Cable TV vs. Satellite TV
 

I am a long-time Cable TV subscriber but considering switching to Satellite TV. I am not sure of the reliability and picture quality of Satellite reception since I have never used it. It would be useful to get some feedback from anyone who has tried both.
Which do you prefer and why?

Internet TV!

Cable. Internet can be added.

.

Where are you located?

I'm in Ontario, Canada. Satellite TV is being offered by Bell Canada. Even if I go with Satellite TV I can still get internet connection through cable line or dsl on phone line so that is not an issue. All I am really concerned with, other than price, is whether Satellite TV reception is reliable and similar quality to cable.

for me, satellite is clearer, but you will have problems with snow and ice on the dish...

internet :rasta

Sat TV picture quality, for me in Colorado on Dish Network, is MUCH BETTER.

Not even close.

Always have had cable...

Here in Texas analog cable beats satellite to me - no mpeg artifacts. I haven't noticed mpeg artifacts on my friends' digital cable, but I sure have on satellite.

Heavy snow or rain knocks out my signal a few hours a year. Does not snow much here in the Smoky Mountains and the further north the worse the sat footprint.

That said I love my sat service.

Here in FL I tried Satellite when I got a new HD TV. First problem was I was very limited as to where I could place the dish so I couldn't get HD and had to settle for regular programming. When HD finally became available through my only cable choice, I wanted to switch but had to pay a fee to end my contract early with DIRECT. Then they gave me the runaround on returning the equipment and it turned into one big clusterfuck. I will NEVER deal with DIRECT again.

Now I get HD cable and internet at a lower price than I was paying DIRECT for just regular TV programming AND I never lose reception when it rains which happens almost daily in the summer. Also cable has no contract so I can opt out at any time at no charge.

BellTV can be expensive if you get their biggest package. I think my bill is around $111 a month plus tax for Bell. I also called up their retentions line and bitched and got a 20% discount off my bill. There's a thread on redflagdeals discussing the best way to do that.

If you call them up and tell them you are considering switching from cable to them they will probably cut you a pretty decent deal, better than you can get in any store.

No problems with reception here in Ontario. It will go out briefly right before a big rainstorm, and that is about it. No problems with snow here.

Just don't get Comcast (Xfinity) that shit goes out every two fucking minutes, especially the internet