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I just moved to 5th Ave. & President and am trying to figure out how to get more than 3 tv channels without subscribing to a provider. In Carroll Gardens and Boerum Hill, where i was previously, all i had to do was hook up my TV to the wiring that was already there and i got a ton of channels. I have done the same thing in my new apartment but only get abc, channel9 and WB11 (yuck!) and pbs. Does anyone have any suggestions other than an antenna? Or is the neighborhood hook-ups just different? Would greatly appreciate any advice in the matter - am too poor to pay for cable tv!
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I don't know about your specific location, but I can say from experience that antennas, powered or unpowered, have not worked well for me AT ALL. I spent about $90 on this ridiculous looking thing and it made no improvement over my exisiting system which consists of a coat hanger shoved into the coaxial hole in the back of my set. If you live on a high floor, maybe you'll have better luck than me as I am on the first floor. I'm curious to know if other slopers have had any luck with antennas, powered or unpowered.
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I'm not suggesting that anyone do this, but if you have a cable wire in your apartment, cable descramblers are available for not much more than the poster above payed for an antenna (one could, say, check EBay, for example). Remember that this would be totally illegal and I am not in any way advocating stealing cable.
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There's a sad reason every place is not cabled up already. Park Slope had excellent free TV reception until the World Trade Center went down, 'cause that's where the broadcast antennae were. After 9/11, is the first time I bought cable. To steal it, you gotta know a guy who knows a guy, no? I don't think you're gonna get THAT on this board. But maybe I'm wrong...
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I just noticed that my TV doesn't have Fox News (the cable station, not the broadcast ch5) Thought it would be fun to watch them spill all over themselves re: the election results, bwahaha. Is it hilariously possible that Fox Cable is not carried by TW in Brooklyn?
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If you get a cable company as your internet provider, they can't turn off the basic (the locals) service. They occasionally put a filter on (so I've heard. I've yet to ever see such a thing), but you can take it off, get a cable splitter and connect your TV up.
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pitu » I just noticed that my TV doesn't have Fox News (the cable station, not the broadcast ch5) Thought it would be fun to watch them spill all over themselves re: the election results, bwahaha. Is it hilariously possible that Fox Cable is not carried by TW in Brooklyn?
It's channel 46. -
I feel like before 9/11 I was able to get some TV without cable--just via rabbit ears. Now, barely anything. Am I the only one, or am I just imaging things? (nevermind, just saw pitu's comment. Conspiracy theory confirmed) I've tried every way around it and every tin foil, coat hanger, rabbit ear contraption known to man. No dice. Gotta get basic service. edit: I only get three kinds of Spanish-language networks and ABC if the cat is sitting on top touching the rabbit ears.
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When I moved to PS I also tried the antenna thing which totally didn't work. I don't watch TV too much so I didn't want to invest so much $ in cable TV. However, I have TW cable hookup for my internet connection... so I bought a $5 cable splicer and now the TV and computer run off the same connection. I get all the basic channels, plus a lot of good ones like TBS, food network, HGTV, for a while I was even getting Cinemax and the Showtime.
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i'm certainly not the queen of ethics and morality... but i'm wondering why everything thinks it's perfectly ok to steal cable?what would you tell me, if i could hear you speaking?--t.r.
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it seems the same as when people "steal" someone else's wireless connection. I can't figure out how to put a password on my connection and people are always using it. I can tell, because the connection really slows down... so then I unplug the cable and bump them off.
The prices that cable costs these days is insane... and they can get away with it since Time Warner and cable vision seem to have a complete monopoly in NYC -
Too poor to afford cable? Get a pair of rabbit ears and watch over-the-air television; get a dvd player and rent movies. Stealing cable is a federal offense; if one gets caught the fines, attorney's fees and possible jail time cost a hell of a lot more than purloined Skinemax.
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dw438 » Too poor to afford cable? Get a pair of rabbit ears and watch over-the-air television; get a dvd player and rent movies. Stealing cable is a federal offense; if one gets caught the fines, attorney's fees and possible jail time cost a hell of a lot more than purloined Skinemax.
isn't it pretty hard to prove that you're stealing cable unless the company comes into your home without your permission and check out the wires. they need a warrant to do this, right? (but yes, it's seriously against the law) and i wasn't making a judgement before, i was just a little surprised that nobody made any comments about the legality till i brought it up.what would you tell me, if i could hear you speaking?--t.r. -
brooklynpotter » and i wasn't making a judgement before, i was just a little surprised that nobody made any comments about the legality till i brought it up.
Carnivore » Remember that this would be totally illegal and I am not in any way advocating stealing cable.
ms potter, the legality was one of the first things addressed just sayin'
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pitu » [quote="brooklynpotter"]and i wasn't making a judgement before, i was just a little surprised that nobody made any comments about the legality till i brought it up.
Carnivore » Remember that this would be totally illegal and I am not in any way advocating stealing cable.
ms potter, the legality was one of the first things addressed just sayin' :D[/quote] you're correct, darling, third post down. i missed that.what would you tell me, if i could hear you speaking?--t.r. -
Subject: Re: Question about free cable tv in Park Slope
shprech79 » I just moved to 5th Ave. & President and am trying to figure out how to get more than 3 tv channels without subscribing to a provider. In Carroll Gardens and Boerum Hill, where i was previously, all i had to do was hook up my TV to the wiring that was already there and i got a ton of channels. I have done the same thing in my new apartment but only get abc, channel9 and WB11 (yuck!) and pbs. Does anyone have any suggestions other than an antenna? Or is the neighborhood hook-ups just different? Would greatly appreciate any advice in the matter - am too poor to pay for cable tv!
shprech, it sounds like you were benefiting from an illegal connection at your old place. I've certainly never heard of an open pipe that you're free to tap into as some kind of "neighborhood benefit"... that would kind of run counter to the cable company's business model.
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Subject: still going for it
wow - first time on the site - had no idea mylittle post would elicit such moral dilemmas! But many thanks for all of your suggestions - i will NOT spend money on bunny ears at the moment - clearly they are useless. Regarding stealing cable: I often feel jilted by utility companies who unfairly take advantage of consumers and charge exorbitant rates geared toward the wealthy or those who have warped priorities (ex: 500 TV channels over a nutritional meal). For this reason, I do not have any moral misgivings about stealing the most basic cable possible. I highly doubt i could be caught doing so, as coaxial cables are absurdly easyto remove in the case of a surprise cable-guy visit. At the moment, it seems that I would be best suited paying for cable internet and getting a splitter (whichi have done in the past and worked magnificently). And that way, both me and the cable company can live with a happy compromise! -
sarajean8 » it seems the same as when people "steal" someone else's wireless connection. I can't figure out how to put a password on my connection and people are always using it. I can tell, because the connection really slows down... so then I unplug the cable and bump them off.
It is very easy to set up a password. Send me a Personal Message on here and I'll happily tell you how. -
Subject: Re: still going for it
shprech79 » Regarding stealing cable: I often feel jilted by utility companies who unfairly take advantage of consumers and charge exorbitant rates geared toward the wealthy or those who have warped priorities (ex: 500 TV channels over a nutritional meal). For this reason, I do not have any moral misgivings about stealing the most basic cable possible.
Hmmm. I wonder which is the more warped priority, paying fair market value for a service or stealing it and pretending it isnt a priority? Also, who has to make a choice between cable TV and a hot meal? Not me, and I'm not wealthy. This is just rationale for your own decision to get something you desire, a priority, for free while others pay, and then you have the audacity to judge others for paying for what you choose to steal. If it weren't a priority, why bother with it at all? If you admitted you were stealing cable because you want a pay service for free, at least you'd be an intellectually honest thief. But the phony "warped priority" schtick is condescending. -
I'm not saying that stealing cable is justifiable, but it's pretty hard to muster up any sympathy for Time Warner and cable companies in general, especially given cable tv isn't a free market - you can't pick which company you want to use and they're free to charge what they deem fit. TW has a monopoly in my area and you have no choice BUT to use them (or get direct TV, which is significantly more expensive) since there's almost no reception at all. I heard about HR5252 awhile back but I have no idea where it stands (probably propping up the short leg of Rick Santorum's wobbly chair) http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/altss/printstory/local/27547 I guess it's kinda like downloading music on the internet--when the opportunity arises, morals and ethics take a backseat because hey...free shit. Personally, I netflix old shows and make friends with tivo owners.
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erikka » I'm not saying that stealing cable is justifiable, but it's pretty hard to muster up any sympathy for Time Warner and cable companies in general, especially given cable tv isn't a free market - you can't pick which company you want to use and they're free to charge what they deem fit. TW has a monopoly in my area and you have no choice BUT to use them (or get direct TV, which is significantly more expensive) since there's almost no reception at all. I heard about HR5252 awhile back but I have no idea where it stands (probably propping up the short leg of Rick Santorum's wobbly chair) http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/altss/printstory/local/27547 I guess it's kinda like downloading music on the internet--when the opportunity arises, morals and ethics take a backseat because hey...free shit. Personally, I netflix old shows and make friends with tivo owners.
I hear you... I didn't mean to sound so grumpy. Just that the 'warped priority' thing sort of got my goat... -
Subject: Re: still going for it
shprech79 » At the moment, it seems that I would be best suited paying for cable internet and getting a splitter (whichi have done in the past and worked magnificently). And that way, both me and the cable company can live with a happy compromise!
OK. So you already knew the solution (net + splitter) but still started this thread. Guess you needed to know all the options available before proceeding. That being said, neat thread. Here's my story. I got an 18 yr old tv from my parents last week and plugged it into the splitter for my cable internet (TW). Well, actually I used the old spiltter that I removed before the cable guys came over. The new splitter didn't fit (maybe they're on to it). I was surprised to see a picture. I get about 25 channels. I don't know anything about basic cable but I would call this ultra basic. I get Spike and TBS, NY1, the networks, and some other junk. No HGTV, no premium channels. A friend who lives a block away gets the same lineup I do(w/out any cable internet). He used to get a HBO or Cinemax a few months ago and says the channels change from time to time. My theory is that your "complimentary" lineup will vary from area to area, maybe even block to block, and maybe even month to month as well. Ethics schmethics. Those cable companies make a shtload of mula with their virtual monopolies. And, hey, they left those free channels in that cable hanging out in my apartment. Didn't even have to break anything to get it!
(Funny, when I first hooked up my ultra basic I thought it was some teaser the cable company used to get you hooked. You can watch Spike and TBS, but you want ESPN or CNN you gotta pay. Keep trying TW, keep trying). -
ok, this is an old, old thread, but i'm having the same problem (new apartment, no TV reception). what i can't figure out is: aren't the network channels supposed to be free anyhow? i don't need TBS, NY1, etc. I just want abc, pbs, nbc, fox, etc. so if i get cable internet and a splicer (although it seems like TimeW won't install cable internet unless you're already a cable TV customer, sneaky sneaky), how am i "stealing" cable? i don't want cable TV, just decent reception of network TV.
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sylvia » ok, this is an old, old thread, but i'm having the same problem (new apartment, no TV reception). what i can't figure out is: aren't the network channels supposed to be free anyhow? i don't need TBS, NY1, etc. I just want abc, pbs, nbc, fox, etc. so if i get cable internet and a splicer (although it seems like TimeW won't install cable internet unless you're already a cable TV customer, sneaky sneaky), how am i "stealing" cable? i don't want cable TV, just decent reception of network TV.
This is the same exact problem I was having when I moved here- 2 1/2 years ago. No atenna I had bought solved the problem. I actually had TW cable internet installed and have successfully used a splicer for my TV, otherwise I would have no channels at all. Maybe they caught on and changed their policies for new subscribers. -
Don't you guys mean a splitter, not a splicer?
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I feel like before 9/11 I was able to get some TV without cable--just via rabbit ears. Now, barely anything.
Effing terrorists. -
erikka » I'm not saying that stealing cable is justifiable, but it's pretty hard to muster up any sympathy for Time Warner and cable companies in general...
Who, in Corporate America, can you muster sympathy for?
Here's a question: In what other context is it O.K. to steal a product or a service just because 1) you have no respect for the entity that provides it or 2) you think it is overpriced? And another: Is there a TV show that's so good you'd be willing to steal a recording of it from a video rental store?
I don't have cable, because it cost 'purt near $100 for Time Warner to add cable TV to my wireless Internet. I don't think that's reasonable, so I went without it. And, you know, I think most people wouldn't miss it. I can still watch TV, just not Channels 2, 4 and (some of the time) 5. Anything above 13, too, is sometimes fuzzy. But. Anymore, I don't think about it. I got a Netflix account, I bought a satellite radio and I signed up for a library card. Not to mention that there are an endless supply of bars and shows and movies to go to.
When the Computers, and the Vampires and the Rich People take over the Earth and we are all running for our lives, then fine, go ahead and steal cable. But now? It's just childish. ...In the big picture, you are right, it probably doesn't matter to Time Warner's bottom line, and it's not like you are destroying property or menacing anyone's safety, and corporations like that probably do deserve the headache. But what other independent-minded, big-brother-harassing, mercenary deeds are you cable thieves up to? Hm? None. You're just thinking like my dog thinks.
So. Good luck with that. -
I believe the people who have reportedly been "stealing" cable were allowed to do so by the cable company -- unintentionally. I have moved 6 times into different apartments in the last 7 years. The first thing I do before I call the cable company is to test the cable connection for basic cable service. Sometimes, if I was lucky, the cable company did not disable the basic cable service after the last tenant left. In this case I would have gotten free cable -- definitely including the network channels (ABC, NBC, CBS, etc). In one instance I even had for free the extended basic cable (includes channels like HGTV but no premium channels like HBO), though that seems impossible now because these are offered through digital cable and you would need a digital cable box for them. So I feel it is the cable company's responsibility to update its cable settings to ensure the proper services are delivered to its customers and non-customers. I don't know if it is illegal if you just happen to plug in your TV and it works without calling a cable company to "complain" about the free service. I think it is more of an ethical question.
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albertitto » I don't know if it is illegal if you just happen to plug in your TV and it works without calling a cable company to "complain" about the free service. I think it is more of an ethical question.
It is. It's a federal law. The test for it is if 1) you are getting cable and 2) you are not paying for it, then 3) it is illegal. I am not a lawyer and do not mean to dispense legal advice. And I don't mean to give the impression that I am some kind of cable-industry narc, busybody, asshole ethics freak.
But this message board has got more than its share of niggling complainers and maladjusted freeloaders. All I wish to do is compel some of that ilk to at least own up and stop proselytizing. -
A huge antenna that you can move around on your TV might give you 5 channels. If you're into sports and watching a specific team, an antenna won't suffice.I blame such comments on beer.
© karlthedruid 2007 -
I use the attenna that extend way into the air, and you can move them around. We get abc, nbc, cbs, CW, fox and pbs just fine that way. Not all at the same time, mind you... you have to move the attenna for each channel. But it works.
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Michelle76 » I use the attenna that extend way into the air, and you can move them around. We get abc, nbc, cbs, CW, fox and pbs just fine that way. Not all at the same time, mind you... you have to move the attenna for each channel. But it works.
What floor are you on? I do the same thing on a ground floor, but don't get all of those channels.I blame such comments on beer.
© karlthedruid 2007
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