This is all well and good guys, but this is also why it is hard to be taken seriously by the service providers. We need to address the issues you have with the companies. The more people letting the companies know of issues, the more likely the company will do something. Where TV is concerned, getting the highest quality picture is the most important issue. I still believe in getting good quality. Why would you buy a 2-3000 dollar TV to to get crappy service. That's how I felt about cable. and that's why I dropped them.
Personally, if you are going to make a desision based on HD, I must interject and raise a giant point. For for the HD technology is still brandy spankin new with all sorts of bugs and whatnot, not to mention the whole ooooo 20 channels to choose from. Just like any other new product, this is the testing phase... So instead of rushing out and buying all the necessary equipment, let's see what happens when the system is finally perfected. For all of you that have, no offense, you are setting the standards for the pricing and whatnot already, supply and demand determines higher figures. I hope you realize that.
Look at the overall quality of the picture promised to you and go from there. Between all of the so-so tv's the companies use to advertise the products, it is hard to make a proper desision. That "everybody is going to need a HD tv in 2007" is a giant load for some cable providers have not even converted to full digital yet, and cable has been out for over 20 years. Both satellite companies have come in and rocked the tv market, so that alone is good news. I like getting a straight feed from a dish instead of the satellite to cable company then to us nonsense cable does.
My personal experience is Dtv has been good to me and quite a few people I know, so I hope it continues to do so. All of the people i knew that has dishnet, did nothing but have problems and switched to Dtv. That tells me something there.
and like all the rest of the arguments presented, i don't drink soda, so let's do more product evaluation testing.