TIPS: When switching to cable service, be sure to: (1) Make sure there is a 30-day happiness clause of some sort offered by the cable service provider; (2) Don't cancel Dish for 30 days; (3) Compare picture quality of Dish vs. cable by switching input sources on the same channel -- examples: use SciFi for SD comparison and Discovery HD Theater for HD comparisons -- also, be sure to compare the PQ of SD locals as cable often delivers them in analog, not digital; (4) Scrutinize the HD-DVR unit they give you -- look for cheesy low-res menu graphics, slow channel changing and hicups when moving from SD to HD content.
Cable varies considerably from area to area in both picture quality and HD-DVR useabilty.
Charter in my area offered on helluva deal money-wise for the first year, but they only had two locals in HD (the rest were analog and they looked BAD compared to Dish), their Scientific Atlanta HD8000 DVR was a slow and buggy piece of crap with Atari 400 graphics, their HD channels were all softer than the razor sharp picture I have with Dish, and even the digital SD channels were significantly softer.
However, keep in mind that cable in your neck of the woods might offer equivalent PQ to Dish and a better HD-DVR. Who knows? That's why you need to try it out on a 30-day plan and compare simultaneously apples-to-apples with Dish before giving Dish the boot.
Oh, yes, and you think Dish CSRs are clueless?
Wait until you have to deal with cable company customer service! The sales reps are strictly separated from the install crew and the customer cannot speak to an install technician with Charter. It took me three install appointments to get my cable TV service running as each time they came without needed parts. And, they did not reschedule for me automatically -- I had to call myself and wait on hold forever and then they wouldn't expedite my next appointment even tho the need for the new appointment was their own fault, not mine.
With Dish, the hold times are shorter and I can talk directly with TECHNICAL SUPPORT staff at any time without having to go through the clueless sales team first. With Dish, I politely begged for and got a 942 lease. With Dish, my picture quality is always spectacular. With Dish, my 942 changes channels quickly, has a beautiful on-screen programming guide and hasn't locked up on me yet.
Sometimes the grass can look greener on the other side of the fence -- just make sure you have 30 days to closely examine that grass before you burn your present yard.
Best of luck.
