Cable vs Dish picture quality?

Marybella · ‎03-09-2010

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?

In-x-s · ‎03-09-2010

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.

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

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.

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Marybella · ‎03-09-2010

@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!

Marybella · ‎03-09-2010

@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.

cowboy sam · ‎06-15-2015

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

preds 06-21-20
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momtochloe · ‎11-03-2013

@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!