Direct TV, DISH Or Cable Service? Which One?
 by: Lesley Chew

Considering one of these services? Like many millions other people, you are looking to upgrade your entertainment in your home. Recently the more popular choices include these 3 main players. Based on recent report on Kaptain Satellite website (www.kaptainsatellite.com), during last year 2005, DirecTV gained more than a million new subscribers. Similarly so for Dish Network. The interesting thing to note is that these new subscribers moved from a cable provider.

So why the phenomenon? What are the comparisons that can be made between these three different providers?

Well, both DirecTV and the Dish Network are on a level par in terms of features. They both offer free equipment and installation by professional satellite TV installers. Price wise, they have a much cheaper program rate than cable. And this is at least 50% cheaper at the basic level of subscription compared to cable.

However, the satellite TV giants differ on the issue of additional televisions being hooked up to their system within the home. The Dish Network allows this free of charge. But DirecTV charges for each additional television unit hooked up. This is very much the same for the way cable TV charges.

Similarly, DirecTV and cable TV both charges for HDTV equipment. The Dish Network, however, supplies that equipment free of charge to its direct television customers. This comes as a surprise since the Dish Network actually charges less for a basic package than their DirecTV counterparts.

There is one big advantage for football fans for DirecTV subscribers, and not Dish Network or cable TV customers. And this is the NFL Sunday Ticket which allows football fans to choose from over 100 Sunday games - as well as access to over 8 other subscription-oriented sports packages. With the technology that direct TV brings to your set, you could almost feel as if you're at each game!

Aside from these variations, both the satellite TV suppliers tend to agree on what features they supply to their subscribers. First, they both offer completely digital channels - unlike cable TV. Second, they both offer High Definition TV (although DirecTV does charge for the equipment). Third, they both offer a relocation package should you move house and want to take your direct TV system with you. And finally they both allow for JD Power.

Now, the number of channels provided by direct tv and cable is vastly different. Dish Network and DirecTV both offer over 220 channels to subscribers (this is a maximum total and so not available to all subscribers), compared to cable TV which offers only less than half of this at around 90 channels to choose from on its network.

Differences aside, there are some similarities between the three different companies. For example, the satellite TV companies and cable tv allow for multi-channel viewing: if the television is linked to the system, then each television on the system can be tuned to a different program. Plus, all allow for local sports programming. Even cable allows you to watch your local team in action, and they all have pay-for-view movies and events.

Despite all the above, satellite TV itself really have a huge impact, not just on the visual standards of what we watch but their advanced technology gives access to so many more programs than we ever previously dreamed of. Thus allowing subscribers of many diverse interests to be catered to than is possible using the cable TV companies.

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About The Author

Lesley Chew

Satellite TV enthusiast and webmaster of http://www.satellite-tv-101.info. Do check out the website for more satellite tv related information and articles.