Raise your hand if you’ve ever yelled at your TV because the cable went out—again. We’ve all been there, right? The thing is, choosing how you get your TV entertainment shouldn’t be difficult at all. It’s just all about knowing the facts and understanding what works for your needs. You don’t just pay the bill and hope for the best. And when it comes to home entertainment, there are only two main options: cable and satellite TV. Now, since you’ve found your way here, you’re likely thinking of getting satellite TV over cable, and you’re trying to justify your decision by looking into the benefits you can get from getting it.
First things first, we would want you to understand what the difference is between cable TV like Cox, and satellite TV, like Planet DISH. Let’s start!
What Is Satellite TV?
Satellite TV is a television service that delivers programming to your home via signals sent from satellites orbiting Earth. You can think about it this way: a satellite in space broadcasts TV signals, your satellite dish picks them up, and your receiver translates those signals into shows, movies, sports, or whatever you’re in the mood for. Unlike cable TV, which uses physical cables to transmit signals, satellite TV relies on a dish antenna installed at your location to receive signals from a satellite provider. Popular satellite TV providers include Dish Network and DIRECTV.
What Is Cable TV?
Cable TV is a television service that delivers programming to your home through physical coaxial or fiber-optic cables, typically run underground or along utility poles. It works by sending TV signals through cables directly to your house, which then gives you access to shows, movies, sports, and more. With this service, you can usually get a consistent signal, and many providers bundle cable TV with internet or phone services for convenience. Major cable TV providers in the US include Xfinity, Cox, and Spectrum.
4 Reasons to Choose Satellite TV Over Cable TV
For most people, they will always choose cable TV over satellite TV because of the stereotypes and misconceptions about satellite. However, there are actually several advantages of choosing satellite over cable TV, and that’s what we’re here to share:
1. Satellite TV is more available than cable TV.
Cable TV isn’t as accessible as satellite TV. If you live in a rural area or an area outside the city, cable lines might not even reach your home. Satellite TV, on the other hand, only needs a clear view of the sky to work its magic. So if you have a dish installed, you can enjoy hundreds of TV channels, even Spanish TV, no matter where you are. If you’ve ever been told “Sorry, cable TV is not available in your area.”, satellite is your best option.
If you live in a rural area, you have better chances of enjoying your home entertainment with satellite than with cable TV. But keep in mind, though, that even if you’re in an urban area, you can still use satellite TV — in fact, you can even enjoy better coverage in big cities as well.
2. You can enjoy more channels.
Who doesn’t love many channels? Satellite TV packages often come with a massive lineup of channels, sometimes hundreds more than cable for a similar or a better price. No matter what content you like, sports, movies, international shows, or others, most satellite providers offer plans with variety. Plus, you’re more likely to get those hard-to-find channels that cable might not carry.
3. Flexible packages and customization.
Many satellite TV providers give you more control over your plan. That simply means you can mix and match packages or channels to fit your specific needs. Some cable can sometimes lock you into rigid bundles with channels you’ll never watch. Satellite’s flexibility means you’re more likely to pay for what you actually want, saving you some frustration (and maybe a few bucks).
Of course, it varies depending on the provider you’ve chosen. But most likely, you’ll get some sort of personalization or customization based on what you really like. You still have to manage your expectations, though. You might get disappointed if you think you’ll always get what you want.
4. You can enjoy high definition viewing.
High-definition viewing isn’t only for cable users. Some satellite providers like DIRECTV offer 4K streaming. This only means that you can also enjoy that crisp, vivid picture quality that makes every show or movie feel like a front-row seat. With many satellite plans including HD channels at no extra cost, and even on-demand movies and TV shows for you to enjoy.
The Bottom Line
Choosing satellite TV over cable TV is a great idea for many people because of its accessibility, variety, and flexibility. While it’s not always considered the best option for most households, there are actually a lot of advantages in choosing satellite TV. It just depends on your preferences and how you plan to use it.
