Check all the details when selecting TV services

In my case, I think it was the right decision. After a few false starts -- they had to switch out my receiver box twice before I got one that was trouble-free -- I have been very happy with my service. I've been on a first-year introductory discount which will expire soon, and when that happens my bill will go back up to about what I used to pay for cable, but for that price I will be getting a lot more channels, as well as my beloved DVR. (I don't know how I lived without the DVR.) And I saved money this year.

But that's not to say that satellite over cable is the right choice for everyone. Each person's situation is different. Here are some factors to weigh as you consider your own programming:

Channel packages

Charter Communications cable, DirecTV and Dish Network each has its own particular selection of programming packages. Try getting a brochure from each company and just start circling the channels that you and your family watch most often (or that you think you might be interested in watching). You may find that one company's basic package covers all of your favorites, while another company would force you up to a higher-priced package in order to get them. Keep in mind, though, that sometimes programming packages change.

If your TV sets are HD-compatible, be sure and ask about each company's HD packages. How many channels are available, and what's the cost? Within the next few years, 3-D programming may also become a factor, with two 3-D channels and several 3-D-compatible sets announced in the past few weeks.

Bundles

Charter offers bundle discounts which include both cable TV and cable Internet, along with Internet-delivered telephone service. AT&T, meanwhile, offers discounts if you bundle DirecTV with a package of its Internet and telephone services. Be sure that you know which prices are limited-time promotional discounts, and what the real price will turn out to be once the discounts have expired.

Contracts

Satellite companies will generally require a one-year or two-year contract in return for the equipment they install at your home. This is similar to the agreements that many mobile telephone users sign in order to get a free or discounted phone.

Cable TV allows you to purchase their service on a month-by-month basis. In uncertain economic times, a customer can drop down to "budget cable" (mainly the broadcast channels, religious channels and some home shopping) as a temporary cost-saving measure, or can even drop service altogether if needed. Some people are much more comfortable with this arrangement.

Even Cable TV, however, sometimes requires contracts as a condition of special discount packages or bundles. Be sure and read the fine print.

Equipment

The cable companies run ads trying to discourage their customers from going to satellite, and one of their selling points has to do with the equipment required for a satellite installation. A satellite dish must be mounted so that it has a clear view of the southwestern sky. That increases the chance that your particular piece of equipment might have a problem. Depending on the problem and whether your equipment is still under warranty, that may mean you wind up with repair costs.

Satellite TV can be disrupted by weather, although my experience has been that those disruptions aren't nearly as frequent or severe as the cable company's promotional messages make them out to be. In very rare cases, when there is extremely heavy rainfall (locally or to the southwest), I've experienced service interruptions, although usually not very long, and I always have something waiting on the DVR to watch instead of live programming. It's something to take into account, but far from being a deal-breaker.

U-verse

One unknown factor in any of these decisions is AT&T. In 2008, the telecommunications giant got state law changed so that it could pursue a statewide franchise to offer its high-speed U-Verse cable television service. Shelbyville is one of the communities on AT&T's list to eventually get U-Verse -- but the company, citing competitive reasons, hasn't announced its timetable for when U-Verse will be turned on in any given community. So there's no clear indication when U-Verse will be an option locally.

In short, be prepared to do some research, to find the best package for you and your family for the best price available.

--John I. Carney is city editor of the Times-Gazette and covers county government. He is also the author of the self-published novel "Soapstone." His personal web site is lakeneuron.com.