Since I am getting HD soon, I am reevaluating my options for who my TV provider is. Comcast regular channels are analog, where dish and direct TV are all digital for the SD channels I believe. Will this make a difference in SD quality? The one thing that has keep me with Comcast is their monopoly on Comcast Sportsnet around here, which is where most of the hockey, baseball, and basketball games are broadcast in the Philly area. They won't let the satellite providers have those channels. Dish seems to be the best price, but there is an 18 month commitment (in order to wave the $50 setup fee at least). Not an issue as long as the service is good. Local channels from them are an extra $5 a month, but I might be able to do OTA antenna myself to avoid that part. Comcast is most expensive as usual. I also use Comcast for Internet, so I would have to switch to DSL if I drop cable, since Comcast jacks up the price if you only have Internet. I wouldn't mind getting rid of them on general principal, except for the loss of sportsnet, and I have never tried dish or direct tv so don't know how much better or worse it is.

Are there other options besides the 3 I mentioned? Thanks for any input. I feel like all I have been doing lately is working, researching this stuff (between what TV, stand, this, and everything else related), and sleeping. I'm ready to have it all done, relax, and enjoy some HD!

We used to have Dish service, at an older place that I used to live in. It was cool, until the area got hit with thunderstorms, lightning, heavy winds, etc. We would lose service for a while.

Fast foward to today, we have Cablevision (the cable provider in our area) with the HD channels. I think the box costs a extra couple of bucks a month...and there are about 20 or so HD channels. Nothing to write home about, I will tell you that much. Plus, most of the channels that broadcast in HD -- well, let's just say certain ones don't take up the whole TV screen...so I get the black bars on the sides...highly annoying.

As for modem service, I went with verizon FIOS...seems to be a great service so far...though, it's a little false in how much D/L & U/L speeds are truly coming through...but, then again, at least I am no longer tied to cable modems, and routers, etc. etc. It's all wireless, through the house...which is a great thing!

I would say stick with cable, unless you don't get lots of storms, etc. Plus, you get to keep your sports channels...which, believe me, if it's something you watch a lot, you don't want to be without.

I probably can't "help", because I think so much of the answer is location-dependent.

Likewise, I'm not yet on the HD program (I've had too much other cool stuff to buy before a new TV).

We had Comcast cable for many years. When we moved a few years ago, I got a good deal on DirecTivo and have been extremely happy with the service and value. I noticed a definite improvement in signal quality over analog cable for SD signals. The service has only been interrupted a couple times during heavy snow and the PVR boxes have been trouble-free. They carry the Fox sports affiliate and the local channels.

We've always had DSL, which improved markedly when I ditched Qwest as the ISP. I still have to pay them for the line, but using an independent ISP was a great choice for us.

On the Internet side, if Fios was available I'd do it regardless of the cable situation, but I can't get it yet, so it is cable modem or DSL. I have cable and it works well, so I see no reason to switch, unless I get rid of cable TV and Comcast jacks up the price an extra $15 a month. Then it is DSL time. Anyway, I'm good with that part, it is more the TV options that I am concerned with.

I believe I read that if your HDTV has a HD tuner, you don't need to box from Comcast for HD, but that didn't sound right to me. I thought the tuner was just for OTA. Can someone fill me in?

It depends on if the sat companies are broadcasting local HD channels yet. If they are then the Dish is probably cheaper than cable. Currently I have comcast with the motorola PVR and it does a good job. I had dish network before that with their POS PVR-I'm sure tivo would be more appealing.

Dish provided local channels for an extra $5 a month.

local **HD** channels?

Yes, HD and standard.

nice! When I switched from dish to comcast they were still 'on the way' and had been for over a year.