenna and you can stream either a live OTA signal or recorded content to each TV with a Firestick.

And thanks for the heads up on Hulu and T-Mobile, you kept me from making a mistake.

[Loneiguana]

I don't know hard it was to set up, but the guy who owned my house before me installed a nice antenna in the attic. He then ran the cable down the walls. I only have it hooked up the the living room TV, but if I wanted a TV in the bedroom, I could hook it to the antenna. Same with downstairs.

It's get HD and picks up a lot of channels for rural missouri.

Again, I don't know what it cost or how hard it was to install. I'm glad he did it though. We were easily able to cut the cord with that. I'd try to duplicate this set up if I happen to ever move.

[lawrenceRaider]

Originally Posted by Loneiguana

I don't know hard it was to set up, but the guy who owned my house before me installed a nice antenna in the attic. He then ran the cable down the walls. I only have it hooked up the the living room TV, but if I wanted a TV in the bedroom, I could hook it to the antenna. Same with downstairs.

It's get HD and picks up a lot of channels for rural missouri.

Again, I don't know what it cost or how hard it was to install. I'm glad he did it though. We were easily able to cut the cord with that. I'd try to duplicate this set up if I happen to ever move.

Might be easier to get an HDHomerun box and connect the antenna to that instead of running all the wires. Most people are running something that can use the HDHomerun app. Works great on my network.

[Frazod]

I don't want to **** around with antennas. I live in a townhouse so I can't put anything on the roof, and I've had very limited success with interior antennas previously, although to be fair that was several years ago.

I'm just going to get YouTubeTV and be done with it. I'm still coming out way ahead compared to what I've been paying for DTV/AT&T.

[gh4chiefs]

Originally Posted by Frazod

I don't want to **** around with antennas. I live in a townhouse so I can't put anything on the roof, and I've had very limited success with interior antennas previously, although to be fair that was several years ago.

I'm just going to get YouTubeTV and be done with it. I'm still coming out way ahead compared to what I've been paying for DTV/AT&T.

Yeah I get it. I live in a condo and have the same issue.

[Frazod]

Last TV connected via Firestick. Cancelling AT&T/DTV right now. I'm on hold with the AT&T guy. Bracing myself for any last minute ****ery they might pull.

[displacedinMN]

Isnt this digital/streaming/etc a big pain in the ass?
it is not easier than before.


Frazod-I have a lot of things connected to Alexa. At first I thought it was overkill. But I like automation. My outdoor lights come on at a designated time and turn off at a designated time. I can tell Alexa to do things. I have Alexa play playlists for Halloween and Christmas to make my outside lights move.

Having it turn on my stove or looking inside my fridge from Belize would be too much.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

Isnt this digital/streaming/etc a big pain in the ass?
it is not easier than before.


Frazod-I have a lot of things connected to Alexa. At first I thought it was overkill. But I like automation. My outdoor lights come on at a designated time and turn off at a designated time. I can tell Alexa to do things. I have Alexa play playlists for Halloween and Christmas to make my outside lights move.

Having it turn on my stove or looking inside my fridge from Belize would be too much.

It was a pain in the ass getting everything set up, but I'm fine with it now. I was worried that the wife would be annoyed, but she seems to prefer the new service.

And I don't do Alexa.

[Bearcat]

I'm curious about your TMobile Internet service now that it's been a couple weeks.... still seeing the same speed/performance as you did to start?