Home audio & video forum: Digital Cable vs Direct TV vs Dish Network vs others

...it's mostly preference based, and we likely don't share the same cable operator. Comcast, Time Warner, etc. all have their digital cable/HD nuances, and can perform somewhat differently in different areas of the country depending on the franchise and local infrastructure quality. How each one performs will also vary by home/wiring/equipment used. Sat services also can be affected by poor weather ;(. So my recommendation may not mean much since your situation is a bit different.

That said, you can often get slight discounts if you also sign up for CATV from the same Cable HSI provider. YMMV. I would try that avenue first. Such 'triple play' deals may save you a little more yet. There's really no way to avoid fees unless you stick with the bare minimum and/or avoiding paid TV altogether.

Franchise fees/taxes vary by region, and this might not matter unless you were some sort of retiree or on a massively low budget. IMHO they really aren't that difficult to understand if you actually take the time to read what you see on paper.

Generally speaking though, once you get a service installed there is some sort of (fixed) lead in pricing for a year to get you in the door, followed by the regular pricing based on what channels/services you receive. That pricing won't vary much inside of a calendar year, with the exception being cable & satellite providers changing their per channel prices sometimes annually depending on the agreement they forge with various networks. For example, my Comcast bill will go up slightly this Spring. Box rental went down $1-2 but the total channel package cost, at least according to the notice they sent, will go up a bit more than that. Comcast, etc. pass along their increased cost to us unfortunately.

As much as I hate recommending it, you also might look into UVERSE where you live. According to my relative living in SJ, there's more fiber to the home there than in my neck of the woods. Perhaps that would be another option to look at vs Comcast or Satellite.

...in most areas (read, not all) UVERSE (still) relies on copper to the home, and overall speeds you see w/ this technology are partially determine by the customer's distance from either the VRAD or CO. Cable high speed providers, especially those who have already switched to DOCSIS 3.0, do not have such strict distance limitations. Also, in some cases, UVERSE can't even sync at mid-tier speeds that the cable providers have been rolling out for a year or more. I won't even get into the hardware problems faced by many UVERSE users. Of course everyone's experiences will differ, I just wanted to point out some of the potential shortcomings switching to a service that the majority of its customers do not fully understand.

The boxes are often required to embed decryption equipment. The signals are encrypted to prevent people from supplying multiple TVs or even multiple people with service using only one account (or even patching illegally directly into the line).

They also have CableCards and DVR/cable box combos that do decryption.

I get nothing out of encryption; it makes the service harder and more inconvenient to use. But it seems that provider security trumps customer convenience.

Thanks! This is really helpful.

Yes, I have a view of the southern sky.

I have DirecTV with two separate DVRs. This is the only service that allows separate DVRs. The others allow you to record on one TV and view on another, but we do not want that, since my daughter has her shows on another TV. As far as cost goes, they are all very comparable once you include all of the fees. Cable seems to have the most inclusive basic rate. The others have lots a different charges, but the totals are similar. DirecTV has the most HD channels, but it depends on what you want to watch. With what you listed, all of the basic level plans should be sufficient, and the extra HD channels from DirecTV wouldn't affect your watching.

I went from Cable to Dish to Cable to FIOS and they all have 'fees'. The answer as to which is better, depends on what you want.

I originally left cable for dish because it was a lot cheaper for the same level of TV service.

I left Dish for Cable because I wanted high speed internet and I needed cable to get it and it was cheaper to bundle it with the TV than to pay seperately for TV from Dish and internet from cable.

I left cable for FIOS, because they offered the same service at a better price, and the TV PQ was better and the Internet faster.

Bottom line is give them all a call and see which one will give you what you want at the best price, including all fees. Then check online and and ask anyone you know who has them what they think of the service. Then last but not least, make sure that you can cancel without penalty for a fixed period like 30 days and get it in writing.

I can assume to live in the city (vs. rural). I see DirecTv in my area are bundle the internet services with the telephone company which means you will use DSL for surfing. All I can say about dsl is..when it's good, it is good. It's just that it's not always good (personal experience only).

This does not sound correct. I'm not aware of any late fee as you've described in this scenario. I have the same Comcast 'triple play' services you do, with the only difference perhaps being possible lack of premium channels. They only bill in advance for the package you are currently signed up for, which is not illegal and typical, if you compare to other services like Directv. OTOH, you *are* billed after the fact for things like PPV/On Demand movies, etc. Setting up automatic payments that don't match what you owe based on such usage patterns could potentially draw a late fee however.

FWIW, my dad's older Directv receiver changed channels as fast as my Comcast HD DVR box. I can't imagine the newer ones would be any different with better hardware under the hood/faster processors/etc.

Even if you had good testing equipment, there would be no way you could use the *exact* amount of water or electricity per month. In this sense, there's no way you could be billed correctly like Satellite or Cable can since they aren't measuring a quantity other than the exceptions of PPV/On Demand I've Listed. ATT wireless & Verizon also bill one month in advance- it's nothing particular unique anyway.

Also keep in mind they often are passing along higher prices set by the networks they buy content from. Your local governing bodies also set up such cable franchise agreements. Being proactive in the local/village politics can at least help you stay in the know for upcoming developments.

I have cable. My friends have satellite (one has Dish, the other DirecTV). They receive a lot more HD channels than I do, which is good, but here's why I stayed with cable:

1) DVR. My cable DVR is not TIVO. It is made by Scientific Atlantic. It allows me to have Picture-in-Picture, which is great when I'm keeping track to two simultaneous sports games. I don't think my friend's TIVO DVR has picture-in-picture (I could be wrong).
2) On Demand. The cable On Demand choices seemed better than satellite. I think my friends need to download their On Demand show before watching it. I can watch On Demand on cable in real time.
3) I have too many TVs for satellite. I have 3 HDTVs which need HD boxes, 2 SD TVs that require regular cable boxes and 1 kitchen TV that only needs basic cable (this TV simply had a "free" coax plugged in). Satellite was WAY too much money to connect all of these TVs. All TVs except the kitchen TV has the full movie channel choice and premium cable.
4) They all preach "low" introductory prices. They all raise their prices after 6 months. I need to call my cable company every 6 months to ask for a renewed contract.
5) Cable has internet service. I don't use mine for internet, but this may be an important option for you.

Pedro,

Mine is Charter. You are correct in that they do not offer "long term" contracts, only 6 month promos. I wasn't clear. The 6-month promos are what I need to renew and argue over each time. The only long-term contract they offer is a 2-year term, but you need to use Charter for cable, phone and Internet, which I wouldn't do. All providers offer intro rates, then they plan on everyone forgetting about them and paying the higher prices after 6 months. I often forget, but then call after I see an extra $40 per month on my bill.

I've had issues with my reception since last year. After dozens of tech people at the house, and afer each doing something different with no success, they finally admitted last June that they had a bad circuit board in a pole box. This year, with the problems still happening and after I paid for their HD DVR, I threatened to pull out and go with DirecTV. Finally the problem became severe and many people complained. It looks like the problem has been fixed and Charter gave me the HD DVR at N/C for a year afer I complained again. I'm keeping my fingers crossed about the problem. I'd go with DirecTV in a heartbeat if I could get the same price for all of the channels and TVs I need connected.

Hi Guys, thx for all the thoughts. been busy w/other stuff just getting back to this issue. I'm not in the city, Sewall's Point Fl a burb of Stuart. Closest 7/11 or food 3 miles not counting restaurants!

Any how Comcast DOES bill/invoice me one month in advance. Also charges a 7.00 late fee if you are late w/your payment. As I stated earlier I can't get on line to pay my bill & "Live Chat" folks get frustated and "Leave The Room"! when they get pissed. The electric or water company doesn't bill in advance because they don't know how much you will use. Neither does Comcast! I'm detailing here-in cause i'm going to turn this into a Word Doc & send to the CEO of Comcast & Ge/NBC who have been on Tv all morning telling everyone how great Comcast stock is@ I.e. Joe at "Squawk Box" CNBC!Still not sure of what to do, swith to Direct TV or stay w/Comcast. I want a bundle and fast surfing like I have now w/Comcast but don't want the Comcast attitude!

I have a great basic package with Dish Network that gives me the Disney Channel, locals, the Nick's, and News and it is really affordable. I started working at Dish Network after World Savings sold to Wachovia and my world went into chaos. When I realized how much cheaper I could get the channels I needed I switched from Direct TV. I've been so happy with the service and have not regretted my decision since. One of the offers that really makes me happy is the fact that I get free HD for life on my basic package with Dish which was not happening with Direct TV. Plus if I wanted to take advantage of the glory of HD I would have been paying something like $99-199 per box with Direct which was not something I could afford. With Dish I was able to get 3 HD boxes free with installation and my TV's are all vivid, beautiful crystal clear! I'm so happy I'm with Dish.