The Satellite Advantage
By Parrish Reinoehl, Pathfinder Networks
August 2005
In this month’s article I’m going to stray slightly from my normal computer technology focus and talk about a different type of technology- Dish Network Satellite TV.
Most consumers are aware of the different TV viewing options available in any particular area. For starters you have the old TV-antenna-on-the-roof option to pull in any local over-the-air stations. In our area that likely means being able to pull in channels 16, 22, 28, 34, 46, and if your lucky, 57. The great thing about this option is that it doesn’t cost a penny. The negative, as many know, is the limited number of channels and poor picture quality. The next option for many is purchasing cable TV, in the majority of our area that means having an account with Comcast. For those that can get it, cable is not a terrible option. You can get most of the channels you are looking for all with an adequate (well, most of the time) picture quality. The downsides to cable (as many of you already know) are constantly rising costs, poor picture quality on some channels, and the long and annoying wait for your service to be restored after a storm or outage (days or weeks!).
The other option for your TV viewing pleasure is to go with a satellite based product such as DirecTV or Dish Network. Now that both DirecTV and Dish Network offer South Bend locals, there are not many reasons to not choose the satellite option. Both Dish Network and DirecTV offer comparable monthly programming options- with Dish Network being slightly less expensive. The great thing about both Dish Network and DirecTV is that all channels- including the local channels- are 100% digital. You may be scratching your head wondering what all the fuss is about having a digital picture. The normal over-the-air signals (the type you pick up using a pair of rabbit ears or antenna on your roof) are analog. If you have any experience using an antenna you will understand why an analog signal is not ideal. Ghosting images, snowy pictures, and fading in and out are the norm when using an analog signal. With cable TV you have the same problems to deal with. Even if you have a digital cable system the signal that the cable company receives from the local stations is analog- they use an antenna similar to what you may have on your roof to pull in those local stations.
A purely digital signal, on the other hand, does not use an analog antenna to pull in those channels. All signals are digital meaning that you will not experience the ghosting, snowy, or fading in and out problems. Many times I have installed a Dish Network system for an unhappy Comcast customer. As soon as the system is activated and they view the new digital satellite picture they are astounded. If you are used to ABC channel 57’s low quality just wait until you see the perfect digital quality of this channel on satellite!
There are some differences between Dish Network and DirecTV. These differences primarily come in to play when you first sign up with either company. While both companies offer up to 4 rooms of digital television installed for free, Dish Network will also give you advanced equipment such as High-Definition and DVR (Digital Video Recover) receivers for free. DirecTV will charge an upgrade fee for any receiver above the standard receivers. Dish Network charges a $49.95 activation fee when you first sign up- but this $49.95 is credited back to you on your first month’s bill. DirecTV typically charges a $19.95 activation fee that is not refunded. Both Dish Network and DirecTV charge $5 per receiver after the first. This means that the base monthly programming fee includes the first receiver- any extra receivers are billed $5 per month each. Dish Network has a way around this as well. As long as you have a phone line near your TV we can install a dual-tuner receiver and you will not need to pay the $5 fee for the second TV! This dual-tuner receiver is a box that can control two televisions completely independently. You will have a remote control for each TV and can watch separate channels on each television. These dual-tuner receivers must always stay connected to a phone line to avoid the $5 fee. DirecTV does not offer an option such as this.
I briefly mentioned the DVR (digital video recorder) option earlier in this article. For those not familiar this is a TiVO type receiver. With this type receiver you can pause and rewind live TV. You can also record all your favorite television shows and set a schedule to record those shows at the push of a button. Think of this receiver as a VCR on steroids without tapes to swap! If you’ve never used a DVR device you truly do not know what you are missing. I use my DVR receiver to skip over all the commercials in the show I am watching and to automatically record the Sci-Fi Friday lineup so I can watch those shows at a time convenient for me. Dish Network charges $5 per month for this feature- a price that is well worth the cost!
The only requirements to become a Dish Network customer is a quick credit check, never having had a Dish Network account in the past, and a clear view of the southern horizon. If you are unsure if your home has a clear view of the southern sky we will be happy to perform a free site survey and discuss your options with you. Dish Network programming options start at $31.99 per month (including Locals!) for Americas Top60, $42.99 for Americas Top120 (includes Locals and Sirius Radio!), and $52.99 per month for Americas Top180 (includes Locals and Sirius Radio). Call Pathfinder Networks at 269-684-7696 for more information about Dish Network and it’s advantages.
About the Author:
Parrish Reinoehl is President of Pathfinder Networks; a Niles based technology consulting firm specializing in providing affordable computer services to small businesses and home users including networks, PC support, sales, and service. Pathfinder Networks can be reached at 269-684-7696 or via email at parrish@pathfindernetworks.us
Pathfinder Networks website is http://www.PathfinderNetworks.us
Visit our retail location at 1920 S. 11th St., Niles, MI (in Belle Plaza).
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