The question of whether to watch TV through TV aerial or through a satellite dish has been around for quite some time now. We’ve examined both cases and are here to bring you a detailed 2024 guide on which one to get.
Luckily for homeowners, both are pretty solid options. And while there are some major differences between TV aerial and satellite dishes, the general consensus is that both provide an amazing TV viewing experience.
But, this article is about finding out which is better and we’re going to do exactly that. So, without wasting too much of your time, here is the 2024 guide of whether to get a TV aerial or satellite dish.
Page Contents
1. Cost Differences
The first category of comparison is the cost. Namely, both options cost differently and one is going to be more expensive than the other. This is an important factor that is closely tied to others we’ll mention on this list.
But the most basic thing to know about cost is that a satellite dish (on its own) is realistically a less expensive option. That’s because it’s much easier to mount and install a satellite dish than an aerial.
However, as we mentioned, other factors play a hand in balancing out the cost when compared with other features. For example, a satellite dish might be less expensive, but you’ll have to specifically find a place for it and face it south.
An aerial dish doesn’t have to face any direction and can be placed on the roof for better signaling.
However, a satellite requires a decoder so the signal could be translated so you can watch TV. A decoder isn’t a cheap thing and this is what makes the price for installation much more expensive.
Modern televisions are sold with TV aerial connections. This means that you can easily connect the aerial dish with your TV and watch television immediately.
Satellite dishes, on the other hand, are much more complex and televisions don’t have a setting for them.
2. Coverage And Reception
Where you live can directly impact your buying decision. That’s because both options have their pros and cons when it comes to coverage and signal reception.
Satellite TV is generally a good choice when you live in mountainous regions surrounded by lots of tall trees. Since satellite TV gets the signal through a satellite in space, all you’d need to get your daily TV is a clear view of the sky.
TV aerial, on the other hand, is much better for city living and every other area that is in a dip or in a valley. Since aerial TV gets the signal through land-based transmitters, it doesn’t need to face the direction of the sky.
Whenever choosing to install aerial TV, do know that you’ll have to hire experts to install it. This job is very hard and complex, and the pros know how and where to face the dish to get the best reception possible. For that matter, make sure to hire experts such as the ones over at aerialandsatelliteexpress.co.uk.
3. The Amount of Viewing Options
Once satellite TV was seen as the ultimate go-to option when it came to getting the best possible viewing experience. Satellite had it all. It had sports channels, reality channels, news channels, movies, shows, series, etc.
Nowadays, the tables aren’t so tipped towards satellite TV as aerial TV has grown exponentially. Certain services are creating content and channels exclusively for aerial TV providers.
To put it simply, the sheer amount of content available for both aerial and satellite TV is truly breathtaking. Let’s explain some of it.
• Sports
Sport has always been a satellite’s strong side. And while aerial TV does have a large selection of sports channels to choose from, it simply cannot compare to its counterpart.
While you’ll probably have access to major leagues across football, soccer, and basketball, chances are you won’t have access to the ten golf channels that satellite has.
However, if you’re looking for an optimal sports viewing experience where you can watch the best leagues across the best sports, then aerial TV is more than sufficient to meet your needs.
• Movies
Satellite TV broke through the market by marketing itself as the go-to option for watching movies. But, same as before, aerial TV is gaining grounds and making huge strides to top its counterpart off the throne it sits.
With aerial TV, you can watch any movie you want. And we mean that literary. There are dozens if not hundreds of channels available for you to watch. Same as using a satellite dish, the sheer amount of choice will be more than enough to satisfy your taste for watching movies.
4. Reliability
Reliability is often quoted as being the deciding factor when choosing either option. However, it’s important to know that the case isn’t that straightforward as you might think.
That’s because there are dozens if not hundreds of reasons why a satellite or aerial TV might fail. Certain reasons are exclusive to the former, while others for the latter. Satellite appears to be more reliable since it gets its signal from space. For that, you’d only need a clear view of the sky.
Aerial TV receives the signal through land-based transmitters so it’s important to have it installed on higher grounds. That’s why the roof is the perfect place for installing it.
5. Weather Protection
This is one area that aerial TV is dominating without question. This source of television is built to last and built to withstand nearly every weather condition Mother Nature throws at it.
The case is significantly worse for satellites since the signal has to pass through weather conditions to get to your dish. The problems are evident during storms, rain, and high winds, as the signal will get interrupted or even lost.
Its aerial counterpart, on the other hand, is completely resistant to bad weather conditions because of the significantly smaller distance the signal has to pass to reach the receiver.
We are still comparing signal that travels from space with a signal that travels a few kilometers.