Satellite & TV Information brought to you by insurance deals at 2shopsmart.com    

Selecting a Satellite TV Network from the Audiences Perspective


The numbers of those who just connect their TV to a simple roof top antenna can probably be counted on the fingers of one hand. I assume you are not one of those minimalists who need 30 minutes of news programming to get by in a day. Most likely, you are one of those millions who want 200+ channels in their home and are wondering which of the biggies to choose.

There are hundreds of websites offering detailed price lists, programming analysis and freebies. I will not attempt to compete with them. By a simple comparison of costs, you are unlikely to get a good idea of the content and value of these channels. Therefore, we need to look at the viewing audience and see what the specific requirements of user groups are. On pricing, let me make a few general statements first:

  • Nothing is free. When any of the networks offers you free equipment and installation, it is only deferring payments over a year. Both DirecTV and Dish Network require you to commit on a one-year subscription.
  • If you are an average watcher - say 2-3 hours per day - then, over a two-year subscription - your costs with DirecTV or with Dish Network will be very similar.

To help you decide, I have broken down viewing audience into a few well-defined sub-groups. We will look at the networks from their differing perspectives.

Working Families - viewing primarily in evening hours or on weekends

  • Requirements: parental control on specific channels (children may be unsupervised during the day), control over pay per view, adequate children programming and info-entertainment channels. OK sports coverage. Availability of Internet, local channels.
  • Recommendation: either DirecTV or Dish Network is good enough. Select on least cost basis - Dish Network is marginally ahead here.

Housewives at home - not working

  • Requirements: recording capability, good film channel availability, good HD TV.
  • Recommendation: Dish Network.

Elderly people

  • Requirements: good film channels, good news coverage, religion channels. Internet, sports, simpler choice of equipment.
  • Recommendation: Dish Network

Immigrant workers in the USA

  • Requirements: language content from the relevant region, good news coverage.
  • Recommendation: DirecTV

Young working families

  • Requirements: strong sports content, easy shift of residence, good HDTV, and easy shift of residence.
  • Recommendation: DirecTV for strong sport and Dish Network for easy mobility

While both the networks offer you a number of accessories, the variety available with Dish Network is larger. The key accessories are:

  • IR to UHF converter for the remote - That means that even if you have hooked up four TVs as both the networks do free, you could only operate the receiver with the remote if you were in the same room as the receiver. The IR to UHF converter makes your remote radio controlled. This means that you can now operate it from any room in the house. Installation is simple; just plug it into the mains!
  • Wireless Phone Jack - Sometimes, you may not have a phone jack near the receiver. However, your receiver needs to communicate with the network for a pay per view TV experience. Just plug the wireless phone jack to a phone jack and an electrical outlet. The phone signals now travel on the electrical line to the receiver.

Purchase of Equipment
Dish Network insists that you use equipment supplied by them. Sounds autocratic but is OK by me since what you get is perfectly tuned equipment that works well together. DirecTV allows you to mix and match equipment of your choice. The key issue here is that you are responsible for compatibility issues.

Final Recommendation
As I read the paragraphs above, my choices become clear. For most general classes of viewers, Dish Network is a better choice - marginally in terms of cost, it also offers better HD TV choices and more accessories. If your main interests lie in sports or you are interested in foreign language programming - look at DirecTV. It offers more choices in these categories. You must be a more educated viewer by now and the decision you have to take must be clearer. Here is wishing you hours of satisfying viewing.

Al Falaq Arsendatama - (c) 2005

Visit our website: Satellite TV Choice - Direct TV vs Dish Network for more reviews on the two leading satellite TV networks.


MORE RESOURCES:

Globe and Mail

New Kurdish satellite TV station goes on air
Rapid tv news
Sterk TV, a satellite television channel broadcasting predominantly in the Kurmanci and Sorani dialects of Kurdish, has launched this week. The channel will broadcast programmes 'reflecting the differences, colours and cultural richness of Iraqi ...
New Kurdish TV station starts broadcastingToday's Zaman

all 9 news articles »


A look at cable, satellite TV earnings reports
Live 5 News
AP Exclusive: Ill. torture panel strapped for cash AP National News Video More>> Analysis: Obama, GOP work to frame what matters: how economy is now, or where it's headed? More>> Analysis: Obama, GOP work to frame what matters: how economy is now, ...



New York Daily News

Ahmadinejad lauds launch of Iran's Spanish-language satellite TV as blow to US ...
Washington Post
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's president on Tuesday lauded his country's newly launched Spanish-language satellite TV channel, saying it would deal a blow to “dominance seekers” — remarks that were an apparent jab at the US and the West.
Iran's Spanish satellite TV channel launches with presidential aplombRapid tv news
Iran launches Spanish-language satellite TV channelBelfast Telegraph
Iran launches new satellite TV channel in SpanishAhram Online

all 145 news articles »


Satellite-TV group: City's jamming us
Philadelphia Daily News
BY JAN RANSOM ENFORCEMENT of a bill passed by City Council last fall to regulate placement of TV satellite dishes has been stalled due to a petition filed with the Federal Communications Commission by the satellite-dish industry.

and more »


USA TODAY

DirecTV to pitch satellite TV through mobile app for SI swimsuit issue
FierceCable
DirecTV (Nasdaq: DTV) struck a unique deal with Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX) Sports Illustrated to market its satellite TV product through a mobile video application built for SI's popular swimsuit edition. The app for Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone and ...
DirecTV and "Sports Illustrated" are teaming up to promote the magazine's ...The Journal News | LoHud.com

all 67 news articles »


Prosecution summons Kuwaiti trio in storming of Al-Watan TV
Arab Times Kuwait English Daily
KUWAIT CITY, Feb 7: The Public Prosecution has summoned three Kuwaitis for attacking the Al-Watan Satellite TV channel building and damaging the property of the channel and vehicles of the employees, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.

and more »


MirrorFootball.co.uk

Football 'victory' in satellite TV row
Irish Examiner
Football industry bosses today said they would tackle publicans using foreign satellite systems to broadcast Premier League action without permission after a new court ruling in a long-running row over the screening of live games in bars.
Premier League bosses claim victory in satellite TV pub rowMirrorFootball.co.uk
Premier League and satellite firms in new court rulingBBC News
Premier League claims victory in foreign decoder caseDigitalTVEurope.net
Journal Live -The Independent -Rapid tv news
all 36 news articles »


A look at cable, satellite TV earnings reports
Live 5 News
AP National News Video More>> Analysis: Obama, GOP work to frame what matters: how economy is now, or where it's headed? More>> Analysis: Obama, GOP work to frame what matters: how economy is now, or where it's headed? More>> By The Associated Press ...

and more »


A look at cable, satellite TV earnings reports
Newsday
Click here A look at cable, satellite TV earnings reports Published: February 1, 2012 12:00 PM By The Associated Press The Associated Press () Here is a summary of earnings reports for selected cable and satellite TV companies and what they reveal ...

and more »


A Look at Cable, Satellite TV Earnings Reports
ABC News
Here is a summary of earnings reports for selected cable and satellite TV companies and what they reveal about the industry's prospects: Jan. 24: Verizon Communications Inc. says it added 194000 FiOS TV subscribers to end the year with 4.2 million.

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006