Having been a DISH Network customer since 1997, I thought I’d share my thoughts and opinions on the competition between DISH Network and DirecTV.

First of all, there really isn’t a big difference between the two systems. It all comes down to what you want for programming. They both offer almost the same things, but there are a couple of things that one has over the other. For example, DirecTV has NFL Sunday Ticket and Dish Network does not, but both have NHL Center Ice. As a Canadian, that’s a bonus.

They both have the same number of Pay-Per-View channels, but DirecTV has around 30 more 100% digital channels than Dish Network. They both offer high definition programming and that is what is all the rage right now. When I watch a hockey or soccer game on ESPN and then watch the same game on ESPN-HD, there is NO comparison. HD is like watching the show as if you are actually there. The image is clear and bright. DiscoveryHD and HDNET are the best for this type of display.

Another thing I love about satellite is my DVR recorder. I can watch one show and record another. I also like that when I record a show in HD, it plays back in HD. Remember those days when you would record a show, only to play it back with poor tracking and poor picture quality? Ugh, I don’t miss those days at all. In fact, my VCR is in our garage gathering dust.

And let’s not forget that you can pause live TV. That’s how it is. I can hit the pause button, go to attend to something for as long as it is, go back and resume what I’m watching without losing anything. Both systems have this amazing feature and it is worth every penny.

This brings me to the end of this article; prices and options. Both companies offer a quick and free installation. In fact, DISH Network boasts that they will install a system in 24 hours. They both offer a free HD DVR upgrade and DirecTV offers the first month of free programming on their most popular package. DISH Network offers a $ 100 cash back and 3 free months STARZ Movie Pack.

So there you have it. If you are looking to switch from cable to satellite, I hope this article has helped you through your decision-making process. Both systems are great and it all comes down to what you want as the pricing and scheduling are similar between the two systems.