Glad you mentioned that you're looking for a "whole family" solution. If it were just for programming, I'd say HBO, but if you got younguns, there's stuff on there you wouldn't want them viewing. I don't think there are movies/shows like that on the Starz! package, so for your situation, I'd say Starz!
I can't comment on one HD vs. the other because I've never seen Starz!-HD.
I have them both; Starz seems to have more movies, and is probably more family friendly. But you didn't give the option of both. That's how I would have voted.
I have them both; Starz seems to have more movies, and is probably more family friendly. But you didn't give the option of both. That's how I would have voted.
StarzHD has improved significantly over the past year. They used to show a lot of upconverted movies in the past. This is no longer the case. Almost everything is in true HD these days, with just a few exceptions.
The HD picture quality on both channels (on E*) is good but not great. Compression used by E* is too high. I canceled my HBO subscription because I can watch most of the same movies in much better quality on HD DVD, and I don't really care about HBO shows. (Not that they are bad, they are actually among the best!)
However, I am planning to signup for HBO again in January for one reason only: Rome! Which looks fantastic in HD! An eye candy!
HBO Family has a TON of kids programming from preschool to teen. They also have movies. HBO as a whole has a whole range of stuff, but IMHO, the movies are generally better and, though EVERYONE starts off saying they "never" watch the series, they do. And I am talking about things like Real Sports and several family series on HBO family.
Starz has Disney, Touchstone and Buena Vista movies so it does have a family feel.
HBO Family has a TON of kids programming from preschool to teen. They also have movies. HBO as a whole has a whole range of stuff, but IMHO, the movies are generally better and, though EVERYONE starts off saying they "never" watch the series, they do. And I am talking about things like Real Sports and several family series on HBO family.
Starz has Disney, Touchstone and Buena Vista movies so it does have a family feel.