As prices continue to fall on large HDTV’s, more and more homeowners are looking to hook up with the best HD content. So who offers the best HD programming in the US, cable, DIRECTV or DISH Network?
It is easy to take cable off the table, because Satellite TV providers more national HD channels than any cable company in the US. This is because of the different delivery method employed by satellite and cable providers. Cable company must have the proper network structure in place before they can add a significant number of HD channels. While with DIRECT TV and DISH Network, they can deliver as many HD channels as possible as long as they have enough satellite capacity available.
It's a bit complicated when you compare DIRECTV to DISH Network in terms of HD offering. Both DIRECT TV and DISH Network claim they have the most HD channels in the US. So who is telling the truth? And who provides the best HD option? I will compare HD programming provided by DIRECT TV and DISH Network side-by-side in order to draw an unbiased conclusion here.
As the No.1 Satellite TV provider in the US, DIRECT TV currently offers over 130 National HD channels , as well as local channels in HD (where available). In comparison, DISH Network offers around 120 national HD channels plus local HD channels (where available). It doesn't necessarily mean DIRECT TV beats DISH Network because both companies pad their numbers by using pay per view, regional sports networks, and on-demand channels as cable TV does. Almost all the important national HD channels are available on both Satellite TV platforms.
Now there is one significant factor to consider when comparing HD options between DIRECT TV and DISH Network: packaging and pricing. Both DIRECT TV and DISH Network offers HD package on top of the basic standard-definition programming package for additional $10 per month. With this $10/month HD package, you can get HD versions of all channels included in your standard-definition package. For example, if you get ESPN and TNT in your base package, then you’ll get ESPN HD and TNT HD as well.
However with DIRECTV, you can not subscribe to that $10/month HD package alone without subscription to any base standard-definition package. On the other hand, DISH Network offers a special stand-alone HD series that consist of 100% HD channels. This “TurboHD” series packages offer up to 65+ HD channels. Customers can subscribe to TurboHD packages starting from as low as $9.99 per month for 6 months (after that regular price of $29.99/month applies) via the current special offer from DISH Network. This is what you couldn’t get from DIRECTV.
So I hope you have a better understanding after I compare DIRECT TV to DISH Network.
For more comparison of DISH NETWORK vs DIRECT TV in pricing, programming, customer satisfaction and more features, I recommend you checking out Satellite TV Info. It is a specialized Satellite TV info website that provides you with all the useful information about Satellite TV and Satellite TV provider. Be sure to try that website.
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