Life without television has to be redefined in the modern age where we can watch television shows without the need for a cable connection subscription and TV box. So, what’s the definition for this thread on life without TV? We obviously all have computers, so we’re able to get access to some shows - even someone who says they don’t have a TV can’t say they don’t watch some motion video made by a television studio on occasion. It’s impossible to avoid (unless your comp is 8 years old!).

My first computer was 10 years ago (1.2 ghz Athlon!) and quite capable of playing streamed video; in fact my sister still has it. 

Doubt it can handle a new browser and the latest javascript/Flash heavy streaming technologies… but I digress, it’s not the point.

I have not had a tv in more than a decade and live fine without one. There’s nothing worth watching that you can’t get on the web. Also, TV in Spain is REALLY bad.
The only way to keep yourself intellectually stimulated in Spain is by reading and surfing the web. Nothing else is worthwhile.

ligi and ? what to explan your self

mike_walsh - 19 November 2009 12:05 AM

I am not being judgemental; each to their own but I haven’t had a television for years. Yet my life is full and I couldn’t be more contented. I don’t miss it at all. As a matter of fact it would cause me a dilemma if I ‘pulled’ as I would not only then be sharing my life with a lady; I would be sharing it with a television. I am not so sure about the latter.

Does anyone else have views for or against? Perhaps thinking of pulling the plug out permanently? I do use the set I have to watch DVDs and play CDs but it just isn’t hooked up to receive television. I cannot imagine myself ever owning a television again.

i have to say i can take it or leave it, but now the summer’s over i’d rather take it. i’m not really one for propping up a bar everynight, and the rover’s return is usually as far as i get

I have just moved house and currently don’t have a Sky dish or satellite box and I must say I find other things to occupy my time, however, if I do want to watch TV (such as the F1) then I have a laptop I plug into my TV using an RGB cable, I think downloaded Foxy proxy for Mozilla which means I can run BBC iPlayer - very cool and it works quite well.

I also run LoveFilm this way too

Simone

(English) TV (via sat dish) has become a shared hobby/interest of my partner & I.  We do not have less conversations/discussions, although I would agree a large majority (whilst watching the Sq box) are about the trashy programmes we chose to have on.  It is a form of entertainment and relaxation for us.  A lot of the time we will record and watch later when there is ‘nothing on’ - and we have control over what we watch and when.
My OH is not a deep conversationalist (unless you are talking about their garden of course and we use the TV to relax and unwind together.
Our lives are full and busy and it is a way to tune in and tune out to make sure we recharge the batteries.

I am the one who will watch more documentaries, and I often find myself doing some ‘extra research’ later on the internet if it is something that has taken my fancy. 

Everyone seems to use PC’s/have access to the vast WWW these days, so I see very little difference between watching movies/dramas on internet and on our own TV set. 

If Blind Date is good enough for Germaine Greer, then it is OK for me too

(As I prefer to have snippets of UK news - just to keep up with things so I can chat to the family back there about ‘The state of things’, I choose to do this via BBC TV news than any other source.  I don’t need to know the nitty gritty, just feel that I am ‘keeping in touch’ with their world.) 

We all have a choice whether we want to watch or not… (As Barbara Castle said?)

I haven’t watched TV in about 2 years, I’m just not in the habit here. It’s strange though because back home it’s the first thing I did, put on the TV.

I don’t miss it though, when I was learning Spanish the more I understood the less I enjoyed it! I do feel I’m missing out on some cultural references by not watching it though.