Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - dish or digital?
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boomlaka
05-10-01, 08:29 PM
We currently have cable and would like to go to either digital or satellite. Which do you all prefer? Why? Please use second grade words as I am illiterate in the world of electronics. Thanks for your help!
Smokey
05-11-01, 06:32 AM
Good Morning, boomlaka:
I am sure there will other opinions on this issue so stand by for further posts.
I'm going to have to put in a vote for digital cable over the satellite concept. While satellite may be a little cheaper on the outset, I've built and helped in the launch of satellites for weather and such (for NASA). On a clear night, there should be nothing better for transmission quality. But, a rain drop can do the darnest things to the signal. In bad weather (when everyone is home and grouped around the tube), the reception is the worst.
Digital cable is pricey but you get all your local channels plus a few hundred others with excellent resolution.
The only real challenge you will face with cable is trying to figure out what to watch. With so many choices, there is bound to be a bit of frustration involved.
Smokey ;)
I am sure there will other opinions on this issue so stand by for further posts.
I'm going to have to put in a vote for digital cable over the satellite concept. While satellite may be a little cheaper on the outset, I've built and helped in the launch of satellites for weather and such (for NASA). On a clear night, there should be nothing better for transmission quality. But, a rain drop can do the darnest things to the signal. In bad weather (when everyone is home and grouped around the tube), the reception is the worst.
Digital cable is pricey but you get all your local channels plus a few hundred others with excellent resolution.
The only real challenge you will face with cable is trying to figure out what to watch. With so many choices, there is bound to be a bit of frustration involved.
Smokey ;)
dkerr
05-11-01, 05:51 PM
One advantage of cable is its ease of splitting it thruout your house and everyone can tune to their own thing without the added cost of additional receivers. Sure the digital portion required its own receiver but some locations in the house can have regular cablevision only.
With satellite , doesn't matter what the channel , you requrie an additional receiver for each location in order to tune independently from each other, and if more than 2 receivers you require a special satellite ditribution amp/splitter.
As smokey says ,weather can effect sat. reception, on the other hand your cablevision company does require some of their signals from satelitte recption, however they are likely using better equipment and larger dishes , possibly heaters on the dishes which can handle the weather a bit beater.
There is pros and cons to both systems , I like cable for its ease of splitting and the fact that my high speed internet provider comes on the same cable. Satellite can handle internet , but it is a one way trip, still need a telephone line to send the uplink portion of the internet connection. Cable does not require a telephone connection.
You can get sharper reception with satellite (depending on area, and weather) and in some locations where cable is not available may be the only option. But unless you have the most modern television set and am really extremely sensitive in the quality of your picture, then you may not appreciate the difference.
With satellite , doesn't matter what the channel , you requrie an additional receiver for each location in order to tune independently from each other, and if more than 2 receivers you require a special satellite ditribution amp/splitter.
As smokey says ,weather can effect sat. reception, on the other hand your cablevision company does require some of their signals from satelitte recption, however they are likely using better equipment and larger dishes , possibly heaters on the dishes which can handle the weather a bit beater.
There is pros and cons to both systems , I like cable for its ease of splitting and the fact that my high speed internet provider comes on the same cable. Satellite can handle internet , but it is a one way trip, still need a telephone line to send the uplink portion of the internet connection. Cable does not require a telephone connection.
You can get sharper reception with satellite (depending on area, and weather) and in some locations where cable is not available may be the only option. But unless you have the most modern television set and am really extremely sensitive in the quality of your picture, then you may not appreciate the difference.