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Unless you have lived in a cave the past decade, you have certainly heard about satellite TV. There are currently 2 main satellite system TV choices. They are Dish Network and DIRECTV. The following will guide you through some of the basics of satellite TV.

Picture Quality:

Satellite TV offers 100% digital picture quality for a clear, crisp picture.

Audio Quality:

Satellite TV allows you access to hundreds of channels of digital sound and digital music channels. DIRECTV offers over 65 digital XM satellite radio channels and Dish Network offers over 60 channels of Sirius satellite radio channels.

Channels:

Basic packages through DIRECTV offer over 40 channels including the local channels while Dish Network's basic package offers 100 channels. Both satellite providers offer over 250 channels in their premier packages.

Both providers offer many dedicated sports and movie channels. DIRECTV is the exclusive provider of the "NFL Sunday Ticket" which offers die hard football fans access to their favorite NFL team's games.

HDTV:

What better way to put that new HDTV to work then to test out the many HD channels offered by the satellite tv providers. Dish Network currently has the highest amount of HD channels with over 30, however DIRECTV has recently announced that it will soon have the capacity for 150 HD channels.

Local channels:

For years, the biggest drawback to satellite tv was their lack of local network channels in many areas. Many viewers did not want to lose access to their local tv stations so they paid a few more bucks to the local cable tv company. Now both Dish Network and DIRECTV are now able to offer local channels for most markets.

Cost:

Generally costs of satellite tv is very competitive, many times it costs lower then a comparable amount of channels with the local digital cable provider. Both Dish Network and DIRECTV currently offer packages starting at under $30 per month, while their premier packages go up to about $90 per month.

Equipment:

In order to broadcast channels, there needs to be a line of sight between the broadcaster and receiver. While local broadcast channels lose line of sight due to mountains and the natural curve of the earth, satellite tv has the benefit of broadcasting from the sky where all you need is a line of sight to the southern sky. In order to receive these signals you need to use a powerful antenna, which is what the satellite dish is. In addition to the satellite dish, you will also need a receiver, which is included in the installation.

In the past, rural tv viewers were unable to view more then a fuzzy channel or two over the air broadcasts if the local cable company was not able to run cable to their home. Now anyone with line of sight to the southern sky can have access to the hundreds of crystal clear audio and video that satellite tv offers at a very competitive price.

Satellite tv is a great option to consider when looking at setting up your ultimate home theater system.

For more information about http://familyhometheaterguide.com/HD_Content.html Satellite TV, Digital Cable and Broadcast TV visit Jared's site at http://familyhometheaterguide.com

The Family Home Theater Guide is an informative guide to home theater, with a particular emphasis on family entertainment. Jared has a wife and three children that love to experience the magic of the big screen in the comfort of their own home.