So you have you Spanking new HD-TV Widescreen, your favorite Dolby-Digital system, A Prog-scan DVD and your almost obsolete S-VHS, and maybe a LD player.
Now you want to find the best way to bring high quality TV programming to that setup. how do you do this?

Simple right? Run right out and subscribe to your local Digital Cable. WRONG Run out and subscribe to your local DSS provider. WRONG again. You spent all that time reading up on your TV and all of your carefully seleected components, and now is the time to shop yet again. ARRRRGGGGH!

Having worked in both fields I know that this is a difficult decission to make. I humbuly offer these few meager suggestions.

The first thing is to See what each has to offer you. List thoose things out you self, Liturature that is provided by Cable/DSS providers is designed to overwhelm and awe you.

What about service? Do You pay for Service, or do They?

Any Service Gaurantees? If so what are they and GET THEM IN WRITING. FCC regs require that any and all service garuantees be provided to you in writing at the time of installation and be availible on-demand.

Compare the Value for your hard earned CASH. What do you get for your money. Is that a limited time offer that will go away in 3mo-1yr or is it the normal price? Sadly many Cable and DSS promotions are limited time offers and then leave you paying high dollar afterwards. Don't be tricked... They know what it runs normally after promotions and MUST tell you. Just ask. If your Tech can't tell you, then call the providers Customer Service.
Finally. How much money is in your system? Cheap still looks and sounds cheap even on a great system.

To recap

1. COMPARE the service options. Who has what you want?

2. COMPARE the Service agreements. Who do you want to pay for the Maintenence and upkeep of your Equipment? Are there contracts, etc...?

3. COMPARE the service Gaurantees. If your Service goes out who will fix it? In what time frames? Are you going to pay for service that you don't get?

4. COMPARE the Value for your money. You get what you pay for... That's why we have spent 1,000's and some of us 10,000's of our money that we have sweat, bleed and worked so dearly for.

When you've done all that, then schedule your DSS and Cable Company to come out and and talk to you together, and compare options. Most of them will do this, if not, Get an offer from one of them, and then show it to the other. If they offer to beat it GET IT IN WRITING. Then Show it to the competitior. go untill you have the best offer for the best value of the most important thing of all... What YOU want.

That's why we have spent 1,000's and some of us 10,000's of our money that we have sweat, bleed and worked so dearly for. Spend it wisely