Cable vs Satellite

The dawn of the television age began with cable for the most part. It was really the most innovative and most widely used signal in the boom of the TV industry. Yet many people criticized it. People put down the industry saying they would never pay for it. Yet many people started to subscribe because they were genuinely interested in the product. Cable was a next generation system.

Are we in another television boom? Is satellite the answer to our worries? Cable companies now are in competition on a daily basis with major satellite companies such as DirecTV and Dish Network. What is the goal of both of these companies? They both want your money and your business naturally. But with so many options, how do you decide? There are a bunch of factors you must take into consideration before making any kind of final decision; the equipment that is needed, programming wants and needs, the price (obvious), and the availability. These are for the most part, the core things to look for.

Cable and satellite TV both offer similar channel packages nowadays with digital cable certainly taking a lead over any kind of regular cable. Both have their advantages and disadvantages and it really comes down to personal preference. Satellite service can offer you service for the west coast and east coast. You can even watch multiple viewings at the same time on your screen. Most folks choose satellite television because they want to be able to see a certain program that is not readily available on cable. A big example is football.

Cable TV offers subscription plans for around $30 to $90 dollars per month. All subscriptions come with a basic set of channels, including your local channels. Satellite companies do not provide access to local public stations normally.

Satellite companies are exempt from taxes by local municipalities and in turn, we get more for our dollar. That is one reason some of their services are offered at a lower rate than digital cable. Cable is still the cheapest hands down. If you want basic viewing packages and do not need any bells and whistles, cable is your way to go. However, if you want a good picture with the availability to choose your channels, satellite is your best bet.

Cable companies have to upgrade all of their equipment. This includes the hundreds of thousands of miles of wire they use to send us our TV signal. What is the problem here? In order to convert everything to digital, it is going to cost a lot of money. That money will come from us, the consumer.

Satellite offers us lower costs for an actual TV “package” per say, yet they charge extra fees normally if you want service installed in another room. However with that being said, cable does as well sometimes. Cable really doesn’t require a whole lot of equipment. If you do not want digital programming all you really need is your TV. This suits most folks well because most people do not need all the bells and whistles.

If you want digital however, you are going to need things such as a remote, a compatible television, a converter box and so on. Even if your TV is not capable of handling digital TV there are boxes which convert the signal, yet they are not as good as an actual digital television. This can be a big disappointment to many as satellite installations are sometimes risky business if you rent an apartment or do not want to risk your roof on the house.

Cable can only reach so far. As with anything on Earth, we can only do so much. It is just a fact that satellite can reach farther. In fact, satellites are all around our Earth so this gives us a lot more reach. There are over four hundred satellites orbiting the Earth.

How about bundled services? Are you a package type person or do you prefer to customize everything? Bundled packages are a spin-off of cable companies but everything must start from somewhere. In fact package deals are probably the best way to go, whether you are just starting out or are advanced in the satellite area. They offer great deals at low cost, while allowing you to choose extras. You can also choose to have your phone and internet service be included with your package if you wish.

What about high definition and digital video recorders? Well there is one major difference between the two companies. Cable companies normally lease you their box on a month to month basis. Satellite companies require that you purchase the receiver box up front. I hope this brings some sense of closure to any questions you may have had.