Now that TV has transitioned completely over to digital, many people are thinking about changing up their entertainment provider. This article will go into the pros and cons of satellite TV vs. cable TV. The choice will really depend on you and your needs and what you need from your TV Service.
First let's talk about how satellite TV Works. Satellite TV Service gets its TV signals from satellites in orbit. You need a satellite dish pointed in their direction for it to work. Once the dish is setup however it can generally be left as it is. One satellite antenna is enough to power your entire house no matter how many TV receivers or DVRs as you have. Satellite providers can sell the service by taking in the signal encrypting it and then redirecting in at your own satellite.
What's cheaper, cable or satellite?
Generally speaking costs usually favor satellite over cable. Especially over the last couple of years, cable TV has gotten more and more expensive. They've been known to raise prices every year consistently since 2000. The reason for this can usually be attributed to the fact that renting cable equipment is more expensive than buying satellite equipment over time. The difference in price however isn't exorbitant and shouldn't be the only thing you look at when deciding between the two services.
What are my options when it comes a satellite TV?
The two main competitors in the satellite TV world are direct TV and dish network. These two companies are always fighting it out trying to one up each other in terms of advertising and promotions. Generally speaking direct TV usually wins out when it comes to content and dish network wins when it comes to customer service. You really need to look at each company's entertainment packages to find out which is best for you.
One of the biggest drawbacks of satellite TV is their propensity to go out in bad weather. If you live in an area that has consistent heavy rain or snow fall, then cable may be a better bet. If you look online at customer reviews of the biggest complaints over and over again is about bad weather service outages. Of course this can sometimes be attributed to the quality of the installation and is worse in some cases more than others.
Sometimes cable isn't available in rural communities. In that case satellite TV can provide the only good option when it comes to entertainment. If you do live far away from a major city center then go online to find out if direct TV or dish network is available to you.
Overall I think if you're already happy with cable, then a switch to satellite TV isn't crucial. However if you don't have any service at all and are looking to choose between the two then satellite TV does offer a larger selection at a cheaper cost. Just keep in mind what I said about bad weather before making your decision. Another benefit that just popped up in satellite TV recently is they're 3D TV programming. They seem to be taking the lead over cable when it comes to 3D entertainment, and should be your service of choice if 3D TV is something you're interested in.
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Direct TV is the provider of choice in terms of content and programming. To get a better idea about their service check out these Direct TV reviews One of the most complaints I've seen are people not being able to get their rebates. This is usually due to people not understanding how to properly claim them. Be sure to look at these clear instructions on how to claim your Direct TV rebate .