topic Re: Cable vs Dish picture quality? in Electronics

Cable vs Dish picture quality?

Marybella — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 20:18:00 GMT

I have Dish Network and I am considering the purchase of a new HD TV from Sam's Club. Wondering if the picture quality will be as good as it is on the display TV in the store. I assume the store display TV is connected to cable. Anybody know the difference between cable and satellite dish picture quality?

Re: Cable vs Dish picture quality?

In-x-s — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 02:28:27 GMT

If you have the HD programing from Dish, the signal should be just as good. You are not going to get HD quality unless you have HD signal.

Re: Cable vs Dish picture quality?

gardenman — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 11:13:45 GMT

The absolute best picture quality comes from an over the air antenna. Both satellite and cable compress HDTV signals to conserve bandwidth. The pictures aren't bad, but there's a certain crispness missing from cable and satellite feeds. Over the air comes uncompressed. A combination of an over the air antenna and a cable/satellite hookup for channels you can't get over the air is arguably the best combo.

Re: Cable vs Dish picture quality?

Marybella — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 11:52:12 GMT

@gardenman wrote:
The absolute best picture quality comes from an over the air antenna. Both satellite and cable compress HDTV signals to conserve bandwidth. The pictures aren't bad, but there's a certain crispness missing from cable and satellite feeds. Over the air comes uncompressed. A combination of an over the air antenna and a cable/satellite hookup for channels you can't get over the air is arguably the best combo.

Thank you. I live in a rural, small town and can't get much on an over the air antenna. You answered my question, and I appreciate it!

Re: Cable vs Dish picture quality?

Marybella — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 11:52:57 GMT

@In-x-s wrote:
If you have the HD programing from Dish, the signal should be just as good. You are not going to get HD quality unless you have HD signal.

Thank you. I do have HD from Dish.

Re: Cable vs Dish picture quality?

cowboy sam — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 20:48:54 GMT

Same here i have HD from dish and would never go back to cable.

Re: Cable vs Dish picture quality?

momtochloe — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 21:36:01 GMT

@gardenman wrote:
The absolute best picture quality comes from an over the air antenna. Both satellite and cable compress HDTV signals to conserve bandwidth. The pictures aren't bad, but there's a certain crispness missing from cable and satellite feeds. Over the air comes uncompressed. A combination of an over the air antenna and a cable/satellite hookup for channels you can't get over the air is arguably the best combo.

Thank you so much for this! When I was switching from Comcast to AT&T there was quite a lag so I started watching over the air channels. I couldn't believe that picture quality came out of my tv's!

It was a stressful day and I never followed up on it but this explains everything (please know with my cable company I do not subscribe to the HD channels so I do not expect to see that kind of performance). Thank you again so much!