Is Digital Satellite TV Right for You?

March 02, 2010

As you know, America has recently gone digital for all television signals. There are three ways to receive these signals: over the air with an antenna, from a cable provider, or from a digital satellite dish. Since the 1970s there has been a shift away from over the air reception, and now less than 10 percent of Americans receive their TV signal through an antenna. Cable was growing rapidly until the advent of the satellite dish, but now satellite usage is growing and cable is losing market share.

Digital Satellite TV Providers

Over the years there have been a number of providers of satellite TV, but at this time the two major providers, Dish Network and DirecTV hold the lion's share of the market. If you are considering the switch to digital satellite, here are some things you should consider.

Satellite TV Options: Rent or Own?

You have the option of purchasing the equipment and installing it yourself (or having it installed by a third party). You can also rent the equipment from the provider for a monthly fee. The benefit of renting is that if anything should go wrong they will replace it at no charge. You can also purchase an extended warranty for the equipment you purchase.

Satellite TV Installation

If you decide to purchase and install the equipment yourself, be prepared to spend the better part of a day, particularly if you have multiple TV sets. Cables must be run from the dish to the sets, the dish must be mounted and aligned, and the final adjustments will require two people. If you rent the equipment, installation is part of the deal.

Digital satellite TV is normally reliable, with a high quality signal. However, if you live in an area that has significant snowfall, be aware that snow accumulation on the dish will interfere with reception.