Verizon HD Vs. DirecTV

DirecTV is available on a much wider scale than FiOS, which eliminates FiOS as an option for HD programming in many parts of the country. DirecTV is the leading satellite TV provider in the United States, with more than 19 million subscribers at the end of 2010. DirecTV can be ordered directly from the company or from local authorized dealers, and its service can be accessed anywhere with the proper equipment. FiOS, on the other hand, is only in markets in 18 states and the District of Columbia, as of 2011, serving 4.3 million subscribers.

Both FiOS TV and DirecTV offer a variety of programming packages, each offering a different number of channels in HD. In general, satellite TV can offer a greater number of HD channels overall because satellite transmissions are not subject to a finite bandwidth, as is cable TV. The fiber optics used with FiOS, however, also enable it to provide more HD channels than cable. Though the exact number varies depending on the specific package selected, DirecTV promises up to 170 full-time HD channels, while FiOS claims to offer more than 130.

The number of total HD channels advertised is not always indicative of the number of actual channels with full-time programming offered. The number of HD channels used for marketing purposes by the individual TV providers includes the HD on-demand and pay-per-view channels that are available to the subscriber, which are not the same as broadcast networks and channels. In terms of actual channels, both services are nearly equal, with FiOS having 115 HD channels, and DirecTV with around 100, as of 2010.

The picture quality of a televised image is primarily dependent on its broadcast source, and since both DirecTV and FiOS receive programming from the same sources, neither provider will have the edge here. The lack of compression does give DirecTV a slightly better picture than cable, with FiOS having a similar advantage. Though picture quality can be subjective, many reviews rate the picture offered by DirecTV and FiOS virtually the same, given the same quality HDTV and type of cable connecting it to the set-top receiver box.