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SATELLITE vs. CABLE
We'll show you how satellite TV is at least twice as
good as cable (and costs less too)!
Want interactive-type features?
Not much interactivity is available at this state from cable providers, except for electronic programming guides (EPGs) made to look like satellite guides. Satellite offers EPGs and a new line of services from DISH and DirecTV. These interactive TV services offer personal video recorders - which pause, record and rewind live broadcasts - plus enhanced broadcasting which are only offered on Satellite.
Want video recording equipment?
DirecTV offers TiVo for recording, but at an upfront cost of around $400 to buy the receiver. While DISH today offers its 508 series set-top box, with free basic personal video recorder functionality at a cost of $49 at time of activation. This has also been supplemented by DISH's 721 series, allowing consumers to simultaneously record one program and watch another.
How many TVs will be served?
Previously, Cable's almost nationwide "lease" model allowed the maximum number of set-top boxes to be served at the lowest cost-per-set compared to satellite operators. Nonetheless, satellite (DISH in particular) has been recently catching up here, and new "additional box" plans of up to 4 receivers are being offered to the consumer at a better price than cable.
What is offered by cable in your area?
Is the cable provider in your neighborhood offering analog-only, true digital, or a hybrid analog/digital service? Satellite signals are considered to be the highest quality as they are first generation (directly from the Broadcaster to you). Digital Cable cannot be considered "Truly Digital" as it is generally a fourth or fifth generation signal relayed from sub-station to sub-station before reaching your residence.
Want HDTV?
Cable is still facing problems delivering HDTV. Both DISH and DirecTV offer HDTV programming. DirecTV, with its single LNB (the receiving end on the Satellite Dish) will experience bandwidth problems as programming increasingly switches to HDTV. DISH has planned ahead and has launched innumerable programs to ensure unlimited bandwidth capabilities.
What's offered in programming packages?
Cable packages range from neighborhood to neighborhood, whereas satellite packages are the same across the nation. "Digital Cable" offers nearly as many total video and audio channels as satellite but at a slightly more expensive price per channel. Savvy viewers need to think ahead about what channels or types of programming they want to see, and choose packages accordingly.
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DISH NETWORK vs.
DIRECTV
Adult Programming
DISH, with 6 total "adult" channels, has the advantage here. DirecTV offers 5 "adult" channels.
International Programming
DISH definitely has cornered the market here, offering today approximately 30 foreign language/culture channels. DirecTV offers 10, most of which focus on the Spanish language audience.
What are the pricing plans?
Hardware discounts favor DISH. However, DirecTV's purchase packages are today quite competitive with DISH's. Wise consumers need to ask, "How Much, How (and When) Am I Paying for The Hardware, i.e. is it cash up-front, an "In Home Service Plan" model or "free" model because of poor or no credit?
What's offered by what programming packages?
For years, DirecTV had the clear lead in the number of channels and number of specific types of programming specialties. That has changed recently. DISH today offers more channels overall, and almost as many specialty sport and movie offerings.
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