Comparison of Satellite Televisions

When comparing costs for satellite television service, you'll need to factor in monthly services, equipment costs and installation fees. DISH Network and DirecTV often offer a free satellite dish and receivers for up to four televisions, so find out if either company is running this promotion when you're ready to sign up. These companies also sometimes waive installation fees, so be sure to inquire about this when determining prices. As of the time of publication, the lowest priced plan for DISH Network is $24.99 per month, while DirecTV's plans start at $29.99. Sky Angels rating are quite a bit cheaper at around $15 per month. The number of channels varies per packages and prices for all providers increase with more channels, so determine which package appeals to you to figure out your monthly service fee.

Satellite television providers offer hundreds of channels. Some of these channels are offered through multiple providers, while others are available only through a specific provider. Both DirecTV and DISH Network offer on-demand and music channels as well as television programming and premium channels.

None of the satellite providers offers users the ability to select only the channels they want to watch and pay for them. They do offer a wide range of packages, however, in the hopes that at least one package will appeal to every subscriber. DISH Network offers more than 120 channels in its basic package, while DirectTV offers in excess of 150. Sky Angel currently offers 80 different channels.

High-definition programming is available on both DirecTV and DISH Network for no additional cost. All programming transmitted through satellite is digital, as is all cable these days, so the quality of standard-definition channels should be equal to that of cable service. Currently, DISH Network has 200 high-definition channels, while DirecTV offers 160. Sky Angel currently does not have any HD channels.

Both of the major satellite providers offer DVR services for approximately $5 per month and both provide free DVR receivers to subscribers. For die-hard TiVo fans, DirecTV and TiVo have partnered to provide a TiVo DVR box for DirecTV users. TiVo is not compatible with DISH Network, but the provider does offer a proprietary DVR box to subscribers.