Dish satelite vs Cable quality?

If you want great picture quality, there is really just one way to go. BIG DISH!

Seriously, the 10 foot diameter, "C" band has the best picture I have seen, and I have had, both cable and Dish Network to compare it against. (To be honest, I have not had HDTV on any of the systems, but from what I have read, it still is the best on the Big Dish).

The problem is that is is not nearly as convenient (I.e. you have to switch between 2 dozen satelites to switch between channels, it is fairly expensive (although still cheaper than cable) and the initial cost is very high. ($3K+). In addition, there is maintenance on the dish, which seems to malfunction every few years or so, I guess because it is constantly swivelling to track different satelites. I finally gave up after about 5 or 6 years, and went with the very convenienct Dish Network which has a built in Digital recorder, which is "Hella" cool (to quote Eric Cartman).

If you want absolute best picture, choose "C" band, or if you want next best, pick Dish Network (Or direct TV, as I think they are about the same thing.)

Good Luck!

I have a Motorola 5100 HD cable box and the HD channels are superb. They are essentially as good as my DVD player. Comcast here in Atlanta offers NBC, CBS, ESPN, INHD, INHD2, and 2 HBO channels in HD. (I am still waiting for ABC.) I use the component video out to get HD in progrssive scan. I like cable service because high speed Internet comes in on the same line and I get one bill for everthing.

I've had the chance to compare both HD cable and Dish network HD sat on my panasonic HD projector. On HD it is a toss up as far as video quality goes. On regular tv I would give the nod to Sat. I went with HD cable because the offer more HD channels. I'm located in the Atlantic CIty, NJ area.

I have some experience with both DirectTV and Dish. I prefer the on-screen programming of Dish, although their remotes don't last very long. I am waiting for the Dish 921.

For now I get my High Definition with a UHF antenna attached to my attic winsow sil. Great picture, enen on my High Definition projector.

I had cable for over 5 years, then the pricing sent me looking for something better. I now have a Dish 500 set up, with a receiver that receives dolby digital. I do not have HDTV so I cannot comment on it. As to the others, the dish kills the cable in every way. Sound, picture, and price. I'm watching on a 36 in television, so I have no idea how it would stack up larger ones.