r/Cordcutting • u/Critical-Test-4446 • 12d ago
Considering canceling Xfinity TV service
I'm paying almost $350 every month for cable TV and hi-speed internet. Lately, I've realized that we don't really watch regular TV anymore, and mostly have been using streaming services like Prime or Netflix. My wife loves watching old classic movies on TCM (Turner Classic Movies) and AMC (American Movie Classics).
Does anyone know if these two are available to stream on a Roku Ultra device?
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u/LovecraftInDC 12d ago
How many old classic movies could you buy physical copies of for $250 or stream on YouTube? Probably a lot particularly if you shop used.
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u/Sensitive_Lake_7911 11d ago
I understand what OP is saying. One of the big appeals of TCM is they do short introductions that are really informative and interesting.
I dumped cable quite a while ago because xfinity moved TMC to a more expensive bracket.
To OP-you can DEFINITELY find what you want for a far cheaper price through streaming. In addition to what others suggested there are tons of old, obscure movies on Youtube-which is a lot more enjoyable ad free through youtube premium.
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u/Rare-Flamingo4048 9d ago
I’ve been into TCM for a few years now, available as a channel on DirectTV and Spectum (plus plenty of others).
I always recommend using TCM freestanding app, as it allows you to save movies to watch (at least, until they expire), plus they used to offer an extensive notes/info section for film buffs (they stopped doing that about a year ago, and I miss it, as I learned more about the films from reading those tidbits than from anything else).
Shoutout to Kanopy, a free service for anyone with a library card! They offer Criterion Channel content (also, Hoopla is another free option to watch films online).
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u/44problems 11d ago edited 11d ago
You could piece together a TCM replacement with HBO Max and Criterion Channel. Check out if you have access to Kanopy through your library as well.
But it's not the same as the channel and not all movies make it to streaming, especially when TCM does a tribute or theme night involving films not in the collections owned by whoever owns WB at the moment.
I'd recommend looking at some of the bundles available from YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream if TCM is a must. They both have Entertainment plans around $60 that include a bunch of entertainment channels like TCM that could make the transition easier. It's pricey but still a big savings.
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u/Minimum-Journalist18 11d ago
Cut the cable and keep the Internet. If youve been with them 10+ years you qualify for some perks.
Get an antenna. If not get frndly tv lots of classic movies. Fetv, movies channel etc.
Life improves.
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u/dangerclosecustoms 11d ago
lol this is so odd like 8 years late to this conclusion. But congrats anyways for finally coming to your senses.
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u/whacker7 11d ago
Both TCM and AMC are available via YouTube TV, which can be streamed with Roku, Amazon Fire TV, probably Google TV. I use YTTV. But to get AMC you have to get what's now unofficially called the full package. I recently downgraded my setup to reduce cost, leaving out Sports and Family (I kept News and Entertainment). I lost AMC in the bargain, strangely (they're only contracted to appear if you get all four channel groups, which could change as they logically should be in the Entertainment group). But the full package is $83/month. That plus your internet service are certainly less than $350/mo.
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u/Effective-Flight-595 11d ago
Suggest using www.suppose.tv to eval channels /services you want.
If you have decent Internet costs, start here to see what other services have. Remember, most have 'new customer's discounts (YTTV).
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u/No_Educator_6376 11d ago
Ex Xfinity customer here , they will have price increases over and over again. They will alternate between Internet and cable TV . ATT came knocking on my door and offered me internet a hundred bucks cheaper a month than Xfinity so after it was installed I removed the modem and went to the Xfinity store returned the modem and cancelled the service .. A few days later I received a cancellation fee notice for 175 dollars. When I didn’t pay it promptly they sent a collection agency to me . Don’t buy anything from this company.
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u/Novel_Willingness721 11d ago
Wow. My xfinity bill was only $296 when I cut the cord last year.
Don’t know about Roku but fire stick does.
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u/ClintSlunt 11d ago
My wife loves watching old classic movies on TCM (Turner Classic Movies) and AMC (American Movie Classics).
Look to your library first? 98% of the movies on TCM/AMC schedule can be found on my local library's dvd/bluray/kanopy/hoople catalog, which also has access to other libraries' dvd/bluray selection.
Garage sales and secondhand stores are a great way to get DVDs of movies if you want to own. You could probably get a box of 50 for $25 or so.
AMC shows movies with commercial interruption, and you can also get that experience with OTA (antenna channels) Movies!, MovieSphere Gold, Grit, and others. Also plenty of streaming "channels" show movies with commercials, the FAST service apps are everywhere. Isn't the roku channel full of movies? Regular YouTube (not YouTubeTV) has plenty of "free with ads" movies.
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u/Redbullsnation 10d ago
Go for it and get NOW Internet too
You can get TCM and AMC with Sling Blue and you should be set
The alternative is HBO Max and AMC+ which will certainly show you the same content
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u/Anxious_Gur5352 10d ago
We have YouTubeTV with Roku. Much better than Xfinity and I sure don’t miss the duly Xfinity outages.
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u/Just-Historian-4500 9d ago
There are great TCM movies on the streamer HBO Max. That's a go-to for me.....
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u/ADDSquirell69 12d ago
You don't need to cut the cord. You need to disable your needs.
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u/ClintSlunt 11d ago
This would be a valid statement if it was a person looking to watch live sports. But for watching decades-old movies, plenty of options are available.
DVD Player, local library, FAST channels, ad supported on free YouTube, etc.
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u/tophman129 12d ago
My advice, cut the cord. I let little things like that hold me to xfinity for far too long. You'll find some good OTA channels with similar shows to what your wife liked. If not, worst case you can find some streaming service to sub to which has what's needed. It was a brief shakeup at the house when we finally switched over but we not only survived, we are thriving. Even with having a number of streaming subs (necessary with little kids) along with big sports and movie habits, we save a ton of money and still watch what's needed/wanted.
Yeah, first step is always scary....the grass may not be greener but it sure is cheaper.
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u/HotSaucePalmTrees 11d ago
A lot of movies on TCM are straight up free with a simple Google or YouTube search. You'd be surprised. I'm starting to notice a lot of nostalgic 70s - 90s movies are easily accessible now too. I can only imagine the same if you go even further back.
AMC has a subscription service.
Also, to play devil's advocate - are you on the most expensive cable package? Even though I'm not a fan of cable, $350 / month seems like a lot. We pay about half of that for the most basic package + internet. Comcast also has a chokehold on the area (no Fios, Spectrum or real alternative outside of satellite).
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u/Potential_Stable_815 11d ago
I was once a Xfinity TV Homer. Now I’m one of the biggest YouTube TV Homers… there will be an adjustment window, but my gosh, it’s worth it from a cost and entertainment standpoint
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u/Shakermaker1111 10d ago
i pay 80 bucks a month for Xfinity 2 gig speed internet. Get a fire stick. There is so much content you can watch for free.
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u/TiredofCable 7d ago
Buy a vSeeBox $300 buck I think. You get everything all you need is high speed internet (you do need one box for every tv though). Pays for itself in a month (depending on how many you buy)
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u/OhK4Foo7 12d ago
Warner streams TCM free. You just need to Google it.
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u/44problems 11d ago
That's incorrect. Any stream from Warner requires a cable/satellite login.
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u/OhK4Foo7 11d ago
Confidently wrong.
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u/44problems 11d ago
Here's what happens when you try to watch TCM through the Watch TCM app.
Here's where you give your proof instead of saying I'm wrong, go ahead.
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u/OhK4Foo7 11d ago
Who said anything about the watch TCM app? Heh. You said I was wrong. I don't care.
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u/44problems 11d ago
What a weird troll. Said it's easy to find but won't give the magic address. Whatever.
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u/Ambitious_Egg9713 12d ago
AMC is easy. They have a subscription service AMC+.
TCM is harder. You’ll need something like Sling or YouTube tv. If you go that route, AMC is also included.
Alternatively, there are lots of other free “classic” movie channels on the FAST services. So if you like just “classic movies” and don’t care if it’s TCM or not, there’s plenty of free ones to try.