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10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Cutting Cable

Learn from real cord-cutting experience. Discover quality is better, DVR still works, setup is easy, and you'll save $1,000+ per year.

10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Cutting Cable

Last Updated: October 2025

I cut cable three years ago and have saved over $5,000. But I learned a lot along the way. Here are the 10 things I wish someone had told me before I started—they would have saved me time, money, and frustration.

1. Your Antenna Gets BETTER Quality Than Cable

What I thought: Antenna TV would be grainy and inferior like the rabbit ears from the 90s.

The reality: Over-the-air broadcasts are higher quality than cable.

Here's why:

  • Cable companies compress video to save bandwidth (8-12 Mbps typical)
  • OTA broadcasts are uncompressed (19.39 Mbps for HD channels)
  • You get full 1080i or 1080p resolution
  • Better color depth and less compression artifacts
  • With ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV), you can get 4K broadcasts for free

What this means: When you watch the Super Bowl on FOX via antenna, you're getting better picture quality than your neighbor paying $150/month for cable. The local news looks sharper. Sports are clearer. It's not even close.

I wish I'd known: I delayed cutting cable for two years thinking quality would suffer. I was wrong. The day I compared them side-by-side, I couldn't believe I'd been paying for inferior quality.

2. You Can Still Record Shows (And Skip Commercials)

What I thought: Cutting cable means losing my DVR and having to watch everything live.

The reality: OTA DVR solutions are better than cable DVRs.

Modern OTA DVRs can:

  • Record as many shows as your storage allows (cable limits you to 500-1000GB)
  • Keep recordings forever (cable often expires recordings after 1 year)
  • Automatically skip commercials (not just fast-forward—literally skip the entire break with one button)
  • Share recordings across all TVs in your home
  • Watch recordings on phones and tablets
  • Stream recordings remotely when you're away from home

DVR options:

Cost comparison:

  • Cable DVR fee: $15/month × 12 months = $180/year (forever)
  • Channels DVR: $80/year + $200 hardware (one-time) = Better features, lower cost

I wish I'd known: The automatic commercial skip in Channels DVR is incredible. My wife thought I was fast-forwarding through commercials manually. When I showed her it was automatic, she was amazed. We actually prefer our DVR to what we had with cable.

See our DVR without cable guide for setup details.

3. It Takes 30 Minutes to Set Up, Not Hours

What I thought: Installing an outdoor antenna would take all weekend and require hiring a professional.

The reality: Most people complete the entire setup in 30-45 minutes.

Basic setup timeline:

  • Mount antenna on roof or side of house: 15 minutes
  • Run coax cable inside: 5 minutes
  • Connect to network tuner: 5 minutes
  • Install streaming apps: 5 minutes
  • Scan for channels: 3 minutes
  • Total: 30-35 minutes

What you need:

Most challenging part: Getting on your roof (if you mount there). Otherwise, mounting on the side of your house is even easier.

I wish I'd known: I paid a handyman $200 to install my antenna, thinking it was complicated. After watching him do it in 25 minutes, I realized I could have done it myself. The whole project was simpler than assembling IKEA furniture.

See our antenna installation guide for step-by-step instructions.

4. One Antenna Can Serve Your Entire House

What I thought: I'd need to run coax cable to every TV or buy multiple antennas.

The reality: One outdoor antenna + one network tuner = every TV, phone, and tablet in your home can watch.

How it works:

Roof Antenna
    ↓ (one coax cable)
Network Tuner (HDHomeRun)
    ↓ (ethernet to router)
WiFi/Ethernet Network
    ↓
All TVs, Phones, Tablets, Computers

What this means:

  • Only one coax cable run (from antenna to network tuner near your router)
  • Add as many TVs as you want (just need a streaming device for each)
  • Watch on phones and tablets anywhere in your home
  • Kids can watch PBS in their room while you watch the game in the living room

Network tuner recommendation:

  • HDHomeRun Flex 4K - $199.99 (4 tuners = 4 people can watch different channels simultaneously)

I wish I'd known: I almost gave up on cord-cutting when I realized how hard it would be to run coax to 4 TVs. Then I discovered network tuners. Game changer. One afternoon, one antenna, one network tuner, and every device in my house can watch.

See our whole house antenna guide for details.

5. You'll Save $1,000+ Per Year (Real Math)

What I thought: I'd save "some money" but wasn't sure how much.

The reality: I've saved $5,400 over three years. Here's the actual math.

My old cable bill:

  • Basic cable: $89.99/month
  • Broadcast TV fee: $12.99/month
  • Regional sports fee: $10.99/month
  • HD technology fee: $9.99/month
  • DVR service: $14.99/month
  • Equipment rental (2 boxes): $15/month
  • Taxes and fees: $12/month
  • Total: $165.95/month = $1,991.40/year

My cord-cutting costs:

3-Year savings:

  • Cable cost (3 years): $5,974.20
  • Cord-cutting cost (3 years): $1,210 + $560 + $560 = $2,330
  • Total saved: $3,644.20

Plus I still have Netflix and Hulu. With cable, I'd be paying extra for those on top of the cable bill.

I wish I'd known: The payback period is 6-8 months. After that, you're saving $100-150/month forever. In 10 years, I'll have saved over $15,000. That's a used car.

6. Local Channels Are FREE Forever (No Subscription)

What I thought: I'd have to pay for antenna TV somehow, maybe a monthly fee for the channels.

The reality: Broadcast channels are 100% free, forever, by law.

What you get for free:

  • ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC (all the major networks)
  • PBS (multiple channels in most markets)
  • The CW
  • Univision, Telemundo
  • Ion Television
  • Local independent stations
  • 40-60+ channels in most cities (includes sub-channels)

What this means:

  • NFL, NBA, MLB games on local broadcasts (60%+ of games are on FOX, CBS, NBC)
  • Local news and weather
  • Prime-time shows (The Bachelor, NCIS, Survivor, etc.)
  • Award shows (Oscars, Grammys, Emmys)
  • All major sports championships (Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals)

Network tuner (one-time purchase):

No fees. No subscriptions. No rate increases. Just free TV.

I wish I'd known: I thought "free TV" was too good to be true. But it's real. The government requires broadcasters to transmit free over-the-air. They make money from advertising, not from you. Once you buy the equipment, you're done paying.

7. You Need to Check Your Tower Distance First

What I thought: Any antenna would work anywhere.

The reality: Your distance from broadcast towers determines which antenna you need.

Why this matters:

  • Antennas have different range capabilities
  • Buying the wrong antenna = poor reception or missing channels
  • Knowing your distance helps you choose the right equipment

How to check your tower distance:

  1. Visit rabbitears.info
  2. Enter your address
  3. See a list of channels and their distance/direction

Distance determines antenna type:

Under 20 miles: Indoor antenna works

20-50 miles: Small outdoor antenna

50-70 miles: Long-range outdoor antenna

70+ miles: Specialized long-range antenna or antenna with preamplifier

I wish I'd known: I bought a cheap indoor antenna first (I'm 35 miles from towers). It got 12 channels with terrible reception. After checking rabbitears.info, I bought the right outdoor antenna and got 52 channels with perfect signal. Saved myself weeks of frustration.

See our best TV antennas guide for recommendations.

8. Network Tuners Are Game-Changers

What I thought: I'd connect the antenna directly to each TV like the old days.

The reality: Network tuners are the secret weapon that makes cord-cutting practical.

What a network tuner does:

  • Connects your antenna to your home network
  • Streams live TV to any device (TVs, phones, tablets, computers)
  • Enables whole-home DVR
  • Eliminates need for coax cables to every TV

Without network tuner:

  • Run coax cable to every TV (difficult/expensive)
  • Or buy separate antenna for each room (messy)
  • No DVR sharing between TVs
  • Can't watch on mobile devices

With network tuner:

  • One coax cable from antenna to tuner
  • Every device in your home can watch
  • One DVR serves all TVs
  • Watch on phones/tablets anywhere

Best network tuner:

Why it's essential:

  • 4 tuners = 4 people watch different channels simultaneously
  • ATSC 3.0 support for future 4K broadcasts
  • Works with Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, phones, tablets
  • Integrates with Channels DVR for best experience

I wish I'd known: I almost gave up on cord-cutting because running coax to 4 TVs seemed impossible. My friend told me about HDHomeRun and it solved everything. Now I tell everyone: don't cut cable without a network tuner.

See our network tuner guide for complete details.

9. Budget Options Work Great (Don't Need Premium Everything)

What I thought: I needed the most expensive equipment to get good results.

The reality: Budget setups work great for most people. Premium is nice but not necessary.

Budget Setup (~$200):

What you get:

  • All local channels in HD
  • 2 people can watch different channels simultaneously
  • Works with all major streaming apps
  • One-time cost, no monthly fees

Premium Setup (~$650):

What you get extra:

  • Longer antenna range
  • 4 simultaneous streams instead of 2
  • Premium DVR with automatic commercial skip
  • ATSC 3.0 support for future 4K

The difference: Budget setup covers 95% of needs. Premium setup adds convenience and future-proofing.

My recommendation: Start with budget equipment. Upgrade later if you want more features. You'll still save money even with premium gear.

I wish I'd known: I spent $650 thinking I needed the best of everything. Looking back, I could have started with $250 in equipment and upgraded later. Both work great—it's a matter of convenience, not whether it works.

10. Sports Are Easier Than You Think

What I thought: I'd miss all my favorite sports without cable.

The reality: 60%+ of sports are on free broadcast TV. The rest are on cheap streaming services.

What's on free antenna TV:

NFL (90%+ of games):

  • Sunday afternoon games: FOX and CBS (free)
  • Sunday Night Football: NBC (free)
  • Monday Night Football: ESPN (need streaming service)
  • Thursday Night Football: Amazon Prime (need Prime)
  • Playoffs and Super Bowl: Free on FOX, CBS, or NBC

NBA (40-50% of games):

  • Weekend games: ABC (free)
  • Weeknight games: ESPN, TNT (need streaming)
  • Playoffs: Significant coverage on ABC (free)

MLB:

  • Saturday Game of the Week: FOX (free)
  • Sunday Night Baseball: ESPN (need streaming)
  • Playoffs and World Series: FOX and TBS (FOX is free)

NHL:

  • Weekend games: NBC/ABC when broadcast (free)
  • Weeknight games: ESPN, TNT (need streaming)
  • Stanley Cup Finals: ABC (free)

College Football:

  • 40%+ games on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC (all free)
  • Rest on ESPN, FS1 (need streaming)

What you need for 90% sports coverage:

  • Antenna for local broadcasts: Free
  • Peacock Premium: $5.99/month (NBC Sports, Sunday Night Football)
  • Paramount+: $5.99/month (CBS Sports, college games)
  • Total: $12/month vs. $80-100/month for cable sports package

For die-hard sports fans, add:

  • ESPN+ for additional games: $10.99/month
  • NBA League Pass (out-of-market): $14.99/month (season only)

Real example: I'm a Packers fan in Wisconsin. Every Packers game is on FOX or CBS (free antenna). Sunday Night Football on NBC (free). Playoffs and Super Bowl (free). I haven't missed a game in three years.

Streaming options:

I wish I'd known: Fear of missing sports kept me on cable for two extra years. When I actually looked at the broadcast schedule, I realized 80% of the games I watch are on free TV. The remaining 20% are on cheap streaming services. I'm watching more sports now than I did with cable.

See our Packers without cable guide for a complete NFL cord-cutting example.

Bonus: Things That Surprised Me (The Good Kind)

More Channels Than Cable

My cable package had 150+ channels but I only watched 12. With antenna, I get 52 channels and I actually watch 20 of them. Why? Because they're all local, free, and actually useful (news, weather, sports, network shows).

Picture Quality is Stunning

HD broadcasts over antenna are noticeably sharper than cable. When I watch football, I can read jersey numbers from farther away. When I watch the news, I can read the ticker text at the bottom without straining.

No More Rate Increases

Cable raised my bill 3 times in 4 years. I went from $145/month to $165/month without adding anything. Now my costs are fixed. Equipment was one-time. Channels DVR is $80/year (hasn't increased in 3 years). That's it.

It Just Works

I was worried about maintenance, troubleshooting, technical issues. In three years, I've had zero problems. The antenna sits on my roof. The HDHomeRun plugs into my router. The apps work. It's less complicated than cable (no calling customer service, no waiting for technicians, no equipment swaps).

My Kids Don't Know the Difference

They press the button on the Apple TV remote, the HDHomeRun app opens, they pick PBS Kids. Same experience as cable, but free.

Complete Starter Shopping List

Here's what I'd buy if I were starting from scratch today:

For Most People (3 TVs, with DVR)

Year 2-10: Only $80/year for Channels DVR

10-Year Total:

  • Cord-cutting: $931 + (9 × $80) = $1,651
  • Cable: $165/mo × 120 months = $19,800
  • You save: $18,149 over 10 years

Budget Setup (Start Small)

Start here, add more TVs and DVR later if you want.

The Bottom Line

Cutting cable was one of the best decisions I've made. I wish I'd done it sooner.

What I learned:

  1. The quality is better, not worse
  2. You can record and skip commercials (automatically)
  3. Setup is easy (30 minutes)
  4. One antenna serves your whole house
  5. You'll save $1,000-$2,000 per year
  6. Local channels are free forever
  7. Check your tower distance before buying equipment
  8. Network tuners are essential
  9. Budget equipment works great
  10. Sports are mostly on free TV

What you should do:

  1. Check your tower distance at rabbitears.info
  2. Buy the right antenna for your distance
  3. Get a network tuner (HDHomeRun Flex 4K)
  4. Add streaming devices to each TV
  5. Enjoy free HD TV and save thousands of dollars

Three years later, I've saved over $5,400. My TV experience is better. I have more channels I actually watch. The picture quality is sharper. And I'm done paying cable companies to compress my video and raise my rates every year.

If you're on the fence about cutting cable, don't wait as long as I did. You'll wish you'd done it sooner.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission from purchases made through links on this page at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we've personally tested or thoroughly researched.

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