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General discussion

TV service or Internet TV, witch is best for me?

Sep 18, 2010 2:22PM PDT

I know there is many choices, but i dont know.
I am currently on Charter Cable TV witch i hate there prices and there quality of service.
so i am wondering what are better choices and alternatives.
I got netflix so i know i can use that.

so here are a few things i want to look out for:
-a radio like channel (i enjoy jazz at nights)
-something so i can have the newest eps of a show (i can pay for it if thats a choice)
-can replay and shuffle shows i got (if its a Internet TV box)(i like to have some shows playing in the background wile im on the computer)

and those are my main problems.
i know theres Dish, Direct TV, Apple TV, Google TV, Seagate, and many more i just dont know witch would be best for me.

Discussion is locked

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Watching vs waiting
Sep 18, 2010 3:51PM PDT

If you plan on actually watching TV at will, with total spontaneity and hundreds of choices then satellite is the way to go, hands down. You said you only watch a few channels but you'd be surprised once there are choice in front of you.

Dish Network & DirecTV only need power to work, and a clear view of the southernmost sky. Their service is not contingent on an internet signal, and good, steady, available bandwidth. Especially once realtime HD viewing is a factor. HD programming is bandwidth intensive and can kill the mood and experience of the show if you have to keep waiting for the show/movie to buffer. Some service will not even let you watch until a certain amount of the program has downloaded.

Netflix, Apple TV, Google TV are fee based programming or pay-per-click. So you'll have to be a paying member of some sort, plus you have to pay for internet service itself. Good internet service that delivers the download data stream (6MB/sec+) fast enough. Unlike sat service, there is no need to worry about bad weather, high winds that can shift/move the antenna or external equipment damage or failure. Sat TV is always streaming with no waiting or downloading needed and is not limited to bandwidth. No buffering. With a DVR, once its recorded you can watch what you want at will.
However, you are not limited to any schedule but your own, for the fee based option you can watch exactly what you want at will, and of course..., no commercials.

Bottom line:
Satellite TV- $40-70 for HDTV service
Internet TV- $30-50 for internet service, $15+/mo. for subscription fee HD programming.

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satellite may have problems
Sep 18, 2010 4:15PM PDT

well i live where it can get cloudy often, and i will be moving to a cold coastal town soon so it will get even more cloudier so i dont think the satellite will work.

my internet connection is good right now i can stream stuff very well. and for Netflix i wont give up i enjoy it too much. and to my knowledge a lot of those devices like Apple TV you can buy the show and keep them on hand and with a good internet i dont think the streaming is a problem.

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Wait a minute,
Sep 18, 2010 4:49PM PDT

Where did you get this idea about bad reception on a cloudy day. But let's be honest here, Satellite or cable...both cost about the same (and I been there). The only time when there is a difference is when they are trying to rope you in.

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well
Sep 18, 2010 4:55PM PDT

if a signal cant make it from a sat to a sat Dish then it will give bad reception. so clouds can keep you from a good signal.

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Clouds
Sep 18, 2010 8:55PM PDT

Sorry that's not so.

Clouds have no effect on radio waves.

What 'may' affect the signal is lightning, but otherwise clouds are completely transparent.

Mark

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A 'Cirrus' misunderstanding
Sep 19, 2010 5:26AM PDT

Cloud cover has no effect on a satellite signal, no matter the ceiling or density. As a matter of fact, clouds are the easiest thing to penetrate for a sat signal once you consider the sheer distance the signal has to travel, all the different layers of the atmosphere with there various densities and charges. Sat TV uses a microwave signal (around 15-18GHz) which is what most of the TV stations use to relay telecasts and such from coast to coast. In addition, to increase reliability, DirecTV signals are sent from 3+ sats simultaneously. The receiver does the rest. Of course, this is an oversimplification.

Just to make a point: When hurricane Ike hit Houston in Sept. 2008 I was watching TV right up until the point that the power went out that night around 8:30pm. The next morning when we woke up and surveyed the damage I hooked up my generator, turned on my TV and tuned to The Weather Channel. I have DirecTV. The only time mine goes out is when it is storming REAL bad with lots of lightning over my house. Otherwise, raining or not the service works. I will say this; if the mount of the dish is not great then it can get choppy because the signal is susceptable to dish position and therefore any shift or wobble can effect signal delivery. Mine is bolted to a plate on my roof which is bolted to 2 2x4s.

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nice note about clouds, but back to topic at hand.
Sep 19, 2010 5:35AM PDT

well i had a figure that clouds had no effect, but no one really talks about it.

but anyway for the cost of any of this Dishes is there a good choice in there? witch is better?

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So close
Sep 19, 2010 5:55AM PDT

I am a DirecTV fan but only because they were the only TV provider at that time (out of Comcast, Dish, AT&T) that was carrying SPEED TV in HD. Now they all have that and more. They are all about the same now. DirecTV's CSRs are kick-*** too.