Satellite versus Cable TV
- Thread starter pygmalion
- Start date
what do you think?
DWise1
Well-Known Member
We had started with cable, then switched to satellite because our cable didn't carry a lot of channels we wanted (eg, Learning Channel, History Channel). Now I'm back with cable, which has most of the channels we wanted back then, but it requires me to pay extra for some of the channels that were included in our satellite package, such as the independent film channel (in neither case did we subscribe to movie channels -- with satellite because my wife was too cheap and now because I'm just not home enough). Of course, that situation will differ depending on what your local cable service is like.
One big difference is that you'll be watching TV in a different time zone. Most satellite channels are on Eastern Standard Time, which is different from where you're viewing them. For example, there were some shows that I would have liked to watch that were scheduled for 7PM, but being on the west coast they were actually shown at 4PM, while I was still at work (trying to tape them was not an option at that time). Now, most satellite channels' 3-hour prime-time is broadcast twice, so this is not a problem for prime-time shows, except that when you read the local paper's TV listings, you need to perform the mental calculation of converting the listing's time to the actual time that you'll receive it (eg, a show listed for 7PM you would actually view at 6PM (you are in Central time, aren't you?). But that 7PM show I wanted to watch was only one once per day, so I was simply SOL.
As far as I know, cable does the time-zone conversion for you, showing the programming at the times given in your local listings.
Unless things have changed, you don't get local channels as part of the basic service, but rather must pay soemting like $5 extra. Even then, you'd be getting the local channels of the nearest metropolitan area (no problem for you nor me, but I suspect it would be in more remote areas, like North Dakota). But on the plus side (as I found during their "try it for a month for free" deals), you get all the local channels (well, very nearly all) with excellent reception that you could never get off the antenna, including some that you just plain could never have pulled in.
A minor down-side is that you won't get local weather conditions on The Weather Channel. You also won't get local commercials (I've noticed on the cable channels that cable would replace the channel's commercials with commercials for local businesses.
With cable, we had a wiring problem that caused reception to degrade and even go out when it rained hard. Not with satellite, but I found that over time we had increasing reception problems during real heavy rain (I'm talking down-pours). It finally just gave out completely just a couple days before I left; no idea what she's done about it. Other than that, the satellite system had been trouble-free for several years compared to one or two cable outages per year. But then that was just our situation. Also, we owned our satellite equipment (I think that's the normal arrangement), so if anything breaks we needed to have it repaired or replaced.
One big difference is that you'll be watching TV in a different time zone. Most satellite channels are on Eastern Standard Time, which is different from where you're viewing them. For example, there were some shows that I would have liked to watch that were scheduled for 7PM, but being on the west coast they were actually shown at 4PM, while I was still at work (trying to tape them was not an option at that time). Now, most satellite channels' 3-hour prime-time is broadcast twice, so this is not a problem for prime-time shows, except that when you read the local paper's TV listings, you need to perform the mental calculation of converting the listing's time to the actual time that you'll receive it (eg, a show listed for 7PM you would actually view at 6PM (you are in Central time, aren't you?). But that 7PM show I wanted to watch was only one once per day, so I was simply SOL.
As far as I know, cable does the time-zone conversion for you, showing the programming at the times given in your local listings.
Unless things have changed, you don't get local channels as part of the basic service, but rather must pay soemting like $5 extra. Even then, you'd be getting the local channels of the nearest metropolitan area (no problem for you nor me, but I suspect it would be in more remote areas, like North Dakota). But on the plus side (as I found during their "try it for a month for free" deals), you get all the local channels (well, very nearly all) with excellent reception that you could never get off the antenna, including some that you just plain could never have pulled in.
A minor down-side is that you won't get local weather conditions on The Weather Channel. You also won't get local commercials (I've noticed on the cable channels that cable would replace the channel's commercials with commercials for local businesses.
With cable, we had a wiring problem that caused reception to degrade and even go out when it rained hard. Not with satellite, but I found that over time we had increasing reception problems during real heavy rain (I'm talking down-pours). It finally just gave out completely just a couple days before I left; no idea what she's done about it. Other than that, the satellite system had been trouble-free for several years compared to one or two cable outages per year. But then that was just our situation. Also, we owned our satellite equipment (I think that's the normal arrangement), so if anything breaks we needed to have it repaired or replaced.
Wow. I didn't expect that much information. Thanks for taking the time. 
My biggest incentive, at the moment, is that the local telephone company is now offering a combination package that includes satellite dish rental, a DSL line and telephone service. If I switch over to the combo package, I'll be paying roughly half the price I'm paying now with cable and a separate phone bill. So, even though I'm a long-time cable person, I figure it's worth at least investigating.
The time zone difference actually sounds appealing to me. I've been in the Central time zone for a year, now, but my brain is still in Eastern time.
:lol:
My biggest incentive, at the moment, is that the local telephone company is now offering a combination package that includes satellite dish rental, a DSL line and telephone service. If I switch over to the combo package, I'll be paying roughly half the price I'm paying now with cable and a separate phone bill. So, even though I'm a long-time cable person, I figure it's worth at least investigating.
The time zone difference actually sounds appealing to me. I've been in the Central time zone for a year, now, but my brain is still in Eastern time.
:lol:
diputs
New Member
I do not know about satalite. But my cable company offers a deal if you get VOip, cable modem and cable TV. In my area, cable internet is a lot faster than DSL. I would be curious what the difference in price is between the telphone company's three service deal versus your cable companies three service deal.
I don't know if my cable company offers a three service deal. But that's a darn good idea. I'll check.
Yep. The reason I chose cable in the first place is that I didn't trust DSL. I'm not sure how the speed compares. I keep hearing from neighbors who have satellite that they prefer it to the local cable company. Eh. So many choices! I'm confused. :lol:
Yep. The reason I chose cable in the first place is that I didn't trust DSL. I'm not sure how the speed compares. I keep hearing from neighbors who have satellite that they prefer it to the local cable company. Eh. So many choices! I'm confused. :lol:
DWise1
Well-Known Member
I knew I forgot something. While we had satellite, we had to get DSL separately in order to have high-speed access. I think that DirecTV offered high-speed access, but it was actually receiving via satellite link and sending via phone-line (if I understand it correctly). Now I have high-speed access via cable.
And I don't know if it makes a difference, but we had DirecTV. That means that I can only speak for having been a DirecTV customer; I don't know if the same things apply for other dish services.
And I don't know if it makes a difference, but we had DirecTV. That means that I can only speak for having been a DirecTV customer; I don't know if the same things apply for other dish services.
Hmm... Not sure whether the cable company offers a package deal, but I'll call them tomorrow. One complication, though, is that they offer voice over IP, for telephone (like your cable company, diputs.) But I have a security monitoring system that I'm pretty sure requires land lines. Hmm. :?
Blech! It looks like I'm going to have to spend an hour or two talking to the salespeople (vultures) at each company and figuring it out.
Blech! It looks like I'm going to have to spend an hour or two talking to the salespeople (vultures) at each company and figuring it out.
DWise1
Well-Known Member
Third thing I forgot about DirecTV. They required a land-line phone connection. You would use it to direct-order programming (we never did) or to let them know where you are so that you could receive sports events that were blacked-out in their own areas (which we never did, but when my son would visit he didn't like it).
diputs
New Member
pygmalion said:
DWise is probably better equipted to answer this one. But I imagine it would be the difference between buying a mac or a pc. Similiar, but different. Same with cable providers. They are all basically the same, yet there are small differences.
A better analogy might be buying the same cell phone on two different cell carriers. Slight changes in software and performance, but similiar.