Who is the Best Cable TV or Satellite TV Provider?

[Unregistered]

I have a few options in my area between cable and satellite TV. Comcast, CenturyLink, DirecTV, and Dish Network.

I will need internet and a pay TV package and after pricing all four of these companies,

Comcast seems to offer the cheapest bundled package, followed by Dish Network for TV/Comcast for internet, then CenturyLink bundle but I don't get the kind of download speeds I want. Last is a Comcast and DirecTV combo which is more expensive, partly because I like the option of the whole-home DVR.

My questions is, which of these companies offer the best High Definition and DVR options for the money?

 

[Aaron62]

DirecTV has the most programming available if you pay enough money. I think Dish Network has the best rated customer service. CenturyLink is new to me though so I don't know what kind of programming they offer.

 

[Fringe Reception]

... CenturyLink is new to me though so I don't know what kind of programming they offer.

Aaron,

CenturyLink was QWest, renamed.

Jim

 

[dkreichen1968]

Aaron,

CenturyLink was QWest, renamed.

Jim

CenturyLink bought Qwest!!! Depending on the OPs location (a Century area or a Qwest area) they may have never had Qwest. I don't know anything about their IPTV offerings other than they want to bring them to my area. I do have to ask, are you sure you want to continue to pay for TV? I have CenturyLink Internet and an antenna. 24 live channels with better quality HD on the HD channels than cable, satellite, or IPTV. (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CW, MyNetworkTV, PBS) Plus lots of "cable" content off the internet. A penny saved is a penny earned.

P.S. Free SD channels at my location include THIS, The Cool TV, Me-TV, Antenna TV, Create, MHz Worldview, news and weather channels, and PBS channels.

 

[n2rj]

From what I hear, centurylink's Prism tv service has better picture quality than cable. But even though I live in a centurylink area they don't offer it here.

Directv does have the best dvr solution though, unless you want to go cable card and use media center.

 

[Guest]

After just getting out from comcast TV (after 2yrs on triple play) I can strongly recommend Dish.
My comcast price almost doubled after the first year, trying to find out these prices after the promo deals expire is very difficult. Very easy to upgrade and very difficult to downgrade service.

Going to from comcast to dish is like night and day!.
Excellent control of your account online, clear pricing and very easy to change things around (add and remove channels with very little penalty - $5 if channel removed within the same month of adding it). Plus the free Hopper DVR is fantastic, much more advanced with huge storage than the comcast DVR I had.

I have had to keep comcast for the internet as there is no other viable alternative where I live. It is expensive but fast, with my own modem with no rental charges.

 

[DougFL]

After just getting out from comcast TV (after 2yrs on triple play) I can strongly recommend Dish.

I have had to keep comcast for the internet as there is no other viable alternative where I live. It is expensive but fast, with my own modem with no rental charges.

I think your post highlights the dilemma that most people face with choosing a service provider. You mention that you got out of Comcast, and yet you have to keep their internet service which means you're paying a premium for it without their bundled TV service.

I really wish DirecTV or Dish Network would offer bundled services, and not a teamed up package combined with AT&T or CenturyLink. I think a lot more people would go with satellite TV if they could get competitive with cable TV services on bundled packages.

 

[O-O]

I really wish DirecTV or Dish Network would offer bundled services, and not a teamed up package combined with AT&T or CenturyLink. I think a lot more people would go with satellite TV if they could get competitive with cable TV services on bundled packages.

Dish recently began offering it's own internet service via satellite broadband, see: http://mashable.com/2012/09/27/dish-network-broadband/

 

[myron]

Comcast

 

[daquan]

cable

I think dish tv is better

 

[sarbear]

I think digital cable has a clearer connection, but satellite seems cheaper (with both DTV and Dish from what I read here).

Out of the options you mention though, I've had the best experience with cable via Comcast, but prices went up lots after a year and then I switched to CenturyLink for a bit (it was fine, but seemed slower).

I never had DVR, but I had the best high def experience with Comcast. My parents use Dish and seem to like it.

Sorry! Seems like there are pros and cons to all of them. :/