One con for Satellite that isn’t mentioned, probably because it is so obvious, is the ability to mount a dish. For apartment dwellers this can eliminate Satellite as a choice.

So how many HD channels does Comcast offer? DirecTV has 85 and FIOS has 30, but Comcast is just listed as “Large HD Selection.”

I was actually contemplating a switch to FIOS (I have Comcast now). My apartment complex is wired for it. But I pretty much exclusively watch HD channels, so maybe I’ll wait until they roll more out.

Interesting article though. Thanks.

With all due respect to Mr. Hardy, how can an article designed to help users make the difficult decision on which provider to choose, completely omit the practice of HD-Lite?

Unless I missed it, there is no mention of the practice of downscaling HD content, which I know DirecTV does. I’ve been with DirecTV for 14 years and I am seriously considering switching because of this practice of downgrading HD signal quality in order to fit more channels. It would be good to know if FIOS engages in this practice too.

Soundzilla makes a good point. “HD-lite,” rate-shaping and downscaling are legitimate concerns to television subscribers. It’s also something that service providers don’t like to talk about. Hard facts are hard to come by, BUT if you want unaltered HD content, go with FiOS. Fiber has more than enough bandwidth, and all the customer reviews I’ve read say only good things about the quality. As an aside, at least ONE of those DBS companies has plans to launch more satellites to combat this issue, but as Soundzilla points out, it may be too little too late…

This article makes 30 HD channels sound horribly low in number.  Not to toot anyone’s horn or discredit others, but it just seems misleading when they seem to make out that FiOS might be bad because of only 30.  I would beg anyone to name the last 30 HD channels they visited.  Probably can’t name more than 15, unless you are really into obscure channels.  I’m sure Verizon has all the major ones that 99% of people watch.  ESPN’s, Big 4, Discovery, HBO, SHOWTIME etc etc.  So this apparent “lack” of HD choices seems like he has been turned by the marketing that pushes people to think they desperately need to have the service with the biggest, hmmm, number.  Which really doesn’t mean much to the consumer when thumb meats rubber button.  Otherwise good article.

HD quantity has been and always will be a comparison point, both by the service provider marketing departments and by consumers. But Trevor is right - subscribers thinking about switching should look at WHICH HD channels they watch, and find out if the competition offers it. (And for the record, it is mentioned that Verizon plans serious increase in HD channels in 2008, which must mean that quantity IS important to some…)

from what i’ve read, FiOS does offer the “least compressed” HD channels (not including over-the-air/antenna). also, while DirecTV touts a large array of HD offerings, many will be local channels only and so, not available to everyone… somewhat deceptive imho. lastly, another criteria, for me at least, is the UI and equipment each service provides/supports. if changing channels or recording a fav show is a chore, that will weigh heavily in my decision. side note: i’ve been with DirecTV for 15+ years and will be changing to FiOS later this month. from all that i’ve seen, the pic quality is better and due to the extensive bandwidth there’s more opportunity for growth without compression. and(!) i will not miss that stupid dish in my yard.

Hello All, People who are ditching the dish are going to make a big mistake. Where do you think the feeds come from in the first place. Well the answer is some type of satalite. I have owned comcast and now have direct tv. The direct tv HD line up is and i quote “is the best lineup to date” You get the channels you want. from spped hd to scifi HD to All the Movie channelts to VH! HD AND MTV HD there all there well almost all there ......but i used to pay a lot of money for cable and it was not worth the money or effort. This article also forgot to mention that with saltilite you dont have to pay for the HD dish and install. you just have to pay foir the reciever 99.99. There is no contest here when it comes to who is better. I have never been without service for more than 5 minutes maybe 2 times per year with sattalite, also this article forgot to mention that the sattalite compaines can alwasy upgrade there main sattalites in orbit, so ther will never be an obsolete service. HANDS DOWN SATTALITE IS CHEAPER, BETTER QUALITY AND HAS BETTER FUTURE CAPABILITIES. This is really a no brainer.—-Chris

One thing o forgot to mention about Compression. The Naked Eye will not be able to determin the difference if you sit 8-12FT on a 40” to 50” TV so for those who are thinking about FIOS need to decide wheather or not its woth it…you cant tell the difference…. I also have a built in hdtv tuner in my tv and compare over the air uncompressed with the direct tv broadcast and i cannot see a difference in either of em.  Save Your money folks…..

Chris, sorry, but you’re wrong on so many points. yes, all feeds do come from the same source… unfortunately what each provider does with those feeds is what we’re talking about here. DTV has a limited amount of pipe, and until they send up more birds (which they are indeed doing, slowly) they will keep compressing their feed to the user in order to fit all these new channels. if you doubt this, do a bit more research on the subject, i would love to hear your findings. as for HD line-up, i think that has been covered - what channels do you watch. i really don’t think the HD weather channel will be on my favs. and again, DTV says 200, but many are local channels only, not national. and installing? don’t get me started. i have never dealt with worse install techs than DTV’s, primarily because they outsource them to local knuckleheads. i have so many horror stories it would fill this page. my fav was the guy that showed up on the wrong day, to the wrong house, drunk. he, actually did a better job than some others. lastly, not sure what you mean by “upgrade their satellites in orbit”... how is that different that upgrading an earth-bound system. again, i’ve had DTV for some time and been without service on many occasions. i have a strong signal, but when bad weather hits, all i see is snow. that might be a result of location, which should factor into anyone’s decision. so, i’m thrilled you like DTV, but let’s get the facts straight when comparing the options. you still can pick whichever you like.

If i am so wrong on so many points than lets clear this up a little…
1 Direct Tv has the Largets HDTV lineup. YES
2. Direct Tv is cheaper than cable or Fiber. YES
3. can the human eye really tell the difference between a compressed signal ....Im gonna say No because most people will not be able to tell the difference especially on smaller tvs 40” and lower.
4.Free Installation HD dish and Install Yes
5. Can direct tv launch a new more powerful sattelite in space (FUTURE)  (more pipelines) YES

Barney i agree that the DTV installers are crap but they get the job done right and If you request a better tech than before than so be it…. Fiber is expensive and if something happens to that line….GOOD LUCK. your biggest complaint is due to compression and how a signal is handled, if you invited dad over or someone who is not technologically savvy and asked them “what image is better, and you had a setup with a compressed signal and a non compressed signal. i would Gaurantee that they would not see a difference. Bottom line is

Chris - i sit about 8-10 feet from my 50 sony and can instantly tell the dif between a DTV HD channel and the same content from my OTA antenna. furthermore, not all DTV’s channels are equal, some are compressed more than others based on popularity and demand.

ok, Chris, it doesn’t seem like you’re hearing me. 1) DirecTV has more channels - again, is the weather channel HD a deal breaker… not for me. quantity is not always better. also, and i repeat, many of their HD channels are local only, you will not be getting 200 HD channels anytime soon, also, there simply isn’t that much HD content for those channels to show. it’s gonna be while before we see a lot all HD channels. 2) DirecTV is cheaper - yes, for me fios will be $2 more, because i’m adding another dvr. otherwise, it would be cheaper. 3) Tell the pic quality dif… my eyes apparently can, so i guess that’s what matters isn’t it. my dad is not who i bought the tv for. 4) Free install - again, you get what you pay for. i have requested better installers, they weren’t that much better. the fact that the average customer will not know to request a special installer is important. oh, i wouldn’t say it’s actually free - i had to pay for the cement for the post, and the shovel the first installer broke. also, you are locked in for a 1-2 year commitment. 5) they can launch more birds -yes, and Verizon can upgrade their backend for better transmission. i still don’t see any advantage on either side. one final note, how many tv’s you have might also factor into this. with DTV you will need a $$ splitter (not the normal kind) for anything over 3 tvs. not so with fios or cable. probably not a big deal for most, but a factor none-the-less if you have a big house and lots of sets.

HI Barney, Its me again..
After the 2 year agreement it is indeed your box. you own it, cant say that with cable or Fiber Sell it on ebay who cares . Besides your still renting the box with cable anyway so what does it matter. Weather channel HD. I dont know what your argument is here. yes there are quite a few local channels for east and west broadcasts but you still gain with DTV no matter how you look at it. A mere 20 local HDTV Channels gobble up that statement while the rest which is 80HDTV premium channels is still better than anything ive seen and the list keeps growing…the fiber that you are planning on purchasing is fed from a server that is fed from a sattelite feed. I still think DTV has the advantage. I own 3 HD Tv’s and thats all i plan on owning. just bought a 52” samsung and still cant tell the difference between compressed and uncompressed ...hmmm its not enough of a difference to pay extra for..sorry dude just cant see waisting my money even if i get the weather channel and you don’t ........that still puts DTV ahead.

FIOS for the WIN.Verizon has sold their soul for fiber and wow what an investment. Im buying stock. Let me start have a pio 50” and a bravia xbr3 LCD, I had the chance of having comcast, direct TV and Finally just recently switched to Verizon FIOS TV. I have to say with out a doubt the picture quality blows all other providers out of the water. I have always been unsatisfied with SD content with other providers but with FIOS TV SD content its not compressed and really makes the most of sub par SD content. Dont get me started on HD content it pops off my screen. The quality is amazing and I have a since of mind knowing im getting the most out of my TV performance. Example, when watching sports events like football ,basketball etc etc I never get pixelation or motion blur. The only cons I have with fios tv network is that its still a baby and verizon has not had a chance to use all the bandwidth but they will so its not an issue. 2008 is right around the corner and will bring 150 HD channels for fiber customers thats just a taste of what is coming. Lets talk about my internet speed. 20mb download /  20mb upload Do you people understand stand how great that is. Plus when i signed up with fios I got a free 19” sharp LCD which is a quality set. I predict in 2008 verizon will begin to use that bandwidth and start to provide services other company’s can only dream about. Lets face it Cable providers have maxed out their bandwidth and not have to give up SD channels just to provide more HD channels. This was is clearly over. Good luck cable providers verizon is coming.

Fiber is too expensive to maintain, and you cant run fiber all over. If you have a physical outlet in your home that is a physical fiber connection than your lucky to be in an area where you can have that option. Fiber will never work its expensive and if the lines break that is not good news, wait until your first outage and then tell me about speedy service. I run fiber for a living and when it comes down to it. your still relying on a wire to get your data through .....eventaully that will be surpassed. Folks have no idea of what the future brings with satelite technolgy. everything is becoming wireless. Wy would you invest money into fiber runs…DUMB DUMB DUMB. wired connections are a thing of the past…......plus you cant even get the NFL ticket geez…....also why do you think comcast or time warner havent gone with fiber…..cause its expensive and when the service goes down you will be without service for hours or days and its expensive to replace…guess who pays for that ....you do :-)

CHRIS V:: I don’t want to hurt your feelings but…Some of what you say I can agree with.  But serious for someone that claims to be in the field of laying fiber most of your claims are seriously just silly and I’m surprised your employer allows you to work in the field. Here let me set you straight so next time your boss calls you in his office you don’t make a @#@ of yourself.  #1 you say fiber is too expensive to maintain are you serious???, Fiber wire is much cheaper than copper wires have you seen the latest prices for copper its almost worth more than gold. The only expensive part of a fiber network is the laser. The power consumption alone with fiber is fractions of the cost of copper. Any time your replacing copper lines the size of your thigh with a wire the size of a hair strand you save room and money. Look at china’s new infrastructure all fiber. Also you claim that comcast and time warner hasn’t switched to fiber are you kidding me. Comcast and timewarners whole entire back bone has been replaced with fiber you nit wit. The difference is they are not bringing fiber to the side of peoples homes. They are forcing the consumer to split the bandwidth with the entire neighborhood. Get your facts straight so called field expert #2 With any wired premise their is always a chance to have wires cut due to construction etc etc, Good thing their are tools such as fiber splicers to fix such issues. A good fiber splicer can repair/fix 10 or more fiber wires per hour. #3 FCC regulates our airwaves very harshly. I like the idea of wireless dont get me wrong but right now it lets face the facts America is about 10 years behind japan in Wireless technology. I don’t want to rant on this issue too much but in America you will not see a wireless keyword ” ISP” data provider giving 20mb down and 20mb upload such as fiber in the next 10 years, With fiber I get that speed every time and its dedicated and I do not share it with anyone but myself. Also ask any home owner trust me they don’t want an dish on your property its ugly and just looks tacky any home owner association hates dishes they are ugly. Plus in my area we get alot of flaky weather I have been their done that we all know how wireless/DISH is unreliable. #4 Lets move on to NFL ticket or other sports packages. Everyone knows FIOS is a baby compared to other TV providers. Everyone knows due to contracts and other red tape fios TV cannot offer certain packages. In 2009 new contracts will be written and FIOS TV will have over 150 HD channels plus more custom sports packages than you could shake a stick at. Any time a consumers services goes down to a network outage or “constructions accident” cable providers will give credit for outages. All you have to do is call them and they will be more than happy to credit you back. TRY GETTING CREDIT BACK FROM DIRECT TV WHEN A RAIN STORM IS TAKING YOUR PICTURE OUT. GOOD LUCK, NOT ONLY ARE YOU PAYING FOR CRUMMING WEATHER RELATED OUTAGES BUT THEY DONT EVEN GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR IT. Sorry chris V if i might have stomped on your pride but seriously im surprised your in the field of fiber.

Well I’ve had Verizon FIOS Internet for over a year and it hasn’t gone down ONCE!

Tivo Series 3 and FIOS are looking like the best option more and more every day. Once my contract with DirecTV is done, I think I’m going to switch to FIOS TV. I’ll take 30 channels of true HD over 150 channels of compressed, HD-Lite from DirecTV or cable companies.

As for fiber not having the bandwidth…you’re smoking crack. Once that fiber cable is run to the house, you’re already ahead of traditional cable systems in sheer bandwidth alone.

I’m just hoping someone can confirm that FIOS doens’t engage in HD-Lite.

After switching to cable (local Suscom) from DTV 4 years ago, I’m going back this weekend.

Since the rise of HD & DVR & all that fun stuff, Comcast (my current cable provider who bought out Suscom) falls WAY short on all aspects of performance & customer satisfaction.

Literally only a handfull of HD channels (just in the past month has it bumped up to MAYBE 15) and a very clunky DVR interface combined with complete idiots on the other end of the phone line at tech support have made me jump ship back to DTV and risk the weather interference (which I’ve been hearing is less of an issue with the new 5-LMB dishes…true????). Not to mention the HD compression (which IS extremely easy to spot) looks pretty bad on my 70” LCD.

I’m getting the Verizon package so they’ll handle everything else (phone, internet, cel) AND they will waive the cancellation fee with DTV if you switch to Fios within 60 days of it becoming available (which I was TOLD would be August sometime).

I’ve been checking Fios availability weekly and will get on board with them as soon as humanly possible.

By the way, it’s very hard to take people who have the spelling skills of a 4th-grader seriously.

Wish me luck!

Hard wire is passe’?
Please.

Just like the internet was going to make all brick and mortar stores obsolete.

Hard wire (FOIS) will be demanded in the future.  Just like looking for a great school for your kids.  Buy a house in a bad school district?  Never.  But a home without highspeed internet access…..NEVER!

do I need a receiver box in every TV room with FIOS