To obtain quality broadcast video you'll need to receive the signal from either a satellite or your local cable provider. Each offers advantages, but one thing is for certain, neither can produce video quality anywhere near that of DVD. As the HDTV format starts getting revved up, both cable and satellite providers will need to offer these high definition broadcasts in the future.

Note: An Antenna can grab all of your local stations for you if you only want HDTV local channels, and with HD, the quality is just as good if not better than what's offered from Cable or Satellite.

Dish
Satellites provide the best picture available for standard definition broadcasts, but require a hefty initial cash outlay to purchase all the hardware. The downside of cable/satellite broadcasts is that different channels get different amounts of bandwidth (amount of data sent per station). Meaning some stations suffer from an extremely high compression rate which is visible, but luckily this is only apparent on a few channels. When using an HDTV the compression loss is even more visible due to the line doubler, and the only fix for this is to sit farther away from the screen, or wait for HDTV broadcasts.

Note: Satellites require a clear path to the southern sky to receive a signal. No clear path, no satellite.

Cable
Cable offers easier installation, cheaper prices, and usually free hardware compared to a satellite solution. Unfortunately, the picture contains more noise and interference than satellite. Digital cable can solve the noise issue, but not all channels through digital cable are purely digital... at least not yet. Digital cable also tends to have more visible compression artifacts than satellite.

Connection Woes
A satellite system and digital cable requires one receiver box per rooms. Regular analog cable, on the other hand, is easy to split and route off to different rooms. Cable wins the easy setup issue, but since digital cable requires a box for every room to receive premium channels, how long this advantage will last remains to be seen.

Summary
Overall it comes to how much extra you're willing to pay for a better image. A satellite system setup with a two room capability can set you back $200. There are specials out there, but this is a general price point. Bring HDTV hardware into the picture and the satellite investment is more like $800. Look for that price to drop as more HDTV satellites are purchased and new technologies appear.

Cable, on the other hand, is a lot easier to run to separate rooms, usually has little or no installation fees, but gives up some video quality. You may want to ask people in the area about the local cable service provider. Some have notoriously bad customer service, poor quality and lackluster reliability.