Day Two of No Cable TV: Not so good.

I lost $25 earlier today because I couldn't watch the Calgary-Regina Canadian Football League game and I lost my Atlantic Lottery bet. If I had watched, they could have won (that is how it works :) ).

Sunday was day two of my life without TV (I still have the Internet).  It was not a good day. Turns out when the NFL is on, people in Moncton like to watch it instead of the CFL. So watching at work or the local pub was not an option. I didn't "need" to see the game. But since I had money on it...

Sunday is also the day when many of my favourite shows are on: The Simpsons, Desperate Housewives and Weeds. I've also been following Bordwalk Empire on HBO (not a favourite, but I had a 60 minute hole in my evening as a result). With the exception of Bordwalk Empire, all of my Sunday shows will be available on the Internet early this week. But they are not available Sunday.

I spent 1 hour trying to find something worthy of my attention on Netflix. Caught the last episode of the last season of the British sitcom Coupling. British sitcoms are sometimes great. But now I've seen all the Couplings, Yes Ministers and Faulty Towers.

Suffering from sports withdrawal, I almost got suckered into subscribing to the $21 a month NHL Gamecentre because it is now available on my PlaySation. Since many games can be streamed live on the CBC site, I'm really not sure it is worth it, at least for me; it had been ages since I watched an entire hockey or football game. But it turns out I like the option to watch a game. I couldn't watch a CFL playoff game today. That is sad.

-Day One Of No Cable TV I Cut the Cord, Confessions of a TV Addict in Canada

When you don't have TV, the Diggnation podcast passes for Sunday entertainment. By the way Kevin, smoke is a carcinogen, regardless of source.

Day One Of No Cable TV

See Day Minus One:
http://altavistagoogle.blogspot.com/2010/11/i-cut-cord-confessions-of-tv-addict-in.html

Well, yesterday I didn't return my cable PVR as planned. Regardless,
today my cable TV was canceled. I'm currently watching the
Canadiens-Leafs game, live, via the Internet. Yes, CBC.ca streams many
of their games live. So I was able to view the Pat Burns tribute. Now,
the quality isn't HD (but it is wide screen), and it is in English
(RDS is the rights holder in French, and, they have a vested interest
in you not cancelling your cable/satellite/IPTV.).

Yesterday, I figured out that you can share a The Movie Network
subscription (one party enjoys it on TV, the other on the Internet).
My sister will share her TMN subscription with me (for $8/month).
Sweet. I can go without Bordwalk Empire, but I was looking forwards to
Big Love in January.

So far, so good.

Via iPad

I Cut the Cord, Confessions of a TV Addict in Canada

Day minus one: Today I got my unlimited BellAliant Internet hooked up. It works (only available in Atlantic Canada). Tomorrow I will return my beloved cable TV digital video recorder (and my cable modem). Thursday is my favourite TV night and since there is absolutely nothing worth watching on TV Friday and Saturday, I figure tomorrow is a good day to start.

Good news, I just read on the Marketing Magazine web site (ironically owned by Rogers), that cineplex.com now has digital movies available for rent to Canadians. Airport is only a $3 rental (in standard definition) away. 

I already have an $8 a month Netflix.ca subscription, but it is nice to have movie options (in addition to iTunes and the PlayStation store). 

Argh! Although the Formula One season just ended, Nascar ends Sunday! But there is a TV at work (and at the bar next door) so I should be OK. 

Strategy for Sunday: New Simpsons episodes are available for $3.50 on iTunes (totally worth it). Weeds is available on the Showcase.ca website. Desperate Housewives (that I'm much less desperate to see) is available on ctv.ca  . I'm not going to be able to see the new Boardwalk Empire, but it will be online eventually (it is not exactly must see TV). I can also browse thru The Amazing Race if I get board next week thanks once again to the CTV web site.

I hope they don't cut Andy Roony's pay as I'm not going to be able to watch 60 minutes.

I'll make it, I think.