TV help

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jsence2
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Re: TV help

Post by jsence2 »

texasfan4444 wrote:
jsence2 wrote:
texasfan4444 wrote:
The_Niddler wrote:Sometimes you can get a good deal.
Sometimes you are better off on ebay.
Buy it now is very limited. its just gotta be about the right timing to get the right deal. ant be in a hurry or a real need type situation to shop from there.

From the BB site or ebay?

Bb site.

There is usually more inventory on there than there is right now. January....holy cow, you can get some great deals
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dakshdar
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Re: TV help

Post by dakshdar »

DRiccio21 wrote:how about a wireless router? i guess i need one of those too
You don't have one from your cable provider already?

If you just want to have your own, which I recommend, you can buy a standard DOCSIS 3.0 Surfboard Modem and a reasonable TP Link wireless access router.

I use this combination:

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WR841N ... B001FWYGJS

and

http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-S ... WV7ZQC2R00

$83 for the two together and you can stop paying rental fees from the cable company.

Fair disclosure, this was Niddler's recommendation that I followed at some point in time. Well worth it and no regrets.
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jsence2
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Re: TV help

Post by jsence2 »

Companies still charge rental fees? Yikes

We haven't charged an equipment rental fee in like four years.
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dakshdar
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Re: TV help

Post by dakshdar »

jsence2 wrote:Companies still charge rental fees? Yikes

We haven't charged an equipment rental fee in like four years.
When I switched to Time Warner after moving (couldn't keep FiOS) it was going to be $9 a month for the wireless modem/router combo. Was a surprise since Verizon did not charge (though I heard from a friend at work that if you want the "better" Verizon modem/router then you do have to pay -- they give you a good standard one, but if you want the newest version that is supposedly faster you have to either buy it from them or pay $10 a month rental).
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DRiccio21
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Re: TV help

Post by DRiccio21 »

dakshdar wrote:
DRiccio21 wrote:how about a wireless router? i guess i need one of those too
You don't have one from your cable provider already?
i had one and i threw it away i think
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DRiccio21
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Re: TV help

Post by DRiccio21 »

everything in my new place runs on fiber optics. do i need that 2nd thing too? or just the router?

i was told i just needed a router?
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dakshdar
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Re: TV help

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DRiccio21 wrote:everything in my new place runs on fiber optics. do i need that 2nd thing too? or just the router?

i was told i just needed a router?
As far as I know, fiber optics (like Verizon FiOS) are still only run to the building and that lines run within the building (or at least within your unit) would still be standard Coax cable (that would plug directly into the back of the modem). I'm not aware of any cable boxes or modems that can tie directly into a fiber optics line.

That said, you need either a wireless modem or you need a standard modem with a wireless router (which is the combination I previously posted). For ease of use, the wireless modem is probably simpler, but most often I hear it recommended that you buy the two-part solution in that it is a better overall set-up and (from what I've read) more reliable.

However, you should be able to grab a decent wireless modem just about anywhere that should work for a small-medium size home space. Best Buy should carry this near you:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/motorola-su ... Id=9962417

Reviews are good enough and their Surfboard modems are generally considered good all around. It's a little more than buying the two-part solution, but the ease of set-up may make things better for you. Try to put it in a central location at your place. You need it there (or at least it is way easier) when the cable company comes to do your install so they can register the MAC address of the unit for you. You could do this afterwards, but you'd need to call in and spend time on the phone with customer service. Much better to have it at the time of install.

That wireless modem is slightly cheaper at Amazon and Best Buy will price match if you show them the product page on your phone:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040I ... _i=desktop
The_Niddler
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Re: TV help

Post by The_Niddler »

What Joe said. Fiber runs to the outside of your house/apt. building and is then converted to coax.

The Arris modem I bought was $66 on Amazon and Comcast wanted $10 per month for one from them.
The modem is just that and you still need a router separate if you buy the modem like Joe posted originally:
http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-S ... WV7ZQC2R00

The one he just posted above has a router built in.
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dakshdar
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Re: TV help

Post by dakshdar »

I think the combined router/modem is what Dave is looking for now -- he's a simple man and plugging in lots of individual things would probably mess up his peaceful zen life at home. ;-)

If there is a better combined router/modem though, definitely post it up -- I'm just guessing/going by online reviews.
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DRiccio21
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Re: TV help

Post by DRiccio21 »

appreciate the help!

i could be mistaken, but i believe at the orientation they told me that there are no coax lines. its a brand new building and i they kept saying everything is wireless with the fiberoptics (as i'm sure is clear, i have no idea what that actually means).

i'm buying that router joe posted, the tv's joe posted and the sound bar JD posted. thanks NDL!
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dakshdar
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Re: TV help

Post by dakshdar »

Is there a sales site online for the building that might explain more details?

There are wireless cable boxes now, but I don't have experience with them. I'd think you still need some kind of router to have internet in your unit, but maybe they're rolling out some new tech... At least it'll be easy to return the router if you don't need it.
The_Niddler
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Re: TV help

Post by The_Niddler »

The router/modem combo is good.
I see no reason to buy them separate really anymore.

I bought my modem separate as I already had an apple router and didn't need one built in.
My apple router has a usb port, so I can share a printer or hard drive that way, although our printer is already wireless.


And not sure how that will work in your building Dave.
There still needs to be a wire coming to your modem/router, unless the entire building shares an internet connection and if that is the case, no thanks.
Way too many security risks for that.
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DRiccio21
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Re: TV help

Post by DRiccio21 »

there must be something coming to the modem/router.... if not why would they have told me to make sure i had one?

i probably misunderstood what the guy said at the orientation about there not being any coax. he kept just saying 'no wires, all fiberoptic' and i didn't know what that meant so i could just be misunderstanding.
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dakshdar
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Re: TV help

Post by dakshdar »

Yeah. Fiber optic is still wires, so whatever he was saying must have been something else. Maybe the common areas in your building have free wi-fi for everyone?
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Weasel
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Re: TV help

Post by Weasel »

DRiccio21 wrote: i probably misunderstood what the guy said at the orientation about there not being any coax. he kept just saying 'no wires, all fiberoptic' and i didn't know what that meant so i could just be misunderstanding.
All the while nodding and saying "yup, got it"
The_Niddler
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Re: TV help

Post by The_Niddler »

Maybe they are running fiber all the way to your modem.
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texasfan4444
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Re: TV help

Post by texasfan4444 »

DRiccio21 wrote:there must be something coming to the modem/router.... if not why would they have told me to make sure i had one?

i probably misunderstood what the guy said at the orientation about there not being any coax. he kept just saying 'no wires, all fiberoptic' and i didn't know what that meant so i could just be misunderstanding.
In the past, you didn't need a modem cause the signal wasn't digital. nowadays most carriers push all digital thus the need of a modem to decode the digital signal. I suggest you call your provider before you do anything an ask if you need a modem and or router. ask them for a specific model number then go online and find comparable models for purchase.
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Re: TV help

Post by The_Niddler »

Not sure I follow you Pino. You always needed a modem since the dial-up days.
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texasfan4444
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Re: TV help

Post by texasfan4444 »

The_Niddler wrote:Not sure I follow you Pino. You always needed a modem since the dial-up days.
I was thinking of a cable modem/ router combo. Cox rents those here where cable is streamed from the modem/router combo to the TV's via a "chromecast" hdmi-like plug in to the TV. Even with that setup there is still a coax/ that goes to the modem though.
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Re: TV help

Post by The_Niddler »

Here is a TV stand with a soundbar built in for $99:
http://electronics.woot.com/plus/cinema ... f=cnt_wp_5

No clue what the quality is like though, but a very cool idea.
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