| In the endless debate for which product is better, | | | | see those costs level right off. With satellite |
| nothing quite appeases Americans like a good | | | | companies often offering incentives to new |
| old-fashioned showdown. After all, what better | | | | customers, including free installation or a free |
| way to see a product's strengths and | | | | satellite dish, sometimes making the switch can |
| weaknesses than right next to something else | | | | actually save you money. Likewise, you have to |
| that does the same thing? While the end of | | | | consider that with cable, you are getting less, and |
| analog television last year led to a number of | | | | that depending on how the pricing works out, you |
| people having to consider whether they preferred | | | | might be getting less for more. |
| to switch to satellite or cable, other Americans | | | | Time commitment Winner: Cable |
| perhaps haven't considered that question lately. | | | | While you are generally supposed to stick with |
| For when they do, here's a side-by-side | | | | your service for a minimum of a year, as stated |
| comparison that can help anyone figure out if | | | | in the contract, often it is easier for cable |
| they should be watching their favorite shows on | | | | subscribers to wiggle out of this. But, keep in mind |
| cable or satellite TV. | | | | that the reason they can wiggle in the first place |
| Availability Winner: Satellite | | | | is that cable is notorious for jacking up prices |
| Because cable services must physically connect to | | | | once your "discounted trial" period is over, without |
| a cable, those in larger cities and towns are all | | | | you realizing that HBO now costs three times |
| covered, but those who live in more rural locales | | | | what it did a couple of months ago. |
| might not get "passed" by a cable, thus meaning | | | | HD options Winner: Satellite |
| that they wouldn't be able to even receive cable | | | | Cable has definitely been taking the right steps to |
| coverage. On the other hand, with satellite users | | | | get up there by adding a number of channels that |
| sending and receiving data via a dish that can be | | | | owners of high definition television sets can enjoy, |
| installed just about anywhere, coverage is | | | | but satellite has already been doing such an |
| significantly more adaptable, whether you're living | | | | incredible job in this area that at this point, it might |
| in a large city or a small homestead. Think about | | | | be tough to catch up. Recent consumer reports |
| if you've ever driven cross-country: you see a | | | | show satellite providers as offering up to 30 more |
| whole lot of satellite dishes dotting the landscape | | | | high definition channels than their cable |
| places that there isn't even a gas station within | | | | counterparts. This also makes sense if you |
| 100 miles. | | | | consider that most cable providers have a limited |
| Cost Winner: Satellite (if you're a new customer) | | | | amount of movie channels when compared to the |
| Satellite TV initially does have a higher cost, but if | | | | sheer volume of satellite options that exist, from |
| you add up what cable customers spend on their | | | | movie channels to endless offshoots of premium |
| local taxes or pay for the extra channels that | | | | programming. |
| they want to watch each month, you can quickly | | | | |