I have both right now(DSS for sports packages and PPV) and there are tradeoffs for each.

I have Cox Digital cable with the GI digital cable box that's standard. I've also have friends with the TCI Digital Cable service.

Qualitywise, digital cable can't compare to DSS in my opinion. I don't think digital cable is even as good as analog - they can just squeeze more into the same space. The picture from my Sony DSS reciever is crystal clear and the audio is CD like. The digital cable quality is OK, but nothing to get excited about.

Now comes ease of use. While you need a digital cable reciever in each room for digital cable, you also have normal cable running through the same line so you can watch normal cable on all TVs. That's a big thing for me as I watch different stuff on the living room TV while my wife watches something else on the bedroom TV.

If the different TVs are not an issue for you, what about price? For me, DSS is just too expensive to get a good package. It seems cable is cheaper. However, DSS PPV movies are 1$ cheaper than cable and have a much better selection of viewing times. Also, cable just can't provide the sports packages like DSS does. My cable company just started offering NBA League Pass and ESPN College Football, and I hear NHL next year, but I don't see NFL or baseball on cable anytime in the foreseeable future.

Sometimes the cable co will hook you up with a package if you order all sorts of services. For example, I can get analog cable, digital cable, cable internet, and digital phone from my cable service. I get all but the phone, so I get a decent package deal. As you can see, my cable company offers alot of services. I have a fairly high opinion of my them(you don't hear that often) so I would imagine others are not even up to the quality I get.

So..........coming from someone who actually likes their cable company, I would suggest if you are happy with your current DSS setup and don't mind the price/multple TV thing, stick with DSS.