• Television options in the new millennium boil down to three basic choices: free TV service using an analog-to-digital converter or a built-in digital tuner and the old-fashioned rabbit ears, satellite TV service and cable TV service. Cable remains a popular choice among numerous TV viewers and it has some advantages that set it apart from alternative options, although it also has drawbacks. You should consider them carefully before determining which system works best for you.
  
  

Format Advantages

• Cable TV works by running a line from the existing cable network into your home. The TV signal is then sent directly through the line and into your TV. The advantages when compare to digital broadcast TV are obvious---there's no pixilation of the signal and the image is crisp and clear---and while satellite TV can often match it for clarity, cable doesn't involve the use of a dish. That means there's no fussing with equipment up on the roof. Some houses have serious problems with satellite dishes, especially when trees or geography block a satellite's signal. Cable TV avoids those problems.
  
  

Content Advantages

• Because cable TV is available to private subscribers, it isn't beholden to the same content rules as regular TV. Cable broadcasters can run programming with more sex and violence than can network television. Cable TV also has the ability to provide Internet and phone services, as well as on-demand events such as wrestling, movies and rock concerts. Satellite services often provide these options too, though their on-demand and Internet services have traditionally lagged behind cable TV.
  
  

Disadvantages

• The disadvantages of cable TV depend largely on individual areas and the needs of the consumer. A local cable company may not have the same level of service as their satellite competitors, and while many satellite problems can be fixed simply by re-aligning the dish, a break in the cable line may require days or weeks to properly repair. Cable is also difficult to get in rural areas---they can't run a line out to isolated houses--whereas satellite is accessible anywhere provided you have a good view of the sky. Satellite services rarely include franchise fees or local taxes, making them less expensive than cable in many cases. Finally satellite has traditionally been able to deliver HDTV more readily than cable TV, providing a sharper, clearer picture than cable, although HDTV is becoming more available to cable subscribers.