I currently have DirectTv's high def service. When it works, it's great. I have a neighboors tree that seems to block some of the satellites that the dish needs to get the HD channels. Once the leaves fall, it should work OK, but this stinks. I'm considering my local cable company's HD service. Any suggestions?

I have two dishes for my direct tv service because of this very problem and I get great reception.

Satellite stinks. HD Cable is the only way to go IMHO.

It depends on where you live. Cable here sucks and satellite is the best way to go.

I just switched from Dish to cable a couple of weeks ago.
Time Warner will give you a HD DVR with rental fee and the Dish version will cost around $1000 up front.
The Cable HD DVR has two tuners and so far works quite well.
My local cable is adding ESPN HD next week and our local CBS in HD very soon. Dish will probably never have my smaller market city locals in HD.
Except for the Standard cable stations not having quite as much clarity as the Dish's I am happy with the move.

agreed, satellite compression is a bitch

I agree but only with respect to certain channels. Overall I am very happy with my Direct TV service and would never, ever have cable again.

See what the channel lineup is from your cable company versus DirecTV. I went with cable as the channels were about the same, but I got the HD DVR for $10/month ($5 more than the Digital box I had) and no out of pocket $$. I have seen some cable companies that have close to 20 HD channels, I get 9. Hopefully soon Cox will add some more like they have in other areas.

My local cable (Adelphia) has CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, ESPN, PBS and HBO in HD.... not need to consider direct in my case.

Never say Never!

On this point I will gladly say never.

Bad programming service, bad equipment and bad customer service are not a viable business model. Frankly I wish my local cable company would go out of business.

I need to get 4 rooms hooked up with TV and one id like to be a HD tv. Ive looked at digital cable and it will be like $59/mo plus a monthly rental fee for a HD box. With Direct TV one of their total choice programming is $40 a month. Will I have to pay extra for HD channels and for a HD reciever?

Satellite is the better for EVERYThing.... except HD.

I switched from UltimateTV on Directv (the Microsoft version of Tivo) to HD cable when COX started to offer HD cable.

The picture is GREAT on HD cable on the HD channels, but normal non-HD channels look worse.

If DirecTv would add my Local HDs in HD I'd go back in a minute.

-Tom

They may when they get the bandwidth.

I get my local channels in HD over the air with a seperate antenna that feeds through my HD Direct Tv receiver (Sony HD200).

Unless you have Voom.