Comcast Tops Satellite in HD Picture Quality Survey.

[Groundbeef]

I think more satellites DirecTV and Dish put into space, the bigger dish have to be to capture those satellites which might limit as to how many satellites can be launched to carry more HD channels.

Comcast might have an advantage in the above scenario over satellite companies since that limitation is eliminated and are not bound to a fixed bandwidth capability.

I don't follow. DirecTV had to come out to my house to change out the dish for the upcoming sat feeds (Local HD, and the increase in HD offerings). The physical dish increased in size by maybe 3" across, so its hardly noticable. An added benefit is that AFTER they carry my local channels in HD, I can REMOVE the "Local" dish I have to have up now.

ComCast has NO such advantage. They are limited by the bandwidth of the physical cable that runs from the central station to the home. Unless they switch every line to fiber, they are going to lose the HD battle. Sat distribution of signal is more efficient, and can handle larger bandwidth requirments, as more sats can "share the load".

Its not like I need 1 dish for each sat. The one I have now picks up 3, after the new ones get up this year, it will be able to recieve 5 signals. And I don't have to do anything different. Its already programmed in my box.

As far as OTA being more "clear" than offerings from either Sat or Cable, their may be some validity to the claim. Typically these OTA feeds do NOT need compression as they are a single feed from a single source. The main downside to the OTA feeds are that not all homes will be able to get them depending upon location, and broadcast signal strength.

For example, I am able to currently pull in FOX, and ABC. (Yeah, LOST, and 24 whooho). But not NBC, or CBS. PBS comes in clear as a bell though. But when DirecTV gets the sat going in my area (next month), I will get ALL affiliates in HD. So I guess a compressed signal will be better than NO signal.

[Smokey]

ComCast has NO such advantage. They are limited by the bandwidth of the physical cable that runs from the central station to the home. Unless they switch every line to fiber, they are going to lose the HD battle.

I am not sure how much bandwidth cable can carry, but there are couple of new technology on the way such as Switched Video (SV) or switched broadcasting that can address bandwidth issues with fixed cables.

But I imagine all of TV program provider will run into bandwidth problem down the road as more HD channels come on line, as neither cable or satellite have unlimited bandwidth capability. Satellite provider have to carry every local channels cross the country in their feed, and that alone will eat up alot of bandwidth.

By the way, did you have to pay for new dish or DirectTV did?

[Groundbeef]

I am not sure how much bandwidth cable can carry, but there are couple of new technology on the way such as Switched Video (SV) or switched broadcasting that can address bandwidth issues with fixed cables.

But I imagine all of TV program provider will run into bandwidth problem down the road as more HD channels come on line, as neither cable or satellite have unlimited bandwidth capability. Satellite provider have to carry every local channels cross the country in their feed, and that alone will eat up alot of bandwidth.

By the way, did you have to pay for new dish or DirectTV did?

Its officially a 'gray' area in the DirecTV policy. Because I bought a D10 box @ BB, they 'upgraded' my 3NLH sat dish to the 5NLB dish (will handle the new sats). On older equipment you technically would have to pay, but your going to need the new reciever anyway. If you have the protection plan it makes it easier for you to talk them into doing the service call for free.

The new reciever will handle MPEG-4 signals, but the old boxes only do MPEG-2.

Thats why DirecTV launced the 3 new Sats starting in 2006. It has increased their bandwith sufficiently to cover all the new HD signals AND local programming.