Digital Home Thoughts: Cutting the Cable in Canada: One Man's Journey

"After arguing that we need fast and cheap internet to ensure that Canada doesn't get left behind as the world moves towards online video, I figured it was time to actually start testing the waters. What is the state of online video in Canada and is it realistic for a Canadian family to cut the cable?"

Image Credit: jayrobinson.net

Cable cutters. We hear about these mythical people who are freeing themselves from hefty cable bills...but how feasible is it for the average geek to do? Well, it depends on what you're looking for - and where you live. In the USA, there are services and solutions that might make it possible. In Canada? It's a harder problem to solve. Over at The Green Button, Peter Near is trying to do exactly that - and I can probably predict the outcome already...he's not going to find what he wants.

I admire his efforts though, especially since he admitted early on that Bittorent provides everything he wants but doesn't financially compensate the content creators, and so he rejected it. I'm in the same boat. The only time I grab a show off Bittorent is if it's one that my PVR failed to record, and that unfortunately happens more often than I'd like.

Have you cut the cable? What did you replace it with, if anything?