DishNetwork vs Comcast? - Bay Area

[BruceRee]

I've recently joined the big screen community and am wondering which provides a better quality/ clearer picture DishNetwork or Comcast. I'm currently using DishNetwork and am wondering if it's worth my while to switch to Comcast digital cable. My current DishNetwork receiver has S-Video out but no component/ HD output. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Woochifer]

The one advantage of going with Comcast is that they carry the HD feeds for local stations (might want to check with them to make sure that this is true in your neighborhood) plus Fox Sports Bay Area HD, which satellite does not carry. Disadvantage of course is that your non-HD basic cable channels will still go out over the analog channels, and Dish's picture quality on those channels will be a lot better.

Dish does not carry the HD feeds for local stations, but their HD receiver does include an over-the-air tuner that can receive the local HD signals. Problem is that it varies depending on how well your area can pull in that UHF signal, and you might have to install an aerial antenna to pull a strong enough signal. Plus, you have to buy the new satellite receiver regardless.

Not sure about Dish, but I know that with Directv you have to upgrade both the satellite receiver and the dish itself to get HD. Directv plans to offer local HD stations sometime in 2006, but the satellite needed to initiate that service won't even launch until next summer. Might want to check and see what Dish's long-term HD plans are.

Right now, the satellite service that has the most HD programs is Voom, which only started up about a year ago. I've been hearing great things about their service, but their HD advantage is short-term.