OK, So I am Closer Than Ever to Cancelling Shaw Direct and Going 100% Internet

[mecdatlanta]

Greetings CDN Satellite Fans,

I love my Shaw Direct system here in Atlanta, GA. Been using my oversized 2-dish system for the past two years (was previously with Bell) and really have no complaints. Well, I guess I could complain about the CRTC's restrictions on content, but there's really no point in doing that here. ;-)

What I am finding is, increasingly, internet options are giving me what I need in terms of content. Using a VPN, I am able to get television content from countries like France (we are a French-speaking family) and Netflix (Netflix Canada offers some French content but Netflix France will be coming on board in the Fall of 2014 with even more). The content that I get from Shaw Direct is looking less and less attractive in light of these alternatives...

I am wondering if others are arriving at the same conclusion or if I am alone in this given that my main reason for going with SD is for access to French language content. It may also be that France offers its residents direct access to its television channels via the internet (provided you can provide a local country IP address, of course), whereas North America seems to still be stuck with licensing agreements with cable companies and the like who restrict access other than via their channels. One of the rare instances where, compared to the U.S, the consumer comes out ahead in France!

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts. The fact that I can gain access to Netflix France via a VPN for about $7 per month while services like Super Écran (the French-language movie channel) costs about $12 per month seems to lend a strong argument to internet vs satellite. Plus, when you compare the content, it becomes even more compelling. And, of course, the $60 per month that I spend for the basic channels (of which I watch relatively little) is even harder to justify.

I guess it all changed when I realized the power of VPN several months back. Now, we are watching foreign content (both live and in replay), which was something that we didn't even think possible back then. That, coupled with Netflix makes for a match made in heaven. Oh, and I guess I will need to order NHL Centre Ice too. But then I will be able to see all the games instead of only the Montreal Canadiens games, which they show on our French language RDS channel. Then again, it's not like I have time to watch every NHL game anyways.

The biggest thing that I struggle with is the several hundreds of dollars I spent just two short years ago in switching to Shaw. I never thought that I would even dream of retiring my hardware so soon.

Somebody tell me that I shouldn't call Shaw and cancel my service. I guess if I find that I miss it, I can always restart it. I just find it hard to believe that I am having the thought in the first place!

Don

 

[DJdish]

I have Shaw, but I guess if you want real French tv content, of course you´ll find a huge difference between what you can get via VPN and what you get in Shaw Direct (SD).
IMO I wouldn´t call real French content most of what I´ve seen in SD.
I´m not as fluent in French as I´d like to be, but I remember when living in Europe the very few Quebec shows on TV5 had closed caption or subtitles, local French speaking people wouldn´t understand French Canadians.

I can watch a French show, even French African shows (I watch sometimes on FTA) and I don´t have a problem with that, but French Canadian, that´s something else.

There was this show I liked, Section de Recherches, it was for a while available in Shaw, another show was Paris Enquetes Criminelles but most of the programming I see on Shaw are US shows dubbed, that´s why I say the real French content is limited.

Still I´d say in your case you may still have some use for Shaw.
Now wouldn´t be nice if you were farther south (say Florida), and had access to Canalsat Caraibes, now that´s some real French TV.


http://www.canalplus-caraibes.com/offres-et-services/offres-canalbox

http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/canalsatcaraibes.html

 

[primestar31]

How is that internet dvr for recording and scheduling shows to watch later working out for you?....

 

[osu1991]

Similarly I use my vpn more and more to watch UK, Canadian, Irish and Australian programming more than US programming. The iplayers give instant access to 720p and 480p streams. Some have commercials but there are ways around that if one really wants to. The lack of some (most) live US sports online are all that keep me subscribing. Im getting close to canceling anyway and just using OTA and VPN.

I would say if you own your equipment try the vpn alone for a month or two. If it doesn't work out you can always reactivate a shaw subscription.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using SatelliteGuys

 

[billpa]

How is that internet dvr for recording and scheduling shows to watch later working out for you?....

There are sites like Zattoo that actually allow you to do this. If accessed correctly they carry many French channels from both France and Switzerland.

 

[mecdatlanta]

Hi Everyone,

Sorry that I haven't been keeping up with this thread. I apparently didn't have it set to alert me to new replies.

Anyways, tonight I pulled the plug on Shaw. I have been so amazed by the amount of content that I am able to access via VPN. And, to answer your question primestar31, I have something better than PVR. It's called "replay". French tv stations have it "en masse". I can watch whatever program that was recently shown I want whenever I want by using the replay option. There are even websites dedicated to keeping track of what is available and on what station (i.e. website). Amazingly, the French actually have it better than we do for this. Here in the U.S. (and Canada), the networks are still largely in bed with the distributors. In France, they seem to have an almost anti-distributor mentality and favor free access to all (provided you live within French borders, that is). And as luck would have it, with VPN, now I too live in France. Vive le VPN! Vive le contenu français!

The bottom line is I can always turn my service back on. But I just cut my monthly bill down from $70 per month to about $5 per month (the price I pay for the 2 simultaneous family user VPN service I have). Truth be told, the fee that Shaw was charging wasn't a big issue. But saving money is always good and is a bonus in this case. The main reason for changing though is the quality of French programming that I am now able to access via VPN.

Oh and another thing that you might be interested in... When you subscribe to Netflix you can actually use the service in any country that Netflix has a presence. Netflix is present in Canada, and although the amount of French programming is small (I think there are disputes/territorial battles with Bell/Super Ecran and the CRTC that are keeping content fairly limited [sigh]), neverthless, I have found some good content for the kids to watch. The biggest piece of news is, starting in September, Netflix France will be online. So there will be even more content then.

Anyways, it will be weird not being in the Shaw Direct world. I will miss it. There is something neat about being able to flick on one's television and seeing content from "back home". Then again, the number that the CRTC has played on content is quickly making me realize it's time to dry my tears. Canadians have it worse than the French, thanks to the CRTC.

All the best you all!

 

[rthurlow]

I had trouble with my sat system for a few days, probably debris on the dish between two storms (better after the second one). I finally picked up a VPN so that I could get past the out-of-country restrictions (for The National on the CBC! Grumble). I consider it a good tool, but when sites only put one days show up at a time, it does not replace the PVR.