why does satellite television have a better picture than cable television?

Answer 1

It shouldn't, but it is possible. Cable has inherently higher bandwidth capability than satellite. Satellite has a better picture than analog cable, because satellite transmission is digital, and there is no noise in the picture. But for digital cable, the higher bandwidth of cable can offer some advantage. For standard definition (480i) there should be no difference in quality. The only time you may see digital cable with a better picture is when transmitting HDTV. if the satellite provider has reduced the resolution of the picture because of bandwidth limitations.

Answer 2

For the most part, SatTV is 100% digital. Cable usually has only a handful of channels that are digital. That plus the fact that Cable has a source that transmits down a line and goes through several amplifications in order to reach your home. Any time you transmit data through a line, it becomes weakened. That is why they need the amplifiers, but amplifiers don't just amplify the main signal. They also amplify the interference too, and so you don't always get the best possible reception.
A SatTV, on the other hand, only travels through a line from your antenna dish to your receiver, and because it is a digital signal, the only time it becomes corrupted is when conditions are so bad that your receiver can't determine if the bit is a 1 or a 0.
I have Direct TV and love it. The only time it goes out is in high wind or super heavy rains, but that is of no consequence because the power usually goes out too. ( I live up in the mountains and cable TV is not available and there is no broadcast TV or FM radio reception possible due to mountain blockage so I live on my DSL connection, Direct TV and Sirius Radio.)

Answer 3

There's a very simple answer: satellite is digital, cable is not. Even "digital cable" only offers a select group of digital channels, and in my experience, most of them aren't even that good. I have cable, just because neither of the satellite companies offer my local channels, and I live in a bad location for a dish. Otherwise, I would prefer satellite.

Answer 4

Yes, yes, yes. I had cable: Time Warner; it was awful and did not work half the time. They could not be bothered to fix it but when I asked them to come get the box they would not come get it and tried to charge for months I did not have their stupid cable.

I had Dish network in my vacation home so I got them to come set up at my house: wonderful. Even the controller is easier to handle and it does not go out all the time like cable

Answer 5

I think that depends on your service. I would expect that cable has the potential for a better signal since it is a hard link and not prone to the interference that could affect sattelite transmissions.

Answer 6

I don't know the scientific answer but...every single cable company on earth sux big time and is basically a monopoly in every area they cover. so this affords them to offer the crappiest service with the crappiest customer service...ANYthing is better than cable.