Today I Cut The Chord and Begin Life Without Cable

I've been kicking this around for years but finally decided to pull the trigger.  I disconnected all the cable boxes and turned them in.  No more paying for cable TV and all those channels I never watch.  Although it took just a few minutes (and a 10 minute drive to turn in the equipment), coming to that end was a slow process.

It started with the purchase of a Samsung Smart TV about a year ago. It has built in wireless and is capable of reading any FAT based formatted drive via a USB 3.0 port.  We have a SATA external hard drive enclosure that connects via USB that will except any SATA drive.  Just drop the drive in and the TV reads it...it even recognizes the file structure.  The TV has built in CODECS and we haven't found a format it won't play yet.  The CODECS (and the rest of the software on the TV for that matter) can also be updated via internet.  We started watching shows over the internet more than via cable.  Apps to access Netflix, Hulu Plus, and even YouTube are built into the TV, no other devices (like a game console) are needed. Even my cable company had content that can be streamed over the internet right from their website...TV series from ABC, A&E, FOX, FX, the History Channel, NBC, SyFy, TBS, TNT, and more.  Watching "Top Shot All Stars" while I'm typing this.  Why am I paying for cable? 

I also started doing research on TV over the air (OTA).  I learned a lot from a site called TV Fool, which also can tell you what stations you can pick up over the air.  You can type in your address and it will give you the stations you can pick up (and the signal strength, which will give you an idea on what kind of antenna you'll need).  Unfortunately in my area I can only pick up the big 4...ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX plus a couple PBS and local broadcasts.  In case you didn't know, all OTA broadcasts by the Big 4 are in HD...so it's actually better quality than what you get over basic (non-HD) cable stations.  Also, there's no such thing as a HD antenna...they are all UHF/VHF antennas.  If your TV came with one of those round antennas and/or "rabbit ears" (rare these days), those will work fine as long as there's a strong enough signal.  It's the TV that translates the signal to HD, the broadcasts are still UHF/VHF...just like the old days, if you're old enough to remember TV before cable.

The only thing that really stopped me from "cutting the chord" was my love of sports.  If I cut the chord there would be no more ESPN.  I wouldn't be able to watch any live games on anything other than the Big 4.  Monday Night Football is on ESPN!!!  I started to do some math (you knew I was desperate then).

NFL Sunday ticket is available via the PS3, but that is $299 for the season (they actually dropped it from last years price of $339).  Kinda pricey. The other option for NFL games is Game Pass ($39.99, $29.99 to follow one team), but it's not live (although you can get live radio broadcasts).  The replays of the game is available as soon is the game are over.   MLB.TV is just $64.99. The best I can tell is NBA League pass is $179, but I'm scared of trying it due to a review on Deadspin.  Still, compare that to $1000+ a year that I'm paying for cable and I can get all three and a subscription to Hulu Plus and Netflicks and still come out over $400 ahead. 

Then I saw this...Amazon exclusive offer for Madden 25 Anniversary Edition with NFL Sunday Ticket.  Still researching this because the wording makes it unclear on whether you can get the stream through the PS3/XBOX without Direct TV if DTV is available in your area.  I've searched the net and even DTV is vague and says that Amazon and EA Sports is in control of the deal.  This would be an obvious no brainer if you're a DTV subscriber and want Sunday Ticket.  I guessing you're going to see a lot of unopened Madden 25 Anniversary Edition games for sale on EBay.  Sunday Ticket is $59.99 a month for the 5 months of the season...easy math,  $299.95 vs. $100 for the Madden Anniversary Edition. 

I'll keep posting as I learn more...

The Dissapointment that is the Los Angeles Angels

For all the money the Angels have spent over the last 2 seasons the product on the field has been disappointing to say the lease.  They actually got better after signing Albert Pohjols going from 86-76 in 2011 to 89-73 in 2012...but they also got Kendrys Morales back from injury and signed Zake Grienke before the end of the season.  They also had some guy named Mike Trout have one of the best Rookie seasons ever.  Still neither record was good enough to win the Western Division.  So far this season they're 46-52 and likely to miss the playoffs for the 4th straight season.  They haven't made the playoffs since 2009 when they went 97-65 and lost in the ALCS 2-4 to the Yankees.

Back in 2009 the Angels were a fun to watch, overachieving team with a deep bench.  They were smart with their money picking up free agents without going to far into the hole (in terms of dollars and length of contracts).  This allowed them to put together a pretty good starting rotation. 1 through 4 of John Lackey, Jered Weaver, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders.  The relief pitching was deep and solid with Brian Fuentes getting 48 saves that year.  Up until recently the Angels had a reputation for having one of the more solid bullpens in the league.

Fast forward to 2013.  They're not as much fun to watch, underachieving and no bench to speak of.  The Angels were once know for gambling on hit-n-runs and going 1st to 3rd more than any team in the AL (and maybe even in the league).  They don't hit-n-run as much...in fact they don't run that much at all.  They had 4 players with double figure stolen base totals in 2012...this season, only Mike Trout (22) has more than 7.  Big dollars have been paid out to Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton.  Even if this had worked out and Pujols and Hamilton were producing as expected, this handcuffed the team in resigning players.  Productive players like C Mike Napoli, OF Torii Hunter, and 1B Kendrys Morales are gone.  The depth is also weak with J.B Shuck (yea, I wouldn't expect anyone to recognize the name) starting in LF.  The starting pitching is down to two quality starters in Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson.  Starters Ervin Santana, Dan Haren, and Zack Greinke all gone from 2012.  Wilson was the better off season acquisition two years ago because they got him for a bargain.  The bullpen is also suspect.  Ernesto Fieri has 24 saves, but he's a "hold your breath until the last out" type of reliever.  He's walked 23 batters and given up 30 hits in 42.2 innings.  Yea, 1-2-3 innings aren't that common.  Getting to Frieri is also an adventure, with Scott Downs the only reliable middle reliever. 

Let's play a little "what if", as in what if they didn't sign Puhjols and Hamilton.

1B would be manned by Mark Trumbo or Kendrys Morales.  Morales led the Angels with 34 HRs and 108 RBI in 2009.  He broke his leg in 2010 and didn't come back until 2012 when he hit 22 HRs and 73 RBI in limited duty.  Trumbo hit 32 HRs and had 95 RBI in 2012.  Playing in only his 3rd full season the kid has potential.  Trumbo ended up playing 1B this season anyway since Pujols's leg injuries has limited his time at 1B.  Puljol's has 17 HRs/59 RBI so far this season.  Morales has 15 HRs/57 RBI in Seattle.  Yea, Morales has less, but isn't being paid nearly as much and doesn't have the bats surrounding him that Pujols does. 

Looking in the outfield last season you would have saw Peter Bourjos, Trout, and Hunter.  With Hamilton getting the big contract, Hunter went to Detroit where he's hitting .308, only 8 HRs, and 46 RBI with 58 runs scored.  I've also seen him on Sportscenter still making great defensive plays in the OF.  Hamilton is hitting just .223 with 14 HRs and 41 RBI.  I was actually amazed that Hamilton had 48 runs scored since he has a terrible .279 on base percentage.

Would the Angels have been worse off resigning Morales and Hunter instead of going after Pujols and Hamilton?  I would argue that they would have been better.  Especially considering they would have had much more cash to spend on the rest of the team.  Possibly resigning Greinke and/or keeping Santana.  How would that pitching staff look...1-4 being Weaver, Wilson, Greinke, and Santana?  Maybe just keep Santana and adding depth and shoring up the bullpen. 

The team isn't likely to get better any time soon with so much money tied to Pujols and Hamilton for the foreseeable future.  What happens when Trout's contract is up?  What about Weaver?  Or Wilson?  Or even Trumbo?  With no hope for improving the rest of the team, especially if those guys get paid what they deserve, would you blame them for going elsewhere?  I wouldn't.

Focus ST Update

Three+ months since I bought the ST and I still love driving it.  I was just busting some corners on the way home today and the car still brings a smile to my face.

Have I mentioned I love hatches...especially the category that's know as "hot hatches?"  These are the Swiss Army Knives of cars.  They may not do any one thing great, but they do everything well.  Just recently I went over to the local hardware store and brought back 20 pavers...with the Focus.  I should have taken a picture, but here's what the back looks like with the seats folded down.

Can you haul stuff in it like a truck or minivan?  Of course not, but I can haul more stuff than the average vehicle.  Awesome handling car (go read any Focus ST review out there), but you won't be outrunning a Lotus Elise on a road course.  It's quick (0-60 in just over 6 seconds), but you're not going to be winning any drag races against V-8 Mustangs.  Good gas mileage, but this isn't a hybrid. 

Swiss Army Knife.


Ford has something called "Intelligent Access" that is standard in most of their new vehicles.  What it means is that you can lock/unlock the doors without taking your keys out of your pocket.  See the little black pad on the door handle in the picture?  Touch the pad and the doors lock/unlock.

I thought it was silly and unnecessary when I first bought the car.  Now that I've had it for awhile I can't tell you how many times I've had my hands full and wanted to unlock or lock the car.  Didn't have to put stuff down, just had to touch the pad with the back of my hand or forearm.  I don't think it's silly anymore.

In case you're wondering, the key fob has to be close for it to work.  I stood about 4-5 feet away from the car and had someone try to open the door and couldn't.  I have to be standing right next to the car.