Cable vs Satellite: How to Choose
If you've been struggling with advertisements and websites, trying to decide between cable and satellite, this article will help outline the pros and cons and allow you to choose the right one for your family. The decision really lies in what you like to watch on television, where you live, and how often you watch TV.
EQUIPMENT
Cable service comes with many different packages to choose from. Basic cable requires no extra equipment, though a technician will have to come out and install the connection. If you want to upgrade to the next available option, a cable box and interactive remote is required. The box and remote are lent from your cable provider to you, and must be returned when you cancel your service. Upgrades are usually free of charge.
Satellite requires a dish that is positioned on your roof near the place where your television is located. The dish feeds your channels to your television through a satellite, and is required to receive service. For HD channels (high definition) you will need a second, larger dish to receive premium channels.
The prices for installation are usually comparable, and since installation is a one-time fee, this should not be your deciding factor.
Who Wins: Draw
RECEPTION
With cable, you will rarely lose service, unless the entire system is out of order. Typically, cable is lost only for a period of an hour or so, and most providers will deduct time lost from your bill. Satellite, on the other hand, will be fuzzy or nonexistant during a storm because the satellite feed will be garbled by thunder and lightening.
Who Wins: Cable
PRICES
If you rarely watch television, then cable's smallest package might be right for you. It requires no box or remote, and provides limited channels. The median prices is around $35.00 per month, and comes with a TV guide channel that scrolls continually on a specific channel. You don't have the interactive menu.
With satellite, however, providers don't have to pay taxes levied by local governments and they also boast smaller infrastructures. This allows the customer to receive more channels for a much lower price. For premium, HD, and Pay-Per-View channels, satellite offers more for your money. Cable companies are constantly raising prices because they are in the process of converting thousands of miles of subterranean cable into digital cable, which is extremely expensive. If you don't want to see your prices climb higher and higher, satellite is your best bet.
Who Wins: Satellite
AVAILABILITY
Unfortunately, cable is only available to homes where providers are within a certain amount of distance. There are some areas of even large metros where cable is not available, which is frustrating. Satellite, on the other hand, is available everywhere because the dish only has to face the southern sky. This is convenient for rural dwellers who still want to watch television.
Who Wins: Satellite
DIGITAL, HDTV, and DVR
You can acquire any of these premium services from both cable and satellite. Most companies will lease the equipment on a monthly basis, while others require that you buy the HD box up front. Either way, you'll get the same great channels from either provider.
Who Wins: Draw
BUNDLED SERVICES
Many companies, especially in large metro areas, will combine services with telephone and high-speed Internet companies to provide bundled services. This means that you receive a discount when you buy cable, Internet and phone services together. Cable companies are more likely to provide bundled services than satellite, though you will find some satellite providers that offer phone and Internet as well. The prices will inevitably be better with cable.
Who Wins: Cable
CUSTOMER SERVICE
I have always experienced great customer service with cable because they have "brick and mortar" storefronts where customers can change out equipment, pay their bills and ask questions about service. You can even request upgrades from these stores. Satellite, on the other hand, operates solely from Internet and telephone support lines, which can be frustrating during an outage or if you are experiencing a problem
Who Wins: Cable
CONTRACTS
You won't find many cable companies that require contracts with service, though it is fairly common with satellite. Cable companies offer month-to-month service, which means that you can cancel or upgrade at any time. With satellite, on the other hand, you might be confined to their service for periods of up to one year.
Who Wins: Cable
Published by Kay Reynolds
After earning my Journalism degree, I decided not to apply for jobs at newspapers, as I had planned for five years, but to work as a freelance copywriter. I am outsourced by various agencies and companies, a... View profile
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25 Comments
Post a CommentICable quality vs. Satellite quality
With the limited bandwidth that cable offers, it’s no wonder the quality is poor. First, the cable wire comes from a hub transmission system somewhere near your home. At source, the signal is passable, but by the time it runs through your community, splitting to each house, the signal has degraded. As the cable is RF (radio frequency) based, it has converted from an audio/video signal (at source) to RF and then needs to re-convert back into audio/video for your television. Along the way, anything broadcasting through the air has tried to get into the cable line and will appear as noise on your TV screen.
Unfortunately, we are our worst enemy as well. Look at your cables and splitters inside your house. Poor quality RG6 or RF cable can cause great loss of signal too. Turn on your TV and have someone bend your cable in half and watch for ghosting on your picture. If it is ghosting, you have unshielded cables! Replace them with something better like
There is a lot to consider when choosing a provider for your television; prices, programming, customer service reputation, quality of equipment and others. Being a customer and employee of DISH Network, I can say that from a consumer stand point that DISH was the way to go for me even before working here. The third HD receiver was free, DISH's DVR have the largest hard in the industry, so more recording time, 100% digital programming, the most HD channels in the industry, HD free for life, and Video on Demand in 1080p. The decision for me was easy.
So a lot has changed since this article was first published. I have DISH Network and I am also an employee. DISH Vip 722 dual tuner DVR has received CNET's Editor's Chocie Award and PC Magazine Editor's Choice for Best DVR. If you are also looking for HD, DISH Network has the most HD channels in the industry. Check out DISH.com for more information.
FREE HDTV with an antenna saves my family about $1300/ year. Recycle your old satellite dishes.
I call Comcast & he said to me that there no contract to sign. You have to call Comcast & ask them you need to sign a contrct. 800-Comcast.
I live in SHA. I get SSI. I have cable. We can't have satellite. The SHA went to caable for people who are on SSI or SSDI. They can't afford the satellite box. Thay cost to much. The cable you can rent the box then buy it. I'm cuting back on cable. I don't have job. My solution to the problum with satellite is the rent the box, then buy one.
You really need to update or pull this page, the information is half right at best. Cable IS satellite sold by a retailer who pushes it through copper, Cable downtime annually is over 5 times worse than satellite, the storms that make for a fuzzy picture on your satellite are knocking down cable wires in entire neighborhoods. Independent Satellite Service Providers can save you $500 a year or more while providing you with more service and higher resolution without even purchasing HD. SAtellite Wins.
The fact of the matter is it depends on what area you are in.
Half of the people talking on this forum are the typical tv watchers that don't know jack about where it comes from or how it gets there, as well as what system it's running on.
The cable company in this area does not have contracts, and instead, offer bundle deals that are good for years as kind of a 'lock in' price which is what direct TV advertises (which has contracts but are not always mandatory)
Your service quality will depend on what area you are in and the equipment they are using to provide that service. Sometimes the areas are not worth the money to upgrade just for a few hundred people, and those people may want to try to shop around and see what they like best before saying "cable sucks in all areas" or "dish is horrible"
Do some research instead of bad mouthing what you honestly don't know much about and turning people away from what may be the better choice for their area.
Comcast does have contracts. I signed one for 24 months. And they are not really understand about hard times!!!!!!!!
sorry the service fee is free for the 1st 9 months with dish (not 3) and the price for the satellite is approx 60 per month including the 5.99 for encore plus all the bs fees. taxes etc... i only care about getting a lot of channel choices i dont really care about hd clarity... and i want to be able to have all my local channels for news etc... im not sure which way to go.. i dont really know anyone who has satellite at this time... and im tired of cox basically having a monopoly to charge what ever they feel like due to basically no other real competition to kee thier prices down... yeh there is time warner.. but not in my area of san diego and att doesnt have cable out this far east yet so atnts satellite is the only competition to cox... help me decide!