I know all of us would love to get satellite subscriptions so we can watch a ton of shows, especially for the upcoming winter.  But during these penny-pinching times, we want the most bang for the buck as well as to take advantage of any good deals.  Here is some information about the two big satellite television companies, Dish Network and DirecTV.

Dish Network

Receivers vary in prices due to their DVR memory capacity, HD capacity, and dual tuners starting at around $100.  Right now, Dish Network is offering their standard professional installation for free.  This is a savings of $199 but be advised that this is a limited time offer.

DirecTV

DirecTV offers four types of receivers.  The bottom standard receiver is $69 while its HD equivalent is $99.  If you’re looking for a DVR, standard DVR receivers are $99 while HD DVR receivers jump to $199.  While all of these sounds affordable, installation is usually free installation in most but not all cases.

For both Dish Network and DirecTV, dishes can be bought via the company themselves or through websites like Amazon or Google.  Pricing has DirecTV’s around $125-150 while Dish Networks’s is $100-$130.  Strangely, both Dish Network and DirecTV do not give information about purchasing dishes as accessories.  We all know that you need the dish in order to watch satellite television.  While it is a bonus that both throw in free installation for receivers and the dishes, it is strange how prices (if any) aren’t listed for dishes.  If you do decide to purchase dishes that aren’t directly from the two companies, just make sure to get a new one.  You never know what has happened to a used one and don’t want to get short-changed on that type of investment.