Satellite TV vs Cable

Satellite TV vs Cable:

Which Is Better?
Satellite TV companies boast that they are better than their cable counterparts, but is there anything to the hype? At one time, cable may have had the edge over enormous, pricey satellite systems, but with today’s shrinking equipment and rapid technology expansion, satellite TV just might hold an advantage.

One of the pitfalls to cable TV is the signal. It starts out okay at your local hub, but as it travels through your neighborhood it is degraded slightly with each split, right down to the splitters you have in your own home. The resulting picture quality may be fine for the casual viewer, but for the growing number of households boasting multi-thousand dollar home entertainment systems with high-definition TV and surround sound, cable may be a disappointment. When it comes to picture quality, there is just no comparison.

Much ado has been made about the fact that you can lose your satellite TV signal in bad weather. While satellite TV providers admit that heavy rain, dense fog or cloud cover, snow, or ice can interrupt the signal (although rarely), cable service isn’t exactly guaranteed. Cable outage jokes have long been the fodder of sitcom comedy, proving that even the sure thing isn’t so sure after all. The good news for cable subscribers is that when the signal goes out, there is a repairman on the roster. Satellite TV viewers, however, may find themselves on the roof trying to jiggle the satellite back to the right spot.

When the bill arrives, satellite TV customers are rumored to pay slightly less than cable customers, with a $10 difference cited as average. It’s hard to equate the two, however. Satellite customers have access to over 250 channels, including 100 channels of HDTV. Offerings of cable companies differ from region to region, but overall they have fewer HDTV channels. Still, cable is gaining ground in this department. With a myriad of channel packages that aren’t alike enough to be comparable, it can be quite difficult to determine who gets the most for their viewing dollar.

Perhaps the biggest advantage that satellite TV has over cable is the NFL Sunday Ticket. Only available from DirecTV satellite television, NFL Sunday Ticket is the only way to catch every game, every week. Football fans line up to pay more than $200 per season for the privilege of never missing a moment of their favorite team. Additionally, if you join up as a Superfan, you can watch up to eight games at once on a single screen. Undoubtedly, this is one of the biggest hooks out there for satellite subscribers because you can’t get it anywhere else. With almost every game in high-def, it’s the ultimate way to Be There without leaving the comfort of your recliner.

While many cable subscribers are loyal, many more switch to satellite television every day. The decision, of course, is yours, but this is one trend that speaks out loud and clear: satellite TV is pulling ahead.

Knowing this, the only choice left is, which of the two satellite TV providers is right for you? DirecTV or Dish Network? Make the choice today!