Comcast vs. DirecTV Can't decide...

[HDBoobToobNoob]

I have been using this site for advise since I started looking for an HDTV back in Aug/Sept. last year. You guys/gals have all been so helpful with that experience that I figured I would ask another question.

Currently I have Comcast with the HD package in the apartment I am at. Two years ago I rented a townhouse that had DirecTV and I loved it. I've had comcast since i moved out of the townhouse. Now I am moving to another apartment and when doing a walkthrough last night I noticed the apartment above mine had a dish off the balcony. I got excited as I thought about DiscoveryHD and all the things I liked about DirecTV before. After weighing the pros and cons about both I came up with a few questions:

1) How do the SD channels look via DVI on DirecTV (cause comcast SD channels are not that great via component)?

2) With any of the sports packages, ie NFL, NHL on DirecTV, does Fox Sports show some of the games in HD, I think I read that some are if Fox is showing them in HD (I know 480P, to me thats Fox's HD til this fall)?

3) If money isn't of concern for buying the DirecTV STB which is the best?

I think I had another but I can't remember, it will come to me eventually. Thannks in advance for any help.

Brian

[vstone]

How big is your screen and how close to it will you be sitting?

I sit about 11' from a 42" plasma EDTV and I find most DirecTV SD overcompressed, especially the locals, and very especially, the news channels.

The overcompression may be less of a problem in the late May/early June timeframe due to a new satellite at DirecTV. Time will tell. I would start with cable. Get a DirecTV unit after the dust has settled on their channel shifting among satellites. Then you can compare.

It appears that different monitors and dfeerent STB's provide a variety of rsulting pictures. Some of the others may have more experience in matching them, but I would recommend posting a little more info about the display: native display resolution, acceptable input resolutions (mine won't accept 720p), etc.

The HD Tivo from DirecTV and MAY be widely available by mid May. No hands on reviews as of yet.

[bigbw]

I have both.. I use D* for most things and SD looks great on my GWIII.. I have a Samsung 360 connected via DVI.. Has been a lot of problems with this box and this is my second one, but it has been working great.. I have comcast for local HD.. I have the most basic plan and just rent the HD box.. since I have comcast HSI, it only costs me 3$ per month more for the local HD..