View source for DirecTV and Dish Net Alternatives for Satellite Television Service

This page is a work in progress.  The goal of this page is to create a collection of alternative Satellite television program providers that are an alternative to the big 3 small dish providers.

What's wrong with Dish Network and DirecTV?  

*They provide a highly compressed stream of digital mush, even their HD quality is subpar when compared to traditional C-Band picture quality.  In fact, they are just re-broadcasting feeds they receive via C-Band.

*Dish Network and DirecTV are overpriced.  It's just TV, it shouldn't be so expensive!  They even charge for networks that are Free-To-Air such as C-SPAN and RFDTV.

*Dish Network and DirecTV do not offer flexable programming selections nor do they offer real al la carte.  If you want, for example, Fox News, you are forced to pay for a bunch of other networks that you neither like nor even wish to contribute financially too.

The biggest advantage that Dish Network and DirecTV have over C-Band is the fact that they use a small fixed dish and inexpensive equipment.  C-band isn't for everyone, and it requires an initial investment to get going.  Howevever, after that you will save money in the long run because you only have to pay for the programming you want.  What you pay now monthly will likely be your annual cost with C-band equipment.

C-Band comes in two flavors, traditional analog and now digital.

 Fox News			C-Band Digital G3581				G3	$32.99 a year 
 Encore Westerns		C-Band Digital G1150				G1
 History			C-Band Digital 4610 and Ku X4612			C4
 Year @223.42
 
 NPS provides receiver.
 Skyvision makes dish / Dual Feed LNB - 
 
 HBO and Cinimax requires 10ft dish

'''NOTE''': As of Aug 1, 2007, most channels will have moved to 4DTV and a 4DTV receiver is required to receive them except for these four channels that are still available on analog c-band after Aug 1: CNN/Headline News, TBS, TNT and The Weather Channel.

<big>Analog C-band satellite is becoming a thing of the past, very fast.  The new big dish satellite service standard uses [[Motorola 4DTV Satellite Technology]].</big>

&nbsp;

== North American Minidish Subscription Provider Alternatives List ==

* Cable TV (no thanks)
* [[Free to Air Satellite Receivers|FTA Free-to-Air]]
* [[Motorola 4DTV Satellite Technology|4DTV Digital C-band]]
* [[C-Band Satellite Information|Legacy Analog C-band]]
* Streaming Internet Television
::''see our list of [[Streaming Web Internet TV Clients]]''.

&nbsp;

== Big Dish Programming Providers == 

Before you can order programming for your big dish system, you need to be prepared.

For Digital and Analog: Have your Unit ID( VC #) information ready
* This is necessary for ordering analog programming.  The number looks something like this: 0000-0000-DF00

For 4DTV: Have your Unit ID information ready
* In addition to your VC number, you will need your Unit ID which looks something like this: 0012-0000-0000

One popular place to go for subscription to C-Band television programming is [http://www.bigdish.com/BigDish Online] C-Band Satellite TV Programming.  

List of C-Band Programming Providers:

:* [http://www.bigdish.com/ Bigdish] ''(located in Winter Springs Florida contact online only)''
:* [http://www.callnps.com/ National Programming Service, LLC.] ''(Indianapolis, IN ph# 800 786-9677)''
:* [http://www.programming-center.net/ Satellite Receivers, Ltd] ''(located in Green Bay, WI ph# 800 432-8876)''

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

[[Category:Electronics]]
[[Category:Consumer Electronics]]
[[Category:Satellite & Cable TV]]