Question:
Cable or Satellite TV - Which is better? Supposedly Satellite is much better now than 5-10 years ago.?
comphelpnj
18 years ago
Cable or Satellite TV - Which is better? Supposedly Satellite is much better now than 5-10 years ago.?
Five answers:
anonymous
18 years ago
If you are interested in picture quality, than satellite TV has better picture quality than cable TV. You just have to set up dish correctly.



Dish Network offers most satellite channels for the least amount of money, most international channels, great choice of pay per view movies, the biggest variety of programming, the most commercial free music channels, etc. Installation is free with every order.



The downside of satellite TV is that picture quality may suffer due to some weather changes (like intensive snow), but nevertheless, in my opinion, satellite TV is a great choice.
Jay Moore
18 years ago
This really depends on many factors local to your area.



The first is how good is your cable system. Have they upgraded their equipment? Are they all digital? Is the distribution system fiber or coax based? I know in my area, they haven't even come close to a full digital transmission, and half of their analog channels look horrible. They're still using an old coax network that they've simply beefed up the amplifiers on..and it's still not enough since they switched from having two head-ends to just one.



I've had satellite system with random times on both Directv and Dish Network since 1999 and I have to say I've overall been much happier with the service I've gotten from them than cable. It's true you have some hardware issues with satellite, but from what i've seen with the digital cable boxes..they've been known to spaz out too, much more frequently than a standard satellite reciever. Dish Network is pretty good about fixing hardware issues where as DirecTV doesn't.



As far as signal dropout...depending on the sattelite configuration you can usaully do things to reduce this. The first DSS system I used came with a 24" dish rather than the traditional 18", which that right there made rain-fade an absolute rarity. However, it's not that easy anymore since most of these systems are now pulling from multiple satellite locations and require a special dish configuration. You also need to consider the line-of-sight to the satellite locations, where as cable doesn't have this issue. It really helps if the person who installs and aims the dish takes the time to really tune in the signal.



It's true satellite has improved vs 5 to 10 years ago, but even 10 years ago it was better than most cable systems..
L.G.
18 years ago
I've had DirecTV satellite TV for 10 years, and I love it. In the early years, there were frequent interruptions during bad weather (heavy rain, snow), but in the last few years (particularly since they added a couple more satellites a few years ago) there have been hardly any interruptions. The prices are, in my opinion, much better than cable charges (my granddaughter has cable), and they're adding more and more HD channels - expecting to have 100 by the end of the year. You get about 200 channels for about $40/$45 per month. If you but the HiDef package, it runs about $62 for the same number of channels. Both packages include your local channels. DirecTV offer the same premium channel packages as do the cable companies, and the Pay Per View channels are $1 cheaper for most movies. I don't have it, but you can now purchase TiVo services as well.
rusty123
18 years ago
If you have an HDTV you NEED to get Directv if you dont its about the same.I had both in the last 6 months and I think that Directv has an edge with the fact that it has ALOT!!! more HD channels and it also has NFL football but other than that they are the same my Directv never goes down. but cable might be a bit cheaper if you bundle it with internet and phone service.
RAB in Venus TX
18 years ago
I've had both and cable was much more reliable...no loss of signal when cloudy and fewer hardware issues.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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