Big Debate

Ok, I'm not quite sure what this is going to set off but I need to know...

I'm one of those poor shmucks on Comcast that got his TechTV dumped. (Mixed feelings really because they gave me the Yankee station instead.) So now they leave me no choice but to jump off that fence. Question is, which one?

I checked out a friend of mine's setup with DirecTV and well, I have to say Comcast Digital looked better. We theorized that it's was between his large screen (probably filling in lines) and the mpeg compression, that the image seemed pixelly and over compressed. The worst was when we were viewing grainy film... it just looked like a mess. When he split his screen it looked a lot better.

So the question (finally) is there a real image difference between systems, and will the image look better on my 27" tube than his 40"? rear projector?

Originally I was going to go with the Dish Network, but right now DirecTV seems to have the better deal (cheaper with the same channels + a few I'd rather have) but I'd like a little assurance before I make the one-year commitment this weekend.

Thanks for your help...

Yes, images generally look better on a direct view (CRT) TV than they do on a projection TV. What I would suggest is viewing DirecTV at a dealer (or taking your 27" TV to your friends house and looking at DirecTV on your TV)

If you want the YES channel (NY Yankees) then DirecTV is your choice for a DBS provider.

[Chris Blount]

I agree. If DirecTV has the programming you want, go with them. When images from either service are blown up to 40" or more, it looks worse the bigger you go.

[Steve Mehs]

And as always make sure the reciever is connected to the tv via s-video if possable, or composite.

[John Corn]

I agree, pick ther programming package that fits your needs and thats who you should go with, we could debate Direct and Dishes PQ, there both about the same.

... I did hit up a 6th Avenue (retail chain) and saw it there... my worries were lifted... but I asked him the same question about my pal and he said he needed to upgrade to the HD stuff even if he wasn't going to use it for HD that the receiver would auto up his res... is this true? Or is he trying to make a sell? On some stuff he seemed knowledgable but when he said Tivo was a wanna be Ultimate TV and that UTV always had the features Tivo did... I became suspicious... another sale?

Otherwise I will be going back to pick one up tomorrow...

[TNGTony]

An HD receiver will and HDTV will not make the signal look a whole lot better if at all! Now the HDTV picture is awesome when you see it, but regular DirecTV or Dish channels will not look a whole lot better if at all better. Some may say they would look worse because the HDTV set would be less forgiving.

An HDTV receiver over a regular TV is no better than a regular receiver either. The limitation is not the receiver or the TV. It's the source material over DBS right now.

As to TiVo and UTV, I do not have any real experience with that, but from what I've read here and other places on the internet, it sounds like the UTV unit must have a higher commission for the salesman.

See ya
Tony