Tell me about Cable vs Satellite please.

fadingathedges

Ironically enough, I can't watch public television without jittering so I need to subscribe to something. That's literally 90% of the impetus. I watch very little TV, and generally don't know anything about what's what beyond bunny ears.

I'm in Columbus, OH and Time Warner Cable / Roadrunner already delivers my interwebs; though if the rumours about TW capping data transfer & charging beyond that are true I won't be getting internets with them for long.

I live in an alley house, it's an old farmhouse that predates that block that sprung up around it. There are maybe 4-5 big trees surrounding me. I think this is part of my bunny ears issue, I'm not sure if satellite will run into issues due to these obstructions as well.

I have a bigscreen HDTV.

Pros/Cons of the options? Is there a clearcut better option?
Thanks PA

dispatch.o

I would suggest you just look into getting a really nice normal antenna first. Bunny ears are nice and all, but theyre certainly not the best thing around. If you have that many trees, satelite may not be an option either. You generally need a clear view of the southern sky, and by clear they tend to mean totally fucking open without so much as a bird flying through.


I've had a couple of apartments where I've tried to get dish/directv and because of a single shrub, or an odd angle on a lamp post they come in, look for 3 seconds and say "this job is cancelled".

Edit: Also, the quality of HD delivered by Cable and Satelite companies seems dubious at best, normally it looks below plain ole dvd quality to me. (Talking Comcast in the SF bay area here)

NailbunnyPD

If you already have cable internet, just split the cable and plug it into your TV. You probably have basic by default.

brynstar

I agree with dispatch, if you're surrounded by trees, Satellite will probably prove difficult. Go with a basic cable plan.

fadingathedges

Thanks guys

elizabex

NailbunnyPD wrote: »

If you already have cable internet, just split the cable and plug it into your TV. You probably have basic by default.

Seconded. That's the solution in my apartment.

fadingathedges

elizabex wrote: »

NailbunnyPD wrote: »

If you already have cable internet, just split the cable and plug it into your TV. You probably have basic by default.

Seconded. That's the solution in my apartment.

Filtered at the pole

EggyToast

If you don't watch much TV, it's probably a better deal to simply get the "local channels" through your cable provider. Usually very cheap. And as 2 posters above posted, and also works for me and my local, not-tv-watching friends, you usually get basic analog cable included since they can't put the analog filter on the line if you have broadband internet.

Xenogears of Bore

I'm very surrounded by trees and Sat works fine.

Well, as well as Sat works in general.

Trees don't really effect it, you know, it's heavy rain you have to worry about.

Sat is a good deal especially if you only have one or two TVs to support, as they charge more per tv.

BubbaT

I have Time Warner HD cable and my parents have Dish Network HD.

Pro-Dish:
Their picture looks better, even though I have a slightly better TV. Both are connected via HDMI. Sucks that Dish cut Voom.
They've had fewer outages - 1 in the last year during a heavy rainstorm vs my 3.
Able to schedule installation for the weekend.
Time Warner still sends junk mail even after signing up, Dish doesn't.

Pro-TW:
Less delay while changing channels.
Doesn't require a phone line plugged into the set top box.
Slightly cheaper when combined with internet service than buying Dish & internet separately.