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Home Entertainment - Satellite TV & Cable TVEver since the early nineties, personal entertainment items such as television has been on a growth rampage. Most people over the age of thirty remember when you needed a good set of ?rabbit ears? on top of the set just to get your local network channToday, however, hundreds of channels are available to you just about anywhere you live and there is more than one way to get those signals. You have a choice between conventional (analog) Cable, Digital Cable, and all-Digital Satellite Television. But how do you know which one is best for you? Below is a breakdown of each system and how they compare to each other, so you can choose the right signal for your home and budget. Conventional Cable is by far the least advanced of the three and offers you the fewest features. In an effort to compete with Satellite television providers, most Cable companies are making a strong push to get their customers on their Digital systems. Digital Cable television has many advantages over conventional Cable, including high-speed internet access and video on demand, as well as hundreds of Cable channel choices. Because of the land lines necessary to deliver and receive the Cable cable signal, there is a strong, well-establis Here?s a helpful list of how Cable TV and Satellite TV compare in certain areas: Availability - Cable TV requires a service technician to install it, but is not available in some rural or sparsely populated areas. Satellite TV is available anywhere in the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska. It is recommended that a qualified technician install the dish, but you can install it yourself. can be done by yourself. Equipment - Cable TV requires a set-top box for Digital services (generally at no extra cost) and Satellite TV requires a satellite dish and receivers (which can run you several hundreds of dollars). DirecTV, unlike Dish Network, does not make you purchase equipment directly from them. Most popular manufacturers make dishes and receivers that are compatible with the DirecTV system. When purchasing DirectTV equipment you should weigh the options between manufacturers, the functionality provided by the different systems and overall cost. A note of caution is that the dishes and receivers must work together in order to receive the mix of features you have purchased because this can complicate things considerably so be sure to check that what you are getting matches what you need. When it comes to purchasing a system all prices are subject to promotions and availability and will vary from retailer to retailer. Programming - Both services offer hundreds of top-rated channels, but Satellite television offers many unique channels like international entertainment and special packages like NFL Sunday which gives you access to games all over the country. include period A big disadvantage for Satellite is the inability to offer local network stations without a fee. In fact, in some areas, they are not available at all. Services - Historically Cable has had problems with outages, but this is usually offset by the fact that they have a fleet of technicians available 24/7. If a satellite dish is properly installed it requires very little maintenance and is not usually affected by Mother Nature. Cost- As Cable continues to push Digital Cable, the cost of Cable continues to escalate with an average package costing around $50 per month compared to Satellite programming which averages around $30 to $40 a month. Beware of additional costs on a Cable bill like franchise fees and taxes, which depending where you live can quickly raise your monthly bill. If you?re a TV junky and want all the premium stations and pay per view that will raise your monthly bill by $10 to $20. Transmission and Reception Quality - All of Cable?s basic and expanded services are currently analog, but you can upgrade to Digital Cable, just know that the analog channels will remain analog even though you have digital equipment. Satellite TV is 100% digital, which in general means better reception. Satellite reception can weaken from bad rain and snow storms. Interactive Services - Satellite providers have electronic program guides, parental controls, video on demand and automated timers, as well as more advanced systems that offer a DVR (Digital Video Recorder), which allows programs to be recorded without videotape, PVR (Personal Video Recording), which allows you to pause and even rewind live broadcasts and HDTV (High Definition Television). Although these same features are often offered by Cable companies, availability to the consumer is dependent upon the local provider. Internet - Satellite television offers many of the same features that Digital Cable does. For example, the two major dish networks - DirecTV and Dish Network - both offer their own version of high-speed internet through broadband. DirecTV has DirecWay , and Dish Network has partnered with EarthLink to bring high-speed internet to their customers. In terms of high speed internet technology, the dish networks are still a little behind Cable TV. When it comes to Cable TV you can either purchase or rent the cable modem and there are usually several packages to choose from when it comes to speed. Parental Control - Both services come with parental control features which allows you to control what shows your children can watch. Warranty - All providers should offer a 12 month warranty from the day of activation and 24 hour customer service. Types of Satellite TV When it comes to Cable TV your are limited to whatever provider owns the rights to the particular area you live in. When it comes to Satellite TV you have at least two providers to choose from - DirecTV and DISH Network. DirectTV Receivers When it comes to choosing your Direct TV programming package there are several to choose from, but all operate using DirecTV programming. You can get DirectTV receivers with TiVo DirecTV which integrates any DirecTV programming package with up to 35 hours of Digital recording without videotape. It allows you to record two different shows at the same time and to pause and replay live television. Then there?s DirectTV receivers with UltimateTV which allows you to enjoy not only DirecTV programming, but UltimateTV Services from Microsoft as well as DVR, live TV controls, interactive TV, and Internet access. DirectTV receivers with DirecTV with AOLTV connects directly to your TV show so you can view complementary Web sites while watching TV. DirectTV receivers with HDTV DirecTV enhances the reception of the TV signal and allows you to take advantages of High Definition Television and Dolby Digital surround sound. There are two ways you can receive high-definition programming via DirectTV. The first is to purchase an HDTV set with the DirectTV System receiver built into the television or to purchase a DirectTV multi satellite system receiver and connect it to a high-definition-ready Digital TV. DirectTV Packages Direct TV offers 3 basic packages: TOTAL CHOICE® with Local Channels - Over 130 Channels, $39.99/mo TOTAL CHOICE® PLUS with Local Channels - Over 150 Channels, $42.99/mo. TOTAL CHOICE® PREMIER with Local Channels - Over 210 Channels, $90.99/mo. DISH Network You can usually get a good deal when signing up for the Dish Network satellite service like having the system installed in up to four rooms of your home with no upfront fee. DISH Network offers 3 basic packages with optional local channels and other premium services. Americas Top 60 offers 60 Channels for monthly price of $29.99 Americas Top 120 is the most popular programming package on DISH Network. It also includes more than thirty commercial-free, CD-quality music channels and a dozen Public Interest Channels. Monthly price: $34.99 Americas top Top 180 has something for everyone ? 9 commercial-free movie channels, sports, 4 channels from Discovery, as well as including the entire America's Top 120 Entertainment package. However, A DISH 500 is required to receive all the channels in this package. Monthly Price: $44.99 Cable providers offer several packages including a basic, premium and digital package with prices starting around $24 and escalating into the hundreds. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com The House Designers has handpicked the most popular home designs from our collections to offer you the best www.thehousedesigners.com/buying_a_new_home_plan.asphttp://www.thehousedesigners.com" target=_blank >home plans in America. We also offer you the ability to contact the designer of your home directly to help you in any way possible with making one of the biggest decisions of your life. Permalink: http://expert-talk.com/tips/636/home-entertainment-satellite-tv-cable-tv-20636.htm Related Tips and Advices
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