Television has always been one of this country’s most beloved pastimes, and for many of us growing up, we didn’t even give much thought as to how it got in our homes. We turned on the TV and there it was, with all of our favorites shows and movies ready and waiting for us to enjoy at the push of a button.
In recent years, the way that we broadcast and consume our media has changed phenomenally, and where most people used to choose just one form and stick with it, there is now a multitude of options available for how you can watch those beloved shows.
Two of the most common ways to get TV in your home today is with a cable subscription or internet provider TV.
IPTV vs cable each come with their own pros and cons, but ultimately, we must decide on which one holds the most value for home entertainment, so we’re here to see how they stack up against each other. Once we see the difference between IPTV and cable, we’ll come up with a clear winner for your home.
The Rundown On IPTV
Just as the name implies, internet provider television is broadcast through your internet service provider. These programs are sent through internet traffic and they normally come in a package deal with the other services they provide, including telephone and internet.
It is possible to get the service on its own, however for the sake of value they usually recommend you have a package to save yourself money.
Usually, your internet provider will give you everything you need to get set up and they’ll also be your customer support should anything go wrong. You’ll have the option to upgrade channels and make adjustments to your plan as you see fit, so it’s just like having a cable subscription only this one is transmitted through the internet.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
A lower cost when you combine all of your services together from the one place | Can take up a lot of your monthly bandwidth, especially when viewing HD channels |
No need to mess around with satellites or other complicated pieces of equipment | When there are problems with the internet connection you’ll lose the signal to your television |
A lot of the content is updated regularly and there will be more original content created for the internet and less standard TV programs | Packages and some channels can be costly to upgrade to |
Cable TV And What It Can Offer
There isn’t an American alive that doesn’t know about cable TV, as this type of broadcast has been a tradition in our country since the 1940s.
Cable television requires the viewer to have a subscription to a cable provider who transmits programs to your home by sending data through wires and cables to your house. These operate on a one-way basis and any channels that you aren’t subscribed to can be blocked by the provider.
One of the biggest drawcards about cable TV is that it’s been around so long and is trusted by so many. You’ll always have access to great customer support should anything go wrong and there is never a shortage of programs to watch, so it’s great for families who spend a lot of time bonding over TV and movies.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Greater selection of programming and large focus on TV broadcasting rather than internet shows | Bandwidth is shared among cable subscribers in your area rather than allocated on a per-home basis |
Easy to set up and has 24/7 customer support for any issues | Not all channels on cable TV are available in high definition as of yet |
Content is regularly updated as providers try to stay in competition with each other |
The Other Options
Although these are by far the two most popular choices for TV these days, recent times have seen other forms of in-home entertainment emerge. By far the most popular within the last 12 months is streaming services, with some people making the switch to these internet transmitted programs.
While there are certainly plenty of great original content on offer with these, they just can’t compare to having in-home cable TV or even a service provided by your internet company. The programming is unreliable, you’ll need to use a lot of your internet data in order to view a regular amount of TV, and what each service offers on its own can’t compare to a cable subscription.
Another option that some people look at is satellite TV, however, the main drawback here is the unsightly dish that you’ll need installed. Satellite TV does have some good programming, but again it can’t come to close to what a quality cable provider can offer.
The Final Word
Most homes in America make the choice to stick with just one form of television, so it’s all a matter of weighing up which one suits your home best. Overall, it seems that cable still offers the best solution for the average home as it’s easy to use, comes with a huge array of programming, and is still relatively affordable for everything that you get from it.
If you’re looking to choose a cable provider and can’t decide on which one is best, try making a list of your favorite programming choices and then moving forward based on that. Chances are, one provider will offer more of what you’re interested in and it will be a much smarter choice financially to spend your money there.
There’s no doubt that the future of TV is changing, and even cable TV with it. What used to be just channels provided to customers seems to be adapting to the modern needs of the viewer with cable companies now offering video on demand, streaming services, and so much more.
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