Currently I subscribe to cable, but the price is getting quite high per month so I'm thinking of going with satellite. I checked out the two big satellite provider's websites and got even more confused as to rates, HD, DVR, and the number of rooms I can wire.

So I'm hoping you folks can provide some experienced insight into which service offers the most for the money: satellite (Dish Network or Direct TV?) or cable?

I think it also might be fun to see what most of us currently use for receiving television channels. So please take the poll.

Here's what I'm looking to primarily need in a provider.

No movie channels
No sports packages
HD programing
Ability to hook up eight rooms
DVR in two rooms
Low upfront costs
No service plan
Low monthly rate

If you want to be able to hook up eight rooms with tv, then you shouldn't get anything else but analog cable.. Satellite tv and digital cable requires you to get a set-top box for the signals. Satellite charges $5 for each receiver after the first receiver. I'm not even sure if you could get 8 receivers for satellite tv! :eek:

I have Satellite (DirecTV).

I have two TV's, one in my living room and one in my bedroom. Both of them have DirecTV TiVo units.

They come out cheaper than cable. (My bill is about $56/month total including taxes).

You get everything you get on cable (except for new services such as on demand), and starting Nov. 15 DirecTV will be rebroadcasting XM's music channels instead of music choice.

Picture quality is similar to digital cable, at least around here.

The only problem is rain fade but that is rare. Only when it comes down really really heavy and even then it clears up in a few minutes. However, I re-aligned the dish and now I have zero problems with rain fade.

The biggest catch I see is equipment. The equipment is usually free or low cost but they make you commit to a year. If you add or replace equipment (non-warranty) your time is reset and you have to commit to a year again. But if you like it (like me) it's really not an issue.

HD programming is getting better, DTV recently launched new sats I think and their HD offerings have been expanded.

Forums I'd recommend to check out would be:

http://satelliteguys.us
http://www.dbstalk.com

If you want to be able to hook up eight rooms with tv, then you shouldn't get anything else but analog cable.. Satellite tv and digital cable requires you to get a set-top box for the signals. Satellite charges $5 for each receiver after the first receiver. I'm not even sure if you could get 8 receivers for satellite tv! :eek:

Analog cable isn't available here anymore, at least without a box. Every flavor of cable except basic lifeline (which means locals and public access only) requires a box. Time warner is phasing out analog as well, so everything is going digital.

Getting 8 receivers on satellite isn't hard. With DirecTV you will need a dual LNB dish with an 8 output multiswitch, which the installer will provide. Deals are usually good for new subscribers so you may get this for next to nothing. It may work out to the same as the installation charge the cable co charges you.

A hidden advantage of satellite is that you're not tied to the grid. Therefore if power goes out for an extended period (like say in a natural disaster) and you're running off generator you can still watch TV even though cable may be out.

Cable, around here charges you $5 for the receiver plus rental for the equipment. With satellite you own the equipment so you only pay $5 per receiver, which they call a "mirroring" charge.

EXLNavi:

Seems you know a lot about satellite. As I learn more I'm sure even more questions will come to mind. One thing both satellite companies said was that the equipment for four receivers was free, but the next four receivers I would have to purchase upfront. Both companies upfront costs four four more receivers was about the same, around $600-700. Let me provide a little more detail for you in hopes you or others will be able to help me even further. The help and suggestions you've already offered have been a tremendous help.

Room #1: HD and DVR capable receiver
Room #2: DVR capable receiver
Room #3: DVR capable receiver
Room #4: HD receiver
Room #5: standard receiver
Room #6: standard receiver
Room #7: standard receiver
Room #8: standard receiver

The two programming packages that looked good: Dish Network's "Top 120" or Direct TV's "Total Choice Plus."

So, given this new info, is cable the best and least expensive OVERALL option or is satellite the best deal/value in the long term?

And thanks for the website suggestions. I'll definitely check them out!

loved loved loved my directv when i had that....

for now i'm stuck with cable....

someday ill get directv again.

EXLNavi:

Seems you know a lot about satellite. As I learn more I'm sure even more questions will come to mind. One thing both satellite companies said was that the equipment for four receivers was free, but the next four receivers I would have to purchase upfront. Both companies upfront costs four four more receivers was about the same, around $600-700. Let me provide a little more detail for you in hopes you or others will be able to help me even further. The help and suggestions you've already offered have been a tremendous help.

Room #1: HD and DVR capable receiver
Room #2: DVR capable receiver
Room #3: DVR capable receiver
Room #4: HD receiver
Room #5: standard receiver
Room #6: standard receiver
Room #7: standard receiver
Room #8: standard receiver

The two programming packages that looked good: Dish Network's "Top 120" or Direct TV's "Total Choice Plus."

So, given this new info, is cable the best and least expensive OVERALL option or is satellite the best deal/value in the long term?

And thanks for the website suggestions. I'll definitely check them out!

Ideally I'd get Verizon's new FiOS TV which is being delivered via fiber optic cable direct to your house. However, only a very few areas have it, so that's out.

HD DVR's are going to be expensive, if you're going to satellite. DirecTV has the TiVo units and Echostar (DISH) has their own branded units, developed in house.

There was a deal recently where you could get the HD TiVo for $299 AND get a $100 rebate after that. So many people responded, so I think DTV has jacked up the price back to $499 - $100. Prices are going to come down soon so if you could, I'd wait a little.

Also, DirecTV is making some MAJOR changes at the end of this year and into early 2006. They're switching over to MPEG-4 to conserve bandwidth and as a result a lot of people will be getting new boxes. So if you could, I'd wait a bit. The new boxes will probably end up being cheaper anyway and have more DVR capacity.

Regarding pricing, it varies widely by area but it seems to me that satellite hasn't been so quick with price increases as cable has. I cannot say for your specific area or situation but that's how it's been with me. With Time Warner I saw three $5 increases over the course of a year whereas with DirecTV they had one $2 increase and some package shifting which bumped up prices $1 more.

As you've probably realized, the biggest costs with sat are the equipment costs, and unless you have the protection plan, you are responsible for your own equipment outside of the factory warranty. With 8 receivers the protection plan may be worth it, and I think it's $7/month with DirecTV.

Overall, I'd say satellite is more stable in terms of pricing, but they can't match cable in terms of keeping equipment up to date, since you own sat equipment, unlike with cable.

If you're really going to go satellite, Value Electronics (http://www.valueelectronics.com/) is a retailer I know many people have bought from, and I'm actually going to meet the owner this Saturday so I'll ask him what he can do for you with 8 receivers.

i get free cable TV. :banana:

i get free cable TV. :banana:


I wish I were that lucky!!!

I've had a few TV providers thus far -

C-Band (the best, IMO, big ugly dish rules!)
DirecTV Latin America
RCN Microwave
Cablevision
Time Warner (Northern manhattan)
RCN (Queens)
DirecTV

And I've stuck with DirecTV ever since. It's going on 3 years now! And that doesn't include the time we had DTVLA.

I do still have cable, but only for internet, and it's only $45/month, through some FCC loophole I don't have to pay taxes on my internet service.

Dude... Comcast BASIC cable is $11. and change every mo.

Just got a tv w/built-in HD and Digital tuner, and I get about 5 HD channels.
The digital tuner also sucks out approx another 20 channels... very cool.

I should add that currently, sat providers do not provide your local HD channels. The good news is that the sat receivers also have OTA tuners so you can receive your local channels via an antenna.

So cable definitely has the edge there.

However, when DirecTV goes MPEG-4, I believe they'll start adding HD locals. You may also be able to get New York CBS-HD in selected markets. I think you can currently, but in select markets, if your local CBS is owned and operated by CBS. I believe they've recently expanded this to NBC, ABC and Fox too. (even though FOX isn't true HD... Damn you Murdoch!!)

I should mention that DISH network has receivers that can feed multiple rooms so you may not have to buy 8 receivers if you're going DISH.

We packaged or D-tv, sat. thru the phone company, swbt. So we have sat, cell 2ea phones, internet ( 6Mbps dsl connect ) oo and 2ea. landlines for phones with unlimited long distance and all the bells / whistles. Sat. tv is ok I guess. More worthless channels than Ive ever seen in my life. We also get some rain fade. Thats not good when your tracking bad weather in oklahoma on the tv radar.

I needed to be able to select two. Cable is for every room, and Off the Air for Hi-DEF.

I have had Hi-Def for the last 2 1/2 years. My cable provider only carried 2 hidef networks at the time so that's why I had to do OTA.

I had to watch the PATRIOTS win the SuperBowl in hi-def! (that last line was for stiller fan's benefit!)

-=SF=-

i voted cable, but i am switching back to satellite. i only had cable because i had cable internet, and now it is gone and soon will be the sky high cable bill.

digital cable

I talked to the guy and he said it was an even $1000 for everything.

Wow, that's expensive. He said he doesn't get any dealer incentive for anything over 4 receivers.

So I guess for that many TV's you might as well stick with cable...

Since I work for Dish.... Dish Network it is :)

Gotta love employee discounts :thmsup:

FTA
*ahem* Free To Air pointed at 110, 119, 91, 61.5 birds

and Verizon FiOS for my high quality HD/Internet needs

gotta get my fair use out of this puppy...

Sadly I have cox cable.

It's overpriced and the digital box is so outdated. Tivo time!

FTA
*ahem* Free To Air pointed at 110, 119, 91, 61.5 birds

and Verizon FiOS for my high quality HD/Internet needs

gotta get my fair use out of this puppy...

?? is your motorola HD/DVR from verizon??

I1:)

?? is your motorola HD/DVR from verizon??

I1:)

nope ...that from about two years ago when I was apartment dwelling and w/o a S by SW direction