When looking for a good deal on home entertainment, you probably are looking at either satellite TV or cable television service.  While you usually only have one cable TV company to pick from, with satellite TV you have two choices, DirecTV and Dish Network.   Lets briefly compare cable television vs Dish Network satellite service.

Satellite TV service has now been available for more than 20 years.  Incredibly, cable TV has now been around about 35 years in most states.  With cable TV, you usually have higher rates, as they have a last mile network to maintain.  Dish Network is probably the cheapest pay television option.  Their subscription rates are even lower than Direct TV.  On the other hand, Direct TV satellite offers the Sunday Ticket package

With Dish Network, you have to have an area to place a 2 foot satellite dish.  If you live in a condominium, this can be an issue.  Many have resolved this issue by putting a satellite stand on their patio, as long as it has a southern exposure.  Cable television of course has a last mile network running into almost every apartment building served in the area, so that may be your only choice if you live in an apartment.

Digital video recorders have become extremely popular over the past few years, and both cable television companies and Dish Network offer this service.  Reviews of the Dish DVR though are much higher then the DVR’s used by cable operators.  In addition, Dish TV charges much less then your cable company for DVR service, sometimes by as much as $10 a month.

When it comes to HD content you definitely need to check with your local cable operator to see how many channels they offer compared to Dish Network.  The number can be quite different based on who your cable TV provider happens to be.  Dish Network does offer over 100 HD channels, but you do have an extra $10 a month charge, while most cable companies do not charge extra for their HD content.

In conclusion, pros and cons exist with both cable TV and Dish Network.  Fully evaluating your selection beforehand will insure you are happy and satisfied with your service later on.

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