Justin03248 Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 I've always assumed that Digital Cable and Satellite (supposedly digital as well) were the same quality, and I haven?t noticed a difference when using standard CRT models. However, I've just got a Sony SXRD 50? HDTV, and I get poor picture quality using S-Video input through a non-HD Dish Network Set-top box. My next door neighbors have an earlier Sony HDTV projection with standard Comcast regular cable, but it?s plugged directly into the back of the TV using coaxial with no set-top box. So now, I have a decision to make... Dish Network is coming out with a new HDTV promotion in March, which will connect via Composite cables. Will the connection with Composite cables help regular non-HD quality like my neighbors have a direct connection with their Cable, or does Cable just have better quality? If Cable has better quality, I'll have to switch to cable instead of paying $50 dollars for the new Dish Network HDTV receiver. So does Cable just have better quality than Satellite, or do I just need a composite cable connection? Any help would be apprec:)ted :) Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy1 Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 It really depends on the area. Picture quality on cable, which is mostly still analog channels, varies greatly. If you are truly concerned about the picture quality you're getting with Dish, I'd say you should give cable a try. There are no contracts, so if you decide you don't like it you're free to stop service whenever you want. I have DirecTV, and the SD picture quality is head and shoulders above what I could get from either of the two cable companies in my area. HD is a different matter entirely, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin03248 Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 It really depends on the area. Picture quality on cable, which is mostly still analog channels, varies greatly. If you are truly concerned about the picture quality you're getting with Dish, I'd say you should give cable a try. There are no contracts, so if you decide you don't like it you're free to stop service whenever you want. I have DirecTV, and the SD picture quality is head and shoulders above what I could get from either of the two cable companies in my area. HD is a different matter entirely, though. Is your DirecTV connected using composite or S-video/yellow cord? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W1cked-J Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 I have had both on a HD TV and they looked about the same to me with component video. The issue I had was I wanted to go with HD and Satllite was so much more expensive in my area for HD then Cable so I went with Cable. Plus Cable didn't die out during a good rain or snow storm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 So now, I have a decision to make... Dish Network is coming out with a new HDTV promotion in March, which will connect via Composite cables. Will the connection with Composite cables help regular non-HD quality like my neighbors have a direct connection with their Cable, or does Cable just have better quality? I hope you mean component cables, because composite are the lowest you can go without touching RF coaxial. You will NOT get HD using composite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy1 Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Is your DirecTV connected using composite or S-video/yellow cord? It is connected via S-video to all 3 of my TVs, two of which are HD (DLP and LCD) and one of which is SD (CRT). But again, I only get SD through DirecTV, so that's all I'm talking about. The HDTVs just bring out the flaws in the SD signal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaClearly Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 SD picture quality does vary from company to company and even channel to channel. I've had DirecTV, Dish Network, Voom and Bright House Networks and this is how I sum it all up. DirecTV and Dish Network are about the same (some channels look a little better on Dish and vice versa). Voom had by far the best SD picture quality of them all but they aren't in business anymore. Bright House Networks analog channels are worse than both satellite companies while their digital channels are just a tad bit better than both satellite companies. Now onto HDTV. In my case Bright House Networks is better than both Dish and DirecTV in HDTV picture quality. DirecTV is now worse than Dish in HDTV picture quality as both providers have been greatly reducing the bitrate of their HDTV feeds but Dish seems to not be as bad at it as DirecTV. I won't get into the offerings of each company. Now I currently have Verizon FIOS TV service and their picture quality on both SD and HD feeds are much better than all the listed companies above. On my 60+ inch HDTV screen SD such as Scifi is now watchable on Verizon TV as its so clear. Verizon hardly compresses anything and yes Verizon SD picture quality even kicks both DirecTV and Dish Network's behinds easy. HDTV picture quality is also much much better on Verizon TV compared to all companies above. Going to Verizon SD channels from digital SD channels was like me going from analog only cable to digital cable as the picture quality is that much of an improvement for my screen size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metro Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 I've always assumed that Digital Cable and Satellite (supposedly digital as well) were the same quality, and I haven?t noticed a difference when using standard CRT models. However, I've just got a Sony SXRD 50? HDTV, and I get poor picture quality using S-Video input through a non-HD Dish Network Set-top box. My next door neighbors have an earlier Sony HDTV projection with standard Comcast regular cable, but it?s plugged directly into the back of the TV using coaxial with no set-top box. So now, I have a decision to make... Dish Network is coming out with a new HDTV promotion in March, which will connect via Composite cables. Will the connection with Composite cables help regular non-HD quality like my neighbors have a direct connection with their Cable, or does Cable just have better quality? If Cable has better quality, I'll have to switch to cable instead of paying $50 dollars for the new Dish Network HDTV receiver. So does Cable just have better quality than Satellite, or do I just need a composite cable connection? Any help would be apprec:)ted :) Thanks. It is a matter of preference on how you like your service delivered to your home. Satellite can be good if you live in an area that will get a good signal from the dish, and cable can be good if you live in an area that has good throughput with the cable lines. Weather can affect both services actually, but weather affects satellite a lot more than cable. Cable is affected by weather if there is a cut in a line somewhere that will expand with heat or will allow water to get into the coax. Standard def is going to be about the same in terms of picture quality. The main issue is that you are taking a picture formatted to be square in size and stretching to fit a rectangle. So yes, it can look out of place and pixelated. You can correct this by turning off stretch and centering the SD channels on your HDTV but if you have a plasma set then please don't unless you want the bars from the pillarboxing to burn in permanently. Now, with satellite the thing about them that sucks is that you generally have to buy the more expensive equipment like the HD and DVR receivers. I am not sure if it is DirecTV or Dish Network, but one of them is upgrading their broadcast signal to reflect MPEG4 compression which will render older equipment that utilizes MPEG2 useless and you will have to buy new equipment. With cable, you rent the equipment and the cable company covers the cost of swapping out any faulty equipment that you may have. I honestly feel that you are best to go with cable. I am not saying this because I work for Comcast. I am saying this because when you compare the value in terms of pricing it is about the same. Picture quality is about the same. The main difference is in the equipment. There is nothing expensive to buy with cable and the cable company will replace anything that is faulty. With satellite, if your stuff breaks then a lot of the time you are left in the dark and have to buy new equipment. Another bonus is that any cable company that I have heard of does NOT require their customers to agree to an annual contract or require their customers to have a credit card to set up service like satellite companies do. Satellite companies also charge extra for access to your local stations. Satellite uses marketing ploys and commercials that accuse cable companies of constantly raising their rates, however DirecTV is raising their rates in March by as much as 8%. When the rates broadcasters charge to carry their signal increases, pricing for the services is affected. Comcast is raising rates in my area, but the charges for unrecovered equipment and other miscellaneous charges have actually been reduced. Comcast strives to try to offer the most competitive and fair pricing possible, and while cable may be priced a tad bit higher there is also LESS bull**** to deal with as opposed to satellite companies. Oh, here is some nice things you will find with making payments with DirecTV: Payment Fees ? Credit card, debit card or check-by-phone payments made with a representative post immediately, but are subject to a $5.00 phone-assistance fee. ? $15.00 disconnection fee charged to customers when DirecTV has to turn off services for non payment. ? To have services reinstated in one hour, customer signs in at website and may make credit card, debit card or one time electronic check payment to pay past late fees and charges. ? To have services reinstated immediately, customer telephones and asks representative to take late payment and fees (credit card, debit card or one time electronic check payment) over the phone. An additional $5.00 phone assistance fee applies. Sorry for the long post, but I like to try and give as much helpful info that I can so people get the best deal on things. I am a consumer myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_dandy_ Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 Digital cable is more future-proof than satellite, and I'm saying this as a satellite subscriber. Satellite providers are *much* more limited in bandwidth than cable providers, and the trend I've been seeing lately is that the more HD channels they add, the more they compress the sh*t out of each channel (mostly SD) in order to reallocate bandwidth for HD channels. Compression artifacts on an SD channel shown on anything larger than a 30" screen are plainly visible and annoying as hell. Heck, they annoy me on my 19" monitor. Even some HD channels don't look as good as they could as a result of high compression. I'm downright disgusted with some of the live feed based HD demos I've seen at at local stores. Satellite TV is a limited market that, in the future, will only serve those locations that cable cannot reach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P!P Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 There is really no comparsion. Cable is better and always will be. They'll always have more bandwidth. From personal viewing, cable looks better. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy1 Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 There is really no comparsion. Cable is better and always will be. Why did you have to come in here and stink up a perfectly reasonable thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galley Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 My ex-wife has basic cable. Remember how bad cable TV looked 10 years ago? Well, it still looks that bad. :wacko: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P!P Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 Why did you have to come in here and stink up a perfectly reasonable thread? What? I'm just saying that cable will always be able to have more bandwidth. More bandwidth = better picture. I was just coming out and saying it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BroChaos Veteran Posted February 12, 2006 Veteran Share Posted February 12, 2006 but thats not always the case in reality. it may be in theory...but thats not what we are discussing here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galley Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 As others have said, some channels have more compression than others. Vh-1 Classic has always looked horrible on DirecTV! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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