Dish vs. Directv HDTV

Dish Network's smallest HD TV service plans are the America's Top 120 Plus and America's Top 200 plans. The Top 120 Plus plan provides 30 HD channels, which are included in a total of 120 regular and HD channels. The Top 200 plan includes 55 HD channels within a package of 200 total channels. Channels included in the Top 120 Plus and Top 200 plan include basic channels as well as a variety of sports and family channels such as ESPN HD and Discovery Channel HD.

The smallest HD packages from DirecTV are the Choice and Choice Xtra plans. The Choice plan provides over 35 HD channels, including ABC Family HD, TBS HD, VH 1 HD and Bravo HD. The Choice Xtra plan includes more than 40 HD channels, including Fox Business HD, Planet Green HD, Speed HD, NHL Network HD, National Geographic Channel HD and others.

The biggest HD package from Dish Network is the America's Top 250 package. This package includes over 70 HD channels. HD channels provided in the 250 package that are not available in the smaller plans from Dish include Cooking Channel HD, DIY HD, Encore HD, Hallmark Movie Channel HD, National Geographic HD, Sportsman Channel HD and more. Packages are more expensive as the number of channels included increases.

The largest HD packages from DirecTV are the Choice Ultimate and Premier plans. The Choice Ultimate plan offers over 45 HD channels, including Encore HD and The Movie Channel HD. More than 85 HD channels are available with DirecTV's Premier package. Additional channels included in the Premier package that are not provided in the smaller packages include Cinemax HD, Golf Channel HD, HBO HD and Showtime HD. The packages increase in monthly price as the amount of channels increases.