Canada: Rogers Cable HDTV Vs. Shaw Cable HDTV Equipment

Satellite television providers, DISH Network® and DIRECTV®, are always striving to stay on top of the latest developments in industry technology. It begins by observing trends in society and translating that into product development. How are people living, moving, working and entertaining themselves? DISH Network TV equipment reflects the way that DISH Network has been listening and paying attention to the customer’s needs.

Getting to know the equipment of cable TV providers also helps satellite developers. Internetlion.com takes a look at the tech offerings of two rival Canadian Cable TV companies, Rogers Cable TV and Shaw Cable. HDTV PVRs or DISH Network TV and DIRECTV HD DVR as we call them here, are especially considered. The satellite TV versus cable war can’t be won without a little reconnaissance.

Standard Definition and High Definition Rogers Cable TV Boxes

Rogers Cable TV is the second most popular cable provider in Canada. The digital division is called Rogers Personal TV. They service Eastern Quebec, Newfoundland, Toronto, Labrador, New Brunswick, Ontario and more. Their experience, size and scope allow them to be innovators in Canada, along with their rival Shaw Cable.

There is one Standard Definition Digital Terminal and one High Definition Digital Terminal from Rogers. Satellite TV provider DISH Network has 2 SD receivers and 5 HD receiver models.

The Rogers Cable TV SD Terminal, which can be rented for $4.49 per month or bought for $99, delivers:

Digital images and sound
On Demand programming
40 channels dedicated to music
Parental controls

The Rogers Cable HDTV Terminal, for rent for $12.95 monthly or purchase for $249.99, is capable of all these things and it can bring you:

A wide screen picture
On Demand in High Definition
Better resolution than standard television by 10 x
The ability to have 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound
17 HD channels free of charge
Pay-Per-View

It’s surprising to see how much the prices are of the SD and HD cable boxes from Rogers. Satellite TV versus cable challenges on equipment are easily won and lost by factors like features and pricing. The ViP922 SlingLoaded HD DVR from DISH Network TV costs only $200 and eclipses the Rogers Cable HDTV Terminal as well as far more advanced DIRECTV HD DVR models.

Shaw Cable HDTV And SDTV Equipment In The Spotlight

The story of Shaw Cable television begins in Alberta. The year 1966 saw the birth of a company called Capital Cable Television Co. Ltd, which was later renamed Shaw Cablesystems Ltd. Their service area consists of mostly northern Ontario and pockets of western Canada. They are in direct competition with Rogers Cable TV. In the battle of equipment, satellite TV versus cable, Shaw submits the following:

Shaw Digital TV Terminal – Rents for $2.95 monthly or is for sale for $118. The monthly rental fee is lower than the competing model from Rogers Cable TV, but the purchase price is higher. The features are mostly the same, however Shaw’s SD Terminal boasts a high-speed processor, which enables viewers to have their channels tuned quickly.
Shaw Cable HDTV Terminal – Yours for $7 per month or you can purchase this model for $248. In this case, both prices are less expensive than those for the Rogers Cable HDTV Terminal.
In your research, you’ll find the top of the line DIRECTV HD DVR receiver only costs $199, if you had to buy it…but you might not. Unlike Shaw and Rogers, satellite TV providers regularly offer free equipment. Many of the features are the same as those in the Rogers HD Terminal, however this Shaw HD model is PVR ready.

Get To Know The Rogers Cable HDTV HD PVR And Compare

The Rogers Cable HDTV PVR is a Personal Video Recorder, equivalent to the DVR. It’s the top performer for Rogers. Satellite TV viewers should be comforted to know that DISH Network and DIRECTV truly provide value. There is only one model of Rogers Cable HDTV PVR and it costs $24.95 per month to rent. You can, alternatively, buy the equipment for $499.99.

This model does everything the SD and HD Terminals do and it can change how you watch live television by allowing you to pause and rewind it. In the satellite TV versus cable equipment close-up, this is no major revelation as all satellite DVRs do this and more, for significantly less money.

The PVR Terminal can record up to 20 hours of HD programming and up to 90 hours of Standard Definition. At this price, you’d expect more from the technology of Rogers. Satellite TV DVRs have huge storage capacities so you won’t have to keep deleting your favorites to use your DVR.

Canadian Equipment Measuring Up: The Shaw Cable HDTV PVR

In the last of the satellite TV versus cable showdowns, let’s look at the Shaw Cable HDTV PVR. This model is far more advanced than its Rogers rival as it lets you use it for its main purpose, which is to record. The Shaw Cable HDTV PVR costs $13 per month to rent or $448 to buy. Again, Canadians would be saving money with this model versus the one from Rogers Cable TV.

More importantly, Shaw finally steps in the ring with satellite DVR models, as this PVR box boasts 1 Terabyte of space for all your movies, sporting events, concerts, family programs and more. Shaw proclaims the capacity of their PVR to be 120 hours of HD and 600 hours of SD programming. Is it worth the $448 price tag? Customers of DISH Network have so much more, for so much less.

Compare DISH Network And DIRECTV HD DVR Models

Even the most advanced DIRECTV HD DVR model only costs less than the HD, non-PVR Canadian equipment and less than half of the PVRs. Satellite TV providers like Internetlion.com want the benefits of satellite TV to be clear.

DISH Network gives new, first-time customers a free HD DVR upgrade and provides two additional Free HD receivers. That means that your household can be equipped with three HD receivers for free. Plus, DISH Network gives you free standard professional installation in up to 6 rooms of your home and they will be there within 24 hours after you’ve placed your order.

DISH Network has a fleet of receivers boasting 5 models of DVRs alone. They feature a Duo line of receivers, which set themselves apart by controlling 2 TVs from one machine. So you can start watching a recorded movie in the living room and finish it in the bedroom. The ViP922 SlingLoaded HD DVR has a Terabyte of memory and gives you the flexibility to watch TV from your computer or mobile device. DISH Network knows that to appreciate coming home, you have to know what’s out there. Why would you ever pay more for TV?