Digital cable or DirecTV
- Thread starter Phantom
- Start date
DIRECT TV
Satellite is the way to go if you follow sports(NFL Ticket),but something to remember,TIVO doesn't work with ANY HDTV including cable.So if you want High Definition AND TIVO you can only record in regular mode and depending on your hook-up,may have to switch wires around when you want to watch HDTV.
Satellite is the way to go if you follow sports(NFL Ticket),but something to remember,TIVO doesn't work with ANY HDTV including cable.So if you want High Definition AND TIVO you can only record in regular mode and depending on your hook-up,may have to switch wires around when you want to watch HDTV.
If you go with DirecTV (as I do), you will need a roof antenna for HD locals. Currently, in S. Huntington, using an antenna with a rotor, I am receiving CBS from NYC, ABC from Connecticut and PBS (channel 21) from Plainview. Fox is broadcasting in digital widescreen, but not HD. UPN is in digital on one of Fox's sub-channels. The other channels will not be available until ongoing construction to the antenna on the Empire State Building is completed. Initially this was supposed to be this fall, but I have heard that it is now delayed to early 2004 (I don't know how reliable that is).
It will be a very long time before DirecTV has the available bandwidth to carry HD locals.
Currently, Cablevision is carrying CBS, Fox and PBS (channel 13) in HD. They have not announced any other channels but say that they are in negotiations with the other locals.
If local channels are not an issue and you don't have any tree issues at your home (DirecTV requires a direct view to 3 satellite locations 101, 110 & 119 with a single oval dish or multiple dishes if required due to trees), then DirecTV currently is doing a much better job with HD than Cablevision is.
Cablevision has HBO, Showtime, MSG and FSNY (Cablevision owns the last two and has not made them available to any other cable or satellite companies). MSG & FSNY air local home games in HD. Away games are shot in standard definition 4:3 aspect ratio and upconverted to 1080i. All of these channels are available only of you subscribe to the SD version of these channels. There is no additional cost for them if you get the SD version. They also have an HD PPV channel
DirecTV has HBO, Showtime, Discovery HD, HDNet, HDNet Movies and ESPN. HBO & Showtime are free to subscribers of the SD versions of those packages. The other 4 channels are part of an HD package that is currently $10.99 per month. Rumors are that Bravo and some other channels will be added to this tier at no additional charge (as all rumors, they are subject to be wrong). DirecTV also has a PPV channel.
CBS is airing one NFL game per week in HD. DirecTV is airing that game each week for subscribers of NFL Sunday Ticket. During the NBA playoffs, NBA TV did something with TNT that made HD versions available to cable & satellite operators. DirecTV put those games on their PPV channel at no charge (Cablevision didn't carry these games).
There is also a cost issue. Going HD with Cablevision only requires a $25 outlay to upgrade to the HD receiver. A DirecTV HD receiver is going to cost at least $500 (unless you can get an open-box special at Best Buy).
I know that I may have confused the issue by just providing information, but without knowing your situation, just making a recommendation is difficult.
Right now, I'm very happy with DirecTV HD service. I have it on two TV's in my house (56" RP Widescreen & 34" Direct View Widescreen). I'm watching 3 NFL games in HD every week (Sunday afternoon on CBS, Sunday night on ESPN and Monday night on ABC). At the most, Cablevision viewers can see 1 HD game a week and that's only if WCBS is able to air the national game that week.
On the other hand, if Cablevision would get off of their ass and get all of the locals, I would have to consider switching (or having both of them for a period of time).
It will be a very long time before DirecTV has the available bandwidth to carry HD locals.
Currently, Cablevision is carrying CBS, Fox and PBS (channel 13) in HD. They have not announced any other channels but say that they are in negotiations with the other locals.
If local channels are not an issue and you don't have any tree issues at your home (DirecTV requires a direct view to 3 satellite locations 101, 110 & 119 with a single oval dish or multiple dishes if required due to trees), then DirecTV currently is doing a much better job with HD than Cablevision is.
Cablevision has HBO, Showtime, MSG and FSNY (Cablevision owns the last two and has not made them available to any other cable or satellite companies). MSG & FSNY air local home games in HD. Away games are shot in standard definition 4:3 aspect ratio and upconverted to 1080i. All of these channels are available only of you subscribe to the SD version of these channels. There is no additional cost for them if you get the SD version. They also have an HD PPV channel
DirecTV has HBO, Showtime, Discovery HD, HDNet, HDNet Movies and ESPN. HBO & Showtime are free to subscribers of the SD versions of those packages. The other 4 channels are part of an HD package that is currently $10.99 per month. Rumors are that Bravo and some other channels will be added to this tier at no additional charge (as all rumors, they are subject to be wrong). DirecTV also has a PPV channel.
CBS is airing one NFL game per week in HD. DirecTV is airing that game each week for subscribers of NFL Sunday Ticket. During the NBA playoffs, NBA TV did something with TNT that made HD versions available to cable & satellite operators. DirecTV put those games on their PPV channel at no charge (Cablevision didn't carry these games).
There is also a cost issue. Going HD with Cablevision only requires a $25 outlay to upgrade to the HD receiver. A DirecTV HD receiver is going to cost at least $500 (unless you can get an open-box special at Best Buy).
I know that I may have confused the issue by just providing information, but without knowing your situation, just making a recommendation is difficult.
Right now, I'm very happy with DirecTV HD service. I have it on two TV's in my house (56" RP Widescreen & 34" Direct View Widescreen). I'm watching 3 NFL games in HD every week (Sunday afternoon on CBS, Sunday night on ESPN and Monday night on ABC). At the most, Cablevision viewers can see 1 HD game a week and that's only if WCBS is able to air the national game that week.
On the other hand, if Cablevision would get off of their ass and get all of the locals, I would have to consider switching (or having both of them for a period of time).
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that using an antenna for locals with Cablevision is not an option. The STB's provided by Cablevision are not capable of accepting an antenna input and decoding it.
With all of the current DirecTV STB's the antenna input is not only converted, it is merged with DirecTV channels in the onscreen channel guide (except for the RCA DCT-100, which was the first box available and no longer being sold new).
With all of the current DirecTV STB's the antenna input is not only converted, it is merged with DirecTV channels in the onscreen channel guide (except for the RCA DCT-100, which was the first box available and no longer being sold new).
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While I don't have personal experience with Dish, I do have some knowledge about it when it comes to HD (which I'm assuming you are asking about since that was the initial question in this thread).
Right now, Dish is behind DirecTV in HD. They have HBO, Showtime and a national feed of CBS, which requires a waiver from your local CBS affiliate to receive (all of the affiliates that are actually owned by CBS have given a blanket waiver to Dish). Dish also has Discovery HD, which I think they are charging $6.99 for.
Dish has some pretty good future plans for HD. Now it remains to see how well they can be implemented. They are supposedly launching some new satellites which will require a new dish (known as the Superdish). The combination of these new satellites and dish are supposed to provide significant bandwidth for future HD content. Also in the works at dish, scheduled for the end of the year is an HD PVR. Currently, other than going through some real expensive convoluted gyrations, people can't copy HD programs at home in HD. This will be the first PVR that will allow you to do so.
If I were buying satellite right now, I would go for DirecTV. If I already had Dish, I would wait a while before converting.
Right now, Dish is behind DirecTV in HD. They have HBO, Showtime and a national feed of CBS, which requires a waiver from your local CBS affiliate to receive (all of the affiliates that are actually owned by CBS have given a blanket waiver to Dish). Dish also has Discovery HD, which I think they are charging $6.99 for.
Dish has some pretty good future plans for HD. Now it remains to see how well they can be implemented. They are supposedly launching some new satellites which will require a new dish (known as the Superdish). The combination of these new satellites and dish are supposed to provide significant bandwidth for future HD content. Also in the works at dish, scheduled for the end of the year is an HD PVR. Currently, other than going through some real expensive convoluted gyrations, people can't copy HD programs at home in HD. This will be the first PVR that will allow you to do so.
If I were buying satellite right now, I would go for DirecTV. If I already had Dish, I would wait a while before converting.
Cable sucks!
DSS is better in every way. Yes, it does have reception problems during very bad weather (very rarely)... but it doesn't happen for that long (a minute or two) and it doesn't happen nearly as often as cable goes down. And when cable goes down it goes down for hours. Sound and picture both blow cable away.
DSS is better in every way. Yes, it does have reception problems during very bad weather (very rarely)... but it doesn't happen for that long (a minute or two) and it doesn't happen nearly as often as cable goes down. And when cable goes down it goes down for hours. Sound and picture both blow cable away.
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Regardless of what service you have, cable is sent thru a single (coax) wire where the stereo signal must be split within the reciever. TW's digital cable is even worse because in some area's it's not even carrying a stereo signal. DSS blows cable away in every aspect. It's why when you walk into any audio video store and they're showing off a home theater system they're either using a DVD or a DSS to supply the feed.
btw... one thing that come of most deluxe DSS systems now is an optical output (the best there is)..... Something I've never seen on a cable box.
btw... one thing that come of most deluxe DSS systems now is an optical output (the best there is)..... Something I've never seen on a cable box.
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I use to work for a cable company and a satellite company..
Go with digital cable.
The problems they have with receivers, and if that dish moves even a tiny, tiny inch, forget it, you are out of luck.
If the wind blows, or you have a rain storm, or snow storm, you get no reception, and you have to wait about 2- 4 weeks before a repair guy can come out and re-align your dish again.
With the dish set up you have to be 100000% correct, or you are watching a blank screen. And those receivers go out ALL the time.
I can not even tell you how many times receivers are shipped to customer because they exploded, or just stopped working.
Stick with with cable, it's much more reliable, the picture is clearer, and just as effective as dish.
Digital cable is by far, the best.
Go with digital cable.
The problems they have with receivers, and if that dish moves even a tiny, tiny inch, forget it, you are out of luck.
If the wind blows, or you have a rain storm, or snow storm, you get no reception, and you have to wait about 2- 4 weeks before a repair guy can come out and re-align your dish again.
With the dish set up you have to be 100000% correct, or you are watching a blank screen. And those receivers go out ALL the time.
I can not even tell you how many times receivers are shipped to customer because they exploded, or just stopped working.
Stick with with cable, it's much more reliable, the picture is clearer, and just as effective as dish.
Digital cable is by far, the best.
Ya know something, I miss your regular posting. Good to see a post from you.
Believe it or not I was going to try to schedule with you because I missed you that much... Believe it or not, the service I would have requested would be hearing you argue with me about something...
xoxoxo
Pop
Believe it or not I was going to try to schedule with you because I missed you that much... Believe it or not, the service I would have requested would be hearing you argue with me about something...
xoxoxo
Pop
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