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Satellite dishes and cable boxes seem to be quite popular. The old traditional antenna is becoming obsolete. Data packets of information enter your television through the sky or from a network of cables. One question still remains, "which is better for me?"

Of course the answers is a resounding, "it depends." Both have a high quality of picture and deliver on a number of options. However, here are a few tips that should help in making a decision between satellite or cable.

One of the first questions you should ask yourself is how many TV sets do you have in the house? If your answer is three or more, than you may want to go with cable because of cost. Cable can run through out the entire house and you can connect as many TV sets as you want for no additional cost. Satellite requires one receiver for each TV set and you pay an additional fee for extra receivers. Satellite has a starting cost around $30 per month, which includes local channels. Each additional receiver will carry a charge, plus a monthly fee of around $5. Cable has a higher starting cost of around $45 per month, therefore if you only need one extra receiver, satellite is the better option.

Another thing to consider is "pay per view." Each satellite receiver gives you the ability to buy movies and sporting events, but cable requires a set-top box to give you this ability to purchase special events. Of course the set-top box comes with an additional fee! So if you buy cable and only get one set-top box, you only have the ability to watch the standard channels on the rest of the TV sets through out the house. If you are like me and want to keep track of your favorite football team, than you need the "pay per view" option!

A third thing to consider is high speed internet access. If you go with cable they usually give you a discount for high speed internet. Both cable television and internet run around $80, which is quite expensive. Most people that go with satellite end up getting DSL for high speed internet. The combination of satellite and DSL is around $60, which is less expensive than the cable options. Keep in mind that cable internet is a little faster that the basic DSL option. DSL is still much faster than standard dialup.

One final thing to consider when choosing between cable or satellite is signal interruptions. Sometimes in severe weather the satellite reception can get brief signal interruptions that result in a garbled picture. The good thing about satellite interruptions is they only last for a few seconds in brief intervals. If the cable goes out it is usually because of a broken line in the network that can take several hours fix. So decide how you will react when watching your favorite show or sporting event; do you want a brief interval of static, or a smaller chance, but still possible, of missing the whole show?

If you are wondering what choice I made, it is satellite with just one receiver. I also hooked up a wireless audio video sender to the television in the basement in front of the exercise equipment. This way I get the cheaper satellite option with out paying for the extra receiver. I pay less than $30 a month. My parents have TV sets in every room in the house, so of course they took the cable option!

Scratched DVD Solutions If you are like me, and have small children, it is inevitable that some of your DVD collection will become scratched or damaged. Here are three solutions for fixing or avoiding scratched and damaged DVDs.

TV Transcripts Closed Captions can be used to generate TV transcripts with a minimal amount of hardware. Imagine capturing transcripts from your favorite TV show, sports event, or news program. It is a great way to gather information from television.

Digital Video Recorder Digital Video Recorders are one of the best solutions to commercial free TV. They provide you with the ability to watch and record a show at the same time.

Component Video Cable Component Video Cable split video into three separate signals of red, green, and blue for optimal clarity and picture quality.

Online DVD Rentals It started with a company in California named Netflix. The idea was to offer DVD rentals by mail with no late fees. They eventually went public and raised money for more distribution centers. This would allow most customers to receive their movies in one or two days. They attracted the attention of two companies called Blockbuster and Wal-Mart. Let the competition begin!

Survey: Cable costs more, offers less For the first time, cable TV subscribers are spending more on services each month than satellite TV...